Chapter 6

Eliana’s stomach churned.

Bron had deceived her.

But since when?

It had been over two years since Bron first arrived at Helio Monastery as a novice monk. The first time he mentioned Serafiano Monastery had been the previous summer. Had he been planning this from the very beginning? Was that why he had been so kind, always telling her to come to him whenever she needed help?

“…The letter of recommendation… What about the recommendation you wrote for me?”

At her trembling question, Bron knitted his brows together before putting on an expression of exaggerated sympathy.

“Oh, my lady. That letter? Naturally, I scribbled it together without much thought. It had to look convincing enough that you wouldn’t get suspicious. Besides…” He shook his head with a pitying sigh. “A monastery that warmly opens its doors to everyone? Where do you think such a place exists in this world?”

He chuckled.

“Still, I never expected you’d actually take the bait. You’re the daughter of Marquis Crowde, after all. I didn’t think you’d be this sheltered… or this easy to fool.”

Eliana bit down hard on her lip and squeezed her eyes shut.

Now that she thought about it, there had been warning signs everywhere.

The recommendation written by nothing more than a novice monk had been poorly composed. The coachman who had conveniently offered her directions to the square without being asked. And the brilliant scarlet anemone that had seemed to appear out of nowhere among a bed of withered flowers, as though someone had prepared it in advance.

Her escape had been absurdly easy.

Because it had never truly been an escape.

“Bron… why are you doing this to me? If you’re planning to demand a ransom from my father—”

“No, no.” He cut her off with a dismissive wave, stepping closer. “We’re not the sort of filthy people who threaten others for money, my lady.”

A sinister smile spread across his face.

“We’re businessmen.”

He leaned close enough for his breath to brush against her ear.

“We trade… people.”

The whispered words froze the blood in her veins.

Only then did she fully understand what was happening.

Pure terror engulfed her, and tears poured uncontrollably down her cheeks.

“P-Please… save me. I’ll give you anything. Please let me go. I-I haven’t…”

“Ha!”

Bron burst into laughter, looking genuinely amused.

“What exactly can you give me? Nothing.”

His eyes gleamed cruelly.

“You told me yourself, remember? That no one would care whether you lived or died. Those were your own words.”

His reminder shattered what little composure she had left.

She had confided in him countless times.

She had tearfully told him about Cecilia’s merciless bullying, her father’s complete indifference, and the inexplicable imprisonment she had endured within the estate.

Never once imagining that the man listening with such concern…

…was a monster.

“Well, that’s enough chatting, my lady. We’re short on time.”

His face now wore nothing but annoyance.

He shoved the gag back into her mouth before tightening the ropes around her wrists with practiced ease.

Eliana struggled desperately, scraping the skin from her wrists and ankles raw.

It was useless.

Against Bron’s brute strength, she stood no chance.

After what felt like an eternity, exhaustion finally overtook her. Her body sagged limply against the chair.

At that moment, a creaking door broke the silence, followed by the sharp voice of an impatient woman.

“Hurry it up. We don’t have much time left.”

With great effort, Eliana raised her head toward the sound.

It was the innkeeper who had shown her to her room.

Beyond the door she had opened, Eliana caught sight of the bed she had slept on earlier.

Hidden behind the oversized wardrobe that had looked strangely out of place in the cramped room…

…was this secret chamber.

She had never even imagined such a space existed.

A muffled scream of rage and despair escaped through her gag.

“Oh my!” the woman exclaimed, startled. “She’s still got plenty of fight left. Shouldn’t we give her more of the drug? What if someone hears?”

“If we use too much, she’ll be completely limp,” Bron replied irritably. “Customers don’t like that. Makes her harder to sell.”

The woman clicked her tongue.

“Well, after this one, we’ll have enough money to disappear for a while. Even if she’s the unwanted daughter, once the marquis finds out she was sold as a slave, he won’t sit quietly. So let’s finish this quickly and get out.”

Slave.

The horrifying word drained every ounce of warmth from Eliana’s body.

By now, they must have realized she was missing.

But she couldn’t imagine her father mobilizing soldiers to search for her.

If anything…

He might pretend to look for her before quietly declaring her missing and putting the matter to rest.

She had fallen into a pit so deep there seemed to be no escape.

All she could do was cry.

“Don’t lose your mind just yet, my lady. You’ve still got a long journey ahead.”

Pito rolled over an empty rum barrel, frowning as he spoke.

The wooden barrel was easily large enough to fit a small person inside.

A dreadful premonition washed over Eliana, and she instinctively began thrashing again.

“Perfect size. But are you sure about this, Bron? What if she starts making noise—”

“The gag’s tight enough. Don’t worry.”

Bron covered her eyes with a filthy strip of cloth before whispering with a sickening smile,

“Lady Eliana… do be good and stay quiet. We’ll sell you for a very handsome price.”

His voice dripped with mock kindness.

“Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up warming the bed of some refined nobleman. Surely that’s better than rotting away in a brothel.”

Her heart seemed to plummet into the abyss.

The blindfold quickly became damp with her tears.

Pitiful cries escaped from behind the gag, but they meant nothing.

Without the slightest hesitation, Bron and his accomplices lifted her like a piece of cargo, lowered her into the rum barrel, and slammed the lid shut.

Darkness swallowed her whole.

Even the sounds outside vanished.

Then came the movement.

The barrel lurched violently as it was hauled away, throwing her against its wooden walls over and over.

Her entire body screamed in agony.

Ironically…

She found herself missing even Cecilia’s slaps.

The pain became unbearable.

At last, Eliana’s fading consciousness slipped away into darkness.

The air after midnight carried a biting chill.

Leaning against the trunk of a towering oak, Tristan silently watched Tis drinking from the nearby stream.

Moonlight cascaded over the black warhorse’s glossy mane like silver dust.

Enjoying the peaceful stillness, Tristan’s attention shifted as leaves rustled overhead.

A raven far too large to be mistaken for an ordinary bird landed on a branch and stared down at him.

“You’re here, Corvus.”

A faint smile touched his lips.

“Faster than I expected.”

The raven’s yellow eyes gleamed.

Without a sound, it dropped the tightly rolled piece of paper from its beak.

Then, with an irritated flap of its enormous wings that stirred a gust of wind, it disappeared back into the darkness.

“As ill-tempered as ever.”

Clicking his tongue, Tristan bent down and picked up the message.

My lord,

We’ve located Lady Eliana. I believe you should come to Alderon as quickly as possible.

I’ll head there first and meet you upon your arrival.

—Loras

“Alderon…”

For a young lady who had spent her entire life trapped inside a gilded cage…

It was an astonishingly reckless destination.

From the moment Loras informed him that Eliana had disappeared, Tristan had known she had become entangled in something dangerous.

He had nearly reached Crowde territory by carriage when the report arrived.

Without hesitation, he abandoned the carriage and mounted Tis.

After ordering Loras to locate Eliana’s whereabouts, he had ridden without rest until reaching the Crowde estate.

The hour had been far from appropriate for a visit.

But that hardly mattered.

He had only two objectives.

To tell the Marquis of Crowde that he would find Eliana himself and bring her back.

And to retrieve the marriage contract the girl had undoubtedly left behind somewhere.

Nothing else concerned him.

Yet…

The marquis’s unexpected reaction had lingered unpleasantly in his mind.

“Please… take good care of that child—of Eliana, Your Grace.”

Recalling those words, Tristan let out a cold, mocking laugh.

He still remembered that beautiful spring day.

The warm sunshine.

The gentle breeze.

And Eliana standing at the edge of the towering cliff, staring into the endless abyss below.

He had never forgotten the profound despair reflected in her eyes.

The very man who had likely been the greatest cause of that despair had dared to entrust her to someone else.

The hypocrisy disgusted him.

It had been a long time since Tristan Carlisle had felt something as simple…

…and as intense…

…as hatred.

“Tis.”

He gently stroked the horse’s mane, as though brushing the moonlight from it.

“It’s time.”

The black stallion snorted happily and rubbed its face against his palm.

Sending Loras ahead to keep watch over Eliana had been the right decision.

By the time Tristan reached Alderon, his capable subordinate would have already unraveled the entire situation.

No matter what happened…

He needed Eliana.

His fingers unconsciously traced the faint scar that remained on his wrist.

Then, with a single smooth motion, Tristan swung into the saddle.

The black warhorse surged forward.

Together, rider and steed cut through the cold midnight air, racing toward Alderon without a moment’s hesitation.