Consciousness gradually returned, and Seraphina slowly opened her eyes.
The same lingering scent of incense filled the air, jolting her fully awake—her plan had been completely shattered!
The next moment, her body protested violently, every inch of her skin feeling as if it had been ruthlessly crushed and then pieced back together, especially the dull ache that persisted in the palm of her left hand.
She struggled to prop herself up with her right hand, her blurred vision focusing on the dark purple silk canopy above her head.
This was obviously not her room, nor, of course, was it Movira’s.
“Awake?” A lazy voice came from the right side, filled with undisguised delight.
Seraphina whipped her head around, but the simple movement made her vision darken and her head spin.
After a brief moment of recovery, she saw Movira reclining on a plush, fur-covered chaise lounge beside her, idly toying with the Night-Luminescent Pearl in her hand.
“Seraphina, it seems you…” Movira dragged out the words, her gaze sweeping over Seraphina’s suddenly tense body.
“Not only wanted to steal the jewels here, but also hoped to slip out of my grasp!”
Seraphina tried to get out of bed but found her wrists and ankles bound to the bedposts with soft silk ribbons, tied just tightly enough to restrain her movements.
The bindings weren’t tight, but they were enough to keep her completely trapped. She bit her lip, a faint flame of humiliation burning in her eyes.
“Let me go.”
Seraphina knew this was probably the most foolish thing to say, but it was a necessary step to break the deadlock.
“Oh? Is this the attitude of a prisoner caught in a failed escape attempt?” Movira chuckled lightly, rising from the chaise lounge.
The hem of her black robe brushed the carpet with a rustle as she paced over to the bedside.
When she bent down, her hair nearly brushed Seraphina’s cheek.
“You promised me once—that if you sold your body to me, I would give you life.”
“Besides, do you know?” Movira’s fingers lightly traced Seraphina’s swollen left palm, causing her to shiver, “what I admire most about you is this: so weak you can’t even hold a door against me, yet you still think you can escape from my grasp.”
Seraphina turned her face away, refusing to meet those night-dark eyes.
The scent wafting from Movira was peculiar and intoxicating, laced with a dangerous allure. It seemed to react with the residual Potion still in her body, making her limbs feel even more weak and limp.
“Don’t be so tense. After all, you’re still stained,” Movira said, emphasizing the word ‘Stain’. “Until I fully cleanse it, I won’t lay a finger on you! And I won’t take you to my room either. But…”
Movira suddenly stood up, her voice quickening unsettlingly. “Since you love running away so much, let’s play a little game!”
She clapped her hands twice, and the bedroom door swung open. Erasia entered carrying a silver tray with three differently colored Potions—crimson red, deep blue, and amber.
“Pick one,” Movira gestured with an inviting motion. “Drink it, and I’ll untie you… and give you a surprise!”
Seraphina glared warily at the Potions. “Is this… poison?”
“Poison? How could it be!” Movira feigned shock, raising her eyebrows. “It’s a reward! After all, Seraphina, you’ve been working so hard; I’d feel bad not giving you a little something!”
Erasia said expressionlessly, “Three Potions. Their effects… are completely random.”
Seraphina’s nails dug into her palm. This was no real choice—it was another carefully designed humiliation. No matter which one she picked, it would only satisfy Movira’s endless cruel whims.
Seeing her hesitate, Movira sighed. “Then I’ll choose for you!” She picked up the amber Potion, gently shaking it so the liquid swayed, leaving a thin film on the glass that shimmered with an eerie glow.
“I heard there’s an interesting game among humans,” Movira said casually, removing the cork. “It’s called ‘Truth’s Mouth.’ If you lie, the device bites off a finger!”
Suddenly, she grabbed Seraphina’s chin and tilted it upward, using her magic to temporarily seize control of her nerves, forcing her mouth open. “Of course, it’s just a childish game. It won’t really bite off fingers, but it paralyzes the brain to make you think it has.”
The icy liquid was poured into Seraphina’s mouth. She couldn’t stop it from going down, the sharp, spicy taste stinging as she swallowed, feeling as if the Potion ignited a fuse inside her.
Movira released her hand, watching her reaction closely, then drew the small knife Seraphina had been hiding at her waist and with a loud “thud,” plunged it into the nearby bedpost, making Seraphina flinch again.
“Now, let’s get serious. The Potion you just drank will make your ears blush whenever you tell a lie!”
Seraphina trembled, glancing at the knife embedded in the post. She had hidden everything so well—had she really been discovered? Feeling the cold gleam emanating from it, Seraphina feared Movira might actually cut off her fingers.
“Now, Princess Regent Seraphina, tell me—do you still want to escape?”
She gritted her teeth, sensing something awakening inside her—not pain, nor weakness, but an unfamiliar, anxiety-inducing restlessness.
Her skin grew exquisitely sensitive; even the thin sheet’s brush made her shudder.
“Not answering?” Movira chuckled. “The side effects should have kicked in by now.”
A sudden wave of heat swept through her body, causing uncontrollable shivering and rapid breathing.
Her hearing sharpened to an extraordinary degree; she could hear the rustling of trees outside, the distant footsteps of patrols, and even… Movira’s steady heartbeat.
“Hm, looks like it’s working!” Movira nodded with satisfaction. “Now you can sense more… interesting things. By the way, if you answer my question, I’ll lift this effect. But if you want to hold out, that’s fine too—the effect wears off in 24 hours.”
Seraphina struggled to catch her breath under Movira’s gaze. The silk ribbons around her wrists suddenly grew coarse, rubbing harshly against her now hypersensitive skin, and the previously tolerable scent in the room quickly became nauseating.
Even her vision sharpened; despite the distance, she could count each of Movira’s long eyelashes—one by one!
The most terrifying thing was how clearly she felt the changes happening inside her body—the parts forcibly altered by the Potion now humming faintly, like larvae about to break free from their cocoons.
“Let me go… please…”