Chapter 21 Levi Loses Control

DRIP!

Scarlett had been poring over the floating spellbooks before her for what felt like hours. She did not even notice the crimson liquid beginning to trickle from her nostrils until it had already slid down her upper lip.

‘Oh, no! Did I skip a step in the incantation? Or did I speak the words incorrectly? Why did the magic turn against me?’ She wiped the blood away and pressed a hand to her chest, where a dull ache had begun to settle deep inside.

‘I may have pushed myself too hard.’

She turned her gaze toward the tall glass window, where the sky glowed with hues of deep red and golden yellow from the rising sun in the distance.

‘Good heaven! No wonder I am exhausted. It is almost dawn. I need to get back to my room quickly. Mia will be here any minute now.’

Scarlett hurried to return every book to its proper place on the shelves. She went so far as to reactivate every seal along the walls and the heavy door, restoring them exactly as they had been before. She knew full well that no one would ever enter this secret chamber through the rear entrance, yet she was by nature a person who was careful and calculated in everything she did. Once everything was back in order, she slipped out and made her way calmly back to her own quarters.

‘Only five days remain. I truly hope that by tomorrow, I will have mastered every single spell.’

The rest of that day passed more peacefully than the ones before it. She spent most of her time inside her room, studying the thick stacks of documents her grandfather had sent over through Damian.

There was nothing overly urgent written in them. Rather, every detail contained within those pages outlined the exact steps she would need to take once the binding ritual was finally complete.

Scarlett neatly placed all the papers back inside their large envelopes. Her mind drifted almost instantly back to that forbidden spell she had been trying to unlock. So when she suddenly learned that Viviane and Levi were on their way to visit her, she rushed to conceal the lever that opened the passage to the hidden corridor. She finished just as Mia knocked softly on her door.

‘That was close. I was about to step inside the passageway a moment ago,’ Scarlett thought. She smoothed her dress down quickly, her hands trembling slightly, as she gave permission for Mia to enter.

“Miss, are you ready? Miss Viviane and Master Levi are already waiting for you,” Mia said, lingering awkwardly in the doorway.

Scarlett gave a short, sharp nod. “I will see them now,” she replied, walking past Mia and leading the way down the hall.

The moment Viviane caught sight of Scarlett, she rushed forward and threw her arms around her sister in a warm, tight embrace.

“Oh, sister, you look so pale! Are you ill? I heard you have been locking yourself away in this room all this time. I have been so worried about you,” Viviane babbled, pulling back to look at her. Scarlett stood still, her expression flat and utterly bored.

“I am perfectly fine. Nothing is wrong. I simply wanted some quiet time to myself. What brings you two here? As I recall, the meeting with Grandfather ended yesterday.”

‘Ah, so that is why you secretly met with Damian behind my back. Because today we are scheduled to return to the palace academy.’

Levi’s voice cut straight into Scarlett’s thoughts before she had even finished speaking.

“Sister, I was truly worried. You never miss your lessons at the academy, and everyone noticed your absence. Besides, today is our free day. So as soon as classes ended, I insisted we come visit you,” Viviane said, squeezing Scarlett’s hand tightly. “You must be so lonely stuck in here. Why did Grandfather have to put you in these rooms? It feels like you are being exiled.”

Scarlett let out a long, weary sigh. “I am not lonely. I find this place very comfortable and peaceful. But thank you for your concern, Viviane. As you can see, I am well. You may go now,” she said, dismissing her sister gently but firmly.

Seeing this, Levi stepped forward before Viviane could try to provoke or argue with Scarlett further.

“Scarlett, Viviane came all this way just to check on you. She has been talking about you and worrying about you since early this morning, even before classes began. How can you be so cold toward her.” Levi chided, though he still held himself back from saying anything harsher.

“Alright, I apologize if I seemed rude. But I told you, there is nothing wrong with me. What exactly do you want me to do, Levi?” Scarlett pulled her hand free from Viviane’s grasp and turned her sharp gaze fully onto him.

“If you have come here only to stir up trouble, you should leave. I have already said I do not wish to be disturbed until the day of my ceremony,” she added, her eyes flashing with clear defiance.

Levi closed the distance between them in a single stride. Now their faces were inches apart. Viviane, watching them, unconsciously furrowed her brow and fought down a surge of jealousy, especially when Levi lifted his hand and grasped Scarlett’s forearm firmly.

“You know, Scarlett. Your latest little games did manage to irritate me for a while. But I know the truth. You act out only because you love me. So even if you run around behind my back and use whatever man you can find to make me jealous, it changes nothing. The fact remains that you will end up choosing me. You can pray to the Moon Goddess every single night in this room of yours, but it will do you no good. You belong to me.”

Levi reached out, his fingers moving to brush against her cheek. Scarlett turned her face away immediately and shoved him back hard.

“We shall see about that,” she answered, stepping several paces backward to put space between them.

‘Why is Levi acting this way toward her? It feels like he actually cares for her now. It is disgusting! What has she done to make him act like this? He has been restless all morning, and he was the one who suggested coming here in the first place.’

Viviane’s thoughts rang loud and clear inside Scarlett’s head. Scarlett bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing and covered it with a short cough.

“Stay back, Levi. I would hate for someone to misunderstand and think you were trying to kiss me when you stand so close. It would not look proper. Besides, I already have a betrothed.”

That remark was the final straw. Levi completely lost control. He lunged forward, gripping her arms tightly and pulling her flush against him, his arm locking around her waist so she could not escape.

“I am your betrothed, Scarlett! I am the only one! No one else has the right to stop me from kissing you or claiming what is mine!”