The Duke's large hand seized her wrist. His other hand pressed firmly on her shoulder, effectively immobilizing her. Alena's eyes widened in shock. Not only because she was again, no longer in her ghost form but in flesh, but also because he seemed to have anticipated her attack!

She gritted her teeth, poised to resist, when the Duke's voice echoed. "Don’t," he said calmly, his tone not raised yet carrying an authoritative weight that seemed to command obedience. And just like that, Alena paused, as if her very instincts were wired to heed his command for survival.

"But Milord..." came a shocking deep voice from another man in the room. "Whoever is under your desk is exuding killing intent. I need to—"

"No," Kaztiel interrupted firmly. "I want you to stand outside the door for now, Zilal."

The air in the room seemed to grow heavier with the mention of the name "Zilal". Alena couldn't stop the involuntary shiver that ran down her spine. Zilal, the so-called 'Duke Donovian’s shadow,' was a man whose very existence was a closely guarded secret among the elite circles of the kingdom.

Alena recalled the numerous conversations in the royal palace. Her father and brothers often spoke in hushed tones about this enigmatic figure. To the commoners, he was nothing more than a ghost story, but to those in power, he was a force to be reckoned with. The crown prince himself had once confided that the Duke's invulnerability stemmed from this shadowy protector. Her brother had said that Zilal was like a living shield, ever-present, ever-vigilant, thwarting every attempt on the Duke's life with an almost supernatural efficiency.

Even the most formidable generals dubbed Zilal 'the beast behind the monster that is the Duke.' Her brother even claimed that as long as Zilal was alive, the Duke would remain untouchable.

Alena had once doubted these tales, considering them perhaps embellishments of a skilled warrior's reputation. But now, as she sensed the oppressive aura emanating from Zilal and the fact that she never sensed his presence inside the room until the moment the Duke spoke, her skepticism faded. His mere presence invoked an instinctive fear, a warning that any aggressive move towards the Duke would be met with swift and lethal punishment.

Swallowing hard, Alena tried to steady her frayed nerves.

"Don’t make me repeat myself," the Duke's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, his tone firm yet devoid of any visible agitation. His focus remained fixed ahead.

A tense, prolonged silence enveloped the room, thick enough to be sliced with a knife.

Finally, the sound of the door opening and then closing signaled Zilal's departure.

Alena found herself releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

In that moment, when the Duke finally directed his gaze downward, their eyes locked. Alena mustered all her dignity and strength to meet his stare unflinchingly. Her eyes were fierce and accusing. If looks could have physical force, the Duke might have perished under her intense glare, struck down a thousand times over.

“I have to warn you, Duchess,” he said. His face, as expressionless as a statue, betrayed nothing of his thoughts. “Never attack me like this when that man is around because he could really hurt you before I could stop him.”

A disbelieving, almost sardonic smile crept onto Alena's lips. “So good of you to remind me like this, Duke,” she replied. She couldn't believe the irony of the situation—being warned by her enemy about her own safety. This man truly likes to play, doesn't he?

The Duke remained silent, his golden eyes simply remained locked onto hers. There was a depth in his gaze, a complexity that seemed to thicken the air between them. Now what’s with that look…

It was then that Alena finally realized the full extent of her undignified position. She was trapped between the Duke's legs, not just kneeling but with her face alarmingly close to his... crotch.

___

a/n: 🤭🤭 what's gonna happen next?