Still clenching my head, I turned toward Priscilla. Her hands were clasped together in prayer, her fingers intertwined with a devotion that made my stomach churn. The dim glow of the fireflies painted a reverent light around her, as if the world itself acknowledged her misplaced faith.
I scowled.
’Iwant to punch that look off her face.’
Controlling my intrusive thoughts, I forced my expression to settle, though the twisted grin that stretched across my lips did little to hide my irritation.
"How long have you all been praying to Skin?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Priscilla’s face twisted in a scowl, her brows knitting together in imdiate disapproval. "Lord Skin," she corrected sharply, as if the title mattered.
I responded with a glare—cold, unyielding, and filled with the kind of malice that could make a seasoned warrior hesitate. She flinched.
"I asked you a question," I repeated, my voice low and deadly. "Just answer it."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. She turned her head away, clearly unwilling to indulge . But eventually, after a long silence, she muttered, "Hundreds of years. Even before I was born."
Hundreds of years...
Yeah, that confird it. This all led back to the King. That immortal bastard. He must have been the one to start this cult, the only one who could withstand the agonizing pain of understanding sothing he was never ant to.
I sighed and turned my attention back to Priscilla, narrowing my eyes. "Look, I know you lied."
She stiffened.
"All that nonsense about ’believing in us’ or ’wanting to believe’—bullshit," I said, crossing my arms. "You were faking it. You never had any faith in us to begin with."
She scoffed, her expression a mix of frustration and confusion. "And what makes you so damn confident about that?" she spat. "Wouldn’t anyone be relieved to find hope in a situation like this?"
I let out a hearty chuckle, shaking my head. "No, actually. Humans are egoistic before they are survivalists."
She blinked.
"They don’t accept help from others when they, themselves, feel powerless. If they can’t do sothing, then no one else should be able to, either. Their pride won’t allow it."
I tilted my head, watching her reaction carefully.
"Your reaction wasn’t one of soone who found hope. It was... too deliberate. Too rehearsed."
The corner of my lips curled into a smirk. I clapped my hands together, the sudden sound echoing through the night, sending the fireflies scattering into the air.
"Bravo," I said, laughing softly. "Your acting was superb. Really, any normal person would have been fooled by your charms." I gestured toward her face. "Especially those cute little eyes."
Her expression cracked for a mont—just a mont. Sothing flickered behind her gaze, sothing real, sothing unspoken.
But I ignored it.
Heaving a heavy sigh, I turned my gaze to the sky, the stars swallowed by the black abyss overhead. My hand reached up as if I could grasp the void itself.
"But trusting soone..." I murmured, "might just be impossible for ."
Priscilla’s lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say sothing.
I didn’t let her.
"Tell sothing," I continued, lowering my hand and fixing her with a cold stare. "Don’t you think sacrificing people is bad?"
Her expression hardened, shifting back to that hollow devotion. Her lips parted, undoubtedly to spew so indoctrinated nonsense.
I sighed and held up a finger before she could speak. "Don’t. Just don’t."
She froze.
"I already know the answer," I said, shaking my head. "Just looking at your face tells everything I need to know."
Again, she tried to speak, her mouth opening slightly—hesitant, uncertain.
I pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her.
"Don’t you dare say another word," I warned, my voice barely above a whisper. "The only reason you’re still breathing is because I promised to save you."
She tensed.
I turned slightly, my gaze drifting to my sleeping rcenaries. They lay sprawled in their respective spots, completely oblivious to the horrors around them. The peaceful rise and fall of their chests almost made laugh.
I exhaled sharply. "I have a lot of work to do." I shifted my gaze back to Priscilla, my smirk returning. "Go. Go trap your next set of victims."
I paused before adding, "Just so you know, your so-called God and King will be dethroned before your next batch arrives."
Her eyes sharpened, malice flashing through them like a blade. She wanted to retaliate, to snap back at , but she knew better. She had spent enough ti with to understand exactly what I was capable of.
She bit her lip and clutched the fabric of her dress, her hands trembling. Then, with a final glare, she turned and walked away.
I watched her go, my crimson eyes trailing her as she disappeared into the darkness.
I followed her for a while, making sure she was truly leaving before doubling back.
By the ti I returned to the pond, the fireflies had multiplied, their glow illuminating the entire field with a srizing golden hue. The multicolored flowers swayed gently, adding even more beauty to the already surreal scene.
For a brief mont, I just stood there, taking it all in.
It was... breathtaking.
Probably the most beautiful place I had ever seen.
But I had no ti to admire it.
Turning my gaze to my sleeping rcenaries, I frowned. I need to hide them.
I didn’t know exactly when the invaders would arrive, but considering Priscilla was the conduit for them, they likely weren’t far behind.
I scanned the area. Besides a few massive boulders and shrubs, the entire field was mostly open plains. Not great for hiding three people.
Except...
I turned toward the massive tree where I had originally rested.
That could work.
Without wasting ti, I crouched down and picked up Mael, hoisting him onto my back. His sword was still dipped in the pond, so I grabbed that too.
Climbing the tree was a challenge with a grown man slumped against , but I managed. I placed him securely on one of the thickest branches before descending.
Next was Flavia. She was lighter, making the climb easier. Another successful placent.
Ben...
I sighed. Ben was a pain in the ass.
His bulk made carrying him significantly harder, but after much difficulty—and nearly dropping him twice—I managed to get him up the tree.
I checked their positions one last ti, ensuring they were well-hidden. They’d be safe here.
Jumping down, I landed soundlessly on the soft grass.
Then, I turned to face the path leading to the pond, my heart thrumming with anticipation.
A grin spread across my face—dark, devilish, and downright demonic.
’This is going to be fun.’
I cracked my neck and stretched my arms, standing dead center in the open.
Ti to get captured...
In style.
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