NAIVE OR DUMB?

"Come in," said Astrel, not leaving his sight from his index finger, which rubbed with his thumb, and in the next second, the burnt mark disappeared as if it never was burnt in the first place.

The three maids came in following one another and stood facing the back of Astrel, heads down. The room was in a pin-drop silent, adding more fear to the maids, not knowing what and why were they summoned clearly, as the three could not speak earlier when Ella dragged them saying that Master called for them. She did not answer any of their question. Ella could only bite her lips and wait for Astrel to start speaking.

"Did you enjoy gossiping?" he asked, a dangerous smile tugging on his lips.

Ella said nothing but knew where was he dragging this to, but the other two were oblivious of what was happening, and said in unison, "Master?"

"I've recently got interested in gossiping, do you know that? Lizzie, was it your name?" he asked. 'Oh boy, this is not good,' thought Ella crinkling the side of her grey skirt with her sweaty palm. Lizzie and Eva could only look at each other while Ella was looking down.

"Tell me, what was it the last that you gossiped about?" He once again asked once again as if he was interested. "Wait... wait.. let me tell you. Ella did you know that the Master has bought a new lady guest to the Mansion," he said, which made Ella raise her head and look at her Master but immediately looked down as if the floor was something more interesting than anything surrounding her. "Speak!!!" shouted Astrel. All the three maids were startled by the sudden roar.

"We... we saw a t-tattoo on your guest's nape, which was glowing," said Eva, tears threatening to slip from her eyelashes. They had no choice but, to tell the truth. If they didn't dare tell the truth, Astrel would still know one or the other way.

"So... you said to the other servants?" asked Astrel though he knew the reply.

"Do you know what I'm gonna do with the ones who gossip?" he asked and looked at Ella. "Your dear friend, Ella knows, don't you, Ella?" Ella nodded her head which Astrel didn't like. "Speak!!!"

"Master said he'll behead it as an example for everyone," she said, not stuttering a word, worriedly. Eva and Lizzie gasped and started begging, not wanting to die so soon. Ella sniffled and sobbed silently, not knowing what to do.

"Quite," said, Astrel coolly. "I don't want her to be awake by your useless pleadings," said, Astrel pointing at Vilian and then called for Falcon. The butler immediately came in no time.

"You called for me, Master?"

"Take these two to the Dungeon," A horrific look was etched on the maids' faces. This time Ella was the one to plead, not willing to let her friends be killed.

"Please don't do anything to them, Master. Behead me instead of them. Please," Ella was crying so hard. Her face already swollen, trying to suppress the tears falling from her eyes nonstop.

"tch... tch... tch..." Irritation was evident on his way. He heard Vilian's heart beatings weren't shallow. She was waking up, he thought, and raised his hands and gestured Falcon to take them away. "Falcon! Meet me at the study later on." Falcon bowed his head and dragged the three maids out of the room with the help of the guards, who were standing in the hallways.

Squirming from her deep slumber, stretching her limbs with her eyes still closed and a small smile graced on her lips, she hugged the pillow tightly murmuring nothing in precise. Her hair was covering half of her face like the golden curtain. Rubbing her eyes with the still tugging cute smile on her face, she stifled a yawn that was about to form.

Astrel knew she didn't belong here, and she was meant to be in her mansion and yet he had brought her along with him to his mansion, letting her sleep peacefully in one of the bedrooms that belonged to him. She moved closer to him in her sleep bringing a frown onto his face. Him bringing a girl to his mansion, was an unusual thing, be it in the human society or in the underground world. If someone caught a whiff of him protecting a human, that too a girl, this being the reason they'd take this as their advantage of using her as their pawn.

Stirring from her drowsiness, she took a look around the room and everything that happened came on rushing into her mind making her eyes go wide and she felt a heat radiating beside her. Glancing to her side, she widened her eyes more than it could as if it would pop out of its sockets anytime soon.

"What are you doing here?" She screamed and sat upright, while Astrel supported his head using his palm, folding his elbow,lying on the bed beside her. Vilian's heart was beating rapidly, not expecting to see him right in front of her. Gulping softly under the gaze of his in a confused look, she saw his face visible in the dimly lit room, alluring for one to see.

"What am I doing here, you ask? Am I not allowed to stay in my property, young lady?" He asked, lazily looking for any dirt on his nails and glancing back into her big orbs.

"What do you mean? Where am I and what am I doing here?" She asked, a frown etched between her eyebrows. She turned to observe her surroundings from up to down and side to side slowly, picking everything in detail while making her hair using her hands which made the shoulder string loosen. Oblivious of her, the string tied on her shoulder came off making Astrel uneasy.

"Don't do that," he warned, bringing back the girl from her keen observation to him. His eyes were darkening by the sight of her collarbone.

"Do what?" She asked, innocently tilting her head to a side. Astrel sighed, face palming, finding it hard to explain everything in detail. 'Was she naive or is she that dumb' thought Astrel.

He came closer to her which made her lean back away from him. It didn't stop him from cornering her and her back hit the soft pillow. He raised his hand towards her face, and she closed her eyes and held breath in fear. She shuddered when she felt his fingers trail down from her jaw to her neck.

His breath was fanning on her that had her turn her face away from him and his words vibrated on the skin of her neck.

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