The Devil's Temptation!

But the bell... like another sense of deja Vu had hit her, she could swear she’s heard something similar to this before, except, instead of feeling over the moon that the love bell rang, an uneasy feeling swept through her system instead.

Funnily, Roshan didn’t avert his intense gaze either, as though both were lost in the eyes of one another, searching for something despite being so far apart.

Only when the confused Gemma tapped Anna lightly by the arm did she break from her trance.

“Hmm?”

She met Gemma’s stare, her hazel eyes were filled with questions that made sense to Anna and when she looked at Becca, the puzzled maid was also staring, exchanging glances from the stairs and Anna, probably confused by her sudden blackout.

“Everything alright?”

“I_The bell_it rang.” She stuttered, finding it very strange cause she didn’t even wriggle it this time around.

“What?”

.....

“I heard it, it was faint, very faint.” She stared at the golden bell in her hand before wriggling it again and when she did, it was as stiff as it was before. Gemma claimed it was a love bell, but why wasn’t she convinced by it?

Looking up once again, Roshan was no longer standing at the top of the stairs, making her wonder if it was her imagination or if she was overthinking.

“Where did you get this?” She asked Gemma who smiled guiltily and Anna tried to keep herself composed as she spoke.

“Come on, it’s not nice to take people’s things without permission, you can get in trouble because of this, be a good girl and return it safely to wherever you took it from, okay?”

A little disappointed that she had to return it, Gemma nodded regardless before taking the bell back and exiting the kitchen.

Anna got to her feet, looking conflicted for some reason and she snapped out of it when she felt a hand gently placed on her shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

Seeing it was Becca whose lavender eyes flashed with genuine worry, Anna smiled at her concern before shaking her head.

“Yes, I’m fine. It’s really nothing to worry about.”

“You had me worried for a sec, isn’t that what humans call it when you try to show concern?”

Anna nodded, “yes, but you don’t have to be worried, something just...did you really not hear the bell ring?”

Becca truthfully shook her head, “I didn’t, if I did I would have said something, are you sure you didn’t just imagine it?”

“It’s not important anyway, we should hurry up with this and get done with the rest so we can finish on time.”

“Well...if you say so.” Although Becca was obviously not convinced, she chose not to pry in further and the earlier conversation continued.

~

At the Palace Field.....

“Hey, the green-eyed boy finally decided to brace us with his presence. Shall we offer him a bow?” Came the charming, yet scornful voice of a young demon with reddish brown hair as he rested his back against his white stallion, folding his arms and staring at the glacier who composedly walked past him.

“I’d rather have you save it for when next you hire a governess to teach you colors properly.” Roshan’s monotonous, yet nonplussed response made the cocky smile on Grayson’s lip fade and his emerald green eyes darkened as he dropped his act.

The snickers coming from different directions made Grayson send a death glare towards the remaining Demons standing at a corner and they maintained themselves, not daring to offend their ‘assumed’ leader in the slightest.

“I see, your tongue still has a silver lining attached to it.” He feigned contemplation as he nodded his head slightly, “after everything that has happened to you I thought you’d lose the right to speak,” he sighed in disappointment, “I guess my father was very linient with you.”

Roshan stopped before a beautiful dark stallion, standing before Levi and Azazel who attended to their own horses.

“Lenient?” Roshan let out a bitter scoff before approving, “yes he was, that’s why I returned the favor by giving him an arm.”

“You fucking A**hole!!”

“Hey hey.” Levi stood between two of them before Grayson could lay a hand on his brother. Obviously, Roshan had hit a nerve by mentioning his father and unlike Grayson who looked like someone who wanted to tear Roshan apart, the glacier was enjoying the moment as a sinister smile curved his lips.

What a good way to start the morning.

“Relax.”

“Relax?? That son of a bitch..!!..”

“No one’s here to draw blood Gray.” Levi straight-out interjected, reminding the angry red-haired demon with a serious gaze, “besides, Roshan didn’t start any of this, you chose to pick an issue and he gave you what you asked for. So deal with it.”

One of the guys resting in a corner close to his horse suddenly intervened, “isn’t this meant to be a family bond?” He tried not to laugh at the thought, “we might as well end up dead before the main event.”

Grayson ignored the remark, he had a lot more to say to the trio’s standing in front of him but forced himself to remain quiet as he unclenched his fist, exhaling the anger that evaporated out of his mouth.

“I’m coming for you,” he pointed a finger at Roshan, sending him the clear message, “due to our borders being distant and my reign of becoming the next Duke, you were spared from my wrath but within these three days, I’ll make sure you bleed.”

“Like how I made your father bleed?” He raised an inquiring brow, finding the topic even more interesting and Grayson almost lost it when his eyes went bloody red, but the presence of Lady Odette, Gravion and of course, the demoness approaching the field forced the angry red-haired Demon to keep his cool as he backed away.

“What a good boy.” Roshan added after seeing his cousin lower his guard at the sight of higher Demons.

“Has it started already?” Roseline chimed in with a sweet smile as she saw the guys all gathered in the field. Her Auburn hair was tied in a long ponytail, swinging from left to right due to the calm and satisfying wind blowing in the field.

“Sister, you’re not so blind to see they’re just getting ready,” Melrose, her sister curtly pointed out while eating some grapefruits from a small oval platter she held.

The heavy air that was starting to loosen, made it clear to almost everyone that a fight could have broken out. It was filled with such unexplainable rage but looking at everyone present, no one seemed to hold a grudge.

Taking their seats on the modified stone chairs at both sides of the field, Roshan got himself on his horse, his eyes scanned through the people present and to his disappointment, Anna was nowhere to be seen amongst the maidens that followed suit.

The ladies on the other hand were by far taken by the looks of Roshan and their mouths were left agape, most especially by Roshan’s physical appearance and Roseline couldn’t help but blink in admiration.

“Is he the one?”

“To my delight, yes.” Lady Iris, who sat beside her happily responded, only Melrose didn’t have the look of infatuation in her eyes but she couldn’t deny his appearance was commendable.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me??” Roseline half-panicked, “hearing he was half Demon, I wasn’t expecting such a majestic appearance!”

“You’re being dramatic, the rest of them are actually just as noble.” Melrose calmly pointed out, but Roseline swatted her words away.

“I see them everyday, that is not my business.”

Almost everyone rolled their eyes at her words, “you mean, if I get to be his mate, I’ll marry him?”

“Read the history of Family balls if you’re this clueless.” Lady Laura half-taunted.

Everyone noticed his gaze was shifting to their direction, as though he was searching for someone and Roseline leaned close to whisper to her sister.

“Who is he searching for?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

“Is he searching for me?” She grinned at the thought, flashing her white teeth as she waved at the nonplussed Roshan who was baffled by it.

“It’s obviously not you, come down from your high horse Rose.” Lady Iris couldn’t hold back her irritation as she eyed Roseline who barely paid her any attention.

“Say what you like, unfortunately you aren’t worth my time.”

“Of course, even my wardrobe collection has more value than you.” Lady Iris’s sharp retort stung like a bee to a human flesh, leaving Roseline’s expression to fall like someone whose face got splashed with mud.

Unwilling to act rude in front of everyone, most especially his highness, she cleared her throat and adjusted herself.

“I’m going to pretend like I didn’t hear that.”

Laura’s fox-like eyes widened at Rose’s unexpected comeback, “as shocked as I am by your quick forgiveness, you wouldn’t want to lower yourself before his highness, seems to me your brain works only in the morning, care to share the secret?”