Aries''s eyes crossed when she opened them, backing away only to be stilled by him.


    "Morning." She froze, watching his longshes flutter open, wide-eyed. "Surprise?"


    ''Didn''t he say he will be busy for the next three days or so?'' that question instantly rose in her head, blinking to fix her crossed eyes.


    "I missed you," he confessed under his breath, pulling her closer whilst closing his eyes. "Finished it early."


    "..."


    Her breathing slowed down, blinking nkly as she let her brain buffer. Aries could clearly remember Abel said he would attend to something very important. Almost like reassuring her.


    So why was he here again? On the second thought, this also felt like deja vu.


    It was just like that time when he said he was going on a month trip. But then, he just appeared the next day!


    "Can you dance?" his coarse voice snapped her back to reality. "There will be a week celebration three weeks from now. Balls, banquets, huntingpetition, boring stuff. Basically, a celebration of things that annoys me. Want to go?"


    "What time did youe?" she blurted out, making his brows raise.


    "Dawn. So, do you want to go?"


    Aries smacked her lips. "If you asked me to go, I will go. But it''s still early and you should rest more since you came at dawn."


    "Concern?" he asked, drawing his head back to see her face. She was not, he thought, seeing the rity in her eyes. Not that he didn''t see thating.


    "Your Majesty works hard. He should also take care of himself and put his worries aside for now." She sported a subtle smile.


    Abel blinked twice, eyes falling to her cheek. There was still dried blood on it without her knowing. He slipped his hand from under the quilt to brush her cheek with his thumb.


    "Everyone is curious about my pet," he crooned, eyes fluttering ever so tenderly. "I want to take you with me and gloat. So those nobles know why this man they all call a tyrant is going insane."


    "I... don''t drive you cra -- i"


    "You do. Take responsibility." For a split second, her brain buzzed at this not-so-brain-racking trivia. "My Aries acts like she cares and not at the same time. She teases me and then goes to sleep. Makes me hard and pretends she did nothing. Aren''t you cruel?"


    ''This is why I told him to sleep more.'' She frowned, getting used of the things she didn''t do. Well, she was guilty in the first half of his usations, but she knew he was aware of her survival method.


    "Let''s go, alright?" His face lit up with a smile.


    ''I already told him I will, though.''


    "Sure." Aries raised her hands and cupped his jaw. "Now you rest." Treating him like a child, she moved up and nted a kiss on his eyes. "I will die if you fell ill."


    A low chuckle slipped past his lips. "How sweet."


    "Is that alright? You''re not fond of sweets."


    "I''m not, but you''re sweet and bitter at the same time, bittersweet."


    When Abel closed his eyes again, Aries carefully breathed out. His grip around her was firm, not letting her go like usual. But she was already used to him, so she was calmer.


    Her brows raised upon noticing the red stain on the sheet. ''Blood again,'' she muttered inwardly, but not surprised anymore. Blood trailed Abel like a shadow. Wherever he go, the footsteps behind him were tainted with red.


    ''How can a person just kill without remorse?'' she wondered, staring at his bewitching face. ''Not that I care. I have my own struggles and keeping myself alive is my priority.''


    To make him sleep for a bit longer and stop bothering her, Aries stroked his hair. "Why do you alwayse back immediately, Abel?" she asked in a soft tone, knowing he wasn''t totally asleep yet. "Did you really... just miss me?"


    "Who knows?" he answered in a deep,zy voice. "You nevere to me. I won''t see you if I don''t see you."


    His answer was enough to answer all other questions she had in her headst night. She continued stroking his hair, eyes closing until they were partially closed.


    ''He will never let you go, Aries,'' her brain told her, embracing her heart from the fear enveloping it. ''Not in this lifetime.''


    "Yes." She flinched when he spoke after a minute of silence. "I will not let you go. Not in this lifetime. Unless... there''s another Aries in this world."


    Aries tried to move her foot — the foot that was bound by a thick invisible chain with an iron ball attached to it. It didn''t budge. The remaining pieces of her heart sank as the sliver of hope she held onto disappeared by the thick, grey clouds of emotions.


    She had dealt with a man who was so obsessed with her he conquered their kingdom. So, she knew the terror of facing another obsession.


    Even though the crown prince of Maganti and Abel were two different people, the route was the same. Despite that, since Aries already crawled back and forth on that thorny path, she was somehow calm and a little confident walking down that road again.


    "You mean someone who looks like Aries? Or someone who acts like Aries here in Haimirich?" she asked in the same tone, watching his eyes open ever so slowly.


    "Aries who makes me feel the spark of madness." His tone was deep and firm. "If you present me a recement that fits that one requirement, I''ll let you go."


    "Let me go?"


    "I''ll let you go alive," he stressed, looking at her straight in the eye. "You have my word. Until then, you... are mine."


    There was this distinct stress in his im as if he wanted to etch that in her mind. He nted his palm on her jaw, leaning forward to nt a brief kiss on her lips. As he drew his head back, the side of his lips curled up.


    "I told you." He wiped her lower lip with his thumb. "You''d wish you died that night. You won''t like me obsessing over something; it never ends well. Find another Aries; that''s your assignment. Good luck."