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Chapter 3: Roses and Thorns
The garden was vast, filled with towering hedges, twisted vines, and roses so deep red they almost looked black. The air carried a strange sweetness, almost intoxicating.
Eliott walked a step ahead, his hands clenched tightly in front of him. He still refused to meet Yumi's eyes after her teasing earlier, his freckled cheeks tinged pink.
Yumi sighed, stretching her arms. "So, Eliott, tell me—do you always get flustered this easily, or is it just me?"
"M-My Lord! Please stop saying such things!" he stammered, his ears burning.
Before Yumi could tease him more, a shadow passed over them.
She looked up.
Above the glass balcony, Prince Ren stood, watching. His golden eyes gleamed like molten fire, sharp with something unreadable. He didn't look away even when she met his gaze.
Beside him, Alaric leaned lazily against the railing, a smirk tugging at his lips. His silver hair caught the sunlight, but his mismatched eyes remained dark with amusement.
They were watching her. Studying her.
A strange shiver ran down her spine.
She didn't like it.
Yumi exhaled and turned back to Eliott. "So, are we actually walking somewhere, or is this just your way of avoiding eye contact?"
Eliott jolted, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Ah! The—The fountain! We're going to the fountain!"
She rolled her eyes but followed.
The stone path wound through the garden, deeper into a secluded area where the air grew colder. As they approached, she caught sight of the fountain—an intricate masterpiece of black stone, carved into the shape of two figures entwined in an embrace. Water poured from their open mouths, shimmering under the afternoon light.
It should've been beautiful.
But something about it made her uneasy.
The way their faces twisted in agony. The way the water wasn't clear, but dark—like diluted ink.
"Who are they supposed to be?" Yumi asked, running her fingers over the cold stone.
Eliott hesitated. "The story says they were once lovers."
"Lovers?"
He nodded. "A nobleman and a commoner. They were never meant to be together. The nobleman's family disapproved. So, they were cursed—forced to be statues, forever locked in this moment."
Yumi frowned. A love story turned into a nightmare.
She glanced at the inky water again. Her reflection rippled.
For a second, she thought she saw something else.
A hand, reaching up from the depths.
She jerked back.
A warm breath ghosted against her ear.
"Do you believe in curses, little Lord?"
A chill ran through her as she turned—only to find Alaric standing unnervingly close.
She hadn't even heard him approach.
He tilted his head, smirking. "You look startled."
"You look like a creep sneaking up on people," she shot back, stepping away.
He chuckled, placing a gloved hand over his heart. "Oh, but I only wanted to admire the scenery. You looked so lost in thought."
"Liar."
He grinned wider. "Clever."
Yumi crossed her arms. "And what exactly do you want?"
Alaric's eyes glimmered. "Want?" His voice dipped lower, almost a whisper. "Now, that's an interesting question. But… let's just say I enjoy watching things unravel."
Before she could reply, another presence made itself known.
A gloved hand grabbed her wrist—firm, but not rough.
Ren.
His fingers were warm, yet his golden eyes were ice-cold. "Enough, Alaric."
Alaric sighed dramatically. "Oh, come now, Your Highness. I was only talking."
Ren ignored him. His grip tightened slightly. "You're bleeding."
Yumi blinked, following his gaze.
A thin cut ran across her wrist—from where she had touched the fountain.
When did that happen?
Ren lifted her hand slightly, inspecting it. "Careless."
Yumi frowned. "It's just a scratch."
He didn't respond, just studied the wound as if it meant something more. His thumb brushed against her skin. It was barely a touch, but it sent an odd warmth through her.
Then, without warning, he brought her wrist to his lips.
And kissed it.
A soft, fleeting touch. Gentle. Almost reverent.
Her heart skipped.
Eliott made a strangled noise beside them. "P-Prince Ren!"
Yumi, still caught off guard, managed to stammer, "W - what are you doing ?!"
Ren finally looked up, his expression unreadable.
"Sealing the wound," he murmured, his voice deep and smooth.
There was something unnerving about the way he said it.
She pulled her hand back, cradling it against her chest. "You're weird."
His lips curled into a slight smirk. "And you're still standing in my kingdom."
Tension crackled between them, something unspoken lingering in the air.
Alaric chuckled. "My, my.How blod."
Yumi exhaled sharply. "I need some space. Eliott, walk withme."
Eliott, who had turned bright red from secondhand embarrassment, nodded quickly. "Yes, MyLord!"
As she walked away, she felt both their gazes lingering on her.
One amused.
The other unreadable.
And deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling—
Something here was very, very wrong.
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