91 - Inevitable
Mariana's breath came out shallow. The hallway felt narrower than before. Or maybe it was just him.
Zafiel stood a few steps away, posture relaxed, one hand loosely resting at his side as if this were nothing more than a casual conversation. As if she hadn't just run from him like prey trying to escape a predator that had already memorized every possible exit.
"I..." Mariana tried to steady her voice. "What do you mean... I'm already caught?"
Zafiel didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took a slow step forward. Then another. Measured. Unhurried. Like he had all the time in the world.
Mariana instinctively stepped back-until her back hit the wall. Dead end. Her pulse spiked.
"Did you enjoy the party?" he asked suddenly, tilting his head slightly.
"W-What...?" She blinked, thrown off.
"The decorations," he continued calmly. "The music. The food." Food. Her stomach dropped. Zafiel's lips curved faintly. "Ah... you noticed?"
Mariana's fingers trembled slightly. "Wha-What did you do?"
Instead of answering directly, he gestured subtly around them. "Tell me," he said, voice soft, almost conversational. "Didn't you find it strange?"
Her throat tightened. "S-Strange...?"
"The number of knights tonight." He said.
Mariana froze.
Now that he mentioned it-
There were more. Far more than necessary for a celebration. Not just stationed at entrances, but scattered throughout the ballroom. Along corridors. Near exits. Watching. Always watching.
Her breath hitched.
"And the refreshments," Zafiel continued, eyes never leaving hers. "Were they to your liking?"
Mariana's mind flashed back. The sweets. The exact flavor she liked. The tea. Even the smallest details. Her fingers curled. "You... planned that...?"
"Of course." His answer was immediate.
Her chest tightened. "W-Why?"
Zafiel's gaze softened slightly. "Because I know you."
Her heart skipped, hard.
No. No, that's not-
"And then..." He added quietly. His eyes dropped briefly to her chest. More specifically, her necklace.
Mariana instinctively reached up, fingers brushing against the amethyst. "... what about it?"
Zafiel's smile deepened just slightly. "Tell me," he murmured, "have you tried using your mana?"
Her body went cold. "... what?"
"Go on," he encouraged softly. "Try."
Her instincts screamed at her not to, but she did. She reached inward, called for it. The familiar flow, the presence, the constant, steady hum that had always been there, nothing.
Her breath stopped. "... no." She tried again. Harder. Focused. Desperate. Nothing. It was like reaching into an empty void. Her mana, gone. Her eyes widened slowly. "No..." She whispered. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she looked up at him.
Zafiel was watching her. Calm. Certain. Knowing. "I told you so." He said softly.
Her body trembled. "What... did you... do to me...?" Her voice came out weaker than she wanted.
Zafiel stepped closer. This time, she didn't move. Couldn't. His hand came up-resting against her waist again. Firm. Unyielding. Possessive.
Mariana flinched.
"Why," he began quietly, "did you not find it strange?" Her breath hitched. "That an event as important as my birthday..." His fingers tightened slightly against her waist, "... your entire family couldn't attend?"
Her pupils shrank. "... no..."
"Your father." Step closer. "Your brothers." Another. "Your mother." Her back pressed harder against the wall. "Every single one of them," he finished softly, "conveniently occupied."
Her mind spiraled.
No, that... that wasn't... that can't-
"They were sent away." Zafiel said. Not asked. Not coincidentally absent. Sent.
Her heart pounded violently. "You..." Her voice shook. "You did that?"
He didn't deny it. Didn't confirm it either. He just smiled. That was worse.
Mariana squirmed slightly, trying to pull away from his hold. "Le-Let go..."
Zafiel chuckled. Soft. Amused. "Why?" He asked.
Her hands pushed weakly against his chest. "Because I said so-"
"No." His grip didn't budge.
Around them, a few nobles had wandered into the corridor. They paused. Watched. And misunderstood.
From their perspective, the Crown Prince stood close to the Saintess, smiling. Holding her gently. Her flushed cheeks. Her trembling. It looked intimate.
"How lovely..."
"They must be getting along well..."
"His Imperial Highness seems pleased..."
Whispers spread quietly. Mariana wanted to scream.
Zafiel leaned closer, voice dropping. "You can't teleport anymore."
Her breath caught. "... what?"
"No mana," he reminded her softly. "No escape." Her stomach twisted. "No chance."
Her chest tightened painfully. "... why...?" She whispered.
Why go this far? Why me? Why this?
Her gaze flickered. "... why didn't you even look at Sadia?" That question slipped out before she could stop it.
Zafiel blinked once. Then his expression turned almost... amused. "Sadia?" He repeated.
Mariana swallowed. "She's the heroine."
Silence. Then, a quiet chuckle. "I won't follow the plot anymore."
Her world stopped. "Wha-What...?" Her voice barely came out.
Zafiel's eyes met hers. Sharp. Piercing. Dangerous. "I said," he repeated softly, "I won't follow the plot."
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
"W-Why... did you say that?" She asked slowly. Too slowly. Too carefully.
Because there was only one way he could-
Zafiel leaned down right beside her ear, his breath brushed against her skin. "I already know."
Her body went rigid. "Know... what...?" She whispered.
His voice dropped even lower. "About the plot." Her vision blurred. "About me being the male lead." Her hands trembled. "About Sadia being the heroine." Her breath hitched. "And you," her heart stopped. "being the villainess."
Something snapped. "STOP...!"
Mariana shoved him hard with everything she had. And he let her. He didn't resist. Didn't stop her. He stepped back willingly. That was what made it worse. Her chest heaved. Her mind spiraled.
No no no no, this wasn't...! This wasn't how it was supposed to go...! He knows. He knows everything.
Her body moved before her mind could catch up. She ran out of the corridor away from him. Away from everything. Her heels echoed loudly against the marble floors as she rushed through the palace halls, turning corners blindly, ignoring direction, ignoring logic.
Just run. Run. RUN...!!
Her breath came in ragged gasps. Her vision blurred. Her thoughts were chaos.
He knows. He knows the plot. He knows me. He planned everything. The knights, my family, my mana-
Her chest tightened painfully. "I can't..." She gasped. Her legs burned. Her lungs screamed. And then, she stopped. A wall. Dead end. "... no..." Her voice cracked.
Slowly, footsteps echoed behind her. Steady. Unhurried. Familiar.
Mariana didn't turn. She didn't need to. She already knew.
Zafiel stopped a few steps behind her. Silence stretched between them. Heavy. Unavoidable. "I told you so..." He said quietly.
Her fingers curled into fists. "Shu-Shut up..." But her voice trembled.
Zafiel took another step closer. "You're wearing it."
Her hand instinctively went to her necklace again. "Wha-What about it?"
He tilted his head slightly. "You forgot that your necklace," he said calmly, "is a tracking device."
Her breath stopped. "... what?"
"No matter where you go," he continued, voice almost gentle, "no matter where you hide..." Her pulse pounded violently. "I will know."
Her hand shook against the amethyst. "... no..."
"There is nowhere you can run."
Her vision blurred. Her chest tightened. Her options, gone. All of them.
Zafiel extended his hand toward her. Calm. Patient. Certain. "Come here."
Her body refused to move. Her mind screamed. Her heart raced. "No..." She whispered. But it sounded weak, hopeless.
"Iana." His voice softened, dangerously so. "It's inevitable."
Her breath hitched.
Because the worst part, the most terrifying part was that, somewhere deep inside, she believed him.
···
A/n: If Mariana and Zafiel had portraits, it'd be like these: