In the torture chamber, Daniel lay on his back, chained from all sides. A whole day had passed in this position, and nothing had happened to him. Food was being brought to him regularly, as if he were a docile lamb being fattened for slaughter.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Lara entered carrying breakfast.
Daniel lay relaxed on the bed, watching her. She didn't speak; she simply sat on the bed with the food tray in her lap, holding a spoon, attempting to feed him with her hand. He looked at her as the spoon neared his mouth, her bright green eyes locked on him, waiting for him to take the bite.
Daniel said in a bored, sarcastic tone,
"Come on, Lara. Aren't you going to do something? Torture me, whip me, at least yell. Just make it interesting. You've been feeding me since yesterday, and it's unbearably dull."
Lara's eyes flared with anger, though she said nothing. She simply held the spoon before his mouth, waiting for him to open it.
But Daniel remained motionless, lips tightly sealed. Seconds passed, and nothing changed, further aggravating Lara. She tried to force the spoon into his mouth but failed. Daniel remained defiant, and finally, Lara spoke in a voice laced with fury and threat:
"If you don't open that damned mouth, I'll smash your pretty face so hard, even your mother wouldn't recognize you if she came back from the dead."
A mischievous smile spread on Daniel's lips, though his eyes held nothing but defiance.
"Go ahead, do it—if you dare."
At his words, Lara's expression shifted from suppressed rage to hesitation. She remembered Queen Lina's warning not to harm him—especially not his handsome face. Lina had long dreamed of this day, and now that it had come, she wouldn't allow anyone to ruin it.
Lara lowered the spoon with a quiet sigh, resisting his provocation.
She pondered another method, while Daniel waited for her next move with that
same provoking smile. Suddenly, he felt her sit in his lap.
He was surprised by her boldness, gazing at her beautiful face, her short black hair like the depth of night, and her tempting body glowing with dangerous allure. Her emerald eyes met his violet ones, each daring the other.
Curiosity welled up in Daniel. With the serpent tattoo on his back, he could feel her fluctuating emotions. One of the tattoo's unique powers was reading people's auras—red for anger, black for hatred, white for trust, and so on. Lara's aura glowed a mix of white and red.
She placed the spoon in her mouth and began to chew. Daniel waited.
After a few seconds, she reached out and gripped his jaw tightly, making him cry out in pain. Suddenly, she kissed him, transferring the chewed food from her mouth into his.
She had chosen the perfect moment—by grabbing his jaw, she forced his mouth open, allowing the act to go smoothly and with precise execution.
Some food dripped from Daniel's mouth, but he didn't care. After swallowing, Lara pulled away, licking her lips in victory. Joy sparkled in her eyes—it had been a long time since she'd tasted such delicious lips.
She opened her mouth and said,
"Seems you enjoy eating this way. Don't worry—we still have the whole plate."
Daniel laughed amusedly. He hated boredom, so he didn't mind adding a little excitement to his meals. After all, this was the only time he had company.
They continued in that fashion until he had finished his breakfast.
Afterward, their faces flushed with adrenaline, their eyes speaking with silent desire.
Lara couldn't resist the temptation pouring from Daniel. She leaned in to kiss him not out of duty this time, but pure desire.
They kissed hungrily, their mouths overflowing with saliva. Lara ran her hands over his clothes but wasn't satisfied, so she slipped her hand beneath his shirt, craving the warmth of skin-on-skin.
She felt something pressing against her backside, but she ignored it.
The two remained entangled for several minutes, the friction of their clothes echoing throughout the chamber. When the need for air overtook them, they pulled apart—leaving behind a strange scent in the room.
Lara considered moving to the next step, but suddenly, she heard approaching footsteps outside the door.
She quickly leapt off him, adjusted her clothes, and transformed her expression from flustered and eager to cold and indifferent.
They heard the door creak open. A pair of turquoise-green eyes peered in, instantly sensing the charged atmosphere and that something was off.
Though they managed to conceal it, what about the scent? Could they hide that too?
Lina noticed the strange smell and cast Lara an interrogative glance.
Lara opened her mouth to speak but found no words, closing it again in silence.
Lina stood there, dressed in a red gown adorned with rubies and emeralds to match her eyes. Her snow-white hair cascaded over her shoulders. She asked in an interrogating tone:
"What were you two doing?"
Daniel replied in a playful tone:
"We were bored. So, we did some… entertaining things to pass the time."
A vague answer, open to many interpretations.
Lina's anger flared. She hadn't expected this—especially not from her personal handmaid. She knew Lara wouldn't betray her promise not to touch Daniel, so she turned to her with questioning eyes.
Lara sighed and answered confidently:
"Don't be fooled by his words, my lady. Nothing happened between us. But he refused to eat, so I sat on his lap and fed him by mouth. I couldn't use force, and you forbade me from harming him. Since you're here, may I be excused?"
Lina exhaled with relief and nodded her permission, leaving her alone with Daniel in the room.