Chapter 137: A Private Message
Cautiously making her way through the labyrinth of paths that would lead her directly to Lord Ivan’s cell, Lucy was forced to come to a halt when one of the guards who stood alert at the main entrance, blocked her path with his dangerously-looking spear. Her almond-shaped eyes moved to meet the sinister glare of the guard that threatened her to wisely back away.
"No servants allowed." He said in a gruff tone, and Lucy candidly took a step back in order to avoid provoking the short-tempered guard. Judging by his glaring eyes, Lucy knew begging her way through would not get him to budge at all. In her years of staying under the roof of the Chevalier Palace, she had met more guards of his kind and knew exactly how to handle them– it was her one little secret that always made it easy for her to get through any small crimes she committed without having to undergo the necessary punishment.
"Why are you still standing here?" The guard’s rude voice had Lucy blinking in surprise. "Return to your duty if you have nothing meaningful to do with your time, little servant!" He warned, eyes glinting with a promise that made Lucy hesitate, but to her whim, she had a much stronger resolve and stubbornly didn’t move from where she stood.
Glancing around quickly to ensure no one was at sight, a sudden sparkle of white light mystifyingly danced around Lucy’s fingertips, and before the guard, who noticed the servant possessed magic powers could react, the white-sparkling light invaded his nostrils in a ticklish manner, forcing him to sneeze out, but when he recollected himself after that harsh sneeze, he was now smiling with ardor, his once glaring eyes gleaming with adoration as he fixed his gaze on Lucy.
"Let me through." Lucy quietly commanded the guard who immediately made way for her to pass as if he had been tranced. Smiling triumphantly to see she still had a grip on her magic, Lucy gave the guard a pat on his shoulder. "Good boy. Now I need you to keep watch and don’t let anyone into this place, not even your fellow guards till I return, Hmm?" Clarifying that part for the guard who obediently nodded, Lucy continued along the path that was now filled with several empty cells on each side, and when she made it to the last one, she successfully found Ivan who was slouching against the stone slab, looking oddly calm with his eyes hooked to a book... or a novel?
Wait.. why does the cover look familiar?
"My Lordship." Whispering his name so she could gain his attention, Ivan’s tremor gaze shifted slightly from the book to the cell door, and his eyebrows creased at the sight of Lucy before shooting up in surprise.
"Lucy?" He sat up properly, closing the book. His eyes instinctively darted towards the only path she would have taken to get here, as if expecting several guards to show up and drag her away since no one was permitted to be here. "How did you come here? You should leave, right now before the guards show up and find you here, it won’t be a funny experience if they do."
"I tend to have my way in dealing with Palace guards." She admitted with a nervous laugh before switching the topic. "I’m not here to impose, I’m here to confirm if Sam is safe... cause Prince Eamon and his brothers are making plans to go find her as we speak." Lucy informed Ivan, sounding worried. "He hinted at something peculiar concerning the missing orb and Samantha, so I thought of letting you know about it first since their plans didn’t feel right to me."