The Lord thunders from heaven; the Most High utters his voice.
He shoots arrows and scatters his enemies. He flashes forth lightning and confuses them.
Lord, when you rebuke them, when you breathe out from your nostrils, the sea appears, and the foundations of the earth are laid bare.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.
When I faced disaster, they came against me, but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; he has recompensed me according to the cleanness of my hands.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. I trust in the name of the Lord; I will not do evil.
Along the way, Si continued to explain the details of the palace, such as its structure, layout, and even shortcuts. The level of detail in his words made her uneasy, as if she were going to stay here permanently.
How could this be her "home"? There was no sunlight, no scent of nature, and the only thing that existed was a dull gray that could not provide her with the vitality of life.
Had Luo always lived here? From childhood to adulthood, had he never been exposed to sunlight? Did he live alone?
Thinking of him, a faint sadness welled up in her heart.
"Si, what is this?!" What a beautiful flower! She found it, blooming its petals despite the lack of sunlight. She reached out to touch it, but frowned at the cracked soil beneath the flower. Before she could react, her fragile body was already being held by Si's strong arms.
"You! How ignorant you are!" Si was furious; he simply couldn't fathom the girl's thoughts. Looking into her jet-black eyes, he saw only innocence and purity, clear as crystal. Was that what had attracted the king? Such beautiful eyes, tempting any man to give her the care she deserved.
Ivina was startled by his shout, but she couldn't help but take a step forward to tend to the "thirsty" little plant. In Si's embrace, she struggled anxiously.
"This is a 'blood flower'; it feeds on blood," Si said calmly, trying to steady himself. He didn't understand why he had saved her earlier; those who posed a threat to the king should be killed!
"But she's about to die... Such beauty, yet no one cares for her. A flower withering away like this is truly heartbreaking..."
"Wither? Vistata the witch, let me tell you this: her beauty is meant to attract others' attention, and the cracked earth beneath her roots is meant to evoke sympathy. Her purpose is to drain others' blood and cause their deaths. Would you still feel pity for her then?" His gaze was sharp, and his words were clearly reflecting Ivina's current situation.
"Yes, this young woman used her beauty and cunning to win the king's fleeting, irrational affection. But no one can capture the king's heart, and he will do everything in his power to prevent a human woman from approaching the throne and tainting the purest bloodline."
She did not detect the underlying doubt in his words, her gaze fixed on the flower with concern, and she could not help but worry.
Do vampires truly lack compassion? Even a lowly flower that feeds on blood is a form of life in bloom—why do they care so little?
S's arm held her firmly in place.
"Miss Visata, we've been traveling for some time. If you're tired, I'll take you to your bedroom to rest." His polite tone contrasted sharply with his firm grip.
However, no one was Ivina. From a certain angle, this rude restraint felt more like an ambiguous embrace.
And all of this was locked onto by a cold, icy gaze from afar.