Chapter 6 Mysterious Man

The marble floor felt even colder beneath my knees. My eyes widened in terror and my lips parted. 

I kept my gaze even lowered, afraid that meeting anyone's gaze would worsen the situation I was in. The vast hall swallowed me whole, making me feel smaller than I had ever felt in my life. 

"Look at me." His authoritative voice echoed. 

I brought my palm on my skirt and gripped it, trying to find consolation as I slowly lifted my gaze. 

As I looked up, I saw everything clearly with a quick scan. I was really in the middle of everything. 

Towering silver pillars toward the high ceiling where the scenes I only read in the history books were painted in breathtaking detail. The sunlight streamed through the huge glass windows, bathing the marble floor in a warm soothing light. At the center of the hall was the royal family crest intricately carved on the stone. 

Aside from the knights strictly watching me from behind, there were knights in gleaming silver armor standing like statues around the hall. Servants were lined up on the sides with their head lowered, waiting and ready for any orders. There were even nobles who were supposed to pass by but now were watching us. 

The realization that almost every single pair of eyes were on me intensified the coldness and fear I was feeling. 

I had already escaped death but now, it seemed like I just walked straight into it. I just trusted Boyd. Was I wrong for that?

My eyes finally found the face of the council who was in front of me. The knight called him Lord Karev... 

His piercing dark eyes were staring straight into me as if he was trying to read every secret of my soul. 

"What is your name?" he asked. 

I silently gasped as I prepared myself to answer. 

"Isla Seraphine..." I croaked. 

My surname Ashbourne should have followed my name but then, after everything that happened, I was not sure anymore. It was my mother's surname but also the surname of the person who killed me. It was once a gift and pride but now, I can't think of it that way anymore. 

"Who are your parents?"

"My mother..." My voice weakened. "...is dead."

"I asked who your parents are." His voice was firm and commanding. 

I almost closed my eyes in fear because of his voice. I swallowed hard. 

"I... I don't know anymore."

Since that tragic night happened, I know nothing anymore. Everything I knew might not be the truth. 

There was a deafening silence for a while. Lord Karev's eyebrows furrowed as he stared at me intently. 

"What are you?"

My mind went blank for a while. He just told me he didn't smell wolf from me. I was branded as human by the people of the pack where I came from because they smelled it from me. Yet Fiona had claimed I wasn't human at all. Nothing made sense anymore. 

"I don't know," with all honesty, that's what I answered. 

Whispers immediately spread all throughout the hall, coming from the people who were watching. 

"She doesn't know?" One murmured.

"How could that happen?"

"Is she a... human?" There was disgust in her voice.

"No, I can't smell the human scent from her."

"Nor a werewolf..."

They didn't bother to keep their opinions on themselves. My chest tightened. For the first time, I realized how terrifying uncertainty could be. 

I didn't know who I was. Among everyone gathered here, I should have been the one who knew the answer.

But I didn't know myself anymore. 

Lord Karev looked away from me, his gaze shifted to one of the knights. 

"Bring the head maid here."

A knight immediately obeyed him. I lowered my gaze a bit. My grip on my skirt tightened as the deafening silence filled the air once again. 

After a while, the knight came back with an elderly woman. She hurried over to Lord Karev and bowed deeply. 

"You called for me, Lord Karev?" she asked while her head was still a bit lowered. 

He pointed toward me. "Do you know this girl? Is she one of the palace's maids?" 

The woman looked at me for a few seconds. 

I silently prayed that even if she had never seen me before, she would claim me as one of the maids. 

Please...

But then, she slowly shook her head and faced the member of the council again. 

"No, My Lord. I have never seen this girl in my life and in this palace."

The tiny spark of hope in me vanished. My breathing slowed down, thinking of what might happen next. 

Another voice suddenly echoed through the hall. 

"What's happening here?"

Everyone bowed as his heavy steps neared us. Even Lord Karev inclined his head slightly. It made me think he was also in a high position. 

An older man wearing clothes even grander than Lord Karev's stood in front of me. If Lord Karev was intimidating, this one had a harsher vibe. His sharp eyes immediately found me. 

"Who and what is she? What did she do?"

The knight who found me filled him in with the information of what happened. His name was mentioned, it was Lord Hugo. He just stared at me as he listened and once it was finished, he looked away. 

"Execute her," he said without any hesitation then stepped aside.

I felt like every drop of my blood had drained from my body. My body froze and I felt numb hearing his quick and merciless verdict. I almost forgot to breathe, there was a huge lump in my throat.

The knights behind me immediately drew their swords, I heard its sharp sound as it left their sheaths. 

No, not again, please!

My breathing became uneven and my body  trembled uncontrollably. I am gonna get killed and I felt like this time, it would really be a sure death. 

But I have done nothing yet to make this second life worthwhile... 

I had only been given a second chance. I hadn't even avenged my mother. I hadn't made them pay for what they did. I still don't know the truth about myself. I haven't done anything yet...

I couldn't die here. I must not die!

Without thinking, I crawled toward Lord Karev. I didn't care about my dignity. I didn't have anything, just my life. I could not lose it. 

I felt a knight grab me, trying to hold me back and pin me on my place.

Tears welled my eyes, with blurry vision, I clasped my trembling hands together, struggling to stay under Lord Karev's gaze. 

"Please..." My voice cracked. "I didn't come here to harm anyone. I lost everything, I just need a new beginning. Please, spare me." I looked up and looked straight into his eyes. "Don't kill me, please let me live." 

This is my last chance. I poured all my heart out, pleading for my life to Lord Karev. 

"Spare me, Lord Karev. Please!" I desperately cried.

"Kill her!" Lord Hugo said, my pleas didn't bother him.

The knights behind me moved but then, Lord Karev raised his one hand making them pauses. He was still staring at me intently. 

"Karev?" Lord Hugo asked in confusion. "What are you waiting for?"

Lord Karev didn't answer immediately, he just kept his gaze at me. His expression turned from pure suspicion to confusion. 

It was as if he was arguing with himself in his mind. After a while, he finally spoke. 

"Release her..."

The entire hall froze. The grip of the knight holding me loosened a bit. 

"My Lord?" he asked. 

"I said... release her. Keep your hands and swords away from her."

I felt the hesitations of the knights but I heard them put their swords back into their sheaths. The knight who was holding me finally let me go. 

Even Lord Hugo was stunned. He faced Lord Karev. 

For a while, I was stunned. Then realization hit me. My hot tears began to stream down my face. I escaped death once again. 

"Thank you, My Lord..." I uttered between my sobs. I gasped for air, filling my lungs with air as relief washed all over me.

"Karev, have you lost your mind?!"

Lord Karev frowned deeply while he kept his gaze at me. "Perhaps..." He looked confused as everyone. "I don't know why, but I don't believe she should die," he quietly said.

From the highest balcony overlooking the great ball, a pair of silver eyes silently watched everything unfold. A mysterious smile curved on his lips. 

"Just as I thought," he whispered to himself. 

Then he disappeared into the shadows.