CHAPTER 42: MANGO TREE

Lilith remained in the prince’s chamber for most of the evening until nightfall, when Viktor finally told her she was free to leave and do as she pleased. She took another bath, and upon returning to her bedroom, she found a tray filled with a variety of food placed neatly on her nightstand.

Taking her time, Lilith ate properly for the first time in what felt like days. When she was done, she collapsed onto her bed, closed her eyes, and let the exhaustion wash over her. It didn’t take long for sleep to claim her. That night, she enjoyed a deep, undisturbed rest, no horrifying dreams, no jolting awakenings. It was one of the most peaceful nights she had experienced in a very long time.

Feeling refreshed and content, she rose early and got dressed, fully prepared for her training session with Lord Lucian. However, she had to wait for Lord Viktor, as she hadn’t yet memorized the path through the crypt. Since she had no idea where in the castle he stayed, she decided to take a walk, hoping to run into him.

Lilith stepped out of her room, descended the stairs, passed the main entrance, and wandered into the courtyard. There, she sat on a wooden bench beneath a beautiful mango tree. The sun had yet to rise fully, and the air held a little biting chill, a subtle reminder that snow season was fast approaching. Lilith loved the cold weather, but not the snow. Snow made everything feel bleak and lifeless, and she much preferred the cold without the gloom it brought.

Letting out a sigh, Lilith brushed her fingers against the rough edge of the bench when she suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of a groan. Instinctively, she looked around, checking to see if anyone was nearby, but the courtyard was empty.

She frowned and decided to ignore it, until the sound came again, louder and clearer this time. It was coming from above... from the tree.

Lifting her head, she squinted up into the branches, trying to make out the source of the noise. Her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted a piece of red cloth caught on one of the branches, followed by a dangling leg, and then a body.

Before she could fully process what she was seeing, something fell from the tree with a small yelp.

"Dear goodness! I should have just called for a servant," came a flustered voice.

Lilith stared, wide-eyed, at a petite young woman with neatly styled brown hair twisted into a bun. She wore a lovely red dress paired with burgundy-colored gloves, and a small basket hung from her arm. Rising to her feet, the woman began dusting dirt from her dress, clearly unfazed by her dramatic fall.

She must not have realized she had company, because the moment she saw Lilith staring at her, she looked visibly startled, hand flying to her chest, eyes wide with shock. For a moment, they simply stared at each other in awkward silence before the woman broke into a wide smile.

"Forgive me, I didn’t see you there. I’m Charlotte," she said, offering a small wave.

Lilith narrowed her eyes slightly. "Did you just climb down from that tree?" she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

Charlotte pressed her lips into a thin line, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Well... yes. But only because I was craving a mango and decided to get them myself," she explained. She reached into the basket on her arm and pulled out a ripe mango. "Would you like one?"

"No, thank you." A moment of silence passed, "My name is Lilith, by the way," Lilith replied with a polite smile.

"So, you’re Lilith. It’s nice to finally meet you. Viktor’s spoken a great deal about you," Charlotte said, tilting her head with interest.

"You know Viktor?" Lilith asked, surprised.

"Yes I do, we practically grew up together. We’re family," Charlotte replied, placing the mango back into the basket.

"What are you—" Viktor’s voice cut through

as he entered the courtyard. His eyes shifted from Lilith to Charlotte, narrowing slightly. Charlotte, upon seeing him, quickly hid the basket behind her back.

"Why are you here, Lucy? I thought you were going to the market this morning," he said, eyeing her suspiciously.

She smiled again. "Yes, yes, I was just leaving. Goodbye, Lilith. It was nice meeting you."

Charlotte hurried out of the courtyard, making sure to keep the basket hidden from Viktor’s view.

As soon as she was out of sight, Viktor’s gaze shifted back to Lilith. "Are you ready to continue your training?" he asked.

"Yes, I am. I had no idea you had a sister living in the castle," Lilith said as they walked out of theourtyard together.

"Lucy isn’t my sister," Viktor replied calmly. " "We grew up in the same household, but we’re not blood-related."

"Oh, I see. I did think you looked nothing alike," Lilith said with a light chuckle.

Viktor turned to glance at her with a faint smile. "Good observation, Lilith."

Lilith wasn’t sure if he was being sarcastic or not, but she smiled anyway. After a moment of silence, a question surfaced in her mind.

"Can you tell me about the Hae witches? How do they know me, and why was I given a warning by the gods of Hae?"

Viktor let out a quiet sigh. "In the world of magic, there is a powerful form known as Kroggax. Only the gods were meant to harness such power, and even they were bound by restrictions on how it could be used.

"Kroggax is the combination of four distinct magical forces, each belonging to one of the four witch tribes: the Hae witches, Arkhai witches, Zhila witches, and Arnix witches. When combined, their magic can awaken the full force of Kroggax.

"To prevent anyone from gaining access to such immense power, each tribe swore an oath centuries ago, to never teach or learn the magic of the others. Because of that, Kroggax has remained sealed and unreachable."