Beauty and the Damned

36 | Punishment

The next morning, she woke up earlier than Rowan. She found him beside him, naked and peacefully sleeping. For some reason, she woke up early. Or perhaps because of what she was thinking yesterday that she was able to wake up early.

Ariadne immediately went to the bathroom to have her bath. She also did it so fast that when she got out, Rowan was still sleeping. By the time she was in front of the mirror did Rowan woke up. She saw him move in the mirror’s reflection. He rested his head over his folded arms before he said, “You should have woken me so we could go in the shower together.”

She smiled at him. “You looked so peaceful,” she answered and continued to brush her hair. Ever since Rowan had confessed his love for her, he has become more passionate than ever. His kisses became more intense. His thrusts were sometimes slow, sometimes fast, and they were deeper every time. And she couldn’t count how many times he has said I love you while making love. And each time, she couldn’t say it back.

“Wait here, I’ll get you your breakfast,” he said and immediately got up from the bed. Her heart thundered. She remembered what Leo had said to her yesterday. That Rowan might have put poison on her food. But then something inside her is still debating. Why would she even believe Leo’s words in the first place?

She smiled at him and stood. “I think we’ve been absent in the dining for quite some time. Why don’t we visit our beloved enemies?” She grinned at him. Rowan paused for a moment before he grinned back.

“You’re right,” he said and immediately went to the bathroom.

He should not believe Leo but her mind is doing the opposite. No matter how much she tried to shrug it off, she couldn’t. Rowan has no reason to kill her. Leo has every reason to. But why does she find herself doubting Rowan?

The bath was quick and before they know it, they are walking down the hallway on their way to the dining hall. By the time they arrived, the brothers were there except for Kali and Malik. She was relieved somehow. She isn’t in her best mood to be exchanging banters with Malik. At least Marco and Leo were quiet. Except that Leo had been giving her glances over the rim of his glass every time he sips water.

Rowan was silent too but she knew he isn’t stupid to sense what’s wrong with the silence. Leo had a blank expression on his face but she knew he wants to know if she found his claim true or not. Sure, Rowan did refuse to eat the food he prepared yesterday but it isn’t enough proof to say that he poisoned the food. So each time she notices Leo’s glances, she ignores them and focused on her meal instead.

“I find this quite surprising to see Kali and Malik absent,” Rowan said finally as he put the glass of water back. It was Marcos who looked at him dead in the eye.

“They don’t feel well,” Marco said.

Rowan chuckled. “A pity.” Though he doesn’t sound like he means it at all. She doesn’t blame him for his hatred towards his brothers.

“Perhaps you should visit them, brother. You are investigating our father’s death, right? Look at their symptoms. They’re awfully similar.”

She paused eating and looked at Leo who was having a staring contest with Rowan. “You think investigating the symptoms would find us the culprit?” Rowan said, tilting his head. Leo did not faze and leaned back on his seat, playing his tongue inside his mouth.

Then he said, “That would mean the culprit is among us. Inside this castle.” Then his eyes drifted to Ariadne. She narrowed her eyes in his direction and she could have sworn she saw his faint smirk. Rowan, however, was quiet.

Then he said, “I will send a healer for them as soon as I can.”

Ariadne looked at him as Rowan continued eating. There was a faint worry in his eyes. Despite what they had done to him, Rowan still cares for his brothers. And she hated herself for ever doubting him. How could she doubt him?

She shot a look at Leo who also looking at her but she couldn’t read the look on his face.

***

That afternoon, Rowan had gone out of the castle to visit the healer himself. Rowan asked her to come but she figured she should stay in the castle first. First, because Rowan might take longer and she doesn’t want to delay the travel just because she is transforming. Second, she wishes to talk to Leo about something but she couldn’t see him anywhere in the castle. She doesn’t know where could he have been.

She’s been to the library, the kitchen, and even the gardens but she couldn’t see him. There was one place she hasn’t visited yet, though. She contemplated whether to go or not to go but then she decided for the former and found herself navigating down the hallway towards his chamber. A maid told her which way to go and she followed it.

When he arrived in front of his chamber, she brought her fist to knock on the wooden door. She couldn’t hear anyone inside the chamber but she heard the soft sound of footsteps coming towards the door. Ariadne clenched the vial in her hands and waited before the door opened.

She wasn’t surprised that Leo was the one who opened the door, looking so different than how he usually looks when he's out and being a jerk. She was surprised by how he opened the door half-naked. Ariadne blinked and met Leo’s cold stare. He eyed her up and down before he said, “Seeing you’re alive and obviously seething, I suppose you followed my advice?” His face was unmoving and yet she could almost taste the mockery in his voice.

Ariadne tried to fix her gaze on his face. His face looked so different as droplets of water trickle down his bare chest. Usually, when he’s out, his hair is kept in an organized manner, like how Princes’ hair should look like. But looking at him, half-naked and obviously just finished his bath is something different. He looked like he was done looking like a good prince and is now being a bad one. Rowan is beautiful and this man in front of her, her supposed to be an enemy, is just as good-looking. She had noticed it before but she never paid any attention until now.

She blinked as she realized what she was thinking. Ariadne looked at him straight in the eyes before she said, "You’re wrong. Just because Rowan did not eat it doesn’t mean it’s poisoned—“

“But you still followed my advice, Your Majesty.” A small smirk danced across his lips. “When you start to doubt something, you won’t be able to stop it. Once I present you more evidence, you will believe me.”

She gritted her teeth. “Why should I believe someone who wants to get rid of me the moment he saw me? Why should I doubt the one person who offered to help?” she hissed at him but Leo’s smirk just widened as he looked at her.

“And yet you are questioning everything now,” he said and she wanted to scream. She wanted to punch him or do anything to hurt him because she hated the fact that perhaps he was right. She’s trying to convince herself that it wasn’t true. And yet something deep inside her wanted to know more. Ariadne closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She has made the decision. She has decided to trust Rowan and no one else. Ariadne has decided to trust no one but Rowan. So she shoved the vial into Leo’s chest which the latter immediately caught.

“I refuse to believe you,” she said and was about to walk away when she heard footsteps coming closer in their direction. 

“If they were maidens, they wouldn’t care if they see you in front of my chamber with me standing half-naked in front of you,” Leo said behind her. She looked at him and he was leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed. She looked at the corner where the footsteps are about to emerge.

“If it’s Marcos, he wouldn’t care either. If it’s one of the council, this would give them something to talk about.”

She swallowed hard.

“But if it’s Rowan and the healer he was talking about, what would he think seeing you here?”

Ariadne froze. That is the last thing she wants to happen. She doesn’t want Rowan to find out she’s here. If Rowan finds out, what would he tell him? That she was talking to Leo about Rowan possibly wanting to poison and that she actually considered the possibility? 

The footsteps were nearing. Maybe she should run in the other direction. But then it would be too late. Whoever’s coming would see her running away. Damn. 

Just when she was running out of options, she felt Leo grab her arm and covered her mouth with a hand before pulling her inside his chamber. She was too shocked to move or to even protest but she found Leo standing too close in front of her. His one hand is on the door’s knob while his other hand was on her mouth, covering it so she wouldn’t make a sound.

When she realized what he was doing, she squirmed and tried to get away from him but Leo pressed her harder against the wooden door and glared at her, pinning her on the spot.

“Stop squirming and maybe I will remove my hand over your mouth,” he hissed. She stopped protesting when she heard a voice outside his chamber. She calmed herself down before she listened. When she realized whose voice it was, she closed her eyes firmly.

It was Rowan. Rowan was talking with someone outside Leo’s chamber. She looked at Leo who was listening intently to whatever they were talking about. She could barely hear what they were talking but she did hear some words that don’t make sense to her.

Then the footsteps continued to walk further perhaps to where Kali and Malik are. When she couldn’t hear voices anymore, she let out a sigh. Leo looked down on her and she looked at him. His eyes looked bored and uninterested.

“I will remove my hand if you promise not to scream,” he said.

She glared at him and did not answer. Leo took it as a yes and slowly removed his hand from her mouth.

“You expect me to shout when I wanted to be hidden in the first place,” she grumbled and glared at him. Leo did not say anything and walked towards his bed where his clothes lay.

“Feel free to go out if you think the coast is clear,” he said with his back on her. But she doesn’t want to go. Not when she knows Rowan might come out any second and see her. She realized why she was afraid in the first place. It was because she had done something that goes against Rowan, the only person who is on her side. She chose to consider what Leo had claimed.

“Tell me,” she said. She saw Leo froze for a short moment and then continued wearing his shirt. “Why are you not killing me right now? Isn’t that what you want? To get rid of me? Aside from the perverted move you pulled off the first time, you never once tried to get rid of me again. Neither are your brothers. You could have easily exposed me earlier in front of Rowan so Rowan would hate me and get rid of me himself.” She panted as she stared at his back. “Why?”

Leo was silent as he wore his coat. Then he said, “Because I don’t want to get rid of you by killing you.” He faced her. “I want you out of this palace and back to where you came from, Ariadne.”

She stared at his hazel eyes. So similar and yet different to Rowan’s.

“Because you are not supposed to be here. You are supposed to stay away and not make things—“ He suddenly stopped talking and placed a hand on his chest as if it was suddenly hard to breathe. Before she could even think, she ran towards him. He could have been faking it. He could have been trying to trick her but she did not think about any of it and ran towards him. He clenched his chest and she could see how he is in such pain. His knees buckled and he kneeled on the floor. Both his hands are flat on the ground and he was panting hard.

Ariadne looked at him. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Punishment,” he rasped and did not say anything else. She doesn’t understand what he was trying to say. Punishment? Punishment for what? She looked at Leo and he was coughing and was panting for air as if breathing was too painful for him.

“Leo!” she called but Leo was still coughing. “Are you poisoned?” She remembered what happened to Kali and Malik but then Leo shook his head.

Then she felt Leo’s hand on her arm, gripping it tight enough to emphasize his urgency. “You must leave this castle the soonest possible, Ariadne.” Rowan looked at her as if pleading but she doesn’t understand why is she not supposed to be there.

“Why, Leo? Why should I believe you?” she asked. She should never believe him but then something tells her to listen.

Leo looked at her straight in the eye before he said, “It’s the only way.”

Then Leo collapsed on her lap.

* * *