"It is, my lady. You got lost, didn't you?" she asked.
Wait! Why is she talking about that when she could be talking about the brooding intimidating man behind me?
I turned around and he wasn't there. It was like he vanished into thin air.
"My lady, are you alright?"
I blinked to refocus my wandering thoughts. "Y-yeah"
I wasn't.
I was still shaking from the kiss we shared and his threat echoed in my head. I tried to steady myself but it was really hard.
"We have to leave, my lady. The first prince is waiting"
"Waiting?" I asked
I was finding it difficult to process Evie's words.
I was in danger from the last person I wanted to be in danger from.
"Yes. we have to make haste for your picnic with prince Markle and…" she stopped talking as her eyes fell on my hair. Abbott did his best to secure it but it was still a mess. "What happened?"
"I…fell"
I lied.
***
Abbott's POV
I stood far away from her and watched her interact with her servant. Disappearing like that was the least I could do for her after threatening her life but it was the only way I knew to force her out of the palace and away from the grip of Aldous Raven.
I watched her.
Abby grew up. It is amazing that the last time I saw her she was in pigtails and hugging her pet - a dire wolf taller than her.
I tried to see her as the child I tried to hide from the rogue knights but it was really difficult since the kiss we shared kept tainting that memory. It wasn't supposed to be like that.
The kiss was meant to be a subtle threat against her reputation as a proper lady of title but somehow, i don't know why, i was pushing her against the tree and she was wrapping her arms around my neck and sinking her teeth into my lips - my little wild cat wasn't so little or innocent anymore.
That thought made me clench my fist!
Who taught her how to do all those things she did that drove me wild with need and desire?
Was it Markle?
That conniving little piss rodent was going to earn a dagger to the thigh for taking advantage of someone like little Abby Spencer, a girl so innocent and pure that she had no business associating with a corrupted bunch like the Ravens.
She needed to leave…run as far as she could, away from Markle or Aldous but must especially away from me. If she stayed she would be a huge thorn in my flesh…a weakness to be exploited and i couldn't have that.
She was better off in bluestone than Zurich waiting to be corrupted.
(Like you did few minutes ago)
A voice said in my head.
"Shut up! No one asked you "I snapped at the voice.
Ha…the voice, it's been there for as long as i can remember. Aaron Darken says it is my conscience but I know it is not because I have no conscience. And the voice and I don't agree most times. He even has a name of his own - Jalen-Storm.
Jalen showed up when I was eleven years old, after I woke from the slumber that left my left eye swollen shut for days and my lungs too painful to attempt breathing normally. At first, I thought I was raving mad, how could I not be? I was having conversations with a voice in my head! Then I started having these excruciating pain during full moons.
It started when i was fourteen during a full moon and Jalen-storm offered to shoulder the pain for me if i let him and i did, and just like that the pain was gone except i became a passenger in my own body and for a little boy with no control over anything, it was something i couldn't abide. So, I took control back and I shouldered the excruciating pain that came every full moon ever since then.
Now, the cracking of bones and the glowing of eyes every full moon coupled with the heightened strength and the bloodthirst doesn't bother me as much. When I was younger, Aaron Darken used to chain me in my room to stop me from running out and killing villagers but now, I simply do it myself.
I don't remember every full moon but the next day was always better.
(Why did you threaten her?)
Jalen's clawed at my subconscious. It sent spikes of pain throughout my body in an instant.
"Don't bloody do that, you lunatic!" I yelled at him.
(Leave Abby alone or else!) he clawed at me again.
The spike of pain caused me to hold my head still.
"Jalen, stop! Use your words, you wanker!"
(Don't hurt her! Or there will be hell to pay. She saved our lives or have you forgotten already) he threatened me again.
"I won't have to because she is leaving Zurich. It may not look like it but I am trying to protect her. Aldous will hurt her!"
(I don't understand)
"The baron won't give up his maps and father is running out of ways to make her father talk since the baroness is running out of fingers to cut off. Who do you think he would take his pound of flesh from when the baroness eventually runs out of fingers, Jalen-Storm?"
(Abby) he whispered as the realization dawned on him (You have to help her!)
"I have. My threat is going to send her running, one of the perks of being the devil, Jalen"
I stopped talking when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and came face to face with two of my crescent knights- sir Conner and sir Oliver holding three Antelopes each.
They watched me and I watched them in silence.
"We are back, Lord Commander" Oliver said.
"...back from where?" I asked them rather confusedly.
"We brought the Antelope, Lord Commander?" Oliver said
"Female antelopes, my lord…we brought six female antelopes. You have no idea how hard it is to chase one…to have us check whether it is male or female, is one of the most awkward things i have ever done!" Conner had this frustrated look on his face which further confused us.
I looked at them and I rubbed my jaw in confusion.
"Why are you chasing Antelopes?!" I asked out loud.
"You asked us to, sire!" Conner said in between his clenched jaw.
"When?" I asked.
"Two days ago!" Conner snapped.
"Two days ago it was a full…"
It clicked in an instant. Jalen-Storm!
(Did you send my Knights to chase Antelopes?!) I asked him in my head.
He hesitated.
(Jalen!)
(I had a craving for Antelope)
I looked at my tired knights and I was too amused to be angry.
"So, you are telling me that you spend two days checking the privates of an Antelope?"
"Yes!" Conner yelled and I laughed harder.
"I am guessing that Sir Bastian didn't stop you" I asked them.
"No, he said to hunt six instead of one" Oliver said.
I turn towards my left side where there were clusters of roses "Bastian you can stop lurking now"
I knew he was there because he is always there. He was my shadow.
He came out trying to hide a smile. He is usually the type to play practical jokes on anyone who pisses him off.
"Sir Conner…Oliver, welcome back home"
"This is your doing, Bastian!" Oliver snapped and we laughed harder.
"H-how many Antelopes did you check? It can't be that much" Bastian said and suppressed a snicker.
"Sixteen!"
We laughed harder.
"It is not funny. One bit me!" Oliver complained.
"Well. you shouldn't have touched his…"Bastian pointed at Oliver's pants "They tend to take it personal"
We laughed for a while before I cleared my throat.
"If you are done chasing antelopes, I have an actual duty for you to perform. You will secretly escort the honorable Abigail Spencer back to Bluestone Manor. Stay out of sight and make sure she is well protected. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Lord Commander Raven"