When Ian left, Elise watched his back before her eyes fell on the rusted key. Thinking that standing here would gather some eyes on her, Elise walked to a place with lesser people.

Was the shadow a part of her power as a sweet child? She heard from Ian that a sweet child's eyes have the power to see things others can't. She didn't know how she was chosen, but if the shadow was as Ian had told her to be essential, it might be her power.

Then what about the key? Elise asked herself, a sigh accompany her lips. When arriving to a hallways where no one was, she pulled her key again. As Maroon would get her a new key, she decided to do a little experiment.

It might be dangerous, but she had to try, thought Elise. 

She closed her eyes, remembering the scene of her family's death, the anguish and anger came on her. Elise told herself not to get caught with the anger, to let herself drown on it and just tested the water. To her worry, when Elise opened her eyes second time, the key was gone, and what left was cloudy ashes on her hands that fell on the floor from the gaps of her finger.

Elise's brows furrowed, to her fear what she dreamt was not a dream.

Now she had the gist of her power. It was either to turn things back into time, which ends to ashes.

That whole evening Elise didn't touch anyone. She didn't want to turn humans into ashes by accident. Her power was still without a base. If this was her power, she knew there was a way to control her power, but right now she had no clue on how to put a brake on her power.

The dinner came earlier than Elise thought. Time passed fast while she mulled at her power. By the time she came in front of the door where the dinning room was, she breathed in before pushing the door open gingerly.

There she saw Ian, sitting at the far end of the long rectangular table. His hands were crossed and so was his legs. The gaze he used to watch the food was yet placed on the dining table. The gaze Ian had before she entered was empty, but when he saw her an expressive look settled on his red eyes.

The gaze had Elise to feel proud that Ian reacted only this way to her. It seemed that there was yet people coming to the dining room, thought Elise. She stood awkwardly against the door. Where should she sit? Should she take a seat on the same seat she had before.

"What are you doing there, delaying my time, sweetheart Elise?" Ian called her, he reached out his hand, moving it up and down, "Come here."

Elise took her steps toward where Ian was sitting at. By time, the servants had been dismissed when cued by Ian. 

"Should I seat?" asked Elise to Ian a permission. She became a loss cause when it came to Ian and the new surrounding. But the girl had gotten over from being nervous, making progress to settle her heart to him.

Ian stared at her, inclining his head to give an questioning look, "I never know you have a hobby to eat while standing," Elise rubbed her head awkwardly, scolding herself at her stupid question in her mind, when Ian laughed, "I am joking sweetie, don't take it to heart. If you are confused of your sitting come here, I will tell you where to take sit."

Elise did what Ian asked, walking to his side, "Closer," he ordered. Elise didn't know if she was weak to Ian's voice or the man as a whole. Every time his voice gave her an instruction, she could not resist to follow every command he gave her. 

She continued to step forward until there was no space left between her shoes and Ian's chair. Ian pulled her wrist, turning her body for Elise to sit on his lap. Elise didn't know what happened as it took less than a second for her to sit on Ian.

She immediately tried to get up, but Ian's ironclad grip didn't let her to.

"Where are you going? You said you wanted a seat before," Ian reminded, having a wide smile on his lips that Elise saw from the glimpse of mirror hanged on the table of the window. "You have always been so quick to run away, like a mouse when seeing a cat. I believe I have never seen you a face where an expression of hunger is on my face. Why do you run?"

"I feel nervous," right now she could still feel her heart pounding against her chest. It was as if she had run a mile, there was happiness, nervousness, giddiness— all emotion mixed inside her that resulted in her heartbeat spike, and sweaty. "When I see you, I don't know but I feel nervous."

"From fear?" asked Ian. 

He enjoyed chasing for Elise as the girl was similar to a deer. He felt like a bad wolf chasing for the deer, wanting to eat her; though for him he didn't want to eat her in term to fulfill his stomach, but the hunger that came for being a man. 

Ian had only pick her lips and he knows Elise would surely taste divine pinned on his bed.

But soon they would be husband and wife, Ian didn't want her to be jumpy and nervous even after marriage.

Elise licked her lips that felt dry when it was not, she felt Ian's hand creeping to her stomach, just right below her chest, and all thoughts she tried to pushed and close in one lid break loose in her mind. 

"No, it's not fear. I am happy that my love is answered and it felt like God had blessed my hope," Elise replied honestly. All honesty are the start of relationship and so was the conversation that followed. They had tell each other of their love and she thought that it was not enough. "I have loved you from before, far long ago. But I never dream that I could be with you. You are the Lord, Ian, and I am a maid. Also a mythical being and a human."

"Yet despite that all you wish to be mine," Ian saved Elise's breaths, the words taken was right from her heart.

"Yes, it feels like a dream," replied Elise and Ian swiftly turned her legs, having her face to look at his. 

"Should I wake you up?" Ian twisted his lips, having fun in Elise who looked confused.

"How?" whispered Elise, she was not being coy but she really didn't understand.

"By biting your skin," Ian saw Elise looked startled, "You have always the expression to make me laugh. What cute creature you are. I can't resist to do mean things if you keep up with your charm," Ian chuckled. By mean things it didn't stop with teasing her.

So that was a joke? 

"I have question, Ian," said Elise with an apprehensive tone. Her eyes that had the power to see through things one could never see looked at Ian in a way as if she could see what was inside him. 

Most people wouldn't like for anyone to break into their deepest core like how her eyes had the power to, but Ian love it. He didn't mind being seen inside as no one had ever tried to. Only Elise had done it. 

"Ask me then," Ian offered her.

Don't forget to vote—