Chapter 104:She’s back and pissed.
The human exhaled softly. What she was saying was more than absurd.
"Trying to take another dark elf’s possession," he calmly said," you’re playing a dangerous death game."
She smiled. Her lack of concern was evident.
"I always do... it makes stealing them away even sweeter."
She deliberately rose then, adjusting her attire just enough to draw attention without appearing obvious.
Just enough to create a calculative alluring front meant to bring any male to its knees.
The two men followed, one slightly behind while the other drifted further away as he observed the now quiet hall.
They were to act as her support and insurance but if needed they would interfere if things got out of hand.
By the time they reached his table, her expression had softened into something warm and disarming.
"My lord," she greeted gracefully, inclining her body towards Atheline, enough to make her cleavage visible.
Her gaze lingered on him a little too long as she waited for his response.
"My lady."
He didn’t stand or bow, his status didn’t allow it. He only inclined his head slightly before meeting her gaze.
"Forgive the interruptions," she said, her voice smooth, almost intimate, "it seems a shame to let such company remain unspoken."
She stepped closer but not too close, it was enough to begin drawing a line.
"Thank you for your kind consideration my lady but I have no need for company, " Atheline refused directly but politely without looking up at her," I am already spoken for."
’This is annoying, I just want to eat the fucking desserts.’
Her hand touched Lilith’s seat. Atheline pulled it closer to him.
She noticed his aversion and smiled.
’This kind is the best’
That didn’t faze her, it made her even want him more for herself.
She took the best seat opposite Lilith’s. She was now also next to him.
Atheline took a bite of his desert, ignoring her.
She supported her cheek on her hand that rested on the table.
"It looks like you’ve been abandoned. "
Atheline didn’t react immediately. He finished chewing, set her utensils down, and only then did he glance up.
Of course, Atheline had recognised her the moment she got near.
He had seen her among the shifty guests but now, she had tried to take Lilith’s seat beside him.
It irked him.
She was still stubborn despite his clear rejection and took the other one next to him.
’I can already see the misunderstanding and fighting with Lily from a mile away’
Her leg crossed slightly over the other, her posture confident like she couldn’t care about anyone in the world other than herself.
Behind her, the two lingered.
"It must be exhausting, " she murmured, " being placed so neatly at someone’s side."
Her eyes held his, testing his limits.
He didn’t answer, just quietly looked at her.
"I was wondering how long it would take."
"For what?" He responded calmly before he could think.
A small smile remained on her lips.
"For you to breathe," she said lightly, her head tilted slightly, "you don’t seem like someone who enjoys being watched that closely."
’What the hell is wrong with this woman’
Her fingers moved, this time, resting against the table close to his. He pulled his hand back, running it through his hair.
"She keeps you on a short leash," she continued.
’Thats not a lie but...’
Her gaze met his as though searching for some sort of reaction from him, an agreement to her assumptions but Atheline remained expressionless.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, just to give himself space from her.
"You’re making a lot of assumptions."
"Am I?" She said, her voice lowered.
She shifted closer to her chair softly scrapping the wooden floorboards.
A hair fell out of her binding, and she gingerly tucked it back while slightly biting her bottom lip.
Atheline rolled his eyes inwardly.
’I guess I’m still immune to charm’
"I’ve seen this before," she said," power like that... it gets boring. People like you don’t stay quiet forever. She’ll throw you away for the next toy... "
’This is fucking annoying. I’m starting to get angry... let’s just go find Lily.’
"I’ll wait for that day," he calmly responded much to her surprise, and started to prepare to leave.
Her hand moved closer.
"You don’t have to stay, you know."
Her hand moved to rest on his thigh but it never made it. The sound of bone crunching and a screeching scream vibrated through the hall.
Blood spluttered on Atheline’s white robes.
"Have you never been taught not to touch what doesn’t belong to you?"
Her body was flung across the room like a rag doll knocking against the opposite wall. The two men with her, caught her before she could hit the ground
The woman’s surviving hand clawed at her throat as though something had been stuck inside. Tears dripped down her cheeks mixing with the blood.
"You’re back," Atheline greeted with a smile.
Lilith walked towards him and came to a stop a short step away from him.
"Did you let her touch you?" She asked in an almost terrifyingly calm tone despite the background screams.
Atheline closed the distance between them.
"Of course not, I would never let anyone touch me except for you," he calmly responded.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
She turned her attention from him to the nearly choking woman. Her grey skin had turned a sickly shade of blue.
Lilith disappeared before him and appeared next to her. Her foot landed hard on her stomach before the two men could even defend her.
The other guests each looked on but no one stepped forward, teleportation wasn’t a skill learnt by the weak.
"My lady please forgive us, we.." one of her men, the dark elf, tried to plead.
Lilith didn’t even pay attention to him, her anger was still directed at the woman under her.
Her dagger materialised in her hand. The choking feeling in the woman’s voice vanished.
"My lady.... it... it ... wasn’t intentional..." she stammered her remaining hand fumbling.
The regret she was going through at the moment was enough to overwhelm the fact that she had lost her whole arm.
"It wasn’t intentional... to lust after a married man," she said flatly," I could hear the disgusting things you were telling him."
"I apologize..."
That was the only thing she could mumble. The two men with her had eventually retreated after seeing that the situation they were in couldn’t be salvaged.
The dagger sliced through smooth skin, accompanied by cries.
Lilith’s eyes were frighteningly calm as she cut her across the face.
A woman’s weakness, especially for someone like her who seemed to thrive on beauty.
"Don’t dirty yourself," Atheline’s voice came from behind her, when she moved her knife to the next smooth skin.
Lilith stopped and glanced back at him her gaze turning fiery.
"Are you trying to save her life!" She said evenly.
Atheline shook his head. He knelt beside her and touched the hand that held the dagger.
"No... you hold my heart in your hands," he calmly said.
"Then, why are you defending her?"
Her grip tightened around the dagger but she didn’t lower it. The noble woman below her was still immobilised with the horrible bleeding gash across her face.