The Crown and The Rose
Chapter 50: Déjà Vu

Chapter 50: Déjà Vu

The Crown

"Are you sure about it, Your Highness?" Edward asks somewhat worriedly.

"Seraphina can’t come here in the state she is in right now," I say as I draw the barrier in the air, my hands forming various seals, "And Typhon’s presence will only ruin the plan."

This barrier will prevent them from getting out of the palace. It will also prevent any unauthorized entries. It will keep Seraphina and Keith safe.

"But still," Edward hesitates, "I think you should rethink about this, Your Highness. You tend to get into a lot of danger while you are working. If you seal them inside then I am afraid Your Highness will get into a grave danger."

I chuckle, "Edward, then why are you here by my side? You will protect me, right? And other than that Erick is the bait here. You shouldn’t worry about me, but him." I give him a reassuring smile.

Edward still seems a bit troubled, "Your Highness, I have known you since you have been born." He rubs his clammy hands together, "You are an ultimate trouble attracter. Even if Erick is the one who will be the bait, I am assuming that nothing good is expected from you. I shall protect you with my life."

I snort light-heartedly, my arms dropping to my sides as I am done forming the seal, "Don’t you think, you worry too much? It is just that I am too vulnerable to be outside of the royal palace."

Edward shakes his head slowly, "This is not the case, Your Highness. You will be a great ruler. You are very skillful, it is just that you lack experience."

The light in my eyes dims a little. Suddenly my chest starts to ache and there is a vice around my throat, preventing me from breathing freely. I feel so suffocated all of a sudden. I fist my hands to prevent them from shaking

And you lack nothing.

"Say..." I hesitate a little, "Edward, do you want to be the next Emperor?"

Edward’s eyes widen and his eyebrows jump to his forehead, "What are you talking about, Lush?" He exclaims, abandoning horrific out of shock.

I realize that I have spoken those words out loud. A wide smile replaces my grumpy expression and as I slide my mask back in place, "Ha ha, you took it seriously? I was just kidding, Edward." I pat his shoulder violently, "Why are you so serious all the time?"

"Your Highness, I am afraid that you can’t just joke around about these things," Edward sighs in relief, "This is inappropriate. You are the future Emipror of the Empire of Blade. You will have your royal coronation once we return to the royal palace."

I chew on my lower lip and nod, "Right, for now, let’s go to Erick. He is waiting for us, leaving him alone there is dangerous. Lord Vermilion will toss me to death if I fail him this time."

Edward tenses up again, "Yes, Your Highness."

I have Erick moved to a cottage a bit far away from the palace. Seraphina has undoubtedly a greater advantage over Erick in the aspect of magic, but she is a bit weak now as she was drained of magic while performing the lost art. I can’t risk her life for this mission, so I chose to keep her out of this mission. I don’t want to be the reason for someone’s death.

The cottage is dark and quiet, just like I told Erick to keep it. I push open the wooden door of the cottage. It creaks open with a horrible squeak. The cottage reminds me of the cottage that my mother lent me to stay at when I was leaving the royal palace. It has a slightly musky stench in the air.

I step onto the wooden floor which squelch beneath my feet uncomfortably. Edward follows after me. "Erick?" I whisper-shout, "Are you asleep?" I try to keep my voice as low as possible as it feels wrong to break the eerie silence consuming the place, "Where are you?"

"I am upstairs, Your Highness," Erick replies in the same manner and I hear footsteps moving upstairs, "Come here."

"Right," I mutter underneath my breath and I start to climb the staircase.

Suddenly the hair on my nape stands on its end and a wave of cold jolts down my spine and my head dart to a place behind me. Someone is watching me. Watching us. My eyes sharpen as I scan the area.

"Is there anything wrong, Your Highness?" Edward asks from my side. It is clear that he is not sensing what I am sensing.

"N-Nothing..." I resume to climb up the rest of the stairs.

Edward gives me a look but doesn’t press the matter any further.

"Took you long enough." Erick whines once we step into the bedroom, he is seating on the edge of the dirty bed, "I was so fucking scared."

"You are damn demon, Erick." I snicker, "How can you get scared over things like this?"

"Even if I am a demon," Erick gets on his face and stroll over to us, "I don’t want to die, Your Highness. I am scared to die."

Suddenly something clicks inside my head and my eyes narrow, "Edward, can this cottage withstand my magic?"

"Most seemingly, no, Your Highness." Edward says with a stone face, "It will probably break down if you release if you release just ten parcent of your magic."

"So..." I don’t take my eyes of Erick, "If I were to have you step out of here for a bit what will it be? Will you go out?"

"Is it a royal order, Your Highness?" Edward seems wary now.

" Yes." My tone is dripping with alarm.

"Understood." Edward steps out of the way.

"What is it, Your Highness?" Erick blinks in confusion, tilting his head to the side a little, "Why did you tell him to step out of the way?"

"Where is Erick?" I reply to him with a question.

’Erick’ pauses and smirks, "So you figured it out, Lush Von Blade?" His skin starts to melt away and the room temperature begins to go down.

My heart clenches and my pulse quickens as my instincts flare red.

What a horrible sense of déjà vu...