The Crown and The Rose
Chapter 25: Am I Falling?

Chapter 25: Am I Falling?

The Crown

I hug a pillow and peak into Vermilion’s office, My eyes are dancing across the empty space.

Where is Vermilion?

I blink and wonder. Suddenly I feel a cold presence lurking behind me and I whip around to see Vermilion towering over me, his red eyes boring holes through me. There is barely any distance that is keeping our bodies from touching.

Goosebumps rise at the end of my nerves and my breath stutters as every muscle stiffens.

"M-My lord?" I stutter out with a bit of difficulty,

Vermilion stares me down for a moment longer and then enters the room without saying a word. I hesitantly follow him inside.

"Did Seraphina say anything?" Vermilion breaks the palpable silence, his lips are moving ever so slightly and there is that blank look on his face. I wonder how he maintains this aloofness 24/7.

"She wasn’t there when I was setting out," I answer slowly, my one hand rubbing the back of my other hand as the nervousness and anticipation creep in.

"Your Highness," Vermilion spins on his heels, "Two more days to go. Do you think you will be able to face off with the entire student population of this academy?"

And my spine straightens. I look Vermilion in the eyes, "I will be doing my best out there." I can see a spark igniting between us and I am sure that Vermilion can see that too.

This is why with a last lingering view he turns his back to me, "I see. I will hold count your words on this matter, Your Highness."

I have this sudden dangerous urge to turn him around and make him say my name. I want him to say my name so badly that there is a numb ache in my chest I can’t quite decipher. What do I want to do with him? I don’t know. Why do I want him to say my name so bad? I don’t know. There are so many questions but why can’t I find any answer? Why is my heart always in turmoil whenever around him? I don’t know...

I bite my bottom lip and clench my fist to prevent myself from betraying myself and do just what I want. My heart is beating slowly and at a restless rhythm inside my chest as if it’s trying to say something to me but my mind has muted it. It is telling me to be the rational self I always am and just do what I am meant to do. Complete the mission and get out of this hell hole.

"Your Highness, please come this way." Vermilion breaks the silence once again with his slow beckon.

"Yes, my lord." I snap out of it and nod.

Vermilion starts to lead me to the back of the huge office room. The space is as cold and terrifying as ever. The light is never doing its job properly or the darkness is so dense that it’s engulfing the light in it. Whatever the reason is, it doesn’t make the place any less terrifying. And to add to its eeriness, the defending silence that surrounds us makes even the slightest noise sound so loud that makes my heart jump every time.

It’s almost like we are in a completely different dimension. Like the outer world doesn’t even exist. I wonder how Vermilion manages to live in this kind of place all alone. I wonder if Phillip is always there for him, taking care of him. Making him feel less lonely. The thought ignites a small fire of envy in my chest.

"My lord, where is Phillip?" I ask trying to make a proper conversation with Vermilion.

"The festival is drawing never as we speak so he is on the duty to make sure everything is ready before the actual event starts.

"I see." I nod and a contemplating expression crosses my face.

The Mock Battle Festival changes its venue every year, and all the students are transported to the spot on the morning of the Festival’s first day. This is an annual event of the Syx and one of the most important events here except for the Music Festival.

Well, this is a story for another day, so for now, let us focus on the looming danger that is dangling over my head.

In the Mock Battle Festival, I doubt anything will be in my favor as I already have made Seraphina my enemy. Then I can’t even use my magic here. I am hooked on that stupid earth magic stone that can do very little to keep me kicking in this place. I am screwed for sure. But I have a plan. And I have two backings to help me with that. Edward and Erick. Edward will help no matter what the odds are and I will make

Erick do it. Since he wants to be my companion then he has to prove his worth to me. I ain’t taking no risk with him. I can’t afford any evens in my plan. I will be fucked if anything goes south.

But before that, I need to analyze the battlegrounds first so that I can put my plan in motion.

I snap out of my dilemma as Vermilion pushes open a hidden door at the back of his enormous office, revealing another large space that contains no more than three things. An enormous elegant bed in the middle of the room a large closet just across from it and another polished table placed in the corner of the room beside the closed window. Everything in this room is simple yet elegant and well-kept.

I stall for a moment, taking in the scenario before me. My heart skips a beat at the thought that I am currently standing at the threshold of Vermilion’s bed chamber. My mind is racing and my heart is palpitating in my chest. I know that I shouldn’t act this way but I can’t help it.

I am so consumed in the mere thought of sharing a space with Vermilion that all coherent thought is flying out of the window. And I am ashamed that I am feeling this way toward the demon lord, the mortal enemy of the human realm and someone for whom I am standing here while a danger I have zero idea about closing toward me in dangerously terrifying speed. But still, I can’t deny the tingling feeling in my stomach when he looks at me when he talks to me.

I might be falling for deranged demon...

I slap the thought away as soon as it comes to my mind. I don’t like men, let alone a demon over that. Let us not mention that the form in question is a demon lord who is wiggling the life out of me.

"You can stay here for the night, Your Highness," Vermilion says, his voice isn’t loud but it is clear. He doesn’t need to raise his voice to make anyone do anything. This is one of his specialiti.

"Where will you be living, my lord?" I turn my head and look at his face just to make my heart get smitten by his beauty all over again.

"I will be working." Vermilion turns around, ready to leave, "Please do not worry about me and make yourself comfortable here," Vermilion looks at me from the corner of his eyes and then slowly says, "Lush."

And I am water.

The moment those four letters leave his tongue I am melted into nothing. My mind and my heart are liquid and my body is jelly. All the consistent bullshit my mind was uttering until now is suddenly muted and my mind is filled with, ’Lush, Lush, Lush’. The way Vermilion tastes my name on his tongue, the way he spells it, the way it pours into my eardrums is something I can get addicted to easily. In fact I am already addicted. I want to hear my name in his mouth more, more and more. I want to hear it until I can hear nothing else.

Vermilion reads the look on my face and then the corner of his lip slightly twitches upward, forming a ghost of a smile on his face and I am proven wrong that I was melted into nothing because now I am melted into nothing. I am water and Vermilion is the container that is holding me in a place. My emotions are molded by his even though I don’t know what in the world this heartless supremacy is thinking or feeling.

"Good night, Your Highness," Vermilion says for one last time before walking away and a surge of disappointment rushes in.

I pout subconsciously, "Hmph!" I step into the room and climb onto the bed.

Why can’t he just call me by my name? Why does he always leave me hanging? Why is he so alluring like the forbidden fruit on that forbidden tree? Why can’t I keep my mind off him?

I take in a deep breath and close my eyes. I am falling for someone who is forbidden for me and I am enjoying it.... I am going to have a hard time in the future.