Ensnaring his Dark Moon-Chapter 295: Sea dungeon

’’My Lord sent us here to find the Duke but we have not been able to pursue his whereabouts. Your Highness, let us go inside and get the flower for you. You should refrain from entering such places.’’

’’You think we want our Highness to enter such detestable places?" Cardan’s guards snapped at Aleister’s, ’’The Nyxenna flower will wither soon after it is plucked.’’

Luciana could say that there was some bad blood between them.

Cardan on the other hand, seemed unfazed as if he was used to such sights, ’’All of you, stay here and guard the place. You will accompany Luciana later to find the Duke,’’ he commanded Aleister’s guards.

And unlike how provocative they were towards his guards, they accepted Cardan’s commands with their heads lowered.

’’All of you will follow us,’’ Cardan looked at his own guards.

As they crossed barriers, Luciana looked at him and then looked at the guards who were leading the way before she whispered to Cardan, ’’Why do they address Aleister and you differently?"

’’He is my father’s heir so he is referred to as Lord,’’ he shrugged.

’’Do your guards and his not get along?"

’’They are like cat and mouse. Before my brother came, I was the heir so my people think he hindered me. His people think I hold a grudge against him and I will hinder him. It is a matter of superiority to them.’’

Luciana shook her head, ’’Funny to me because I don’t see both of you concerned about being your father’s heir,’’ Or else, they would not have left heaven and settled in their kingdom shamelessly.

Cardan rolled his eyes, ’’They cannot be blamed. Brother and I mostly avoid each other in the Dark Castle.’’

They pretended to be enemies. Luciana remembered.

Although he did not elaborate but she could understand the reasons. The court officials who were in Cardan’s favor must have been against Aleister and those who favored Aleister probably hated Cardan. So them getting along would possibly give rise to unwanted chaos. Not to mention, Cardan’s mother.

Just the thought of her gave Luciana goosebumps.

’’What are you thinking about?" Cardan looked at her, ’’You look like you thought about something scary with the face you are making.’’

Luciana patted her cheeks and cleared her throat, ’’Nothing.’’

’’But...’’

’’Your Highness, we are here.’’

Luciana was relieved by the timely interruption. She could not tell him that she was terrified by the thought of his mother, could she?

...

The flower, Nyxenna, just as its name suggested bloomed in the darkness of the night.

And withered away when the rays of dawn grazed on it.

’’Stand here,’’ Cardan glanced at Luciana.

’’But...’’ she grabbed his hand, ’’I want to go with you.’’

’’I don’t know whether to be happy or distressed that you are caring for me to this extent,’’ Cardan tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned closer to kiss her forehead.

All his shadow guards turned around.

’’It’s poisonous...’’ Luciana looked into his eyes for a moment before she let her eyes roam to the swamp, looking at the pristine flower sitting amidst it.

Just the scent of the poison was so overwhelming. And the flower was sparkling in the middle of the swamp.

’’Other than being disgusting, it will cause me no harm,’’ Cardan pointed his finger towards the flower and the swamp gradually parted in half.

Only the flower remained floating a small portion of the swamp which formed the shape of a table.

Luciana glanced at Cardan, almost awestruck.

’’Am I useful? Do you want to marry me now?" Cardan leaned closer to her like a puppy seeking affection.

The awe vanished into thin air.

Chuckling at her actions, he made his way towards the flower.

’’Your Highness...’’ his shadow guards looked at him.

Cardan frowned, ’’You people have been talking way too much lately. How annoying.’’

Luciana suppressed her laughter.

Cardan squatted in front of the flower before he raised his hand. A small dagger formed on his palm.

Twirling it in his hand, Cardan glanced at the flower before he looked above his shoulder.

Luciana was still standing where he left her, with both her hands forming tiny fists. What an adorable creature she was.

His lips tugged up in an indulgent smile as he pressed the tip of the dagger atop his finger, cutting open the skin.

Luciana watched as blood dripped on the flower. The sparkling flower seemed to be shining more brightly as Cardan closed his eyes, his lips moving as he chanted the spell.

A golden glow enveloped the flower and him and when she looked at it closely, she could see the swirls of black in the golden. It represented the witch clan.

Luciana did not let her gaze wander from his face. When she saw that he looked serene, she was relieved.

She had asked him if it would be painful for him but he had reassured her that the spell is harmless unless it is used for long.

The fraction of doubts she had in her heart disappeared.

’’Northeast...’’ Cardan spoke, his eyes still closed, ’’Under the sea. Illusion trap. Dungeon.’’

Luciana’s eyes widened.

The enchantment forest was on the border of the sea.

The northeast border of this forest meant the part of the sea that fell in the northeast direction.

Jeremiah had locked the duke under the sea in a dungeon that was hidden by the illusion trap. If looked from afar, it would look like it was part of the sea but when one broke the illusion trap, the dungeon would show up.

There must be another spell around the dungeon that separated the water from the place otherwise, a human like Duke Maverick would never survive in it.

Luciana glanced at Cardan.

He had still not opened his eyes.

What was he doing?

He made another cut on his hand and more blood gushed out from his finger as it entered the flower.

The flower seemed to be greedily sucking the blood.

’’Cardan,’’ she rushed towards him only to be held back by the guards.

’’Refrain yourself from causing more trouble for His Highness,’’ one of them spoke in a detached voice.

Luciana stopped moving and pulled her hand out of his grip. Her only consolation was that there was not even a single frown on Cardan’s face. He looked like he had it under control. His lips were moving slowly as if he was saying something.

After a few moments, she heard him speak, ’’Lucy, I have imparted half of my powers to Maverick. He would be able to break free from that dungeon and shatter the illusion spell. Go there with brother’s guards and escort him out of there...’’ his eyes opened and he looked at his guards coldly, ’’One of you should take her out of this barrier.’’

’’What about you?" she looked at him.

’’I am fine. I need to guard the flower to keep the spell from fluctuating. It would put his life in danger if that happens,’’ With a soft sigh, he tilted his gaze to her, ’’The flower would wither at dawn. You can worry about me after that.’’

’’Seeing that you can still be this shameless, I don’t need to worry about you at all,’’ she shook her head and glanced at the shadow guard he had commanded earlier, ’’Lead the way.’’

Cardan glanced at Luciana’s retreating back before shifting his attention to his guards, ’’Which one of you grabbed her earlier?"

’’Y-Your Highness,’’ one of them stepped forward.