The Tyrant's Pet

<strong>Meanwhile…</strong>

Dexter was lying motionless on the ground. His vision was blurry, but he kept his focus on the trinket that was thrown away. He crawled his hand, trying to reach the trinket Aries gave him, telling him it would protect him.

But with his current state, bleeding heavily after fighting multiple people nonstop, the thought of this protection didn't cross his mind. He just didn't want to lose the gift he got from his sister. However, as Dexter tried to reach it, he caught a pair of dirty shoes that seemed to have stepped into a shallow pool of blood.

'No,' he whispered, seeing the figure squat down to pick up the trinket. 'That's mine.'

Dexter felt the person's gaze on him. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the person, but all he saw was the person's smile that gave off this slight annoyance in his weakening heart.

"I'm taking this thing… that called for me," a man's voice resounded in Dexter's ears and his next words sounded distant. "Poor thing…"

Dexter knew the man had said more, but his consciousness slowly slipped from his grip. He had been fighting, and after fending for himself, Dexter couldn't fight any longer. However, just when he thought they would strike him and give him the finishing blow, silence just followed.

That was what was happening just a minute before the person took that trinket.

Darkness enveloped Dexter like it was an old friend embracing him after getting reunited. As Dexter sank deeper and deeper into the silence, he heard an unfamiliar voice whispering, 'Maleficent,' before there was nothing but utter silence.

Hours had gone by before a group of knights appeared in the forest clearing. Under the faint light from the moon piercing through the thick clouds, the knights had to stop as they looked at the clearing with horror.

Piles of bodies and limbs were scattered around. Blood had tainted the grass red. The stench of blood and death dominated the air, which was the reason the knights headed to this forest clearing instead of searching for the Marquess in this thick forest.

Uncertain of what they would do, the knights checked the surroundings and the corpses to see if Dexter was one of them. The clearing was vast and, considering the number of people scattered on the ground, it wasn't easy for them to find Dexter without going through each and every one of them.

Even when Isaiah and the shadow knights arrived hours later, the knights hadn't found Dexter. Seeing the scene, Isaiah had to stop for a moment to absorb the bloody and gory sight of the forest clearing. It didn't look like an aftermath of a war, but more like it was a massacre.

A knight came running to Isaiah's side, bowing, and reporting the current situation. Much to Isaiah's dismay, the knight told him they hadn't found Dexter, as there were countless bodies to check. The severed limbs and the state of other people's mangled faces weren't helping them. The only consolation they got was they identified some knights who went with the Marquess, confirming a fight broke out between these unknown forces and the marquess's group.

"Continue the search!" Isaiah ordered, his voice echoing across the clearing.

"Yes, Your Grace."

Isaiah then glanced back, nodding at the shadow knights. Even without saying a word, the shadow knights search elsewhere, assuming Dexter managed to get away and is just around the area. Isaiah also joined the search, and with everyone's efforts, they soon found a person lying motionless just around the area.

When Isaiah flipped the man to see his face, his pupils dilated as he held his breath. It was the Marquess, and studying Dexter's current state, he seemed to have crawled his way since his limbs were barely intact. Whoever had done this to the marquess surely took their time to torture Dexter. It was a miracle they left Dexter alive, or they probably left him to die a slow and painful death.

In a hurry, Isaiah ordered his men, who specialize in treating fatal injuries, to treat Dexter without wasting a breath. Another hour had passed before Abel and Marsella arrived. The second those two did, they immediately heard what happened.

However, Abel and Marsella didn't need to hear the reports because the forest clearing was enough for them to know whoever killed these people was a bloodthirsty monster anyone should look out for.

<strong>*****</strong>

<strong>[ Haimirich Empire: Forbidden Mansion ]</strong>

When the door of Sunny's chambers opened, revealing Conan, Aries immediately rushed to him. Sunny was still sleeping on the bed, but Aries couldn't sleep and had been praying all night, hoping to hear the good news.

"Sir Conan, any word from Abel?" she asked without beating around the bush, raising her brows, her breathing suspending. "Did they find my brother?"

Conan pressed his lips, studying her shaking eyes.

"Yes. They were already on their way back," he breathed out with a heavy heart and felt this pang in his chest when Aries heaved a sigh of relief.

Aries smiled and patted her chest as if an entire pipe was pulled out of her throat. Her relief, however, was short-lived when she raised her eyes back to him again. Conan seemed unhappy, looking at her apologetically.

Seeing this, her heart sank as fear crawled under her skin and crept into her heart. Her mouth opened and closed, but her voice wouldn't come out. Aries didn't have the heart to ask him, knowing whatever information Conan was holding back would devastate her.

"My brother…" her lips quivered as tears shone in her eyes, clutching his chest with a trembling hand. "... is he alive?"

Conan let out another shallow breath, gulping the tension in his throat. He hated to break this news to her, but if not him, who else would tell her?

"He is," he said under his breath.

"But?"

"But… he inflicted major injuries. The Marquess is hovering between life and death…" the rest of Conan's words drifted past her ears as Aries wobbled like a withering leaf, unable to keep her ground.

Aries collapsed on the floor weakly, holding at the hemline of Conan's suit. She hung her head low, tears landing on the floor. All Conan could do was gaze down at her while Sunny had already woken up, sitting up on the bed, eyes on Aries.

Aries cried, but the excruciating pain in her chest deterred her from making the slightest sound. And yet, Conan and Sunny understood that silent scream.

"I'm… sorry, Lady Aries," Conan expressed with a heavy heart, making her cover her mouth while her other hand clutched the hemline of his clothes as if once she let go, the floor would devour her entire body and keep her there.