Long silver hair framed delicate green eyes as they blinked up at Xion.
The petite boy, who had slightly recovered from his disease, had a red blush coating his cheek. A sight Xion had not seen until now.
Dressed in a red silk robe, he crouched on the floor. Those eyes blinked at him, looking so innocent that at one glance one would assume he was an angel.
However, the blood beneath his feet told another story.
Despite the beauty of the dim-lit room adorned with precious trinkets, Xion found his sight falling on the dead body.
The body of a male, in his late thirties perhaps, was sprawled over the cold floor covered with red. His limbs were twisted in an awkward position, and his eyes were gauged out.
Xion placed his hand on his mouth to muffle the soundless scream threatening to rumble out of his trembling lips.
With those empty and bloody eye sockets, the corpse looked at him, and Xion felt his breath choking his throat. He gulped when he noticed that even his organs seemed to be messily strewn into his stomach.
In any other case, Xion would have subconsciously assumed that Rael might have stumbled upon such an unfortunate sight.
But the way that bloody crimson died the tips of his silver hair red, and matted Rael's left cheek in a fake blush, Xion knew this innocent-looking child was the murderer.
Darius met his eyes calmly before his pale lips curled up in a very pleasant smile.
Xion stood still. His senses became hyper-aware of his surroundings.
How the metallic rust lingered at the tip of his tongue, how the warm air in the room made his entire body shiver and how just one step of Rael made him stumble backward.
The archduke stopped smiling and took another step ahead and over the dead body. His bare feet fell in the pool of blood, but he paid it no mind.
"He deserved it," he tilted his head as he spoke in a flat tone.
Darius was used to seeing the fearful look on his servants. Dare he say, he even enjoyed it.
The way those bumbling fools would tremble at his sight, the way they would avoid looking directly at his eyes, so terrified to let their dark secrets spill... All of it gave him a strange, excited thrill.
Yet the way those pretty blue eyes were suddenly filled with horror, it left an unpleasant fog pressing on his chest.
"He came here."
A soft voice fell on Xion's ears.
Darius had no idea why he had taken the initiative to explain. Normally he would have dismissed anyone, especially if they were interfering with his "fun" time. So, why am I not kicking this fool of a healer out?
Xion faltered. He felt his heart beating loudly in his ribcage. So much blood had spilled that he could not tell if Darius's robe was originally red or if it was the aftermath of the gruesome sight.
The first thought that sprang into his mind after looking at now standing Rael was if the blood on him was purely of the dead, or if he was also hurt.
Then Xion saw it. Red strangulation marks around Rael's fragile neck. And that had, somehow, made it easy for him to breathe.
With cautious steps, he moved forward while his eyes scanned the small boy from head to toe.
Only then did he notice several long scratches on his hands and his thin arms.
Some were bleeding but he could not tell to what extent as they hid beneath the long sleeve of the robe.
"S-so, it was self-defense?" he wanted to speak normally but his words came out more of a question than a statement.
Perhaps, deep down he still was not convinced, yet his soft heart did not give him the opportunity to dwell for longer.
Self Defense? Darius blinked. Well, this thief certainly came here to steal from him. So, he did what he deemed worthy as his punishment.
Though as he was punishing him the struggling thief definitely tried to strangle him so he could escape. It can be considered self-defense, right?
Thinking like that, the archduke nodded.
Xion's heart clenched. He drew in a deep, stabilizing breath before kneeling to engulf the child in his trembling arms.
How can it be Rael's fault? Rael is merely eleven. He should be protected by his elders at this age and yet...
The image of a child desperately struggling to live while his parents offered him no warmth sprang into his mind. Doubt, guilt, pity, a dozen of such emotions roiled within him.
"You are safe, baby. No one will hurt you, now," Xion patted the taut back of the scared child. "It wasn't your fault."
The smell of blood was too thick in the room and Xion had no idea how he had suppressed the nausea clawing at his throat.
He leaned back, just enough to see the pale face of the boy who stood silently in an utter daze.
"Hey, sweetheart. Look at me," Xion cupped Rael's face, forcing the boy to look at him. He almost shivered from the sheer coldness emitting from Rael's body.
"Everything will be fine, baby. I will protect you. You will be safe." Xion gently pressed his lips on Rael's forehead, "How about you come to my room and stay there until Ray... clean this place? Yeah?"
Xion waited as Rael finally snapped back to reality. The boy hummed lightly, barely making any sound, and that only deepened the ache in his chest.
Xion did not wait any longer. He removed his robe before draping it over the stiff child.
Taking advantage of the fact that he was taller than Rael, he directly hugged him in his arms.
"Sweetheart, hold onto me," he said while carrying the prince in a princess carry.
Darius did as he was asked to. He wrapped his arms around the slender neck though his gaze remained on the healer's pale face, which glistened with sweat and unease.
Barely had Xion stepped outside the door that he stumbled upon Lady Nazia who was carrying the same bowl of noodles with stir-fried vegetables.
"Room," he breathed out, "I am taking Rael with me." In his anxiousness, Xion even forgot to use the titles.
Nazia's red eyes widened slightly at the sight of the healer treating the archduke as a mere child.
She looked at her master. Rael met her gaze, his green eyes narrowing briefly before darting toward the room.
How could she not understand that His Grace wanted her to take care of the room and whatever horrors awaited inside? His Grace also asked her not to disturb him any further.
She bowed, "I understand."
Albeit slightly, her words made Xion's ragged heartbeat calm. With just a few steps he was standing in front of his room. Without him asking, Nazia opened the door, and he went in.
Xion didn't notice the subtle tremor shaking her hands when she held the doorknob. All his focus was on the fragile boy curled in his arms.
As he entered his room, he tightened his hold on Rael and kicked the door shut behind them.
He had no idea how the said fragile child snuggled closer to his neck with an amused smile playing on his lips.