Mate For The Bride

The Truth

Elora's Pov.

I was beginning to get scared when I looked through the window and saw that we were passing through a thick bush. Then we entered a forest where it was all dead trees. The fact that it was night didn't help matters. Crickets and strange animals cries filled the air. My heart thumped in my chest until I felt warmth covering my hands.

I lowered my gaze to see the Devil's hands on mine.

"Are you scared?" he asked softly.

"No. I'm just worried I might be heading to my death. I didn't even say goodbye to my family."

He chuckled and I wondered what was funny about what I said.

"If there is anywhere you'll be heading to princess,... it's my bed."

I threw him a death glare and in return, he flashed me a grin. Is it weird that the only thought that crossed my mind when he did that was how handsome he looked even in the dark where it was only the moonlight shining on his face?

Yes, it was very weird.

"Pervert." I muttered more to myself, crossing my arms on my chest as if doing that could protect me from his wicked intentions which I didn't find repulsive at all.

Something was definitely wrong with me.

"If I refuse, are you going to force me?" I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

He looks at me for a long while then he smiles. "Wouldn't it better if you beg for it? Desperately."

"I will never do that."

"Oh, you will princess, you will."

A sly smile covered his lips as he pulled his hands away from mine and I stared down at where I could once feel his warmth which was now gone.

The carriage finally came to a stop and Ardolf helped me out.

I looked around me. There was a beautiful lone mansion in front, built deep inside this forest. It's exterior almost looked modern that I was fooled for a moment.

"You look captivated." His voice brought me back from whatever reverie I was starting to get into.

"Do you really live here?" I asked, following him inside.

"Sometimes." he answered.

The red and yellow lamps lining the wall gave the interior a very warm glow. A gasp almost escaped me again but I just hugged my arms, acting as if I was casually giving it a glance when in fact, I was entranced.

"Can I call you Mr. Cyrus?"

"Just Cyrus will do." he stops and looks at me. "I'm curious, what have you been calling me in your head?"

The Devil.

"You don't want to know."

An old man comes out from a room and he smiled when he sees us. "You're here?"

"Yes, Ronald. Where are they?" Cyrus asked and Ronald first looked at me as if he was surprised he was asking this question in front of me.

"In the usual place. They still haven't talked."

"Good."

I could almost hear the excitement in Cyrus's voice as he opened a door and when I wanted to follow, the old man got in front of me.

"You'll wait here for him."

"Why? Because he's on his way to torture someone?"

"You should know what is good for you girl. You're already threading on thin ice by coming to this house."

"What do you mean?" I stared into his grey eyes which for some reason, gave me this spooky vibe. Maybe it was because of how rounded they looked. He probably also works for Cyrus.

"You're Andrew's sister right?" He asked, his eyes still fixed on me without blinking.

"How do you know that?"

"Everyone knows because everyone wants to kill him. It is what happens to traitors who gets their colleagues killed."

"Andrew got someone killed?" I don't know whether to believe this man but this information was too much for me.

"I see you're still in the dark. Has Andrew told you what kind of job he does?"

"He has." I said. A spy's job could be very dangerous. It was all about trust. Once your master loses his trust in you, you're as good as dead. Probably that rule applies here too.

Ronald stared at me as if he was trying to see if I was lying.

"Then you know who Cyrus is?" He probed carefully and I saw his hands moving to his waist. As if he was going to kill me if I knew the answer to that.

"Andrew didn't tell me but I figured he is most probably a gang leader."

"Gang leader?" He laughs. "Cyrus gives off that kind of vibe huh?"

"I'm not sure. But my sixth sense tells me that he's the dangerous kind I want to be away from."

"And what do you do when you meet something dangerous?"

"I run." I answered in a heartbeat.

"So why didn't you, Elora?

This was strange. What was he trying to imply? How did he even know my name?

I threw him a sharp glare when I realized it. "Does your master ever let his prey run away from him?"

"Never." Ronald chuckled. "He always catches them again and again. No matter how far they run."

"Why are you telling me this?" the message he was trying to pass across to me was vivid clear and maybe a part of me already knew it.

"Andrew tried to run and he first got lucky because he was the master's favorite, he was able to slip away and then the second time, it was because of you. How much more luck do you think he has before he finally succumbs to the painful death he deserves?"

"Don't talk about my brother like that."

I felt anxious just listening to him. This whole thing seemed way more than I had imagined it. Andrew was responsible for the death of his colleagues? He didn't mention any of that to me.

"Andrew is already on the grim reapers list Elora, you cannot stop it even if you decide to surrender yourself to the master."

"And why would I do that?" I let my lips raise at this obnoxious man who thinks the lecture he was giving me could save me. "If I say Andrew didn't do it, then he didn't."

I still remember the look in Andrew's eyes when he talked about his boss whom I called a Devil. He looked like he adored that man. Like he wouldn't tolerate anyone calling him vile names. Even if that person was me.

Something big was at play here. And maybe, just maybe if my hunch was correct, it has something to do with this man in front of me.

Ronald.

He looked old but his eyes were sly and evil and gleaming with cunningness.

My lips parted to say something but the door opened just then and Cyrus stepped out.

I expected him to be covered in the blood of those poor souls but he was again, surprisingly clean.

"Did you have a nice chat?" he asked and I forced a smile and also forced back the snarky reply that almost left my lips.

Did you have a nice torture time?

"Ronald was a good company." I said.

The old man smiled kindly at me as if he hadn't been telling me some mean things just now.

"Thank you, Ronald." Cyrus waved him off and this time, I didn't hesitate. I followed right behind the Devil as he went through a different door than the one earlier.

"Where are you taking me this time?"

"There's something I want to show you."

"If it's not a person's head or arm or balls, I wonder what else there is to show me."

"I see you like stuffs like that. I'll put that in mind."

When the hell did I say that?

I think we came out through the back door of the mansion as the slightly cool air hit my skin once again and we continued to walk in the dark.

Once I was sure we were away from that man Ronald, and there was no way he could eavesdrop on us, I stopped walking.

Cyrus turned around and his eyes narrowed at me.

"You Intentionally let me stay with that man right?" I asked.

"Ronald?" he c***s a brow then brought it down again. "My housekeeper must have told you some things."

"A lot of things actually."

"Like what?"

"It all comes down to how Andrew must die for betraying you." I found myself saying with a cracking voice.

"And what do you think, my princess?" His gaze on me was seductive when he asked this. My thoughts almost got muddled by how much his eyes distracted me.

"I think if anyone should die, it is that sly old man."

"Why do you think so?" he asked calmer than I thought he would be. He continued walking and I followed.

"Just now, he couldn't wait for Andrew to die for his sins. He blames you for delaying it because Andrew is one of your favorites and he blames me for coming in the way just when you were about to finally take him out." I said. "He is anxious."

"Maybe because he lost someone dear to him and he cannot forgive Andrew for that."

"Or maybe because he is the real culprit and he cannot wait for Andrew to die so he goes scot free thinking no one would know once the case is closed with Andrew's death."

Oh God. I might be crazy for coming to this conclusion. I might be totally wrong but I want to hope Andrew never did what he was accused of. Being a double spy was the worst crime possible in the spy book.

Cyrus looks at me and I frown at the smile I found lingering on his lips.

"How did you figure that out so quickly? I only left you together for a couple of minutes."

"You knew that I would." I looked at him. This man definitely had his own way of doing things. Could it be that he brought me to his place to figure this out myself and not to get me laid? Could it be that I was judging him wrongly all this time?

Whatever it was, I couldn't let my guard down.

"Why are you letting him go?"

"Who says I am?" his lips curled. "It's just fun to play along sometimes."

Goosebumps covered my arms at his words. This man was scary. As scary as my boss in the other world. Yes, the one I fell in love with.

But why was Andrew suffering for another man's crime?

"Mr. Cyrus, can I ask you a question?"

He nods at me.

"What do you really do? I mean, who are you really?"

He held my eyes for a moment before he looked away again. "Once you know the answer to that Elora, there's no turning back."

"Forget I asked." I almost forgot what I was dealing with here. The moment he tells me his secret, I would be completely woven into his web with no f*****g way to escape.

Not if I wanted to die.