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GARDEN OF POISON
The Meal (Chapter 107)
The Mother Queen sent Aziel to fetch her family members while she walked over to stand beside the bed. There, she observed that her grandson's chest no longer bore a glaring hole, and his eyes had now been closed.
As his body was being wiped with a wet cloth, a servant inquired, "Mother Queen, what should we do about King Maxwell's clothes?"
"Dispose of these by throwing them into the fire, and remove all other belongings and garments that belonged to him from the room," the Mother Queen responded, and before the servant could leave, her eyes fell on a white handkerchief, causing her to pause and say, "Wait."
Reaching out her hand, she took hold of the handkerchief before questioning, "Where did you find this?"
"It was in his hand, milady," the servant replied with a bow while waiting for the small piece of fabric to be returned so he could proceed with the order to burn it.
The old woman stared at the handkerchief, which appeared to belong to a woman. As she turned the fabric around, her eyes landed on the initial 'M' embroidered at its corner. "You can leave this item here and have the rest taken away," she dismissed the servant, who bowed and walked out of the room.
Wasn't Maxwell's concubine's name Marianne? the Mother Queen pondered with a thoughtful expression; she folded the handkerchief before slipping it into her pocket. She then addressed the servants still present in the room, "I have already chosen the attire he is to wear. The glass case will be placed in the royal courtroom until tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Mother Queen," the servants obliged with a bow.
With a sombre expression, the Mother Queen stepped out of the room and proceeded through the corridors, her silk dress sweeping the marble floor behind her. Once she arrived at the designated room where she had ordered Aziel to assemble everyone, she could hear a heated discussion taking place inside.
"It is a demon straight from hell! How can we possibly remain calm in these circumstances??"
"I didn't even know such a thing could exist until now."
"We should move back to the old palace because this situation doesn't bode well."
With a wave of her hand, the Mother Queen had the servants push open the doors. Stepping into the room, she said,
"Nobody is going anywhere. We are all going to stay here. Together."
All eyes in the room turned to look at her, and Lady Sophia spoke up, "Did you not see what happened there? That was no ordinary demon mixed with human blood, but an original demon. You cannot possibly expect us to stay calm after what we saw." She narrowed her eyes at the older woman.
"Horns, smoke…" Lady Noor murmured, as if still trying to comprehend the sight they had witnessed.
"Grandmother, are you going to explain what happened to Brother Dante?" Prince Aiden inquired, standing next to Princess Emily. "Emily says he's an original demon. Is it true?"
"Yes, he is," the Mother Queen affirmed. "Dante once emerged out of the underworld with intentions to conquer the entire world, causing bloodshed and the death of many. And now that he is back, I need all of you to be compliant and refrain from angering or provoking the demon in any manner. At least until things settle down."
"Then how about this?" Lady Sophia proposed, "Until things settle down, we will stay in the old palace."
"I am with Lady Sophia here, Mother Queen," Lady Noor nodded in agreement and said, "Prince Dante doesn't seem like himself anymore, and it frightens us."
The Mother Queen's lips tightened, and as she observed her grandchildren, she noticed their expressions were filled with doubt and wariness. Realising that someone was missing, she questioned, "Aziel, where is Niyasa?"
"She has left the palace."
Great, the Mother Queen thought to herself. It wasn't as if she wasn't worried like the rest, especially since they had to endure the next twelve days until the golden moon, relying only on stories passed down from one generation to the next. She then began to explain,
"The Dante we have known is still within him, only now with a layer of demon." But before she could finish, Lady Sophia interrupted her to ask,
"And how big is this layer?"
That was something the Mother Queen remained uncertain about, and she conveyed, "He cares about all of you. But his care is limited by the influence of the demon within him. Which is why I urge you all to be cautious. And as his suppressed Crux seems to have surfaced, he will be assuming the throne. I understand everyone's concerns, but there's nothing to worry about. We have help if something goes awry." Although, again, she wasn't entirely sure she could truly count on that help.
"I want each of you to take a deep breath and have faith that everything will be fine. We are a family," the Mother Queen reassured them, "A family that sticks together, lives together, and dies together!"
However, the rest of the family members appeared unconvinced as they stared at the Mother Queen without offering a response. Lady Sophia pinched the bridge of her nose before she said,
"I will go check on the preparations for the king's funeral tomorrow," she stated, stepping out of the room.
Far away in the dining room, Anastasia managed no more than four bites of her meal as she stole glances at Dante, who seemed entirely focused on eating the food. The demon's appearance had vanished as though there was nothing to be concerned about.
"No appetite?" Dante questioned, his red eyes snapping to look at Anastasia.
Anastasia felt a chilling sensation as she locked her gaze with the demon's fiery eyes, causing her to freeze, and she could feel the intimidation oozing from his gaze. She replied, "Not much…"
The king's death and the unsettling sight of Dante's demon had completely destroyed her appetite. She observed him cut his meat before putting it into his mouth. Gathering her courage, she decided to ask him,
"The person who cursed you, will you be going to meet… that person?"
During the days Anastasia had spent serving Princess Emily, and their time together in the library, she had managed to get her hands on something she had always been curious about. About this person of the forest.
Dante's blood-red gaze lazily returned to her, and he stated, "It is an obvious thing to do. To wrap my hands around the woman's neck and watch her join the rest of her people in eternal slumber."
Anastasia's palms grew cold, and she tightly gripped her spoon. It felt like she was walking on a tightrope with burning coals awaiting her beneath.
Dante slid the juice beside him towards her and said, "Drink."
Anastasia didn't refuse, because she had a feeling that a 'no' from her would steer things in an unfavourable direction, and it was better to comply for now. She asked, "Wouldn't it be better to let go of something, rather than perpetuate an endless cycle?"
Dante let out a chuckle, his lips slightly curling at the earthling's words. He set his cutlery down and replied, "Once I put them out of their misery, there won't be a cycle to follow. For the pain they have caused, the repercussions will be tenfold, and nothing less. You lost your sister; don't you want those responsible to pay for it?" He hummed.
"But isn't this different?" Anastasia questioned. Her sister was murdered, whereas the people Dante wanted to kill were being targeted because of the actions of one person.
"How so?" Dante cocked his head, the smile on his lips fading, replaced by a prominent glare that unnerved her. "For what happened, people like my mother and Maxwell were subjected to death. It may not seem so, but even the smallest change can create a ripple in the sea of the future. And now that I am awake, everything will be set to order."
Anastasia raised the glass to her lips and began to drink, aware of Dante's watchful eyes on her throat as she gulped it down. Feeling self-conscious, she drank a little faster than she could handle, causing her to cough.
"Look up," Dante instructed her before coming to her side and patting her back. "Nobody is going to steal your drink, and if you want more, you could always ask for it."
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Anastasia hadn't stopped coughing, and a pool of tears formed in the corner of her eyes. She had also spilt a little bit of the drink on the front of her expensive dress. Not accustomed to wearing a lavish gown, she got up and said,
"I will have it cleaned—"
"It is just liquid," Dante interjected, catching hold of her hand before the little rabbit could hop out of there.
He could hear her heartbeat accelerate, as if she wanted to flee. His eyes subtly narrowed, and he used his leg to push the chair she had been sitting on aside. Humming thoughtfully, he remarked,
"You seem nervous." However, he knew it wasn't solely about the spilt liquid that had been absorbed by her dress, and it only had the demon side of him regard her with suspicion. "I don't think you hold any sentimental attachment to the dress. Is there something you would like to shed light on?" he asked, stepping forward to stand in front of her.
At Dante's words, Anastasia's heart raced faster than before, and she felt her lower back pressing against the edge of the dining table. Calm down, calm down! There was no way for anyone to know, she said to herself while trying to control her breathing and suppress her fear of him. Goosebumps began to form on her skin, and his observant eyes noticed it.
"I—I was just thinking," Anastasia blurted out, feeling him leaning closer towards her.
"And what was it about?" Dante's words seemed composed at the surface, but Anastasia knew better than to trust them, especially with those shrewd eyes fixed on her.
In the past, Anastasia believed that Dante was strict, but the demon residing inside him was far more daunting, and her throat went dry. She blinked her eyes to ward off the stress-induced spots in her vision caused by the tension she felt, and then she spoke,
"It was my first time... seeing a demon form. I was just taken aback when I thought about it," Anastasia chose her words carefully and added, "It will take some time for me to get used to it." Right at that moment, Dante had pushed her plate and other dinnerware away.
Dante extended his hand before her, gently placing his claw on her chest where her heart lay. He tapped on it lightly.
"Such a sweet sound, akin to a sparrow's chirping, and even more delightful when nervous," he whispered, and Anastasia locked eyes with him as he gazed back at her. "Sometimes, it is all about the perspective from a single viewpoint. How about we make a slight adjustment to it?"
It was less of a question and more of a statement because soon, Anastasia felt Dante place his hands on her waist before lifting her effortlessly. Her heart almost stumbled before she found herself seated on the table with her legs dangling. What was she doing on the table?!
"We w—were having a meal," Anastasia quickly reminded him, in case he had forgotten. Did he catch her lie?!
Before she could attempt to scramble down, Dante placed his hands on her knees and slowly pushed them apart. He stated, "Were. Now it is time for dessert."
Anastasia wanted to tell him that this was a bad idea, and bad for her heart and life. But words seemed to fail her when she saw him stepping between her parted legs. She craned her neck to look up at him while he maintained eye contact.
Not a moment later, she felt Dante's hand tenderly caress the side of her head, his fingers intertwining in the back of her hair. A soft gasp escaped from her lips, causing them to part and tremble for his taking. She saw his elongated canines, and in a hushed whisper, she asked him,
"You won't kill me… will you?"
Dante's lips curved into a smile, his eyes holding a blend of tenderness and mischief towards her, before he teased, "People visit heaven often when they experience ecstasy, but I doubt one can die from it. We should test it, shouldn't we?"
Anastasia placed her hand on Dante's chest, feeling the firmness of his muscles beneath her touch. She had only intended to maintain the distance between them before she would turn into this man's dessert. However, the demon had already made its decision, leaving her with no way to escape.
She felt him leaning closer, and he whispered against her lips, "Can you feel your lips trembling, waiting for me to kiss you? Your body is waiting to be set ablaze and burned."
Feeling Dante's proximity, whispering to her in his seductive voice, made her believe that the devil truly existed. In less than a second, he captured her lips in his and skillfully pried them open as he tasted her, mingled with the flavour of orange. The kiss coaxed her to surrender her body and mind as his probing tongue explored her mouth, and in the next moment, he playfully nipped her lip, causing her to wince.
"Did that hurt?" Dante asked her, attempting to look serious, but she didn't buy it.
"What do you think?" Anastasia retorted with a subtle frown, and before her tongue could peek out and try to soothe her lip, Dante's thumb gently silenced it.
Dante's eyes took in the redness slowly spreading on her bottom lip, and he said, entranced, "Let me make it better. I help you, you help me, right?"
As he captured her bottom lip once more, she felt him gently suck and run his tongue along it, soothing the pain. The mixture of the pain and sweetness, coupled with his tender touch, left her feeling dizzy. But the sweetness was soon overtaken by dominance, as if he wanted to possess her, a depth even the abyss couldn't fathom.
Dante passionately kissed Anastasia until the hand resting on his chest began to crumple due to the intensity of the moment and the lack of air. He supported the back of her head, gently pulling his head away from hers, while observing her half-parted eyes that were fixed on him. He said,
"Time to test your limits."
Anastasia was still catching her breath when she felt Dante pull her closer such that the sides of her bottom were partially on the table and partially in the air. Believing that the kiss was the dessert he had referred to, she was about to hop back on the ground when she felt him place his hands on her thighs, and her face flushed pink.
"Dante—"
"Is there something you are hiding from me?" Dante inquired, pulling a chair to sit before her.
Anastasia felt a jolt of electricity surge through her under Dante's demon gaze boring into her. She observed him lean to the side while he picked one of her ankles and placed it on the armrest. She answered, "There is nothing to hide." Then she felt him do the same to her other ankle. "What are we doing?" she asked, feeling embarrassed sitting in such a strange position.
Anastasia felt her heart murmur with a sigh as Dante caressed her ankles to cleverly ease her into compliance with whatever he had in mind. He directed her, "Place your palms flat on the table."
"Why?" she inquired nervously as they stared at each other.
"For support. But on second thought, I believe you will find a better position later," Dante replied, deliberately withholding an explanation, keeping her captive after weakening and lowering her guard.
__________
GARDEN OF POISON
Alone within the four walls (Chapter 108)
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—
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Anastasia had a faint idea about what would happen next, but the details weren't fully fleshed out in her mind. She doubted this could be a simple ankle massage. Moreover, there was also something else that worried her, given what Dante had told her earlier.
"Close your eyes and enjoy what you feel," Dante said as he continued to trace circles around the corner of her ankles.
Before Dante could catch on to what she was hiding, she pressed her lips together before obediently closing her eyes. Just as she thought, this entanglement was like vines that constricted further with every passing day. If only—
Anastasia's eyes shot open, and her thoughts flew right out of her mind when she felt Dante's fingers trailing upwards from her ankles. A silent gasp escaped her lips as her heart shuddered under his watchful eyes, observing her every expression. His fingers gently brushed and cupped her calves, pulling her slightly and causing her legs to bear most of her body's weight on the armrest.
With the path Dante's hands had traced along her leg, the hem of Anastasia's dress followed it, which was now bunched up at the crook of his forearms, leaving her keenly aware of the bareness of her exposed skin and the sensation of air touching it.
Just as the dress was about to reveal her knees, her hands quickly moved to cover them, feeling the blood rushing up her neck and spreading across her face, making it warm with embarrassment.
"Don't be frightened, little rabbit. I won't bite… not hard, at least," Dante assured her. That wasn't assuring, Anastasia said in her mind. He said, "It is time to let go of the inhibitions and doubts that you cling to. You won't know until you feel… if it isn't to your liking."
Those were the conniving words of the demon that had laid a trap for her. The older Dante would have coaxed her gently, while the demon side was tricky with his words. With his hands beneath her dress, her body had turned extremely sensitive.
"Now relax your legs for me," Dante instructed, pushing her dress further up her thighs, causing her hands to be pushed aside to fall to her sides before they went to rest on the table.
Anastasia felt her heart hitch with every inch of her dress that rose, further and further up, until she wanted to look away from him, but at the same time, she couldn't. As if to ease her nervousness, his eyes looked away from hers, only to end up falling on her legs.
One of Dante's hands trailed the side of her leg as if measuring and memorising the length with his fingertips and eyes. He murmured, "Beautiful."
His remark made Anastasia blush. For someone who was only a lowly maid two months ago and whom people didn't bother to spare a glance at, she had become the centre of Dante Blackthorn's attention. He was undoubtedly a handsome man, and the longer he stared at her, the faster her blood coursed through her body, surging between her legs.
"Feel free to voice your thoughts," Dante said.
Anastasia felt Dante's lips on the inner side of her knee as he pressed them against her skin. His lips brushed along her skin as if invisibly drawing something on her before he nipped it to elicit a gasp from her.
Her hands had moved farther from where they were before, and she was breathless and anxious for what was to come.
His hands curled around her legs, preventing her from closing them, while his lips worked their way along the inside of her thighs. At the same time, she felt her legs quake for a moment and realised why it had been important to have her palms resting on the surface of the table. Her cheeks burned bright red, feeling his firm hold on her legs, and at the same time, his lips were gentle and brushed along her skin with unspoken whispers to ignite the desire for him within her.
Anastasia succumbed to the allure of Dante's lips, her own trembling, and her heart's stuttering under his intoxicating effect on her. As his lips continued their journey towards her inner thigh, one of her hands instinctively shot forward to rest on his head. Her heart pounded loudly, drowning out any other surrounding sounds, including the ones that escaped from lips.
"I told you that you would find a better position," Dante murmured with a heated gaze when he looked up at her from where he sat.
Dante kissed the soft spot on her inner thigh, gently sucking on the tender skin, eliciting more gasps that transformed into sighs. Every sound spilling out of her into this closed room aroused his own craving, like oil being poured over already burning coal. His fingers pressed into her legs, which, once tense, had now relaxed under his touch.
Anastasia felt her toes wanting to instinctively draw back due to the stirring sensation she felt welling up below her stomach, and with each inch that Dante moved closer, the more her head tilted back and her chin tipped upward. With a cloud of yearning obscuring all of her thoughts, a soft moan escaped her throat as she felt his lips draw near her core, where the heat and blood had rushed in anticipation.
When Dante's fingers brushed against her sex, and he lightly pressed on the flimsy fabric that had turned wet, Anastasia threw her head back, feeling the same delicious feeling she had felt from the press of his knee. He took a whiff of her before he uttered,
"You smell fucking divine."
If it were possible, Anastasia would have combusted into flames, with her ashes vanishing into thin air. It was just four words, yet they only made her nails dig into the table's surface, and her fingers curled in response.
Anastasia saw Dante pull his head away from between her legs so that he could watch her, and he moved the flimsy fabric to the side, making her feel exposed and tempted to hide her face, but her hands were busy supporting her upper body. Even though her sister was a courtesan who had been educated about such things, knowledge about sexual matters had never been shared with her, except for talk about kisses.
When Dante's finger brushed against her wet folds, her body jerked, accompanied by a moan that only enticed him to draw out more reactions from her. He languidly repeated the motion of his finger without probing her entrance, watching her quiver with pleasure.
Anastasia's face flushed deeper than before, and she dared not to meet his gaze, but when she felt his finger press into her entrance, a loud moan escaped her lips. She saw him pull his hand away, now coated in the pool of heat he had caused.
Seeing Dante raise his hand to his lips, Anastasia's eyes widened, and she protested, "It is dirty, don—" But he put his finger into his mouth, licking it clean.
"In time, you will learn that there's nothing to be embarrassed about or considered dirty," Dante's eyes had turned darker, almost appearing black. His other hand had already secured the fabric in place, preventing it from returning to its original position, and he murmured, "That it is rather exhilarating and arousing."
And Dante wasted no time in proving those words of his by diving between her legs. When his lips captured her wet folds, a louder moan escaped her, bouncing off the enclosed walls. Her back arched, and her hands weakened along with her senses as she surrendered to the pleasure, knowing she had crossed a threshold from which there was no return.
In the first few seconds, Anastasia felt Dante's lips kiss and suck her hot sex, but when his tongue probed into her entrance, unlike when his finger did the same earlier, she threw her head back again and cried out from the built-up passion. It was a feeling she couldn't describe but could only feel, as her head began to float and her legs shook with every movement of Dante's mouth on her.
It was only a matter of seconds before Anastasia started to feel a small wave begin to swell, steadily growing larger as Dante skillfully drove her closer to the edge of the cliff. Her toes curled in response to the overwhelming sweetness, and she felt her body quake while he continued to firmly hold her shaking legs.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Anastasia moaned, and his name spilt out of her lips, "Dante!"
But this only fueled Dante's determination, causing his mouth to move faster and harder, and he was rewarded by her moans and sighs that continued to fill the room. Finally, he felt her body tighten before she let out a cry of ecstasy as she reached her release.
Anastasia panted with her eyes closed, her mind lost in a world that felt heaven-like. When she eventually opened her eyes, her gaze fell on Dante, who pulled away from her, and she watched him sensually lick his lips while letting the fabric fall into place as he fixed her dress.
"Alive?" Dante inquired, rising from the chair and standing before her.
It took a moment for Anastasia to register his question, still catching her breath. "For now…" she replied, her voice slightly shaky.
A hint of amusement glimmered in Dante's eyes, and he delicately tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, his fingers running down its length.
As Anastasia's brown eyes stared into his, she couldn't help but wonder if he would kill her if he were to find out that she came from the bloodline he wanted to eliminate. Because she knew she was a person of the forest.
Outside the dining room, the corridor was left deserted, and a few corridors away from it, Prince Raylen sat comfortably in a plush chair that had been arranged for him. Beside his leg sat a hookah pot, and he held the pipe connecting to it as he took a drag before letting the smoke escape from his lips.
As he heard light and quick footsteps approaching, he was soon greeted by the sight of the first princess. She offered him a polite bow and was about to walk past him when he stopped her,
"Going somewhere, Princess?"
If it were any other time, Princess Emily would have ignored him, but she had heard something about him from her grandmother. Prince Raylen stared at her before remarking, "It looks like you have been informed about me."
Princess Emily gave a short nod that could barely be considered one. She replied, "I was going to find Anastasia. I was told she is in the dining room."
"If I were you, I wouldn't go in there right now," Prince Raylen advised while absentmindedly playing with the hookah pipe, and he said, "You know, cigars are much easier than these things, especially when you are travelling. Not that I don't enjoy this, though."
The princess looked in the direction of the dining room, and worry formed on her face. As if to confirm, she asked, "Are they alright?"
Prince Raylen smiled, and this only made Princess Emily uncomfortable. "Are you regretting being rude to me?"
"I wasn't rude to you," Princess Emily replied.
The Storm Prince nodded in agreement and said, "Right, passive-aggressive suits you better."
Princess Emily couldn't believe that this man was one of the triad. Her lips tightened briefly before she muttered in concern, "I hope Brother Dante doesn't scare Anastasia."
"Don't worry about it. He is taking good care of her," Prince Raylen reassured her as he took a drag from the pipe while maintaining eye contact with the princess. When he exhaled the smoke, it filled the space around them.
Princess Emily bowed politely and was about to turn to leave the way she had come when he remarked, "Your grandmother was quite disappointed when she found out that we aren't soulmates. Were you too?" He teased her out of boredom, seeking a reaction.
You wish, Emily thought to herself. Aloud, she replied, "She's always trying to play matchmaker. There's no need to feel disappointed for her; I will make her happy soon enough." With that, she turned on her heel and walked away without sparing him another glance.
____________
GARDEN OF POISON
Power of the Snap(Chapter 109)
Anastasia continued to pant as she sat perched on the edge of the table, unable to meet Dante's eyes yet acutely aware of his gaze on her. She doubted things between them could ever return to the way they were before, with her body tingling with warmth and her legs still shaking, drained of energy. She finally managed to utter,
"I should return to my room."
Her previous embarrassment, which had momentarily been overtaken by her craving and pleasure, had finally resurfaced, making its presence felt.
Dante, staring at her all this while, responded, "Go on, if you need to." His eyes looked alive and filled with desire, as if ready to devour her whole, savouring the lingering taste of her on his lips and tongue.
Anastasia slowly placed her feet back on the ground, and as she straightened up, she wobbled slightly, only to have Dante swiftly wrap his arm around her waist to steady her. She whispered softly, "Thank you."
"I have somewhere to be as well," Dante said, gently releasing his arm from around her waist once she regained her balance. He noticed how she looked shy, unable to look at him despite the earlier pleasure-filled moans and sighs that had escaped her delicate lips.
Anastasia and Dante approached the double doors before opening them and stepping outside. She heard him say to her, "Go on," as if he intended to watch her walk until the end of the corridor. In response, she offered him a bow.
Just as she was about to turn and depart, she heard a male voice call out, "Prince Dante, stay right there!"
Anastasia turned in the direction of the voice, and her eyes fell on a man with a peppered beard, dressed in attire befitting someone of high status. He wore a black cloak and appeared to be in his late forties, and he wasn't alone. He was accompanied by another man and four guards who didn't belong to the palace, and not far behind them, Princess Niyasa also made her presence known.
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The bearded man was one of the Elder ministers residing in Versailles, responsible for ensuring adherence to rules and regulations. His voice was stern as he stated,
"News about King Maxwell's death has reached my ears, and there are reports of treason involved in his untimely demise, suggesting foul play, and that Queen Maya is being held captive in the dungeon."
Dante stared at the Elder minister, then briefly shifted his eyes behind the man to look at his youngest sister before he said, "Maxwell is being cleaned and changed and will soon be presented in the royal courtroom for you and everyone else to view. As for Queen Maya, she is under arrest for multiple rule violations."
The Elder minister declared, "You are hereby ordered to release her right this instant, and you will accompany us for questioning." However, he frowned upon seeing the amused expression on the first prince's face.
"What order?" Dante asked, cocking his head to the side, amusement still dancing in his eyes.
The Elder minister's frown deepened, and he narrowed his eyes at Dante, emphasising, "The order mandates full compliance from every single person belonging to the royal families that fall under the care of the Elders. Princess Niyasa has reported an act of treason, hence you are required to follow me."
"Unfortunately for you, Matthieu, you will have to return to the Elders' Court by yourself, without me, as I have no intention of following you," Dante stated, the amusement slightly fading in his red eyes.
"Brother Dante, you have committed treason in this palace," Princess Niyasa declared, her hands clenched. "You and Grandmother have been up to something, and you cannot deny it." She then turned to the minister, pointing at Dante, "Look at his eyes! There's something possessing him!"
Dante sighed before remarking, "If foolishness were a person, it would be you, Niyasa."
Anastasia, who continued to stand there, watched the young princess gritting her teeth in anger. The rims of her eyes had turned red from grief, and she channelled the pain of her loss towards Dante by saying,
"It is because of you that Maxwell is dead, and now you refuse to allow Mother to see him. How heartless can you be, you monster?!"
Dante was unfazed by the name, as he had been called similar things many times in the past. Ignoring Niyasa, he turned to the Elder minister named Matthieu and calmly stated, "You can leave now, Minister."
However, the man remained determined to complete his job here while also using this opportunity to assert the authority and control wielded by him and the rest of the other seven ministers. Like everyone else, he couldn't help but notice how the once-compliant first prince was now rebelling. He stated,
"We need to ensure that you are alright and not a threat to the people."
Suddenly, Anastasia noticed a hand pointing in her direction, which belonged to Princess Niyasa, who accused, "It is because of this woman here that my brother is dead! Because Brother Dante wanted her and thought the king would take her first."
The men glanced briefly at Anastasia before returning their attention back to Dante. She heard the man named Matthieu order,
"This is your final warning, Prince Dante. Follow the order and come with me for your own good."
Dante brought his hand up to scratch the side of his face with his finger, and as he did so, the people's attention was drawn to his abnormal-looking nail. He stated,
"For the earthlings to believe you can control the demon families, you must have quite an inflated opinion of yourselves. As if you are the king of kings. It is time for the Elder ministers' assembly to be disbanded. You can convene a meeting to inform them."
After the three powerful demons fell from their thrones after reigning over their kingdoms and others, the Elder ministers took advantage of the situation and seized the opportunity to rise to power. In a nearby corridor, Prince Raylen maintained a serious expression as he idly dragged the end of the pipe in his mouth before blowing out the smoke. He had his own reasons for being here, waiting for the return of the other half of his power.
Minister Matthieu declared, "You leave me no choice, Prince. According to the long-standing order followed throughout the generations, you will be captured and taken by force due to your refusal to come willingly."
"I would advise you not to step any closer to me," Dante warned both the minister and the guards, who were ready to apprehend him.
Feeling provoked, Minister Matthieu turned to his guards and directed, "Seize Prince Dante!"
"The Mother Queen is also involved in this conspiracy," Princess Niyasa asserted as she crossed her arms against her chest, ready to free her poor mother once her family members were interrogated.
At first, two of the guards moved forward to escort Dante out of the palace. However, when one of them placed their hand on the prince's arm, he swiftly grabbed it and twisted the guard's wrist, causing him to yelp in pain.
"You'll soon find yourself short of men, Minister Matthieu," Dante stated calmly.
Startled by his fellow guard's yelp, the other guard quickly turned and drew his sword to intimidate the prince. Unfazed, Dante caught hold of the sword's blade with his bare hand while simultaneously pushing the other guard away. Blood soon began to drip from Dante's hand, but the guard struggled to wrench the sword from his grip, as if it were firmly stuck in place.
The minister quickly realised the first prince wouldn't let them take him without a fight, so he commanded the other two guards standing behind him, "What are you doing standing there? Arrest him immediately!"
As Dante held the sword, he effortlessly bent it before wrenching it away from the guard and throwing it aside. When the two other men jumped on him, his claws resurfaced once again. He savagely ripped one guard's chest open, digging his claws deep, and blood splattered in the fierce altercation.
One of the guards struggled to regain his balance, his feet wobbling backwards. Anastasia saw Dante catch hold of the other guard's neck, who had attempted to grab him by sneaking up from behind.
"Hm, I can smell the scent of lowly demon blood in here. Did you really think that would make a difference?" he remarked as he kicked the third guard in the front, which sent the guard's body flying to land at the Elder minister's feet. "For such grand ambitions, you bring weak weapons, Minister Matthieu."
"You are only making matters worse for yourself, Prince Dante!" The Elder minister warned him once again, "You are making the Elders into your enemies."
As Dante held the guard's neck, the man frantically searched for his daggers before pulling them out and wielding them against the prince. But the demon within Dante didn't take it kindly, causing him to tighten his grip on the man's neck before ramming the guard's head against a nearby pillar with force. The assault didn't end with a single move; Dante repeated the action thrice more before the guard collapsed on the ground, dead.
The onlookers were taken aback, their eyes widening as they witnessed the guard's head smeared in his own blood, with crimson droplets dripping down the once pristine white pillar. Anastasia's stance staggered at the gruesome sight, leaving her previously hazy mind in a state of shock. Meanwhile, Princess Niyasa dropped her crossed hands, and her mouth hung wide open in astonishment as, unlike her family members, she had not received the notice from her grandmother regarding what was transpiring with Dante.
"He is not going to come with us easily, Minister Mathieu!" the other man, who served as the Elder minister's assistant, stated the obvious.
Minister Mathieu's expression turned grim as he responded, "Then it is time I take care of the situation myself, as the prince seems to have lost his mind."
During this time, Dante caught hold of the fourth guard's hand, who had successfully managed to stab him in the shoulder. He withdrew the blade with the same swiftness as it had been stabbed. With the same dagger, Dante ever so slowly slashed the struggling guard's neck.
Three guards lay lifeless, their blood splattered across the pillars, wall, and ground. Dante was not spared from the bloodstains on his clothes and face, and the bloodlust in his eyes only increased.
Dante's gaze locked with the furious eyes of the Elder minister, and in an eerie voice, he remarked, "For an earthling who scraped his abilities from demons, you seem a little too confident, Matthieu. Making an enemy of me is not a wise choice."
"Do you think that just because you have found your Crux, it gives you the right to do as you please?" Matthieu questioned him.
The last surviving guard, who had landed near the minister's feet earlier, hesitantly stood up, visibly lacking confidence. Dante taunted the guard by asking, "Want to switch teams?" He raised his bloodied claws, which only intimidated the guard further.
"You have crossed all limits, and you leave me with no choice," the Elder minister said as he brought his hands together, preparing to clap them.
Upon hearing the commotion taking place near the dining room, people had started to gather at the far end of the corridor, their mouths agape, and fear came to settle in their eyes. Mother Queen, Aiden, and Emily also arrived at the scene.
"I should have come here sooner…" Princess Emily muttered, regretting her decision to stop and listen to the Storm Prince.
Surprised, Prince Aiden questioned, "What is an Elder minister doing here??" His eyes landed on his second sister, who stood frozen in shock behind one of the pillars in the corridor. "Ugh, Niyasa…"
"In hindsight, we should have locked up Princess Niyasa instead of Queen Maya, Mother Queen," Aziel said in a hushed tone, wary of the potential damage the princess could cause, especially considering she hadn't spared him in the past.
Anastasia's feet grew cold as she looked at the bodies scattered like fallen flies and noticed blood dripping from Dante's hand. She heard Dante retort to the minister,
"Naive of you to believe it's only a Crux."
The minister wasn't there for chitchat, and with the clap of his hands, a sudden circle with intricate lines inside it formed around Dante. As white light emanated from the ground, it forced Dante to his knees, seemingly weakening his strength and abilities.
"Do not underestimate the Elder ministers, boy. We are wiser and possess abilities to stop any mishaps before they have a chance to cause damage," Minister Mathieu stated with an air of authority. "It appears that the Blackthorn family is no longer fit to uphold the ruling line, given the number of deaths that have taken place under their watch. The Elder ministers will convene to make a decision on who shall take the throne from here on."
"What?" Princess Niyasa whispered, as that was not the outcome she had wanted. Even though she didn't want Dante ruling Versailles, it didn't mean she wanted the entire Blackthorn family to be cast aside and stripped of their royal status.
Frustrated, the Mother Queen felt certain that she would have to lock up her granddaughter, Niyasa, for the trouble she had brought to their family. That was if Dante didn't get to her first. During the years that had passed, the Elder ministers had acquired some of the smaller kingdoms, and with each addition, their strength steadily grew, making them equal in size and power to the kingdoms of Versailles and Storm.
And now, the Elder ministers had set their sights on the three kingdoms once ruled by the three powerful demons who had come from the underworld.
Matthieu warned, "All you had to do was comply, but your actions will not go unreported once we present ourselves before the other Elder ministers." He watched the first prince struggling to get up, seeing him still on his knees.
Dante's shoulders shook as he laughed before the ministers and the others present. He raised his head to meet Matthieu's eyes, who had stepped in front of him.
"What is so funny?" Matthieu questioned, having never seen a prince behaving like this before.
The conniving smile on Dante's lips vanished, and he said, "Everything. Every word that has left your mouth. Wiser and with abilities? You must be joking. Do you honestly believe something as childish as this can hold me here?" The look in his eyes turned serious, and he raised his hand forward. "Now watch closely," his voice fell.
A hushed silence filled the corridor as everyone's eyes shifted between the first prince and the Elder minister. With a snap of Dante's finger, blue light began to materialise within the minister. The next moment, the man erupted, his body tearing apart into a gruesome mass of blood that splattered all over the surrounding area.
An eerie chill swept through the place.
Anastasia, standing not too far from where the fight was taking place, felt something wet splatter on her face. Her lips trembled, and her hands shook. When she touched her face and looked downward, her eyes fell on the blood staining her skin, which belonged to the dead minister. Her eyes then moved forward, taking in the scene of red, as the walls and floors were painted with blood.
Dante wiped the blood from his face and rose to his feet before his eyes fell on the Elder minister's assistant, who trembled in fear, and he declared with conviction,
"Go inform your superiors that Versailles no longer falls under their control, because I am here now."
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GARDEN OF POISON
Leave before anyone sees!(Chapter 110)
Anastasia finally drew in a breath, which she had been holding until that moment, and when she looked at the floor nearby, her brown eyes fell on a trail of blood that had trickled close to her feet. She heard the echo of the receding footsteps of the only surviving assistant of the Elder minister who had entered earlier, now fleeing from the corridors and the palace.
It wasn't just her who was shocked to the very core by the sight of the gore presented before them. Aziel's mouth opened and closed in disbelief before quickly waving his hand to the servants, who took less than a second to bolt from the scene without uttering a sound.
"Fuck," the Mother Queen cursed.
"Grandmother!" Emily scolded her in a whisper for her choice of words.
"I warned you not to provoke him, but Niyasa has made a grave mistake. I am not sure how to get her out of it," the Mother Queen whispered, her words carrying quite clearly to Dante's ears in the quiet corridor.
"You are right about that," Dante said, his face turning to look at where Niyasa stood.
Princess Niyasa, still recovering from the shock, felt her body stiffen as she sensed Dante's red eyes and face turn in her direction. Blood had splattered on her too, but she couldn't comprehend what had just happened, and her lips moved, but not a word escaped her mouth.
"My dear sister," Dante addressed Niyasa, who looked scared. "What have you done?" His tone carried a hint of reproach.
"W—What did you do?" Niyasa stuttered, unable to fathom how it was possible. This brother of hers had no ability, yet he had done something no one here had ever seen or heard of before.
"Your consistent displays of disrespect suggest that you need a lesson in manners, as letting it slide again will only fuel further misbehaviour," Dante stated, his eyes directed downward at her short figure.
The Mother Queen, desperate to avoid losing any more family members, even if they were stupid and made foolish choices, pleaded by saying, "Do not kill her, Dante."
Dante turned his head to the side without looking at the people standing behind him and responded, "Don't worry, I won't kill her, as we share the same blood. But at the same time, that isn't entirely true."
"What is going on?! Did you kill Maxwell to obtain his abilities??" Niyasa panicked as Dante took a step towards her, prompting her to quickly take one backwards.
"Take another step, and you will get to experience what you just witnessed," Dante warned her, and this was enough to cause Niyasa to halt in her tracks. He taunted her further, "You have been amassing tickets of disobedience as a member of the Blackthorn family. Perhaps the old Dante would have given you a pass, but unfortunately, starting today, a demon has joined our family. And rest assured, you have caused more damage than you'd ever wish you had."
Niyasa looked petrified, and she tried to glance behind Dante, but the tall man before her had broad shoulders that made it difficult for her to peek around him and seek help from anyone else.
The blood now smeared on Dante, which belonged to the Elder minister, only made him even more intimidating, causing everyone to hesitate to approach him. They could sense the demon's thirst within him, and since Niyasa had triggered it, she was now subject to the demon's wrath.
"I—I only wanted Mother to be allowed to see Brother once before the funeral," Niyasa stuttered, unable to keep still, and her eyes welled up with tears.
Dante stared at the young girl, who may have been nineteen, but whose cunning mind belied her age. "Is that so?" he hummed, unbothered by her tears. Then he continued, "I don't think I heard you correctly earlier when you accused me in front of the dead minister. What did you say about my eyes?"
Niyasa tried to shake her head in denial, but it felt like it was jammed, and she couldn't move it. She said, "I didn't know before, but please spare me—"
Dante clicked his tongue, causing her to quickly close her mouth. He then ordered, "Clean this corridor."
"Huh?" Niyasa responded, unable to process the words spoken to her.
"This blood was spilt because of you, so you will be the one to clean it until it is spotless," Dante stated firmly, leaving no room for discussion as he issued his threat in a low voice, "Get to it now, before the stains become permanent."
Niyasa wanted to laugh and refuse Dante's directive, but his intense gaze made it hard for her to do so. She whispered, "I am a princess... I can't be expected to do something like mopping the floors."
When Dante placed his hand on her shoulder, Niyasa felt a chill run down her spine, almost freezing her to the core. He said, "Maybe next time, you will remember not to cause a mess, won't you?" He released her shoulder and then said loudly, "If I find someone hindered our sister from becoming a better person, don't expect me to be understanding."
When Anastasia noticed Dante turning around to face her and the others, her heart almost stopped as he walked towards where she stood. She heard him ask,
"Weren't you going to your room?"
Anastasia nodded and offered a small bow. She walked away from there with wide eyes and a pounding heart, just like everyone else. How could one possess such powers? She didn't look back even once as she continued to walk.
And with a snap of his fingers? Anastasia gulped, fearful of the possibility of anyone else meeting the same fate, their body bursting into a pool of blood. Was this how he planned to kill everyone who belonged to the forest? Goosebumps formed on her skin, and this time, it wasn't because of pleasure.
Anastasia was so used to walking towards the servants' quarters that she didn't notice she was heading towards them. But by the time she realised that her room had been shifted to the floor with the princes and princesses, and she turned around to go back, someone from behind called out to her,
"Anna!"
The voice belonged to Gabriel, who had caught sight of her as he carried logs of wood in one of his arms. Anastasia turned to face him, and upon noticing sprinkles of blood on her face and dress, he questioned,
"Whose blood is this on you??"
"T—The minister's," Anastasia responded, remembering how the man had turned from a solid state to liquid in a blink of an eye. She then hurriedly added, "I should return to my room."
"Wait, Anna," Gabriel said, stopping her in her tracks, "I ran into Theresa a few minutes ago, and she said you needed to talk to me."
Anastasia nervously turned to look over her shoulder, and Gabriel followed her gaze, looking in the same direction.
She heard Gabriel say to her,
"I was going to come and visit you after hearing you were thrown into the sea on Queen Maya's orders, but then I found out that your room was being cleared. That you have become Prince Dante's concubine."
Anastasia turned back to meet Gabriel's grey eyes, and she nodded, confirming, "Everything you have heard is true. You should go, Gabriel. I don't want you to die."
Gabriel furrowed his brow and gently pulled her to the side before saying, "We haven't done anything that would put us in danger of dying. Why do you look scared? Anna?"
After spending time with Dante, Anastasia found herself grappling with conflicting emotions. She had succumbed to the pleasure he had given her, and her thoughts had already started to drift in a different direction, realising that she was immensely attracted to the first prince. However, after seeing the blood-painted scene in front of the dining room, she became acutely aware of the threat looming over her head.
"Now is not the time to talk. Theresa will pass on my message to you, so please don't be seen talking to me," Anastasia cautioned him, because she was no longer a maid or one of the common courtesans. She was Dante Blackthorn's concubine.
But Gabriel was looking for answers, determined to uncover what had shaken Anastasia and what she was worried about. He observed her constantly looking over her shoulder, and she finally confided in a hushed tone, "Most of the nearby kingdoms are descended from demon bloodlines. The demon is awake now. So be careful, whatever you do, Gabriel. Because if you aren't, it will only result in death."
"I will get everything ready and let you know when all preparations are done," Gabriel stated, his gaze drawn to the blood spots on her face.
Without lingering for another moment, Anastasia swiftly began to make her way towards the inner palace when she caught sight of a redhead who suddenly appeared in her way. It was none other than the Storm Prince, and she offered him a bow, and he graciously did the same.
In a smooth and relaxed tone, Prince Raylen expressed, "My hookah has run out, and the servants seem to have scattered and are nowhere to be found. So, I thought of coming here to see if I could get it refilled."
Anastasia couldn't help but wonder if the prince had overheard her conversation with Gabriel. She felt stressed and replied, "I can ask one of the servants to assist you."
"That is very kind of you," Prince Raylen responded with a kind smile that made him appear approachable. He then looked behind her to catch sight of a young man and inquired, "Would he know how to refill it?"
Anastasia's mind filled with concern for Gabriel's safety, but before she could look behind her or say anything, the Storm Prince called the servant man, instructing him, "Take this and refill it."
Gabriel walked over to where they stood and took the curved hookah pot and the pipe before leaving to fulfil the prince's request. "It is a pity about your dress," the prince commented, "The stains, I mean."
Without wasting any time, Anastasia promptly uttered, "Excuse me, Prince," and hurried away.
Prince Raylen's smile fell from his lips, watching the woman leave without engaging in any small talk. His eyes then moved back to where his hookah pot had been taken.
Anastasia closed her eyes, silently praying that Prince Raylen hadn't overheard anything. She hoped he hadn't, as he seemed interested only in refilling the hookah pot and wasn't anywhere near the dining room where the deaths had taken place.
When she reached her room, Theresa was arranging flowers in the vases and exclaimed, "Oh, Anna, you are bac—Did you accidentally spill something on yourself?"
Anastasia didn't respond and went directly to Theresa before wrapping her arms around the woman and closing her eyes. "I am worried, Auntie," she confessed.
"About what? Is it about King Maxwell's murder?" Theresa questioned, referring to the speculation that was circulating among the servants.
Anastasia took a deep breath, composing herself before pulling away from the woman. She said, "About you. About Gabriel... I fear that even mere thoughts passing through my mind will be heard by Dante now."
Theresa was yet to hear about what had transpired a few minutes ago, and she attempted to reassure Anna, saying, "Don't worry about us. I haven't gotten in trouble all these years, and I don't intend to get into any major predicaments now, either. As for Gabriel, he is a grown man who knows better than to get caught with whatever he is planning. Did you meet with him?"
"I did," Anastasia whispered, and Theresa wondered if Prince Dante had caught Gabriel looking the young woman's way. She said,
"Let me draw you a bath. Your dress is a mess; I will have it sent to the laundry women," Theresa informed her as she walked towards the bathtub.
Once the tub was half filled, Anastasia undressed before stepping inside, immersing herself in the water. She cupped the warm water in her hands before splashing it on her face to remove the blood that had stained her face, as well as any other traces on her body.
As Theresa helped Anastasia by pouring water on her hair and skin, the woman said in a hushed tone, "When I returned to the servants' quarters and the kitchen, all everyone could talk about was how the king had been murdered for the throne, and that the throne is cursed. They believe that anyone who sits on it will experience sorrow and meet an untimely death. Even King William's father died in a strange manner; they say he was devoured by a tiger or a leopard."
"King Maxwell took his own life. Dante didn't look like he wanted to talk about it. It must have been sad..." Anastasia replied, surrounded by water, pausing for a moment to reflect on the past, and continued, "I used to wonder before, how Mary could have fallen in love with someone like King Maxwell. He wasn't kind to his family, but now..."
Theresa pursed her lips, as this was something that even she had contemplated. "Maybe he did love her until his soulmate appeared," she speculated.
And although Anastasia knew the truth, she chose not to reveal the information Dante had shared with her about Lady Evin not being Maxwell's soulmate. She heard Theresa say,
"Some of the servant men who have been to the dungeon claim that they've heard Queen Maya's cries. Begging to see her son, and sometimes cursing... It must be horrible not to have the chance to see your child one last time. But then, I cannot forget that she was the one responsible for having you thrown into the sea."
Anastasia thought about it for a moment before finally expressing, "I think I would like to go see her."
Theresa raised her eyebrow in surprise and reasoned, "But she's in the dungeon, and there are guards."
"With my current position in the palace, they won't stop me," Anastasia asserted confidently, and Theresa nodded in agreement, recognising that the young woman was now equal in status to the other influential women of the palace. Anna's gaze then shifted to the dress now lying on the ground, and she drew her knees closer to her chest.
If the demon side of Dante had only just awakened, she wondered how things were in the past before he was cursed within this palace. Her mind questioned how many people must have died and how many places had been destroyed by his hands? Because the scale of devastation must have been immeasurable for the curse to have been placed upon him.
During Anastasia's early days of serving Princess Emily and accompanying her to the library, she had stumbled upon a significant piece of information.
Her search for any references to Hawkshead eventually led her to discover that she herself was a person of the forest. This revelation taught her that not every individual originating from the forest possessed the gift, as both Marianne and their mother lacked it. The presence of the gift wasn't guaranteed; in some, it would remain dormant, never to be awakened, and they would remain human, despite carrying the gene.
After completing her second bath of the day, Anastasia dried her body and hair while walking over to the flowers that had been arranged for her. She picked up a flower and brought it to her nose, savouring its fragrance.
"It smells sweet."
'You smell fucking divine.'
Anastasia felt her blood beginning to surge through her body. She quickly placed the flower back in the vase and asked, "What is the purpose of placing a curse?"
"You usually curse someone if you don't like them," Theresa explained.
Was her ancestor a bad person? But Dante's demon didn't seem peaceful, not from what she had just witnessed. She wondered if there was more to the story; after all, they were dealing with demons. Perhaps she could seek answers from the Mother Queen, as she appeared to be a knowledgeable and resourceful person.
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