Chapter 11: Warmth of his hand
Ren had been savoring the fresh air, but the moment the crowd swelled around them, Males and females alike, it turned stifling. She halted beside Kai, her fingers twitching with unease before instinctively gripping the fabric of his sleeve. A cold shiver crawled down her spine as her gaze swept over the faces surrounding them.
The females, in particular, were anything but welcoming.
No matter how desperately she tried to push away the gnawing, ominous sense of dread, it clung to her, suffocating and inescapable. The weight of countless furious eyes bore down on her, and whether she voiced it or not, everyone could feel it, her fear. Words traveled fast, and they knew who she was.
She was sinking into a void of anxiety when, suddenly, his hand closed around hers. It was warm, steady, and unyielding. His touch anchored her, silently urging her to endure the crushing weight of the unsatisfied eyes fixed upon her.
Kai's voice cut through the tension, firm and unwavering.
"My dear people, as you all see, this is Princess Reneira Dorient—my wife. From this day forward, we are at peace with Alvonia and their king. They are our brothers, and I expect you to honor this union."
For a brief, chilling moment, silence blanketed the grand courtyard. The weight of countless unspoken words pressed down on Ren, so heavy that she scarcely registered the beauty of her surroundings. This was far graver than she had anticipated. The air itself felt charged, thick with restrained hostility.
The females' eyes burned, not with mere curiosity, but with fury. Their gazes were scorching embers of resentment, and Ren knew why. Her husband was not only powerful but beloved. Admired. Desired. And now, he belonged to her. The man they dreamed of having.
Suddenly, the suffocating silence shattered into hushed, biting whispers.
"A human as our Luna?"
Luna? The word struck her like a sharp gust of wind. Their queen, perhaps? Ren had her guesses, but she knew little of the shifters' customs; not that she had ever cared to learn.
"A meager human as his wife?" someone sneered, the disgust in their tone unmistakable.
"Elaika is going to be furious!"
Ren's breath hitched. Elaika? Who was she?
Another voice cut through the murmurs, softer yet laced with something that made Ren's stomach twist.
"Well... she is beautiful. Our lord will be blessed with exquisite offspring."
A lump formed in her throat. Was that all she was to them? Just a human, an outsider, who happened to bear his children?
The weight of their stares crushed down on her once again, each whisper like a dagger to the spine...
Kai's eyes darkened. How dare they? He had never permitted such blatant disrespect toward those under his protection. They had forgotten their place.
"Enough." His voice was sharp, final. He turned to his Beta, his tone dropping into something colder. "Make it clear to them, Beta Coran."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He didn't linger to hear more venomous words that could wound Ren further. Their disapproval was already evident, they had no interest in accepting her. But worse, they had spoken her name.
Elaika.
Ren didn't know who she was, but he did. And if she found out the truth, or worse, crossed paths with a woman as ruthless as Elaika—Ren would be the one to suffer. He regretted not telling Elaika to stay away from him in the first place.
Ren couldn't tear her mind away from the whispers. They clung to her like shadows, seeping into her bones, curling around her throat. The path ahead felt dark—endless—each murmured word a dagger piercing straight into her skull. They didn't hesitate. Didn't falter.
They would humiliate her without a second thought. Because to them, she was nothing. A human. The lowest of the low in this strange, merciless land.
As they stepped into the grand chamber on the fifth floor, she let go of his hand and Kai closed the door behind them. The silence that followed was thick, not heavy with hostility, but with something fragile, something neither dared to touch.
Ren had questions, too many, all pressing against her ribs. But the moment she parted her lips to speak, pride took hold, twisting her words into something else.
"Will they take care of Viva?"
Kai's brow arched, a flicker of something unreadable flashing in his eyes. "Of course, they will."
She avoided his gaze. Why?
She had heard the name, Elaika. He could see it in the way her fingers tensed at her sides, in the way she refused to meet his eyes.
Yet, she didn't ask.
Did she already know? Or was she simply choosing not to?
The silence stretched between them until she finally whispered, "Thank you."
It was such a simple thing, yet it held weight, a quiet truce, a barrier neither of them dared to break.
He nodded and motioned for her to follow as he led her to the bedroom. "I'll assign a human maid to care for you. I don't think you're used to a shifter maid yet."
Ren's smile was bitter, forced, but it held a touch of resignation. "That's so kind of you, your highness."
Kai could see it clearly: her mood had faltered, the light dimming in her eyes. During their journey, he'd learned that beneath the calm façade she wore, Ren was far more than she appeared. She was lively, and adventurous. There was a spark to her, a spirit that intrigued him more with each passing day.
Yet now... now, she felt like a stranger.
Ren fought to suppress the aching heart that threatened to consume her. Her tears hovered on the edge of her lashes, burning and teasing, but she pushed them back, swallowing the pain. The lump in her throat grew, choking her, and words refused to come.
"Okay, make yourself at home. I have things to handle. I'll be back tonight."
He spoke those sweet, yet painful words, his voice carrying a weight that pressed down on her chest. With that, he left the chamber, and Ren was left alone, her mind swirling with a thousand unanswered questions.
After staring at the door for a while, Ren sprawled on the sofa beside the window and looked outside. Her eyes widened at the sight of something strange below. It resembled a garden of dead vines, neglected and untended, their twisted branches curling into shapes that looked like wild claws. Why hadn't they trimmed or cut them back?
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What had once been a garden had transformed into a winding labyrinth, a place no one would dare enter, and even fewer would find their way out of.
However, something strange and unsettling clung to it, a sense of sadness, as if the air itself was thick with invisible sorrow. It radiated a heavy, oppressive energy. Ren's gaze fixed on the scene, and then, without warning, she jumped up from her seat, her breath catching in her throat.
One of the branches... it moved.
It was like a creeping snake!
She shook her head, distancing herself from the window. She must be delusional after the long journey through the forest and arriving in a land where no one would welcome her.
When she glanced back again, everything seemed intact, and she let out a bitter laugh. But as she turned around, she froze. Standing behind her was a young girl with red curly hair, dressed in a neat black maid's uniform. Her wide brown eyes stared at Ren, giving off a feeling that she was either a fool or a complete stranger.
The laughter caught in her throat, choking her. She didn't see her arriving. Ren coughed, the sound sharp and worrisome. The young girl snapped out of her reverie, her eyes widening as she hurried to Ren's side.
"Are you alright, milady?"
Ren raised her palm, stopping her in mid-step.
"Oh, I..."
She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Her shoulders straightened, and her gaze followed the maid's, which was fixed on the window, the unease still lingering in the air.
"Were you looking at the cursed garden?"
Ren's brow arched in surprise. The cursed garden?
"What? You mean that dead vine garden?"
The girl nodded quickly, her face innocent, almost too innocent.
"Yes, milady. That's no ordinary vine garden. I've heard it was once a rose garden and a vine garden intertwined into each other, once they were brought from heaven itself. But then, a thousand years ago, it suddenly withered and died. Those who venture into it lose their minds. You shouldn't stare at it for too long for it to bring illusions."
Ren swallowed hard. So, what she had seen was truly an illusion.
"Okay, thank you for mentioning that." She let out a deep breath. Her gaze fell on the large jar, and she smiled. "So, you're human too. How many humans live in this castle?"
The girl's cheeks flushed. She had been rude not to introduce herself.
"Oh, please accept my apologies, and don't tell Lady Elaika about this. I'm Gloria, your personal maid."
Lady Elaika. It was the second time Ren had heard that name today, and a ripple of panic stirred within her maid. Why did everyone seem so concerned about her reaction?