Chapter 239: Winding Snake
"Princess, don’t come―" Oliver screamed, and Soleia bit her lip so hard to stifle the cry of pain that threatened to emerge when she heard the way his voice got cut off.
In the still of the night, she heard the sick gurgle of blood splashing on the floor. The metallic stench of blood filled the air, and she closed her eyes for a second, mourning Oliver’s death.
He didn’t deserve to die. Soleia clenched her fists, her fingers digging into the skin of her palms. The pain grounded her. She continued to creep closer to Ricard, making sure to keep her footsteps as quiet as possible.
"Oops, guess I overdid it," Ricard said loudly. Soleia could just imagine his nonchalant shrug. "I must say, you are awfully cruel to let this man die in such a way. But I guess this is what makes us a perfect match."
He let out a sigh and raised his voice. "Ready or not, Princess, here I come!"
Soleia hunched further, creeping around the corners. She tried to keep her breathing as quiet as possible, but every tiny step she took seemed to echo in the silence. While etiquette lessons had taught her to walk lightly on her feet, she highly doubted her old tutors had meant for her to use this skill to escape and ambush a murderous prince.
She felt a lot like a mouse trapped in a cage with a cat that was toying with her on purpose. The shadows around her seemed to twist, elongating with her every step. She turned around every few steps, checking for his presence.
Only to find herself face to face with Ricard.
"Found you," Ricard whispered triumphantly, causing her to stumble back.