Maxwell loves the fear flashing in her eyes. "What? Afraid? I know you haven't seen the monsters before with your own two beautiful eyes. That is what you are here for. I will tour you around the monsters' pit and let you see how terrifying they are...my dearest..." he whispered in her ears, brushing his mouth against the skin on her ears.

Ivy shivered in fright. A chill runs down her spine.

Maxwell returned the golden dagger in the cabinet. He looked at her. "Get ready...I will take you out to see the monster pit," he said. "You may go now and wait for me outside..." he ordered.

Ivy took a step forward going to the door, she reached for the doorknob and exited. She feels glad that he wasn't planning to force himself on her this time. Seeing the monster pit seems a better idea than spending time with him.

"Follow me," Zonora ordered.

Ivy followed the vampire woman that was guarding her, she brought her to a room filled with memorabilia. She settled herself on the sofa and waited for Maxwell to arrive. She was about to stand up and look closely at the portrait of a woman hanging on the wall, but that was also the time Maxwell arrived at the room.

He went to her side and reached for her hand and intertwined his hands with hers. She was about to brush aside his hands but he shoots her a dangerous glare.

"I told you to behave and submissive to me! Or else you will get hurt again!" he gritted his teeth in anger.

Ivy sighed and let him have his way. They exited the room holding each other hands.

They exited the vampires' territory and rode the golden carriage carried by the birds. They passed mountains, rivers, trees and finally landed in the monsters' pit.

The monsters are looking upward at the golden carriage. There are thousands of their kind below the pit, they have that hungry look in their eyes, waiting for someone to fall from the carriage so that they can have a feast.

"Look at them my dear, Ivy! Aren't they terrifying and horrible looking?" Maxwell grinned.

Ivy only stared at the monsters for a few seconds and withdraw her eyes quickly, she can't stomach the monsters' frightening look. She was afraid she's going to have nightmares every night starting today.

"These monsters...as long as I allow them to get out of the castle...they will obey me. They can eat humans outside and build up terror in the heart of the people far and wide. Then...there are also my armies of dark shadows. They will spread my fame all over the land. I will rule the land and beyond!" he declared enthusiastically, laughing evilly at her face.

Ivy was visibly shaken, but she dare not let him know that she opposes his ideas of slaughtering innocent people. She was afraid that if she says a single word to him, he will throw her into the monsters' pit. She can't stomach her body being shredded into pieces by those horrifying creatures below the pit. She kept her mouth shut out of fear.

Maxwell saw the fear leaping in her eyes. He touched her cheeks gently. "Ah...don't worry my dear Ivy...I won't feed you to the monsters... because I'm going to build a kingdom and you are going to be my future Queen. You are valuable to me! So rest assured you are not going to be the monsters meal today," he said laughing hard.

Ivy closed her eyes for a few minutes, she has enough of the monsters. "C-can we get out of here?" she finally said.

"Of course, let's go!" he said and ordered the birds to leave the area.

The golden carriage floated in the sky carried by the big birds.

"So, where do you want to go next?" Maxwell asked her.

There are two places that Ivy would like to return to. "C-can we visit the floating piece of land? I miss that place," she said.

Maxwell smiled. "Sure...anything for my Queen!" He looked at the birds and commanded them. "Proceed to the floating piece of land! To Esmeralda's place!"

The birds obeyed and flew in the direction of the floating land.

A few minutes later.

Ivy caught a glimpse of the floating land. A smile appeared on her lips.

The golden carriage landed softly on the ground.

Maxwell opened the door of the carriage. "Alright, since I'm in a good mood today, I will humor your whim. Go ahead... you can enter Esmeralda's house. I'll just wait here for you," he said.

Ivy exited the carriage and walked towards the wooden house. It looks deserted, she glanced at the tree, it was still standing tall with the golden leaves adorning its branches.

She pulled the door open and entered the house. It's so quiet inside. The house was empty, she looked at the table where she and Kate used to eat. The flower already withered, still enclosed in the vase made of clay.

She remembered so well how she and Kate love picking them in the garden of flowers surrounding the waterfall. Those were nice memories she had shared with her sister and Esmeralda.

She went to the only room in the house and pushed the door open, the room was bare, there's nothing in there. She closed the door and looked around her for the last time. She roamed her eyes around her. This wooden house kept some memorable memories in her mind.

Sighing...she sauntered towards the door and exited.

She walked towards the carriage and sat beside him. "I'm done," she told him.

"Okay, where else you want to go? Since I have all the time in the world, I'll take you anywhere you want to go," he offered.

Ivy looked at him trying to read his eyes. Hmm...he seemed to be hell-bent on humoring her today. Where else she wants to go? Then an idea popped up in her mind. "I want to go to the falls surrounded by the garden of flowers!" she exclaimed suddenly.

Maxwell remembered that waterfall and the garden of flowers near the area where Ivy and her companions escaped the blazing barrier. "Birds, take us to the waterfall surrounded by the garden of flowers!" he commanded.

The birds take off from the ground and flew in the direction of the waterfall.

A few minutes later, Ivy saw the waterfall and beautiful flowers. Her face brightened up.

The birds landed on the clearing located near the waterfall. Maxwell and Ivy left the carriage.

Ivy sprinted to the garden excitedly. Maxwell was following him from behind.

She went to the garden and began picking up flowers here and there.

Maxwell saw the happiness in her eyes, so he allowed her to take as many flowers as she can carry in her arms. Then his eyes landed on the crystal clear water, it looks inviting and tempting, urging him to take a dip. He discarded his upper clothes and waded into the refreshing water.

Ivy looked at her companion, he was already swimming in the water.

"The water is nice!" Maxwell tells no one in particular. He glanced at her. "Come here, join me!" he commanded.

Ivy was hesitating to join him. She would love to jump into the water anytime, but she won't dare do it now, no matter how tempting the water is because Maxwell was there.

"Ivy, join me! Don't make me force you! I repeat, don't make me mad at you because I'm in a good mood today!" he warned her.

Ivy released a deep sigh of frustration. She doesn't want to anger him and ruined the good mood she was enjoying right now. She placed the flowers gently on the ground and discarded her cloak, she needs it to cover her wet body and clothes after they're done swimming. She just hopes that he will keep his hands to himself and not take advantage of her body today.

Sighing, she waded into the water, trying hard to put enough space between them. She finds it hard to enjoy the water 'coz he was looking at her lustfully, like a vulture about to attack his prey.

Maxwell studied her terrified face, a smirk appeared on his lips.

He moved towards her at a lighting speed and enveloped her in a tight embrace.

She squirmed beneath his firm hold. "Let go of me!" she hissed angrily into his face.

"Ivy my dearest, you should start getting used to my touches by now. You are mine. You are going to be my Queen soon. There is no escape on the horizon for you because your boyfriend is already dead. No one will rescue you. The sooner you teach yourself to be submissive to me, the better for you and me. I want our union to be in harmony because you are the only woman that I truly adore in this whole universe. Consider your self lucky!" he said.

Ivy stopped squirming against his touch because she can feel her strength weakening. He was holding her in a vase-like grip, it's impossible to escape his hold. She slumped into the hardness of his chest.

"Surrender to me and everything will be alright," he whispered into her ears gently.

Ivy closed her eyes. 'God, please save me from Maxwell!' she prayed fervently in her mind. She was afraid that he will force himself on her again today in the middle of this beautiful place. Her body trembled uncontrollably, she can't stop the shaking of her body.

Maxwell noticed her shivering. "A-are you feeling cold?" he asked.

Ivy nodded her head. "Yes, I'm cold. I want to get out of the water and stop swimming," she answered.

"Alright, you get out of the water and wait for me to finish my swimming. I still want to enjoy the water," he said.

Ivy breathed in relief and left the water right away. 'Thank God!'