?


    "Your hand is as tiny as Sony''s."


    A chill waved down Giselle''s spine as she felt a huge hand holding hers. She instinctively pulled her hand away, but Morro tightened his grip.


    "You — let me go!" Giselle clenched her teeth. "I said —"


    "It seemed Morro likes you, Giselle." Giselle''s breath hitched as Abel''s nonchnt voice resonated in her ear, along with the sound of his light footsteps as Abel walked down from the throne. "Morro loves intensely and never lets go. I would say he''s the romantic type."


    Abel stopped beside Aries, facing his wife squarely. "I told her not to overdo it. How was she, Maleficent?"


    "She''ll be fine." Aries shrugged, not epting the slight affection in his eyes. "Save your affection for your wife. I will stick to the end of my bargain, so I expect that you''d honor our deal, Abel Grimsbanne."


    "Certainly." Abel chuckled, peeling his hand away from Aries. "I will give you and those 12dies more space in my wife''s soul. So long as shees back to me in one piece."


    Aries and Abel set their eyes on Giselle and Morro. Maleficent and Abel had a deal long ago — way back to the time Abel turned Aries into a vampire. It was true Aries didn''t make it through the process, for she was already dead.


    How she was breathing and living right now was because of Abel''s and Maleficent''s help. It was aplicated process that forced Abel and Maleficent to live in Aries''s body together. Not as people, though, but as Maleficent''s core and Abel''s heart.


    "My little ram is capable. I''m certain she can fight whatever will she will inherit from the first crown prince." Maleficent licked her lips, studying Giselle and Morro. "For now, you have to deal with that delusional woman. We have yet to figure out what card she has up on her sleeve."


    "Heh. You are quite slow. There''s no need for that." Abelughed, casting Morro a quick look. "Morro, deal with her. I don''t think I am still needed here."


    He then faced Aries once more. "Let''s go, Maleficent. I do not want to keep my wife in this ce with the rebels running amok in the capital. Those wolves will reach this ce soon enough."


    "We''ll leave?"


    "Impostor Grandma. It''s really dangerous here, you know?" This time, Sunny chimed in the conversation as she jumped beside Abel. "All those outside were furious you can''t even imagine! That''s why we evacuated!"


    "Sony, if you know that, shouldn''t you have stayed with Lady Tilly?" Morro tilted his head to the side.


    For context, this little girl was supposed to have evacuated with her brother and Tilly, Abel''s sister. However, just when they thought they already went to the safe house — their rendezvous point — Sunny suddenly appeared from inside the crate that Morro was carrying previously. They had no choice but to take her with them.


    "But where''s the fun in that?" Sunny frowned, reaching for Abe''s pinky. "I wanted to see my pretty grandma too! After all, she had been cooped up in the pce. She doesn''t have time to y with Sunny."


    "Tony is just worried about my wife." Abelughed, curling his pinky to hold Sunny''s little hand.


    "What''s her name?" Aries blinked. "You keep calling her different names — can''t you decide which one to call her?"


    "That little piggy has a name?" Marse grunted as she emerged from the concrete where she crashed into.


    "Lady Marse, I advised you to hold your tongue." Fabian also joined the conversation, smiling from ear to ear, but one could feel the murderous aura emanating from his back. Understandable. Fabian had a history with Marse, and Sunny was the daughter of his master. Therefore, he was especially sensitive.


    "Your Majesty, why do you always arrivete?" This time, Conan couldn''t keep his silence anymore, pointing at Abel usingly. "Is this a tactic to make yourself stand out!? We''ve been fighting here since the beginning, but now you''re here, you''re acting as if we''re simply ying around!"


    Conan went on and on as if they weren''t in the middle of something. Seeing him like this, Dexter couldn''t help but scrunch his nose up.


    "He keepsining, but now that Abel is here, he immediately rxed," murmured Dexter, as he also had to admit the relief that surged in his chest at Abel''s presence. No matter how detestable Abel was as a person, they couldn''t deny one thing.


    Abel was Abel, and there was no one or nothing to fear if they were on his side.


    Dexter casually recovered his strength until he could stand up once again. Fighting several members of the Raven was tiring and challenging. Good thing he didn''t reach the point he was at hisst straw.


    As Conan''s nagging echoed on and on, Miguel scanned their surrounding. Not only Conan was acting as if there was nothing to worry about, but Dexter, Fabian, and even Marse weren''t concerned. If anything, the tension and seriousness they previously had disappeared without a trace.


    ''It was all because he appeared.'' Miguel raised his gaze and set his attention to where Abel was. ''That man… he was the reason Aime is like this. I should''ve followed my intuition.''


    A glint flickered across Miguel''s eyes, tightening his grip on his sword. His eyes then veered to the man holding Giselle''s hand.


    ''He is the obstacle right now.'' A thought crossed his mind, thinking of ways to help Giselle so they could all go out of this ce. ''They were just stalling time, aiming for those werewolves to run amok in the capital without a problem.''


    Miguel calmed his breathing, waiting for an opening to attack. However, just before he could do anything, a member of the Raven leaped forward.


    "Abel Grimsbanne!!!" the member roared, appearing right above Abel with the tip of his sword going straight into Abel''s skull. "I won''t allow a traitor like you to do what you want in thisnd!"


    Abel didn''t look up, but the corner of his lips curled up.


    ''Fool!'' Miguel took a step, eyes widening at the foolish member of the council.


    "Stop!!!" Suddenly, London''s loud voice echoed as that was the fastest thing he could do. But even that wasn''t fast enoughpared to Abel''s way of retaliating.


    SPLASH!