Ensnaring his Dark Moon-Chapter 149: Abduct her?

*Flashback continues*

"I want him to keep an eye on Duchess Flora without letting her find anything. Can you turn him into something small and unnoticeable? Like... hmm... a reptile? A lizard? No... maybe, a frog. Yes, a baby frog."

Leo: ToT Baby frog, your father! I am a majestic beast. Let me retain my dignity and chastity for god’s sake.

"How about a butterfly?" Aleister raised an eyebrow as he smirked.

Leo cowered back. You both...!

As Esme watched the white butterfly fluttering its wings and flying out of the window, she sighed. She hoped their plan would work.

"I’ll see you later," Aleister cupped her face and kissed her forehead.

She glanced at him, somewhat stunned.

He smiled at the sight of her beautiful grey eyes going wide and round.

As soon as Aleister left, it was as if her soul flew back to her body.

Esme walked towards the bed and sat there with a blank expression on her face.

After a few seconds of silence, she raked her fingers through her hair as she tugged at them, ’’Ahhhhh....’’ she cried. How embarrassing was that?

Esme grabbed the pillow in her hand before throwing a few punches at it, ’’It’s not like I do this every day. I don’t go around acting drunk to tell you about my feelings. Why did you have to discover it?’’ she punched the pillow again, ’’Even if you discovered it, why didn’t you keep it in your heart?’’ No matter how calm she was pretending to be but the embarrassment was killing her from inside.

Esme bit the edge of the pillow with all her might as she sobbed tearlessly. Why is my life so hard? Is it the sins from the past life?

The next morning.

Esme woke up and sat on the bed, still feeling the second-hand embarrassment from yesterday’s incident. She could not believe she did that.

And what’s more, she was even discovered.

"I don’t mind your endless confessions for me. You don’t need to be shy, Princess.’’

Esme tilted her head to the side and glanced at the man who was sitting on the other bed with a few parchments in his hand, ’’I’m not shy,’’ she said with a straight face.

"Your face is red.’’

"It’s warm here.’’

"Yes, it was quite warm yesterday, especially when you wrapped your arms around me and clung to me, insisting on sleeping with me,’’ Aleister spoke with a dreamy sign as he shook his head, all the while not raising his head from the parchments in his hand.

Esme’s lips parted. She could feel her face turning hot at his words. She gripped the sheets in her hand. After a few moments, she grabbed the pillow and pinched it quietly.

’’No matter what, I’d personally like to know which of those words you really meant,’’ Aleister tilted his head to look at her, ’’Even though I’d love to believe that you meant everything you said.’’

’’In your dreams,’’ Esme jumped out of the bed.

Aleister placed the parchments down and pushed himself to his feet. He came to stand right in front of her, ’’Let’s work according to the plan. I’m going to the King’s room in some time.’’

’’I forgot to ask you...’’ Esme was disappointed with herself for forgetting such an important matter, ’’How is he?"

’’He is not doing well. The royal physicians said that it’s because he overworked himself but his body condition reminds me of a few things.’’

’’Hmm?"

’’Do you remember the time when a man’s corpse was found in the Enchantment Forest?"

’’Yes,’’ How could she forget? At that time, her brother was still living under the identity of ’Aiden’, the magistrate’s friend. And the three of them had ventured into the Enchantment forest together because Rowan said that they could find Arlan there.

But they didn’t.

What they stumbled upon was something more bizarre. They saw the old man whom she met earlier in the village fair and where she brought an old painting from but the last thing she expected was watching him jump into the well, not to mention his fins and scales.

As shocked as she was at that time, she had more acceptance towards it after knowing more about the merfolk. Whether he was a friend or foe, remained a question for the future.

Apart from that strange incident, they found the corpse they were looking for. But the body was barely recognizable and what astonished her more was the spiderweb-like veins spread all over his skin, the pale face, sunken cheeks.... she had told Aleister that that body weirdly resembled Duke Maverick. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

’’But what has it got to do with the King?" Esme asked.

’’Their hands... The King’s hand looks similar to that corpse’s...’’

’’And like Uncle’s hand as well...?" Esme frowned when he nodded, ’’What about Leo?"

’’As it turns out, Duchess Flora was discussing with her nanny regarding your departure. She seems to be adamant on sending you off....’’ he paused, his eyes darkening slightly, ’’....only to abduct you on your way.’’

’’What will she get from me? How troublesome!" Esme scoffed. She did not why she was not shocked by the revelation. In fact, she just felt a pang of disappointment in her heart because all this time, she had tried her best to keep her prejudices aside to accept and trust the people in this castle including Duchess Flora.

But be it Liz or Keith or Duchess Flora.... all of them turned out to be something else than what she expected. Even though Liz and Keith were under someone’s control but they could not hide their intentions or their malice towards her.

Loving someone might be natural but Keith acted on his instinct when he tried to force himself on her. From what the Norwell Family said, the people who are bewitched by a witch act on their innermost desires. And Liz, who acted as a friend always hated her for having Keith’s attention.

And Duchess Flora who treated her like a daughter...

’’Stop thinking about it.’’

Esme blinked when she felt a feathery touch on her forehead. She slowly tilted her head and continued blinking as Aleister kissed her forehead, ’’What if you turn dumb after all that overthinking?"

Esme bit her bottom lips as she felt her face turning hot. Was it twice already including today’s forehead kiss? He did it yesterday as well. Ahhh... Esme screamed mentally.

’’I... Cough... I wanted to ask. How can you understand what Leo says?" He even knew what Duchess Flora and Aunt Greta conversed about.

’’I just know,’’ Aleister shrugged.

’’Don’t tell me if you don’t want to. What’s with this answer?" Esme tilted her face to the side.

’’I meant it though.’’

Right at this moment, her ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps.

Esme quickly stepped back from him, ’’Someone is coming.’’

’’I know.’’

’’You know? Who is it?’’

’’Take a guess,’’ Aleister winked at her.

Esme was speechless. Who would come to visit him at this hour? Rowan? But if it was Aleister’s right-hand man, there would be no reason for him to be so cocky about it.

Before Esme could contemplate further, she heard the sound of another pair of footsteps which were quite rushed this time.

’’Brother, wait for me....!"

’’It’s them?!" Esme glanced at Aleister when she recognized the voice, ’’What are you thinking?"

The door was pushed open and Adrian stepped inside the room, followed by Arlan.

Arlan looked pretty excited to see his ’brother-in-law’. He quickly greeted the man and started bragging to him about his recent achievements while training with soldiers.

Aleister patiently listened to him and even corrected him when positioned his hand wrongly while demonstrating some moves.

Esme watched the scene from the sidelines, unable to stop the smile on her face. Arlan was a prideful boy. When she discovered that he lost his powers, she thought he would be too hard on himself and will eventually be unable to overcome the burdens he placed on his shoulders.

But Aleister handled it nicely.

Unlike the sunny atmosphere between the trio, Adrian was standing on the side with dark clouds above his head. He scanned Esme from head to toe, ensuring that she was alright. He could not do anything to ensure her safety when she won’t allow him anywhere near her. But whenever he got the chance, he made sure to gauge her current state properly knowing that she was living with a beast.

’’Brother, can you stop making that face which looks like your wife cheated on you? Or maybe your house was flipped upside down?" Esme narrowed her eyes as she whispered.

Adrian glanced at her, ’’I’d have killed my wife and the man she cheated me with. I could have built 10 new houses but when my sister has no sense of safety as she keeps treading on dangers, I feel helpless, not knowing what to do,’’ he said quietly.

Esme was speechless.