Chapter 18

Cailina noticed her puppy being able to stay in one place. She waved her hand in front of his face, but there was no response. She followed his line of sight and saw the beast. He was truly a child at heart. She bit her lips and patted his shoulder.

Aris flinched at the touch of Cailina. His heart leaped over his throat as he saw his Lady's face closed to his. Their masks placed a distance from his reddened cheeks.

"Why are you in a daze? Lai has returned." Cailina said.

He looked over her shoulder and saw the grinning bug. His arm encircled Cailina's and tugged her away, "I suggest that you distance yourself from my Lady."

Lai's brow twitched in annoyance, he bitterly smiled, "Yes, young Lord."

Cailina ignored the bickering of the two. She occupied her mind with clues the troupe dropped, or perhaps she was overthinking. Her brows knitted as she brushed off her suspicions. The possibility of performing a full-scale scheme involving nobles in one place was low if it's the troupe, and if…

Cailina waited for the show to continue. Eli had taken his time composing himself. His broken smile was the most amusing part of this clown show. She landed her icy gaze on the man, he's a dead man with one slip.

He shivered and looked back at the soul-piercing orbs belonging to a child. A child wouldn't have the ability of a hybrid like himself, even if that child is an aristocrat.

"I must say, our brave volunteer lulled our Gentle Beast to slumber!" Eli boasted, but in his heart, he wished to snap Lai's neck.

The beast was their opening act for the bloody show and now; the animal became a bloody joke!

"I know that the night is no longer young, my ladies and gents! I present to you the Running Ghosts finale!"

Trumpets blared as masked men came out behind the curtains. Jesters and jugglers followed the marching band. There were women dressed in body-fitting clothes that noblemen loved. The show became chaotic for the little lady.

Cailina hated that she ended up choosing to watch this sorry excuse for a show. It has dirtied Aris' pure mind and heart. She glanced at Lai, who's enjoying the view that the front seats offered. He got to experience firsthand the beauty of the circus women.

Cailina's lips twitched as she twisted Lai's ears, "You actually dared show those vulgar expressions in front of your master?"

Lai snapped out of his dreamland and retracted his vision to the masked Lady. He smiled and looked down. Aris was beyond happy to see the newcomer being reprimanded, but he wanted to wash Cailina's hand a hundred times and burned the unclean gloves.

The tickets inside Cailina's pouch dimly shone. Fione cleared her throat as she handed her Lady's things. Every suspicious and unnatural must be reported to her master. It was a rule obeyed by servants serving Cailina. Fione sneered at the thought of Ria being obedient to another master and not wholeheartedly offering her life to the little lady.

Cailina spotted the illuminating black pouch. She took out the tickets and their shine became clear. Drums banged and voices screamed. The audience was in awe at the spectacle. The ear-shattering ending scene showed no sign of halting.

The marching band morphed into eerie faces with long claws. They had beaten their drums as they approached a small child. The child, having no clue of what was to come, reached out to one drummer.

Aris tilted his head and asked, "Lady, what are those?" He pointed at one drummer.

"Those are Fallen Faes, young Lord." Lai faced Cailina, "We must leave now, my Lady." He grabbed her hand.

Cailina shook her head, "The entire tent has been locked…" she pointed at the bins, "They completed a gatekeeper formation."

"Do you know how to get out, my Lady?" Aris asked.

She frowned, "No."

Anything related to the Divine, she wouldn't take part in it. Now, regret filled her mouth as she scolded her stubbornness. If only she listened to her father. The scheme had come to fruition when her conclusion that something was amiss.

"For now, blend with the crowd." Cailina removed her mask and her eyes turned red. She buried Aris deeper under his beret and crushed his mask, "Don't lose this. Keep your head low."

They went farther from the stage. The two knights heightened their senses to any danger that may hurt their Lady. Cailina closed her eyes as she listened to the wails of despair of unfortunate souls. It was beyond her prediction that something would happen, she should've brought Alex instead.

The child laughed as the drummer came closer. A blood-curdling scream danced with the tunes of the troupe. The people seated near the family of three stepped back and some lost their balance. A woman screamed her heart out as she saw the gruesome scene in front of her.

The drummer had bitten the child's small arm. The ladies fainted as he spat out the soft limb and continued to beat his drum in a jumbled manner.

The child's blood oozed like a waterfall and splashed onto his parents' faces. His father hugged his lifeless child and fell onto the floor. The chaos rang as a melody in Eli's ears.

"Find the tickets," He ordered.

The jesters searched while the Faes bit whatever comes their way. Cailina was about to throw the pouch in the fire when a hand grabbed her, "I apologize for the improper conduct lady."

A jester pulled her and before Aris stepped forward, Lai stopped him. He shook his head and held the puppy back. Aris struggled, and Roi looked at Lai in disbelief, and the latter returned a knowing look. Roi picked up the meaning and signaled Koa to hold back Fione. Lai understood his Lady's eyes. The puppy was the reason a high-ranking lady like Cailina let a scoundrel touch her.

Eli leaned on his chair as he boringly waited for the fish to be served at his plate. The obnoxious hybrid greeted Cailina with a spit on her face. The jester forced her on her knees and shoved her head down to the ground. Eli laughed as he saw the product that his contractor had instructed to handle with the utmost care.

His employer specified nothing other than the product was the only one to answer the riddle.

Eli could do anything he wanted to the child in front of him before presenting her to their employer. Cailina scoffed at Eli's audaciousness. After the Imperial Duke learned of this, everyone who's involved with this ludicrousness shall have their head rolling.

Cailina's indifferent reaction made Eli bored. He grabbed the little lady's face, "Pretty eyes you got there…" He glanced at the man holding Cailina, "Are you sure this is the one?"

"Yes. She attempted to throw them in the fire." The man said.

"Where are the others?" Eli asked, "Have Frei confirm."

"The Fallen Faes have taken care of her companions." Eli waved his hand and his attention landed back to the delicate little lady.

A man dressed in a clown suit entered, he was covered in blood and a foolish smile plastered on his face. Eli grabbed him, "Is this it?"

Frei froze, he saw the kid answered the riddle. It was surely a boy, but the one in front of him has delicate features. Their eyes were the same, yet have different gazes. He nodded, "Wait, I'm sure it was... Let me check it again."

Cailina raised her brow, "It's a bird mister or you wish to hear another answer?"

The clown held back his anger. This kid's ability to belittle someone was indeed a quality that a noble has, "Alright, what's the other answer?"

"Of course, if mister can give the name of the person who wants me." Cailina smiled. Their stupidity is her advantage.

A jester stepped forward before Eli could answer, "Eli, I don't think we should stay here any longer."

Eli turned to the jester. He smiled and punched him in the face. The latter staggered as the others supported him, "What did I tell you about being too stuck up? Come on Jim, the Fallen Faes are under our control."

He grabbed Cailina's hair, "Look! She isn't even complaining. A child is much more sensible than you. Now, tell us the other answer."

She grimaced at Eli's breath, "Concubine."

The rest laughed, they never thought of it. The little lady knew how to joke, their employer would be satisfied as he described that the product was intelligent. Jim clicked his tongue at his comrades, the job would've been finished.

Cailina swallowed the intent to fight back. She still needed to know who's behind them and end them once. She looked at the jester's bloodied face, at least within this group, a person was focused on the primary objective. She couldn't take the stupidity of the man called Eli. Their job would've been carried out if the person they considered leader was sensible enough to conclude their mission.

She needed to pretend as a weakened lamb, that was the main purpose of the petals.

"Our employer would have our heads if the product has sustained damage. Eli, let's go." Jim said.

They were warned that once the effect of the petals worn off, they could lose their lives.

Eli straightened his back, "Fine. I'll have my fun on our way. Leave the Fallen Faes here, make sure they clean everything." He wore his coat and laughed, "I wonder what will be the great Duke's expression with this."

A sack blocked Cailina's vision. She relied on her hearing to memorize the shuffles and ways. The carriage bathed in the moonlight and Eli sat next to the coachman. His excitement showed on his face. The coachman offered something to smoke.

Aris had enough of being held down by Lai, his hand grew out claws as his face showed the bloodthirstiness. Lai smiled and let go, he successfully forced the puppy to become the real predator. Aris snarled at Lai and rushed to where Cailina was.

The knights and maid widened their eyes. They never thought the weak puppy of their Lady could show such murderous eyes.

The rattling of the cheap carriage annoyed Cailina. She listened to the nonstop chattering of her captors, "After this, we gon' be rich for the rest of our lives!"

"Aye, I will finally marry Liza without shame." a voice said

"Of course! I'll also attend your wedding."

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Haha! I'm never going to tie myself down with one woman! A life of booze is all I need."

The merry voices halted when the carriage stopped, "Hey, did you hear something?"

Eli narrowed his eyes on the dark side of the forest. The other men's horses lost control and had thrown off its rider. He glared at them, they still have the energy to banter around. A howl echoed in their ears as the hairs of their nape stood. The murderous pressure gripped their hearts.

Eli grabbed the reins and forced the horses to move. Like ice statues, the horses remained unmoving. Fear crept in their hearts as the beast encircled them.

"We have scouted this road, right? Why are there wolves in here?" The coachman grabbed Eli's collar.

Rogues were the nightmare of every night traveler. Eli shook off the scared coachman and lit up a torch. He looked at one of his underlings, "Go check it out. Maybe we will camp here tonight if the horses still refuse to move."

The man headed towards the dense forest. The trees towered above him, and the overgrown bushes and vines hindered the light. A growl welcomed him, the man swayed the torch, trying to ward off any beasts.

This unexpected encounter that made the horses stiffen delayed his return to his loving Liza. He roamed and satisfied that there were no threats; he turned back. Before he could scream, a hand slashed his throat. The scarlet fluid painted the young boy's pale face and with a smile, he gauged the man's eyes.

Under the cold light of the night, the beast licked his hand. Blood, it's been long. He made his way to the group, and the smile grew wider as his Lady was waiting for him.