Chapter 71 - Bloodstains

"This is the place," Aleister stretched his hand towards Esme and she alighted the carriage.

"Are we staying here?" She pointed at the house in the corner.

"Yes, My Lady," It was Aiden who answered as he alighted from the other carriage, "This place belongs to Magistrate. During our investigation, we will have to reside here."

Aleister's lips twitched slightly. This man was so idle to be present everywhere.

"Mr. Aiden, you are here too?" Esme was surprised.

"The Magistrate has sent me to assist you since the Prince did not bring his guards with him."

Esme noticed the two burly guards standing behind him before she glanced at Aleister. She did not think he needed anyone to protect him. He was so powerful.

Looking at her sparkling eyes, he could more or less guess what was in her mind. He poked her forehead as he leaned closer to her, "If anything, you can also protect me," He whispered.

Esme restrained the urge to laugh as she mumbled, "I might kill you someday and you won't know how you died," Her tone was helpless. Even though her powers were calm at the moment, she hoped they would stay like that. She did not want to harm him... Or anyone else.

Aleister chuckled.

"We should do what we are here for..." Aiden said, interrupting the moment between the both of them, "...My Lord."

Esme nodded.

But Aleister's face seemed to have been covered in icicles as he glanced at Aiden but the gentle-looking man kept smiling.

"Don't speak unless you are spoken to," He coldly said.

Aiden did not say anything.

There was tension between both the men and the guards standing behind Aiden shifted on their feet, feeling the coldness around. 

Esme tilted her head to the side, "Are you going to the Enchanted forest?" She asked.

Aiden's lips twitched when Aleister retracted his cold aura as he glanced at her playfully, "Yes, do you want to come?"

"Can I?" Her eyes sparkled.

"If I say no, will you not insist?" Aleister asked.

Esme looked at him pleadingly.

Aleister pursed his lips, feeling a tug. 

Esme smiled cunningly in her heart. As long as they were not fighting, he would give in to her at times.

Her eyes darkened a bit. It could be dangerous there but as long as she was able to find some clues about Arlan...

...

While the servants arranged the house, Esme, Aleister, and Aiden, along with a few guards that the Magistrate had sent to assist them to set out for Enchantment Forest. 

Aiden and the guards walked forward with a map in their hand and another map was with Aleister as he looked around the place. 

Esme peeked at the map in his hand, ''I have been here to this Forest before,'' She said. 

Aleister nodded, ''I know.''

''Not that time when I was sleepwalking,'' She frowned, reminded of that unpleasant memory. After that incident, she felt somewhat scared to fall asleep, ''Before that when I came to the Capital City, I took this way to reach the Castle in less time.''

Aleister cleared his throat, ''Is it?"

''Yes,'' She whispered, ''I passed by the border of the forest, near the sea and you won't believe what happened.''

''What happened?" He asked like he was curious. 

Esme glanced at the guards and Aiden who were at a distance from them. She held Aleister's elbow and made a come hither motion with her finger. 

He lowered his head and she leaned closer to his ear, ''Someone shot arrows at me.''

Aleister's lips twitched, his expressions looked slightly stiff. 

''I looked around but there was no one around me. And then, many fireflies appeared out of nowhere,'' Esme said before shaking her head, ''I did not believe when the villagers said that this place was haunted.''

''So you believe it after that incident?" 

Esme let go of his hand as she looked around, ''I don't know either. It could be some crafty human with malicious intentions.''

Aleister cleared his throat, ''He could have good intentions too.''

''Good intention in shooting an arrow at me?" Esme paused, ''He..? How do you know if it is a he?"

Aleister glanced at the map in his hand, ''I think we have reached the place where those bodies were found.''

Esme glanced at the map, ''It is a well,'' She tilted her head and noticed that Aiden was standing near the huge well. There was a tall tree behind the well and on the wooden structures around it, a broken wooden bucket was hanging with a dirty rope tied to it, ''Did you get the wrong map?'' She whispered. 

''It should be this place,'' Aleister looked around and his gaze landed on the bloodstains on the tip of the rope. 

''There are bloodstains here,'' Aiden remarked as he looked at the wooden structure that supported the bucket, letting it hang from the rope.

''No one is blind here,'' Aleister remarked, his jaws ticked slightly. 

Aiden smiled gently, ''My Lord, do you dislike me?" He asked straightforwardly while looking at Esme. 

Aleister narrowed his eyes but did not respond to him as his piercing gaze remained fixated on him. 

Suddenly, Aiden felt a strong pressure on himself. A chill ran down his spine, a coldness seeped in his bones and he raised his fingers towards his neck only to find sharp icicles shards near his neck. His usually calm eyes were left puzzled. 

''T-There is someone here,'' Esme's voice caught both their attention and the slight tremble in her voice made Aleister frown. 

He looked at her in concern when he saw her pale face, ''Are you not feeling well?" He asked her softly. 

''I... I am alright. Look there,'' She pointed her finger in the direction of the tree behind the huge well. 

Aleister followed her gaze and looked ground around the tree. Amidst the pile of dry leave, he could see a hand. 

Aiden noticed it as well and he could feel the pressure on him quickly disappearing the moment Aleister averted his gaze. 

As Aleister walked towards the tree, Esme walked a few steps after him,