It took a while for Mayan to register the words the woman in his arms questioned. He held Meribella gently, making sure she was supported yet comfortable.
"I am Mayan Ishka, King of Serphantaan. What might your name be?"
Instead of answering him, Meribella's gaze shifted, taking in the strange surroundings, until Mayan's grip tightened, forcing her to meet his eyes.
"You dare ignore a King's inquiry?" he asked with irritation while Meribella wore a look of uncertainty.
Mayan did not want her to look anywhere but at him. He liked her eyes and thought of sending her back to where she wanted felt different now. Now, he wanted to own those ecstasy-filled eyes.
"Am I... in hell?" Meribella murmured. Her last memory was of the giant serpent that had ensnared her and was ready to crush her to death. And now holding her was a man dressed in luxurious attire with a striking face and a powerful presence in a cave that looked far from heaven where the sun never sets, flowers never weathered, the garden remains lush green and angels with wings reside in Meribella's vision.
"You are!" echoed a deep voice that was not of Mayan. Out of nowhere, Raze appeared, and his arm tightened around Mayan's neck, constricting it firmly.
"How did you find this place, Raze?" Mayan rasped in a strained voice as he struggled against the chokehold.
Despite Mayan's desperate efforts to free himself with his other hand, he could not break free from Raze's grip, which caused his posture to waver. Ultimately, his firm hold on Meribella loosened.
"Where did you find the courage to take anything from me, Mayan?" Raze demanded, using all his full strength to press harder against Mayan's neck. His eyes blazed with fiery orange at the thought that someone had dared to take Meribella away from him, the woman who would be Ravencrest's bride.
Even in the heat of the moment, Mayan chuckled through strain. "Whoever takes her she is his. What do you say, Raze? You took her away from Edwyn the Crimson Crown and I from you. She is mine now. Let's be fair, Raze."
"Now I am taking back what's mine." Raze hissed, leaning in just a bit closer, but the strength on his neck remained firm as a mountain. "You catch me off guard once, and I will call it luck. Catch me out again, and you are just lost in a dream. Mayan, you will never see or touch her again." He whispered fiercely in his ears.
Raze tightened his hold even more, causing Mayan to lose his grip on Meribella. Her eyes widened as she felt her body falling back.
Celina arrived in time and swiftly placed her palm below Meribella's head to prevent it from striking the hard surface since the layer of hay was sparse.
"Forgive us for our lack of consideration," Celina's tone was sincere as she looked down at Meribella.
But Meribella turned her head away. Her expression was blank, and her eyes looked distant. She had no desire to engage with the Lords, not after everything they had put her through. The villagers had been right; these Lords brought destruction wherever they went.
Celina's guilt was as transparent as glass. She carefully laid Meribella's head back on the hay, knowing she probably did not want to get help from any of them. She glanced at Lyrith with eyes filled with regret, knowing Meribella would never trust them again, and she couldn't blame her.
Meribella turned her head slightly to see Raze. He still choked Mayan, his grip steady and firm, muscles tense, and veins bulging on his forehead. His expression was cold and focused, and then their eyes met.
Though Raze had Mayan in a chokehold right before Meribella, she felt nothing for the king—no pity, no fear. She didn't even flinch as Mayan lost consciousness. Her attention remained fixed on Raze, filled with anger and hatred for the man who had made a false promise.
Raze didn't look away. He held her gaze as he released Mayan. He didn't speak, didn't apologize, didn't explain; he simply stared at her.
Meanwhile, Lyrith approached quietly, offering a vial to Meribella. "This will ease your pain," she said softly, making Meribella break the staring contest with Raze.
With a grimace, Meribella accepted the remedy. What alternative did she have, really? Even if they offered her poison under the guise of alleviating her pain, she would consume it if it provided any relief from the agony that felt like her entire body was crushed. She grimaced as the bitter medicine hit her tongue, pulling back and pressing her lips together as if trying to erase the awful taste.
Within seconds, the pain that had plagued Meribella's body vanished. She sat up, testing her movements, and found herself refreshed, her strength returning. She stood, checking her feet was steady on the ground, and rolled her shoulders back, feeling no trace of the aches that had once crippled her.
Raze approached her, and Meribella's hand shot out, delivering a sharp, resounding slap across his face. The force of the blow turned his head to the side, leaving a stunned silence in the atmosphere.
"Let's continue this once we are out of this place," Raze said as if the slap had meant nothing to him. He reached for her hand, his grip firm but not unkind, and before anyone could react, the two of them disappeared from the cavern.
The remaining occupants of the cave—Celina, Lyrith, Draziel, Malach, Zephyr, and Kaelith were left in stunned silence. Celina's eyes widened in surprise, and she covered her mouth after seeing Raze get slapped.
Lyrith took a slow breath, "Well, that was… unexpectedly expected."
Celina exclaimed, "He left us behind to do what? To fight a kingdom full of serpent beasts? He could have taken us with him!"
Draziel placed a calming hand on Celina's shoulder. "Don't be upset, Celina. He has nearly drained all his energy for today. And besides, why would he want us to witness him getting beaten up by a woman?"
The image of him being slapped by Meribella brightened their spirits. Feeling immense pleasure, they exited the cave, and as soon as they were outside, their bat-like wings appeared, allowing them to soar away before the serpent beasts could sense them.
At the clearing, Raze and Meribella reappeared near the carriage. The sun had made his disappearance from the sky. Meribella immediately pulled her hand from Raze's grasp. Without hesitation, she slapped him again. The sharp sound echoed in the stillness of darkness.
"How dare you," she hissed, her voice trembling with anger. "How dare you take me from there without my consent? Again."
Raze didn't flinch. He stood tall, his expression unreadable, his dark eyes locked onto hers. "Would you prefer to be swallowed by the serpents?" he asked.
Meribella laughed, a bitter, hollow sound that held no joy. "You think I wasn't in danger with you?" She shot back, her voice rising. She pushed him hard, her hands pressing against his chest, but he didn't budge.
Frustration boiled over, and she began hitting his chest with her fists, her strikes growing weaker as her palms stung from the force of her earlier slaps. "You left me to die!" she cried, her voice breaking. "You broke your promise. I hate you!"
Raze stood still, absorbing her blows without resistance. His expression remained stoic, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—regret, perhaps, or guilt? He didn't try to stop her, didn't try to defend himself. He simply let her vent her anger.
"I want to go back to Edwyn," Meribella sobbed, her voice cracking. "I don't want to go to Ravencrest. You are bad, terrible. One moment, you make me think nothing will happen to me, and the next… you didn't even look at me to see if I was fine. You left me to die!"
Her strength gave out, and she slowly sank to her heels, her legs folding beneath her. She hugged her knees to her chest, burying her face in her arms as sobs wracked her body. Her cries were raw and unfiltered, like someone who had been pushed to their breaking point.
"I want to be with my family," she mumbled.
Raze's hands twitched as if he wanted to reach out to her, but he held back. "I know I failed to keep my promise. And I will carry that failure for the rest of my life." The words were carefully chosen and seemed perfect for the moment, but they felt empty.
Meribella's sobs slowed and she lifted her head slightly. Her face was wet with tears as she peeked out from behind her arms. 'Is this his way of saying sorry?' Meribella contemplated.
However, she only found a passive expression that didn't quite reach his eyes. It was as if he had said the right words, but his heart wasn't in them.
Standing, she wiped away her tears, her movements stiff with resolve. Without another word, she walked to the carriage. The cold wind wrapped around her, biting into her skin, especially on her left arm and shoulder, where her skin was bare.
She climbed inside the carriage and crossed her arms tightly, pulling her legs close to conserve warmth. The carriage's meagre shelter did little to comfort her, but it was a respite from the piercing wind. Hunger gnawed at her, yet her pride and newfound distrust for Raze sealed her lips. Not from him.
Not from someone whose words were as hollow as an empty jar, someone who spoke without feeling, without remorse.
Raze allowed Meribella to remain alone inside the carriage. She probably needed time to herself, and he decided to respect that until the others returned. The clearing was quiet, save for the soft rustling of leaves in the cold night wind. Raze stood outside the carriage, his arms crossed.
The six lords descended with elegance, their wings vanishing as they made contact with the earth.
Celina with sharp features, quickly inquired, "Did you provide her with anything to eat?"
Raze bit his lip and looked away, guilty. Noticing his mistake, Celina hurried into the forest. In just a few moments, she came back carrying a handful of fresh apples.
"Give these to her," she commanded, passing the apples to Raze. "Keep in mind, she is human—she experiences hunger, pain, cold and many more things."
Raze took the apples and knocked softly on the carriage door before entering. Inside, he found Meribella asleep, her head resting against the carriage wall, arms and legs crossed defensively. Even in darkness, he could clearly see goosebumps on her skin from the chill.
He stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. He kept apples beside her and carefully draped his cloak over her to provide warmth.
He sat opposite her, observed her peaceful expression as if all the worries had melted away, and touched his cheek. 'How could someone so fragile hurt me so much?' he wondered, remembering the stinging left behind by her slaps.
The golden specks in his eyes shifted into a vibrant orange circle, causing the horses to instinctively pick up speed in a manner that exceeded normal running capabilities. The other lords kept up with the increased pace.
Time passed in a blur and when Meribella awoke, the carriage was bathed in sunlight, but it was still there. Raze was asleep across from her, looking unexpectedly vulnerable.
Noticing the apples next to her, her stomach growled audibly. She reached for one and began to eat voraciously. While eating, she caught sight of the blood-red clock on her. She threw a sarcastic glance at the sleeping Raze.
She intended to give him back his cloak, but it felt cosy and warm. She resolved to return it to him later, before he woke up, as she took bites of her apple.
A rap on the carriage startled Meribella and roused Raze from his slumber.
"We are here, our sweet home Ravencrest!" The words caused Meribella's eyes to widen and her mouth to drop in astonishment. How long had she been asleep? Three days? What about her escape plan?