Chapter 18

“Why should you care” he snapped.
“I'm your wife for the time being” she said, irritated by those words she just spat out of her mouth.
“Wife?” He repeated surprised. Alex often repeated things that seemed foreign in her mouth, as he could see she was putting up a straight face. There was no way she meant those words of hers except if she was pulling his legs. He was speechless as to why she kept saying she was his wife, he didn't look upon her the way she expressed their marriage to be real.
“Be careful with the way you handle things here” he warned, but she ran towards the door and widen her arm while letting out a pant. Seeing in the dark seems to be a habit now, as she had mastered the room easily.
“Let me treat it for you”. Alex shoved her aside, but she still persisted, gazing at him modestly as she tried to take a look at it.
“Back off!” He instructed attempting to hold the door knob, she moved from his way, there was no point in trying to act all nice. While he took a step forward, she placed her leg so that he could fall, but rather she ended up falling. Alex narrowed a sigh and stretched his hand to help her up, she felt embarrassed that she fell for her trap.
“I'm fine” she snapped as his blue eyes glowed curiously at her.
“I never asked” he snapped, and she scoffed, rubbing her nose gently which reminded him of Colton.
“You're my husband, and it's your responsibility to know how your wife is faring…”
“It's just a contract… you're stepping too far” Alex stressed just then, Colton hurried towards Evelyn's room.
“You need to see this, Alex” he beckoned as both men rushed downstairs. They left her door opened and Evelyn hasten towards the path they took but first, she took a lamp with her to guide her step. She could hear the men in the study room, seriously engrossed in their conversation. It wasn't all she could hear clearly, but she a kind of war had turned up.
“I stood watch as instructed and saw vermin along with some armies racing for bernia island”
“Adolph couldn't handle him” Alex cursed, folding his fist. There was no way Draco would chase for that island if the lake haven't sighted something foreign.
“He's searching for souls lost there, and you're the guardian, we have to stop him from reaching therefore” Colton pointed out, interrupting Alex speculations as his voice became shaky. He walked towards the shelves that rest on the wall and brought a scroll while opening it.
“It's a survival world Colton, our world can't end just yet” Alex expressed, bringing out a sword that had ancient writings inscribed on it. He wished to come along with him but Alex was definitely going to refute him.
“Can't you quit, you're suffering over…”
“You don't have to bring up the past” Alex interrupted, glancing at his injury which was delaying to heal up. Colton held the tip of his shirt and sighed deeply as Alex wasn't the type that talked about his life to anyone not even though he was close to which includes Colton who had tried his best to be an understanding friend to him. If only Alex understood that he wasn't alone in this fight.
“If he gets a hold of it, then…” Colton paused, afraid to say the words out to Alex who knew what the result could be. He pats Colton on the shoulder with a courageous stare.
“Worry about yourself”
“I thought you need a human to break it”
“Gather the troop, tell them to retreat” Alex muttered, switching the topic. Colton swallowed hard how many more secrets was Alex going to hide from him. Evelyn became puzzled, what troop because from the looks of it, it was only the three of them in this building. They weren't completing their statements, which made her more confused.
“See to it that she's safe, the scarlet still exist in her” he furthered, stepping out with a mask and a sword. Could he probably be going for war?
“Stay safe Alex” Colton wished and Alex nodded, holding the sword firm.
“Remember, you're not meant to transform, control it” he furthered which made a smirk on Alex's face. Does he really to need to remind him when he knew of the consequences if he does so? Evelyn had raced to her room since she saw Alex coming out with a mask. She hadn't locked her door when Colton beckoned on her to come out.
“What's wrong?” She asked as he switched on the lights. He held a lamp in his hand and placed it in her hand.
“We're going on hiding” he responded gesturing to her to carry anything useful. Evelyn did as ordered and the only thing she grab was her bag while Colton led the way. He steered her to a tunnel, she pants heavily as he was really faster than expected and holding on to her hand.
“I'm exhausted!” She wailed, wanting to take a break.
“What are we running from?”. Colton took a pause as he could see sweat trickling down her paled face. She had refused him carrying her, as she claims her legs would suffice.
“What do human run from?” He asked rhetorically, and she bent slightly placing her hands on the knees while inhaling, but the damp smell from this place made her almost throw up. Certainly, it was from danger, and they were doing so. Overhearing their conversation was somewhat creepy as they kept putting her in suspense.
“Where's Alex heading to?” She asked as though concerned. He has to live at all cost, since that disturbing voice told her only he could solve her misery.
“Your questions might put us in more danger, we shouldn't have gone to the lake” he rants, pacing to and fro.
“He's resolving problems that aren't his”
Evelyn glanced behind her as it was dark and cold.
“He would be safe, right?”
“Stop acting like though you care!” He snapped, in disgust by her acting.
“I'm trying to work on the deal, but it's not working, he doesn't even have a heart, how can it beat for anyone?” She blasted and bite her tongue as it dawn to her that she was speaking to his look alike in character.
“Watch your tongue” he cautioned, and she raised her hands in the air in surrender. At least this brute should know how she felt towards them because fake affection was deadly. She wished to ask him why he replies to her indirectly and doesn't throw a fist at her anymore when she got on his nerves, but it was best to be silent at such moments. The lamp in her hand suddenly fluttered as it seems it might die down. There was no breeze or liquid that could probably take out the fire, so why was it shaking?
“Keep it alive, if it goes off, then he might never come back”
“What?”. How can his return be affected by the light emitting from this lamp? This was far more mysterious than she had thought. The lamp almost dropped from her hand at his phrase, which she assumes should be a joke.
“You're the only one fit for it, enough of the questions and move” he growled at her, and she furthered in her step, guiding the lamp from fading. Immediately they got out from the tunnel and found themselves in a deserted place. Evelyn stood beside Colton as she could see skulls and bones scattered everywhere in this place. Her leg unintentionally brushed against a rib, and it made a crack. Colton suddenly shoved his face at her which made her dumbstruck, soon she heard something collapsed behind her, and she glanced at it only to find a skeleton shattered.
“Watch your steps, they are very sensitive” he whispered, and she nodded. Was this only place he could think of to hide for safety because it looks like they were in more chaos here than back at the mansion. Every of his phrase he spoke to her had the word “watch” in it that she presumes he must be a watchman or something related to keeping guard. Now she sees why he always acted like one, she pictured him as a loyal servant who tailed on Alex until the very end even though he was neglected. One thing she noticed was that even Colton had a little fear for Alex, so it could mean that Alex was the boss over them.
“Touch the wall” Colton said as they had come to the end of this desert. Evelyn couldn't see any wall, as everything looked plain and empty.
“Stretch your hand towards the invisible sheet” he guided while watching her do so and before her eyes, she penetrated to the other side as she had paved the way for Colton to come in, but something was out of place! She had forgotten the lamp outside the invisible sheet and the light fluttered again. Evelyn could see sand storm rising and it was going to definitely consume the lamp.