Knox couldn't believe his ears when his daughter called him by his name in an expressionless tone. He was at the least expecting her to feel relived meeting him in private but all he got was cold welcome from her.

Why was she behaving like that?

"Mr. Garrick?" Knox questioned back and narrowing his eyes towards Blythe who was standing there in her usual polite manner of a servant.

"Are you calling your father by his name, Blythe?" Blythe's inexpressive face did not give him any settling feeling. He was furious at himself also at the Lord who seemed to be the reason behind his daughter's stoic conduct.

"I suggest you to leave from here before I am forced to follow that rules and tell my master that a stranger has broke into the mansion." Blythe's head was hanging low and her hands were folded in the front in a courteous manner while her voice was straight and low.

Blythe did not even flinch at her raging father. She had learnt her lesson well and good and she was not about to make another mistake and endure the pain of punishment. She was expected to be a wooden doll that has to do everything her master, the Lord, ordered her to and she would be precisely what she was expected to be.

She came to her senses and she would never do something that the Lord could get his hands on her. She was there in the Knights mansion to serve the Lord and Lady and she would do just that.

Making any feud with the Lady that Lord Knight clearly love so much will land her life into much more than a trouble. Lady Ella was her employer also the owner of her life. That is what it matters to her.

"Blythe, my sweet daughter, what has ever happened to you?" Knox's voice was loud and fraught. He looked at his daughter with desperation swirling in his heart.

"I am extremely apologetic, Mr. Garrick, but I am no one's daughter. I am Blythe and I am functioning under Lord Knight's employ. You need to leave." Her tone was cold like the biting breeze of winter.

Knox took an infuriated breath trying to wrap around his mind that his daughter was clearly trapped in the webs of Lord Knight forever. He could see it in her eyes and in her stance that she was not herself and would possible never be the old Blythe he always knew.

"Alright, I will leave. But before leaving, please, please tell me what you know about the Lord. Help me telling what you know about him and one day I will positively set you free from him, my daughter." Knox nothing but begged his daughter for assistance.

Blythe raised her head a little and looked at her father for good few moments blankly, "Stay away from him. Do not rattle the beast, Mr. Garrick. The only time you would be safe and breathing freely was when you are out of the Lord's reach. Now leave." She answered what she could. She couldn't say anything about the Lord. It will bring her and her father into hands of the Lord and she knows what would happen then.

Knox looked at his daughter's face one last time and jumped out from the balcony with a cold determination to know what exactly the Lord was.

His daughter was a strong person, too much of a strong person and the Lord had effortlessly broke her and mended her into his liking.

He has to do something. Time has come to find Orla. She had once helped him with her knowledge in becoming a powerful man. Though he couldn't yet complete the catalogue of rituals, he had to find the witch Orla and get her to help him in taking down the Lord.

~*~*~*~

Lord Knight was feeling nothing but joy from past few months from the moment his love has become his wife. He thoughts were always filled with idea of making her happy and contented also provide with everything she always deserved.

Besides enjoying his valuable time with Ella, he was also planning to show her his dark secrets slowly. He didn't want to keep her in dark about his past and what he really was. His Ella was a sensitive person and he needs to be carefully in revealing his secrets to her.

Except for Lyndon and Lucy, no one knows about his dark side and he trusted them with his secrets. Now that Ella was slowly getting at ease with him and starting to accept him and his affection for her also he noticed the glint of love in her eyes for him, he need to make her prepare for a future with the likes of him.

Xander couldn't help smile at the picture before him. There, in the empty kitchen, his Ella was kneading dough with such concentration that she did not sense his presence. He loved the scene of his sweet Ella taking care of him and feeding him the food she prepared.

Xander walked towards her slowly and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her earlobe.

"Xander!" Ella exclaimed and giggled soon at the tickles his beard produced on her skin.

"Why are you working in the kitchen alone, darling? Where are the cooking staff?" He turned her around and cleaned her hands with a good cloth.

"What are you doing? I was preparing a special cake for you. Leave me." Ella glared at Xander playfully and smacked his chest slowly.

Xander would give anything to be smacked by Ella again. That showed how close she was feeling to him to have courage to glare at him and slap him. It made him happy.

No, it was an understatement. He was elated.

"Now that you have already smacked me, it is my turn to spank you, My Lady."His voice was filled with want for her and it heightened the desire in him for Ella.

He wanted her in their bed and spank her, enjoying the dance of her buttocks. He would not let her until she turn red and then finally fill her with what she needs.

Ella gasped when Xander's hand reached her breasts. They were in kitchen, for heaven sake. What if someone walk inside to see their Lord and Lady cozying up into an intimate affair?

"Xander – Xander we are not in a private chamber." Ella reminded him hoarsely. Her voice was throaty with need. She couldn't believe she like the feeling he was creating inside her in an open place.

"Right, then let's get you to our chamber." He picked her up swiftly in his arms.

"No, I am supposed to prepare the cake for you." Ella wiggled in his arms which only made his hunger grow many folds.

Oh damnation, he wouldn't make it to their chamber if she continue to rub her soft delicious body to his.

Having no other choice, he swiped his hand around them and a black fog started to engulf them in mere moments. Ella looked flabbergasted at the sudden invasion of smoke but before she could voice out about it, the fog disappeared.

What happened just then?

How the smoke did cover them where there was no fire anywhere near them?

Her back met with softness of her bed and her eyes widened at it.

How?

How did they reach their cabin?

She did not felt Xander move a while back. Then how were they suddenly in their cabin?

She looked at Xander who was covering her body with his and looking at her with mirth. She wondered why he was amused.

He knew, the realization dawned on to her. He knew why she was stunned. He knew why she was petrified suddenly.

But what confused her was why was he not terrified at the strange smoke which possibly and magically teleported them to the camber?

"Xander – How are we here?" She gather her thoughts and asked her husband without stuttering.

During the past few months of living with him, she did not feel terrified of her husband to stutter in fear. He gave her many reasons to live her life with him leniently. He made clear that she has every right on him and only she has that right.

But what is that, that happened down in the cooking area?

"Surprised how we got here, sweet Ella?" His smile established it for her.

He did it. He was the one who teleported them.

The realization knocked the air out of her lungs. But how was it possible? How can a human perform such magic?