A Deal With the Devil

And so, my brother left, leaving me alone with the devil incarnate.

I stood there like a malfunctioning robot, too afraid to breathe, lest it be considered a tax evasion.

Kairan's gaze followed my brother until he reached his half-dead students, and then, as if sensing my dread, his piercing eyes locked onto me.

"So... how long is this act going to continue?"

"Uh, what?"

He took my hand-yes, the same hand the had once pierced with his sword. His fingers traced the scar where the blade had once cut. My whole body trembled like a leaf in a hurricane.

He wouldn't dare do anything now. My brother's nearby. All the knights are watching. He won't hurt me.

But then, Kairan gently caressed my wrist with his rough thumb. The contrast was so surreal that I nearly choked on my own fear.

"I know you're not the real Meredia."

No! No! No! No, Sia! Don't act surprised or scared! Don't let him know you're not the real Meredia!

I forced a smile, my heart racing. "What are you talking about, Your Royal Highness? I think you're training too much; maybe you're seeing things."

He raised an eyebrow, as if mulling over my words. "Am I really? Or am I just seeing a girl with brown hair and twinkling silver eyes in Lady Meredia, who is supposed to have bloody red hair and golden eyes?"

What!? He's describing my previous appearance!

Kairan's gaze bore into mine, chillingly intense. My blood ran cold as he traced the scar on my wrist with his thumb.

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a sinister whisper. "Let me make this clear. I don't want to kill you, the imposter in Lady Meredia's body."

His eyes darkened as he continued. "But if you keep pretending and obstruct my path, I will make sure to torment your soul in ways that will haunt you for every second of eternity.

I looked at him, my pupils shaking as if they might pop out of my head at any moment.

He smiled-a twisted, chilling smile that sent shivers down my spine.

The bastard fucking smiled. I want to kill him.

Kairan stepped closer, his presence suffocating. He stood behind me, his grip on my shoulders firm, almost painful. Leaning in, his breath ghosted over my ear, sending icy chills through me.

"Tell your brother you don't feel like training today," he whispered, his voice a dark promise. "But you don't want to waste the crown prince's precious time either. So, you're going to give him a tour of the palace and your garden."

His words were laced with a menace that made my blood run cold. I nodded, struggling to keep my composure, my mind racing with thoughts of how to escape this nightmare.

As we walked down the grand hallway, I kept my steps steady, trying to look as natural as possible while feeling the weight of Kairan's intense gaze.

"So, lady 'who'," Kairan said, his voice cold and calculated, "My observation tells me you're from the same world as the man who vanished years ago."

I kept my silence, focusing on the opulent decor as we passed, trying to ignore the way his words made my skin crawl.

"He disappeared without a trace one day," he continued, his voice low but laced with an unsettling calm.

I remained mute, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I won't kill you," Kairan said, leaning closer, his tone almost casual, "If you listen to me."

Gathering my courage, I met Kairan's gaze, trying to steady my voice.

"What do you want from me? I'm not doing anything to harm you," I said, making a valiant effort not to stammer.

He smirked, a cruel twist to his lips. "You can't do that either, lady."

He continued, almost casually, "I was going to ask your father to marry you to me, but he refused, saying you're interested in family affairs and don't want to marry anyone."

I gulped. "It the truth."

"Do you really care for this family, which isn't even yours?" he asked, his tone piercing.

I nodded. "As an orphan in my past life, I love them."

Kairan fell silent, as if deep in thought.

"Orphan... I see," he murmured, his gaze intense.

"Do you know what I want from you?"

I shook my head, unable to speak.

"Then why are you scared of me, hmm?"

Because you killed the old Meredia, stupid bastard!

"Listen to me," Kairan said, his voice soft but chilling. "What I want is your blood and your power only."

I laughed nervously. "I have blood but no power. And I won't give you any of my blood either. What if I die of anemia?"

He stared at me for a moment before a small laugh escaped him.

"Why are you so funny?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and menace.

"Huh, I'm funny?"

Kairan's gaze hardened as he leaned closer. "Oh, you're funny alright," he said, his voice dripping with dark amusement. "I could kill you right now, and you're worried about anemia?"

My cheek flushed red, and I stammered, "I...I'm serious."

Kairan's eyes narrowed. "You don't know Meredia's real background, do you?"

"She's the daughter of Duke Oberon and Duchess Elowen," I answered, trying to keep my voice steady.

"In front of the world, yes," Kairan agreed, "but she's not what she seems."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Kairan's voice dropped to a whisper. "She's from the Nyxareal lineage."

Nyxareal? That name rings a bell.

"What's that?" I asked, trying to mask my confusion.

Kairan's expression darkened. "The Nyxareal are a pure bloodline that vanished mysteriously. Every member died one by one."

I swallowed hard. "What does that have to do with me?"

Kairan's gaze remained steady, his voice cold and deliberate. "Because you and Duchess Elowen are the last remaining members of that lineage."

"What the fu-" I stopped myself just in time, aware that such words were highly inappropriate in this world.

"I mean... How is that possible?" I asked, trying to mask my shock.

Kairan's eyes gleamed with a dangerous curiosity. "I can't divulge much about the Nyxareal lineage right now, but I believe you would want to know more about your own bloodline."

My heart raced as I struggled to grasp the weight of his words. "Why should I trust you?"

Kairan's lips curled into a cruel smile. "You don't have much choice. I can make your life extremely difficult, or I can offer you knowledge and power. The choice is yours."

Kairan's expression remained impassive as he listened to my plea. "See, Your Royal Highness, I have no desire to learn about the Nyxareal lineage or anything related. I'm merely a nobody in Meredia's body. All I wish for is to survive and live peacefully. That's why I want to help this family as much as I can."

I looked at him with earnest eyes, desperation clear in my voice. "Please, spare my life."

Kairan's voice dripped with sarcasm as he said, "Oh, I'd absolutely love to spare your life. Killing people is such a drag, you know? Not that I have any particular fondness for it. But hey, it's not like I'm out here hunting innocents for sport. It's just a little hobby of mine."

He leaned in closer, his tone turning ice-cold. "So, here's the deal: either you help me, or I get to play my favorite game-Let's see how many people I can destroy before lunch.' And let's be real, you wouldn't want your beloved Valtoria family to become my lunchtime entertainment, would you?"