CHAPTER 3
Diandra's legs trembled beneath her as she stumbled forward; her limbs were protesting any movement. Hunger gnawed at her insides, and exhaustion clung to her like a heavy cloak around her shoulders.
How long was she trapped in the darkness? Hours? Days? She couldn't tell.
Her boot was suddenly struck by something solid. She barely managed to catch herself before collapsing. Blinking through the hazy vision, she saw that she had stumbled upon a garden set. A wrought iron table and chairs, untouched, pristine. As if waiting for a guess that never arrived.
Beyond it was a large rectangular pool of crystal-clear water, but it was blue in color with yellow orbs that glowed at the sides. It was magnificent, and she could feel how dry her throat was. She ignored the huge building just a short distance from it as her eyes were glued to the water. It seemed clean enough to drink.
She pushed herself forward to it, but her legs trembled and refused to carry her any further.
Then a loud shriek pierced the quiet night, startling her as well.
"Aahhh!"
Diandra wanted to cover her ears from the earsplitting shrill. She turned her head weakly. Her vision was swimming. Then she saw a young woman standing near the garden's edge at the dimly lit side. She hadn't noticed her there.
The young girl was dressed in a neat uniform. A maid. Her hands flew to her mouth in shock, eyes wide with terror in her direction. Diandra wanted to turn around if the woman was seeing something sinister behind her. The girl couldn't be that afraid of her.
Did she look that unpleasant to the eyes? She could be. She didn't even remember what she looked like. But as she touched her face earlier, she had smooth skin. Maybe she had dried blood that stuck to her cheeks.
Before she could think of saying a word, the maid whirled around and bolted out of the place, her voice ringing through the air.
"Someone—someone come quickly! Butler Jones! There's an intruder!"
Diandra swayed where she stood. Her body was too weak to follow and too tired to even care. Her breathing was ragged. Her legs were numb.
She knew she should move, hide, or prepare for whoever was coming. But instead, her vision blurred, and her strength was deserting her.
"Ugh." She grumbled and swallowed hard. Her throat hurt. She stared at the clear water. She just wanted to gulp down some liquid to ease her thirst, and it would somehow lessen the hunger she felt.
Butler Jones arrived at the pool in hurried steps. His years of discipline kept his expression calm despite the unusual situation before him. The maid who called for him stood a few feet away. Alice was trembling, and her hands were clasped to her chest.
He had two bodyguards behind him.
Then, their gaze fell on someone at the other side of the pool.
They moved closer cautiously as he gestured for Alice to open the extra lights from the lampposts around to brighten the whole area.
And they saw a young woman—semi-conscious. She was draped across the grass near the garden table. Her red hair was wild, with few strands covering her pale face. Her ponytail had loosened. Even in her weakened state, there was something striking about her. She had a quiet, untamed beauty. But what truly caught their attention was her attire.
It was strange—almost medieval. She was in an armor suit. Sturdy, battle-worn, but elegant. She was like a knight from an ancient tale.
Her chest rose and fell with slow, labored breathing. Mud and dried blood clung to her clothes, yet she was very much alive.
But what gave them a pause for drawing nearer was her dagger at hand.
She clutched it tightly to her side. Her fingers were curled around the hilt in a way that suggested instinct rather than awareness. Even in her half-conscious state, she held onto it as if it was the only thing that was anchoring her to reality or to defend herself from any threats.
Jones had seen enough in his lifetime to know that approaching recklessly could be a mistake. So, instead, he took out his phone and dialed a number quickly.
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Kael drove faster than he ever had to during emergencies. His hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly. He already made a stop somewhere to drop off his assistant before going home. He wasn't even sure why he felt the sense of urgency. It could just be another tactic to get his attention. But the butler's words had unsettled him.
He said that she seemed to be a knight and she had a dagger.
Well, maybe the craziness of it was what made it an emergency. It was either he needed the authorities or a doctor for the intruder. Maybe both.
But what also bothered him was his butler's tone. Because when Charles Jones sounded uncertain, then it was a true concern for him. The man had seen almost everything—handled scandals, dealt with emergencies, especially with having a boss like Kael, who seemed like trouble was his last name rather than Ravenel. If something had shaken his butler, then it was dead serious.
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Kael finally arrived at the estate. Tires screeched against the driveway. He was already stepping out before the car was pulled to a full stop. He tossed his car keys to the valet that greeted him. He didn't even look at the boy that struggled to catch them even with two hands.
He rushed inside immediately, straight to the pool area. He saw Jone's back figure along with the bodyguards and some maids. They were all looking in a certain direction. Then they gave way for him.
His breath was caught in his lungs.
There she was. The cause of the commotion.
The woman lay motionless, half-conscious as she was trying to move her body. She was even trembling in effort. Her red hair in a ponytail spilling across the grass like fire against earth. She was unlike anything he'd expected—dressed in what could only be described as medieval battle attire. It was worn, dirty, yet undeniably regal in its design.
Then his eyes turned to her hand. In her grip was a dagger.
Kael's sharp gaze flickered to the weapon. He noticed how her fingers curled around it, even in her state. It was like she was ready to use it anytime if any threat occurred to her.
This was really all new. Someone had gotten this far to play with their delusions of being with him.
"How long had she been like this?" He asked. His voice was steady, but his heart was pounding with something unexplainable. Could be rage.
"Since the maid found her." Jones replied. "She was barely standing before she collapsed. There seemed to be nothing else around her."
Kael moved closer and crouched beside her cautiously.
"Careful, sir. Better let the guards near her." Jones reminded but it only fell on deaf ears.
He observed the rise and fall of her chest. She was barely breathing. She was weak. Or it could just be a perfect act. But it seemed so believable. It seemed everything was real.
And for the first time, he was somehow intrigued by this other kind of madness.