The Tyrant's Pet

Cherry knew it didn't matter if she truly seduced Joaquin or if something happened between them. The second this news reached Aries's radar, Cherry could only think of the worst. The crown princess wouldn't let her off that easily or even if Aries had no plans to teach her a lesson, the people who wanted to get in the future empress's good graces would use this opportunity.

The crown princess didn't need to order someone or punish her personally. Other people would happily do so in her stead. Inez, for example, was a person who had never let any opportunity slip past her grip. The ninth princess would go the extra mile to increase her power and influence.

'I will not go down easily.' Cherry's eyes blazed with determination as she discreetly made her way to the crown princess's tent. 'Even though she hadn't done anything to me, I'm certain she was that confident because she had been befriending the ninth princess.'

She looked around, seeing busy knights walking and doing their own thing around without guarding the tents around. It was not like it was strange for the crown princess's lady-in-waiting to approach her master's tent. When she was certain no one was paying her attention, Cherry intruded inside the tent silently.

As soon as she did, her breath hitched, as there was a person inside.

"Goodness..." she patted her chest the second she met Curtis's eyes, who were staring blankly back at her. "What is this freak doing here?"

Cherry shook her head as she reminded herself to focus on her agenda. She peeked outside once again to make sure no one was following her before she turned her head inside. Her eyes dwelled in Curtis's direction for a full minute, letting out a deep exhale.

'I heard that the crown prince gifted this useless dog to her to see her reaction.' She clicked her tongue in irritation, knowing Curtis didn't help uncover the crown princess's real identity.

"Useless," she spat out under her breath, rolling her eyes before she started searching the crown princess' tent. "She always keeps it with her. Where is it?"

While Cherry was searching where Aries kept her treasured necklace, which she would always take with her, Curtis was watching her mumble to herself. He leaned back, keeping his silence, intrigued at what could this woman was looking for.

"Where is it?" she exhaled sharply, touching her temple while she panted for air. She had searched every possible place Aries could have hidden the necklace. She had seen the crown princess, and Cherry was certain she wasn't wearing it.

Why the necklace?

There was one instance when Aries was looking for the necklace, enraged, as if she would kill, only to realize she asked Gertrude to hold it for a moment. If Cherry steals it now and plants it in Inez's tent, it was enough to put a strain on the relationship between the ninth princess and the crown princess.

Cherry was certain that would be the outcome because Aries truly treasured that necklace, saying it was a gift from a very important person in her life — a family. Time was Cherry's enemy since she didn't know when those greedy people would strike her.

She needed to strike before they do and use this entire situation to regain the crown princess' trust. It might not be enough, but at least this would buy her some time.

While Cherry was deep in thought, something on the side glinted and caught her eyes. She slowly turned her head and her eyes fell on the necklace hung around Curtis. Her eyes instantly dilated before she marched towards Curtis, gaze fixed on the necklace around his neck.

"Hah... really... how did I not think about it?" she laughed, raising her eyes to meet Curtis' eyes. "She has a habit of letting lowly animals like you hold something she values."

Staring down at Curtis, her lips curled up into a wicked sneer. This man looked a little healthier and more human than when she last saw him, but it didn't matter. He was nothing but a dog who would bark at his master's behest.

"The crown prince is foolish to not suspect that giving you special treatment is solely from the goodness of her heart," she scoffed, suddenly having this sense of disgust while staring at him up close. "Someone like you... deserves the hell you had gone through. That's not enough — you and that insufferable princess, who thinks she is perfect."

"Both of you... hah — do you know how many men feast on her? And now, she sleeps with the man who murders her family. Wasn't she disgusting?" she added to make herself better by listing down the reason Aries was below her. "She didn't bark like you, though, but she would once I uncovered her disguise."

Her eyes fell on the necklace around Curtis and reached for it ever so slowly. However, before she could touch it, she instantly withdrew her hand when he bites her hand.

"Ah!" she ground her teeth and held her hand, sucking air through her gritted teeth. She gazed at her hand; her pinky was bleeding generously. Cherry put pressure on her pinky before she glared daggers at him.

"You...!"

Cherry raised her hand to give him a proper slap as punishment for biting her finger, but she froze when Curtis licked the blood off of his lips and spat it to the side. Her eyes slowly dilated when he glanced back at her, blinking almost innocently.

"Arf...?" he barked before the side of his lips curled up into an amused smirk. "Sorry, Cherry. My master told me to keep this necklace at all times. So, this dog will bite anyone who tries to take it away."

"Is your finger alright? I would bite it entirely next time so it won't hurt that much — trust me, you won't feel it for a moment." He smiled and showed his missing pinky while Cherry staggered back, eyes fixed on him.

She barely blinked, as if she was trying to process what had just happened.

"You..." Her breath hitched as she took several steps back. "Why... how...?"

"Black magic." He shrugged.