Eight
1078 Words
RAPHAEL POV
"Cinzia..." I mumbled — such a precious name for a rare gem. Her name suited her perfectly.
I wondered if her parents saw her as the moon goddess before giving her such a name. The name also struck a chord, and I tried to recall where I had heard it.
The name of a distant Werewolf pack came to mind, but I wasn't certain if she was the one. I hadn't conducted a background check on her; it was only because Nikolai desired her that I bid on her in the first place.
However, asking her about her story seemed awkward. I never inquired about someone's background because it felt irrelevant. The only thing I sought in a prize was possession and the warmth of their presence in my bed.
I glanced towards the entrance as the door to the throne room swung open. Johnson strode towards me, halting a few feet away. He knelt on one knee, head bowed.
"She's settled in, sire. Is there anything else I should attend to?"
"Her maid should be with her. Also..."
I trailed off, turning my gaze upward as thunder rumbled in the sky. Frowning, I approached the window and peered through a c***k in the curtain. The sky, once a vivid blue, had now turned a somber grey.
Lightning flashed incessantly, deepening the scowl on my face. It was a storm brewing. It should have been a routine occurrence, but I sensed it was more than just a storm. My father had never clouded a bright day without good reason. This seemed sudden. Perhaps he was angry with one of the gods or goddesses, but causing the entire world to suffer for it was not his usual way.
"Leave me," I instructed Johnson, just as a white sheet of paper, light as a feather, drifted towards me. I snatched it, my eyes scanning the neatly written contents.
"Something dreadful has occurred. The Omphalos Stone has been stolen, and he threatens to unleash havoc upon the world if nothing is done within seven days. He demands the perpetrator be punished."
"Wait," I halted Johnson in his tracks. "Ring the bell for an emergency meeting."
"Very well, Your Majesty," Johnson replied with a bow.
"The Omphalos Stone stolen?" I murmured as Johnson left. I had my doubts about Hermes' messages.
The last message he'd sent me had been a ruse to lure me to Mount Olympus, the abode of the Greek gods. I had naively gone, thinking I'd receive a grand welcome and the chance to speak with my father.
It was a foolish assumption. If I had scrutinized the letter more carefully, I would have seen Hermes' warning. But I was young and gullible. I glanced at the letter again, then at the sky. It didn't seem like a deception this time. Father was furious, but who would be audacious enough to steal the stone?
I had only one person in mind, but then, I didn't want to be too quick to judge.
CINZIA POV
My ears perked up at the sound of the bell chiming once more. I believed it was the colossal bell I had spotted in the tower when I first entered the castle. I walked over to the window, drew back the curtains, and peered outside. My brows furrowed as I observed people—maids, guards, and elegantly dressed women—making their way towards the throne room. I didn't know what was happening, and frankly, I didn't care. I surmised I should join them to avoid any trouble, but exhaustion weighed heavily on me.
A knock diverted my attention from the scene below, and I focused on the door. Whoever stood on the other side seemed to have no concept of patience.
Soon after the doorknob was violently twisted, the pounding and kicking followed. There was only one person who could be so forceful, and I didn't need to guess who it was.
I approached the door, opened it, and was promptly shoved backwards as Delicia barged in. She snorted and wrinkled her nose.
"So, he did bring you in here after all." Her eyes narrowed at me. "What did you do to him? He's never acted this way with any slave before. I'm curious as to what he sees in you."
Her gaze bore into me, but I shrugged, unaffected by her disdainful tone.
"Were you aware of the bell ringing?" she inquired, receiving no immediate response from me.
"I wasn't," I said. There was no reason for me to divulge the truth to her. She wasn't my parents. She was unpleasant, and I believed being truthful with her would only make matters worse.
"Why should I believe you?" She asked.
I shrugged. "It's up to you."
"Goodness, I never imagined we could ever get along. The idea of seeing you alone disgusts me," Delicia grimaced. "What do you want with Raphael?"
Raphael. His name had a pleasant ring to it. But I doubted he'd be like the ones I was accustomed to—tall, slender, blond with blue eyes, a clean-shaven face, and sometimes socially awkward.
"He doesn't even fancy plain girls," Delicia glowered.
I didn't understand why she was upset about my presence, but all I knew was that I wasn't interested in her man, despite what she might have assumed.
"I don't want him," I said.
"Then do me the favor of ridding us of your presence. It would bring me some joy," she declared, tossing a rope that I noticed she had with her.
I furrowed my brows, looking at her.
"I'm not ending my own life just because you're so insecure about him. I haven't even seen his face, and why on earth would I develop feelings for someone I already despise?"
"I don't trust women like you," she said. "Let me remind you once more, if you make any suspicious move towards Raphael, I won't hesitate to remove you from the equation, whether he approves or not."
With that, she exited the room. I let out a breath, my frown deepening. She didn't do what I had anticipated.
She didn't punish me. Instead, the b***h had come to discuss a man.
Had he said something to her about me? Perhaps he had because I couldn't discern any reason why she would accuse me of enchanting him.
Yet, I failed to see what was so remarkable about the mysterious man I had yet to lay eyes on.
- Writer
