Beneath The Shadows (BXB)

Chapter 37

Liam's POV

He landed on top of the wall that separated the Palace from the forest. He nodded his head to the patrols and I waited for him to put me down but he didn't.

He continued walking before jumping outside. I gasped and clung tighter to him when we were midair. He stepped on the huge branches of the trees as we moved further south.

After a while, we finally stopped and he settled my feet down a thick branch.

"Be careful." He said and placed a hand on my back to support me. I finally managed to get my bearings and when I looked at what was ahead of us, I felt the night going better and better.

"It's beautiful." I whispered as I looked at the breath taking sight. There was a small pond that had clear blue water and it was reflecting the light of the moon as it sat directly beneath it. A huge lavender wisteria tree stood beside it, flowers and branches reaching out to the small body of water.

It was surrounded by tamed grass and night blooming flowers that had different colors. I could hear the sound of cicadas and the insects chirping around us.

"This is my favorite spot when I want to have a change of scenery." He sat down on the branch and leaned on the trunk of the tree. I was about to sit across from him but he opened his legs and patted the space in between.

I blushed and looked pointedly at him but he just smiled and beckoned me forward, so I carefully sat down on the space between his legs and he wrapped his arms around my body.

I snuggled deeper into him and hummed in delight as his cool and masculine scent enveloped me. We both stared at the glittering pond and I craned my head up to look at the full moon.

"It was also a full moon when I lost my family." My whole body grew taut all of a sudden at his confession. I was about to turn towards him but he held me in place and I felt that it was hard for him to talk about this so I didn't move.

"I was the son of a famous goldsmith in our village. My father was the goldsmith and my mother was a housewife. I had an older brother who was just starting to follow my father's footsteps, while I...wanted to be a painter." I felt the grief in his heart as he said these words. I rubbed his arm with my hands and he took a shuddering breath before he continued.

"We were a joyous family, cherishing what we had and not asking for anything other than to live every happy day with each other."

"That was until thieves broke into our home and killed my family in order to steal my father's works and all the jewelries that we had. I don't know what happened because when I got there..." He stopped and I heard him swallow as he clenched his fists.

"My mother and older brother was already dead, while my father took his last breath in front of me. They were stabbed repeatedly and a puddle of their blood soaked the floor when I held them in my hands. I bathed in my family's blood and the stench of it is the reason why I can't stand the blood of humans." It took everything in me not to make a sound as tears slid down my face. I could feel his pain so deep and hurting.

"My father was a kind and gentle man. He would have given them everything as long as he spared my mother and brother. But they killed them regardless." I reached for his hand and intertwined our fingers together.

"My heart was full of sadness, grief, anger, and a need for revenge." He dropped his head to my shoulder and I silently wiped my tears with the back of my free hand.

"I wanted to catch my parent's murderers and exact vengeance. It took me more than a week to find who they were without the help of officials. I wanted to kill them, not imprison them."