Chapter 31: Cat In The House
The morning sun over the capital tried its best to seep through the windows of the Aldric Townhouse, but the room remained shrouded in artificial twilight. Eveyr’s magic had once again cast a dark, translucent veil around the townhouse to keep the outside world away from them.
Esme opened her eyes and found Eveyr’s arm wrapped tightly around her waist while his face was buried in her neck. Even in sleep, his grip was possessive. Esme took a deep breath, staring at the canopy above.
I need to plan!
Carefully, she moved his arm up just an inch and slid out from under him, immediately putting a pillow into the empty space in her place. Eveyr didn’t seem to notice.
Esme sighed in relief and got up from the massive bed. But the moment her feet touched the rug, the darkness in the room shifted. Two shadows in the far corners of the bedroom subtly moved.
Esme froze, her heart skipping a beat. Eveyr hadn’t just stationed his guards at the doors. He had stationed them inside the bedroom as well. And Esme had no idea. Although they were just shadows, she still felt exposed.
She calmed herself and wore her robe, walking towards the bathroom. She locked the door and turned on the taps, letting the water run into the basin, and closed her eyes.
I need to search this house. But I can’t because of his magic. He will catch me no matter what.
Esme opened the system interface and scrolled through the system store, skipping all the physical skills. She needed stealth at this point. She was examining every skill carefully, when her eyes landed on a mid-tier passive ability.
Aura Mask
[Cost: 1,000 Points]
[Description: It completely neutralizes the host’s pulse rate and suppresses all spikes of adrenaline, guilt, and emotional agitation. It will make the host completely unreadable to magical empathy or biometric detection]
Without a second thought, Esme confirmed the purchase. Immediately, a cold sensation washed over her body. Before she could even process it properly, the sensation faded. Esme frowned.
"That’s it?"
She pressed her fingers on her wrist and noticed her pulse was slow and steady now. She thought about the cage, the painting, Eveyr’s threat of locking her there but nothing happened.
Her heartbeat remained normal. She thought about Julian, The Black Ledger. Still her body showed no reaction.
"So this is what perfect composure feels like," she smiled and looked at herself in the mirror.
Let’s see if you can read me now, Eveyr.
She changed into a simple violet gown and came out of the bathroom. Eveyr was already gone. She descended the staircase and walked towards the dining room for breakfast. She looked bored and walked with aristocratic grace, pretending as if she didn’t care for anything in this world.
Eveyr sat at the head of the table, sipping coffee while reading a military report. As Esme walked in and took her seat to his right, Eveyr immediately lowered the report.
His eyes immediately locked with hers. Since there was no anklet now, he used his magic to scan her for any nervousness, or erratic pulse.
But thanks to the [Aura Mask], he sensed nothing. To his magic, she looked like a perfectly calm and bored woman sitting down to eat.
Eveyr frowned, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. After yesterday’s confrontation, he had expected anger and resentment. After all, the monster inside him thrived on her fire. But she gave him nothing.
"It looks like...you slept well?" Eveyr asked calmly.
"Like the dead, Your Grace," Esme replied, pouring herself a cup of tea. "Though the townhouse is awfully drafty."
Eveyr’s frown deepened. He didn’t like her lack of reaction, but he couldn’t detect a single lie. He sighed, folded his military report and set it on the table.
"The Emperor has summoned all the high ranking nobles for an emergency assembly this morning," Eveyr informed her. "Julian must have complained to his father about my behaviour at the gala yesterday. I will be gone until noon."
"Take your time," Esme replied, buttering a croissant without looking up. "I want to spend my day in the library today. The head maid promised to show me the library today. I thought at least one of us should know proper court etiquette," she paused. "And please... don’t try to set the palace on fire while you’re there."
Eveyr stood up, amused, pleased by her sharp tongue. He walked over to her chair and put his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head tenderly.
Then he moved a little and picked up another croissant from the tray. He tore it in half, spread a strawberry preserve over it himself, and placed it onto her plate.
"Eat this."
"Is that an order?" Esme chuckled.
"It is my concern," he replied calmly. "You hardly eat, Esme."
"If I eat the entire table, will you finally stop worrying about me?"
"No. Never," he replied. "I’ll just move my attention from your food to something else."
Esme didn’t answer. Satisfied that she hadn’t pushed the plate away, he finally smiled.
"Do not try to go out, Esme," he murmured against her hair. "George will remain here. He will ensure you have everything you need."
As if summoned, George walked into the dining room.
"Your Grace," George greeted and bowed his head.
Eveyr nodded and walked out of the dining room to clean the mess he had created yesterday. George immediately took his position by the main door. He crossed his arms and looked at Esme.
"If you need anything, Duchess, just ask," George said.
Esme smiled and lifted her teacup to her lips. She took a long sip as she studied his posture. Her analytical mind read him like a book.
George wasn’t standing to defend her from assassins or Julian’s men. She noticed how his eyes tracked her every movement. He looked like a warden, keeping an eye on a prisoner.
Esme lowered her cup, a dangerous smile touching her lips.
He thinks he’s watching a captive bird. If only he knew he is locked in a house with a cat.
