Chapter 79 - Duke Maverick's Hand

Esme glanced at the tree beside the well. She could still see the corpse lying there. Since the magistrate has sent his orders today, then she believed that this would be retrieved tomorrow morning. 

Aleister walked towards her with a lazy smile drawled on his face, ''If you are scared, you can hold me....'' He turned to look at her, ''....Wherever you like.''

Esme pursed her lips. She was not going to respond to this at all. 

Aleister raised his palm and a golden glow appeared on it, illuminating the place. He turned to look at Esme. Noticing that she did not look pale like she did in the noon, he walked towards the body lying under the tree. 

As he turned his back at her, Esme quickly touched her face. Was there something on it? She quickly cleaned her face with her palm and adjusted her hair before walking after him. 

As they stepped closer to the corpse, the air smelled rotten. ''Cough...'' Esme pressed the back of her palm on her mouth. 

''You can stay away if you don't feel good,'' Aleister tilted his head to look at her. 

''Are you feeling very good here?" Esme asked. 

He chuckled, ''I am still used to it, unlike you Princess,'' He stroked her back. 

Esme did not say anything as she closed her eyes, adjusting her breath. She opened her eyes after a few seconds, ''I am alright,'' She mumbled. 

The ghastly sight of the corpse did not scare her as much as it did in the noon. If anything, she just felt a bit uncomfortable looking at the person's cheeks seemed to have been sunken and at places, one could see his flesh protruding out of the cuts in his body. 

Aleister frowned. 

Esme looked at the corpse for a few seconds before she tilted her head while looking at the corpse's hand, ''I...'' She hesitated. 

''You can speak your mind,'' Aleister said. 

Esme was silent for a few seconds before she said, ''His hand resembles...'' The corpse was unrecognizable but because of his clothes and hair, she believed it was a man, ''His hand resembles your Uncle's,'' Esme spoke after some hesitation. 

Aleister stroked her hair before he squatted beside her, ''Why did it take you so long to say it out?"

Esme glanced at Aleister's hand before looking at him. She stuck her bottom lips out in a small pout, ''My Aunt used to punish me because I always end up saying wrong things at the wrong time.''

''Oh?" Aleister was amused as he looked at her small pout which vanished as quickly as it came. She resembled a little rabbit who had suffered in silence, ''What did you do?" He asked.

''....I once went to the Royal Court with my Aunt and I saw a minister arguing with the King even when he was in the wrong. I interrupted their discussion by saying that 'Since you lie to your wife, you are in the wrong all the time. Who knows if you are lying now?'....'' Esme recalled that day and she shook her head, ''His wife is from an aristocratic family but he was cheating on her and keeping a mistress while lying to her. I had witnessed it once...'' Her words were interrupted by a deep masculine burst of laughter. 

Esme tilted her head to look at Aleister who had thrown his head back as he laughed. It was rare for him to laugh so genuinely. 

Unknowingly, a smile curved on her and she shook her head, ''You don't have to laugh at me. I was being honest but Aunt grounded me in my room for two days.''

''For two days?'' He stopped laughing. 

She nodded, ''That minister's wife got to know about it and she kicked him out of their house so it escalated...'' Esme rubbed her hair feeling a little embarrassed, ''So, Aunt locked me up and she even forbid me from entering the Royal Court.''

''My poor one,'' He patted her shoulder. 

''I am not yours,'' Esme rolled her eyes, ''But I was happy that I don't have to go there anymore. I did not like that place at all,'' She laughed like a cat who just stole a fish.

Aleister smiled, ''You don't have to hesitate to speak anything when you are around me,'' He paused for a moment before adding, ''...or around anyone. I will back you up.''

Esme turned to look at him. She went silent for a few seconds before she said, ''After I find Arlan, I will go back,'' She averted her gaze before standing up. 

Aleister did not say anything as he pushed himself to his feet. 

''I have had a glimpse of Duke Maverick's hand the day when we were having breakfast. It resembles this,'' Esme said, breaking the moment of quietness between them. 

Aleister did not respond to her. 

And Esme also remained silent. She wondered if she was in wrong for saying it out.

''When that time comes, you have to ask me whether I am willing to let go of you,'' Aleister said, his words were unwavering. 

And she heard the reckless beating of her heart inside her chest. 

''Uncle's condition is caused by a witch if I am not wrong,'' He did not let her contemplate over his words for long as he spoke up. 

Esme's eyes widened, ''How did I forget it? Do you think a witch did this to him?'' 

Aleister raised an eyebrow. 

All of a sudden, Esme grabbed his hand and pinned him to the tree. 

She could not have done it given her strength but he let her have her way. 

''You like things like this?" Aleister mumbled as he tilted his head to look at her, ''You could have told me before.'' 

Esme glared at him before pressing her palm on his mouth, ''Someone is coming,'' She whispered. 

But what happened next made her freeze. The hair on the back of her neck stood up when she felt a ticklish sensation on her palm.