Chapter 56: Walking Time Bomb
The war room went dead silent. Eveyr stared at the dagger, then at Esme, completely aroused by her sheer dominance.
Suddenly, the system interface appeared in Esme’s vision.
[SYSTEM ALERT: DEVOTIONAL AWE TRIGGERED]
[Target is entirely captivated by host’s ruthlessness]
[Reward: 500 Points]
[Vitality: 100%]
Esme sighed in relief. Meanwhile, Vespera was still staring at the dagger in shock. After a few seconds, snapping back into the reality and removed the dagger.
"She has teeth," Vespera murmured, looking at Eveyr, before turning back to Esme. "But teeth don’t win wars. To me, you’re still a spy."
"If I were a spy, Commander, Julian would be winning this war," Esme replied, meeting her gaze. "I am a survivor. And right now, my survival depends on the north which makes us allies, Vespera, whether you like my dresses or not. Now, route the supply lines through the Pine Valley."
Vespera chuckled and stepped closer to Esme.
"You are a good player, Esme," Vespera whispered. "But I know you don’t love him. I see the way you look at him when he isn’t watching. You are just surviving him. I will let you play your game, as long as it calms Eveyr. But the second you become a liability to his life... I will kill you myself."
Then without waiting for Esme’s response, Vespera stepped back.
"I will redraw the supply lines, Your Grace," Vespera said and walked out of the war room.
The others looked at each other nervously, then left as well bowing to both Esme and Eveyr.
Esme kept standing, her heart pounding rapidly.
Vespera’s words echoed in her mind:
I know you don’t love him. You are just surviving him.
Vespera was right. But still an uncomfortable feeling settled into her stomach. Before she could name it, Eveyr wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her against his chest and burying his face in her neck.
"You are magnificent," Eveyr whispered reverently, his breath sending a shiver down her spine. "I love when you are ruthless."
Esme leaned back into his chest and closed her eyes. After a minute, Eveyr turned her in his arms and cupped her face.
"Every day, you prove you belong with me," he murmured, his thumb tracing her cheekbone. "You defend my borders, you saved my life, you command my generals... you are mine."
Then he leaned down and kissed the corner of her lips gently. After that he trailed his lips down her jawline to linger right above the blood ward on her neck. Esme’s breath hitched. Warmth flared in her chest. Her hands instinctively moved to his chest, her fingers curling into his shirt as she kissed him back.
When he pulled away, his chest was heaving. He looked at her flushed face as his gaze dropped to her neck.
"When I put this on you, I was scared," Eveyr said, tracing the blood ward on her neck. "I needed to feel your heartbeat to know you were safe."
He looked back into her eyes, his eyes full of devotion.
"But I was wrong. You aren’t a prey, Esme. You are the wolf. You don’t need a leash, and I don’t want to be your warden anymore."
Before Esme could fully process his words, he pressed his index and middle fingers on the ward. Her skin burned for a second before a cool wave of magic washed over her neck. He had removed the ward.
She knew for a yandere to willingly sever a blood ward meant complete trust and unconditional surrender of his control.
"You are free now," Eveyr said. "I have to train the shadow guards before they leave. Wait for me. I’ll be back soon."
He kissed her one last time before stepping back and walking out the room. Esme touched her lips, her heart racing wildly.
Why does his touch affect me so much? I need to control my feelings.
She pressed her palms on her face, desperately trying to stop the warmth spreading on her cheeks.
"No," she muttered. "Don’t be stupid."
She shook her head to throw away the strange feelings.
"This is just the system and stress. I need to focus on surviving. No more distractions unless necessary."
Later that afternoon, to distract herself from the strange feelings blooming in her chest, she decided to go to library and read more about the kingdom’s geography.
She went to her room to grab her fur cloak when her fingers brushed against a wooden panel at far end of the wardrobe.
What is this??
She pushed the clothes aside and pried the thin panel away. Hidden inside was a small diary with initials: E.S.
Esme?? Why do I keep finding her notes and diaries everywhere?? It feels like someone intentionally put them here so that someone could find them.
She grabbed the diary and sat on the bed. This diary wasn’t a daily journal. It contained only a single entry, dated a week before she had originally left the capital for her wedding to Eveyr.
As she read the page, the colour drained from her face.
Julian cornered me in the hall today. He was with the Royal Alchemist. I couldn’t fight them off. They held me down and forced a liquid shadow down my throat. Julian told me it is a magical poison seal. He told me if I fail my mission and cannot retrieve that black ledger then I’ll have to seduce the Duke.
He said If the Duke and I ever consummate the marriage and our magics physically sync, the seal will break. And the poison will transfer to him, killing him immediately. Julian had made me a walking time bomb.
The diary slipped from her trembling hands onto the floor as she realized original Esme Sterling’s body was weaponized.
Eveyr’s obsession was growing day by day. They were already kissing, and...and if they ever crossed the line and bonded their souls together....she would kill the man responsible for her survival in this world.
