Chapter 41: Chapter 41

41 An Exception

“Why would I ever stoop that low to go against my people?” She hollered at his absurd demand, finding it absolutely ridiculous that he thought she’d ever agree to something that’d be even more chaotic in the first place, but the glacier just shrugged with that tricky smile still painting his half contemplating face.

“If I remember correctly, I never gave you an option.” Came his subtle response and Anna could barely hold in the rage that demanded freedom from her soul.

“You monster!”

“That’s old news, a new name would be better.” He waved it off.

Anna was speechless and felt tongue-tied, hot tears uncontrollably welled up in her eyes at his ever so cold responses towards her, his actions had really proven him to be the beast everyone claimed him to be and how can someone with emotions still carry an unmoved smile after taking the life of an innocent man.

He wasn’t only a beast but a murderer as well.

“You murdered an innocent man!”

“When?” Questioned Roshan whose expression immediately turned saint, “I see no blood stains in my hands neither do I hold a weapon, so that is just a false accusation Miss Anna.”

If one didn’t know him any better, they’d fall flat to his manipulation and believe without a doubt that he was actually clueless about what she had just uttered and tables would have turned.

.....

To say she was shocked was an understatement. And to think that this same man had kissed her made her feel even more disgusted.

“I will never be a maid to someone like you, I’d rather die!”

“But that’s where the problem is, Miss Anna, you see, unfortunately I have no interest in killing you.” He tsked as if he himself was equally disappointed about it before getting to his feet.

The two Demons who had occasionally showed up just quietly remained at a corner, watching the scene being displayed before them without daring to interfere with the cold air that had taken over the hall, but Levi had his brows forming a V as he frowned in worry.

“I’ve never seen my brother act this cold to anyone before, did staying in that forbidden temple do something to him?” Questioned Levi, who found his brother’s change of personality to be something else.

But Azazel’s demeanor always made him regret ever speaking to him in the first place because the least worried person in this hall was Azazel.

“Before opening your mouth to ask me such irrelevant questions, know that you just inquired about ‘Roshan’ and no one else, he’s not even taking this as seriously as I expected, that is enough to answer your questions, now don’t bother me and say nothing.”

He dismissed Levi’s words while keeping a straight posture with his chin lifted up a bit in finality. Levi tried not to glare at him and forced himself to look away as a trickle of displeasure went down his heart.

Yes yes, he was the youngest and he gets treated this way because of it, sigh... if his feelings were hurt or not it didn’t necessarily matter to Azazel.

It was either he knew Roshan’s trick or cared less to bother about it.

“Two more lives remaining.” Roshan softly reminded Annalise whose gaze inadvertently drifted to the sobbing woman and the boy she confirmed to be her son.

She felt torn on saving these two innocent people and putting the lives of her people at an even greater risk. Even if she refuses to help them she doubts he’d even let her walk out of this door, which will be an even worse case.

Fidgeting a little, she retracted her solemn gaze back to Roshan, only to see the glacier had his deadly gaze fixed on the little boy before meeting her stare, his eyes glinting with a meaning that he made sure only she would understand, making her shake her head in disbelief as the horror of his incoming actions displayed in her head.

“You wouldn’t!”

He smirked in response and drew out his daggers for Anna to see, making sure she noticed how sharp the edges were as he traced the line with his fingers and when he felt satisfied with her ghostly reaction, he unhurriedly approached the little boy.

When he got close to him, he crouched to his level, causing the boy to shiver in fright as he immediately sensed someone’s cold presence in front of him.

“Shhhh, don’t speak.” He calmly silenced the boy while giving his head a gentle pat, “a vicious cat is proving to be a little too stubborn and she... will be the reason for what happens to you.”

He tilted the boy’s chin up as though he was trying to prepare his neck for a clean slicing and that’s when he heard the boy take a deep breath with tears streaming down his eyes.

“Let him go!” Anna yelled with her fists balling beside her but Roshan barely flinched as he held the blade up.

“You have three seconds.” He responded instead.

“One, two...” the dagger was already at the boy’s neck, ...”thr-”

“Wait!”

She spoke up before the little boy’s neck got sliced at the nick of time. Roshan equally halted due to the gravity of her tone and a sinister smile appeared as though he had expected it.

Feeling a bit relieved in ways one wouldn’t notice since it only displayed in his eyes for a split second, he let the boy go and rose to his feet, heading towards the grieving Annalise whose heart clenched when he stood before her.

“Yes?”

“I have an ex_ exception to....to make.” She stuttered through gritted teeth as she injured her palm with her nails. As it hurt, it also helped in putting her nerves in place.

Roshan, on the other hand looked quite amused as he never expected her to come up with something as an ‘exception’ he had expected her to give in immediately but she surprised him yet again.

“What exception?”

Turning her gaze to the pitiful people, she came to a decision that felt right in both her heart and mind before letting out a deep breath. She looked up to meet the stare of a man she was going to kill herself someday.

“Let them go and I’ll be your maid,” she said “...but to gain insights is another thing, so I need you to promise me one thing in return”

He arched his brow, “and what is that?”

“This mark on my forehead.” She pointed at it, taking Roshan’s gaze towards the silver birthmark on her forehead, “it’s called a meteor mark and I want it gone. Within two month and a half, I need you to get rid of it for me.”

“What?”

“Ninety-four days Roshan.”

“And what if I object?”

“Then you lose me.”

Her response rendered the hall silent for once, as though they knew her words carried a silent meaning.

Azazel’s demeanor slowly changed after hearing her speak of the mark and when he wanted to intervene in an attempt to stop Roshan from accepting her crazy exception, Levi was the one who stopped him.

“We were told not to interfere,” he reminded Azazel, “so don’t.” His half smile carried a warning which he understood and that compelled Azazel to keep quiet, a frown appearing on his rather inexpressive face.

Meanwhile Roshan’s brows knitted into a concerned frown, a look he didn’t even know had appeared on his charming face.

“What do you mean?”

Taking a deep breath, Annalise continued, “It means I will no longer be your maid or your pawn and you’ll never see me again, promise?”

Roshan remained quiet as he stared into the eyes of Annalise before taking it back to the mark on her forehead.

He was going to lose her? What did she mean by that phrase?? Does she plan on escaping at that particular time??

Several questions invaded his mind as he stared into her eyes to get the truth but he saw nothing, they looked shockingly empty and that made him more curious to figure things out himself.

“Fine,” he responded, “it’s a promise and I never break a promise.”

Annalise didn’t say a word, she wanted that statement to be true, the physician mentioned something about him when he planned on letting her know the truth and since he was somehow connected to it, surely he can help her get rid of it.

“I hope you keep to this one.”