The Source of All Evil

Chapter Thirteen

Michaela Walker.

“You’re safe,” he whispered in her ear softly, hugging her back just as tight. “I’m here now.”

Michaela pulled away, smiling happily that he was safe and sound. “What took you so long? I thought something bad has happened to you.”

Rafe brought his hand to her cheek, wiping her tears, wearing a gentle smile. “I’m sorry for taking so long, but I’m here now. Besides, I can see that you managed on your own.” He said, looking around the restaurant.

Michaela chuckled, absently burying her face in his hand, before realizing what she was doing. She pulled away, her cheeks heating up, chuckling nervously. “It’s a long story.”

“Hannah, who’s your friend?” Abigail smiled Rafe’s way, discretely wiggling her eyebrows at her when he wasn’t looking. Michaela blushed even more, realizing the display of affection she has shown in front of the few people at her restaurant.

“Hannah?” Rafe muttered in a mere whisper, and Michaela tugged her shirt nervously, pulling him back to his table. “I told you, it’s a long story.”

“Abigail, please get us some wine.”

The other chuckled, chirpily saying. “Sure thing. I’ll tell Mariana that we’re closing the restaurant early today.”

Michaela nodded in appreciation, turning her attention towards Rafe. “Let’s sit down.”

Rafe took her invitation, taking a seat across from hers. “So, Hannah?!”

She leaned forward and whispered. “I couldn’t use my real name, afraid that the Crystfire King or the Celestial Master would send people looking around for me.”

“You did good. . . But how did you get here?”

Michaela recited the events that took place, leading her to this village. She rambled on about her business and what she achieved, staring at him in anticipation, waiting for him to praise her wits. However, the whole time she was talking, Rafe's eyes were fixated on a spot above her face, making her glance back before facing him with a frown.

“What are you looking at?”

“Your hair. Did you cut it?” His eyes turned a darker shade, glaring at her.

Michaela unconsciously touched her hair as if she was trying to hide how short it was. She didn’t feel comfortable in the kitchen with that long hair, as the bun would often come loose. One day, she got her hands on some scissors, trimming it until it reached her nape.

“Does it look bad? I mean, people here seem to hate it, but why should I care? I like it short. It’s easier to manage now.”

Rafe's hardened look softened a bit, sighing. “Long hair suited you better, but short hair doesn’t look that bad.”

She didn’t know if she should take his words as a compliment or not, settling on changing the subject. “So, how was the fight with the Celestial Master? Did he really shift into his dragon form? Did you win? Of course, you did or else you wouldn’t be here. . . How did you win?”

“Your confidence in my abilities sure makes me feel happy,” he cynically said, chuckling when she rolled her eyes. “To answers your questions. The fight ended as soon as we realized that you’ve disappeared. No, the Celestial Master didn’t change to his Dragon form. And what’s fascinating about that anyway? I know people who have a majestic beast form more fascinating than that of that stupid Master.”

“Rafe, jealousy is a disease. Get well soon.” She smirked, and it soon fell when he leaned over the table. That irritating smug look appeared on his face.

“I’m not jealous. I’m territorial. I’m protecting what’s mine from an over-infatuation to an illusion.”

Michaela’s lips hang open, staring at him for a solid thirty seconds, finally caught on to what he implied. Her cheeks flushed, clearing her throat as she said. “Who’s overly infatuated? If you haven’t noticed, the Celestial Master freaks me out. I can’t forget about those creepy portraits he had of me in his palace.”

She visibly shivered, unaware that she has just admitted that she was Rafe’s. The latter had a satisfied smile on, leaning back in his chair.

“What’s wrong with having portraits of you in his palace? The person who painted them must adore you so much. If anything, I think it’s adorable.”

“Adorable?!” She yelled, lowering her voice when the few customers in her restaurant looked her way. “Adorable! That’s creepy, not adorable.”

“What if they’re someone who liked you for years but never gained the courage to confess their feelings?”

“This only makes it ten times worse. I don’t think of it as a compliment for someone, who I don’t know or I’m not close with, to have pictures of me around their house. . . Why are we talking about this? The more I think about it, the more it upsets my stomach.”

Rafe opened his mouth to say something but got cut off when Abigail brought a bottle of wine and two glasses to their table. She smiled, standing by their table and staring at them, and Michaela shooed her away when she didn't get the hint, invading their privacy.

“She thinks you're handsome.”

“Oh really?” Rafe’s lips curving upward. “She’s not bad either.”

Michaela ignored the sudden pang in her heart, rubbing her chest slightly. “So, what took you so long?”

Chuckling, Rafe reached inside his right sleeve, taking out the cursed book. “This.”

Michaela grabbed the book, studying it. She looked at Rafe, and he nodded for her to open it. Reluctantly, she did, seeing that nothing changed about the first three pages. Under Rafe's pressing glare, she skimmed through the rest of the pages, looking up with a stunned and puzzled gaze.

“What. . . Why is the story so different now? Why is my name mentioned in the story?”

The story now entailed that she was the protagonist and not Princess Nirvana. It recited the events that happened so far from the very moment she woke up here, mentioning her name and giving a precise description of how she looked.

“That’s not all.” Rafe pulled the book towards him, showing her the rest of the papers in the book that were blank. “It seems that the book is rewriting the story, and you, my love, are the hero of it. I noticed this change when the Celestial Master mentioned something about the book. Every day, words appeared on a page, which helped me find out about this place.”

“What does this mean?” She stammered, her voice wavering, glaring with glossy eyes at Rafe. She feared that what happened to Princess Nirvana would happen to her, or worse. She didn’t like it one bit that the book was now in full control over her fate.

Before knowing this, at least she had a chance to alter the events that led to Princess Nirvana’s tragic death, hoping it would help her go back to her world. But how could she now do the same when the story revolved around her, and it was still unfinished?

“I don’t know,” Rafe looked just as bewildered, adding. “I don’t know if the original events of the story will still take place, or if you’re now in control over the fate of this world. . . The Celestial Master mentioned that the book was his making. He said it was of far more importance than we thought. He said that if you needed answers, you should go back and find him.”

“You’re not going!” He interjected firmly as if he could read Michaela’s mind when she thought of giving it a shot. “He could be lying, and this is all a trap. . . I’ll find a way to discern this mystery, but you have to promise that you won’t recklessly look for that beast.”

Michaela nodded after thinking it through. Rafe was right. She didn’t know if the Celestial Master was just making stuff up to capture her. He blatantly admitted that he wanted to rob her in bed, claiming that she was his queen. Michaela shivered again, shaking the disturbing thought of her sharing a bed with a beast.

“The song!” She exclaimed as Rafe was pouring wine into her glass.

“What song?”

“The mermaids' song! You know, when the Celestial Master tricked me into thinking that he was you and kidn*pped me. . .”

“Oh, when you trusted him after he gave you candy?” He smirked, bringing the glass of wine close to his nose, humming. “Rice wine?”

“Yes, and I didn’t trust him because he gave me candy. He looked and acted like you. How would I have known that he was a beast who can shift to look like anyone?”

Rafe mumbled something under his breath, and Michaela only heard the part in which he called the Celestial Master cunning.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. So, tell me, what is about that song?”

She quickly forgot about the topic he dismissed as she went on. “Basically, I was feeling tired and took a rest by this fountain in the marketplace. After some time, mermaids appeared and started singing a song about some princess who got shunned by everyone for being weak. She then returned, harnessing an immense power, killing those who hurt her. . . They mentioned that she was really pretty, gorgeous even, that all powerful masters chased after her love. All but the man she adored, who fell in love with her servant. Controlled by jealousy, she killed the poor servant, who cursed her to never fall in love.”

“And?” Rafe asked impatiently.

“Why so impatient? I’m recounting the important parts of the song.”

Rafe didn’t say anything back, so she resumed her story. “So, this princess lost her beauty and powers, and of course, those who idolized her abandoned her. They mentioned that she traveled to the cursed lands, where she stole a spiritual book. She used the charmed book to her advantage, and it eventually caused her demise.”

“And?” Rafe asked again, looking as indifferent as usual.

“That’s it! Don’t you get it?! The book in the song, I’m sure it’s this one. And if the cursed queen stole it when she ventured to the cursed lands, wouldn’t be safe for us to assume that the Celestial Master maybe is telling the truth?”

Rafe scowled. “Whether he’s telling the truth or not, you’re not going to see him.”

“Chill,” she said, feeling puzzled that he looked so riled up by this. “I wasn’t saying that I’d seek answers from him. I’m just saying that the answer to this puzzling riddle lies within his palace. . . I’m certain that he knows who I am, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve met before, in our world. He knew things about me that I haven’t shared with anyone aside from my best friends and mother.”

Rafe had a complicated look, sneering under his breath. “It’s a low game he’s playing, but I’m winning in the end. . . Just forget about it. I’ll look into it.” He added the last part when Michaela’s inquisitive glare deepened.

“Anyway, where is our cute pet?”

Michaela blushed like an i***t for him referring to her pet as their kid, swallowing carefully as she pointed behind her. There, in a corner, Kirby was sleeping on a counter. Even while sleeping, it still exuded its powers, rendering the atmosphere lighter, peaceful, and serene for everyone.

“You know it’s just like you, cute when awake and cuter when asleep.”

Michaela who took a large gulp of the wine, sprayed everything on herself, the table, except for Rafe who swiftly avoided it.