Chapter 233: A Sinister Discovery
Evelyn, who wasn’t far behind Ivan, immediately noticed the change in his expression.
"What is it?" she asked softly before stepping beside him to look over his shoulder.
The moment her eyes landed on what he was staring at, she froze.
Her brows slowly knitted together. "I don’t... understand."
On one of the metal stretchers lay the bare body of a man, completely still. Thick rows of crude stitches ran from his chest down to his abdomen, as though someone had sliced him open before carelessly sewing him back together.
Beside him were rows of jars containing organs that they weren’t sure all belonged to humans.
Ivan’s gaze lingered on the corpse before something caught his attention.
He tilted his head slightly and stepped closer until he was standing beside the man’s neck.
Without touching the body directly, he picked up a long metal probe from a nearby table and gently turned the man’s head to one side.
Both of their eyes narrowed.
There, branded into the side of his neck, was a black symbol.
A hollow circle intersected by a single vertical line.
A demon mark.
The instant Ivan laid eyes on it, he recognised it for what it was. The dark demonic energy radiating from the mark was unmistakable.
He slowly turned to meet Evelyn’s blue eyes, his expression darker than before.
"Something very sinister is taking place here, Eve," Ivan said quietly. "We need to strengthen the protection around our kingdoms and warn our people to remain on high alert. We also need to inform Gavriel to investigate this from his side. He was right. This bears the unmistakable handiwork of his kind."
Evelyn’s brows drew together even tighter as she looked back at the lifeless body.
"What could they possibly hope to achieve by doing something like this?" she murmured.
The scowl on Ivan’s face deepened.
"I don’t know..." he admitted. "But one thing is certain. The creature we encountered outside Gavriel’s house that attacked Aliana... this is connected to them for sure."
"Are you saying... the missing humans end up here... as a part of some sick experiment? If so, then why would they leave this place so..."
"Unguarded?" Ivan finished for her, and she nodded.
"It is strange that they were confident enough to leave only a few guards outside. My guess is... this is not their primary location," Ivan replied.
"You think there are more of these... laboratories?" Evelyn asked, her heartbeat quickening.
"I’m certain of it," Ivan replied grimly. "Far too many humans have disappeared for this to be their only operation."
As he spoke, he noticed the worry clouding Evelyn’s face.
His expression softened, and he stepped closer to gently cup her face in his hands before resting his forehead against hers.
"I hate seeing you worry like this," he whispered. "Come. Let’s return to our people. Right now, our children and our kingdoms must come first."
Evelyn’s eyes softened as she looked at him, and she gave a small nod.
Then something occurred to her. "But... what about informing Gavriel? It’ll take us days to return."
Ivan paused before a faint look of remembrance crossed his face. "Right."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the mobile phone he had purchased and learned to use after arriving in this world.
Tapping quickly on the screen, he looked back at his wife. "Done."
Evelyn offered him a bright smile. "Perhaps we should invent these devices in our world as well."
"Hmm. Cece would be delighted to work on that," Ivan replied, returning her smile before pulling her protectively into his arms.
In a flash, his body glowed molten orange, his eyes flaring with flame. Fire swirled wildly around them, and in the next instant, they vanished.
.....
Back in Astoria...
Night had fallen deep across the estate, and with the wedding reception finally coming to an end, Gavriel dropped Aliana off at their room, letting her know he would join her shortly after discussing a few matters with Cillian.
She did not ask for details, but she could tell it was something important.
Having been constantly surrounded by guests for most of the evening, she had not questioned Jade and Nigel’s absence, figuring they were simply mingling elsewhere.
Their family and close friends were staying in a separate section of the mansion since the drive back to the city was long and everyone was exhausted. So she assumed she would see them in the morning.
Entering the room, her eyes took in the beautiful interior of the suite. It was lit up like a royal chamber from an ancient era rather than a modern hotel. A massive wing of the mansion had been reserved exclusively for the newlyweds, leaving the space peaceful and silent.
She took in every detail before stepping slowly toward the balcony doors.
Outside, falling pink blossoms and lush green vines draped over the stone railing, matching the rest of the mansion’s architecture.
Placing her hand on the railing, she looked out at the vast greenery surrounding the estate before turning her gaze to the sky. The moon hung low, its shape indicating that a full moon was only a couple of days away.
Her gaze eventually drifted down to her left hand. The pair of rings resting on her ring finger glimmered beneath the silver moonlight.
Almost absentmindedly, she brushed her fingertips over them, and for the first time since the whirlwind of the day had begun, the reality truly settled into her heart.
She was married now.
Not just to anyone...but to Gavriel Valentine.
It felt surreal, yet the truth brought a quiet sense of comfort rather than strangeness.
Her thoughts drifted back to the ceremony, to the exact moment Gavriel had slipped the wedding band onto her finger. She remembered the subtle pause, how he had frozen for a fraction of a second as though his mind had drifted far beyond the altar.
What could he have been thinking about in that moment?
She could not shake the feeling that whatever had come over him was no simple distraction.
Her heartbeat quickened slightly at the thought.
Just then, the night breeze grew stronger, carrying with it the cool scent of blossoms and fresh earth.
She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, letting the crisp air filter into her lungs as the lingering tension from the ceremony began to melt away.
In that stillness, a wave of weariness washed over her, making her realise just how deep her exhaustion ran.
Opening her eyes, she let out a soft sigh into the night air. "I do not know how long he will be. I wonder if I should... get ready for bed."
She was well aware that this was, after all, their wedding night. Sudden heat crawled up her cheeks at the sudden reminder of his words from earlier, when he had shamelessly voiced his interest to rip her dress off.
Looking down at her ivory gown, she wondered if he would be disappointed if she took it off on her own and opted for a relaxing bath instead.
Either way, she saw no harm in exploring the suite a little first.
With that, she walked back inside before making her way towards the bathroom.
The moment she stepped through the doorway, she froze where she stood.
Staring in stunned silence at the unbelievable sight before her.