The Duke's Passion

Meanwhile, Klaus suddenly paused in pursuing Lilou's scent when he noticed that some knights with him collapsed one after another. His brows furrowed, looking back before gazing up at the sky.

"Damn it!" he ground his teeth as his hand clenched. The naked eye couldn't see it, but he knew someone had unleashed a powerful ability across Grimsbanne. 

His mind then went back to the memory of the person who abducted Lilou. All he had seen was his back, and even with the blood dripping from Lilou and the man, he couldn't discern the scent of the man's blood. 

"Klaus!" suddenly, Silvia's voice reached his ear before appearing beside him. "The people in Banse are collapsing one after another — even some new knights. Where is Lilou?"

"Someone abducted her."

"That's impossible. She won't let someone do that to her unless she is planning something."

Klaus's eyes glinted, recalling Lilou's shocked reaction. "Silvia, take Yul and everyone who is strong enough to resist this power to take care of the town's folk. I and her shadow knights will track her."

Silvia studied Klaus' solemn expression, pursing her lips, and nodded. Seeing Klaus take this as his priority only meant Lilou's safety was compromised. 

"Bring her back." She remarked before disappearing from her spot to execute the order from the chief knight.

His eyes sharpened, staring in the direction he could smell Lilou's scent. "I will bring my queen back, for sure." 

******

Night came and Rufus, Fabian, and Samael managed to return to one of the secret estates in Whistlebird, situated far away from the main city. Samael gazed at Lilou, who was lying on the bed. 

"This is your plan, Your Grace?" asked Rufus, who stood from the other side of the bed. "To abduct Her Grace and have an entire garrison coming after us?"

"We'll deal with them later."

"My lord..." Rufus let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose in distress.

"What happened to Fabian?" Samael queried without taking his eyes off of Lilou.

"We faced the former members of the third squadron. Fabian inflicted grave injuries, but he is alright." 

"I always thought Fabian is a sadist, but it seems he's a masochist."

"That aside, we have way bigger issues than Fabian's perverseness, Your Grace." Rufus let out another heavy exhale as he stared at Samael and then at Lilou. "She will go wild once she regains consciousness."

"That's why I tied her up." Samael sprawled his hand towards her, brushing the strands of her hair. "Give us a moment, Rufus. I haven't seen her for a while and I will appreciate it if you give us some quality time."

"Quality time... I don't think she will simply smile like she used to and celebrate once she knows we're all alive. Her Grace might as well bury us all herself." Upon stating his piece, Rufus turned around and marched towards the door.

"Bring Fabian here later and some tools for skinning someone." Samael's request made Rufus turn his head back, nodding before leaving.

As soon as the door shut closed, a deafening silence struck Samael's ears. Rufus didn't need to tell him that because Samael was aware that Lilou wouldn't simply welcome them back with open arms. 

"You were right when you say I was foolish," came out a muffled acknowledgment. "I really missed you."

Silence enveloped the two of them as Samael just etched her beauty deep in his mind. It reminded him of her expression while she charged at him. Those millions of unspoken words pooling in her eyes were akin to stakes stabbing him right through his chest.

"I'm not over you, Sam. But I'm over it." were the words she had uttered with deep sorrow in her voice. 

He had no idea how she had lived for the past eight months. Of course, he knew she changed, but it was too drastic to the point he could immediately tell her plans. 

"I was wrong," a whisper slipped past his lips, feeling this inexplicable pain that brought tears to his soul. "I really am sorry."

Samael cut the rope that tied her wrist and held her hand with both his hands. He rested his forehead against their hands, breathing in and out as he reflected on his actions. It didn't occur to him how bad things turned until he faced her, and witnessed how she recklessly used an unstable darkfield just so she could kill an enemy whom she thought imposing as him.

"I was selfish and I will continue on doing so, Lilou. I will not hand you over to anyone... unless you tell me to."

******

My head hurts just as much as my body ached. I weakly opened my eyes and saw an unfamiliar ceiling. Just then, all the memories that happened before I fell unconscious surged inside my head unannounced. 

My eyes dilated, attempting to move, only to realize my wrist and feet were bound by a rope. I jolted when I heard Sam's voice inside this very room, shifting my eyes to him. 

"You're awake?" he inquired, sitting on the divan with two more people inside. 

'Fabian? Rufus?' I held my breath upon seeing these two, who simply offered me a smile and then back on what they were doing.

The three of them were staring at the table between them. There were different weapons laid on it, small and big, all deadly. 

'Are those the weapons they will use to torture me?' a scoff escaped from my mouth as I chuckled in ridicule. 

"My wife, which one would you like?" the man who wore my husband's face turned his head to me, pointing at the table.

"I'm not your wife," I replied coldly, taking a deep breath as I diverted my focus on the rope that bound me. It was a surprise that not only they copied Sam's face, Rufus and Fabian as well. Surely, their shamelessness knows no bounds. 

'What the hell is wrong with these ropes?' I ground my teeth as the rope wouldn't budge no matter how I struggled. 

"Oh, Fabian tied that one, so it won't come off." My husband's impostor uttered in a light tone, causing me to glare daggers at him. 

"My lady, we had prepared all weapons we can gather in a short time." The next second, Fabian's impostor chimed in, moving his hand towards the table. "Please pick one that you like."

"You want me to pick which weapon you will use on me?" I chortled loudly, shaking my head. "It's amazing how you three manage to copy those three — I applaud you for that."

I saw them let out a deep sigh as they looked at me apologetically. I felt nothing but rage in return. 

"I am not afraid of death. You can torture me, violate me, or butcher me, I don't fucking care." I leaned my head forward, casting them a fearless smirk before lying comfortably on the bed. "However, if I came out here alive, you better start looking over your shoulder because I will make sure you will regret using their faces and insulting them like that."