章節 13: Chapter 13
A lush green forest surrounded Elvira. In whatever direction she looked, there were only trees. How disappointing! There was no way the wizards were living out in the middle of a forest. Their kingdom must be under some concealment spell.
"You look frozen with overwhelming emotions. I am always reluctant to teleport with a human for this reason," said Wivior.
The wizard must be a fool to misconstrue Elvira's disappointment as paralyzing fear. No, he wasn't talking to a witch. He was talking to a human. As a human, she had to be scared stiff after traveling via teleportation magic for the first time.
"Oh my! It was an overwhelming and life-changing experience." Elvira dropped her jaw to show her astonishment and put more pressure on his hand that she was still holding. "It must be something else to go anywhere you want in seconds."
A prideful smile appeared on Wivior's face. "It is the best perk of being a magical being. If this stunned you, I wonder how you would react to other things you might witness during your stay with us."
"Can I have my hand back? Or do you need it for squeezing in case more wonders shun you? Two hands would be better, but I am fine either way," he added.
Color rose in Elvira's cheeks with embarrassment, and she let go of his hand. Who did he think he was to offer his hand? Elvira was more interested in breaking the bones of his hand instead of squeezing it for comfort.
"Pardon me." Elvira coughed. "Where is your kingdom or village, by the way?"
Wivior gracefully moved his hand in the air, and a gigantic old castle appeared before them. It was impressive enough to belong to a king, but where was the city?
"Do we have to go through some secret tunnel in the castle to reach your city? Or do you need to do another magic trick to lift the veil off the rest of the kingdom?"
Wivior laughed. "No, you expect too much out of magic. Though it might be possible, it's not the case here."
"Then?" Elvira raised an eyebrow at him.
"This castle is all I have for now," Wivior answered. It didn't seem like a joke, judging from his solemn expression.
"You do come from a town or kingdom? Or are you an outcast, some loner, or maybe a wizard bandit?" Elvira asked, praying for her safety and some good news.
"Your curiosity and assumptions are wildly amusing." The wizard struggled to suppress a grin. Let me assure you that I come from a kingdom to ease your mind. This castle is more of a temporary home. Come inside and have something to eat. There shall be plenty of time for questions later."
Elvira was devastated that he didn't take her to his kingdom and brought her to some lonely old castle. Was this a trap? She peeked into her blouse to look at her uncle's diamond before agreeing to enter the castle with the wizard. Trap or not. It wasn't like Elvira had an option.
Wivior held her hand again, and they teleported to a castle room. The bedroom had opulent decorations that suggested it belonged to someone of high rank, like royalty or nobility.
He sat on the massive circular bed with velvet sheets and gestured for her to make herself comfortable. "Welcome to the castle and my bedroom, my lady."
Elvira grimaced at his choice of words. "
"I understand if my choice of words was unsettling, but rest assured, this is the most secure area of the castle to hide. You are free to request another room if you want. However, that would increase your chances of being spotted by some people you need to avoid. To my knowledge, they'll be leaving in a few days," said Wivior upon noticing her discomfort.
"So, technically, I have no choice but to stay in this room with you. I am curious as to why this is the safest room in the entire castle?" Elvira asked skeptically.
"Because I don't allow anyone to enter. It may seem like a lie because you are standing in right now, but you are exempt from the rule for now for safety reasons," he answered.
Elvira's doubts persisted, and she folded her arms.
"I may seem like a nice man to you now, but when someone invades my personal space, I can get violent fast," Wivior added.
The story behind his attachment to his bedroom was not what interested Elvira. She was eager to know why he wasn't in the kingdom, which was presumably King Efeus's.
Elvira had already asked him about it once. It would only raise doubts in his mind if she kept stressing about it. Moreover, it wouldn't matter to a human as long as they were in a safe environment.
"Is it Everard that you're hiding me from? Do you fear he wouldn't approve of my stay here?" Elvira asked.
"He is one of them." Wivior pursed his lips. "Everard is my friend and not a fan of you or any other human on this planet. So, to avoid drama for a while, you need to stay hidden. I can tell him and the others later."
Everard was indeed a scary fellow. He had the potential to be Elvira's biggest nightmare next to a wizard army and the rage of her mother, Lilith Cain.
A soft smile played on the wizard's lips. "You must be famished!" So, as a delightful host, I must bring you something nice and warm to eat. Don't worry. I won't use magic to show you that I don't rely on magic for every little thing."
"I can't thank you enough for all this," said Elvira with a pretty smile.
"Don't. I'll be back soon," Wivior said in the friendliest manner.
After the wizard exited the room, Elvira jumped on his bed and moved her hands around the velvety sheets that felt heavenly to the touch.
Why a few wizards were living in an abandoned castle was beyond her. It felt tempting to search around the room for answers, but he could be back sooner than expected. The right time had to be chosen for everything.
A quarter of an hour had passed, and Elvira was still on the bed when she heard a knock at the door. As she rushed to the door, she immediately stopped when she heard a man on the other side.
"Wivior, are you inside?" She instantly recognized the voice because it belonged to that awful wizard, Everard!
Talk of the devil, and there he came knocking at her door.
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