Nytherael inhaled deeply. Forcing the trembling from his fingers. He had always been good at playing games and finding cracks in the armour of even the most untouchable figures.

He gathered he can apply the same skills and cunning in dealing with Sseraphis.

With effort, Nytherael swung his legs off the bed and stood. His body protested every movement.

He walked towards the open window and stared out at the moonlit grasslands as his jaw tightened. The air still was flowing freely, and breathing frozen air felt beneath him to a point that he wanted to stop breathing altogether.

He closed the window. Marched back to bed with groaning under his breath complaints and curses.

’If you were going to trap me here, couldn’t you have made an effort with the house, bustard! And you know I hate frozen air, doing this... I shouldn’t call you little truth. Rather, you deserve the title, little villain! How heartless of you, Sseraphis. A serpent through and through!’

As soon as he lay down this time, sleep overcame him, and he drifted off instantly.

Sleep came far too soon. He barely had time to gather himself before serpents entered the house, eyes downcast and voice eerily formal.

"You are to present yourself before Lord Sseraphis at once. When he commands, obey. "

Nytherael forced a lazy grunted that masked the exhaustion clawing at his bones. The bed had been uncomfortable to sleep in, and it took a toll on his pampered body. Every inch of him ached even worse with the additional pangs.

The serpents said nothing. Only stepping aside to lead the way. Nytherael followed, his mind already working.

The previous day, in the trap, had been a brutal lesson. He realized that Sseraphis was not someone he could easily push around without consequences. However, he refused to cower.

If he wanted to survive there, he had to understand Sseraphis. Had to get under his skin in the way Sseraphis had done him.

The serpents led him down an unending path. The deeper they went, the quieter the world around them became. Until, finally they stopped before a set of tall doubt doors of a permanent house near the hills.

"He is waiting." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Nytherael barely had time to brace himself before the doors swung open. A figure stood inside the well lit room with their backs turned to the door.

Their long black hair fell over their white robes. Sunlight caught in the strands and made then gleam like spun gold.

"You didn’t sleep?"

Nytherael blinked at the unexpected statement. His lips twitched, and the voice of the beast sounded nothing like Sseraphis, more similar to the voice that’s been slipping into his head.

"Aw, you worried about me?" He entered, and the doors closed behind him.

The figure turned. His emerald-green eyes swept over Nytherael like a cold wind.

Nytherael’s breath caught. The beast looked awfully familiar, they had met before but he couldn’t quite place where the encounter happened or how they were acquainted.

"Disobedience has consequences," he said softly. "Have you learnt that lesson?"

Nytherael’s jaw clenched. However, he forced himself to chuckle. "Oh, so I heard," he tilted his head, examining the beast some more.

The fast beating of his heart due to coming face to face with him was an indication that he wasn’t safe with the strange beast.

"You want me to obey you? Then,I need something in return."

"You need?" The beast’s expression darkened. A flicker of annoyance crossing his face.

Nytherael nodded. "I need to understand you."

The beast went still. "You don’t need to understand anything," he said coolly. "You need only obey."

Nytherael hummed, stepping even closer. He understood that Sseraphis put that heast there on purpose. There was no reason his vengeful wife thought the beast before him would be torturous to him, and he needed to know why.

"No offence, your Lordship, but I don’t do too well with blind obedience."

The beast’s fingers twitched at his sides. He hadn’t expected Nytherael to still remain so bold in front of him afterall his beast was sealed. He was completely defenceless.

Despite the odds, Nytherael pressed on. He kept his voice light and playful even though his heart hammered as he asked, "Have we met before?"

"..."

"It’s just that you look familiar. I feel like we’ve met before. Well, have we?"

The beast’s fingers curled into the fabric of his robe. His expression remained unreadable, but Nytherael could see the way his body stiffened. A flicker of hidden truths striking his green eyes.

’Sseraphis said he would remember me,’ the beast thought.

"You assume too much, Nytherael," he finally said. His voice was smooth with a dangerous edge beneath it like a hidden blade Nytherael needed to watch out for. "Don’t mistake fear for familiarity. I can hear your heart race."

Nytherael let out a low whistle. "That’s a fancy way of saying that I hit a nerve."

The beast didn’t react to the provocations. He simply turned and walked towards a small ornate table where a steaming pot of tea rested. His movements were slow like a predator luring prey into a false sense of security.

"You are a reckless fox," he commented, pouring himself a cup.

Nytherael smirked for just a second. Dragging his exhausted body towards the table.

The beast glances at him. A knowing look in his eyes as hmif he could smell the lingering fear still clinging to Nytherael’s skin.

"So I have been told."

"And you make no effort to change?" He continued, lifting the teacup to his lips. "That mentality is... curious."

Nytherael crossed his arms. "Glad to know that I’ve picked your interest."

The beast set the teacup down with a soft clink. "You must think yourself clever," he said, "Believing that you can gain an advantage over me with your sharp wits," he lifted his head, his presence suddenly became overwhelming despite his graceful frame. "But, Nytherael, you are playing a game that you do not understand."

Nytherael forced himself to hold ground. The pressure from the beast was crashing him, forcing his knees to weaken.

"Then why don’t you teach me the rules and see whether or not I lose or win."

The beast smiled. "In a game of lies and poisons... there are no losers or winners. It’s just the best liar getting away with a perfectly crafted tale."

Nytherael tool a slow breath. He watched the beast, but he still failed to recall where they had encountered one another.

"You don’t want me dead. If you did, I’d already be a corpse, so why keep me here?"

"That’s a curious question," the beast said. He withdrew the suffocating pressure, allowing Nytherael to breathe. "Come, have some tea. Maybe you’ll be enlightened by it."

"First, tell me your name."

"The ticket to knowing my name is the tea." He said, pouring a cup for Nytherael.

Nytherael treaded with caution. He sat down, took the cup, and brought it close to his nose. He sniffed it, checking for poison.

"You wound me, Nytherael. I would never poison you."

"That is yet to be determined," Nytherael fired back, completely guarded against the strange beast.

"Then let me make this easier."

Nytherael raised his head. His eyes asked the question he didn’t put into words, ’What do you mean?’

"One mouthful of tea for my name," he sweetened the deal.

Nytherael drank a mouthful of the tea and set the cup down. "There. Done. Your turn."

No sooner had he finished speaking that his mind registered the taste of the tea. His eyes went wide with horror.

He recognized the tea. It was his recipe. The scent was altered, but the taste was exactly the same, and one sip was enough for its purpose to take form in a person.

"Memory distortion," he whispered, his heart skittering in panic.

The beast smiled, "I stand on my statement. You truly are a reckless fox."