Chapter 8 – The Hidden Truths
"We need to kill him"
The words came out of the person who gave job to Nikki and it caught her off guard. She stared at the man in confusion.
"What do you mean, Mr. Elvoire?" Asked Nikki, "Kill who?"
"That partner of yours, what was his name? Ah.. Obi" Said Mr. Elvoire.
"But why? You trust me, you should be able to trust my partner as well!" Nikki demanded.
"I trust you, Nikki but I can't trust your partner.. He is the type that will betray me sooner or later.."Mr. Elvoire smiled coldly at Nikki "..I shall send an assassin to kill him.."
Curling her hands into a fist, Nikki knew that Obi would not have a chance to live but if she was the one who did it, Obi might live. "Let me do it"
Mr. Elvoire took a glass of wine which was on the table and sipped it slowly, his eyes stared at Nikki's cold yet determined face calculatingly. "..Are you sure you can do it..?" He asked, "After all.. you and him have shared bed for a long while now.."
A cruel smile came on that cold face of hers, "That is the reason for me to do it, I have grown tired of his body anyway~"
Mr. Elvoire laughed as he put the glass back to the table, he rose to his feet and approached Nikki. His hand caressed her neck to her chin, lifted her face toward him. Nikki had to fight an urge to cut the man's hand for touching her like this.
"This is why I like you, Nikki," said Mr. Elvoire, "You and I.." he whispered and leaned down to her face "are the same type of human being.."
Then he crushed his lips on hers, claiming her as his. Nikki had to play her part, she had to do this for Obi's sake. She was the only one who could save Obi from this man. She could not even let tears falling when the man embraced her in his bed, Nikki had to control her feelings in precision. But deep down, she wanted to cry so bad. She wanted to scream in agony for losing the love of her life. For Nikki, Obi was the only one for her.
...
"I am so sorry, Obi" Nikki muttered as she stared at Obi who was lying on the floor in the house both of them had shared for a long while.
"..I love you.."Nikki whispered, fighting the urge to cry. She walked out of the house and Mr. Elvoire's men had been waiting for her.
"It's done~" She said, forcing herself to use that alluring, sexy tone.
The men shook their heads, staring at her in awe. "You are one hell of a woman.. Killing your partner, not to mention a guy who you have shared bed with" said one of them.
"Damn, I don't want you be my lover~" said the other man.
"Okay, Stop talking and get our asses back to Mr. Elvoire.. He is waiting for his woman to return" said the leader of the group.
His woman..
Nikki fought an urge to show expression of disgust due hearing the two words. Right now she had to play the part as Mr. Elvoire's Mistress, until the time had come for her to slit that man's throat with her own hands. That man could have her body but not her heart, because it would always be Obi's.
'I am so sorry, Obi'
'You can hate me, loath me, curse me all you want'
'I am fine with that, I can take all of it'
'This is my way of loving you, I won't let anything to harm you'
'Even If I can't have you to love me again, even if I can't make you stare at me with that gentle eyes again, even if I can no longer feel your gentle and loving touch again, I will always be in love with you'
Nikki mused as she walked away with the men, determined to take the thorny path all by her self.
...
"...ki.."
"..ikki.."
"Nikki!"
Nikki was instantly pulled out of her reverie, returned to the present. Ray stared at her coldly, clearly annoyed at her. "Yes, Master?" asked Nikki
"What is wrong with you? I called your name for three times and you didn't hear me. It's not like you are in this room"
Nikki forced a sexy smile, "My My~ do you want my attention so much Master ~?"
"don't play that with me, you know it has no effect on me" Ray said, sagged on his chair with a tired sigh. "I have a job for you"
"And that is?"
"You need to scout the harbor, search information or any signs about Clarines" said Ray, "I assume, they will make their move to save Shirayuki and Ryu soon"
"And if I found the signs?" asked Nikki, her tone was serious, knowing that Obi would be one of the rescue party.
"..Stop them.." Ray said in relentless tone.
"Stop as in.. Killing them...?"
"No, Just defeat them enough to buy time.. I don't want you kill anymore, remember?" Ray said.
Nikki smiled gently at Ray, "Thank you for caring so much about me, Master"
Ray did not say a word after that, he just closed his eyes and Nikki knew that was the cue for her to walked out of the office. Deep down, she was grateful to have met Ray. She who had stained in blood, destroying the man who destroyed not only her happiness but also the love of her life, Ray accepted her with open heart. He even vowed not to make her kill people again, but Nikki also made a vow in her heart that if there was a time for her to kill, it would be for Ray's sake.
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Shirayuki was on her way to Ray's office, Ryu also came along. Yue was the one who led the way. On their way, they met Katherina, the first princess of Ruthergent. Katherina looked gloomy, she was on her way to the lab and bid them farewell in a hurry.
"She is in charge of taking caring the Infected " Yue explained as soon as Katherina left, "She wants to help his majesty, easing his burden"
Shirayuki stared at Katherina's back before continued walking behind Yue. "I want to know more about this Gehendra disease," she said.
"You will.. Soon" Yue said and stopped in front of a door, knocking it gently.
"Enter," a voice with cold tone answered from inside.
Yue opened the door, Shirayuki and Ryu entered along with him. "Your Majesty, I have brought Lady Shirayuki and Sir Ryu"
Shirayuki stared at Ray's face, weariness could be seen clearly on it. He looked like a different person, not the person who teased her nor the one who forced his kiss on her. Yes.. Shirayuki finally realized that this was the dark side of Ray, the one that pushed people away.
"I assume you want to know about Gehendra?" Ray asked, "Gehendra is a virus that was made by My mother, The Former Queen of Ruthergent"
Shirayuki was surprised but Ryu was even more surprised. "How?" Ryu asked, "The main ingredient of the disease had been destroyed long time ago"
Ray snorted in mockery "You mean, The 'Demon's Blood' herb?"
"Yes"
"Oh, it still exists.. Because the ancient king of Ruthergent saved it from extinction, hoping to find a way to use the herb to save people other than destroying them," Ray answered as he rose from his seat, "..And that same herbs are also inside the Herb garden of Ruthergent Palace"
"Ryu.. What is this Demon's blood herb?" Asked Shirayuki
"It's a herb that can enhance human's strength" Ryu answered simply.
"Yes, The little boy is right and it used to be use during wars.. but the herb's stimulation has a side effect," Ray said "and that effect cause human body to change.. turning them into a demon"
"But how can it be?" Shirayuki asked.
"Because human's body can't handle the stimulation.. it's way beyond the capabilities of human's body.. so the poison inside that herb, changes the human's body shape in order for the body to survive.. Hence the transformation.." Ray explained. "And it also make the human becomes brutal, cruel and think nothing but blood.. the poison also messes with the human's mind.."
"Then why the former queen made that kind of dangerous virus?" Asked Ryu
Ray's face turned grim, darkness could be seen on his emerald eyes. "Because she wants to attain immortality.."
Silence fell into the room, it took a while for Shirayuki and Ryu to react to those words and when they did, both of them wore the same shocked expressions.
"What?!"
Ray chuckled humorlessly "Yes, My mother and father were obsessed with immortality.. they thought by enhancing the human's body, they could live longer.." he spoke in cruel tone, he smiled like a mad man "How stupid they became"
"Your Majesty.." Yue spoke, looking sad at his expression.
"My father was way beyond redemption.. so I killed him by my own two hands.." Ray stared at Shirayuki, letting her to see the deepest part of his dark side, "and I shall do the same to that cursed woman.."
Shirayuki shivered at the sight of Ray's darkest side, she wondered what made a person became so dark but after hearing his statement, hearing that he was the one who killed his own father, somehow Shirayuki understood what kind of burden Ray had on his shoulder. Ray thought that he, himself, also beyond redemption. He could not forgive himself for killing his own father. But his next words caught her attention once more.
"You shall do the same? I mean.. The cursed woman.. is your mother right..? she..is still—"
"Alive?" Ray finished the words, "Oh yes.. she is still alive and when I find her.. I shall cut her into pieces.."
"Ray.."
"The former Queen ran away, taking most of the virus with her.. That is why, some people of the kingdom caught the virus.." Yue explained "We are trying to find her, Special army is sent to search for her.."
"Special army?" Shirayuki asked.
"The infected can't be kill by normal weapon.." Ray spoke, "It can only be killed by blade that was made by Orichalcum ore.." Ray lifted his blade and showed it to Shirayuki and Ryu "Like mine"
As he put his sword back on the table, Ray gazed at Shirayuki and Ryu "Now.. the reason I brought both of you here is so that you can find the cure for Gehendra.."
"I have a feeling it's like that" Ryu said. "I agree"
"Ryu.."
Ryu stared at Shirayuki, his eyes, his face showed the fierce determination Shirayuki rarely saw from him. "I want to help this kingdom, this might be a good chance to study this ancient disease.."
Shirayuki smiled and nodded, "then I shall help you"
"I shall help as well, I have mastered the Alchemy more than any of my siblings.. it's the Royal family's secret knowledge" Ray spoke, "Let's get ready and go to the lab"
Both Shirayuki and Ryu nodded, this was another journey for them as pharmacist. Knowing the knowledge of ancient disease and Alchemy would help them on the way to become the best pharmacists of Clarines Kingdom..
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Okay Chapter 8 is here! :D
Thank you so much for the reviews! :D As always I need more reviews and opinion! ^o^/
Well, I am going to make the next chapter but it might take longer since I have a life and mostly, work XDD
Anyway! thank you for all my followers, I will see you again at the next chapter! ^o^/
Love and Peace! (^o^)v