The study opened with a full view of the cold black design, carrying silence in the air.
DAP! DAP! DAP!
Slender yet powerful fingers struck the hard surface of the black desk, each strike sending a shot of tension through the room.
Watson winced, knowing from the steady rhythm that Kris's mood was far from calm.
The way the desk rattled under each tap mirrored the anger simmering beneath Kris's composed exterior.
Watson took a deep breath, though the air seemed too thick to inhale properly.
The atmosphere in the room wasn't just heavy; it was suffocating...choking him with the unspoken rage that filled every corner.
"Brother, these people... you should let them be," Watson suggested, his voice cracking slightly as he tried to ease the tension.
His recommendation wasn't out of pity for Kris's enemies, but rather a strategic move. Rumors were already swirling around Kris, painting him as a tyrant.
The last thing he needed was more enemies eyeing Ravenhill City, looking for a reason to turn the people against him.
Watson furrowed his brows and cleared his throat, trying to regain composure. "If you keep pushing this, they might use it to destroy your reputation."
Kris didn't look at Watson, but his voice boomed, filling the room with an almost deafening force.
"I built Ravenhill, Watson. None of them were there with me. What gives them the right to come after what I've worked so hard for?"
His fist came down hard on the dark desk, the sound echoing across the room like a hammer striking steel.
His body trembled, his veins bulging with rage that he barely contained.
Watson bit his lip, knowing that Kris was right. The rulers of the evolutionary Earth had been plotting against him, siphoning resources from Ravenhill.
They had taken advantage of the city's prosperity, and now they sought to tear it down.
"I tried to ignore it," Kris continued, his voice now dangerously calm, "but they crossed a line, and I will not forgive them."
Swallowing his earlier hesitation, Watson now knew there was no stopping his brother. "What are you planning to do?" he asked, not to dissuade but to understand.
Kris wasn't someone who acted impulsively, even if his anger suggested otherwise.
Kris smiled, his dark brows lifting slightly. The corner of his mouth curled up in a way that made Watson shiver. "It's simple, Watson," he said, the cryptic tone leaving no room for argument.
Watson nodded, a smirk forming on his face. For once,
he understood Kris's intent without needing further explanation. The laughter that followed between them was cold and humorless.
As their laughter died down, Kris's expression grew serious once more.
His eyes softened for a brief moment as they drifted to the portrait of Aaron, his wife, hanging on the wall. Aaron, his "Senirips," seemed to have an itch to go places; he just couldn't stay put!
Watson noticed the shift in Kris's demeanor and felt a pang of concern. "Brother, your little Senirips is out in the open too much,"
Watson said cautiously, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "You know there are wolves and vultures circling. They're waiting for a chance to strike at you, and Aaron's making it too easy."
Kris frowned, his dark eyes narrowing. "You think I haven't warned him?" His voice was sharp, but there was a layer of vulnerability beneath it. "Aaron... he's stubborn. He doesn't understand the danger. Although he acts elegant, he can't hide his mask of rebelliousness from me."
Watson chuckled, though it was humorless. "Your Aaron has a lot of enemies, brother. They'll come for him if they can't get to you."
Kris's face hardened again, his jaw tightening. "Aaron is my heart, Watson. They'll regret it if they even try."
Watson's smile widened, though it carried a sinister edge.
He enjoyed seeing his brother caught between his love for Aaron and the harsh realities of his position.
"You're too soft when it comes to him, Kris. That's going to be your downfall. You just met him, for fuck's sake!"
Kris shot Watson a cold glare, his voice low. "Shut up, Watson. You have no idea what you're talking about."
Watson laughed, his arrogance on full display as he walked toward the door. "As you wish, brother."
Watson had barely left the room when a soft knock echoed from the heavy black door. Kris, still brooding over his conversation with Watson, sighed heavily before speaking.
"Come in," he growled, fingers drumming on the dark surface of his desk.
The door creaked open, and Kris glanced up, spotting the maid. She wore a pale blue dress, its washed-out hue reminiscent of religious icons..a fleeting thought that only irritated him more.
Her face was round and soft, like freshly baked buns, and her eyes were wide with uncertainty. The modest dress hung loosely on her, blending with the shadows in the dim light.
Her gaze remained downcast, careful not to meet his.
She moved with the hesitance of someone who understood how dangerous it was to disturb him.
"My lord..." Her voice was barely a whisper. "There's... been another incident. Lady Anabel..."
Kris's mood darkened further. He didn't need to hear the rest to know where this was headed. His eyes narrowed, his patience stretched thin.
"How many this time?" he asked, his tone sharp enough to slice through the silence.
"Six, my lord. All of them guards from Ravenhill's outskirts."
Kris let out a long, frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Anabel's madness was growing worse. He clenched his jaw, trying to keep his emotions in check.
"She's completely lost it," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "But what can we do? No one can control her." He glanced back at the maid, noting the stiffness in her posture and the quiet fear she carried.
She had come trembling, expecting his wrath, yet spoke gently, as though treading carefully around the storm inside him.
For a brief moment, he felt a pang of sympathy for her. She wasn't the problem here. He sighed again, this time more quietly.
"You're fortunate I'm not in the mood to vent my frustrations. Leave," he said, waving her off.
The maid quickly bowed and retreated from the room.
Her pale blue dress vanished behind the door, leaving Kris alone with the growing weight of Anabel's chaos.
As the door clicked shut behind the maid, Kris slumped in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.
He let out a long, weary sigh, feeling the weight of his responsibilities settle heavily on his shoulders.
Anabel, his sister, had always been a wild spirit. Too wild for anyone to control.
Even as a child, she had caused chaos wherever she went, her volatile nature making it impossible for anyone to get close to her.
Now, as an adult, she was dangerous, unpredictable...someone who needed help but refused it at every turn.
"She's out of control," Kris muttered to himself. "But what can I do?"
He knew Anabel couldn't be handled like his other enemies. She was family, and that complicated everything.
But she was becoming a bigger liability by the day. If word spread about her killing spree, it could damage the reputation of Ravenhill even further.
Kris ran a hand through his hair, feeling the strands pull tight against his scalp.
His body ached with the stress of it all, but there was no solution in sight.
Watson had suggested letting things go, but Kris knew better. He couldn't just let everything slide.
Ravenhill was his city, his legacy. And he would protect it..no matter the cost.
---
Kris stood up from his chair, walking toward the large window that overlooked Ravenhill City. The night sky was dark, the city lights twinkling below like stars fallen to earth.
.
The people in the city were oblivious to the chaos brewing behind the scenes, living their lives in the safety Kris had built for them.
But safety was an illusion; Kris knew that all too well.
He placed his hand on the cold glass, his mind drifting to Aaron once more. Aaron, his Senirips, was his only peace in this world of betrayal and bloodshed.
But even Aaron was in danger, no matter how much Kris tried to protect him.
A soft smile played on Kris's lips as he thought of his stubborn husband. "You don't make things easy, do you?" he whispered to himself.
The smile faded quickly, replaced by a steely resolve. Kris knew what he had to do. He would deal with the rulers of the other cities. He would clean up Anabel's mess, and he would protect Aaron—no matter what it took.
And as for Watson's warnings... Kris would deal with them when the time came.
For now, there was work to be done...