Page 100 of The Princess In A 'Prince' Disguise

"Yes, remember her? She had a fondness for rock climbing and those silly moments in the woods. We would hide and patiently wait for prey to scurry by. Remember how Daemonikai always caught the largest game, and you would sulk for days on end."

Silence followed. Gradually, he released his grip on her. Merilyn turned to face him, her gaze locked on his. For a brief moment, he appeared lost.

Then, he blinked several times. The yellow hue in his eyes dissipated, replaced by familiar gray eyes, and he focused on her.

"Merry?" he uttered her name softly.

Merilyn gave a teary smile, relief washing over her. "Hello, dear Vlad."

"What are you doing presenting in your condition? Here, let me help you up." His touch was gentle as he helped her to her feet. He glanced at her tear-stained face, and a shadow crossed his features. "What did I do?"

"Nothing truly harmful, yet," she answered, mustering a shaky smile.

He was not convinced. His frown deepened. "You're frightened. I have hurt you, haven't I? What did I do?"

Oh, Vlad. He was going to blame himself for this, wasn't he? But she knew better than to lie to him. "You simply asked me to present, that's all. You wanted to mount me."

He withdrew, pressing his hand against his forehead. "I apologize for that, Merry. You know I respect your bond with Henry, right? I don't know why I would do something like that." His voice was heavy with guilt and remorse. He averted his eyes. "I lost myself for a moment there."

It seems there were two forces at play tonight. One was the name Aekeira, a confusing trigger. Why would his mind be fixated on the girl? It was puzzling.

However, it paled in comparison to the second one. A horrible, painful one. Vladya was indeed fighting for his sanity.

Her Vladya had just displayed one of the primary symptoms of going feral: the ability to completely lose oneself. It starts out subtly before escalating.

And judging from his episode, this is neither the first nor the third time; it's an indication of an advanced stage.

And he has managed to hide it all this time.When did this start?

Fresh tears welled up in Merilyn's eyes and she embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I don't want to lose you, Vlad. Please, fight it. I beg of you."

He didn't pretend to misunderstand, stiffening in her arms, saying nothing.

"I beg of you. The people have already lost King Daemonikai. Losing you too will cause even more damage. To everyone who cares about you. To me. Fight this darkness, Vlad, please." She sobbed openly in his embrace.

Finally, he tightened his hold around her and relaxed into her embrace. "I am damaged, Merry. There's not much else I can do."

"Don't say that.” Merilyn vehemently shook her head. “You can fight it! You're the strongest male I know! Grieve! Mourn! Shout to the mountains! Even hurt people if it helps, just do something! Anything!"

Silence.

Then, in a barely audible tone, he said, "But that's the problem. I no longer wish to do anything. I don't want to fight it. I am simply too tired."

Something within Merilyn shattered. She cursed the last eclipse moon night all over again and the humans who had brought disaster upon them.

Merilyn had never been a violent person, but times like this made her want to seek out a human and slit their throat.

It was a dark thought, and she wasn't that kind of person. But no one would truly understand until they experienced the damage caused by humans.

And any purpose was better than no purpose at all, right?

"There's someone you want, isn't there? That's what tonight was about. Your mind tricked you into thinking I was her. That's why you wanted me to present to you."

He did not answer immediately, but Merrilyn waited him out.

"She's human," he replied at last, tension returning to his large frame. "I hate that I want her."

Now, she was even more intrigued by this human princess. "What exactly do you want from her?"

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