Chapter 115: Black and White Part!
Chapter 115: Black and White Part I
Killian’s POV
The hum of the engine filled the sleek black Lamborghini as we navigated the winding road toward the kingdom. The scent of damp earth and pine drifted through the slightly cracked window, a casualty of our encounter with some rogue troublemakers. Two yellow signs marked the fact that we were far from the decadent air of Aberdeen. Our magical gates were still a few kilometers away. Even so, the modern city lingered in my mind. Its expensive wine aromas, the perfume of wealthy nobles, and the lingering memory of the final moments of that formal gathering.
Rosalyn Torrance.
I ran my fingers through my hair, exhaling sharply. The woman’s face was etched into my memory as if fate had cruelly carved it there on purpose. It was maddening. We didn’t even know each other. She shouldn’t be bothering me.
I wiped my face, but the image wouldn’t fade. The sharp lines of her cheekbones, the warmth of her deep green eyes, the fiery red hair that burned like a phoenix’s spirit–her posture, everything about her was different. And yet, the way she spoke, the way she carried herself. It was exactly like Ruby Lucienne.
More than that, Rosalyn was married. The golden band on her finger gleamed under the crystal chandelier’s light, just like the one on her husband’s hand. Beta Mikael. They were affectionate and harmonious so much so that it made me envious. I could have had that picture–perfect life if I hadn’t been such a fool back then.
I frowned. That feeling was creeping in again. The aura, the colors, the scent. Even though it was now mixed with that of her mate, I could still recognize it. The soft sweetness of daisies, tinged with a trace of honey. It was hers. My lover’s scent.
I must be losing my mind. What were the chances that she was Ruby’s reincarnation?
Probably zero.
A low melody began to play, filtering through the car’s speakers. “Listen” by Galea. Fitting. This song usually did the trick, pushing back all the noise in my head. But not this time. Leonidas, sitting beside me, shifted.
“You’ve been quiet since we left, Your Majesty.”
“That’s how a king is. If he’s silent, it means there are a million things on his mind.”
Even without turning, I knew he was wearing his usual expressionless face. He scoffed. “That’s an understatement. You haven’t seen a thing in the past hour. Are you going to tell me what’s making your skin crawl?”
I didn’t know how to respond. Maybe a little honesty wouldn’t hurt this time.
“The meeting went fine,” I said, though we both knew that wasn’t what he was asking. “It seems like coming there wasn’t a waste of time. Thanks for your tireless effort in dragging me out of that villa bed.”
“The meeting? Or the woman?”
I turned to see him raising an inquisitive brow. I clicked my tongue. “What about her? What are you talking about?”
“I have to say, she kind of reminds me of someone. Not physically.” His tone was careful now, as if he knew he was
stepping onto fragile ground. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I don’t mean to be presumptuous. It just hit me now. Her aura… it’s similar to Lady Lucienne’s.”
I felt a twitch at the corner of my lips. “It’s fine, Beta. I thought the same thing about you.”
Leonidas looked surprised by my confession. Then, for a brief moment, a hint of softness flickered in his dark eyes. I had already shifted our conversation to another topic, and Leonidas followed along naturally. I didn’t want to get trapped in my own head and end up stuck in a static state. Depression could be terrifying. So could PTSD.
And we both knew what that meant or rather what it could lead to. But that was a thought for another time.
The journey continued in silence, save for the gentle melody filling the car. By the time we reached the kingdom, the sky had turned dark, the stars barely visible behind the dense canopy of trees.
The gates opened, and as we pulled up to the grand estate, a new face greeted us. Sean, the new head butler. His uniform. was pristine, his posture still stiff with discipline, a stark contrast to Beatrice, who had served me for centuries before time finally took her away. This time, I had chosen a male butler.
He bowed deeply. “Your Majesty. Welcome home. How was your journey?”
I stepped out of the car, rolling my shoulders. “No need for formalities, Sean. The trip went smoothly.”
Everyone was still adjusting to my character de Successfully unlocked!
- d. Successfully unlocked! thless tyrant. But the arrogance had dimmed,
and the sharp, condescending remarks no long at on t the woman who had once tried to teach me.
163 had learned that from the best. One final lesson from
Sean offered a warm smile. “Then allow me to summon the maids to prepare a bath for you to relax.”
“That won’t be necessary, Sean. I’d like to be alone this time.”
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Chapter 115 Black and White Part!
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
I gave a polite nod in return and turned toward my private chambers. Meanwhile, Leonidas had already headed back to the barracks to discuss the new recruits joining today. My footsteps echoed through the castle’s corridors, past staircases and framed portraits of my ancestors. The structure of this place had remained unchanged despite the passage of time, except for its inhabitants.
By the time I reached my private bath, I finally became aware of the exhaustion clinging to my bones. The room had been renovated on the orders of the mind healers, designed to block the memory triggers that could spiral into mental chaos. Sometimes, I missed its old appearance. Now, the room had a simple relief design with a natural color scheme that was soothing to the eyes. A steaming pool sat at its center, fed by a natural hot spring.
I shed my clothes and stepped into the water, hissing as the heat seeped into my muscles. Tilting my head back against the edge, I closed my eyes. Bit by bit, the tension in my body unraveled. Moments later, a voice familiar and deeply missed for centuries broke the silence. Elysian and I had been mending our fractured bond ever since I fell apart.
“Hey, ugly king.”
I let out a sigh at his terrible sense of humor.
“Seriously, El. You do realize that the one you’re insulting is half of yourself too?”
He leaned back casually. “Yeah, well, I just enjoy making your blood pressure rise.”
“Pick another day if you’re looking to piss me off,” I shot back, unimpressed.
“Killian?”
I only let out a vague hum in response, sinking deeper into the pleasant relaxation.
“I’m curious about that woman, Rosalyn. And maybe she’s our mate.”
A bitter taste filled my mouth at Elysian’s words. “She’s already married.”
A painful growl rumbled through our link. My wolf curled up in the mindscape, baring his fangs.
“Who cares? She still belongs to us!”
“Don’t be ridiculous, El.”
The truth was, I didn’t know if my guess was right. And if it was, I wasn’t ready to decide which was worse that she might be Ruby, reborn and happy, or that my hope of chasing her love again had already crumbled halfway.
The bath did little to ease my thoughts, and after a while, I got out, dried myself off, and slipped into casual royal attire, dark trousers and a loose white shirt. As if pulled by invisible strings, I found myself heading toward a place I hadn’t visited in a long time.
The music room.
It was still the same. I had refused to change it, despite Leonidas lecturing me to the point of burning my ears. A grand piano sat in the center, polished and always waiting to be played. A row of small audience chairs lined the right side. And a mini stage, where several other instruments stood as companions to the piano.
This had been Ruby’s favorite place.
As I closed my eyes and inhaled the scent of memories lingering in the air, for a fleeting moment, I felt as if I had returned to that time. An old longing slowly filled the emptiness in my heart, causing my wolf to whimper in sorrow just like his
master.
I sat in front of the piano, my fingers hovering over the keys before pressing down, coaxing the first notes of Clair de Lune by Debussy to life. The melody was engaging and euphonious. The kind that hypnotized both the player and the listener. My vision blurred as I played. Tears fell, streaking down my cheeks. It felt as if a thousand poisoned blades were piercing my heart, as I fell, again and again, into the depths of my old love.
Would Ruby praise my playing if she was here?
Or perhaps she would sit beside me and join in, weaving a duet of romance as the evening faded into dusk?
God, I miss her. Please, if I am not meant to have her again, then just let her be born once more, and grant me the chance to atone for every sin I committed against her. Take a piece of my immortality and cast me into your hell if that is what it takes.
I hope you, my gods, hear my prayer through the painful melody of this song.
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Chapter 116 Black and White Part #
