Meanwhile...
Aries made a stop at the back of the Imperial Palace. Since their plan was to surprise Abel, she thought of a way so they could sneak inside. The marshalls at the entrance would surely notify someone about their entry, and it would surely reach Abel's ears.
Fortunately, Aries remembered a secret entrance Conan told her about. Hence, Aries and Sunny went and checked it out. Conan wasn't lying. Behind the bush outside the palace, there was a hole that she could fit through if she squatted down. Sunny was small, so she was able to squeeze herself in.
The two of them planned to be discreet, but their discretion slowly faded as they infiltrated the inner palace. Looking from left to right with Aries's head sticking out of the door of the kitchen, her brows furrowed.
The hallway was empty.
"Sunny," called Aries in a whisper yell, holding Sunny's hand as they left the kitchen.
As the two of them sauntered through the hallway, the question marks hovering over Aries's head continued to accumulate. She stopped when they reached another hallway, after taking the stairs to the floor where the emperor's chancery was located.
"That's strange," she mumbled, walking closer to the railing. Aries released Sunny's hand and planted them on the railing, looking over to see the floor below. "Where's everyone?"
Her brows furrowed, thinking that she hadn't seen any servant or a knight ever since they entered the imperial palace. It was as if everyone simply disappeared. Although it was nighttime, there should be a few servants and knights on duty.
Aries looked back at Sunny. "I've never seen the Imperial Palace this empty." And her heart suddenly thudded for reasons unknown yet ominous.
"So, where is your Mister Moon?" Aries asked, trying to shun the sudden anxiousness creeping into her heart.
Sunny didn't answer but simply pointed in the direction they were originally going. Aries forced a smile, nodding in understanding.
"Then, let's fetch Mister Moon first." Aries offered her hand, which Sunny clasped tightly. That being said, Sunny led Aries to a sitting room on the same floor as the emperor's chancery.
"Mister Moon!" Sunny yelled happily the second Aries opened the door. She let go of Aries's hand, rushing inside. Meanwhile, Aries's eyes fell on the settee, catching the stuffed bunny sitting on it.
Sunny excitedly picked up the stuffed bunny and hugged it in a tight embrace, bringing a slight smile to Aries's face. The latter remained standing by the door, pleased to see Sunny in high spirits. But somehow, no matter how she tried to shrug off the anxiousness in her heart, she couldn't.
Aries took a step back until she was standing outside the door, looking from her left and then to her right.
"Something isn't right," she told herself, acknowledging this fact instead of tossing it in the back of her head. When she decided to check the emperor's chancery, Aries looked back inside the sitting room.
"Sunny, I'll check the emperor's chancery and see if your grandpa is there." She smiled, concealing the worry in her eyes. "I'll be back."
Just as Aries turned and took a step away, she halted as Sunny spoke.
"He's not there." Aries slowly looked to her left, her gaze instantly fell on Sunny. The little girl was hugging her stuffed bunny, but her smile had disappeared while looking back at Aries.
"What did you say?" Aries inquired under her breath, furrowing her brows lest she heard Sunny incorrectly.
"Grandpa is not in his chancery," Sunny repeated. She then advanced towards the door, still hugging her stuffed bunny. Standing three steps away from Aries, she slowly raised her head.
"He is in the coven."
"Coven?" The deep lines in between Aries's forehead deepened. "What is that?"
"A gathering of vampires and witches."
"What...?" Aries opened and closed her mouth, rocking her head in understanding. It was no surprise if there was such a gathering since the Haimirich Empire had sheltered non-human beings. She didn't want to put malice in it, and that explained why the Imperial Palace seemed to be empty at the moment.
"So, that's the reason he said he can't meet me." She heaved a sigh of relief, smiling back at Sunny. "I guess we can't surprise him if he's doing something important. Let's go home --"
"Grandma, is dying considered important?" asked Sunny, cutting Aries off.
"Pardon?"
"Grandma said Grandpa is doing something important. But right now, grandpa is in agony." Sunny tapped her ear mildly. "I can hear his screams and I can smell his blood oozing out of his body."
Sunny then took a step. "Is that important? Grandma?"
"What are you..." Aries's breath hitched as her voice shook. Her pupils had also dilated, gulping, witnessing how the innocence in Sunny's eyes slowly faded out. "Did you... ask me to come in here not because of Mister Moon?"
"Grandma, you're like my mama." Sunny blinked. "This is why Tilly and Mister Fabian told Sunny that having a love interest is appalling. You trust their words blindly."
"Grandpa might die tonight. Permanently. The night council had gotten their hands on a divine weapon that can slay a demon like him. A pureblooded Grimsbanne." She then raised her hand and pointed to her left. "If Grandpa dies, Sunny will as well. If you want to save him, he's there... in the opposite great hall. That's where I hear his screams."
Aries's lips trembled as they parted, but her voice was stuck in her throat. Looking at Sunny's solemn, round face, she took a step back. There was no way Sunny led her here just to joke around. Moreover, her heart seemed to have known something like this would happen.
"Abel," was the first that came out of her lips, and without a second hesitation, she sprinted away in the direction Sunny pointed and told her about. She didn't even think about Sunny as she left; all she could think about was Abel.
*****
In the opposite great hall of the imperial palace...
A thud resonated across the hall as Abel landed on his knees. His hands were still tied by a chain, but this time, those chains stretched to the walls, causing his arms to spread wide open. When he blinked, another drop of blood from the apex of his nose landed on the bloody floor.
Meanwhile, Conan, who was now on the floor, stretched his bloody hands, trying to reach the man kneeling in the middle of the hall. Based on the blood dripping from his head down to this temple and eye, Conan had fought but lost... miserably.
"You're Majesty..." he called under his breath as his vision blurred. All he could see was the moonlight shining down on Abel, making Conan see the glint of the chains restraining the already wounded Abel.
How did they end up in this state?
A/N: ANNOUNCEMENT!
The Tyrant's Pet has been slated for a comic adaptation. :) I was so overwhelmed by the news that I forgot to write. For everyone who had been supporting The Tyrant's Pet from the start until now, THANK YOU! I wouldn't get this opportunity if not for your continuous support.
I'll be updating you about the comic adaptation once everything went well. :D I'm so excited and overwhelmed and beyond happy. I'm crying.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE! And cheeersss~!!!
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