12. Pureza Na Luz

"Is he the one you're going to kill next?"

The sentence struck Ravi with a sudden jolt of surprise. It was clear that this man was engaging in a nonsensical conversation, but Ravi trusted Raymond enough to believe he wouldn't do such a thing, right? Ravi himself wasn't entirely sure. But who was this man that made Ravi doubt Raymond?

"Who is he?" Ravi interrupted as Raymond sat in his open room, perched on a small red sofa in the corner. Raymond seemed startled from his reverie when Ravi asked that question.

He glanced at Ravi, his expression indecipherable. Was he afraid, worried, or something else? Ravi couldn't tell.

Raymond remained silent, his mouth tightly shut. Was this also part of his promise not to tell Ravi anything?

"Okay, it's your right not to speak." In the end, Ravi said it, though his heart desired otherwise, wanting to force Raymond to reveal everything he didn't know. But what if this man was right?

Ravi rubbed his nose bridge when he thought too much, and his throbbing head was becoming painful. He didn't know if his curiosity could make him feel like this.

"Ravi?"

"Hm?" Ravi mumbled, opening his eyes slightly, which he had just closed. Ravi found Raymond standing in front of him on his knees, staring at him with his different-colored eyes. "What's up?"

"Can I touch Ravi?"

Ravi frowned upon hearing that. "What for?"

Raymond's gaze dropped, leaving his long eyelashes casting shadows on his nose. "I just want to hold Ravi's hand for a moment."

There was a silence between them as Ravi couldn't quite comprehend what Raymond was asking for. But in the end, Ravi nodded, realizing that Raymond couldn't see him, and he immediately said, "Sure."

The next moment after Ravi said that single word, Raymond's eyes slowly rose as he caught Ravi's gaze, and his smile instantly brightened, creating a rosy blush on Ravi's cheeks as Raymond gently touched the tip of his fingers to the back of Ravi's hand, which lay in his lap.

Ravi involuntarily took a deep breath as Raymond's scent grew stronger around him, and Ravi had to keep his body upright, leaning against the chair's backrest to prevent himself from moving closer to Raymond. He watched how Raymond's fingers touched his hand so slowly as if it were fragile glass that could shatter at any moment. Then, with gentle care, Raymond turned Ravi's hand over and traced the lines on his palm until Raymond finally held Ravi's hand gently.

Ravi felt his cheek warming as Raymond's large, cold hand wrapped tightly around his. It wasn't just an ordinary grip; it felt like Raymond was conveying his emotions to Ravi. Ravi felt like crying right then and there. Especially when, in the end, Raymond looked up at him, sharing an expression that made Ravi feel like his heart was being squeezed by invisible hands.

As the grip tightened, Ravi was startled when a faint, white light appeared, resembling tendrils creeping from Raymond's right wrist, forming a beautiful, glowing inscription on his tan skin. Ravi glanced at Raymond and saw that he was just as surprised as he was, seemingly discovering it for the first time. Through that dim light, Ravi read the words, 'Pureza na Luz.' "What is this?"

Raymond appeared tense in his grip, as if awakening from his own reverie. He quickly pulled his hand away from Ravi, and the inscription on Raymond's skin disappeared as if blown away by the wind. Raymond's gaze rose to meet Ravi with confusion and disbelief. Ravi felt a little disappointed as the inscription vanished along with Raymond's hand, even before Ravi had a chance to admire it further.

"What just happened?" Ravi asked once more.

Raymond shook his head, his hair swaying as he did so. "It's the name of the kingdom where I come from, but, Ravi, the glowing mark is a symbol of the Pureza Na Luz royal family."

Ravi listened carefully to Raymond, his mind concluding. "So?"

Raymond seemed hesitant, his mouth opening only to be quickly shut. He stood up, looking restless, scanning the room and then returning his gaze to Ravi with furrowed eyebrows. "I'm nobody, Ravi. Nature must have made a mistake."

Ravi got to his feet, his hand floating to grasp Raymond's wrist, which had jerked upon his touch. Ravi held it gently and repeated to marvel at how the light reappeared, forming beautiful writing on Raymond's skin. Ravi then spoke, almost in a whisper, "Something as beautiful as this, how could it ever be a mistake?"

Ravi's left hand rose, tracing the cursive writing with his long fingers. His other hand felt the warmth slowly spreading across his skin from Raymond. "If you mean you're not part of it, let this happen. It means you're special, Raymond, with or without this."

Ravi continued to admire the dim light that shone before him. Suddenly, Ravi's hand felt drops of water there. Ravi's eyes rose to find Raymond crying silently with a trembling body. Had Ravi said something wrong to Raymond?

"I'm sorry, Raymond, perhaps my words were too harsh for you," he said, sounding anxious as he stood there, moving forward to place one of his hands on Raymond's shoulder.

"Ravi never made a mistake to me. It's just that no one has ever said that to me," he said weakly.

Ravi's mouth curved into a sincere smile. He lifted his hand from Raymond's shoulder and slowly released his other hand. He was a bit disappointed when the writing disappeared with an imaginary hissing sound in his head. Ravi marveled at how many things were related to Raymond, all like a beautiful magic that never bored Ravi to see more, and how the writing on Raymond's tan skin appeared due to the direct contact with Ravi, making Ravi's cheeks warm.

Ravi coughed softly, catching Raymond's attention. "What does the writing mean?"

"Pureza Na Luz means purity in light. It is the name of the kingdom where pure light elves, without any human crossbreeding, gather to form a kingdom. Every royal descendant and member of the kingdom who is a pure light elf is sure to have this mark visible when they make contact with their bonded mate. But Ravi, I am neither of them. I am not a royal descendant; I am a half-human elf, and the relationship between me and Ravi is more like that of a servant and his master."

Ravi listened to every word that came from Raymond's mouth carefully, and he was about to speak when he was abruptly interrupted.

"What nonsense are you saying?"

Ravi had just begun to open his mouth when his words were cut off even before he spoke. He immediately tensed, his head snapping towards the door. His mouth hung open as his eyes scanned, and Ravi found himself opening his mouth in surprise and relief, flooding every nerve in his body. "Daniel?"