Mated to the Mad Lord-Chapter 277: Requests…

The steady ticking of a clock filled the dimly lit office, the scent of aged wood and ink hanging in the air.

Lord Eldric sat behind his grand mahogany desk, his dark brown eyes flickering with irritation as he skimmed through the documents before him.

The flickerig candlelight cast elongated shadow across his sharp features, accentuating the short white beard that framed his face.

A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thought. He exhaled through his nose, already dreadig the intrusion with a deep frown on his face.

"Enter," he called out in a loud tone.

A guard stepped inside, standing stiffly before the desk as he extended a sealed letter. Eldric took it, dismissing the man with a curt wave. The door shut, leaving him in silence once more.

Breaking the wax seal, he unfolded the letter and read its contents. A deep frown crept onto his face.

Ravon has been exposed. His body hangs on Lord Cain’s mansion—alive, but barely.

Eldric scoffed, rolling his eyes as he crumpled the letter and tossed it aside. "Useless," he muttered under his breath. "I never expected him to last that long. I was going to discard him soon anyway."

With a sigh, he reached for another document, but before he could refocus, an unsettling sensation prickled at the back of his neck. The air shifted, growing heavy with an unnatural presence. His fingers tensed around the paper as a shadow coiled beside him.

Then, a body slowly outlined itself—a woman, her presence thick with power.

Eldric’s breath caught in his throat as his gaze met piercing purple eyes. She was beautiful, eerily so, with dark hair cascading over her pale shoulders.

Lady June.

A high coven witch. A woman of terrifying power.

He was just about to demand an explanation for her sudden arrival—especially after she had so explicitly stated she wouldn’t interfere again—when she spoke first, her voice cold and sure.

"Cain should be dead right now," she declared, her lips curving into a smirk. "I took care of him for you."

Silence.

Eldric’s expression darkened. His gaze flicked to the discarded letter before he bent down, retrieved it, and tossed it onto the desk between them.

"Not only is he alive," he bit out, "but he also tortured one of the men responsible for feeding him the red potion. His wariness is worse than before."

June’s smirk faltered, her eyes narrowing. "That’s impossible."

Eldric let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Is it?" He leaned forward, planting his hands on the desk. "You tell me, June. You were supposed to ensure he was dealt with, yet here we are!"

The tension in the room grew thick, crackling with restrained energy. June’s fingers twitched as though she wanted to cast a spell then and there, but she held herself back. Instead, she glared at him with unrestrained fury.

"You figure it out!" she snapped. "That was your end of the bargain, Eldric! I held up mine—I’m making the immortal potion, the very one that will grant us eternity. You were supposed to deal with Cain!"

Eldric clenched his jaw, dragging a hand down his face before stepping away from the desk. He strode toward the small bar at the corner of the room, pouring himself a glass of dark liquor. The amber liquid sloshed against the glass as he downed a mouthful, allowing the burn to ground him.

"Then if you’re demanding more from me," he said finally, turning back to her, "I’ll demand something from you in return."

June crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Oh? And what would that be?"

Eldric smirked, swirling the drink in his glass. "I want a potion. One that will make me truly strong."

June exhaled sharply through her nose, considering the request. Then, with a slow, almost lazy smile, she inclined her head. "Fine. I’ll deliver."

Her fingers brushed the small pouch at her waist, drawing out a vial filled with a swirling, translucent liquid.

"In the meantime, I’ll be leaving," she announced, uncorking the vial.

The air around her shimmered as she prepared to disappear.

But then—she stopped.

Just as her form began to fade, she suddenly turned back, her eyes burning with something new.

"Also," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "His lover. I want her."

Eldric blinked. He hadn’t expected that.

"You... want his lover?" His brows furrowed. "Why?"

June only smirked, her fingers tightening around the vial. "Does it matter?"

A long pause stretched between them. Then, finally, Eldric nodded. "Fine."

Satisfied, June turned back to the door.

The moment her fingers touched the handle, her body vanished into nothingness.

Eldric stared at the empty space where Lady June had just stood, his grip tightening around his glass. The scent of her lingering magic still tainted the air—a mix of lavender and something darker, something metallic, like blood.

His fingers drummed against the desk as he mulled over her last words. Cain’s lover.

That was an interesting request.

Cain was already a problem, but now this?

With a sigh, he set his drink down and moved back to his chair, sinking into it with a creak of worn leather. He pressed his fingers to his temples, the weight of everything pressing down on him.

Lady June was right about one thing—Cain needed to die.

The bastard had survived too much already, and now, somehow, he was stronger.

Eldric scowled.

And worse than that, Cain was angry.

Which meant he’d be moving soon.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

Eldric lifted his head. "Enter."

This time, the guard who stepped in looked tense, his face pale under the flickering candlelight.

"Speak," Eldric ordered.

"My Lord," the guard swallowed hard. "There’s been a development."

Eldric’s fingers curled against the wood of his desk. "What development?"

The guard hesitated, as if dreading the words he had to speak. "Cain. He... He’s moved. He’s left his estate."

Eldric’s jaw ticked. "Where is he going?"

The guard hesitated before answering. "We believe he’s heading toward here,"

Eldric went still.

"Here?" he mumbldd under his breath in a tone clearly filled with displeasure

That was his territory.

His fingers slowly curled into fists. "How many men does he have with him?"

"Not many, my Lord. Just a handful. But..." The guard trailed off, looking even more hesitant.

"But what?" Eldric snapped, his patience thinning.

The guard exhaled, as if bracing himself for his Lord’s anger. "But...he never comes here unless summoned. I’m just confirming if you’ll like us to get ready or remain at our respective posts," the guard asked but his words only pissed Eldric off even more.

Eldric’s lips pressed into a thin line. That was... unsettling.

’He comes here the second he turns back to his human self?’

’Thats annoying!’

If he was making a move now, it meant he was confident.

Which meant something had changed which was definitely terrible for him.

Eldric reached for his glass again, but the taste of liquor suddenly felt stale on his tongue.

"Leave," he commanded. "And double the watch on the outposts if the mansion. Let him wait in the visitors hall the second he gets here," he told him.

" I want every report sent to me directly."

"Yes, my Lord."

The guard bowed and quickly left, shutting the door behind him.

Silence settled over the office once again.

Eldric exhaled, rubbing his jaw.

’It was already bad enough that Cain was coming to see him! The news about what he had done to Ravon was even more annoying the more he thought about it as he desperately hoped that Ravon hadn’t spilled anything.

But deep inside him he knew that Ravon was nothing but a cowars who would have done much more than that just to survive.

Also, for some reason June wanted Cain’s lover, and he wasn’t totally sure what that was about.

Things were shifting. Pieces were moving.

And Eldric had the distinct feeling that if he didn’t act fast, he would be the next one hanging from Cain’s mansion.

************

Eldeic was still very much deep in thought when he suddenly heard a loud bang at the door startled him from his thoughts. It wasn’t a knock—it was the sound of something hitting the door.

Eldric narrowed his eyes, grabbing a dagger from the lower part of his table drawer. There was no need to shift if a dagger was good enough.

"Who dares—?"

Before he could finish, the door creaked open on its own.

A gust of cold air rushed into the room, snuffing out the candles instantly. The office plunged into near darkness, save for the faint glow of the fireplace behind him.

Eldric’s hand instinctively moved toward his sword, but then— ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

A voice. Low. Ragged. Barely above a whisper.

"My Lord..."

Eldric’s breath stilled.

That voice—

A figure staggered into the room, barely holding himself up. His clothes were torn, soaked in blood.

Ravon.

His face was barely recognizable, swollen and bruised. His left eye was completely shut from the damage, his breathing labored.

Eldric took a slow step forward, his expression unreadable.

"You’re still alive?"

Ravon let out a weak, bitter chuckle before collapsing to his knees.

"I had to... get to you..." he rasped, coughing up blood. "Cain... Cain knows."

Eldric’s eyes flashed with something unreadable.

"Knows what?"