Chapter 3
She paused for a moment, then got even angrier. "You know who I am, and you still have the nerve to act so disrespectful?"
I didn't bother with her and walked around her toward the backyard.
But she was relentless, chasing after me and tugging at my sleeve.
"Stop right there!" she snapped, yanking my sleeve with surprising strength. "Who gave you permission to barge in? Is this your playground or something?"
I looked down at her hand.
Her hand was pale and slender, nails painted a vivid red, now clutching my bloodstained sleeve with a vise-like grip.
"Let go," I said.
But instead of releasing me, she gripped even tighter.
"I'm asking you. Are you here to see Lucian?" she pressed, stepping closer and sizing me up like she was appraising a piece of goods. "You look like you've been traveling for days. Bet you're not from around here, huh?"
I stayed silent.
Seeing me keep quiet, her smugness only grew.
"Let me make this clear. Lucian doesn't have time for you! If you've got something to say, tell me. I'm running things around here now. Even Lucian does what I say!"
I looked at her.
"I've seen your type a hundred times," she scoffed, finally letting go of my sleeve and stepping back, arms crossed and chin raised even higher.
She added, "You heard Her Highness is away and Lucian's running things, so you show up hoping to mooch off him or cozy up for some benefits. Well, forget it.
"Lucian only listens to me now, all you freeloading relatives and country bumpkins. Don't even dream of setting foot in this place ever again!"
Mooch off Lucian or cozy up for some benefits? Freeloading relatives and country bumpkins?
I glanced down at myself.
My armor was battered, my clothes caked with dust and smeared with blood. Yeah, I definitely didn't look like any kind of noble.
But I almost wanted to laugh.
"What's so funny?" she snapped, her face twisted in open disgust. "You'd better wise up and get out of here before I call someone to toss you out. Do you even realize where you are?
"This is Her Highness's estate. She's the King's sister, the only princess in the Solarian Kingdom who commands the military! You really think you can afford to mess with anyone from her household?"
"Have you ever actually met the Princess?" I asked her.
She hesitated for a moment.
"I..." A hint of awkwardness flashed across her face, but she quickly straightened up. "Of course I have! The Princess is super nice to me. Before she left, she specifically told Lucian to take care of me!"
Before I left, which was six months ago, where was she at that time?
"Where were you when the Princess left?" I asked.
Her face flushed bright red.
"Why do you care where I was?" she shot back, her anger and embarrassment flaring up. "I'm the one calling the shots in Her Highness's estate now! Who are you to question me like that?"
She got even more aggressive, stepping right up to me, her finger nearly jabbing me in the face.
She snapped, "Let me tell you, Lucian is mine! Do you even know what he's done for me? He replaced every single servant here, redesigned the entire courtyard, bought me the priciest clothes and jewelry, and gave me the best room—all for me!
"He does whatever I tell him! You wanna know why?" She leaned in, lowering her voice, her eyes shining with smug pride. "Because I saved his life!
"I stepped in front of a blade for him! His life belongs to me. He owes me everything, and he'll treat me right for the rest of his days!"
I looked at her, and decided I wasn't going to waste another second on this.
"Tie her up," I said.
Cayden stepped forward.
Celia shrieked, "How dare you! Don't you lay a finger on me!"
Cayden grabbed her arm.
She fought back like a rabid dog, kicking and biting, completely out of control.
She shouted, "Let go of me! Do you even know who I am? Lucian will never let you get away with this! Do you have any idea how much he spoils me? He comes to see me every single day and talks to me all the time.
"If I tell him to go east, he wouldn't dare go west! If you so much as touch a hair on my head, he'll make you pay with your life when he gets back!"
Cayden ignored her, tying her up in a matter of seconds.
Her screams turned into a stream of curses. "You filthy peasants! You country bumpkins! Do you even know who I am? I'm Celia! Lucian owes me his life! I'm the boss around here!"
Her curses quickly turned into wailing.
"Lucian! Lucian, come quick! Someone's bullying me! Hurry up!" Her cries then morphed into even sharper, shriller curses.
She barked, "Just you wait! Lucian's coming back any minute now! When he gets here, he'll chop your heads off! He'll slice you all up into mincemeat!"