Inside the great hall, the prominent and most remembered noblemen were present inside, and in front of them was Ashtra, who slinked its scaly body from the base of the trunk to the top of the opulent winter tree ornament.


    The knights and the servants, who scurried away, now hid by the corners of the hallway, statues, and several beams from the mighty presence.


    Supposedly, the spacious chamber was meant to be warm and cozy, welcoming every person into it like a symbol of hearth and refuge. However, amidst what seemed the clean, fresh air within turned rather stuffy and frigid.


    Everyone held on their own, physically, despite the sweat that broke out on their forehead and neck as they became giddy was evident.


    All of them stood, incredibly wary of his presence, being able to enter with ease didn''t stop their minds from thinking of the possibilities with their fate in their hands.


    One might say that the ''Frost Wyrm'' was rather lenient, for not even causing disasters after disasters in the Northern Territory ever since.


    Worse, after what transpired then for retreating—for their last chance finally slipped away from their grasps, enough for their futures to shift rather bleak.


    Keith wasn''t an exception as he was slightly behind Mystique; even if he knew recently, the concerns that popped in his mind were still prevalent for what was to come.


    Not only for him but so for the rest of them inside the Starbrooke Castle.


    But then, Ashtra didn''t sense any animosity; instead, he was amused while darting in Mystique''s direction.


    Meanwhile, Mystique crossed her arm, with an eyebrow arched to intriguing heights and didn''t lose the fight with the staring game they had.


    Every second ticked made them feel giddy, and in the distance, Arnold tried his best to beckon her way.


    When they thought it was endless, Ashtra seemed to give up and sighed with a puff of smoke.


    "I give up," he said, then slithered a tad bit to reposition himself. "Must it be this hard for me to pry on your thoughts?"


    Everyone furrowed their eyebrows for what seemed to be the weirdest part of it all.


    "Your Grace," Keith said after clearing his throat; he leaned to the side of Arnold, even dropping his voice to a whisper, they could hear him with such clarity. "If I may suggest, please refrain from thinking your thoughts at the moment because he could read it with ease and unfiltered."


    They gasped in horror.


    Sylvester and Marianne glanced at each other as she held so close to his arm, even tighter. Meanwhile, Veronica slightly drifted close to Athan''s back from surprise.


    However, Nathan and Mystique held a stoic look with their eyes unshaken from his presence.


    Murmurs erupted between them but suddenly died out as soon as Ashtra scoffed at him.


    "You''re no fun, simpleton. Perhaps you don''t want to live anymore with the measly life you have—"


    "You may, as well, try… Be my guest."


    All of them now turned towards Mystique, who broke the tension within the atmosphere through her soulful, yet sultry voice.


    Keith, in his part, of what seemed his gut churned for quite some time as the foreboding chill loomed, his heart vanished in a blink of an eye. With quickness, he turned his head to her direction with reverence in his eyes, even her forthcomingness was impeccable for a man like him.


    Marveled, all of them peered at her with a positive outlook, with her voice enough to dispel his crazy intimidation.


    "Now, it''s boring, don''t you think?" Ashtra mused.


    [I beg to differ.]


    All of them almost gouged their eyes out of their sockets from her unperturbed demeanor to a legendary creature no less, and it might as though Arnold stood upright, his skin went too pale with a face devoid of life.


    Emotions dwelled within Keith swirled to numerous spikes, of which he had no idea what to do as his mind almost went blank, aside from his instincts clawing into him, breathing, "My Lady, you mustn''t do this…"


    But then, even without glancing to the side, she raised her palm in front of him, gesturing a halt as she wrote once more, [I suppose it''s your time to keep your end of the bargain, isn''t that so?]


    Ashtra, after which, grinned from ear to ear as he let out a deep, menacing cackle, then turning it to a hearty roar. "I''m impressed. Very well then."


    They glanced at each other, of which they held a positive note, with a glimmer of hope.


    "Well, it isn''t that bad to choose you either way."


    All of them gawked at her, for it was an impossible feat, and almost avowed to be no different from a familiar.


    An astute creature like him would never concede to anyone, let alone having to reach this level of rapport.


    Keith was still in shock, wondering, ''Did this really warrant for all of her endeavors? Was it this she was after? But…'' He went back to look at her countenance—she was surprised as anybody else.


    He was very observant; in the distance, Nathan also gaped his eyes and lips, shaking, and also Athan, but with a tinge of an element of surprise.


    Like he thought of the actual result, but of different circumstances, or so Keith thought of...


    [I beg to differ as that wasn''t part of our bargain—]


    "You mean only the four of them?" Ashtra let out a deep hum, scratching his chin then playing his barbel like some mustache. "However, you did enter the fray in the end, making it even."


    [There''s a problem in the middle of the—]


    "All is fair in love and war." Ashtra slithered away from the entanglement and levitated midair.


    "No one had the audacity to do the same thing. Even if someone did, it''s not as good as yours."


    "Well, if you insist—" Soon as Mystique hollered, everyone burst out to cheer, jumping themselves and cheering one another.


    Arnold glued his gaze at her, how his face swollen with pride, and sheen with enthusiasm. He couldn''t be any prouder of her.


    All of them had their moment.


    For what seemed all hope wasn''t lost, their efforts came to fruition.


    Their chorus quaked the room with utter happiness and joy, and it resonated well in Keith''s heart.


    Even stealing a glance from the side, he thought, ''My Lady is about to enter a golden era of her life…"


    But lately, he noticed her, every time her gaze roamed to him, she would look away quite so fast.


    Withal, he gripped his chest, from a sudden ache he had. ''... Although, she''s shining through and through, and I feel like I yearn for her more as long as my heart beats for her at the same time… Will she know?''