Ensnaring his Dark Moon-Chapter 177: Nobody touches what’s mine

Esme’s eyes widened when her gaze landed on the man sitting on the ground on one knee.

Nothing else. Nothing else could hold her attention like the bloodied and bruised Aleister did.

He was barely alive, his chest was heaving up and down but he was not kneeling, he was not speaking nor was there a hint of pain in his eyes. It reminded her of the young Aleister who was ready to fight a pack of wolves as if his life did not matter to him.

And right now, he was looking the same. As if, nothing mattered.

’’Stop!" Esme shouted when her gaze landed on the woman who was speaking something, seemingly chanting something under her breath.

The woman stopped chanting, sensing her presence as she tilted her head.

’Thump’

Aleister fell to the ground on both his knees as he pressed his palm on his chest, ’’W-Why...?" His gaze landed on her and his expressions morphed into disbelief.

’’Is this why, huh? Is this the reason you could not marry me?" Esme clutched the gown in her hand, taking a few steps back.

Her back crashed against Rowan’s chest and he held her shoulders, ’’Princess, get a hold on yourself—’’ His eyes widened when he was suddenly thrust towards the rocky wall behind him.

’Esme wrapped her fingers around his neck, ’’Nobody touches me without my permission. Nobody. Stay away,’’ she threw him onto the floor.

Rowan held his throat, trying to remove her fingers as he coughed violently. It had happened before once when Esme was sleepwalking and he had tried to stop her. She had strangled him but that was nothing compared to what he just felt. It was a near-death experience.

He could feel the goosebumps rising on his skin.

He glanced at Leo who was trying to get her attention but the tiny furry animal was ignored.

What happened earlier was that he took Leo to the library under the church to meet Esme under Aleister’s order. And she was shocked to find Leo in this state.

Because Leo looked like a cat right now, and it was not because of some disguise of the beast. It was because he killed the witch, Greta.

And being the sharp woman she was, it did not take Esme a long time to conclude there was more to Cardan, more to Greta, more to this whole set of grand schemes that had sent the Daven Castle into chaos.

She insisted on coming here despite his countless attempts to stop her. Left with no choice, he could only accompany her to protect her if anything unusual happened.

But he did not know how he turned out to be the one who needed protection at the moment.

Rowan’s gaze shifted to Aleister who looked like he was half-dead. His eyes welled up with tears. Everything seemed fine a few days ago. There were still discussions about their marriage, the Prince would sneak out of court to spend time with the Princess...how did everything change in a matter of few hours?"

’’Is it her?" Marilyn turned around, whispering to her son.

Cardan’s gaze flashed, ’’Yes,’’ his eyes were still fixated on Aleister but he recognized Esme’s voice.

Marilyn’s eyes narrowed as she scanned Esme from head to toe. Those familiar features...

From the corner of her eyes, she glanced at the half-dead Aleister. She closed her eyes, inhaling deep breaths. Her fingers moved.

But suddenly her body jolted and her eyes snapped open, there was a thin trail of fire in the hidden chamber.

Marilyn’s eyes widened. She recognized the fire. The fire was only found in that hidden cave of the heavens.

Hellfire. She almost died because of it once when she was young if not for Atlas saving her.

But now, she was not that young girl who was weak. Nothing should have hurt her now but she could feel that familiar burn in her body because of this fire near her.

She tilted her head to look at Esme who was stepping closer to her. The woman’s tears fell on the ground, turning into pearls as soon as they left her body, only to start burning the moment they touched the ground.

A mermaid. An ordinary mermaid. The creatures who originated because of her had the powers to harm her?

Marilyn’s gaze flashed. She should have known... She should have known that the woman who would purify her son’s divine power would not be ordinary but to think that...

"I told you nobody touches me..." Esme’s gaze moved towards Aleister who was looking at her with a painful expression, not because he was in pain but because of the circumstances they were in. And the way he looked at her broke her heart little by little even though she felt like she was losing control of her mind like that night when she killed Keith Reiner without realizing it, "And nobody touches what’s mine," the words left her mouth, barely above a whisper.

Esme raised her hand and a wisp escaped her index finger, shooting at Marilyn as it turned into a huge fireball.

Cardan, who was focused on Aleister till this point finally moved and shielded his mother while countering the attack with his own powers.

The flames shot back at Esme but before they could touch her, a golden shield formed in front of her.

Esme blinked, coming back to her senses. She glanced at her burnt palm and her bleeding feet. What happened? She glanced at the little flames dancing on the ground...

Fire..? Even staying nearby fire has been painful for her since she was young hence their Aunt never let her step inside the kitchen but what just happened?

Esme wiped the tears off her face and glanced at Aleister who just shielded her and that seemed to have extracted every last bit of remaining strength from his body.

"No..." Marilyn whispered when her son let go of her.

"Mother..." Cardan called out to her. He could read her thoughts even without her saying anything.