Alicia knew that it was too late for her to dodge the attack, nor had she any strength left to do anything to save herself. But as the bullet-like blade travelled towards her, she did not flinch nor close her eyes because strangely, despite her hopeless situation, there was no fear of death that came rushing to her.
And then, just as the blade was about to reach her, it was stopped. The tip of the blade barely missed cutting into Alicia's face as though someone had caught it with their bare hand.
Alicia's gaze travelled from the bleeding hand right in front of her face that was holding the blade to the person's face and she sagged back in relief. Her weakness and the wound she suffered from the witch she had just killed seemed to suck whatever remaining strength left that she just slumped over. However, before she could crumple to the ground, she was held up by strong arms.
The witches were shocked as they watched Zeres holding the woman.
"My King…" Someone spoke, pulling Zeres' attention towards them. Everyone was silenced at the sight of Zeres' eyes as his gaze swept over them. His gaze was frightening in their intensity, causing everyone to subconsciously flinch back at the sheer amount of power radiating out from him. What's going on? Did they do something wrong?
This was the first time the witches saw such intensity in the silver-haired witch's eyes. It was as if he was preparing to slaughter them all at that moment, had the woman got killed before he came right in the nick of time.
In the midst of the witches' fear and confusion, Zeres lifted the woman and turned his back from them.
"I'll take this woman." Was all he said before disappearing along with the woman from the altar.
"Wha… what was that?"
"I don't know. I thought we were done for." The witches around the altar mumbled to each other.
"Yeah. It looked like he was almost on the verge of killing us." One witch commented as the rest felt the tremors from that powerful aura still wrecking their bodies.
"Could it be because of that woman?" another witch hazarded a guess.
"Seems like it. Do you think he's in love with that woman?"
"Perhaps, or it might be because that woman looked exactly like queen Alicia?"
The mad male witch from the back butted in. "Silence! Go take another one from the cell now. We don't have any more time to waste!" he barked out his orders and one of them immediately moved out of the circle while another dragged the dead male witch' body away from the altar.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Zeres growled as he gently put Alicia down on a couch as soon as they materialized inside a dark room lit up with candles. His tone greatly contrasted with the way he was handling her.
Alicia forced her eyes to open and when she finally looked up at Zeres' face, she felt her chest constrict as her heart was heavy and sad, all due to how different he looked right now. His bright silver eyes were cold, and he felt like a different person. Dark fury sharpened the lines on his face as he looked at her wounds.
"Damn!!" he cursed as he ripped her clothes until the huge wound that extended from her shoulder all the way to her collarbones was bared to his view and fully uncovered.
Without wasting a moment, he placed his hands over her wounds and greenish powerful lights immediately cloaked her. The wounds on her shoulder started to heal, and the one on her face was gone in seconds.
While he was busy healing her, Alicia did not take her eyes off him even for a second. His hair was shimmering bright like the moonlight, but somehow, he did not come across as an angel of light anymore like how he used to be. He seemed more like the frost king of darkness now.
"Zeres…" she uttered once she felt a little strength coming back to her.
He met her gaze and his silver eyes glittered like a rare jewel from the necklace of an ancient evil empress.
Alicia was momentarily distracted by the comparison in her mind, and she could not speak. She just felt that this just was not the Zeres she knew anymore.
He did not say anything. The moment the healing was completed, he abruptly pulled away when he saw Alicia's hand reached out to him.
The next second, he disappeared from her sight.
"Wait!" Alicia yelled as she frantically clambered off the couch. But her knees gave out and she was forced to sit still to allow her legs to regain their strength as well as to gain her bearings.
To her relief, he appeared again, holding a clean set of clothes in his hands. He threw the clothes onto the empty couch next to her as he turned his back.
"Get change and leave. NOW." He snapped at her; his cold voice still cloaked with quiet rage.
Staring at his back and the clothes, Alicia finally realized that the clothes she was wearing were ripped beyond help. She grabbed her ripped and bloodied collar of her top and held them together with her hands to cover her exposed skin.
"I'm not leaving." She answered stubbornly. The determination in her voice seemed to rile him up and he whipped his head towards her, a threatening gaze exploding in his cold eyes.
"You will leave after you get changed, Alicia!" his voice brooked no arguments, his fists and face becoming so taut. He looked like he was ready to explode in rage.
"No. I am here to speak with you. I will not leave, even if you drag me out."
He gritted his teeth and raked his silver hair before a short quiet laugh escaped his lips. It was a really scary laugher; Alicia couldn't help but feel shivers even though she was not scared of him.
Suddenly, he was looming over her, his hands against the back of the couch behind her as he looked down at her. A low and threatening voice came from his throat. "Listen to me and get changed now, or else I'll strip you myself and dress you up."
Alicia could not help but stiffen at his threat. She was powerless right now and the coldness in his eyes made her heart cower a little. However, she steeled herself and did not show him any fear. For some reason, Alicia felt like he was going to order someone to drag her out and return her to her comrades once she was done getting changed. She just knew that this man would never throw her out or let anyone see her wearing ripped clothes.
"You wouldn't do that." She retorted, looking at him without any hint of doubt.
He went still for a long while, just staring back at her. Until a predatory gleam swiftly lit his eyes, and he pinned her down on the couch.
___
A/N: Thank you so much for your patience and understanding guys. I'm still not fully recovered but getting better.
