The Duke's Passion

Chapter 562 - Just What Was Going On?

"No one… from the wretched kingdom of Spade and the mainland will leave the Labyrinth… alive."

I held my breath at the firm orders my husband uttered. Multiple figures suddenly appeared around him, kneeling on one knee with their head hung low.

"Yes, Your Majesty," they replied in unison, standing up ever so slowly and turning around to face us. My eyes dilated as soon as my gaze landed on Dominique and Jayden. Sam didn't mention it, nor did I ask what happened to these two. But to think they ended up serving Sam as his... I studied their black uniform and confirmed it was the emperor's shadow knight's uniform.

Ramin stood a bit farther and didn't stand immediately, planting his fingers on the concrete. I had seen this stance before, and I knew he had set up Labyrinth. Although there weren't apparent changes in the surrounding, that was how Labyrinth works. One wouldn't see it until they tried to escape, only to return to their starting point. It was like being stuck in an endless loop.

I then gazed up as I felt someone's gaze from above the roof. There, Charlotte stood with a bow and arrow in her hand. Coldness and bloodlust replaced her usual cheerful expression; I had never seen her sport such menacing countenance even back when we're part of the third squadron.

Just then, I turned my head in Fabian's direction when I felt a strong and distinct presence. There, Rufus squatted down beside Fabian and stared at it in silence. He didn't have any particular expression, as if he wasn't staring at his dead brother.

And then... there was us. Stefan, Zero, and I.

Neither of us moved or spoke a word, observing the change of the wind with these people's sudden appearance. Sam finally set his eyes back to us and when he locked eyes with me, I felt my heart clench. Although I was relieved that they unexpectedly came, I couldn't face him.

I looked away in shame. Fabian died because of me. Minowa was in such a state and Law's circumstance with Stefan. I was ashamed, and I didn't have the courage to face him.

Suddenly, I saw a pair of boots a step away from me. I gazed up on instinct, only to see Sam already standing in front of me. He kept his chin up, eyes gazing down on me as if studying me.

"Did you really... agree to go with another man, wife?" I froze at the coldness of his voice.

"Sam..." I trailed off when he quirked a brow, gazing at the hand that was gripping my wrist.

"If I didn't come, you will elope with him?"

'No... it's not what you think,' was what I wanted to say, but my mouth only opened and closed, no words came out. How would I explain this situation? Was he angry at me? There was a reason behind it, but... was there a point in arguing? I balled my hand into a fist as I looked away with my teeth clenched.

"Fabian, you better explain this before my heightened jealousy takes over me and I might end up locking her to a place where only I can see her." My eyes dilated and looked up at him on instinct. He cast me a momentary look and the gentleness in it was gone. He was truly pissed and couldn't comprehend the situation.

Hell. That man had returned, indeed.

But wait. Did he call Fabian? But Fabian was... I shifted my eyes in Rufus's direction where Fabian was lying down. I saw him kick Fabian's side lightly as if trying to wake up the dead.

"No, Fabian, he..." I trailed off when Fabian's hand twitched. I blinked twice when Fabian grunted as he pushed himself up as if he didn't have a hole in his chest. What the... hell?

'It's not your fault and... I will not die.'

Suddenly, Fabian's parting words hovered over my head. He said he wouldn't die, but I assumed he simply said that as a metaphor, as his memories with us would continue to live. I didn't expect that he meant it literally! But, how? Zero took out his heart and there was no doubt about that.

Just how come Fabian was still alive? Not that I wasn't relieved to know he was, but... how? Right after I asked myself over and over how Fabian was alive despite having a hole in his chest, an almost forgotten memory hovered over my head.

'Let's just say... Fabian and I got closer because we used to experiment.'

Those were Sam's words in the distant past. I didn't question what sort of experiment, nor did he detail how Fabian and Sam's relationship developed before the present time. Did it have something to do with that?

To my surprise, Rufus suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at Fabian's neck. I was confused at Rufus' sudden hostility towards his brother. I only got my enlightenment a second later when Fabian, our dear butler, raised his head with a wicked smirk on his lips.

Fabian placed his fingers inside the hole in his chest while humming. "Hello there, brother, my lord. Please put that toy away, brother."

Despite the lack of light, I caught something dark resurfaced on Fabian's chest before it covered it. Rufus still had the tip of his sword pointed at Fabian's neck, but the latter was unfazed as he leaned back, palms on the ground.

"Based on Fabian's memory, the young master's life is linked to Stefan's life. The reason the child seems like he fought in the front line himself. Poor child. If only I was the one fighting, I would've killed him so your wife wouldn't have to burden herself." Fabian uttered in a knowing tone, gazing at Rufus with a smile.

Aside from me, it seemed Rufus and Sam and everyone around me weren't shocked to see this drastic change in Fabian. His demeanor, way of talking, and character were all different. It was as if that person wasn't Fabian anymore. What was going on?

"But, it's not really a bad thing, haha! They had broken the seal you put on me, my lord!" he grinned happily, clapping his hand excitedly. "I'm finally free! I'm so happy!"

"Fabi..." I whispered in disbelief, furrowing my brows as I could barely recognize him. It felt similar... to Sam and Hell's situation.

Just what was going on?