Her Eyes
“I want her.”
He stretched out his hand toward Ella, who clung tightly to Tyla as though her life depended on it.
Fear filled her eyes, and the moment he pointed at her, she burst into tears.
“Stop right now, Zex!” Collins ordered.
The demon was familiar with him.
After all, Collins had been the one who trained the king from childhood, teaching him how to control his powers.
“You can’t stop me, Collins. Tonight is different.” Zex smirked.
“I won’t leave until I get what I want, and I want her. Why is it so difficult to hand her over? Or is she your wife?”
His sarcastic tone only made the atmosphere heavier.
“Where is the king?” Tyla asked, looking at Leo, who stood protectively before them.
“The person standing there is the king,” Leo explained grimly.
“But tonight, his demon has completely taken over. It’s a full moon night.”
Ella looked at the man before her.
Truthfully, he looked a lot like the king—only somehow more attractive.
Suddenly, the king’s warning flashed through her mind.
So that’s why he warned me not to leave my room tonight.
He had known this could happen.
She had heard stories about how hard the king struggled in his youth to suppress this demon.
Seeing him now, she finally understood why.
Collins and Leo were no match for him.
He could kill them without hesitation just to take her.
Her heart tightened.
She didn’t know why he wanted her, but she couldn’t allow anyone to get hurt because of her.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and placed a hand on Collins’s shoulder.
“I’ll go with you,” she said through trembling tears.
“Just don’t hurt them.”
“My Lady—!”
Everyone protested at once.
“Interesting.” Zex’s voice echoed through the night.
His expression remained emotionless as he studied the brave young woman standing before him.
She had no idea where he intended to take her.
Collins shot him a dark glare before stepping closer.
“Don’t hurt her,” he whispered.
A wicked smile spread across Zex’s face.
Then he disappeared.
Along with Ella.
“Is My Lady going to die?” Tyla cried.
“She won’t.” Collins shook his head.
“Go and rest. The night is still dangerous.”
With that, he vanished as well.
Tyla turned toward Leo, expecting him to disappear like the others, but he remained standing there, watching her cry.
“What? Are you going to leave me too?” she demanded, pouting like a sad child.
Leo chuckled softly.
“Come on. Let’s go inside. It’s dangerous out here.”
He gently guided her back toward the castle.
A sudden flash of light blinded Ella.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself somewhere completely different.
She was standing in a small pool.
Countless sparkling lights shimmered beneath the water like fallen stars.
Strangely, she was halfway submerged, yet she wasn’t drowning.
She couldn’t swim, but somehow she remained perfectly balanced.
The water was warm.
Very warm.
And there was something else.
A strange energy.
No…
Someone was inside the water.
Ella suddenly remembered the demon.
Looking around frantically, she couldn’t find him anywhere.
Then the water rippled.
A figure emerged behind her.
She turned sharply.
It was Zex.
His upper body was bare, revealing a strong and striking physique.
Water streamed down his skin while his damp hair framed his handsome face.
For a brief moment, Ella could only stare.
Then reality returned.
He’s a demon.
And demons were dangerous.
Zex remained silent, watching her.
Ella shifted nervously beneath his gaze.
What is he thinking?
Is he deciding whether to kill me?
Or maybe he’s one of those blood-drinking demons?
What Ella didn’t know was that Zex wasn’t studying her face.
He was staring at her eyes.
They felt familiar.
Eyes like those belonged to a warrior.
Brave.
Courageous.
Defiant.
It had been a very long time since he had seen eyes like hers.
“Where are we?” Ella finally asked, gathering her courage.
“Somewhere between heaven and earth,” he replied.
Then he walked toward her.
Before she could react, he lifted her effortlessly into his arms and carried her out of the water.
The moment he stepped onto dry land, something miraculous happened.
His wet body became completely dry.
As if by magic, his clothes appeared once again.
Ella stared in amazement.
He gently set her down on a nearby bench.
The place around them was breathtaking.
Everything was green and full of life.
Birds sang among the trees.
Butterflies danced through the air.
Animals could be heard in the distance.
The entire place felt peaceful, beautiful…
almost heavenly.
“Is this your home?” she asked.
To her surprise, the fear in her heart was slowly fading.
“No.”
His answer was quiet.
“Once upon a time, an angel lived here.”
Ella tilted her head.
“But she was never happy.”
“Why?”
“She was lonely.” His voice softened.
“She desperately wanted to leave this place, but she couldn’t.”
“Then what happened?”
“One day, someone entered this realm.”
His eyes darkened.
“She saved that person and left with him, believing she had finally found freedom.”
He paused.
“But she didn’t know that leaving this place would become the beginning of her nightmare.”
The coldness returned to his voice.
“Her suffering continued until she wished she had never left.”
Ella listened quietly.
“Who was she?” she asked with a gentle smile.
Zex looked toward the glowing water.
His expression became unreadable.
“Katereen.”