I smiled apologetically and knew that people were not sympathetic to her. If there was only one person that I could rely on now, it was only herself.


    Eloise''s demeanor changed when she saw I''s face and aura. There were still tear streaks all over I''s cheeks, but she smiled at Eloise and her beauty looked remarkable that night.


    Standing elegantly like this, I really looked like a proper Luna that exuded confidence.


    "Apologies for my rude behavior," I said. "I am not in a good mood right now. What else can I do for you, Miss Witch?"


    "Who are you?" Witch Eloise asked.


    "My name is I, the Luna of Obsidian Sand Pack."


    "Are you rted to Lnd?" Eloise suddenly asked in a quiet tone.


    "Yes." I didn''t realize by telling the truth, she was inviting her own doom. Eloise was in an extremely bad mood and wanted to vent her anger to anyone.


    Before I realized what was happening, Eloise stabbed I''s stomach with her staff and smiled brightly as the color drained from I''s beautiful face.


    Eloise pulled the staff away and didn''t pay any mind to it now covered in the Luna''s blood.


    "Aah..." I sank on her knees and clutched the now gaping hole in her stomach.


    She tried to exude the power of regeneration that came from her bloodline as a lycan and yet the injury healed too slowly.


    "How?" the Luna asked in pain. Her gaze looked at the powerful staff that brimmed with unknown power and she looked up at the Witch with pale lips. "You… Obsidian Pack will avenge me."


    Witch Eloise ignored her and spoke in a disappointed sigh. "I could tell that you were Lnd''s cousin because you really look like Isolde. I hate that woman but she''s nowhere to be found. It''s a good thing that you''re here, right?"


    There was no more reply.


    "Oops, I was talking to the wind." Witch Eloise giggled but then gazed up seriously into the direction from which Lnd left on his carriage. "I''ll leave you, for now, Lnd. But we will meet again."


    She pursed her lips and clutched her staff tightly. She was toote this time. Lnd was gone. Elois no longer saw the purpose of being there. Thus, she decided to go home and thought about the next n.


    ***


    It was a strange thing to be gued by dreams because Nichs normally did not have them or didn''t remember them well. However,tely, when he was asleep, he dreamed of the beautiful woman calling out his name.


    ''Nic!''


    Nichs woke up and widely looked around his room and found no one. He bit down on his lip and looked at the rather empty space on his side. Why did it feel so empty when it had always been him sleeping alone in thisrge bed?


    He tried to get back to sleep but failed. The young king was unable to sleep and continued to stare at the spot beside him. Imagining and almost feeling someone''s arms wrapping around him and burying their head on his chest.


    "That''s another dream isn''t it?" Nichs sighed and rubbed his face.


    A part of him truly yearned for someone. No, not just someone, but her.


    Just her.


    His mind was filled with scenes of Sophia Romanov. Even though he had only seen her once, his mind probably was making things up on its own because of how much Nichs was infatuated by that woman.


    In his dreams, he saw Sophieughing and singing while they were both enjoying a nice time together in a beautiful flower field. . Sometimes, Nichs would see her with her eyes closed and sleep beside him on a simple bed, while he hugged her small waist.


    Oh, she was a sight to behold. It had already been several months since they''dst met, but he still hadn''t been able to forget her. In fact, his imagination ran wilder when it came to her and how much he felt a closeness to her.


    This was really crazy! He was never in love before, so he didn''t know that this was how people in love would feel like. It''s actually borderline mental, he sometimes chided himself.


    "You need to stop thinking about her, you''re already engaged," Nichs whispered to himself. However, it was to no avail. Since he hadn''t been able to inquire and threw out the Informant, Nichs was filled with endless questions.


    The young king rose to his feet and padded towards the table where his whiskey and cup were held. He didn''t really have much use for the alcoholic beverage inventory before he ascended the throne, but right now he used them up quite often.


    Another drink.


    Gosh. He didn''t want to be an alcoholic. However, the burden he carried on his shoulders was too great for someone so young like him.


    "Hah." Nichs ced the empty bottle back down. "I''ve managed to stall it, especially because my mother is in good health. What if I can cancel this arrangement? I need to talk with my mother privately."


    He finally decided to leave his room. Where his footsteps took him, well, he was inplete control of himself and not drunk. He arrived at his mother''s room.


    Servants were ced at the door.


    "Your Majesty, the queen-dowager is currently resting," one of the servants tried to say, but then gulped back down. He realized he was talking to their King and if the king felt displeased, something terrible might happen.


    Nichs walked into the room and found it empty.


    "What?" He asked in confusion. Where did his mother go?


    Did he actually be drunk? No. Nichs looked around the room and knew for a fact that simr to the library''s secret hallway, his mother''s room undoubtedly had a simr function.


    Should he wait for her to return?


    .


    .


    ______________________


    From Missrealitybites:


    LOL... as expected. The dying queen is not so dying now. By the way, Nichs thought the memory he had with Sophie that came to him in his dreams was made up by his mind because he was infatuated with her.


    If only he knew that those dreams were actually real memories, not his imagination.


    PS: Also, Ugh... Eloise really did seem like a twisted psychopath.