Chapter 130-An enemy

Chapter 130: 130-An enemy

By the time they reached the guest wing, Addessa had apparently decided that Maisa’s current state was unacceptable.

"You’re not going into the sacred blood pool looking like that."

Maisa looked down at herself. "What exactly is wrong with what I’m wearing?"

"Everything is wrong with it, and if you can’t see that, then..."

Before Maisa could argue, Addessa disappeared into one of the adjoining rooms and returned with an outfit folded neatly over her arm.

Maisa stared at it and then stared at Addessa and back at the outfit. She had her suspicions that the outfit was tampered with.

Itching powder? The threat cut loose to fall out once she puts it on? Or is the fabric made to attract monsters? She had no clue, but she didn’t trust it was harmless.

"You want me to wear that?" She asked, her eyes scanning the outfit.

At that moment, she wished that she had superman’s lazor eyes that would help her know what mysteries were hidden in the dress.

"Yes. Hurry and put it on."

"Why?"

"Because I said so. Now, stop looking like I’m forcefully choking poison down your throat and go change."

That answer did absolutely nothing to reassure Maisa. As a matter of fact, the reference of poison made her feel as though the blackblood might truly have poisoned the fabric.

Still, after everything that had happened that night, Maisa didn’t have the energy to fight over clothing.

She changed, emerging a few minutes later in an elegant dark crimson outfit with a fitted, intricately woven top and a flowing skirt that moved lightly around her legs.

The deep red fabric looked almost black beneath the dim lights, while subtle detailing gave the entire outfit the appearance of something designed for a formal gathering rather than a casual trip to a healing pool.

Maisa looked at herself in the mirror. She barely recognized the girl staring back. She looked exceptionally beautiful in the outfit.

"Why do I look like I’m attending a royal ceremony?"

"You don’t," Addessa stepped behind her. "You look presentable... I wouldn’t go as far as overpraising you to a royal level."

"That wasn’t a compliment, Addessa," Maisa pouted.

"It wasn’t meant to be."

Maisa sighed. Dealing with Addessa was eating up all the good energy she’d saved for the rest of the year. "Would it kill you to say I look beautiful?"

"It might, so let’s not take any chances by trying it," she argued.

Maisa folded her fingers into a fist. If it weren’t from being drained at fighting the new enemy, she would take Addessa to task. ’You just wait. Once I recover tomorrow, I’ll beat that arrogant mouth of yours until you learn to speak nicely.’

Addessa reached for her hair. "Stop thinking. I can already tell that I won’t like your thoughts and if I discover them..."

Maisa immediately stiffened. "What are you doing?" She tried to pull away, but Addessa caught her by the shoulders and sat her down before the dressing mirror. "I’ll scream for help and get the others to come."

"And tell them what, i’m so horrible for dressing you in decent clothes and doing your hair?"

"I doubt that’s all you are doing," Maisa didn’t hide her distrust or her lack of faith in Addessa’s innocence.

"I noticed your doubts."

Addessa began separating it carefully, her fingers surprisingly gentle as she divided the strands and started weaving them into an intricate braid.

Maisa stared at their reflections. She followed every movement with her gaze, waiting for the moment Addessa struck, but it never came.

’This was strange. Very strange,’ she thought, her head a mess at what the blackblood was up to.

Addessa was being... nice. It was not sarcastic-nice or I’m-about-to-threaten-you nice but actually nice. She had given Maisa clothes, and now she was patiently braiding her hair.

Maisa’s eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. There was absolutely no other explanation.

Addessa finished the braid and secured it neatly before stepping back to examine her work.

"There. Now you are worth looking at," she stated. "Before... every time i looked at you, I felt like I’d go blind.

’Are you seriously being nice or ragebaiting me?’ Maisa slowly turned toward her. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Addessa blinked. "What?"

"You heard me."

Maisa didn’t repeat her question. Knowing Addessa and their hearing, the blackblood was playing dumb with purpose. Whether it was to anger her to the point of retaliation so Addessa had a justified reason to kill her was still unknown.

"I did hear you, redblood," she smirked.

Maisa narrowed her eyes further. "What’s your plan?"

Addessa looked genuinely confused. "I don’t have a plan."

"You definitely have a plan."

"I don’t."

"You brought me clothes and braided my hair so nicely, and you’re taking me to a sacred blood pool with healing properties," Maisa pointed out all her deeds thar made no sense.

"Yes, so what?"

Maisa pointed at her. "Exactly! You also admit that you’re being strange?"

Addessa stared. She was starting to regret being nice to her. Her efforts were being treated like a scheme, and in as much as she enjoyed having Maisa on the edge over what she was planning, it was annoying to justify her actions with an explanation.

Maisa’s suspicion deepened. "You’re going to sacrifice me, aren’t you?"

There was a long silence. Addessa’s expression became completely blank. "What?"

"That’s the only explanation as to why you dolled me up."

Addessa slowly folded her arms. "What would I even sacrifice you for?"

"Wealth," Maisa raised her head, completely serious. She suspected that Addessa wanted to use her for some blood sacrifice to become wealthy. "Deny it."

Addessa stared at her. She found thar idea too foolish to even respond, and now, she was wondering what fate was thinking, activating a zing between her and the idiot in front of her.

Maisa continued, more serious than before. "Maybe the sacred blood pool grants some kind of fortune to whoever offers a zinged mate to it. Maybe you’ve discovered some ancient ritual. Maybe you’re planning to become richer or more powerful."

Addessa’s lips twitched. Her head was buzzing, listening to the theories the redblood was coming up with. "Maisa."

"What?"

"You think I’m taking you to a sacred healing pool so I can sacrifice you for money?"

"Yes."

Addessa covered her mouth. Her shoulders began shaking and burst out laughing. The ridiculousness of the assumption was too good to pass up the good laugh.

Maisa’s eyes narrowed. "Don’t laugh."

That only made it worse as Addessa turned away, struggling desperately to regain her composure. "You’re so unbelievable that it’s funny."

"You’re the one acting suspicious!" Maisa got up and stood at akimbo, her eyes sharpened on Addessa’s frame.

"I braided your hair, and you’re making that an argument to accuse me of trying to sacrifice you for wealth."

Addessa finally turned back, wiping away the trace of amusement from her expression. "If I wanted to sacrifice you for wealth, do you really think I’d spend this much time making sure you looked pretty first?"

Maisa froze.

Addessa raised an eyebrow. "That came out wrong."

"It really did."

A tiny smile appeared on Addessa’s face. "Come on, my sacrificial lamb. Let’s go soak in the pool forst, then we can see if you’re worth sacrificing or not." she called, still finding it funny.

She reached for Maisa’s hand again. Maisa hesitated before allowing herself to be pulled toward the door.

Her suspicion hadn’t disappeared. If anything, it had grown stronger because Addessa was still far too nice.

Maisa had learned one important lesson since arriving at Veris Academy. Whenever a powerful vampire suddenly became unusually pleasant... something was usually about to happen.

Just as they stepped into the hallway, they caught a glimpse of a mixed blood, almost turning the corner.

Maisa froze and grabbed Addessa’s hand, bringing them both to a halt. Her heart was racing. Even from the back, she recognized the vampire from the lake fight.

"Careful, she’s an enemy!"