The Lycan King's Muse

Ep 32: A Platter of Insults

The room is dark. Unlike what one would expect from a seamstress's room. I expected more color, more pattern, and a vibrant feeling. But with only two candles being lit in the room, the room instead gives an eerie feeling.

Lyall is sitting on a large chair at one end of the room. He crosses his leg as his fingers tap on the chair's arm. His claws are out.

On the other hand, Nari kneels in front of him, with her head touching the floor. At a closer look, her shoulders are shaking.

The maid and Grey stay outside while I step into the room. Grey looks at me with a conflicted look when the old maid closes the door, leaving me in the dark with Lyall and Nari.

I don't know how Lyall does it, but when he twirls his hand in the air, the light from the candle gives an orange glint on his claws. Even I gulp at how sharp the lycan king's claws look.

"I believe I told Marissa to escort you back to my room," Lyall says. Marissa must be the old maid that greeted me.

The depth of his voice sends shivers down my spine. I don't know why my legs suddenly feel so tired right after hearing his intimidating tone.

"I asked Marissa to take me here. It's not her fault." Even with the eeriness crawling on my skin, somehow, I am not afraid. Unlike Nari, who is shaking on the floor. "What are you doing here, Your Highness?"

He twirls his claws, making my sensitive ears hear the slight wind-cutting sound as proof of how sharp those claws are.

"A little bird told me that other than Grey, someone visited my room this morning," he says slowly, "But I didn't give any other person permission to do so."

Lyall's gaze shoots through me sharply.

"I believe Nari here," Lyall drops his claws on the chair's arm, easily puncturing deep into the cushion. Exactly like a sword cutting through a cheese, "is the perpetrator. Is that right, Mars?"

I keep my mouth shut, bidding my time to figure out how to answer this question. It seems like a trap. But I don't know if the sword will keep me safe or turn to me if I say my truth.

"You are my person," Lyall says. His emerald eyes magically glint in the dimly lit room. The fires from the candles are all reflected in his eyes. "If anyone dares to harm you physically, mentally, or even try to smear your reputation, that person will be punished, Mars."

When I still keep my silence, his eyes soften for a while before he continues, "Letting someone who has tricked you off, just like that, is also an insult to me because you're my person. It's okay to tell me and I'll punish her so it won't happen again."

I realize Lyall is giving me a choice. I can just tell the truth and let him handle the rest. That way my hands would be clean from whatever would happen to Nari.

"Please," Nari's voice quivers in fear, "Please... I thought I was helping Miss Mars. I didn't know that making her pretty is a sin. Please forgive me."

Lies.

Although I am impressed by how she can twist the situation with her words even while shaking so badly. Those are pretty yet pitiful words. Her words also confirm to us that people are overhearing our conversations. If they only hear Nari's words, they'd think that I am the one being overdramatic, that I am the evil one for asking Lyall to punish her despite Nari's pure intention.

Lyall disregards Nari's pleas. His eyes still hold my gaze. "The only truth I will hear is from your lips, Mars. And what I consider the truth will be the laws in this kingdom."

I know what Lyall is implying with his words. He knows about the possibility of people watching Nari's room. Perhaps his sharper lycan sense can even locate them when I could not smell anything weird. And yet he is telling me to not mind what people would think, as he will take care of it for me.