Chapter 83 – Busted

As masked men stormed into the scene, Levisia realised too late that she and Pel had been led into a trap. With the two other thieves behind the guards, she knew that they had gone to call for security. Now they had painted Pel as being the troublemaker, and not them. Pel seemed to come to the same conclusion as her. He pressed down on the man’s spine and tilted his head back to shout for Levisia to run.

“What? But what about you?” She backed away from the guards, her gaze not leaving Pel. She had no idea where to run, and she was not about to leave Pel behind to face the guards by himself.

“Run until you find an exit. Jump through a window if you have to!” Pel leapt to his feet, brandishing the dagger he stole from the thief.

“I can’t go without you.” Lev grabbed Pel’s hand. “We’re going together.”

As she pulled him away from the guards, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of a woman. She had radiant blond hair, and her mask was heavily embroidered with roses. Levisia recognised her as the woman who had been sitting on the upper floor.

“My, my, what’s all this commotion?” She said, holding her hand out. Her fingers were glowing in a yellow light. Levisia stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock.

“Elizabeth?” she managed to choke out. “What are you doing here?”

She had only seen Elizabeth’s powers once, but she knew it was her. The lightning that had flown from her hands was unforgettable.

“Why are you all here?” Elizabeth’s voice was dangerously low, the lightning at her fingertips growing with intensity. She fired off a warning shot at the guards and faced Levisia. One look into her purple eyes revealed everything: Elizabeth knew who she was, even with the mask on.

The purple eyes staring at her were so clear that she knew that her identity had been revealed at one glance.

“Tell me what they’ve done to you.” Elizabeth asked, a thinly-veiled speech hidden within her speech.

Levisia tensed up, wondering just what Elizabeth was planning.

“If you can’t tell me, maybe they will. You there!” Elizabeth fired a spark at one of the guards. “Did you dare lay a finger on her?”

The guards were silent as they dropped their weapons and backed away.

“Your Royal Highness!” Levisia finally managed to find her words.

“Oh, Levisia. Are you ready to talk now?” Elizabeth smiled, confirming that she knew Levisia’s identity from the start. She stepped forwards, causing the guards and thieves to flee the scene in fear.

Elizabeth used her powers to grab the ankles of some of the guards, allowing the thieves to slip away.

“It’s unpleasant like I’ve entered a nest full of bugs, but I’m going to have to catch them all.” Elizabeth frowned, the glowing around her hands subsiding. She turned back to Levisia.

“So, are you tired of running away now? And just how did you get involved with this mess, anyway?” She spoke as if everything had been Levisia’s fault.

Levisia backed away, not daring to meet Elizabeth’s piercing stare. The only person more terrifying than the guards was Elizabeth Seine Kraiden.

“More importantly, care to explain that?” Elizabeth asked as she pulled her mask off, pointing at Pel’s hand still clasped in Levisia’s.

Levisia hurriedly snatched her hand away from him and stood in front of him, shielding him from Elizabeth’s fury. “Your Highness, this man has saved me..” Levisia held her arms out to protect Pel.

“Not the one who seduced you here?” Elizabeth’s powers were flaring up, her hands aglow with yellow light.

“It’s not like that. It was my idea to come here. I swear!” Levisia begged, taking a step back to further shield Pel.

“Do you know what it means that you’re standing up for him in front of me like this? Are you really going to stay by his side?” Elizabeth lowered her hands and narrowed her eyes.

Levisia craned her neck to look at Pel. They didn’t always see eye to eye, but she knew that she needed to stay by his side. At least until she got the necklace back.

“…Yes?” She offered a weak shrug.

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head affectionately. She gracefully held out a hand for Levisia to take.

“I came all this way here, so now you’re going back with me.