[This chapter contains sexual harrasment and foul language. All characters, cultures, and events are purely fictional and intended for entertainment purposes only.

  Reader discretion is advised].

  Chapter 4.

  You Kept Me Waiting.

  "Why did you not say or do anything back there, My Lady?" Sia's voice trembled with a volatile mix of fury and hurt. "They insulted you over and over, and you simply... you just endured it."

  Elisa and Sia stood at the entrance of a narrow, skeletal alleyway. The air here was stagnant, smelling of damp stone and neglect. There were no people, only a few stray dogs and scrawny cats prowling the shadows. It was a pocket of the city the sun seemed to have forgotten—an abandoned wasteland.

  Elisa turned to Sia, her gaze soft but weary. "Sia, sometimes in this life, we are forced to swallow humiliation and pain. We must endure."

  "But—" Sia started, her protest dying in her throat as she clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white.

  Elisa let out a long, tired sigh. "Sia, had I wished it, I could have struck Lady Keeta across the face. But to what end? These are the thorns that come when your reputation is trampled in the dirt." Elisa took the crossbody bag from sia, her movements purposeful. "Stop dwelling on it." She pulled a black robe from the bag, draping it over her shoulders to shroud her features.

  She glanced at the weathered card once more. Alley 202, Backward District. Shop 307. Wild Dog Investigation Bureau. "We are in the right place. Let's head deeper."

  As they ventured further into the labyrinthine alley, the scenery shifted from desolate to dangerous. Drunkards lolled against the crumbling brickwork; thugs and mercenaries with jagged scars and hungry eyes watched their progress. Every gaze felt like a physical touch, heavy with predatory intent.

  Sia, trembling visibly now, gripped Elisa's sleeve, struggling to keep pace.

  "My Lady, are you quite certain this is where you meant to come?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the distant sounds of the city.

  "Yes. Do not be afraid. Keep your eyes forward and do not stop. Ignore them."

  Suddenly, Sia let out a sharp, terrified shriek. "Ahhh! Let go of me, you bastard!"

  Someone had caught her arm. Elisa reacted instantly, wrenching Sia toward her. They were quickly surrounded. A dozen mercenaries, smelling of stale ale and unwashed skin, formed a tightening circle around them.

  Damn it. I don't even have my sword, Elisa thought, her mind racing for a weapon, a stone—anything.

  "My, my... look at these two beauties," one man leered, his yellowed teeth bared in a grin.

  "This one looks like a high-born lady," another added, his eyes roving over Elisa. "Look at that skin. I want to see if it's as soft as it looks." He wiped a string of drool from his chin.

  Elisa shoved Sia behind her, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Do not come a step closer. Stay exactly where you are."

  But the men were beyond caution. Two mercenaries lunged, grabbing Sia from behind.

  "Ahhh! M-My Lady, run! Please, just run!" Sia screamed.

  "No!" Elisa turned to reach for her, but the distraction was her undoing. The other mercenaries tackled her, forcing her down into the filth of the alley. They pinned her limbs to the cold ground, their heavy hands bruising her skin.

  Sia's wails echoed against the narrow walls, raw and panicked.

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  "Hehe... it's been an age since I've touched a noblewoman," a mercenary chuckled, his rough fingers grazing Elisa's cheek.

  As Elisa fought against the weight of the men, a flash of her past life flickered before her eyes. The rain in Mumbai. The crushing feeling of helplessness. The realization that once again, she was a victim, unable to protect herself or those she loved.

  Why? Why must it always be this way? a voice screamed inside her. I will not die a dog's death again. I will not let them touch her.

  A strange, rhythmic heat began to pulse deep within her chest. Her golden eyes ignited, glowing with a fierce, unnatural radiance. Her fists began to sparkle with a faint, shimmering white-gold light.

  I'll kill them... I'll kill them all, she thought, her rage boiling over.

  My child, now is not the time, a voice resonated in her mind—a woman's voice, smooth and ancient, like silk over stone. Do not reveal your power yet.

  "Ahhh! Let go, you bastard! Who the hell are you?" a mercenary suddenly cried out.

  In a blur of motion, the weight on Elisa's limbs vanished. She scrambled to her feet, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Standing before her was a man with a heavy leather patch over one eye. His body was a map of old violence—countless jagged scars told a story of a hundred battles survived.

  "Are you unharmed, My Lady?" the man asked, offering a curt, respectful bow.

  Elisa ignored the question, racing to Sia's side. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" she asked, her voice thick with panic as she checked the girl for injuries.

  "I... I think I've twisted my ankle," Sia stammered, her body still racking with tremors.

  "Hello, sir! Helloooo!" a youthful voice chirped from behind them.

  Elisa turned. A boy, no older than fifteen, stood there spinning a dagger with practiced ease. Behind him stood the ten mercenaries—or what was left of them.

  "Hey! Get away from there! They're right behind you!" Elisa shouted.

  "My Lady," the scarred man spoke, drawing her attention. "I am Karlo. You have come seeking the Wild Dog Investigation Bureau. I shall escort you."

  Elisa gave a sharp nod, though her eyes remained on the boy. "What about him?"

  Karlo didn't answer. He stooped down and lifted Sia into his arms. "Ahh! Put me down! I can walk!" Sia protested, her face turning a vivid shade of crimson. It was the first time a man had ever held her so closely.

  "Oh... hello? Sir? Ugh, please give me orders! What do I do with them?" the boy shouted, waving his arms.

  Karlo paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Do whatever you wish with them."

  "Really? What about the Boss?" the boy asked.

  "I will handle the Boss," Karlo replied stoically. He turned his gaze back to Elisa. "My Lady, do not look back."

  "Oh... alright," Elisa murmured, her heart heavy with a strange dread. He's just a child. How can they leave him there?

  "Ahhh... no! Please! I don't want to die!" a mercenary's scream ripped through the alley.

  Elisa flinched, the sound of the mercenaries' desperate pleas for mercy filling the air. One by one, the voices were silenced. The boy was making quick, quiet work of them.

  Sia buried her face in Karlo's shoulder, her terror still fresh. He feels like he's made of stone, she thought, her hand resting against his broad chest.

  "We have arrived, My Lady," Karlo announced.

  They stood before a crumbling, nondescript structure with a door so narrow only one person could enter at a time. Karlo pushed the door open, and Elisa stepped inside, only to find a ruin. There was no office, no furniture—just dust and broken beams.

  "Follow me, My Lady," Karlo said. He shifted Sia, holding her more securely, like one would carry a precious child. "Hold on tight, My Lady. Wrap your legs around my back."

  Sia, already red, turned a shade of purple. Does he think I'm a toddler? This is so embarrassing!

  As Karlo stepped through a doorway, he simply vanished. Elisa blinked. "What? Where did they go?"

  Steeling herself, Elisa followed. As she crossed the threshold, a strange tingling sensation washed over her skin. Her stomach churned as if she were falling through an endless void of darkness. Then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over.

  She stepped out into a room that defied the ruin outside. It was a luxurious chamber, furnished with plush sofas and a soft, inviting bed. Sia had already been placed gently upon the mattress.

  "Where are we?" Elisa asked, her curiosity finally outweighing her shock.

  "The Wild Dog Investigation Bureau, My Lady," Karlo said, moving toward the door. "You shall rest here tonight. You will meet the Boss on the morrow."

  "Tomorrow? But my family will be waiting... and I cannot return empty-handed." Elisa bit her lip. "Sir Karlo, can you deliver a letter to my manor?"

  Karlo offered a simple nod and slipped out of the room.

  ***

  Sometime later, a maid arrived with a steaming tray of food. Elisa was seated in a comfortable, high-backed lounging chair, reading a book Karlo had provided.

  "My Lady, if you require anything further, please ring the bell," the maid said, pointing to a silver handbell on the table.

  "Thank you for your hospitality."

  "Please, enjoy your meal," the maid replied before bowing her way out.

  Elisa began to serve the food for Sia.

  "My Lady, please, let me do that," Sia insisted nervously.

  "No. You are injured, and since I cannot heal you here, the least I can do is serve you. Rest."

  Sia sighed, a mischievous glint returning to her eyes. "Ugh, why must you be so sweet, My Lady? My heart pounds every time you do these things."

  Elisa looked up, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Are you quite certain it is because of me that your heart is pounding?"

  Sia's ears turned red. "No! It isn't what you think! Stop teasing me!"

  Elisa handed her the plate. "Eat. It looks wonderful."

  "Oh, my! It smells divine. This fish must have been very costly," Sia said, her eyes twinkling. They hadn't eaten since the break of dawn, and they fell upon the meal with unladylike haste.

  Elsewhere in the hidden complex...

  "Did you see her? Tell me you saw her," a maid whispered in the corridor. Two others huddled close.

  "Margaret, you went in with the food! Tell us, what is she like?"

  Margaret beamed. "She is breathtaking. And her eyes... oh, they are like gold."

  "So, she is the one? Our future Duchess?"

  "That is the rumor," Margaret whispered. "If it's true, we'll have something beautiful to look at every day."

  "I can't wait. I want to see her for myself."

  "Patience," Margaret cautioned. "We mustn't pester her. She doesn't yet realize she is currently within the ducal house of the Drakin Duchy."

  ***

  Night had fallen, draping the room in shadows. Elisa and Sia were both lost in a deep, exhausted sleep.

  Creak.

  The door opened with agonizing slowness. A dark figure stepped into the room, moving silently toward the bed. He stopped, looking down at Elisa's sleeping form.

  "Finally... we meet again. You kept me waiting a long time."

  He leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead.

  "I will never let you leave me again. My love."

  In the gloom, his sky-blue eyes shimmered with a quiet, possessive intensity.