I have a date with the devil

Chapter 3

In order to welcome Princess Kadam's visit, Queen Abil will hold a banquet today and invited the ministers and noble sons to attend.

Ye Miao walked towards the vestibule of the royal palace under the leadership of his attendant, observing the environment he was in by the way.

The golden sunlight penetrated the stained glass, and when it hit the stone pillars, the light spots had been filtered into a cold tone. Set in the stone wall of the oil lamp base condensed sticky grease, flame light, shining a dark tone, the delicate texture of the painting.

The Abilites seem to be particularly fond of decorating with mirrors - in contrast to the Cardan, where mirrors were considered to be objects of evil spirits and were covered with gauze when left unattended. In this palace, mirrors were everywhere, and even the corridors were decorated with various classical and ornate bronze mirrors, reflecting blurred human figures. Although visually compensate for the lack of natural light, but also rendered an indescribable cold feeling, as if a ghostly face will suddenly emerge from it.

This royal palace, will become a breeding ground for all kinds of horror rumors, really is not at all wrong - Ye Miao drops his eyes, so muttered.

Soon, she was brought to a large, beautifully lit hall in the front court. The attendant gave a salute and instructed Ye Miao to wait outside for a moment and go in first to inform her superiors.

Under the barrier of the door, Ye Miao could not see the light inside, but only heard the sound of noisy conversation, almost like being in a downtown.

Not long after, must have learned that the princess of Kardan is already outside the door, the temple reckless talking sound suddenly closed. Gradually, a large venue are no sound, the air slightly stagnant, the tension began to spread.

The attendant made a "please" gesture to Ye Miao and bowed, "Your Highness, please come in."

Ye Miao straightened her clothes and stepped inside.

The hall was bright and high, with gold and blue reflecting and smoky incense.

It was recently popular for the nobles of Abil to use incense mixed with fruit nectar, apply it on their skin and hair, and keep it unwashed for several days. It is said to give off a very unique fragrance when mingled with body odor.

When dressing up today, Shana also wanted to get her this set, Ye Miao really can not appreciate this bizarre trend, bitterly declined - after applying these things, and then a few days without a bath, the so-called "unique aroma" emitted, is really not rancid smell?

As soon as Ye Miao stepped in, countless eyes turned in unison and pierced into her body like needles, including disdain and hostility, but also curiosity and surprise. When some noble ladies saw Ye Miao's oriental face, the speed of shaking the fan slowed down, as if they had discovered a new land, whispering with their female companions beside them.

Ye Miao calmly walked to the bottom of the stairs in front of the throne and bowed to the queen. She performed the regular etiquette of a nobleman in an audience with someone of nobler status than herself, not only unassuming but also showing enough respect.

Her performance during the audience with the queen largely represented Kadam's attitude. Therefore, even in a vulnerable position, you should stand up straight and speak. If the slavish face, three kowtowing, will not make her day for the hostage better, will only seem to fall, let the other side despise her - this point of truth, Ye Miao still understand.

Seeing that she did not bend her knees like a commoner, there was a slight murmur from around.

The queen raised her hand to silence these voices, and her voice was surprisingly gentle: "Are you Ye Miao Ezeka, the princess of Kardan? No need to be so formal, lift your head up."

Ye Miao gave an unexpected lurch and lifted her chin as she was told.

The two countries had been at war for so long, and this was the first time she had seen the famous Queen Yabile in person.

The queen was a typical Western-style appearance, with deep and dignified features and a pair of blue eyes reminiscent of a daylight-illuminated seraphic ocean. Her long, burnt brown hair was coiled into a bun, and her crown was set with dazzling stones. A dark blue girdle dress outlines her voluptuous figure, the belt is decorated with tassels, noble and elegant.

The Queen was just 26 years old when she succeeded to the throne. Now, fifteen years have passed, and she has not become tired and senile because of the wasted years, but instead exudes a graceful and unobtrusive charm, that is the temperament that only those who have been on top for a long time will cultivate.

The queen's gaze stopped at Ye Miao's appearance, and a strange look seemed to pass over her face.

At the lower head of the throne, a young man was sitting on the left and right sides.

The one on the left was about twenty years old or younger, with a jade belt of waist protection wrapped around the outside of his girdle, with gold-foil encrusted boots and a golden glittering outfit, sitting arrogantly with his legs crossed. His appearance and the queen have a half dozen similar, according to reason is also a rare beautiful man, but his face full of green beard stakes pressed not clean shaved, between the eyebrows shrouded a disheveled shade, crooked half and sashaying forked legs, honestly reveal the impatience rushing in his body. This decrepit look made one wonder if he had just woken up from a hangover and was called up and had to attend this party that he was not interested in at all.

This, I believe, is the first prince of Abil.

The second prince on the right is a couple of years younger, with a pair of gold-rimmed eyes on the bridge of his nose, lean and elegant, dressed in a noble manner. But the appearance is much more mediocre, and the queen only eyes are similar.

Ye Miao knew that Queen Yabil had two husbands before she succeeded to the throne. The first husband was more mysterious, a nobleman whose origin was not recorded. Only later did she remarry to a general of distinguished birth. She had a son from each of these two marriages. She never married again until her second husband was tragically killed in the same battle as the late king.

The father of these two princes is not the same person, no wonder they don't look much alike.

The queen did not make things difficult for Ye Miao, as an ordinary elder, kindly and calmly asked her some simple things. Before answering each sentence, Ye Miao cautiously went through it in her mind, for fear of accidentally saying the wrong thing and causing trouble for Kadam.

After a round of "cross-examination", the queen smiled faintly and waved her hand to let her take her seat.

Waiting outside the waiter will be waiting for the feast of fruit, wine and bacon and other food are brought up. Empty stomach all morning, the play has seen enough noble ministers, finally can follow the meal.

During the meal, Ye Miao pretended not to notice the eyes that swept over intentionally or unintentionally, and concentrated on eating. She noticed that the queen would occasionally talk to her two sons who were close at hand. As she sat closer to them, Ye Miao vaguely heard a few words, and it turned out that the queen was talking to the eldest prince about his wedding arrangements.

For his own life event, the eldest prince obviously does not care, all the way perfunctory listening, all the way distractedly turning the silver dinner knife, the attitude is very light-hearted. The queen frowned, stared at him for a moment, resisted reprimanding him on this occasion, and turned to speak with her youngest son.

The second prince was obviously much better behaved than his older brother, not only answering questions, but also looking earnestly at the queen's face as he spoke. He made some suggestions for the wedding, the queen praised him, and the second prince smiled sheepishly. The first prince grunted and suddenly threw his fork back on the plate, choking his brother unceremoniously. The second prince blushed and lowered his head.

The surroundings were noisy, and soon, the voices of mother and son were drowned out. This kind of thing, accidentally hear it is just, if deliberately to eavesdrop, then there is no need. Ye Miao only lamented in his heart - this pair of brothers, in the face of the Queen's attitude can be very different, and, the eldest prince does not seem to treat him as a brother. Then he did not pay attention to listen to it again. It was not until the feast was over that she slipped away.

In front of the ministers to see the queen, in fact, is equivalent to the "move-in ceremony" - as if you want to live in someone's home for a few years, always let the host first look at.

Afterwards, Ye Miao learned that the Queen and the two princes live in the palace, are located in the southeast of the palace. And she lived in a guest room located in the atrium, far away from each other, which means that, except for the Queen summoning her alone, or to attend some banquet in the palace, Ye Miao usually hardly needed to meet with them, and could freely dispose of her time - relatively free.

Because no matter where she went, Shana would follow her every inch of the way on the grounds that she was worried about her getting lost.

Since it is impossible to get rid of, and you are not going to do something unseemly, Ye Miao is not bothered to care so much, Shana love to follow, follow it.

Less than two days, in the courtyard walk Ye Miao accidentally found a place to spend time - the southwest of the palace that the sky tower has a magnificent atmosphere of the library, the collection of books as vast as sand. Even the tens of meters high walls are densely packed with all kinds of books, ancient scrolls, parchment books. The content covers a wide range of history, humanities, geography, astronomy, plants ...... miscellaneous books can be seen here.

--The books that are available to outside visitors are, of course, just some ordinary collections. The volumes on magic and forbidden arts left over from the elven era are heirloom treasures that will certainly not be placed on the ordinary shelves.

Ye Miao estimated that, with her own speed of reading books, if she wanted to read all of them, it would take at least ten years. She herself likes to read, holding a book alone for an afternoon will not feel bored, here to relieve boredom would be perfect.

However, the library also has a shortcoming - due to time, from the dome of the six or seven meters in diameter, embedded with gold and crystals of the giant chandelier, has long been used, only a false appearance of the hanging. Really play a role in lighting, is the wall of a meter of oil lamps, as well as the light from the windows during the day.

When the sun sets in the west, the lack of sunlight, the bookshelves will become very dim, you need to hold the oil lamp to identify the letters on the spine of the book. Therefore, Ye Miao will stay here until evening at most every day and then leave.

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

Today's sky is rarely cloudy. Towards evening, the mellow sunset sank inch by inch behind the dark silhouette of the palace. The tumbling cumulus clouds coalesced into a thick mass in the moist wind, completely swallowing the orange-red sunset glow in the sky. The wind and clouds surged, and heaven and earth changed color. The sky is muffled thunder roar, a rare majestic rain fell from the sky, bean-sized rain splattered against the window prism, the glass outside, winding out of a water trail with mud and ash.

At that time, Ye Miao, who was preparing to go back to his room, was unlucky to be tripped up by this heavy rain.

The tower where the library is located has many doors and multiple bridges, but there is a short distance from the atrium, and on the way back to the room, there is almost no shelter at all.

While reading just now, Ye Miao sneezed twice. Margo, worried about her catching a cold, went back to her room to fetch her clothes before the rain came down, and now only Shana was left by her side.

The two of them waited for a while, but the sky was getting darker and darker, and the rain was increasing instead of decreasing.

Shana smartly suggested: "Your Highness, I remembered that there is a storage room on the upper floor of this tower, there must be rain gear inside. Why don't you stay here and read for a while while I go and get the umbrella. Margo might run into rain halfway and have to turn back to her room to get an umbrella, so she must not be as fast as me yet."

Ye Miao held the black tea to warm his hands, smiled and said, "Okay, you go ahead."

Shana got the order and left quickly, and thoughtfully covered the door to prevent anyone from disturbing Ye Miao.

The air was quiet. Only the sound of thunderstorm was left in the ears.

The position Ye Miao was at was a long table by the window. One side is a wall, and three sides are bookshelves. Let the wind and rain outside, the oil lamps dotted on the wall also baked a warm yellow light for this space, filling people with a sense of security.

Ye Miao holding a teacup, leaning on the edge of the table, facing the direction of the window, his eyes meticulously depicting a stained glass portrait of an angel, gradually lost in thought.

A cluster of silver-white lightning ruthlessly lashed the earth, thunder rumbled. In the flashing white light, a swaying black shadow was suddenly reflected on the glass window in front of Ye Miao.

Ye Miao was stunned, twisted to look up, surprised to find that the heavy chandelier, but the magnitude is not small swaying, emitting a slight "creak" sound.

There was no wind inside, and the doors and windows were closed. It has always been stationary, how can it swing for no reason? It's almost as if ...... something had just hung upside down on it and stirred it when it leapt off the ground.

Ye Miao frowned, there is no reason, a sense of trembling unease in the heart of the crawl through.

In fact, in recent times, she has more than once produced this strange feeling. Sometimes when sleeping at night, it also feels like something is hiding in the shadows, full of malicious spying on her. Consciousness has been hovering at a shallow level, constantly dreaming horrible and illogical dreams - not intimate and ambiguous erotic dreams, but real nightmares.

Ye Miao is also a little bit distressed by his own suspicion.

In the age of elves, light magic is the nemesis of magical creatures. Once hit, they will burn to ashes in that glorious glow. Only is that humans can not inherit magic this point some regret. However, humans have also discovered the weakness of these demonic monsters - they are deeply afraid of fire and light. These two can not kill them, but they can make them retreat, dare not enter.

As long as bathed in the light of the fire, it is the same as having a talisman. The "Eternal Sunset City" of Fram Eaton, where there is plenty of light, is the place where these things are most feared. The palace is so heavily guarded that not even a fly can enter, not to mention the demons sneak in unawares, or even spy on her.

After half a month of peace and quiet, even the legend of "Abil's man-eating monster" Margot, who was convinced at first, gradually relaxed her vigilance and agreed with Her Highness - it was just a nonsense. The only person who felt uneasy and strange was Ye Miao.

What you see with your eyes open and what you feel with your eyes closed, reason and intuition, all point to two cut-off directions. For people who have not been really threatened by the strange power of something tangential, often do not believe too much in their own fugitive intuition, more likely to blame the cause on the illusion.

Ye Miao's long eyelashes droop slightly, tightening her grip on the porcelain cup of five fingers.

Could it be that she was really thinking too much?

"Boom - clatter!"

A series of earth-shattering loud thunder exploded on the water screen covering the sky, and the dust of the fragile pages of the book also trembled up and down. Behind Ye Miao, a window lock actually untimely loosened, the whole window was flung open by the wind and thumped into the wall.

The rain droplets wrapped in water mist in the wind, with an unstoppable momentum into the wall a whole row of more than ten oil lamps without lampshades flame are doused, nuisance white smoke rushed to the sky. The corridor against the wall suddenly plunged into the darkness.

The light suddenly disappeared, as if igniting a dangerous fuse.

Suddenly, a creepy feeling seeped into Ye Miao's nerve endings, along the bone marrow, inch by inch, climbing into the lungs, and startled small pieces of goose bumps on the skin.

It was a ghostly cold intuition without any basis, but extraordinarily clear - this library, long more than her one in the.

Something ...... was spying on her.

The confused heartbeat, as if the rhythm of the wrong drumbeat, Ye Miao trembling to look ahead.

In order to prevent causing a fire, between the wooden bookshelves, it is impossible to install a fixed oil lamp lamp holder. At this moment, because of the extinguishing of the wall lamp, the horizontal rows of wooden bookshelves taller than a person, is shrouded in a disturbing gloom.

Just now, the feeling of being spied on, which made her feel sweaty, came from that obscurity.

More precisely, from behind the bookshelf that was only six or seven meters away from her.

Until now, this feeling still hasn't disappeared.

Was it Margo? Shana? Or was it someone else?

Different people passed through Ye Miao's mind a few times, and she barely calmed down, gulped gently and asked, "Who's there?"

No one answered her.

Ye Miao hesitated, and suddenly threw the teacup in her hand towards the bookshelf with a sudden effort!

The bookshelf only sparsely placed some very light quality parchment scrolls, by the porcelain cup a hit, one volume after another to lose balance, splintered and rolled to the ground, frankly exposed a line of space on the shelf.

No one?

Ye Miao slightly gasped, hanging heart just put down, and unexpectedly met a pair of eyes of resentment.

In that instant, Ye Miao's pupils contracted violently, and his scalp exploded with a raging numbness.

It was a miserable white head hanging upside down from the top of the bookshelf, silently picking at the bookshelf. I don't know how long it had been lying on its back. A pair of cloudy and scarlet eyes staring dead at her, slowly, the cross-slit over half of the face muzzle grin out a bizarre and ferocious arc, smiled at her.

Humans will always laugh at those who are too scared to run when they see danger. In fact, in the midst of extreme fear and panic, thoughts are knotted pulp, hot blood flow nuisance freeze, fear like a sharp ice pick, bursting the lungs, will scream viciously crushed in the throat.

Ye Miao's face was white, cold sweat almost soaked palms, backed up half a step, hit the table.

What is that thing?! Was it a demonic creature?

No, no, she had read many books about magical creatures and had never seen such a disgusting monster ......

The thing had been peeping for a long time and had long been unsatisfied with it. Just see the bookshelf a shake, it "ho ho" climbed up to the top layer, the hind legs slightly bowed, but halfway stopped, staring at the unlit oil lamp, seems to want to pounce, but also a little afraid of the fire.

In the midst of the shock and dizziness, Ye Miao abruptly realized something, as if about to slide down the abyss of despair, grabbed the only life-saving cable - although I do not know what it is, but apparently, it also fears firelight as much as the ordinary magic creatures. That's why it had just been hiding behind a bookshelf until the wall lamp in the long corridor went out, before it dared to fully reveal its true form.

As long as there is light, it can't pounce with impunity!

But how long can this little oil lamp last? When it is also extinguished, this library is an airtight cage of trapped animals. If she doesn't escape to a place with people before then, she will end up in a bad way.

Ye Miao carried a small oil lamp, inhaled deeply, as if the enemy held the table, slowly back. Under the eyes of the thing, unexpectedly turn around and run desperately along the direction of the oil lamp has not been extinguished.

That every two meters a, intermittent and long fire light, connected into a long road to protect life.

She never knew she could run so fast, and even rolled, and even lost a shoe. Rapid, ragged breath burned her chest, and her spasming windpipe twisted in pain. She no longer had time to identify where she was running to, only to run after the light in the building.

It was just after evening, but there was not a living soul around, as if she and the thing had been isolated in a different dimension. The oil lamp in her arms was about to go out, and Ye Miao was close to collapse in despair when she suddenly saw a gorgeous palace creeping in the shadows ahead.

Ye Miao ignited a glimmer of hope, and quickly rushed through the rain curtain. Closer to find that the door outside there are chains wrapped around, seems to be a closed forbidden place. But that thing has almost chased behind her, there is no time to hesitate to give her, Ye Miao with intuition, relying on their own petite body, actually hard through the c***k to get in!

The rear of the poorly pursued thing screamed, outside the hall reluctantly wandered left back, a perverse stop in his tracks. Do not dare to go forward, as if fearing some kind of appalling breath, can only watch Ye Miao drilled inside.

Ye Miao has long been exhausted, with the last vestiges of sanity, barely pushed the door shut, slid to the ground, coughing violently for a while, almost coughing up the stomach, was scared out of body soul only slowly returned to the body.

She finally realized that she had entered a strange hall. The hall was dimly lit, and the lamp in her arms was the only source of light.

This place, it seems, has not been inhabited for a long time. The furniture was covered with red silk cloth, and thick ash had accumulated on the gilt door handles, the floor tiles, and the handrails of the stairs. On the far wall, a huge oil painting hung, behind a heavy snow-white spider net, was the portrait of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, handsome and majestic man.

Ye Miao froze for a long time to identify, and remembered the chains outside the door, finally realized after the fact that this seems to be the king's palace that does not allow anyone to enter or leave - the previous king's palace.

Just now ...... that monster chased to the door and stopped. There is nothing special about the door of this palace, but it is as if it does not dare to step in at all. Why is this? Is she already safe?

No, that thing, having chased her for so long, is probably still in ambush somewhere at this moment. If you think you've escaped, just walk out and get stopped halfway in an empty building by it ......

Ye Miao fought a cold war, helplessly shrunk into a ball, buried his head in the knees. This is the posture of people asking for security from themselves.

Give her a hundred guts, she does not have the courage to leave here now. Hiding here for one night and staying until morning may not be the best way to go, but it is safer than going back.

In fact, even without knowing the reason, but Ye Miao has subconsciously determined that this hall is the thing stopped the footsteps of the thing, saved his life. In the helplessness, she has taken it as a place where she can shelter herself, a sense of hidden dependence.

When her legs regained some strength, Ye Miao knew she couldn't waste any more time, so she gave herself a pep talk and reached out to lift the oil lamp, hesitated, and turned back to make sure there was no sound outside the closed door before lifting her feet and walking towards the hall.

She did not dare to sleep tonight, just want to go in and see if there are still candlesticks that can be used, before the portable oil lamp is completely extinguished, the flame will be transferred to the past, so that there is an accident, and not defenseless.

Unfortunately, after looking around in the dusty cabinets, the wicks of the candles that could be found were already damp. The good thing is, deep in the palace wall, seems to be inlaid with a few oil lampstand, maybe they can still be used.

Ye Miao pursed her lips, tried one by one, stood on tiptoe and touched its lamp base.

When she reached the first few, she instantly felt that something was wrong - the stone that was supposed to be motionless could be pushed! Not wanting to invite trouble, Ye Miao immediately retracted her hand, but its rotation did not stop.

The sound of a series of chains moving, the floor tiles below her cracked in half without warning, Ye Miao was caught off guard and fell down, her shoulder blade hit the stone wall hard, and a fishy blood gas came out of her throat. A tidal wave of darkness poured in, sweeping everything away and drowning her sanity.