As Isolde moved through the deeper parts of the isolated village, realization dawned upon her that it was the same village and inn where she had stayed for a night after her first trial, on her way to the Sable Dukedom. But this time, the once lively inn now looked abandoned, its windows shuttered and its doors closed. What had happened here? And who was the woman lying in the glass coffin? Why did she look so much like her, and what had made Lucian so furious?
Various thoughts crossed Isolde's mind, each one adding to her growing sense of confusion and fear. She didn't know whom to trust anymore. Should she run away? But where could she go? She could neither return to the Sable Dukedom nor go to the Imperial Palace. Up until now, she had been under the impression that she was using Lucian for her own needs, but now everything seemed to be a façade.
Feeling increasingly vulnerable without her weapons, Isolde leaped onto the roof of a nearby building, her mind racing. She was clueless about her next move when she suddenly heard a familiar voice in her head.
"Isolde…" The words whispered in her ears, soft and filled with emotion.
"Mother?..." she replied in her thoughts, her heart skipping a beat.
Evelyn, growing more restless by the hour, had finally chosen to break her vow of never using her Nymph powers. Desperate to ensure her daughter was alive, she used her teleportation power to communicate with Isolde.
"Isolde… my child," Evelyn's voice was filled with tears and relief.
"Mom…" Isolde's heart ached with a mixture of hope and fear. Before they could speak longer, she heard a voice that startled her.
"Milady," the voice came from below. A knight, one of Lucian's loyal men, stood there, his face impassive. He bowed respectfully before continuing, "The lord has asked me to take you back."
There was a hint of coldness in his tone that made Isolde's blood run cold. She looked down at the knight, her mind racing. The telepathic connection with her mother began to fade, but she could still feel Evelyn's presence.
"Isolde, you need to be careful," Evelyn's voice echoed faintly in her mind. "I love you. Be strong."
Taking a deep breath, Isolde gathered her thoughts. She had to decide quickly. The knight waited patiently, but she could sense that his patience would not last long.
"Where is the Duke?" she asked, trying to buy herself some time.
"The Duke is waiting for you at the hideout, milady," the knight replied, his voice steady but with an undertone of urgency. "Please come with me."
Isolde knew she couldn't trust Lucian fully, but she also realized that she had little choice at the moment. If she refused to go with the knight, she risked being hunted down, and she was in no condition to fend for herself. She had to find a way to get more information, to understand what was really happening.
Nodding slowly, she jumped down from the roof, landing gracefully in front of the knight. "Lead the way," she said, her voice firm despite the turmoil inside her.
As they walked back to the hideout, Isolde kept her senses alert, ready for any signs of danger. Her mind was a whirlpool of questions, but she knew she needed to stay calm and collected if she was going to figure out the truth.
Back at the hideout, Lucian awaited her arrival with a stern expression. He watched as Isolde was escorted into the room, his eyes unreadable. "You must be more careful, Isolde," he said, his voice cold. "There are many who wish you harm."
Isolde met his gaze, her heart pounding. "Why do you keep me here, Lucian?" she asked, her voice steady. "What are you hiding?"
Lucian's expression darkened, and he took a step closer to her. "For your protection," he replied, though his tone was anything but reassuring. "There are things you do not understand, and it is better that way."
"If everything is for my protection, then why have you been spying on me since the beginning?!" Isolde shouted, her temper finally breaking through the façade of calm she had maintained. Her voice echoed off the cold, stone walls of the hideout, filled with a mix of anger and betrayal.
Lucian's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening as he stared back at her. "What do you mean?" he asked coldly, his tone guarded.
"This inn, this whole fucking place is the same one where I stayed that night when I was heading towards Sable Dukedom after leaving Cedric Duchy! But at that time, this place was lively. That means someone informed them that I was coming here, right? You knew from the very beginning, everything…" Realization dawned on her as the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together. "That means, saving me from the Viscount, meeting me for the first time… everything was an act?" Her eyes sparkled with betrayal and anger, the pain of deception cutting deep.
A smirk appeared on Lucian's lips as he stared down at her. "Everything?" he repeated, almost mockingly. "Dragons have a good sense of smell. And all Sables smell the same." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Like death."
"You!!" Isolde's fury boiled over as she lunged at Lucian, grabbing him by the throat. But he was faster, stronger. With a swift movement, he threw her across the room, where she landed hard against the stone floor.
"Lock her in her room and guard it well. Make sure she can't escape," Lucian ordered the knights who had been standing by. His voice was authoritative and final, leaving no room for argument. "Tomorrow early in the morning, we are leaving for the capital."
As the knights moved to obey, Lucian's gaze softened as it fell on Isolde. She lay on the floor, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her eyes blazing with defiance and hurt. "Rest well," he said, his tone almost gentle, though his words felt like a mockery.
Isolde was dragged to her room, her mind spinning with the weight of what she had just learned. The realization that everything—her supposed savior, her protector—had been part of a grand deception left her feeling hollow. She had thought she was using Lucian to her advantage, but it was clear now that she had been nothing but a pawn in his game.
Inside her locked room, Isolde sat on the edge of the bed, her hands trembling as she clutched the blanket. The marks on her throat throbbed with pain, but it was nothing compared to the ache in her heart. She could still hear her mother's voice in her mind, faint and filled with concern.
"Isolde, you need to be careful," Evelyn had said. "I love you. Be strong."
Her mother's words gave her a sliver of hope. She couldn't give up now. She had to find a way out, to uncover the truth and protect her family. As she lay down, her eyes closing against the wave of exhaustion, she vowed to herself that she would not let Lucian's betrayal break her.
Tomorrow, they were leaving for the capital. And Isolde would be ready. No matter what it took, she would find a way to turn the tables and expose the lies that had been woven around her.
To be continued....