The Vampire Prince's Blindfolded Bride
Chapter 225: Dwell in your delusions

Chapter 225: Dwell in your delusions

"Brother Magnus has graced me with his presence! This is unusual. He has never sought my company before. Could it be that his younger sister has finally found a way to be useful to him?" Lillian mused, her eyes widened with curiosity.

"I doubt your lack of wisdom will ever prove beneficial to me," retorted Magnus in a sharp tone.

"What?!" Lillian gasped, her facial expressions swiftly shifting from surprise to hurt. The sting of his words was clearly etched on her face. "Did Brother Magnus just label me as unintelligent?" she questioned, her voice trembling with disbelief and pain.

"Why did you remind Izaak of his past?" Magnus asked with a grim look on his face.

"What does Brother Izaak want to say?" asked Lillian.

"I think I was clear with my question," Magnus replied. "Don’t you think you know nothing about your brothers, especially Izaak?" he questioned.

"Hah! What about Brother Magnus then? Does he know about me? He always looks down on me. He makes me feel low," Lillian stated with an annoying gaze.

Magnus let out a soft chuckle. "Lily, there’s no need to complain. You’re well aware that I possess the ability to read minds. Up until now, I’ve not encountered any of your sorrows, except for the pain of unrequited love. Given your ability to compel truth from others, it’s clear you struggle with trust issues. The man you once held dear rejected you due to your domineering nature," he pointed out the errors in her ways.

Lillian’s fists tightened, her knuckles turning white as tears welled up in her eyes.

"But most importantly, you’re unwilling to acknowledge your own flaws. The day you accept them, you’ll find true happiness. Trust me on this," Magnus concluded, his tone sincere and earnest.

Lillian thought if she could use her power to compel Magnus, she would make him tell the truth regarding her. However, her power had a limitation, she couldn’t use it on the witches, the werewolves, and the humans. And the only vampire on whom she couldn’t use it was Magnus.

As Magnus rose from his seat to leave, Lillian halted him. "All I did was suggest that Brother Izaak should marry before me. What’s so wrong about that? Brother Magnus has always harbored resentment towards me. In his eyes, I’m nothing but a malevolent person," she voiced out.

"Izaak doesn’t wish to marry any random female vampire now. His four marriages didn’t go well because all of them took his love for granted. Don’t make him feel low by reminding him of the past. He refrains from reprimanding you due to the significant age difference between you two. However, I can do so, as our age gap is not as vast," Magnus stated firmly.

Lillian turned quiet as she felt she indeed said a few things to Izaak, thinking he took marriage lightly. "I didn’t mean to wound Izaak’s feelings. I owe him an apology," she murmured.

Magnus, however, was firm in his decision. "No, you will not meet him today. His emotional state is unstable. Do you comprehend?" His tone was stern, leaving no room for argument.

Lillian nodded in agreement, her heart heavy with regret.

As Magnus moved towards the exit, he paused, turning back to face Lillian. His voice softened as he said, "I never harbored any animosity towards you. So, discard such thoughts. I merely wish for you to exhibit more maturity in your actions." With these parting words, he left the room, leaving Lillian alone with her thoughts.

~~~~~

Izaak was sprawled on the mattress, his gaze vacant and distant. The crimson stains of blood smeared around his mouth were a shred of grim evidence of his ruthless feeding on a human.

Scattered around him were empty liquor bottles, silent witnesses to his desperate attempt to drown the haunting thoughts that had invaded his mind after his conversation with Melody.

The door groaned open, and Magnus stepped in. The sight that greeted him was far from pleasant. Even some of the pieces of furniture were broken. Izaak had lost in his own world. It was a sight Magnus detested, for it was a reminder of the times when Izaak would lose himself to his darker instincts.

"What’s all this?" Magnus asked as he swiftly moved to the bed, standing next to the bedpost, leaning against it for its support with his crossed arms.

"I’ve been roused from a lengthy dream," Izaak responded, a hollow chuckle escaping his lips.

"Enough with the nonsense," Magnus retorted, locking eyes with his brother. "Melody was merely being honest with you. There’s no need to self-destruct over hearing the truth. Any woman would be terrified of you if she’s oblivious to your true nature," he asserted with honesty.

"Stop prying into my thoughts," Izaak retorted, sitting up abruptly, his shirt hanging loosely from his broad shoulders, a symbol of his disheveled state.

"How do you think I arrive here? I ended up reading Melody’s mind. She is feeling upset because she told you the truth. She considers you as her protector, yet she said that because that was what she deduced," Magnus made him aware of the truth. He couldn’t believe he had to find a way to connect these two souls.

Izaak raised his finger and said, "You have a bad habit of reading the thoughts."

"Why? Do you hate that Melody thinks of you as a great person? You seriously are brainless. You were supposed to tell her when Melody spoke about her fears. She won’t know unless you tell her. Why don’t you get this simple thing in your head?" Magnus reprimanded him.

Izaak rubbed his forehead. "Fine. I’ll do it soon," he stated.

"Tomorrow is a significant event, and here you are, completely inebriated. It’s hard to believe that our elder brother, the one we look up to, refuses to even communicate his feelings to the woman he’s fond of," Magnus muttered, shaking his head in disbelief and disappointment.

Izaak cast a glance at Magnus, a smirk playing on his lips. "It’s amusing to be schooled by the youngest sibling," he quipped, swinging his legs off the bed. He tugged at his shirt, revealing his chiseled abs. "You should depart. Extend my thanks to Alora for dispatching Melody here and shattering my tranquility," he declared.

As Izaak sauntered past Magnus, he was abruptly yanked back. Magnus’ grip was firm on his shirt collar.

"Alora didn’t orchestrate this for some entertainment. She wants to see your content. Cease blaming her. Do you comprehend? And if you’re incapable of confronting the truth, then voice it. We won’t exert ourselves either," he asserted.

"Eyes are the mirror to the soul, Magnus. Melody’s eyes were brimming with suspicion," Izaak retorted.

"Very well, then. Dwell in your delusions and lament later," Magnus countered, releasing his hold on Izaak’s collar. He bolted out of the room in a flash.

Izaak rolled his eyes. "Why does he lecture me all the time?" He chuckled and wondered how to even communicate with Melody, who was scared of him. "I won’t talk to her unless she does," he decided.

~~~~~

Exhausted from the day’s exertions, Magnus allowed his body to sink into the comforting embrace of the recliner. His muscles ached from fatigue, and he could feel the weight of the day’s events pressing down on him. He closed his eyes for a brief respite, the gentle touch of Alora’s hand on his forehead a soothing balm to his weariness.

Alora moved gracefully, positioning herself in front of him. As he opened his eyes, he was met with her concerned gaze. Her voice, laced with worry, broke the silence.

"You seem utterly exhausted, Magnus. What has kept you so engaged today? I’ve been anxiously awaiting your return. Would you like me to help you drift off to sleep?" she asked, her eyes reflecting her concern.

"Do that," Magnus said.

Alora held his hand and pulled him up. "Let’s go to bed," she opined.

Once in bed, Magnus found a comforting spot on Alora’s lap, his body seeking the warmth and solace it offered. Alora, ever the caring companion, had another idea to help him relax.

"I could massage your hair with oil, and later, you can freshen up with a bath in the evening," she proposed, reaching for a small bottle of hair oil that sat on the bedside table.

She poured a modest amount into her palm, the oil glistening under the soft light. With gentle, loving strokes, she began to apply it to his hair.

As if under a spell, Magnus’s eyes fluttered shut. The gentle rhythm of Alora’s fingers massaging his scalp was hypnotic, a soothing lullaby that lulled him into a state of peace. The magic of her touch, coupled with the calming scent of the oil, worked wonders. Unbeknownst to him, he succumbed to the inviting arms of sleep, his breaths deepening as he drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Alora found he had drifted off to sleep, and gently rested his head on the pillow. She covered him with the duvet and got down from the bed quietly.