Garden Of Poison-Chapter 273: The Former maid

Emily gazed at the cloudy sky’s ceiling while lying beside Raylen. Her breathing had returned to its normal rhythm, just as her body had settled from the high it had experienced earlier with her soulmate. She said softly,

"I can’t believe we are naked in the middle of the forest."

Raylen’s lips curled into a tender smile, and he replied, "Does it feel strange?"

"Strangely... it feels liberating," Emily admitted to him. Besides, Raylen had constructed a barrier around their surroundings to keep any possible prying eyes away from them. When a faint mist escaped from her lips, Raylen caught sight of it and said,

"Let us head back to the castle." He sat up, and so did she. Being the first one to stand up, Raylen offered his hands to Emily, clasping hers to pull her up. Her knees were still weak, causing her to stagger while she tried to find her balance. He quickly held her by her waist, steadying her, and inquired, "Do you need a few more minutes? Our captive can wait."

With their passionate lovemaking, any thoughts of Julia had completely flown out of her mind. Emily shook her head and then asked him, "How about you?"

In response to her question, Raylen used his other hand to gently push a strand of her hair behind her ear before cradling her face and saying, "I feel stronger with you next to me. My beautiful princess." He leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. "Do you know how much I love you?"

"A lot," Emily replied, a shy smile coming to her lips. "And me... I love you too."

"I know." Raylen smiled at her, his eyes shining. He didn’t need words, for he had felt her emotions flowing to him like a breeze. "Time to get dressed. Bear with it for a minute."

They picked up their garments from the ground before putting them back on, one piece at a time. However, as their clothing had lain on the cold, wet ground, it retained a chill that lingered only for a second before Raylen swiftly dispelled the cold, replacing it with warmth. Once they were finally dressed, the ice wall shattered with a snap, its remnants falling to the ground in tiny shards that merged with the snow.

"That is such a stunning ability," Emily complimented him, thoroughly impressed as it was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

Raylen observed the fascination on Emily’s face, and he slipped his hand into hers. He said, "I have something to show you that you might find interesting."

Emily gave him an inquisitive look but followed him as they moved from their previous spot, walking through the snow-covered forest. When they came to a more open area, she heard him say, "Think about home, Princess."

Unsure of what he wanted to show by it, she thought about the first thing that came to mind. Soon, she heard the crackling sound of ice emerging before them, which was gradually taking shape, much like the ice wall from earlier. However, this creation had legs and ice attire before the face formed.

It was a transparent ice sculpture of Raylen. freёnovelkiss.com

A wide, radiant grin lit up Raylen’s face, which was brighter than the sun, and a chuckle escaped from his lips. "Oh my, isn’t my princess the sweetest?" he asked, feeling content at the thought that it was him that she had associated her home with. "But I meant physical architecture. Back in Versailles."

"Oh," Emily responded, and she closed her eyes as she recalled the facade of the palace.

And as she imagined the details, the structure began to materialise at the same rapid speed, such that when she finally opened her eyes, she beheld a replica of the palace she had grown up in. But that wasn’t all. In the next second, colour started to fill in, giving the impression that Versailles was enveloped by a blanket of snow.

She took a step forward to take a closer look. As the clouds momentarily parted, allowing the sun’s rays to shine for the briefest moment, they fell on the coloured ice, creating a mesmerising display of refracted colours that radiated in all directions around them. Her mind had been preoccupied to such an extent that she hadn’t realised just how much she had missed Versailles and her family.

"How about after we are done dealing with things here, we take a trip to Versailles?" Raylen suggested, his voice coming from right behind her.

Emily turned away from the ice-coloured palace, her hazel brown eyes meeting Raylen’s, and asked, "Will that be okay?"

Raylen gave her a nod, and the smile on his lips remained. "More than okay. You don’t have to worry about the travel logistics; I am sure your father-in-law will help with it."

"Did you know that after Brother Dante rescued Anna, Viktor visited them? He sent Anna and my brother to Hawkshead," Emily informed him about the Devil’s work. "Though it was for a good cause."

"He has his moments," Raylen remarked, recalling how his father had sent Lady Sophia back to Versailles. His back arched for a second before his enormous black wings unfurled from it. "Time to go back now."

Shortly after, Raylen cradled Emily in his arms. His wings flapped against the ground, lifting them into the air, and they soared towards Storm Castle. The scenery was beautiful below them, exuding an aura of peace and tranquillity, as the wind gusted against them.

Upon their arrival at the castle, Raylen gently descended to the ground with Emily in his arms. His wings disappeared behind his back, and they stepped inside. In the hall, Westley arrived and promptly took their coats.

"Looks like our guest is awake," Raylen hummed, his keen ears picking up a growl emanating from the lower floor.

"Since the last ten minutes, Master," Westley answered dutifully.

Emily wanted to visit Julia, but she hesitated. Sensing her indecision, Raylen ordered Westley, "Have a bath drawn."

"Yes, Master." Westley bowed and left.

"What about—"

"She can wait. Not like she has anywhere to go," Raylen responded before escorting Emily to their room.

After washing themselves in warm water and donning fresh clothes, the couple descended to the lower floor of the castle, where Julia was securely bound to a chair. The chair was crafted from iron and nailed to the floor, making it impossible for the captive to break free.

Raylen took the lead, entering the windowless room with its ominous, dark walls illuminated by lanterns. Emily took a deep breath and braced herself before she stepped inside the room.

When Emily’s eyes met Julia’s, there wasn’t a speck of innocence or familiarity in them. Instead, her former maid looked furious, straining against her restraints to lunge at them, but all they heard was the sound of the chains around her wrists and ankles jingling.

"You know, I am quite disappointed in you, Julia," Raylen remarked, clicking his tongue with a sigh. "We made sure to give you the best burial and said our goodbyes. To think we will have to do it all over again," he added, shaking his head.

"Mock me as much as you want, but it won’t change the inevitable," Julia retorted, glaring at him as she ceased her futile struggles.

Raylen walked towards Julia, stopping in front of her, and he said, "You know what they say about people like you?"

"That they are traitors?" Julia asked, a faint smile appearing on her face.

"You don’t have to be modest with your self-praise, Julia. But that wasn’t where I was going," Raylen replied in a light tone. "You are all talk but no action. Even the man you have been working for. I mean, what kind of idiots are you two? To believe that your measly demonic abilities would be able to deceive me? I doubt that even if you were reborn and worked on it for a lifetime, it would be enough to surpass me."

Julia’s fists clenched because she was sure she had gotten them into the planned position, not expecting that this Archdemon had tricks up his sleeve.

"Logan must have spent all these years lurking in the shadows, studying me, considering how much of a coward he has always been when it comes to confronting me. Trying to understand my abilities and how to counter them, perhaps after the fae locked away my powers?" Raylen chuckled at the thought of it. If it were true, then how pitiful of them. "Only utter fools would openly showcase all their abilities to the world."

Emily couldn’t help but notice that this was not the Julia she had known for the past few months. The woman before her was the real one with the mask off, and there was not a single shred of remorse in her.

The women’s eyes met in the room, and Julia said, "You haven’t said a word to me, Princess Emily. Is there nothing you want to say?" There was an evil glint in her eyes, as if she knew the Princess well, and she continued, "You cried so much for me. I missed you."

Emily couldn’t believe that this person had been living and breathing in close proximity to her. The only reason she was still alive with her soul intact was due to the necessity for her Barter Soul to mature for use. She finally spoke, her words laced with coldness,

"You should have stayed dead and in the coffin rather than returning."

Julia didn’t seem affected by Emily’s words; instead, she let out a derisive laugh. She said, "That is very harsh. I even came to take you with me, before he," her eyes briefly shifted to Raylen before returning to the Princess, "decided to intervene."

She had done everything in her power, even bringing Emily to Storm Castle with her spoiled sister’s presence beside her. She had made sure to advance the corruption with subtle manoeuvres, but somehow the man whom the Princess disliked with passion had been the one to slow down the corruption’s progress.

"You had a terrible life," Emily began, and the smile on Julia’s lips waned. "You had a terrible father."

Julia stared at Emily, surprised that she knew about her past. She said, "I did. You must understand why I did what I—"

"No," Emily interrupted Julia’s words. "You had a terrible life, one in which you knew what pain and suffering meant. Yet you chose to inflict misery on others. You set up my previous maids to die. Didn’t you?" It had taken her only a short while to figure it out.

"I thought infiltrating the palace was hard, but you proved to be the hardest." Julia’s lips twisted with a sense of superiority, and the look in her eyes made it apparent that she looked down on Emily. "I had to get close to you. Just when I thought I was almost there, Anna took over as your maid. And I thought she would be the easiest to kill, especially when she was mute at the time. But with Dante keeping a watchful eye on her, I knew I had to bide my time."

"Where is Logan?" Raylen demanded, not wanting to drag the matter out, as he wanted to get it over with. "Or is your master planning to hide like a rat?"

Julia appeared enraged but made an effort to contain her anger. She replied, "Emily’s soul belongs to him. He was the first one to find her, and he is the one who has the rightful—"

The demoness’s words were abruptly cut short by a sharp crack that resonated in the room, followed by a painful groan. The sound had originated from Raylen delivering a powerful punch to Julia’s face, which had violently displaced her jaw to the side.

Emily caught sight of blood seeping out of Julia’s mouth as the woman attempted to speak, producing only incoherent sounds. At the same time, Raylen extended his hand towards her, placing his finger on her forehead.

"AHHHH!!!"

Julia began to thrash violently in her seat, as if desperately wanting to escape, while her screams filled the room.

"And you thought death was the worst fate," Raylen murmured with eerie calmness while he used his archdemon abilities to torment the demoness. "I am the nightmare you never anticipated. Had you known, you would have steered clear."