The Veil of Darkness
Chapter 242: The Dark Moon

Chapter 242: The Dark Moon

"So what is it that you want to know about the incidents that you and your... husbands... have been trying to investigate for such a long time," Esme asked as he took a seat on the chair that was sitting a little bit away from the bed where Annalise was perched in a corner with her hands wrapped around her legs and her gaze set on the man.

She didn’t miss to notice the way he mentioned her husbands or how he literally mocked them over their investigation of the Portal Hall incidents. Still, she ignored all of that and just focused on the main matter at hand while replying, "Everything. I want to know what exactly happened in those attacks and if possible... who was behind these attacks."

Esme immediately shook his head but it was not in denial to answer her questions and his next words cleared it. "You are really asking for a lot... especially with that later part."

Annalise couldn’t help herself from getting excited and even more hopeful as the wheels inside her brain started turning. He didn’t refuse to help her even after knowing what she wanted to find out and despite his words, he didn’t say that he had no clue about the identity of the attackers.

"You know about them, don’t you? The attackers... you know who they are..." She found herself saying the words softly and watched as his gaze once again read her in silence for a while before he finally responded, "I do but you are asking a lot from me, especially about that identity issue. Telling you the identity of the attackers won’t do me anything good, it’s almost like me digging a grave for myself. Give me a reason for still helping you."

Annalise tried to understand the hi#den meaning behind his words. Why would revealing the identity of those attackers would be a problem for him? She couldn’t really come up with a conclusion without her mind thinking of the worst-case scenarios.

"Then you tell me... Why telling me about the attackers is a loss for you?" She asked after thinking for a while. The current situation needed her to trade with caution so that she would not be at a loss in this so-called deal of theirs to help each other with the things they needed to know the most at the moment.

"Are we going to play the game to questions? If that’s the case, I want to have equal rights in this. On question each and the other needs to answer truthfully. What do you say?" Esme suddenly suggested, seeming way too excited about the idea all of a sudden.

"I thought you know everything about me." Annalise retorted and watched the man shaking his head before he answered, "I know all the important things but there’s still a lot I would like to know just for passing the time."

Annalise took in a deep breath as she tried to not feel offended by his words. In the end, she ended up agreeing with his idea. "Alright, let’s do that. So, now you need to answer my question." She didn’t forget to remind him that she had already asked her a question that he hadn’t answered yet.

Esme didn’t waste any more time and just answered while shrugging his shoulders, "Well, the reason is that those so-called attackers are people I know very well. Telling you about them is like me betraying them which makes it a clear loss for me."

Annalise stared at the man with her jaw hanging open as it took her a while to wrap her mind around the unexpected answer she just received. This was the last thing she was expecting him to say. "Are you a part of these incidents too?" She asked without wasting a single second.

"Now that’s cheating. You have already asked your question and now it’s my turn to ask mine." Esme called her out for not following the rules of the game before he asked, "How long have you been staying here in the castle?"

"Ever since I got married."

"How long has that been?"

"That’s another question. Now my turn." Annalise was quick to use the so-called rules of the game in her favor and she didn’t miss how Esme was almost taken aback by her quick response.

"You are way too smart, woman. Alright, I’ll answer your question." Esme gave up immediately and answered the question that she asked previously when he answered her first question. "No, I have nothing to do with those attacks. That was something they planned on their own and exhausted on their own too. I’m not someone who gets my hands dirty with such things."

Annalise stared at him for a couple of long moments, trying to study if she could see any sort of emotion in his eyes. It wasn’t really easy to trust his answer but her powers were telling her that he wasn’t lying which made her relax a little bit. At least, she wasn’t interacting with one of their potential enemies. But his connection with the real attackers was still a huge issue that she needed to look into.

"Fine. I will believe you for now as you promised no one is going to lie in this game. So, I’ll answer your question now. I have been married for nearly three months by now." She answered the second question he had asked previously.

Esme nodded his head in approval of her answer before he signaled her to ask her questions if she had any.

Annalise thought for a while, wondering what she should ask him next and after a while, she was finally able to come up with a really good question - "What’s your real name?"

"Esmeray."

A really beautiful and rare name with an equally beautiful but... dark meaning, or was it just her brain that was linking his name with something that he wasn’t really related to?

"You mean the dark moon."