Do they know I’m a slave?
Maybe if I show the king’s pass, I could get out.
Thinking it’s worth a try, Leni closed the door.
But the moment her hand touched the waist of her dress, her fingers froze.
Where is it?
She checked her back and shook the dress, but the pass her father gave her was nowhere to be found.
The Red Wolf must have taken it while I was asleep.
I’m doomed.
What do I do now?
Drooping her shoulders, Leni straightened her back.
What else could she do?
She had to do something.
Who knows what else might happen here.
Her eyes, now adjusted to the dark, scanned the room and stopped at the window.
If she can’t get permission to leave…
She was standing on the battlement—a height only reachable by climbing the human-made stairs of Sangseong Fortress.
The grass growing sparsely on the ground made it dangerous to just jump down.
Luckily, the fortress walls were adorned with all sorts of decorations.
Vertical angel statues and gargoyles between the spears seemed like something she could hold onto for escape.
She decided to grab the monster’s horn that held the saint’s dress hem.
Leni thought she couldn’t afford to distinguish between angels and demons right now and lifted her head.
A light flickered in the distance.
A tree with wide-spreading branches shimmered in the darkness.
The Tree of Lies.
Leni recalled the tree Kiabel had told her about.
It was dazzling in sunlight, and even at night it was magnificent, its glow mingling with the moonlight so gorgeously it seemed almost seductive.
To be glad to see the Tree of Lies—what a pitiful state.
She barely had time to lament before Princess Kiabel’s words flashed in her mind.
“If you’re in trouble, go to the Tarsewin Shrine.”
She had said to cross the pond after passing the Tree of Lies.
The priestesses and priests were said not to be swayed by palace affairs.
Leni rushed to her bed and grabbed the sheet.
She tied a knot at the end and rolled it up, then returned to the window.
She hung the sheet’s knot on the ring behind the curtain and fixed it in place.
It was a thin sheet but suitable as a rope.
Better than making a big noise by tearing off the curtain.
Shall I go out now?
Leni opened the window but froze at the loud creaking noise.
Ah, that startled me.
Even a small sound echoes at night.
The Red Wolf might be sleeping somewhere in this room.
Holding onto the window, she stopped moving.
She held her breath and listened.
Fortunately, the darkness was quiet.
The only sounds were the wind outside and her tense breathing.
No other movement.
Looks like I’m alone after all.
The Red Wolf must have left the room.
Still, better be careful just in case.
Leni slowly pushed the window.
The sound lessened, but the old window still creaked.
The tight window was like a sentry.
Anyone trying to sneak in would be detected by the noise.
She finally guessed why there was no carpet in this room.
The Red Wolf strengthened security by removing anything that could hide sounds.
“Please, window, have mercy on me,” Leni prayed silently, controlling the strength in her hands.
Calming her urgency, she pushed the window little by little.
Finally, a gap large enough to slip through appeared.
She threw the sheet outside, letting it hang over the fortress wall.
Lifting the hem of her dress, she put her legs on the window frame.
A cool breeze blew in.
Hope breathed into her chest.
There’s no law that says I have to die.
Let’s get out now.
But as soon as she leaned forward, a hand grabbed the back of her neck.
Her heart nearly leapt out.
A rough hand grabbed her shoulder and twisted it.
Her body bent backward, lost balance and hit something hard.
The scent of herbs from the bed drifted over as a deep voice dropped above her head.
“Better not try to run.”
The Red Wolf.
Leni closed her eyes in despair.
I’ve found out.
Now the surveillance will only get worse.
Her chest felt like it was breaking and tears welled up.
“If you promise to behave, I’ll let you go.”
“Y-Yes.”
Leni nodded.
The hand holding her neck loosened and brushed her cheek.
Feeling something sticky on her cheek, she opened her eyes.
Blayden’s fingertips were stained with blood.
“Uh… blood… blood.”
“Shut your mouth.”
Blayden growled coldly.
Outside, the wind swirled sharply.
A crow flapped its wings in the dark sky.
Its black feathers shone ominously in the moonlight.
Blayden, dark and fierce, pulled her into his arms.
“What are you—!”
Leni gasped for breath.
Holding her close, Blayden collapsed to the floor.
His large hand pressed her head against his chest. Leni struggled, trying to lift her face.
“Stay still.”
His warm breath brushed her ear.
“If you want to save your father…”
The image of her collapsed father came to mind, and her strength drained away.
A heavy hand slipped into her hair and pulled out the steel pin behind her ear.
He was taking her weapon.
He wouldn’t be fooled twice.
When rough lips touched the nape of her neck, Leni clenched her teeth.
Blayden trapped her in his arms and twisted his body.
Caught in his large, solid frame as he spun her around, Leni felt dizzy.
Blayden sank deeper into the darkness of the room, tightening his grip on her.
Her chest was crushed, making it hard to breathe.
She struggled with her legs, but it was useless.
Blayden subdued her with ease and pressed his face close to hers.
His rough lips brushed the corner of her mouth and pressed down on her lips.
“Ugh!”
Leni groaned like a scream. Blayden slightly lifted his face.
Rough breaths poured from where his lips had just left.
“Since when have you been awake?”
She couldn’t read Blayden’s eyes shrouded in darkness, but still, Leni felt her bare skin prickling.
“What did you see?”
“Huh?”
Not understanding the question, Leni just mouthed silently.
Blayden grabbed her chin.
“I’m asking what you saw while you were awake.”
“I didn’t see anything. I was just trying to run away.”
As if he didn’t believe her, Blayden’s grip tightened sharply.
“I swear… it’s true.”
Leni pleaded.
She didn’t want anything worse to happen here.
Blayden lowered his face and whispered threateningly,
“Tonight, in this room, you’ve only seen and heard me.”
“Yes, yes, of course. No one else was here.”
Except the servant who brought food.
Except the guards peeking through the door cracks.
“We went to bed together and stayed together all night.”
“Huh?”
Her heart fluttered.
“I have never left this room.”
Her throat tightened with fear.
“When I passed out… what… what happened…”
As if mocking her dreadful imagination, Blayden sneered.
“Have you already forgotten? I don’t have a hobby of playing with limp bodies.”
“Haah.”
A breath of relief escaped.
She was glad, but only for a moment before her body stiffened again.
Before her eyes, those dark, burning pupils glared.
The gloomy, harsh look stole her breath.
“Please let me go.”
Despite her pleading, Blayden did not move.
“Please…”
Leni moved her lips.
In her panic, words spilled out on their own.
“I will keep your secret if you take me to my father.”
“How pathetic.”
“I won’t betray the one who saved me. Tonight, I didn’t see or hear anything in this room. So please, let me go. Let me leave the palace with my father.”
The sharp tip of the steel pin touched her chin.
“Ugh!”
Leni swallowed hard and froze.
The pin, tapping her chin like a warning, moved along the contours of her face.
The touch brushing her skin was slow and dangerous.
If he pressed just a little harder, it would cut her flesh.
“A slave who bargains with their master.”
Leni trembled as she had when threatened with a dagger in the banquet hall.
He must be trying to show her a lesson so she’ll never resist again.
As the pin brushed her earlobe, Leni’s breath hitched in her throat.
“Don’t get too cocky, kid.”
The pin, which had tousled her hair, was pushed down behind her ear.
Blayden whispered as if stabbing a sword in, “Pathetic.”
***
A crow flew low over the dark Quiesa garden.
Flying toward the Tarsewin temple, the crow perched on the windowsill of a corner room on the top floor and fluttered its wings.
The window opened.
The crow flew inside and folded its wings on the flickering candle lit desk.
A pale, slender hand placed a round mirror on the desk.
The crow pecked at the edge of the mirror with its beak.
Reflected on the surface, two figures appeared — Leni and Blayden, embracing and kissing.
Sunlight poured through the window.
Though Leni sensed the presence of the light, she stayed pressed close to the wall, holding her breath.
From the bed behind her came the sound of rustling.
The red wolf had risen.
Rustle rustle.
Clatter clatter.
Splash splash.
Splash splash.
Changing clothes, washing her face, preparing her gear.
There had been sounds of footsteps and a door just a moment ago — perhaps a servant brought water for washing and left.
Guessing the situation from the sounds, Leni hunched her shoulders.
After rolling on the floor together at dawn, Blayden went to bed.
“Try running away again if you want.”
He warned her, then lay down straight and soon fell asleep with calm breaths.
She could not be so carefree.
She stayed curled up in the corner of the room, wide awake all night.
Trembling with anxiety over what else might happen, thinking desperately of ways to escape this damned situation.
That’s right. I’ll run away whenever I can.
I will definitely get out of here.
I’m not a slave.
I am my own master.
The floor creaked as footsteps drew closer.
The scent of herbs reached over her shoulder, then a booted foot lightly kicked her hip.
“Move. I know you’re awake.”