Elias looked around in search of Seraphina, he had thought she would be waiting here when he would return. But no matter where he looked, he could not find her.
A few other girls passed him a glance and smiled shyly as if waiting for him to ask them for a dance too but he ignored them. He paid no attention to the mocking or curious glances of the guests. He wanted to lure them to his estate tomorrow, he had already done that.
He scanned the whole room with his eyes that could see more than a human ever could. Seraphina was not there.
"Did that eccentric woman decide to leave after being bored?" he cursed under his breath. He was searching for her like a fool and she was gone.
Taking a breath, he decided to leave too. But just as he walked out of the grand hall, the dark garden took his attention. It was left too dark when so many guests were here.
He stared at it as if someone was luring him to go there. He took a step closer toward the garden and heard muffled voices and footsteps. They were so soft, almost nonexistent that not anyone could hear them. But his sharp senses told him that dangers lurked around. Could it be that she had not left but the man keeping an eye on her had put her in trouble?
He paused by the threshold. his hand resting lightly on the wooden frame. Lanterns had been lit earlier, but someone had deliberately doused most of them. He hesitated for just a second before stepping forward.
When he walked on the gravel path, he heard the muffled scream of a woman followed by a strong kick. His eyes widened and before he could think any of it, he ran toward the noise. It was coming from a maze. Though it was a small maze, it was well kept with many turns.
The voices were coming from the center, before he could reach there, an attack came without warning.
A sharp weight slammed into him from the side, knocking the breath from his lungs. Elias crashed onto the cold ground with a grunt. his shoulder hitting stone. Before he could fully process the movement, a boot pressed down hard against his chest, pinning him.
"Well, well," a low voice rasped above him. "Baron Crestford. Nobles these days really don't know when to keep their noses clean."
The man's weight was unnatural. It was far stronger than he looked. Elias tried to shift, but his arms were pinned, the boot digging painfully into his ribs.
"You were told to stay away," the man continued, pressing harder. "But I guess some dogs don't learn till you break a few bones. How are you alive though? I am sure my men did a good job last time? Or you insect, only wanted to stain my hands from your blood?"
Elias clenched his teeth. This man had killed the previous Baron Crestford. It meant he was an enemy of Seraphina.
"The noise created by the girl is not my companion. You lured me here when she left so that i get worried?" Elias hissed.
A second figure emerged from the shadows and looked at Elias coldly. A glint of a blade caught the moonlight. "It is not our fault that you are a fool. But I am curious who your partner was and how could she leave after fooling us?" his question relieved Elias. He knew Seraphina was strong. But he still could not relax not knowing where she was. The man noticed the change in his body and frowned.
Earlier, Elias was struggling way too much to free himself. But now his body relaxed as if he was only taking a rest.
"What is so special about fooling a few fools!" Elias snickered with a look of disdain on his face. Their faces changed instantly.
"A mere human insulting us! Your arrogance would kill you. But don't worry you won't remember it anyway when we are done with you." The third came from behind, grabbing Elias by the collar and jerking him upward as the first lifted his foot.
But before they could attack him, Elias struck first. He twisted his torso sharply, using the man's grip as leverage, and drove his elbow backward into the attacker's gut. The man grunted in surprise. Elias dropped low, kicking off the ground and slamming his shoulder into the legs of the one still in front of him.
The man stumbled and lost his balance. Elias rolled and got to his feet. He eyes the three men in front of him with a cold flicker in his eyes.
"You picked the wrong person to jump in the dark," he said coldly, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves. "Because I am not one of them, I am one of you."
They frowned and stared at him in a new light. But they did not see him any different. He did not have powers. Did he?
"Ha! I am impressed. You know more than you should. But do you think you know enough to fool us?" the third man growled and lunged forward, swinging a short blade.
Elias barely dodged, the blade grazing his coat. The movement felt sluggish, he wasn't used to this yet. Seraphina had fought with him enough to train him for these men. He moved easily, his action was fluid and effortless.
The second attacker moved in fast, aiming for Elias's midsection with brute force. Elias stepped to the side and punched him in the ribs, but his own hand stung more than expected.
He took a blow to the shoulder and staggered. His vision swam. Pain flared, but something else sparked with it. A surge of strength pulsed through his limbs and heat covered his whole body.
The first man, perhaps the leader, grabbed a length of chain from his belt and lashed it out like a whip. Elias ducked but the chain sliced through the air with a sharp crack.
"I'll break your legs for this," the leader snarled. "Then let the lord decide what to do with you."
"Who is your lord?" Elias asked with his jaw clenched. He stopped retreating and stepped in.
He caught the chain mid-swing. It seared his palm, but he held it and yanked hard. His force was enough to pull the man forward. Before the attacker could recover, Elias drove his fist into his throat. The man choked and stumbled backward.
The third came at him again with a gleaming blade in his hand. Elias didn't dodge this time. His eyes were burning with fire to kill the world. He caught the man's wrist, twisted it sharply and the blade clattered to the ground. He turned the attacker's own momentum against him and slammed his head into a nearby marble column.
The crunch was sickening. The man slumped down with a guttural sound.
The last one was tall and armored, despite being stronger he hesitated now. He had never seen a human fighting like this and worse, defeating them.
"What are you?" he asked in a threatening voice but Elias stood straight, blood dripping from his knuckles with a smirk on his face. a strange gleam in his eyes left the man stunned for a second.
"Why? Are you afraid of me now?" Elias asked in a low but provoking voice.
The man let out a curse and charged, but this time, Elias met him with a calm stance. At the last second, he sidestepped, hooked the man's foot with his own, and shoved. The attacker crashed into the garden wall with a thud.
Elias walked over, picked up the blade, and crouched beside the groaning leader still clutching his throat.
"Go back to your master," Elias said coldly with a dark glint in his eyes, "Tell him next time he sends dogs, he better make sure they don't bleed like humans."