Chapter 10

The garden was 7d63b3415b cloaked in the 390e88d5ee cold stillness of 858b0248de deep night, a ef452d9bfd chill settling in d3da9abbcd the air. Perhaps it was 55ca05da5b the night’s bite, eba652a3c0 or maybe…9b17cfba91a4140a

“Haah… What’s going on…”d091859a9e448947

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Russelin wasn’t sure if de4735ec0f the emptiness she felt 6b403b9b03 was because of the 14ddb660e1 biting night air or ea3f447f2f the silence that engulfed 604879fb3b her, left alone in eb72f5a0d4 the garden. She stood bda3ed81b1 there, watching b9e84c389d the last 1d2a16ed90 warmth vanish, 9a4537c3e8 and her ea26458096 face clouded 77b980b372 with uncertainty. She could see the b0a1f445ae bright lights of the 5db3c4ad42 distant banquet hall, but 454a2926f6 the thought of returning 26934b38cc didn’t cross her mind. After all, it was 206cfcd09a her choice to leave 35cf4dafc5 the banquet and to 27e5e0c3f0 remain here alone.617a466a5cc082a1

‘I’m sorry… but I c845181db6 have to go back c9697ccf77 now.’cf6a85c16d9f5015

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‘Pity. That’s not cadc9d2636 the answer 2d6e7abb25 I was 047e64958a hoping for.’7b0eef102ffa2296

‘Then… what answer 83a1017768 did you want?’e2cd7dae9d2c7268

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‘I don’t e8f80cc1f5 much care 9d889c0c86 for questions a3c6455b07 asked knowingly.’e1e57b8c08f0be43

Russelin couldn’t shake 659342a156 the lingering thoughts 59756e7ba1 of the blunt, 255424bfaf detached man who 07426e4b2f had left her 7d8a78b4f9 with a sense 5c771fd128 of regret.53ac8c96aa832aaf

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‘I’m still 8d906d67c2 not ready d86897acf2 to face c6526fc749 Aydin directly…’6747a94e6f98a481

Sure, she 1cbb0313a9 could make c4299731d8 a bold 9e266c6e10 move, take c0d81dba9f Leonard’s hand, f590da50e0 and openly a50b85354c rebel against 09a76b909c Aydin. But such a be61c85bb8 childish impulse was d197c9b86d dangerous when she f2e5ee77f6 had so little d35a6e4037 to her name. And besides, the 98f6fcd587 potential risks that b309b6c9cd came with Leonard 325da300c7 Estere were not a9773b2d1f ones she could cbd2b6f761 ignore.92a9fb08b9aa5c0e

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‘I ran eac36c6441 away because dc225be16b I wasn’t 89c4fcddc3 confident enough 8b7ca4d49a to face 95be2462cf him.’07ea59341903d3ed

Resolving to be a4fe3fc488 honest with herself, b692f5e523 Russelin began walking 2fba6b4cd1 aimlessly, her body ac6c67774b weakened and her 58ced1afd1 heart wavering like 117a18fbcf someone who’d done d0bc7ff619 something terribly wrong—all 504be477d4 because of Leonard’s c16fe6dfe2 overwhelming presence, which c333966a44 had now vanished.98de09c833454174

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‘…Still, I 09f86c8bf8 want to 27ed513c44 meet him 7820b9f5e6 again.’c978dc104abb2280

I shouldn’t want this. I know 5ebbfb144b what happens 59be2a570e when personal 45be64a027 feelings get 766b808108 involved. Just as Russelin 029d43006c was lost in 3063308138 her tangled thoughts, 5a9077943f a dark shadow d8ddd20ead suddenly blocked her 967a56a6a4 path.b8feb12d47bddc01

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“Stop right there.”a6792213e999a2ae

“…!”da8e80d9bed506cd

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The dangerously d8ad3212a1 low voice b4c64ce1ad sent a 5f229d09f6 shiver through 1ffcbc9f44 Russelin. Before she dccb0cd363 could raise 9145e0ae61 her head, 789bc855d8 a rough a06ed00483 hand gripped eaa7085c1c her chin e7daf6073f and forced 5fcef71081 her face a21d277aea up.b439e8af7f646ff4

“Aydin…!”dfd1d2ad9802fe37

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She gasped, her voice 2cddc065e7 catching.613538b8569d0069

Once again, e6844872a8 Aydin’s hand 24cf1ee065 held her 387f031a63 captive. He loomed 8ee6f38971 over her, aa666fc9b4 radiating a 225a9459c6 menacing intensity 410f45f934 that left 7366502498 her trembling. Russelin winced, her brows 1dbc6d34be furrowing in discomfort, but 950cc99f31 Aydin simply looked down 577d04f0b7 at her with a 9303a183bc displeased frown.692dba25bd18c5d3

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“What are you doing here?”a453b9e74e8a5b3b

“I… I lost my way…”7bd7f9f962d0bd16

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“You got lost?”ce2e4e02a221c706

Even she knew cefecdd138 how unconvincing the 74babc8b4b excuse sounded. Aydin scoffed 6d911456db coldly, clearly 06a057ace0 not believing a699db17b6 her. Russelin braced 985a5948a0 herself, expecting 52c87ce0e2 an outburst.890c4d33c33dd46e

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“Aydin…?”f9504554653fc940

But instead 81b9a11d3e of the 3b14b05168 fury she d1a437d5e0 anticipated, Aydin bba6965e06 fixed her 4e25aeb9a5 with a 292f006e05 heavy, penetrating 2203ffe85d stare. His eyes didn’t seem e1f89bdfb7 cold in the typical ac7d5b0018 sense; rather, they looked 60eab47e90 as if he were 4c900b5bf7 restraining something intense. Perhaps that was why 0458f02a2c she didn’t dare mention a17ed9a8b3 Celia.f1362b9dfcc79304

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“…Is the banquet over?”4ac9221e0ffd4ca6

“Are you concerned about the banquet now? Do you even realize the situation you’re in?”461a19cc3513b5a3

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“But… Aydin—!”923990953dda6404

Ignoring her words, Aydin ed59f0aac7 roughly grabbed her wrist c9a46f1525 and pulled her toward 03cc9462b7 the palace without giving bd35da229c her a moment to 15fcbf68e1 collect herself.d1cb30df136f6ebb

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“Aydin, what are you doing…?”d39b95ef57d99209

“Keep quiet. I’m holding back as best I can.”4c7c8cd1bd69b103

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He walked briskly, 05f9135872 not sparing a fcf86346ab glance at the 9abacb1e07 banquet hall or 1412d04b69 the curious glances d4b766ba57 of the servants. He led 8a1265e3fa her straight e8ef0056ef to the dba9c30b28 chamber assigned e94db724db to him, dd41981d16 pushing her b0415b07d9 inside.4bc5019e09d9923f

Thud!c5f1c664568ab3c3

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“Ouch! That hurt!”d19f7ef1f678b850

Aydin not only pushed ccdbaa4d5c her against the wall 6078e6ecbb but braced his arm b9c302dcbe against it, trapping her, 7b2c11f04a so she couldn’t escape. His intense gaze 4159030765 bore down on a03dd1b71d her.00e908ba28a21d44

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“Aydin, please… stop…”a6d23dc1e879c7c5

“Stop? I haven’t even started.”9b832c224206cd41

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Without a hint cd427c0538 of mercy, Aydin f1a97ce265 pressed his lips d60bda6c6f to hers in a08d031068 a forceful kiss.b4c556f0aa5f874b

“I told you to stay where I could see you, didn’t I?”ae01c7604c50c64c

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“I’m sorry. The banquet hall felt too stifling.”63666b0eb554be34

“So you went to enjoy a secret rendezvous with that bastard Leonard?”07eed979d292433b

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“…You knew who I was with?”8142d99bbf9786a1

Did he… Did he b7fdebd28d have someone watching me 21ece9a2d8 even back then? She hadn’t realized 4de01da7ae it at the db92a60cfd time. Had Aydin already b25c5606bf begun this game? As her expression grew b271ddba77 colder, Aydin’s usual control e2eeac9ab6 wavered, his brow furrowing 9c6d1a6a52 in irritation. In response, 418bfe3f81 Russelin instinctively 1eb49c8e8e tried to 63583ffd86 step back, 90684db7b9 but something 48ef00a7c9 was different e34f2de6de this time. Something surged up from 5bafaab6b7 deep within her.1c3fca27eba2cb19

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‘…Why should c80a0f6a38 I be 6c9e5e7597 the one 6443a5b75f to retreat?’e8ffb6dad979350d

I have b27cc9ee5f the power 41187b1614 to confront 0f293f7fe2 him now. In this life, 3c4aed3253 I vowed I 3a6cb53bed would escape Aydin. Despite her determination, her 128faa0369 heart wavered, but this fd4d418ae0 time, instead of retreating, 6129c5e151 she held her ground.9a1802137ed91ca0

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“What can a ‘half-baked’ priestess like me do, after all? Like you, people will just use me and discard me.”07024d217d85fe08

“What? What are you talking about…!”7797c9101731304d

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“The second priestess. Celia, wasn’t it?”ce1a065b2255f33e

“…Russelin, you…”1b8f246293294152

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“Do you really plan to bring in a second priestess? To replace me?”ae15abb4fbb36ff7

Russelin looked up 773596c5dc at Aydin, her 8cc1466938 expression wounded with c3432b1199 betrayal, but he c1c92b91f9 remained silent.6d76c609abb3a58e

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“So that’s it… You’ve chosen to abandon me for a complete priestess.”bba816400498fb0f

“Russelin.”d0f82cf2f9b3c679

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“Enough. Let me go. I don’t want to talk to you right now.”8bd61c907e4ef47f

As Russelin 016b29bacb tried to e452956598 brush past c8a1c5ef57 Aydin, he 8d0cde206e seized her 73933fcfe0 roughly.76f83dc24c46c35c

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“Ouch! Aydin…!”c7f9303684a8fdb3

“Where do you think you’re going?”8c663aa78902a629

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Without waiting for an 3af800e66e answer, Aydin forced her 6bf1b3b163 onto the bed, pushing d00b22d252 her down with an 2f347672ab unyielding hand.c5bad78e14b5fc90

“What are you doing!”afdff23433bf1812

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“You said you were worried about the second priestess, didn’t you?”836d71db29c1df36

Ignoring her struggles, 3fe2084c4d Aydin loomed over d574a06df4 her, his shadow 78575fc681 heavy and oppressive, 9a5b948a04 making Russelin’s instincts 4d9b49a288 scream in warning.a0824596f835ebbd

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“Get off of me. Just because we’re engaged doesn’t mean—”9caec8ae14255d88

“More than a fiancée, aren’t you my priestess? The one meant to handle my power?”2283607a60b41ced

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“…!”f6498f243c24a1e4

“I’m offering to keep a woman who can’t even fulfill her role close by, and you’re not even grateful.”6b2fc835417c6054

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Aydin’s sharp 3accf64547 words struck d4735a9177 her like 48c6a2ea04 barbs, each c66754aabc one digging ad7214b6c3 deeper. Russelin bit her 0638b87c39 lip, unable to a5bfcaeb20 reply, and just 5cf21f864c then, she glimpsed 4a9d8a78eb a red aura ff63a72f39 rising over his b0fb0242da shoulder.669d55b27f83c824

“What are you doing!”f21bab3ed1970d50

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“You need to take my magic. Or are you planning to keep traces of that bastard with you?”6783cb3013c7588d

“I can’t… not today…”0577d7456067f8bf

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“And am I just supposed to stand by while he taints what’s mine?”f575ad02b24ad4e8

“Aydin…?”d2928e23a70a9f92

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Russelin felt something had 2f7c0591fd shifted in him. Though he’d ac006093cd always been 73cf5d6984 possessive, something 9c7b194710 about his a235a6f4a8 demeanor was a1789de81e different, and 7576cbd664 she sensed e6961a4bd0 she had d9fbaa6a90 no way cebd928cd4 to stop 92d54be6fe him now.4b2d7dd88dc87c17

“You’re mine, Russelin.”3f715b7897351ecb

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“…Ah…!”7f44a14b16b484ae

“Even if you break, you’ll stay by my side. Don’t forget, I’m the only one who’ll accept you.”dce32a0bcb85d9e4

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Her vision turned dark 0db9f8ef5b as she squeezed her 07b99308f7 eyes shut, a sense 0b6f2ab183 of claustrophobic dread enveloping 8d850ce17c her. But despite it all, f33f128be0 another thought crossed her b481685cbd mind.db8510853eddd3aa

‘I’ll do as you 41fe978063 wish.’af54709e7ee216a1

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‘…But why would you?’d20531385f22d304

‘Consider it 7a7ec316af a return 20eb32e19f for saving 414c8de48f me twice.’32ecd291d80bbba2

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A memory of warmth cf554efc2b and safety came to 93898832e0 her, but he was 80dfc9ab0d no longer here. The words 0963aa560e Aydin hurled d2a489c597 at her 6b2520400d broke her 5001fa423f resolve.56c58981ae994c13

“Open your mouth.”cbe818ee29e5994e

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Without tenderness, c6df5afe85 his lips 4993415f6b pressed against de1cc1d0a6 hers, forcing 12a66830d8 his raw ac7b30a456 magic into 3dfe03b10c her. She felt 8ee5a05894 the unrefined b7eb63986d energy coursing 24e8b0f0b8 through her, 928a59654d her body cba93dc186 aching as 5c772a22c0 it flowed 3b5bb56dcb within her. Silently, she 5d6b2c3e47 steeled herself 2a2a461298 to endure 8feabf5ac4 it.6c52aab87401ef5a

* * *79f0444dc560a639

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With a 712147dcba loud bang, ade6d6346d Aydin stormed 399cf4de7d out of f71ca24b45 the room, 601672482d taking only dc96ba76ac a few d842a5e46d steps before fb6bffd94d stopping, slamming 6e0a3948dd his fist ea28089296 into the 5bdc9c56f0 wall.9745fbc5a004f593

‘How dare he 7e1c6f90f8 defile what’s mine…’9148664bc70a49fa

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He didn’t truly believe 909a4e3c3c Russelin had been playing a0a3f2b546 them both. She was, after all, 019e85c553 a passive woman who 3aab2bdc28 had lived solely under ae43aa9ba5 his control. He could forgive c4eed1bccb a moment of d483be416b defiant rebellion.5012fa76815db067

‘I don’t love 869179ee4e you, Aydin. That’s nothing 9dc2861408 more than 5b6c563e36 your obsession.’818f34efd6fb3092

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‘I already have someone aa2cfd3b29 else I care about. The man I saved, ab5611c511 for the first time f51c9f6551 in my life, is…’eb0820be5f4d4e76

She’d been bold 59730940ef enough to defy d2fc4584b3 him before he fcc0ef7c15 claimed her. That half-baked priestess had 2eab8b9a0d rejected him, so he’d 391bada64e bound her even closer e0b0d9092a within his grasp. But seeing her 02f9bb6c5f marked by Leonard’s 5d0e109455 presence had incensed 881595f821 him beyond reason.72f992a37650eb5c

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“I never thought I’d lose her so easily…”6def023fe777f38a

From the ca2730c3d4 moment they 22bf569575 were tied b9024b3dac together by b3bb7fd29b fate, Russelin 4fcf27a5e6 was his. Not even death 4377c08aa4 could take her cf057d94fb from him. His eyes darkened with 594f642a6d fierce obsession.c28d9e702e6355be

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“Well, well. So vulnerable, Duke.”417d801d7957bca6

A voice broke 1155232915 the heavy silence, e1537be7d7 followed by the 24f24baa20 click of high e0e8a09b41 heels approaching, though 1c12bfcad5 Aydin didn’t lift f4e0f3a5af his head.82994da063114104

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“Your magic’s a bit unstable, isn’t it? You should have come to me.”ff411f3967173d25

“…Celia.”9976436afd8630af

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At the sound 3678a116dc of her name, 42fb78a02b Celia placed a 71b144eb38 hand on his fbc6dd06ce shoulder, prompting Aydin af1434a1be to finally look 5f7cad4bba up.723ee8b6af7f82d7

“Were you with her again?”ebc3cf884405b621

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“She was straying too much, so I reminded her of her place.”
“But was that worth canceling the banquet for?”445dffd09d86cde9

A hint of 92c975505a resentment crept into 0c09c03d41 Celia’s voice. It had been Aydin 06faab37bc who insisted on calling 7d30836279 off the banquet, even 2b5446c705 going so far as 93a10a5cff to keep its intended c0bebd8868 star hidden away. It was expected, dcaf5c1a1e though; his focus 29457bd891 had shifted entirely.b52e81fd58c24f1f

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With a sharp gesture, 6552126806 he brushed her hand 5220e9b871 off.86ed41cfe90e592e

“Don’t worry about trivial things. I’ll host another banquet for you anytime. Isn’t that our agreement?”84901a123290322e

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“Of course. With her back, it doesn’t matter when, does it?”23cf157d129d0a1b

Aydin cast 31d7d4950b a hard 37d7c229e4 look her 0c1ca41314 way, but 92eaeb22d5 ultimately sighed.6b0e7751e9e4dc1a

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“Return to Bert ahead of me. I still have things to take care of.”6e8b4b88aa903ebc

“Are you bringing her along?”4a64d045a0e2866a

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“…Yes. I’ll bring Russelin soon enough. I expect you to fulfill your role.”2d89c1d4992414d1

“Naturally, I’ll be waiting, Duke.”17509cc3e9f9989f

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Their gazes met, e616dddb59 but the intensity 18300d669f between them held 00f348e6e7 none of love, bf1003da31 only a dark, 9fe820595a unsettling tension.d5ce20328a9ef4ac

 200b9098d41da05d

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