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331. BACK HOME
NARRATORElliot didn’t understand what it meant. However, he imitated him.“I swear on my life, I will die cruelly if I break my promise,” he assured, pounding his fist against his heart.Elliot knew this man was a supernatural being—he had hinted at it in so many ways.He also understood that Aldo suspected him as well. Apparently, he had revealed something when he rescued him from the river, but he didn’t dare ask, didn’t dare open up, because he wasn’t just anyone.He was the Duke, and he had too much to lose. No one would be blackmailing him again.Suspicion wasn’t the same as certainty. Aldo went inside the house to rest with his family.Elliot sighed, glancing at the narrow hallway that led to the backyard.He headed in that direction to empty the tub and clean up the bath he had fled from like a coward.As he pushed open the door with a low creak, he found himself in the dimly lit, chilly room.Rossella had left everything neat and dry.Only the tub still held a little water, t
332. THE MAGIC PENDANT
NARRATOR“Quickly, take this boat across the eastern stretch of the river, and you’ll reach the neighboring village. Look for Joaquín at the only inn there. He should be about to leave with his trade caravan. Tell him you come in my name…”Aldo was giving hurried instructions as they untied the knots securing the boat and prepared to push the small vessel down the ramp and into the water.Sheltered inside the old boathouse, Katherine watched them nervously, barely managing to slow her frantic breathing after their reckless sprint.For heaven’s sake, these men didn’t even look like they had just spent half an hour running through the forest like mad dogs, while she felt like she was about to cough up her lungs.And to think she had supernatural blood—if she didn’t…“Push.”With a dull thud and the splash of water, the boat landed at the river’s edge.All that was left was one final shove to send it down the ramp.Katherine moved to help them; between the three of them, it would be quic
333. ARE YOU A QUICKIE?
NARRATOR"What? You think they won’t accept it as payment?" She looked at him with worried, almost innocent eyes.Elliot gazed deep into those eyes. She seemed sincere, no tricks or deception.He was growing more convinced that this wasn’t his original wife, and now it was painfully clear that this woman—identical to Rossella—had no knowledge of his secret."Yes, I think it will work."He extended his hand, hesitantly, half-expecting her to change her mind at the last second. His heart skipped a beat when she placed the magical pendant in his palm."Well then, I’ll leave it in your care.""Isn’t this important to you?" he probed, but he quickly tucked it away.He had no intention of giving it up again. In fact, he would destroy it completely."Not really. I think it belonged to my mother, but I never even met her. Either way, the living have to find a way to keep going," Katherine said, shrugging off the matter without a second thought.She had no idea she had just handed over the onl
334. YOU ARE FINISHED
NARRATORShe even gave him a once-over, her gaze stopping blatantly on his crotch.Elliot stared at her in disbelief before bursting into laughter, drawing a few glances their way.Katherine smirked subtly.She had never seen him laugh like that before—he looked so damn sexy without that usual grumpy, superior air.So, the ice man actually had a sense of humor sometimes. Elliot coughed a little, regaining control of himself.She was so unpredictable, like a breath of fresh air in his life, filled with secrets and fears. She had no idea how, day by day, she was slipping further away from the role of Rossella.The real Duchess had been prissy, full of insecurities, rigid—not like this new Duchess, who had him completely captivated with her sensuality and spirit.He wanted to tell her he was dying to make love to her like never before, but the shadow of what had happened yesterday still loomed over him.What if he lost control with her again? What if he hurt her… and was discovered?He o
335. CAPTURING THE TRAITOR
NARRATOR"My lord!!" Wallace was in shock—relieved yet troubled, unable to fully grasp the situation.Even more so when the Duke stepped in front of the Duchess protectively, shielding her."Why… why, if you were in the city, didn’t you return to the castle? I sent a search party across the entire duchy, combing the area where you were ambushed. One of the soldiers survived and came to warn me," he hastily began to explain.The atmosphere around them was cold and menacing.He felt like a rat caught in a trap."I thought… I thought the Duchess had conspired with the enemy—!""SHUT UP AND STOP BEING SO DAMN CYNICAL!" Elliot couldn’t stop himself from exploding with rage.He had trusted this man, placed his estate in his hands.He was sick of being stabbed in the back—this was why trusting anyone was so damn hard."I didn’t—""Yes, you did!" Elliot stepped forward, barely holding back the urge for his canines to emerge."And you’re going to tell me every last detail, or I swear I will ri
336. MAGICAL HERITAGE
KATHERINE"It was about an hour ago. The Duke carried you in his arms. Imagine my shock—I was scared, thinking you were hurt or something. What exactly happened?" she questioned me, looking worried."Wait, first tell me about the child. Is she okay? Did anything happen to her while I was gone? The butler…?""No, no. Lavinia is fine. She’s practicing with her piano teacher in the library. She’s been quite well-behaved—she’s not even asking about that awful governess anymore," Nana reassured me, and I let out a sigh of relief.I threw off the covers and let my bare feet dangle off the bed.It seemed Nana had removed my old, ragged clothes because now I was in pajamas."Well… where should I start?" I sighed and began telling her about the little adventure the Duke and I had just been through."Hmm, the Duke is a tough bone to crack. You almost had him, but he rejected you at the last moment. Looks like he favors you a little more, but that’s not enough," she said with a disappointed grim
337. THE DUKE'S SUSPICIONS
KATHERINE"I gathered all the herbs listed here, ground them into powder—that part was easy. The hard part is enchanting it. Only a witch can do that by reading this incantation.""Nana, my magic never works when I want it to. Do you think it’ll show up this time?"This whole plan was giving me a headache—holes everywhere."If the Duke finds out…""Your mother always said magic has to be felt with the heart. That’s something I can’t help you with, child. You’ll have to find the way on your own," she said, standing up and patting my hands."Memorize everything well and keep that book safe—it’s yours now. And, Kath, time is running out," she warned me before leaving, her steps soft as she closed the door securely behind her.I bit my nail, my mind a storm of indecision. I was playing with fire—but I had no other choice.I opened the damn witchcraft manual and started studying the words to put the Duke to sleep.Later, I’d come up with something about how I got pregnant—maybe blame it on
338. I AM INNOCENT
ELLIOT"Mercy, please! Mr. Vittorio… it’s… it’s the Duke! PLEASE, HAVE MERCY, YOUR GRACE!"One of the prisoners started screaming desperately as we passed, his voice carrying through the small iron-barred window on the heavy steel door.His cries triggered a chain reaction—a chorus of pleading voices. And yet, down here, there were barely ten prisoners left waiting for death."SHUT UP, YOU DAMN DOGS, OR I’LL KILL YOU ALL RIGHT NOW!" Vittorio bellowed, enraged.The sound of muffled sobs filled the air. I simply kept walking toward the door at the end of the corridor. The snap of a whip greeted me the moment Vittorio unlocked and pushed open the door.I stepped inside, my eyes adjusting instantly to the dim candlelight flickering against the stone walls.Strapped to a wooden X-shaped frame was the man who had once been my most trusted aide. His head hung low, his clothes reduced to shreds, barely clinging to his battered body. Open wounds bled freely across his skin.I hadn’t even seen
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