“N-No… what’re you saying?” This person called Liam just now and told him that I was a demon! How could I be a demon? I was clearly a vampire magician, but my powers were uncontrollable because of a stupid spell I had used. It wasn’t even my fault!
I was overcome by the emotions in my heart as I continued to stare at this person. The power running through my veins surged when my anxiety reached a certain height. A wave of power went out of my body just like before and hit in the direction of George. At this time, the thoughts were clouded with bloodthirst and murder. I wanted to kill the man in front of me no matter what! Just when I had thought that I would go insane, a familiar suppressing force surrounded me as I felt something tight in my chest. It sent a wave of pain throughout my limbs as I staggered back and fell on my knees, coughing blood.
Everything was silent for a moment as it took my time to recover. But when I did, I froze on the spot. It wasn’t because I had killed again. Although I felt guilty of that, there was something else that made me feel completely surprised!
It was Liam!
He was back!
Even though the situation of his appearance couldn’t be any different, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of warmth and anxiety. I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the person standing before me. His height towered over me as he coldly stared at me with his pursed lips. His brows were furrowed, but he didn’t say a single word.
Seeing this expression on his face, my mood dropped again. Was he angry at me for saying such hateful words? I lowered my eyes and slowly stood up, not knowing what to say.
An awkward silence spread around us as I kept staring on the ground. Should I just make an apology?
Just as I was about to open my mouth, Liam said something that acted like pouring cold water over my heart.
“Save it. I don’t need your apology.” He said coldly as he continued to stare at me.
I closed my lips and stared at him in confusion. I knew Liam must be feeling embarrassed like Olivia said, but he didn’t have to act like this. Why was he so cold as if I was transmigrated to the night we first met? I bit my lips and continued to stand there and waited for what he was saying.
He walked past me and glanced at the dead bodies coldly and then looked at the fainted form of Daleri at a distance before turning toward me. “What should I do with you? Now I feel like you are deliberately killing these people.”
“No!” I defended myself. “They talked about killing Lucy! How could you expect me to stay calm considering my situation?”
“Didn’t you practice controlling your powers?” His voice sounded impatient as he walked inside the forest toward the palace.
Seeing his behavior, even I lost my calm. I snapped. “Why don’t you use that broken spell and get your powers out of control to try controlling yourself again, huh? It’s easy for you to say these things, but have you seen it all from my perspective?! Have you even tried to understand how much I’m suffering!? I don’t want any of this! I’m a victim, but you ke blaming me!”
“Why shouldn’t I blame you?” He stopped and turned toward me, staring at me with his sharp eyes that seemed as dark as an abyss. “You just have to control your emotions! It shouldn’t be that hard!”
“Control my emotions?” I became mad from anger. “Easy for you to say! Try living my life and say the same thing! And what do you even do all day? I don’t even feel like we are married at all!”
He didn’t say anything, but pursed his lips. Turning toward me, he grabbed my hands and dragged me toward the palace. “We’re getting late.”
Late for what? I was confused over this, but my anger didn’t subside. I withdrew my hand and glared at him. “Why’re you acting like this? You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”
He stiffened for a moment before darting a sharp glance at me. “Instead of thinking about these things, try to practice your magic so you can control yourself.” And he left me behind, walking forward at a faster pace.
My eyes narrowed at him. Sure enough. There was something he was still hiding from me. A bitter smile formed on my lips. Perhaps he was still trying to distance himself from me to focus on his absurd idea that he could save me by staying away. Or maybe he was facing a secret affair with Barbara. Otherwise how would you describe his behavior? If I didn’t know the actual story of the hunter’s organization, I’d have doubted him. But I still couldn’t help but a hint of jealousy sprouting in my heart. I didn’t want to think like that since I knew the real face of that woman, but I still couldn’t help it. “Say, Liam, were you having an affair with Barbara?”
This sentence was enough for Liam to break through his control. He snapped back. “What the hell is going on in your head all day? Marrying you was really one of my worst decisions.” After that, he didn’t say anything and went off toward the palace, leaving me stunned.
Tears formed in my eyes. Why was my husband acting like this? He seemed genuinely angry at me. My lower lips quivered at this as I took a few deep breaths to control myself. “I-I’m trying. Can’t you see? It’s just-” At this point, I couldn’t control myself anymore. A sob escaped my lips as I lowered my head. “You’re not here. Who would help me control my emotions? I-I’m constantly living in fear, and even ended up saying those stuoid things that day. I’m really going out of my mind, and I constantly feel like everything is getting out of my control. I even want to kill myself. At least, I’ll live peacefully as a ghost.” Then my voice lowered even more. “I don’t want this.”
Liam froze for a moment. Then his fingers formed a tight fist as knuckles appeared on hands. He seemed like he was controlling himself, but he couldn’t do it anymore. He took a step toward me. Since I had lowered my head, I couldn’t see the expression on his face.
But before he could say anything, I heard the noise of footsteps coming toward us. I looked back and a row of familiar people entered my vision. They were the council members I had met earlier.
I wiped my eyes and watched them closing in on me.
“Crown Princess, you are under arrest under the charge of mass murder.” The man standing in the front spoke in a cold tone. The turned back to gesture something to his men and faced me again. “You have to come with us and stay locked until the court session is held.”
My eyes widened at that. “I-It’s not my fault! I’m being framed!”
“Oh really?” The council member took out his phone and played a video showing my anxious form before the broken spell I had used with Olivia took control of my emotions. I saw in shock as my purple colored power blasted out of me and sent a wave toward Barbara and George. The video stopped there, and the man looked at me with his expressionless face. “I think this evidence is enough to revoke your title and give you a death sentence.”
“No!” I didn’t mean to kill people! I wanted to say something, but as soon as I opened my mouth, I couldn’t voice my thoughts. What was the use saying anything when these people weren’t going to leave me alone?
I watched them heading over to the dead bodies of George and Barbara. He checked their necks and moved over to Daleri, who was lying lifelessly on the ground. That was when I noticed the old lady unconscious. My heartbeat sped up. Did she die as well? Was it because of my power? My eyes filled with tears as I stared at the familiar figure. But before I could choke out of emotions, the man in black stood up after checking and gestured to someone.
“The lady is fine.”
When I heard that, I heaved a sigh in relief, and I felt as if a huge burden was off of my shoulders. But before I could relax completely, the same man walked up to me as their group surrounded me and said, “But you still have to come. You have committed several crimes including murder and identity forgery. From today onwards, your title as the crown princess will be revoked, and you’ll become a wanted criminal in the history of American vampires.”
My mind was going crazy around hearing that. What did he mean as a wanted criminal!? Wasn’t that hunter’s leader supposed to be the first person to get this title? It was all happening because of that hunter’s organization! That damned group even wanted to destroy my personal life. Now look what happened because of that cursed spell. Me and my husband hadn’t reconcoiled yet!
The anger in my heart rose exponentially as I glared at the person standing before me. “You guys really have no shame, do you? It’s so easy for you people to just blame anyone and be done with it! Why don’t you try and learn something from humans? At least, they do justice to poor victims like us. But you!” My hands formed a fist in anger as if I could attack any minute. “You guys are so shameless. Everyone knows who the real criminal is! But no one wants to pursue them.”
After venting, I calmed down and refused to meet their eyes. I was so angry that my whole face was red.
“Take her away.” The man silently said as some people grabbed my arms, taking me toward the direction of the palace. We slowly went ahead without looking back as a few people started cleaning the mess around the lake.
Once I calmed down, my mind started creating plans again. I wanted to get out of here! Otherwise, these people wouldn’t waste a minute before killing me! I licked my lips as I stared at Liam’s back. He walked a few feet away from me, so I couldn’t see his expressions. But I knew he wouldn’t let me die just because we had a dispute. I had full confidence that this person would do everything in his power to save me.
Thinking like this, I followed behind naively. I had first thought that my husband would save me before we could even reach the car outside the palace. But he did nothing, and ignored my presence. He didn’t even sneak a glance at me!
This action made me feel confused. Cold water seemed to be poured in my heart, breaking it apart piece by piece. Why wasn’t he looking at me? Wasn’t he the one who would always save me from difficult situations? Then why would he stay silent?
I parted my lips to ask these things, but nothing came out. People around me were still keeping an eye on me, staring at me as if I was a prey and they were an eagle.
As we walked closer to the car, my heartbeat sped. What should I do? I knew once I would go in these council member’s clutches, I wouldn’t be able to come back alive. How would my grandpa and sister handle such news? Thinking of them, my eyes teared up. But the thought of Lucy calmed me down. She would be free from now on.
Outside the palace, there were two cars standing one after another on the roadside. When we reached, Liam walked away and opened the door to the second and sat without saying a word.
My eyes flashed in disappointment. He didn’t save me. A bitter smile formed on my lips. Of course, why would he? What did I do to deserve his love?
I bit my lips to keep myself crying aloud as I sat inside the car followed by the council members. I thought my husband would never turn his back to me, but when this actually happened, I couldn’t help but feel a stabbing pain in my heart.
All those talks, promises, and nights we spent, was that all for naught? He didn’t love me at all, did he? He perhaps only married me because I had suddenly become a strange species that could help him rule. Why did I ever think that he would love me I conditionally?
Tears dropped on my cheeks as my lower lips quivered. Did that mean all those times when he had expressed his love was fake? Thinking of this, a strange feeling rose in my heart. It almost felt like I was falling deep in an abyss and no one was there to hold me. I used to think even if no one stayed by my side, it would be fine if I had Liam. I would stay with him forever.
But who knew that the reality was so bitter that I couldn’t even find myself to breathe?
Soon, anxiety rose in my heart seeing this situation. But this time, I didn’t have any desire to calm myself. I was in a trance as tears spilled from the corner of my eyes. I continued to stare at the distance calmly. It wasn’t until I felt a wave of energy bursting out of me that I came back to myself and realized what I had done. I had gone out of control again. Perhaps if I die today, it would be better. I couldn’t face my gramps and Lucy in such a devastating state anyway. And even Liam had turned his back to me. What was the point of living in this world anymore? Maybe I should just let them take me away and kill me.
Just as I was thinking like this, I felt an unfamiliar suppressing energy coming onto me as it attacked my body. The power made me feel as if someone had grasped my throat tightly, and I could only struggle to remove the person’s hand. But there was no hand on my neck at all!
But unfortunately, I couldn’t voice out my thoughts. I could only struggle to sit and look up at the person who had just appeared. Was it a friend, or a for? I couldn’t tell because I lost my consciousness.