Chapter 27

Klara was confused. Irene liked her despite knowing everything? This woman really amazed her.
"As I said, you can stay here as long as you want."
"I might never find somewhere to go." Klara said realizing the gravity of her own words. What if she really never found somewhere to go?
"I doubt that." Irene smiled, her eyes swirling with the knowledge of something that Klara couldn't understand. Then swiftly she stood up "I'll see you at dinner." She said and left.
Klara sat alone again, her thoughts drifting away to Lucian. Was he alright? Was Hazel alright? Klara knew that if Hazel got hurt then that would hurt Lucian and she didn't want him to hurt because that would hurt her.
And then slowly her thoughts drifted to Astrid. Her sister must be so worried right now. Klara felt guilty for being the troublemaker. She always put her sister in difficult situations and made her worry. She really was good for nothing.
With sunken shoulders Klara stood up to walk back to her room when she took notice of Roshan standing two steps away. She had almost walked into him if she hadn't looked up.
"God, you scared me. Don't you know how to keep a distance?"
Again his lips curved into that wicked smile that annoyed her so much. She had tried her best to avoid him these last few days but it was difficult since she was living in his house. Everytime he spoke to her she found herself blushing, everytime he looked into her eyes she found herself losing track of her thoughts and stuttering, and everytime he smiled like that she found herself wanting to slap him and kiss him at the same time. He was just plain annoying.
"Why? Do I make you nervous?" He asked.
"Nervous?" She laughed nervously. "You don't make me feel anything."
"Is that why you are avoiding to look at me?"
Klara lifted her chin and looked directly into his eyes. The way he looked back at her made her heart skip a beat. Why did he have to look so good? It would have been easier to hate him if he didn't.
"I am looking at you now." She said challengingly. "Now if you will excuse me." She pushed past his shoulder but he grabbed her wrist preventing her from leaving.
Klara was about to jerk her hand away when he said. "I can take you to your sister."
How did he know? Klara turned back, "I thought you couldn't read my thoughts."
"I cannot...well, most of the time. Anyway, do you want to go and see your sister or not?"
Klara nodded, suddenly excited and happy. This time she didn't bother to ask how, they would probably go through some gate or the ground might open and swallow them. Anyway, she didn't care. She just wanted to see her sister.
He pulled at her wrist and drew her into his arms. "Close your eyes." He said and Klara complied. She shut her eyes tightly and wrapped her arms around him in a steel grip embracing herself for whatever was coming, but nothing happened. She just felt some weird sensation go through her body before Roshan told her to open her eyes again.
Klara opened her eyes and realized that she was in Astrid's room, already.
"Oh...that was fast." She breathed but risky. What if Astrid or some maids had been in here?
"I made sure no one was here before we came." He explained. "Stay here, I will bring your sister."
Klara panicked and grabbed his arm to stop him. "How? They will see you if you leave here."
"Don't worry. I have some tricks under my sleeve." He winked then left.
Klara waited and waited, getting more anxious for every minute that passed by. What if Roshan got caught? What if he was in trouble because of her?
Just when she decided to leave and look for him the door to the room opened and Astrid entered. At first she didn't notice her but as she walked further in she almost stumbled back at the sight of Klara. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Klara? How...? Are you alright?"
Klara didn't reply. She just went and hugged her sister. "I miss you."
"I missed you to." Astrid said wrapping her arms around her tightly. "I was so worried. I thought something happened to you. Where did you go?"
"I am sorry for making you worry, but I'm alright. I'm staying with a friend."
Astrid took a step back and looked at her sister skeptically. "What friend? I didn't know you had friends." She whispered with tears in her eyes.
"There is someone." Klara smiled.
"Did that friend bring you here?" Astrid asked.
Klara nodded.
"Can you trust that person?"
"Yes, don't worry."
Astrid sighed not entirely satisfied. "Rasmus will calm down eventually so make sure to come back. Until then be careful." She said.
"I will."
After talking for awhile it was time for Klara to go back. She kissed and hugged her sister tightly, telling her not to worry.
"Now, my friend is waiting outside. I need your clothes."
Astrid undressed and gave her dress to Klara and then they said goodbye again before Klara went to look for Roshan where they decided to meet. Now she could walk without hiding since everyone thought that she was Astrid, the benefits of being Identical twins she thought with a smile.
Klara hurried to the castles rooftop where Roshan was already waiting.
"I am sorry I took so long." She said breathless after walking up all the stairs.
"It's alright."
Roshan took them back home without asking anything and Klara was relieved. She didn't feel like talking after seeing how worried her sister was. She wondered if she would ever be able to go back home and live with her siblings again. She missed them so much, especially Astrid.
Klara turned in bed and shut her eyes. Everything would be alright she told herself and tried to sleep but as much as she tried she couldn't.
This time her thoughts drifted to Roshan. Why was he helping her and even taking her to see her sister? And if he wasn't a witch then what was he?
Klara couldn't quite figure him out, or what he wanted and that bothered her, even more than the bruises that covered her body and hurt everytime she turned in bed. The whole sleeping experience was painful and bothersome so she decided to go out instead.
She wrapped her shoulders in a scarf and went to sit in the garden.
"Couldn't sleep?"
Roshan. He always seemed to appear out of nowhere.
"No."
He sat down opposite her, again wearing all black. She wondered what he would look like in other colors.
"Is something bothering you?" He asked in a soft tone that made her want to tell him everything.
"No, I am just not tired." She looked at him, his expression was soft, almost worried.
The wind blew some strands of his hair onto his face which he removed by running his finger through his hair. The more closely Klara looked at him the more impossibly beautiful he seemed, yet he had that dark aura that surrounded him, warning her of something unknown.
"I thought you would be relieved now that you have met your sister and know that Lucian is alive."
Yes, she should be more relieved but she wasn't. She had met her sister but she didn't know if they would ever be together again. And Lucian, yes he was alive but he could never be hers. She hoped that he was at least happy with Hazel. He deserved it after everything.
"Why did you love him?" Roshan asked suddenly. Klara knew he was talking about Lucian.
At first Klara liked Lucian because he had saved her, not just once but twice and then she liked him because he respected her and didn't treat her as just a body but as a human being. He showed her that he was a man who kept his word and protected and cared for other people. The opposite of what all the rumors said about him.
Klara had thought that she would like him less when she found out that he was married but as she saw his loyalty and love to his wife she liked him even more. Men like him were rare and difficult to find, therefore she had decided to become his second wife.
But slowly as she tried to convince him she realized that she was miserable. She went to bed every night feeling like the villain in the books she usually reads. The villain who tries to come in between the hero and the heroine. Klara didn't want to be the villain. She didn't want to go to bed feeling guilty and mean. She didn't want to be selfish or greedy. She knew she had to let him go, not just for his sake but for herself as well. Deep down she knew she wouldn't be happy after ruining someone else's happiness.
Then the day came, when Lucian finally agreed to marry her and she hadn't felt happy as she had expected, instead she felt strange and guilty. That made her realise that she indeed couldn't live with making the person she loved unhappy. How could that be called love? That was just her own greed. Yet, she had persisted for awhile because she couldn't imagine her life without him until she couldn't anymore. His heart already belonged to someone else, there was no meaning in just keeping his body so she let him go. She even helped him escape and after that even went to save his wife.
She smiled at her craziness. Irene was right. Love does indeed make us do crazy things. It had been very painful to let him go and she had felt very sad and empty but at least she was at peace with herself. She had felt proud of something she had done after such a long time.
Maybe loving someone isn't always fighting for them, sometime letting them go is also a way of loving and that she learned the hard way.
"He seemed like someone who needed love." Klara shrugged.
Roshan just looked at her, his eyes focused as though he was trying to read her.
"By the way, thank you for taking me to see my sister." She smiled.
Something in the way he looked at her change. He made her nervous. "What?" She asked.
"I haven't seen you smile before. You look beautiful that way."
Klara felt her cheeks burn. "Thank you." She said shyly, but then quickly tried to change the topic. "But you still haven't told me what you are? You said you are not a witch and I know you are no ordinary man, then...?"
"Then what?" He raised a brow.
"Then what are you? And don't try to lie to me or make things up." She warned.
"If I don't, I don't think you can handle the truth."
"Try me." She challenged.
Roshan watched her silently for a while. "I am a demon."
I lay in bed with Lucian while watching the clouds outside the window. He was sleeping while I was trying to figure out what the clouds looked like. One of them looked like a butterfly while the other looked like a scared ghost.
A scared ghost? That was funny but I didn't laugh or smile.
When I was younger, every time I felt sad I would watch the clouds. They would move, mix together and look like some funny creature that would make me laugh. I guess it didn't work anymore. Despite being happy that I was finally with Lucian I was still sad somehow.
Earlier he had told me to tell him everything, but as I started telling him I saw too much guilt and pain in his eyes, so I stopped.
"Why did you stop? Tell me." He said.
"Lucian, me telling you everything won't help you at all. It will only add to your confusion. It's better that you take your time and remember on your own. I will help you."
He looked at me hesitantly for awhile. "Alright, but just tell me one thing."
I nodded.
"What do I mean to you?"
I was surprised by the question. Of everything he could ask, of everything he probably wondered, I was surprised that he asked that particular question. Even if he didn't remember he still cared. He cared of whether he meant something to me or not.
"You mean everything to me. I loved you even when I hated you. I trusted you even when I doubted you. I was scared of you yet I felt the most safe with you. It doesn't make sense right? But then again nothing made ever sense with you. Even when I disliked you, doubted you and feared you I still fell in love with you. Do you know why?"
He just looked at me. "Because you are Lucian, man of light, my light. You have brought so much brightness into my life that I was unable to see anything else. I could just see your light and your love and I can still see it now."
A tear fell down his cheek and I wiped it away with my thumb. I didn't realize that I was crying too before he wiped a tear away from my face as well. Then he drew me into his arms and hugged me tightly.
"I am sorry I can't remember."
"It's alright." Maybe it was for the better. I feared that if he remembered he wouldn't forgive himself. Still, some part of me, the selfish part of me wished that he would remember. I didn't want to be the only one remembering all the precious moments we had together.
He drew me closer and as I lay in his arms he had gone to sleep quickly as if he hadn't had any sleep for days. And there I lay watching the clouds, happy and sad at the same time until he woke up again.
He squinted his eyes at me, "How long did I sleep?"
"Not very long." I smiled. "You seemed really tired?"
He nodded. "I have been unable to sleep since..." He stopped as if he was about to say something he shouldn't. "...for a long time." He then proceeded. "But strangely everytime you are with me I am able to sleep well."
"I am glad." I smiled.
"Hazel, it's not safe for you here. I will find a way to take you out of here."
"You don't have too. I can leave myself, but...but can't you come with me? I don't want to lose you again."
I knew he wouldn't agree but it was worth trying.
"There are things I need to take care of." He said.
"Do you really have to? Can't you just forget everything and start anew with me?"
He put his hand on my cheek and caressed it with his thumb. "I wish I could. But I feel like going crazy if I don't punish anyone."
I could see it in his eyes. Anger, betrayal, guilt, pain and vengeance. I should let him do what he wants if that gives him even the tiniest bit of relieve, so I just nodded. "Alright."
"But how will you leave?"
"There are people I trust that can take me out of here."
"Are you sure you can trust them?" He asked.
I nodded.
"Then why didn't you leave before?"
I was waiting for you, I wanted to say but that would only add to his guilt.
"I couldn't reach them but now I can." I lied.
Pierre was losing his mind these days. First the guard had told him he had seen Lucian then several other guards and maids thought that they had seen Lucian and now the whole kingdom was talking about how his brother could be alive.
But it wasn't only the talking that had been bothering him, it was the nightmares as well. He had dreamt of Lucian, towering over his sleeping body, putting his hands around his neck and strangling him. The dream would feel so real, that when he woke up in the morning his neck would feel sore and he would find fingerprints on it.
He was probably just being paranoid, but even tonight as he tried to sleep he could feel someone in his room, hiding in the darkness and waiting until he fell asleep so that it could harm him. He began to sweat and his heart thumbed inside his chest. He wanted to call the guards inside but he was afraid that rumors about him being scared of the darkness would spread in the castle. A king could not show fear so he swallowed the lump in his throat and curled in bed shaking and waiting for the night to end.
"Your highness. Are you ill? You don't seem well." A maid asked the next morning as she helped him get dressed.
Pierre slapped her across the face. "I am fine." He yelled. "Stop talking and do your work."
He was boiling over. He was supposed to get married and strengthen his position as a king, not have sleepless nights because of some baseless rumors.He needed to get married soon so he went to meet Alexander to set a date for the marriage.
Alexander was sitting at the table in the dining room, having his Lunch. When Pierre walked inside everyone stood up and bowed except for Alexander. He continued to eat without even looking up.
There was something about Alexander that Pierre didn't like much. He seemed very arrogant.
"I hope you are enjoying your lunch." Pierre said to get his attention.
Alexander put his fork and knife down slowly on each side of the plate then grabbed the napkin and wiped his mouth.
"I am." He looked up and then he arched one brow. "You don't look well."
"I am fine. Thank you for your concern."
"Oh...I am very concerned. I keep hearing rumors about your brother, that he might be alive. How can I let you marry my sister with such rumors circulating?"
Pierre cursed inwardly. He needed this marriage and these rumors were ruining all his plans. "I thought you were a man who didn't care about rumors?" Pierre said.
"You thought right. But this is about your brother you see, the one who is said to be the devil's son. By the way..., I am really curious. Why do they call him that?"
Pierre tried to think, but he couldn't remember exactly when people started to call his brother the devil's son. When he was little he just remembered his father warning him to play with Lucian and when he got older he just hated his brother. He always seemed to get all the attention whether it was from soldiers because of his fighting skills or from women because of his looks. Even his own wives and mistresses couldn't help but stare at him everytime he walked into a room.
He hated that man and he couldn't count how many times he wished his brother was dead. But everytime he and his father sent him to war, hoping that he would never come back they always got disappointed. Not did he just come back but he came back with victory and as a hero. People seemed to like him despite fearing him and despite the rumors. He couldn't stand that man and his guts.
"You know people just want something to gossip about."
"Don't underestimate gossip. It can cause a lot of damage." Alexander said standing up. "You need to take care of this mess before the marriage and if your brother is really alive then..."
"He is not." Pierre cut off anger building inside.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I was you." Alexander threw the napkin on the table then strode out of the room.
Lucian, that man, why was he still hunting him? Why could he just never disappear?!
Why?! Why?!
Grabbing the table cloth he threw everything off the table, his face turning red with fury. Some guards and maids came running into the room witnessing the mess he caused.
"I will kill whoever talks about Lucian. Do you understand?!" He yelled.
They nodded.
He turned to the guards. "Behead anyone who talks about him!" He said before stumping out of the room.
As he walked through the halls everyone looked at him as if he was crazed. They kept whispering and staring. He wanted to kill all of them but he would just prove that he was indeed deranged.
He went inside his room and found his wife Elsa there. "Get out. I need to be alone."
"Your highness, I need to tell you something."
"Not now. Leave!"
"It's Levi."
Pierre stopped. "What about him?"
"He says he saw his uncle. Lucian."
After messing around with Pierre for a while Lucian went back to his chamber. He had hoped to find Hazel even though they had agreed that she would leave while he was gone.
Lucian sighed disappointed. He knew it wasn't safe for her to stay, yet a part of him still hoped that he would find her here, because he already missed her. What had she done to him?
The air still carried her scent and he could vividly remember the warmth and softness of her body. The taste of her lips still lingered on his tongue and her sweet m.o.a.ns echoed in his ears. If she had still been here he would have pinned her to his bed again and this time he would have completed his task, but where was she right now?
Was she safe?Maybe he shouldn't have let her go. While pondering he noticed something on his pillow. It looked like a letter. He grabbed it and opened it.
It was from Hazel.
[ Dear husband.
I haven't left for good, I'll come back for you. Until then be safe and don't worry about me. I am somewhere safe.
I'll miss you.
Your wife. ]
Wife? The word echoed in his mind.
This is for slapping me wife. Are you planning on seducing me wife? Are you taunting me wife? No need to shy away wife. I'll be back wife.
He remembered saying those words. Those random memories, he tried to connect them together but he didn't succeed. One thing was sure, he had a wife and he loved her very much. If Hazel was his wife, he wasn't very sure, or maybe he didn't want to believe it.
Lucian burned the letter so that no one would find it then went to continue with his torture. He had nothing better to do anyway. Making himself invisible he teleported to Pierres room.
Pierre was getting ready for sleep and Lucian liked this part of the torture the most. He loved to see how his brother turned back and forth in his bed, with sweat running down his face and his heart thumping inside his chest. Tonight he wanted to scare him a little bit more so he walked near his bed making sounds with his footsteps.
Pierre's heart jumped inside his chest and he sat up quickly and looked around the room with wide eyes. "Who is there?" He whispered with a trembling voice.
When no one replied he looked around one last time and then slowly lay down again. He shut his eyes tightly and mumbled a few prayers.
Lucian waited till he calmed down before he could scare him again. He was enjoying this more than he should. He was so bent on scaring his brother and having his revenge that he even got Levi involved which he regretted already. Lucian wanted to keep Levi out of this fight.
When Pierre calmed down a bit Lucian went on with his mission. This time he moved a chair slightly so that it would make a creaking sound. Pierre shot his eyes open once again and his heart escalated but he didn't look around this time. He was too terrified. Lucian went ahead and touched him lightly on the back, so lightly that he would only think that someone was behind him.
Pierre stiffened then held onto his sheets tightly. He was fighting the urge to call for help. Lucian listened to his thoughts. His brother was trying to convince himself that it was all in his imagination and that he shouldn't be scared because Lucian was dead. He made sure of it. Maybe his men were trying to mess with him? But how? They got locked somewhere, or did someone escape?
Lucian froze for a moment. His men were alive? He never thought his brother would keep them alive for this long. He needed to find them, Pierre was already planning on killing them all tomorrow.
Lucian hurried to the dungeon where he thought that he might find them. He tried to listen or recognize their scent but it was dead quite and the stench was too much to bear, especially for his sensitive sense of smell. Now there was only one way to find them, to look through every cell.
He had to get them out tonight.
Lucian started to search every cell until he found Oliver. Oliver lay on the ground looking scrawny and lifeless but Lucian knew he was alive because he could hear his breathing.
He walked closer and was horrified to see his condition. He had almost no clothes and no meat on his bones.
"Oliver." He shook him slightly.
Oliver slowly opened his eyes but it was too dark so he could probably not see him.
"It's me, Lucian. I'll get you out of here."
It took him a moment to put the pieces together.
"Your Highness?" He breathed.
"Yes it's me."
Oliver stretched his hand and tried to follow where the sound came from. Lucian took his hand "I am here." He said.
Oliver eyes widened and searched in the darkness. "Your Highness. Is that really you?"
"Yes."
"Is it...how..?" He was in disbelief.
"Where are the others?" Lucian asked. He didn't have much time.
"The others?" Oliver was confused and shocked. Lucian could understand why, so he gave him a moment to gather his thoughts. "I really don't know. They seperated us." He finally spoke.
"Alright. I will look for them and come back to you." Lucian said and stood up to leave but Oliver held his arm.
"Your highness. This time I really hope this is not a dream. I...I really hope that you have survived and... and if you haven't and came to see me in my dream then I hope you are in a good place."
Oliver had always been caring and soft spoken but this time his words effected Lucian deeply. His need for revenge increased and he couldn't wait to bring hell on earth for his brother.
"It's not a dream and I am not in a good place right now, neither are you. Wait for me and I'll take you out of here. "
Oliver nodded and Lucian hurried to find the rest of his men. He found several of them including Lincoln who surprised him with a hug.
Lucian held his breath because of the stench then cleared his throat uncomfortable by Lincoln's sudden reaction. Lincoln never acted on his feelings and he would think that Oliver would be the one to hug him rather than Lincoln.
Lincoln drew back immediately surprised by his own reaction as well. "I thought I would never see you again. How did you...?"
"I'll explain everything later. Follow me."
Lucian broke the lock on the cell with his hands and was thankful that it was dark so that no one could see then he took Lincoln to where he gathered the other and told him to wait.
"I'll find the rest." He said.
"I'll help." Lincoln spoke.
"It's too dark, you can't see. Just stay here."
Another person who surprised Lucian was Callum. In contrast to the others he didn't seem very surprised, in fact it seemed as though he was waiting for him.
"Your highness, I am glad you are safe." He said sounding as his usual self. His condition seemed better than the other but then again he was known for his stamina.
Lucian was glad to see that most of his men survived and they seemed glad to see him even though they were very confused and shocked at the same time. He could see that they had a lot of question but didn't dare to ask him anything.
Many of them were wounded and starved and could probably not walk without help but still he had to get them out.
"Your Highness, there are guards everywhere and as you can see we can barely walk let alone fight. We will get caught." A young soldier said.
"I took care of the guards. You only need to worry about getting out so help each other and I'll help you till the gate."
"What about you?" Oliver asked.
"I have to stay."
"But it's not safe here. We can't leave you alone." Lincoln protested.
"There is nothing you can do for me now in your condition. So I want you to leave and regain your strength. That's how you can help me."
"We will come back for you Your Highness."
"You better".
Klara sat in her room, thinking back of what Roshan had told her.
"I am a demon."
A demon? Klara had laughed even though he had sounded serious. "If you are a demon than I am an angel."
"I would believe you if you told me." He said.
The way he had looked at her back then had made her unable to breath. How could he say such words? Words that made her heart race and her body tingle. Words that made her cheeks burn and her breath hitch. Maybe he was a demon after all, slowly seducing her into the path of sin.
No! She needed to stay far away from him or else she might end up doing something she would regret.
"Klara?" Irene peeked her head from behind the door. Had Klara become deaf or did the people in this house not know how to knock on the door.
"Come in."
Irene opened the door further but she didn't step inside. "I just wanted to say that Hazel is here, in case you want to greet her."
Hazel? Klara stood up immediately and turned to the door. "Where is she?"
"This way." Irene said leading the way.
Halfway Klara started to question herself as to why she was so excited to meet Hazel. She never liked that woman so why?
No, she wasn't excited, she just wanted to make sure that Hazel was safe for Lucians sake.
"No need to convince yourself otherwise. I think you like Hazel." Irene said.
"This is rude. My thoughts are private." Klara said annoyed.
"Not if I can hear them." Irene mocked.
People in this house liked to mock Klara realized.
As they walked into a room the first thing Klara noticed was the woman sitting at the edge of the bed. As the woman turned Klara realized that it was Hazel. How?
Hazel's almost unrecognizable face lit with a smile.
"Klara. You are here?" She stood up.
Klara took a closer look and her stomach clenched. Who had done this to her? Hazels hair was ragged, her clothes torn and she looked thin, unhealthy thin and her arms were covered with bruises.
"Good lord, who did this to you?"