Garden Of Poison-Chapter 249: She’s off limits

Emily watched as Raylen meticulously wiped the last spot on the back of her hand, his movements precise and focused. Once he was satisfied with the cleaning, he casually tossed his handkerchief aside.

Raylen murmured, "Much better now." He lifted his gaze, locking it onto her hazel brown eyes. "Now," he added with a playful tone, "where is my gift?"

"I haven’t even offered you my wishes yet," Emily reminded him, to which he responded with a nod.

Raylen’s smile widened, his eyes crinkling warmly at the corners as he remarked, "Well, there’s no need to wait any longer then, is there?"

Emily couldn’t help but note the stark difference in his demeanour compared to their earlier encounter in the hall when she had stopped him to speak. With his attention completely on her, she cleared her throat while he patiently awaited her words.

"Happy birthday, Raylen," Emily wished him, and she noticed a frown forming on Raylen’s face.

"Is that all?" He feigned disappointment, which concerned the princess.

"There’s more," Emily said, her lips pursing as she observed the archdemon eagerly anticipating her next words, which made him appear harmless. She continued, "May this birthday fulfil the desires of your heart—the things you’ve longed for. Even during moments of doubt about your existence, know that there are many who are grateful for your presence in their lives."

Raylen gazed at her with his bright blue eyes, hearing the unspoken sentiments in her words. Breaking the silence, he said with a hint of mischief, "I have been waiting for a kiss, Princess."

Emily’s cheeks flushed with a delicate shade of pink, and she said, "Wishes aren’t meant to be revealed. Keep it to yourself."

She turned as if to admire the different bottles on display, but in reality, she was attempting to compose her expression. She heard him click his tongue and say,

"How rude, Princess, to offer a birthday wish with such sincerity and then deny my own. Not to mention, allowing another man to have his lips linger on you on my birthday. I must say, I’m feeling quite wounded."

"You’ve already disinfected my hand as if I will catch something," Emily replied before turning back to look into his eyes.

Raylen tilted his head slightly, a playful glint in his eyes. "I don’t think you can catch something you have already caught."

Emily’s brows knitted together, and she asked, "What?"

"Feelings for me," Raylen said, his smile taking on a wicked edge at the sight of Emily’s cheeks flushing with even more colour.

Emily found herself momentarily at a loss for words, her response dissolving on her tongue. "That’s so—"

"Buttery? Because it was smooth," Raylen interjected with a grin.

Emily shot him a pointed look. "You’re particularly cheeky today," she observed, even though Raylen had always been cheeky. Today, however, it seemed more pronounced. Since it was his birthday, she decided not to retort back, as birthdays were meant to make one feel special.

She slipped her hand in her dress pocket and pulled out a box wrapped in blue paper with a red ribbon elegantly tied around it. She extended it towards him before saying, "I hope you like it."

"I doubt there’s anything you could give me that I wouldn’t appreciate," Raylen said, his eyes filled with evident curiosity as he took the small present from her. He playfully shook the box next to his ear, prolonging the suspense, a smile tugging at his lips. "Something that shakes." He glanced at her, noticing she was more excited than him at this moment, and he pulled at the ribbon.

Emily watched as Raylen unwrapped the gift, and once he opened it, he pulled out a wooden box from within.

Yesterday, when Emily and Lauren had been in the late Storm Queen’s room, she asked the head servant,

’Is there anything Raylen dislikes?’ so that she wouldn’t pick an inappropriate gift for him.

Lauren stared at her for a good two seconds before answering, ’Earthlings. Not you, of course, Princess. It’s because of how fickle the earthlings are with their loyalties, which has caused him considerable pain. People who were by his side one day stood against him the next. After that unfortunate night, he had trouble sleeping for months.’

’People are fickle,’ Emily agreed because she had seen the same happen in Versailles.

In the present, Emily observed as Raylen slid the top of the box aside and found a lever on the side. She said, "I had a piece of music placed inside that you often enjoy playing. It will keep you company." Especially when you need to sleep, she thought.

Raylen’s thumb gently ran across the wood, and he smiled. "A music box. I will treasure it."

Emily knew that Raylen had almost everything he desired, so she tried to find him something unique. She explained, "I noticed you didn’t have one."

"What a keen eye you have, Princess," Raylen replied, his voice carrying a warm sincerity. "I like it very much. Thank you."

He wound the lever of the music box, and before long, it began to unwind while playing a tune. He murmured, "You seem to have memorised it quite well. And so quickly."

Emily noticed how Raylen wasn’t merely expressing it as words; he genuinely meant it. There was a faint smile on his lips as he seemed to enjoy the gift while his gaze remained fixed on it. His red, dishevelled hair fell over his forehead, and his strong jawline was angled at the chin. In that moment, her heart skipped a beat, and it was enough to tear his gaze away from the music box to look at her.

"What caused that?" Raylen asked as the melody continued to play.

"Nothing," Emily replied, wondering why the music hadn’t concealed her erratic heartbeat.

"Someone is being naughty," he hummed, his blue eyes locked onto hers. A playful glint shone in his eyes as he slightly narrowed them in her direction.

"You are the only naughty person in the room," Emily quickly replied, averting her eyes. She then reached into her other pocket and handed him the flask that she had been keeping safe. "Migdre delivered it a while ago."

Raylen slipped the music box into his coat pocket and then took the flask, examining it closely. He remarked, "I didn’t expect the imp to successfully steal it from Viktor so soon. This is good." With a swift motion, he removed the cork from the flask and proceeded to draw something in the air. Emily watched as he created a circle of fire, adding a pentagram within it.

Emily observed as the liquid from the flask began to rise before forming into a mass of spheres that floated towards the fiery midair symbol. Soon, the liquid began to evaporate. Raylen touched the fire with one hand and then used his other hand to extinguish it in a clap, which was also when she felt a gust of wind blowing past her, as if moving out of the room.

"There. It is only a matter of time before the Potion of Caution spreads throughout the Storm Kingdom. Disguises and mischief won’t remain hidden," Raylen let her know.

"Do you think he will come today?" Emily inquired with evident worry. The man who had instilled fear in her since childhood was nearby.

"We don’t know that for sure, but if he does, he will be wearing a mask," Raylen suggested the possibility, wanting to see how daring this person was. An error had occurred in the past, but that didn’t mean he would allow anything to happen under his watch. "I will keep an eye on you and your mother."

Emily was aware that security had already been significantly strengthened, and there was no way for anyone who entered to leave that easily. However, the mere thought of the man who wanted to kill her being around unnerved her.

"Hey," Raylen called out to her, noticing her lost in her thoughts. "I won’t let anything happen to you. If he knows that I’ve got your back, he would be smart not to set foot here. And from what I deduce, he knows me."

There had been a time in the past when Raylen believed himself to be an ordinary earthling like everyone else, and this misconception had also led others to believe that he was harmless, until he was framed. The man must not have realised the depth of his vengefulness until he had systematically killed everyone who had taken part in his witch hunt.

"I have something for you," Raylen said, and he pulled something out from his pocket.

"You are not supposed to be the one giving gifts," Emily whispered just before something dropped from his hand.

It was a dainty-looking silver chain, and at the end dangled a pendant shaped like a coin. As the pendant twirled and gradually stilled, Emily’s gaze was drawn to the striking red stone embedded in it. However, it wasn’t the stone itself, but what lay inside it that caught her attention.

Inside the pendant, there was a snowflake.

"Well, since you’re not giving me the gifts I desire, I figured I might as well give you something," Raylen playfully complained. He continued, "It took quite a few tricks to preserve this snowflake, and I didn’t want to part with it. It is the first snowflake you ever caught."

Emily’s eyes widened in astonishment at his words, rendering her speechless as she stared at the pendant. Butterflies fluttered in her chest, and she couldn’t believe the level of detail he had put into crafting this gift. She murmured, "I suddenly feel like my gift is underwhelming now."

"Had you given me a rock, I would have treasured it just the same," Raylen stated with a warm smile.

"That’s not making me feel better," Emily muttered quietly. It wasn’t her birthday, and he had managed to outdo her gift.

When Lauren had hinted about Raylen getting her a necklace, Emily had believed it would be something from one of the upscale shops. Her eyes lowered, and seeing her looking bothered, the archdemon said,

"You shouldn’t be troubled. I already received some of my gifts." This gained Emily’s attention, and she lifted her gaze to meet his. He continued, "The thoughtful music box. The heartbeats that skipped for my sake." Leaning closer to her, he added, "And your breath that I seem to have stolen. They are all mine to keep."

Why were this man’s words so effortlessly smooth?! Emily asked as her heart shuddered in response.

"Turn around so that I can see how it looks," Raylen requested, his words gentle and ever-patient.

The chain she typically wore came off, soon to be replaced by the chain Raylen had made for her. Her hand reached for the pendant, feeling its coolness. Her first snowflake. When she turned back to him, he hummed in approval.

"Not bad," Raylen commented.

"Thank you for this," Emily murmured, her heart touched by his words and gestures. No one had ever put so much thought into a gift for her, and he had gone above and beyond.

"We should get ready for the ball. Why don’t you go on ahead?" Raylen suggested with a smile, and Emily nodded in agreement.

The Hallow Ball was set to begin shortly. Emily walked towards the exit of the cellar, but when she reached it, she paused. Turning back, she caught Raylen gazing at her. She said, "Happy birthday again... Ray."

A slow smile spread across Raylen’s lips as he watched her quickly walk away, her footsteps echoing softly before fading away. He murmured, "Stealing glances like that is going to get you into trouble, sweetheart."

Emily walked quickly, her feet carrying her out of there as swiftly as possible, so that her heartbeat would be concealed by the music filling the corridors of the castle’s ground floor. Her cheeks felt warm.

"Princess Emily," Lauren called out upon catching sight of her, and she walked towards her before offering a respectful bow. "I was told you might need my assistance in getting ready."

Emily did need Lauren’s assistance, as she didn’t have a maid of her own, and requesting her mother’s maid was nothing short of inviting her mother to come watch her dress. And right now, she had no desire to summon her mother, not with her cheeks burning and her heart still fluttering.

"Yes, that would be helpful. But are the preparations here completed?" Emily inquired, aware that Lauren was frequently sought out by the other maids.

"Everything has been taken care of, and Westley will be here to take over my duties," Lauren replied with a polite smile directed at the princess. "I believe he will be able to manage fine for an hour."

Emily nodded, and together they walked up the stairs, heading to her room.

"Are you feeling alright, Princess Emily?" Lauren inquired, concerned, as she noticed Emily fanning her face, which was odd, especially considering the cold weather, for the princess to feel hot.

"I—uh, yes," Emily replied with a reassuring smile to let her know she was well and everything was normal. "I am fine."

The head servant’s eyes fell on Emily’s chain, something she had seen a couple of days ago when her master was fiddling with the stone. It appeared to have turned out quite nicely, she thought to herself.

Noticing the princess’ slight anxiety, Lauren poured a glass of water from a jug and handed it to the princess. "Drink this, milady. I will bring the dress from the wardrobe."

Emily took the glass and drank it in its entirety before taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. The fluttering butterflies in her stomach persisted, and she could feel a sprinkle of eagerness and nervousness within her.

When it was time for Emily to dress, she stepped out of the dress she had been wearing until now and slipped into the red gown that had been tailored by Mr. Hatt. However, as she was in the process of putting it on, she faced her back to the head servant, who assisted her in pulling the gown down. And maybe, if she had turned around or if the head servant had positioned herself in front, they might have noticed the root-like markings on her skin turning darker.

Emily’s dark blonde hair was elegantly pinned at the sides, allowing her beautiful locks to cascade down her back.

Lauren pulled out the makeup that she had brought and applied it minimally to the princess’s face, as the young woman had enough colour on her cheeks. Standing in front of the mirror, Emily patiently waited as the demoness wrapped the soft wine-red fabric around her waist, fashioning it into a bow that adorned the back of her gown.

"You look beautiful, Princess Emily," Lauren complimented her. "The colour is exquisite and complements you."

Emily smiled, looking at her reflection and then at Lauren. "Thank you for helping me today."

"You are very welcome, dear. I should go check on the others now. Please excuse me," Lauren said, casting a final glance at the young woman. Undoubtedly, many would be drawn to look at her during the event.

Once Lauren met Westley, she looked around and behind her before inquiring, "Where is Master?"

"In the drawing room, talking to someone," Westley replied before giving her a subtle look.

"I think it would be wise to serve him some blood," Lauren said in a low voice before tending to one of the guests who appeared to need her assistance.

"More blood," Westley murmured before turning around and walking away.

As the sun dipped over the horizon, candles were lit, and the torches lining the walls were ignited, casting a golden glow throughout the castle. The music swelled in volume, and a continuous stream of guests poured in to attend the grand ball being hosted by the King on his birthday.

The men were dressed in their expensive suits and crisp shirts, while the women outshone them in a variety of colourful dresses, each more radiant than the last. The guests were of high social standing, and each one appeared more stunning than the one next to them, even though some of them were adorned with masquerade masks.

As Emily arrived at the entrance of the ballroom, numerous heads turned to look at her. The trailing hem of her dress gracefully swept across the floor as she walked, and people were still attempting to discern her identity. She wore a golden mask that covered only her eyes, leaving her delicate lower face painted in a rosy hue visible for all to see.

"Is that the Princess?" someone asked.

"She looks delightful, doesn’t she?" another remarked, receiving several nods in agreement.

When Maverick Baldwin noticed Emily standing by herself, he was about to make his way towards her when another man stopped him, saying, "What are you doing?"

Maverick frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

"You are approaching the Princess, yes? Don’t you know?" the man questioned in a lowered voice. "If you want to keep your head and limbs intact, turn around and find someone else."

Maverick rolled his eyes and said, "Her family and mine are close friends. If things go well, we will—"

"It won’t. Definitely not," the man interrupted, much to Maverick’s annoyance.

"Aren’t you a rude man? You should mind your own thoughts and business," Maverick retorted, wondering if the man was already drunk, considering he was holding an empty glass. But before he could leave, the man blurted out,

"The King has his sights on her." The man chuckled before departing, leaving Maverick confused.

When did this happen? Because, from what he had heard from his parents and Lady Sophia, they were trying to bring him and the princess together. Was it merely a rumour? He decided to seek Lady Sophia out to verify the information.

"I am glad to see you here, Lily. Mr. Hurbert has fallen ill and needed to rest," Janelle informed Emily as she approached her side.

"I hope he feels better soon," Emily replied before adding, "I am happy you are here too. Mother has been trying to set me up with eligible men."

"Hasn’t she received word of King Raylen’s interest in you?" Janelle inquired, leaning towards Emily.

"Thankfully, no," Emily replied, relieved, because she suspected she would be forced to hear her mother’s list of cautions regarding Raylen. "I love your green dress," she remarked, and in response, Janelle twirled to show the deep V at the back of her gown. "Stunning."

"I didn’t think I would ever see you in red. Mr. Hatt did a good job." Janelle nodded in appreciation as the wrap around Emily’s waist accentuated her figure. "I won’t compliment you, though. I am sure you will be tired of them by the night’s end."

Emily smiled at her friend’s words before her eyes searched the room. However, she didn’t spot Raylen from where she stood.

As they stood there, chatting amongst themselves like the others, the room suddenly fell silent when Raylen made his entrance. He was adorned with a silver mask, and his attire was entirely black. He wore his signature smile as his blue eyes scanned the crowd.

"Hail, King Raylen!" the guests proclaimed loudly in unison, offering their deepest bows, and Emily followed suit, lowering her head before raising it.

Emily observed as Raylen was once again swarmed by the guests, their eyes occasionally meeting even though they stood at a considerable distance. When a hurricane of emotions began to churn in her chest, she quickly looked away to focus on her friend instead.

"Milady." A man whom Emily was not familiar with appeared before her. "It would be an honour if you would agree to dance with me."

Some of the couples had already begun to take to the dance floor, accompanied by the music of the violin and piano playing in the corner of the ballroom. Truthfully, Emily wasn’t planning on dancing with anyone, given the looming presence of the murderer, who could appear at any moment. Before she could decline the invitation, Raylen interjected, saying,

"Pardon the Princess, but she has already promised to dance with me." He strolled to where they were standing with a polite smile plastered on his face.

Janelle leaned in towards Emily and whispered, "Wow. I never thought I would see the King being possessive. I will go look for some food. Good luck," and she departed before the man did.

"Forgive me, King Raylen," the man apologised before offering a respectful bow and making his exit.

"I don’t recall making the promise you mentioned to the man," Emily said while looking at the people around them, some of whom were observing their exchange.

"Is that so? It must be because it was one of my unspoken wishes. I kept it a secret, but you made me reveal it," Raylen stated, his eyes, unlike hers, fixed unwaveringly on her. He drank in every detail of her appearance, finding it impossible to tear his eyes off of her. He remarked, "You are breathtaking, Emily Blackthorn."

Emily’s heart skipped a beat again, and her eyes moved to look into his piercing blue eyes.

She would have complimented the handsome archdemon, who was certainly living up to his devilish appearance, but she saw him raise his hand before her.

"Would you do me the honour?" Raylen asked, his eyes locked onto hers.

With her heart racing, Emily placed her hand in his. She saw him enclasp his hand around hers. Just before they walked towards the dance floor, he bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.