Chapter 2 Chapter 2
Isabella sat tucked away in the library, completely absorbed in her book. She loved romance stories and secretly fantasized about finding a partner of her own, but with an overprotective father who terrified himself thinking her secrets would be exposed, dating any man was completely out of the question.
She let out a soft, nervous giggle as she turned the page. The male and female leads had sworn to hate each other, yet here they were in an intense moment, unable to keep their hands to themselves.
Suddenly, the air shifted.
The library went freezing cold making her panic a little because it felt like someone was hovering right over her.
She scrambled to look around, but the space was entirely empty.
It was mid-afternoon with the sun burning hot outside, so why was it suddenly an icebox in here? Not far from her table, a faint, wet hissing sound cut through the quiet.
~A hiss?~ She asked herself, her voice tight with confusion.
Maybe she was just being paranoid. She kept reminding herself of what had been happening across the kingdom and so far, the royals hadn’t been attacked.
It was supposed to be safe, but a knot of dread stayed locked in her stomach. She needed to be extra careful.
She took the small glass vial on the table, poured a little Vexin oil onto her palm, and quickly rubbed it over her body.
She couldn’t stay here any longer. Her body was restless, a sickening intuition telling her she was being watched and wasn't alone.
She stood up from the chair, clutching the book in one hand and the vial in the other, and started making her way toward the distant entrance.
~Just relax, you will reach the door in no time,~ she muttered to herself, her throat dry as she tried to force her breathing to slow down.
As she passed between the tall shelves framing her left and right, a dark shadow flickered in the corner of her right eye. She snapped her head toward it, her eyes squinting to make sure her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her.
Curiosity overrode her senses and before she could stop herself, her feet pulled her straight toward where the shadow had moved. The air grew progressively colder, making her shiver violently.
Only a cold-blooded serpent had the power to plummet the temperature like this. Whatever was out there was definitely one of them, and she knew she shouldn't go any further. She needed to turn around and get to the door.
~Good thing I soaked myself in the oil,~ she thought, though fear still gripped her chest.
She turned on her heel to retreat and immediately walked straight into a solid, muscular wall. She stumbled back, looking up to face whatever she’d bumped into, and the air completely left her lungs.
He was beyond handsome, the word felt far too simple. He was practically engulfed by striking, unnatural beauty, with a sharp jawline and golden pupils that stared straight into her, as if peering into her very soul. His skin was unnaturally pale, completely devoid of warmth or blood.
For a solid minute, neither of them spoke or moved.
Isabella’s heart almost popped out of her chest, her mind desperately reminding her to breathe. She used to wonder why the characters in her romance novels always said, 'his warmth slips into my skin,' because right now, this man was absolute ice, there was no warmth at all.
That could only mean one thing. He was a serpent.
"Are you lost, princess?" he finally spoke, his voice smooth and unsettlingly calm, slicing through the heavy silence.
Isabella stood frozen, staring at him. Maybe she had judged too quickly. Maybe he wasn't a serpent, or even if he was, maybe he wasn't here to hurt her.
"No," she whispered, her voice barely a breath. "I should be asking you instead. From the cold, I can tell you're a serpent."
She swallowed hard, taking a slow, careful step back so it wouldn't look obvious. She wanted to bolt for the door, but her legs felt like complete jelly beneath her.
"That was smart, identifying me so quickly." He tilted his head, his golden eyes locking onto her like a predator studying its subject.
He took a measured step forward, and she immediately retreated two steps back. "But one thing you shouldn't be doing is talking to strangers, princess." His voice dropped into a low, grave tone that echoed like a warning.
She kept stepping backward. This time he stayed still, watching her move with a quiet, dangerous patience.
"You're making it sound like I should be terrified. Should your presence ring a bell?" she asked, a sudden spark of defiance rising in her voice even though every instinct screamed that this man was pure danger.
"You have no idea," he said, letting out a short, amused laugh. "If you must know, my name is Kade Vane. The third prince of King Zephyrax." A dark grin spread across his face. "Does that ring a bell?"
Isabella’s heart dropped. Terror seized her completely. Attacks were only supposed to happen at night, so why was he here now?
Standing right in front of him, was he about to end her life?
She stood paralyzed as he slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again, fixing her with a cold, predatory stare.
"I usually don't do this. But I will give you five seconds to race to that door and get out of here. Do not let me catch you, because if I do, there’s no telling what I will do." He turned his back to her, casually lacing his hands behind him. "I will give you a head start. Run, little wolf."
The moment the words left his mouth, she sprinted toward the entrance, running with absolute desperation.
She hadn't even made it halfway to the door when a freezing hand clamped down on her shoulder. He slammed her hard into the wooden shelves, making the whole structure rattle from the impact.
Panic washed over her. She had rubbed the Vexin oil all over herself, yet he could still touch her. Struggling against his grip, she fumbled with the vial, hastily she opened it.
She shoved him with all her strength, but he barely budged, completely unbothered by her effort.
In a desperate attempt, she poured the rest of the oil over his chest, expecting him to recoil in pain. Instead, he just stared down at her like she was an idiot.
He snatched her wrist, ripped the vial from her hand, and casually took it to his lips, gulping the entire contents down his throat. Isabella gasped in sheer horror.
Before she could process it, he pinned both of her wrists tightly above her head against the shelf. Leaning in close, his icy breath brushed against her neck, sending a hard chill down her spine.
"I am a mythic serpent. This trash has no effect on me," he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "You really should have put more effort into running, because right now, you're about to join your mother."
