The Devil's Temptation!

“Which is?”

Roshan’s gaze shifted to the papers she held in her hand, they were almost rumpled and Gretta wasted no time handing the paper over to him.

“This low poor demoness actually made scandalous notes about you and her. Like that wasn’t enough abomination on her path, I found a note of her scheming plans. In that note clearly states how she plans on getting rid of your maid and taking her place in order to get close to you.”

The red-haired maiden stared in disbelief, her mouth remained agape as she listened to all the lies Gretta kept spilling without even batting an eye. When did she...? When did she make a scandalous note?

“I...I never made a note, I never did and I can swear on my life, I’m innocent of this accusation.” She defended herself immediately, but Gretta threateningly silenced her with just a glance that flitted like a bird.

“You didn’t do it? Okay let’s agree you didn’t do it, then who did? Is it me? Or any of the workers present here?” She asked, waiting for the trapped maiden to speak but she remained mute. She was unsure of how to prove herself innocent of this accusation and Gretta masterfully twisted her words in ways that would leave her trapped, regardless of her response.

Seeing she had nothing to say, Gretta smiled in disdain, “surely this is your handwriting, as well as your signature underneath it, is it possible you have an accomplice or is there someone else who knows your signature?”

Roshan studied the notes carefully, the schemes on the paper went in perfect accordance to the poison in the berry juice and her reasons below made him scoff.

.....

He looked at the maid and she shook her head, “I_”

“It has your signature underneath, how do you explain that?”

“I_I don’t know but I promise I never wrote any of that!” She spoke up, “yes, I admit I never liked your new maid and I won’t deny my feelings for you either, you never noticed me and it only worsened after you made a human your maid. She got all the attention! I don’t like her at all and out of jealousy, I did what I did, but trust me when I say the poison wasn’t even my_”

She suddenly paused before she got a chance to finish her confession and everyone present equally grew confused, wondering why she stopped.

An uncomfortable feeling surged uncomfortably through her system and the next thing, she spat out blood when it became unbearable, startling everyone at the hall room except Roshan who took it as a perfect timing.

Shock and confusion were discernibly written on her face as she stared at the blood on the marbled tiled floor.

“B_blood?!!”

She met Roshan’s unreadable but cold stare, a stare that broke her heart in two and he finally said something.

“The drink I gave you, it had poison but you took it cause the poison only worked for humans, it’s only toxic to humans but has no effect on Demons, am I right?”

Her eyes horrifically widened while Roshan nodded as though he just finished reading her thoughts, “yes, I did my research pretty well.” He cleared his throat, “anyway, I added a little pinch of dark flower to give the drink a little taste. Don’t you like it?”

He barely cared if the maiden did it alone or not, what mattered was that she was the one who poisoned the berry juice. She wanted to hurt Anna which was something he wouldn’t tolerate in the slightest.

The red-haired maiden felt a throbbing pain circulating through her system, along with a pulsing sensation that brought cold to her skin. She couldn’t move and she felt painfully weak, the energy in her body was frighteningly being drained by the minute and she sprawled to the ground with a low cry.

Anna, who remained at the doorway, watching the scene unfold in front of her and she just stood there like a statue, unable to take in everything she just heard and it left her thinking.

“I was poisoned?” But it didn’t make any sense, if she truly was poisoned, how is it possible she doesn’t feel a thing? She should have been dead shouldn’t she?

Realizing that just standing there and talking to herself won’t give her the answers she needed, she finally walked into the hall room and everyone’s attention shifted towards her direction, most especially the red-haired maiden.

Watching Annalise head towards her direction stunned her to the very core of her nerves, her eyes dilated like she was staring at a ghost and she looked shock-stricken.

‘Why is Anna here? She’s supposed to be dead!’

“You’re alive?!!” She shook her head, unwilling to believe the sight of Anna in front of her. But it’s not possible! She saw it herself when Anna laid unconscious on her bed last night, or was she sleeping??

“Surprised to see her alive?” Gretta spoke up with a tricky smile as her lips beautifully curved to the side, “you see after I witnessed your evil act last night, I added some liquor to the berry juice, it would reduce the toxic of the poison to an ineffective measure you see, but in return it’d leave her drunk.”

The maiden was left speechless, including Anna as she wasn’t expecting the missy Queen to save her at all. Instead of feeling grateful, it only filled Anna with doubts.

Roshan wasn’t entirely surprised because Gretta was the one who came to inform him about the poison, else he would have been completely clueless about any of this. He didn’t believe the crazy woman at first until he confirmed it from the cup Anna used.

No one has the right to hurt Anna as long as she remained under him, he’d protect her, even if his mind was against it or not.

The maidens’ eyes brimmed with tears after realizing she got used!!! And she couldn’t even say it now!

Anna ignored the stares and turned her gaze to Roshan.

“Will she die?”

“No.” He responded, “This is her punishment and she’ll only be tortured by the pain, she’ll get the antidote when I feel like giving it to her. For now...”

He snapped his fingers and two hefty guards approached his side.

“Lock her in the dungeon.”

The guards wasted no time in picking her from the ground and before she got dragged away, Anna met her stare and those green eyes of hers screamed pain, causing Anna to quickly avert her stare.

Roshan dismissed everyone from the hall room and Levi wanted to say something, only to be shut by Azazel and he dragged the nosy Levi away.

Gretta secretly calmed her nerves and a smile of triumph crossed her lips, she felt relieved she was able to save herself before the useless maiden exposed her too. Roshan would behead her if he got to know she was the mastermind behind everything. But how is it possible that the poison had no effect on Anna?? Even if she did added liquor to reduce the effects of the poison, it was still meant to torture her at some point, but that didn’t happen.

“Anna dear, are you alright?”

Anna stared at the young lady who smiled her way with a look of concern, if she didn’t know any better, she would have foolishly fell for her smile right now.

“Healthy as a may morning”

“Thank goodness, it’s a good thing she’s locked in the dungeon, but I think it would be better if you just killed her Roshan.” Gretta offered, but Roshan only handed the papers to a guard who collected them.

“....tell him to look into these papers.”

The guard nodded and left.

Anna turned her attention to Roshan, “she had something else to say, you need to give her the antidote let’s hear it.” She ventured with considerable daring. Yes, the maiden might be wrong but Anna couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was a mastermind behind it. Afterall a maid wouldn’t dare to take such a step if she wasn’t persuaded by someone to do it.

Gretta’s heart nearly left her chest due to Anna’s opinion but she remained composed, waiting for Roshan to respond.

“No.” He refused, “she’s undergoing punishment and once I’m satisfied, then I’ll give her the antidote.”

“But_”

“No buts, and you can’t change my mind.” His words were final and Anna had to seal her lips.

Gretta smiled in a way that was unnoticeable to both of them and she bowed before Roshan.

“I’ll take my leave.” She met Anna’s suspicious stare before walking out. Even if the maid does mention her name at the end, where’s the proof??

The moment she was out of sight, Anna continued with her persuasion, “Your highness I...”

He rose from his chair and stood in front of Anna who immediately lost her voice the moment she tilted her head up to meet his hypnotizing gaze.

“You were saying?”

She immediately lowered her gaze and cleared her throat, “what I meant to say was, this concerns my safety, so I have enough right to know who made her do it.”

She was hoping he would see things from her point of view for a change but the glacier only hummed in response.

“Not enough.” He heartlessly responded, leaving Anna’s expression to fall into a gloomy look, but he suddenly leaned closer to the extent she could inhale his intoxicating scent and he mesmerizingly whispered into her ear.

“If you want the antidote, try moving my heart next time.”

His warm breath on her earlobe made her heart triple beat and her face uncontrollably reddened. Why was she feeling like this whenever he came this close to her?? Was there any way to make it stop?

He moved away and gave her head a gentle pat before walking out.

Anna turned around to watch the stunning being exit the hall room and she wondered to herself.

“How can I move the devil’s heart?”