The Devil's Temptation!

217 Seeing Adryan (1)

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Striding through the exquisite hallway with Anna and Azazel following behind, the two ladies happily indulge themselves in a friendly conversation while the less interested Azazel was more focused on how to escape from the two women, so he can search the palace and figure out where the Valerian sword is kept.

The servants that walked by with their heads bowed politely greeted them, and their gazes were most of the time fixed on Anna or Azazel who barely noticed their dumbfounded reaction.

“Forgive me but why is everywhere so....dull?” Anna asked after she was silently done inspecting the palace. They already had their tea and while they did that, Anna noticed how somber the palace appeared, like there was no one around despite knowing how busy the palace of Euphrasia easily gets. She asked about the physician as well, but was told he went to observe a prayer.

“What can I say?” Calista began in a bleak tone, her forehead forming a thin line due to the unfavorable situation occurring in the palace, “nothing has been going right since the moment you left. Father is sick, and mother has been trying her very best to take care of him. Adryan’s still recovering and I’m lost on how to deal with everything happening.”

“His Majesty is unwell?!” That part came as a quick shock to Anna, unbeknownst to the two ladies, Azazel had used their medium of distraction to sneak off as he quietly followed another direction, heading up the stairs unnoticed.

“Yes.” Calista nodded, “he’s been coming down with a strange fever for the past two months. The physician has been of great help to father’s illness, and he even provides the herbs used in treating Adryan’s wound.” She added, sounding grateful to the physician else, she would have given up just like her mother.

Pressing her lips together at the thought of Adryan and his condition, Anna looked at Calista with a requesting gaze.

“Where’s his Highness Adryan?”

.....

“In his chamber.” Calista responded. Her brother had basically refused to see anyone, not even his wife was permitted to enter his room and since he’s meant to be ruler, Calista couldn’t let him have an emotional breakdown when the war was only beginning.

“Can I see him?” Anna requested. She has seen exactly what Roshan did to him, and no doubt, Adryan would have been burnt alive if she didn’t stop Roshan on time.

To Anna’s surprise, Calista shook her head in disapproval, a look of indignation contorting her facial features, “no Anna, he tried to kill you, remember? So let him regret his every action, he needs to realize that he’s treated you unfairly and for that, you won’t see him.”

“But he wasn’t aiming the arrow at me,” Anna quickly explained, “I just took the hit, he never planned on hitting me intentionally.”

“Well he still hit you Anna and you died,” Calista still remained unshaken with her response, “besides, I’m not sure his wife would fancy her husband being close to another woman.”

“His wife?” Anna’s eyes widened in obvious discernment, “Adryan’s married?!”

Calista nodded, her pretty face crinkling into one of irritation, “I loathed her since the first time we crossed past, you might not know her but she’s annoying when saying sweet things.”

Anna just blinked, she wasn’t sure why the news of Adryan getting married had stunned the life out of her, but fortunately she wasn’t feeling bad about it either. If she was still her former self, who didn’t know Adryan’s true feelings for her till this day, she’d be completely shattered by now.

“I just want to see him.” Anna pushed on, she wanted to settle things once and for all rather than hiding herself from everyone, and again, the meteor mark is gone, so there’s absolutely nothing that can be said to her.

“I’m not sure he’ll be ready to see anyone,” Calista admitted, “he’s yet to overcome the shock of what happened to him, the fact he nearly lost his life, and he keeps having nightmares of the person who tried to hurt him. The physician said he’s having a problem handling it mentally.”

“He’ll be fine.” Anna consoled while placing a comforting hand on Calista’s shoulder. She knew that despite trying to prove herself strong in front of everyone, Calista must be deeply worried about her brother, even if she plans to act just.

“Let me see him first.”

“Are you sure?”

Anna nodded, earning a half smile from Calista, and the princess straightened herself again.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you to his chambers.”

Calista was willing to show her the way, but Anna shook her head, “I’m not a stranger in the palace I grew up in, I’m still acquainted with the directions and haven’t forgotten, but I’ll need your help with something.”

“Tell me.”

“Can you help me find Azazel?” Turning around, the two ladies finally took it into consideration that the charming white-haired demon was nowhere to be seen.

“I think we might have lost him.” Anna pointed out worriedly, but Calista gave her an assuring look.

“I’m sure he’s around somewhere, I’ll go look for him and bring him to you so he doesn’t enter the wrong places.”

“Thank you.” Anna smiled gratefully, “I’ll go now.”

After that, Calista and Anna departed.

Annalise went up the stairs, still using her memories of the palace to locate Adryan’s chamber and she doubts she could easily forget it. When she was still little, they’d play games together just outside his room, and his royal parents didn’t mind it at all when he played with a mere servant like her.

He wasn’t only her childhood friend, but they did a lot of things together that made their friendship grow stronger, so strong that if she was told things would eventually end like this, she’d call that person a terrible liar. Whenever Adryan trained, he made sure Calista and herself were present to learn with him, he motivated them, and was always available to show his unconditional support whenever she needed one.

Just how did he change so drastically??

Stopping in front of the door that led to his bedchamber, Anna’s gaze remained fixed on it for a while, as though she was pondering on whether or not to leave. She grew anxious all of a sudden and her heart drummed, knowing that she hasn’t come face to face with Adryan since he returned.

Taking a deep breath, with the choices right in front of her, she proceeded to knock on the door, but an angry voice spoke from the other end, startling her to her wits.

“Whoever it is should get away from my door! I thought I made it clear not to be disturbed?!! Leave or else–”

“It’s... it’s me.” Anna quickly spoke up, cutting him off before he could finish his words that expressed his silent pain.

“It’s Anna.”