Chapter 64 - Letter

Before she could open her mouth to voice her concerns, Aleister raised his other hand before he placed his fingers on his neck. 

As a golden glow started burning from his fingertips, Esme noticed a black mist near his neck which gradually disappeared. 

It took him some time but she felt his breath calming down as he pulled back from her, his eyes weren't hazy as before and the clarity was back in them.

Esme glanced at him in concern, ''What happened to you?" As she noticed him looking at her quietly, she thought that he was too shocked. Afraid that he might faint, she patted his face, ''Wake up. Look at me. Who am I?" She was a little worried.

Aleister grabbed her delicate wrist as he chuckled before pulling her closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his chin on her neck, inhaling the scent of wilderness coming off from her dark tresses, ''You are Esme,'' came his low teasing voice, ''...My dear moon.''

Esme could feel her blood rushing to her face the moment he pulled her like... like that. ''Since you are better, can you let go of me now?" She whispered. 

He did not say anything but loosened his grip around her. Esme shifted from his lap to the bed, her movements a little stiff. Her neck was feeling itchy as if she could still feel him breathing there. She cleared her throat, ''Where did you go? What happened?'' She asked. 

He notice the unveiled concern in her tone. He took out a parchment from his clothes before handing it to her. 

Esme glanced at him curiously before taking the parchment from him. She opened it but found it empty from inside. Just as she was about to put it aside, she noticed the strokes behind it. 

'Arlan'

Her eyes widened, ''Where did you get this from?"

''In the border of Enchantment Forest,'' Back in the fair, it was Rowan who sent the signal after he was back from Seran village. 

Esme noticed the strokes and she was certain that it was Arlan's handwriting but it was empty inside. 

''Look at it once again,'' Aleister pointed his chin at the parchment in her hand. 

Esme followed his gaze and tilted the parchment towards the direction of the fireplace. Under the glow of the fire, she could see the words written on it.

Aleister shifted closer to her and placed his chin on her neck, "Read now."

Esme stiffened as she tilted her head to the side and moved her shoulder but his chin did not falter, and he even shifted more closer to her.

"What are you doing?" She asked. 

"Nothing. Why do you ask?" His face was pressed next to hers while his gaze was fixated on the letter. 

Esme shot him a warning glare but Aleister was unfazed. 

His face was screaming 'Scratch me, bite me... But I will still stay like this.' 

The corner of her lips twitched. She was not used to this kind of intimacy but he always did something like this and it left her muddleheaded. 

Like that day beside the sea... She had been subconsciously denying her conjectures but now she could feel a stir in her heart the more she thought about it. 

"Read the letter, Princess," Aleister whispered in her ear. 

Esme stiffly glanced at the letter. 

Sister, 

Don't worry about me. When I was about to go to the auction house, a beautiful lady came to me asking about the way. While I was talking to her, I don't remember what happened after that but when I woke up, I was in a carriage and it looked like the royal carriage of Visteria. I overheard someone talking about 'sacrifice' but I could not see them or hear them quickly. I pretended to be in a daze and when the carriage came to a stop, I escaped after grabbing this parchment from the royal carriage.

I don't know what place is this and if you will ever come across my letter but I am placing my hopes on it. 

Take care of that old lady who is jealous of your beauty and take care of yourself. I will come back when I find a way.

Your younger one,

Arlan.

Esme's eyes sparkled with unshed tears and she tilted her head towards the ceiling, forgetting a certain man who was still clinging to her. 

"Don't cry," He wrapped an arm around her waist which was so thin that it felt like it could be crushed within an instant, "You need to be fed."

"I am not crying," And what did he mean by fed? It was as if he was talking about feeding a pet like Leo. "Can you let go of me?"

"No."

Esme pushed his chest with her elbow but he did not budge. 

"Today, when I went to get the letter, something happened...." Aleister said and that made her pause her movements. 

...

"You can't go inside that part of the Enchantment Forest," Rowan frowned, "I had sent more than ten of our men and nobody came out."

Aleister was leaning against a tree as he glanced at the distance where there were thick bushes and dense trees intermingled, not letting one see anything. 

As he watched him straightening, Rowan said, "You are well aware of what lies on the other side. Don't go. And we are not certain if these footsteps belong to the Princess' brother."

"You found a piece of the cloth that he was wearing. It resembles the one that she had described," Aleister turned to look at Rowan, "Even if it is a small possibility, I will look into it."

"I will go with you," Rowan said after a few moments. "I am not letting you go there alone."

Aleister eyed him in disdain, "Don't let people misunderstand your words."

Rowan was stumped for words. 

Before he could say anything, Aleister aimed his finger in his direction and a golden ray shot out of it, encircling around Rowan as it turned into a rope.

"You..."

Aleister did not pay attention to him anymore as he walked towards the other part of the forest. 

While ordinary people have always feared the existence of the Enchantment forest, it was true that this forest held many secrets that they were unaware of.