Cyrus's face twisted with rage as he clenched his fists. Without another word, he lunged forward, throwing a punch straight at Axelius. But Axelius moved swiftly, sidestepping just enough for Cyrus's fist to cut through the air with nothing to connect to. Before Cyrus could even react, Axelius grabbed his arm and bit down—hard.
"AARRGH!!" Cyrus screamed, stumbling back as he tried to shake Axelius off, but the younger boy's grip was like iron. His teeth sank deep as if he intended to tear straight through flesh. The maids shrieked, their hands covering their mouths in horror.
"Help me! What are you waiting for?! Get him off!" Cyrus yelled, flailing his arm.
Axelius finally released his grip with a wet, snapping sound, stepping back with blood smeared on his lips. His eyes were wide, unblinking, and fixed on the maids like a predator sizing up its next meal.
He wiped his mouth casually with his sleeve and smirked. "Go on," he said, voice dropping to a whisper that somehow felt louder than a shout. "Touch me. I dare you."
The maids flinched, hesitating. His gaze darkened, eyes sharp and wild.
"I'll bite you. Right here," he pointed to his own arm, then his leg, then his neck, his smile widening. "I'll bite and bite and bite until I feel the blood run down my teeth. Until you scream just like him." He took a step forward, his eyes never leaving theirs. "Want to see how much you can bleed before you pass out?"
One of the maids staggered back, her face pale as if she'd seen a ghost. The other gripped her skirt tightly, shaking her head subtly. Neither dared to move an inch closer.
Cyrus, still clutching his arm with pain written all over his face, glared at his maids. "What are you doing?! He's just threatening you! He's weak!"
Axelius's grin grew wider, almost manic. His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "Oh, I'm not just threatening. I'm promising," he whispered, voice chillingly calm. "Next time, I won't let go. I'll make sure you feel every second of it... Cyrus."
The older boy's confidence shattered like glass. He took a shaky step back, fists trembling. "This isn't over, Axelius!" he spat out, desperation creeping into his voice.
Axelius tilted his head, a grin still plastered on his face. "You're right... it's not," he replied smoothly, his voice dripping with cold promise. "Next time, I'll make sure you can't run away."
That did it. Cyrus's eyes went wide with fear, and without another word, he turned and bolted, nearly tripping over his own feet as he dashed down the path. His maids scrambled to follow, shooting Axelius terrified glances as they fled.
Axelius straightened his shirt, brushing off the dust as if nothing happened. "Huh," he smirked, licking his teeth. "Tastes like cowardice."
Owen's voice echoed in Axelius's mind, dripping with disbelief. "I can't see, but I imagine what you did. You really are a psycho, Axel!"
Axelius laughed, spitting to the side to clear the taste from his mouth. "It would've been more fun if you'd seen it, Owen. His face was priceless," he chuckled, wiping his sleeve across his lips.
Owen let out a dramatic sigh. "I almost feel bad for Cyrus... Almost," he added with a snicker. "I mean, I still remember that bite of yours. My arms still hurts just thinking about it."
Axelius raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You don't have arm though? Oh, that? You mean when we first met? It's my first time to join finding food"
"Yeah, genius! You nearly tore a chunk out of me! I still can't believe it!" Owen retorted.
Axelius chuckled, leaning back against the garden bench. "Hey! We were kids back then, What else was I supposed to do? You snuck up on me, I thought you were a zombie!"
Owen groaned. "Who in their right mind bites a zombie? Normal people run, scream, or I don't know... grab a weapon! But no, not you, you just went straight for the arm like some kind of rabid animal!"
Axelius smirked proudly. "I survived, didn't I? And turns out you were human after all. Lucky you."
"Lucky me? I had to get a tetanus shot, you lunatic!" Owen shot back, but his voice was filled with laughter.
Axelius just shrugged, still grinning. "Could've been worse. I could've gone for the neck."
Owen paused, then burst out laughing. "Psycho... You're a real psycho, Axel."
Axelius shrugged, smirking. "We were kids. I didn't know better."
"Yeah, well... Some things never change," Owen snorted.
Axelius just stretched his arms, still smiling. "Good times, huh?"
"Good times? For who? I was the one bleeding, you fucker!" Owen shouted.
Axelius just laughed harder. "Hey, at least now you know: don't sneak up on me."
Owen huffed. "Duly noted, psycho. Duly noted."
Elias came back, pushing a trolley full of desserts. He looked around carefully and said, "I think I heard some screaming, Young Master."
Axelius smiled lightly and shook his head. "It's nothing. Just some beez"
Without waiting more, Axelius stood up and walked to the table nearby. There was a chair next to it, and he climbed up on it with a confident grin.
Elias followed quietly, placing the desserts gently on the table.
Axelius looked at the desserts on the table with a small smile. He touched the plate gently, then picked up a piece of cake. He took a bite, and his eyes closed for a moment as if enjoying the sweet taste.
"This is really good," he said softly. His face showed a rare happiness, like the desserts gave him a small peace inside.
Owen, who was sitting on the table nearby, Axelius saw him and smiled wider. He broke a small piece of the cake and held it out to Owen. "Here, my peace offering" he said and laughed.
Axelius's eyes grew wide as Elias carefully placed a small piece of dessert on a plate in front of him.
"This one is called 'Moonlight Jelly,'" Elias explained softly. "It's made from a rare flower that blooms only at night. The petals glow faintly and give the jelly a soft, sweet taste."
Axelius poked the jelly with his finger and then took a big bite. Suddenly, his eyes sparkled like stars.
"Oh wow! This is like eating a piece of the night sky!" he exclaimed loudly, almost spilling the jelly.