Chapter 65: Making her he’s
"Oh dear, another problem to avoid," Rhea muttered unconsciously.
Draven heard her words and followed her line of sight. He also saw the young man approaching them. The man walked towards Rhea completely ignoring Draven’s presence. A smile broke his thin lips apart, "Rheanna, I knew it was you. You finally ca back." He was extrely stirred up. Even his words sounded stunned. "You ca back to ..."
Rhea forced a tight smile, however, she was internally regretting coming to this event today. If she knew all this would happen, she wouldn’t have co and instead spend her night sleeping peacefully. "Long ti no see, Lord Barlin. I didn’t know you still exist in this city, my Lord."
Lord Barlin’s face slightly turned red just from her words, he straightened his posture. "Yes, it has indeed been awhile. I saw you in the hall earlier, but before I could approach you were sent out, that’s why I ca here to look for you. I hope we can get soti to talk privately, I..."
Rhea cut him off before he finished his statent. Saying, "Well, I’m sorry but I was about to leave. I will talk to you later, my Lord." Rhea forced a smile, then reached out and took Draven’s hand in hers, she deliberately interlocked their fingers together. However, Draven wanted to take back his hand from hers, but she held on tightly and gave him a warning look that says; "I dare you to try to pull away again." Seeing her look, Draven obediently stood still and allowed her to hold his hand.
"Co with , hubby." Rhea said.
"...!" Draven was startled with the way she addressed him, however he remained quiet.
Lord Barlin looked stunned. He look at Rhea’s fingers that were now locked with Draven’s, then his shocked gaze swept over Draven’s handso face. With a slightly trembling voice, he said, "Rheanna, who is this man? Why did you call him..." He couldn’t seem to bring himself to complete the sentence.
"Oh," Rhea causally threw herself on Draven, she put her arm around his waist and side hugged him. She then smiled, "This man is my beloved husband."
Draven’s mouth twitched. He didn’t want to get affected by her words nor how she was hugging him, however his body stiffened at her touch. He wanted to pull away, but Rhea was holding on tightly. She glanced up at him, then smiled through clenched teeth. "Isn’t that right, my love?"
"...!" Lord Barlin was thunderstruck at Rhea’s words. He quickly composed himself and spoke, "You are married...to him?"
Rhea nodded her head. "Yes, I am. If you may please excuse us, we have to return ho." Rhea smiled and pulled Draven away, brushing past the shocked lord Barlin. He was left standing by the window side, his expression looked on in disbelief.
When Rhea and Draven reached their carriage, Rhea let out a breath of relief. "Today really didn’t go as I’ve planned. And that Lord Barlin, how did he recognize
when I’m dressed like this?"
Draven shook of Rhea’s hand from his and wiped away the damp feeling of her palm on his clothes. "Is Lord... whatever one of the n you tricked into becoming gay?" He asked.
Rhea glared at him. "Of course not, he knows I’m a woman."
Draven didn’t have much interest in this lord Barlin as Rhea didn’t seem to be interested in the man, thus he dropped the topic and focused back on the actual reason they were here. "Did you hear anything about the elixirs in the hall?"
Rhea shook her head. "No, none of the noblen ntioned anything about the elixirs, it’s like no one knew anything about it."
Draven pondered this for a mont before saying, "Or maybe they don’t have the powers to know about it?"
Rhea’s expression brightened at his words. According to the ghost, the elixirs were sold to higher-ranking nobles. After a dragon was captured and its essence was extracted. The essence-infused elixirs were imbued with powers, which happened to be Draven’s powers. However, the supply of the elixirs was limited, and even money might not be enough to purchase them. One needed both powers and authority to acquire them.
"Aha!" Rhea exclaid, "Perhaps we can use him to get so information!"
Draven raised an eyebrow, "Who?"
Rhea gestured towards the place they had just left. "Lord Barlin. Don’t underestimate him. His father is a royal official, and his older sister is one of the Emperor’s concubines. His father holds influence over the Emperor and the fire controllers, giving him the authority to approve this business."
Draven’s curiosity was piqued by this, but for a different reasons. "Considering his status and charm, he could have any girl in Birhhan. Why would he be interested in you?"
"Because he was targeted by so gangs, and I used my skills to help him retrieve the stolen gold and returned it to him. So, wait...what did you an by that? What’s wrong with him liking ? I’m a duke’s daughter, and I’m also attractive. You say it as if..."
Draven interrupted her abruptly, "Go and ask him directly for the information then."
"I can’t ask him today after what you did in the hall. I won’t be allowed to enter again. But I’m sure he will co looking for
on his own, so let’s go back now." Rhea finished speaking and waited for a response, but Draven remained silent. When she finally glanced up, she saw him gazing at her with a dazed expression.
Rhea frowned at his intense stare. "Why are you looking at
like that?"
"Oh, nothing," he quickly looked away, a slight smile appearing on his lips. He then murmured softly, too quiet for even Rhea’s sharp ears to hear. "Just admiring a beautiful fool."
After entering the carriage, the pair didn’t take notice of Lord Barlin, who hid behind another carriage with his guard. He glared resentfully as their carriage drove out of sight, refusing to budge.
"My Lord..." whispered his guard, standing beside him. "We should return to the mansion before his lordship starts searching for you."
Lord Barlin remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the path the carriage had taken. He had fallen in love with Rhea at first sight; she was the bravest girl he had ever encountered. She had returned his gold and saved him from his father’s punishnt. Since then, he had sought every opportunity to et her again, and destiny had brought them together at The Den Of Pleasure where she introduced herself to him. However, he had gone back to The Den Of Pleasure everyday just to see her, but at so point, she stopped coming and now that he’d seen her again only to find out she was married.
Impossible! Lord Barlin’s thin lips pressed together. "No way..."
"Pardon , My Lord?"
Lord Barlin ignored his guard and began to pace back and forth beside his carriage with a troubled expression, his mind consud by thoughts of Rhea. "How could she do this to ? After I’ve waited... How could she marry another man?" He whispered to himself.
He stopped abruptly, a fire burning in his eyes. Determination replaced the sadness that had consud him a mont ago. He turned back to his guard and said, "Go ahead without , don’t let my father know I’m not around. I have to be sowhere."
Before his guard could protest, Lord Barlin had turned and walked away. He walked through the dimly lit street, the moonlight filtering through the clouds above. After almost half an hour of walking, he stopped in front of a big, inconspicuous store. The sign above the door read; "Mada Seraphina’s Emporium."
Outside the store were several mysterious n all dressed in black standing guard in the shadows, however they didn’t stop Lord Barlin from entering. He walked into the store. The store was filled with shelves lined with mysterious potions and trinkets. A middle-aged woman, mada Seraphina, stood behind a counter, her eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of mischief.
She noticed lord Barlin and said, "Ah, Lord Barlin. I’ve been expecting you. What brings you to my humble establishnt this evening? Are you here for the forever young elixirs again?" She asked with a sly smile.
Lord Barlin glanced at Mada Seraphina, his eyes filled with desperation. He was a regular buyer of the elixirs as he was just a re human without flas who also desired to stay young forever, however, he wasn’t here for that today.
"I seek sothing else today, mada Seraphina. There’s a girl I love, but I just found out she’s married to another man. I cannot bear to see her with this man, I want to make her mine by force...I want her to forever lust after
like a bitch."
Mada Seraphina raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on her lips. Her establishnt was known among the nobles, because she had different kind of potions, including the most expensive elixirs in the world.
"A strong aphrodisiac potion, my lord? I have just the thing for you. But beware, this one is not like the others. It’s from the dragon realm and it cos with a warning."
Lord Barlin’s eyes narrowed with intrigue. "What do you an?"
Mada Seraphina sighed, "This potion is rare, my lord. It possesses a power that cannot be undone. She will lust after you like a lost puppy. Once consud, its effects are permanent. There is no cure."
Lord Barlin hesitated, his mind filled with conflicting emotions. If Rhea desired him as Mada Seraphina had claid, and if he were to spend a night with her, her husband would be compelled to cast her aside. And when she had nowhere else to turn, she would co to him. In doing so, she would love only him and bear his children. Additionally, his strict father would finally be proud of him for obtaining a wife. With this consideration in mind, Lord Barlin took a deep breath, his decision made.
"I will take it."
Mada Seraphina nodded solemnly, retrieving a small vial from behind the counter. But before she hand it to him, she gave him a last warning, "Make sure once she consus it, you are the first person she locks her eyes with."
Lord Barlin frowned. "What happens if she locks eyes with another man after consuming it?" He asked curiously.
Mada Seraphina laughed. "Then she’ll lust after that person forever."
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