The Duke's Passion

Meanwhile…

"You!" Cameron yelled, seeing the child who had stopped the time in Cunningham.

Cameron didn't waste time upon sensing this significant power in Knotley. He came to see and to resolve everything in his might. But, he didn't expect to see a child on a brink of death.

He rushed to Claude. The latter was coughing blood, clinging on the table tightly.

"Stop this at once!" Cameron ordered at the top of his lungs. He held Claude's shoulders, shaking him.

Claude could barely keep his eyes opened. He didn't know the reason for putting his life at risk, but the thought of Lilou forced him to do so.

"Bearer of Auron!" Cameron ground his teeth and shook him by the shoulder. "Stop this at once! Didn't you hear his highness?!" 

Claude weakly raised his gaze to Cameron. He had seen the Marquess a few times from a distance before.

Obviously, both of them had heard Samael and his orders. The more reason Claude couldn't resume time yet. Lilou was yet to be found.

However, the longer he used this ability of his, the harder it was to maintain it. Lilou was the first person who had shown him kindness, expecting nothing in return.

Claude meant it when he said he liked Lilou. Thus, he didn't wish for her to be in danger.

"Auntie… Lilove…" He whispered before he gave in to the darkness.

"Auron!" Cameron caught his small frame and gritted his teeth. 

As soon as Claude lost consciousness, time moved once again. The chatterings and noises in the establishment resonated once again, as if nothing happened.

However, someone soon noticed Cameron and a bleeding child in his arms.

"Marquess!" a woman exclaimed in shock, covering her gaping mouth with her palms.

When they heard the woman, everyone in the establishment turned their attention towards Cameron. The noises gradually subsided as shock resurfaced on everyone's faces.

Yet Cameron didn't move a muscle as he held Claude. For a child to unleash such a large scale power… and Samael vague message, this brought concern for Cameron.

He didn't pay attention to everyone as he walked out, carrying Claude in his arms with their gazes on him. But when he was by the door, Cameron halted and turned around.

"Everyone, someone abducted our goddess in this very land. Search every nook and cranny, find anything that can trace her." Cameron gritted his teeth, wincing in pain as he relayed the message to everyone's subconscious mind in Cunningham.

That instant, his complexion grew paler as he panted for air. His knees wobbled as coldness seeped deep in his bones.

The expression of everyone froze. It was unlike how they received the name of their new god to worship. This time, it was not just a name, but an image.

"Now." Cameron breathed heavily. Upon giving that order, everyone in Cunningham, men and women, searched for Lilou.

*

Rufus leapt from roof to roof to find Lilou. Upon Samael's last message, he already guessed what he meant by that.

It only meant they must protect Lilou… even from Samael.

"My lady… where the hell did they take you?" Rufus grumbled through his gritted teeth. 

It wasn't long since Lilou got abducted. Hence, it was impossible that they had already left Cunningham. 

Even though Samael's bloodfield was a little unstable, he must've detected Lilou or her abductor. After all, the more powerful a person was, the more distinct their presence was.

With the bloodfield and the ability Rufus assumed from the bearer of Auron, it was easy to find them. 

Suddenly Rufus halted on top of a house roof.

"Fabian must have found them." He mumbled, thinking of every possibility, how things had turned out.

He was certain he sensed Maleficent's aura. If so, Fabian must have detected someone and had confronted them. Yet Samael still gave his orders.

"Why would he…?" Rufus trailed off. His eyes slowly widened as realization struck him.

Since Samael was the caster of bloodfield, he must've felt that Lilou had left or they couldn't find her for now.

With this realization, Rufus balled his hand into a fist as he resumed in searching for her. If Lilou had left Cunningham, he would follow their tracks.

Just as Rufus was rushing in a certain direction, he suddenly reduced his speed. He gazed down, furrowing his brows at the glinting material on the ground. It was unlike him to notice it, but his instinct told him he should check it.

Without thinking twice, Rufus jumped down from the roof to an alley. As soon as he landed, he bent down to pick up a piece of earring.

"This…" It was hard to assume it was Lilou's. However, it was the same color she wore this morning.

Rufus then noticed the small drops of blood on the ground. His eyes followed the trailed of blood as if someone purposely left it as a hint.

"My lady!" Rufus sprinted, following the trail of blood.

It was just instinct, as he had been with Lilou almost the entire day for the past three months. Thus, he naturally assumed it was Lilou's.

Unfortunately, the trail of blood soon faded. Still, Rufus gazed towards where they could have headed.

"The Capital." Rufus muttered under his breath, as this direction only lead to two more towns and then the Capital.

Since those towns were close to the Capital and governed by the members of the La Crox family, the assumption of Lilou's destination was not far-fetched.

*

I felt like I've been trapped in this darkness for a long time. The silence had become louder and deafening. It was quite dreading to be conscious in mind, asking myself whether I'm asleep or just dead.

No. I didn't want to die — I can't. Not so abrupt, not like this.

I chanted those words repeatedly. The last time I felt trapped in this same darkness, I had met Lara. Perhaps something happened again? 

If so, I really had to wake up. Sam would throw a huge fit if I didn't. 

'Lara… helped me.' I subconsciously called out, but to no avail. 'Lara… lakresha.'

Upon whispering lakresha internally, I felt a slight sting. After that, my eyes slowly and weakly opened.

Upon my first breath, I got a whiff of the pleasant scent of flowers. 

'Where am I?' I wondered, getting a hold of my vision.

Once my vision went clear, my brows furrowed. The ceiling was too high and too unfamiliar despite the faint light.

Did I fall asleep in Cameron's chapel? But that was very unlikely.

Amidst my confusion, something brush the back of my hand. I flinched slightly, moving my gaze to the man standing next to where I lied.

Shining ebony hair, bright crimson eyes, long narrow nose, lean cheek, and distinct jawline. His side features were all attractive, giving me a slight resemblance to Sam.

Sam… I snapped as I jolted, barely. My body felt heavy as I realized this bed was rather... cramped. I turned my head from left to right, surprised at the tons of flowers. And then, I realized it was not a bed. I was inside a coffin...?

"What a lively corpse." I froze upon hearing the man's emotionless voice.

What… what did he say? A corpse?

I slowly shifted my gaze to him. He was staring down at me, placing a flower over me.

"Is your funeral to your liking?" The side of his lips slowly curled into a smirk. "Sweetheart?"

Instinctively, I held my breath as his voice sounded so familiar. 

"Is this creative enough as a welcome to the Capital?" He cocked his head to the side; his twisted smirk remained. 

"My dear sister-in-law?"

- END OF VOLUME 2 -