Chapter 446: Candice
Candice’s eyes fluttered open, and for several seconds she simply stared upward without understanding where she was. Beautiful chandeliers hung from a magnificent vaulted ceiling, their soft golden light spreading across intricate patterns carved into the pale stone above her.
She blinked several times, trying to force her vision to focus, and then instinctively moved her hand toward her chest. Her fingers pressed against the fabric covering her body, but there was no stabbing pain, no soreness and no lingering sensation from the injury she remembered. Her breathing caught as she slowly ran her hand over herself again, almost expecting the pain to return but nothing happened.
Candice cautiously pushed herself upright, her eyes widening when she finally realized she was lying on an enormous bed large enough to comfortably accommodate several people. The white gown she had been forced to wear before her interrogation was gone as well. Someone had dressed her in a simple but beautiful garment made from material that felt impossibly soft beneath her fingers. Even without knowing much about expensive clothing, Candice could tell immediately that it was worth more than anything she had ever owned.
Her gaze wandered across the unfamiliar room until she noticed something strange drifting through the air.
Purple smoke curled lazily from somewhere near the opposite side of the room, twisting upward before disappearing into the air. Candice followed its trail with her eyes and finally saw the source.
Damain sat comfortably in a couch several meters away, one leg crossed over the other while a newspaper rested between his hands. He looked completely relaxed. There was no guard standing beside him, no weapon in his hands and no visible sign that he was paying any attention to her existence. Yet Candice’s entire body instinctively stiffened the moment she recognized him.
A shiver traveled down her spine as the memories of their previous encounter returned. This was the Prince of Lust, the terrifying man who had knocked her unconscious after seemingly scrambling her mind with nothing more than his power. The realization that she was alone in a room with him immediately filled her with terror. Candice covered her lips with one hand and fought to steady her breathing, but when several seconds passed and Damain did not even glance in her direction, some of that fear slowly faded.
With the immediate danger seemingly absent, Candice’s attention began wandering toward the man himself. She had been far too terrified during their previous encounter to properly notice his appearance, but now that she was no longer staring at him through the haze of panic, she found herself studying him with increasing curiosity.
Damain possessed the kind of appearance that was difficult to ignore. His features were sharp and naturally attractive, while his relaxed posture made him appear almost disinterested in the world around him. The faint purple smoke drifting around him somehow made his presence even more unusual. Candice leaned forward unconsciously, her eyes lingering on his face as she tried to understand how someone so handsome could simultaneously make her feel so unsafe.
"I have three wives and three concubines. Most of them are demigods, and I’m pretty sure they would rip your head off if they caught you staring at me like this." Damain spoke casually as he turned another page without even bothering to look at her.
Candice’s expression instantly froze. She swallowed hard and straightened her back, suddenly becoming painfully aware of exactly how long she had been staring. Heat rushed into her cheeks, but embarrassment was quickly overwhelmed by the greater concern of why she had been brought here. She immediately lowered her head into a deep bow.
"Spare me, your majesty. I know nothing about the assassination attempt carried out by my boyfriend." Her voice shook despite her effort to keep it steady.
She had no idea what Damain wanted from her, and that uncertainty was almost as frightening as the interrogation itself.
Only then did Damain slowly lower the newspaper enough to look directly at her. His eyes moved over her for a moment before he gave a simple nod.
"I know."
He immediately raised the newspaper again and returned his attention to its contents. Candice’s head lifted slightly, surprise flashing across her face. She had expected suspicion, interrogation or perhaps another terrifying display of supernatural power. Instead, he had simply told her that he believed her. Her shoulders sagged with relief, and she quickly bowed again.
"Thank you, your majesty!" she exclaimed, genuine excitement slipping into her voice.
Damain offered little response beyond another absent minded nod, his eyes remaining on the newspaper as though her gratitude required no further acknowledgment.
Silence settled over the room. Candice remained seated on the edge of the massive bed, her hands resting nervously against her lap while Damain continued reading. She occasionally glanced at him, but after being caught staring once, she became much more careful about it.
Still, questions continued circling through her mind.
Why had he brought her here?
Why had he healed her?
Why was he treating her so casually after she had been involved, however unknowingly, in an assassination attempt against someone of his status?
She considered asking to leave several times but each time stopped herself. If the Prince wanted her gone, he would tell her to leave. Until then, she had no intention of doing anything that might accidentally irritate him.
Several minutes passed before Damain finally reached the end of the newspaper. He folded it neatly and placed it beside him before turning his attention toward her. Candice immediately straightened. Damain crossed his legs comfortably as he studied her face.
"Candice, correct?" he asked.
"Yes, sire." She answered quickly.
Damain regarded her for another moment before a faintly amused expression appeared on his face.
"Your name reminds me of my ex before I awakened the inheritance."
Candice’s eyes widened slightly. She had not expected the Prince of Lust to casually mention something as mundane as an old relationship. The revelation made him seem strangely more human than the terrifying figure she had imagined. Her curiosity overcame her fear for a moment, although she remained cautious as she lowered her voice.
"Sire, if I may ask..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at him uncertainly.
Damain’s expression suggested he already knew what she wanted to ask. He gave a small nod of approval, allowing her to continue.
"What ended the relationship?" Candice asked, genuine curiosity mixing with the lingering fear in her expression.
Damain chuckled quietly, seemingly amused that this was the question she had chosen to ask. Nevertheless, he answered without hesitation.
"She cheated on me with my boss and dumped me the very night I awakened my inheritance."
Candice blinked several times, her eyebrows rising as she absorbed the answer. The casual way Damain said it made the story sound almost absurdly ordinary compared to the monstrous power he now possessed. She leaned forward slightly, interest replacing some of her apprehension.
"So what did you do to her after gaining the Lust inheritance?" she asked.
Damain slowly pushed his hair backward with his fingers and considered the question.
"Honestly... I considered killing her and her affair partner, but I had my brothers and angels keeping me distracted until I eventually forgot about their existence."
Candice slowly nodded. Somehow, that answer made perfect sense to her. Whatever emotional attachment he had once possessed was probably insignificant compared to the existence he now lived. Someone who had become a being of immense supernatural power could hardly remain obsessed with an ordinary mortal forever.
Candice found herself wondering what kind of life Damain had lived before awakening his inheritance, but she wisely kept that question to herself.
Damain suddenly yawned and covered his mouth with one hand. The day was not even halfway over, yet his expression suggested that he was already exhausted by the conversation. Candice immediately noticed the change and stopped herself from asking anything else.
Damain lowered his hand and looked at her again, this time with a faintly cruel smile tugging at the edges of his lips. The relaxed atmosphere in the room subtly changed and Candice felt it immediately. Whatever reason he had brought her here, she finally understood that the conversation about his ex had never been the true purpose of her presence.
"Enough of your questions. It’s time you do something for me." Damain’s smile deepened slightly as he leaned back into the couch, and Candice’s stomach tightened.
She had no idea what he intended to ask of her, but the expression on his face made it painfully clear that whatever came next would be far more important than their strange conversation about relationships.