CHAPTER 13
Kael stared at her. His expression was unreadable. He didn't know what to feel exactly.
Intrigue? Absolutely. No woman had ever dismissed him so effortlessly before—scratch that—no woman had ever rejected him yet in any way. And this one right in front of him wasn't even blushing or even slightly rattled by his teasing. Instead, she countered his flirtation with the poise of someone who had no concept of seduction—like it was beneath her or, worse, irrelevant.
And that somehow annoyed the hell out of him.
"You really don't break character, do you?" He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
Diandra simply bowed her head slightly. She knew it was wrong for a knight to respond to His Majesty's flirtations. So, she only had to reject him politely. Despite all her confusion, there was also a bit of a prohibited thought at the back of her blank mind. What if she wasn't a knight or didn't know her duty well? How should she respond to him?
He even smiled naughtily at her earlier. For the first time, she was thankful for the confusion from what he was saying about her acting anything. Thinking about it was a distraction not to stare at him in awe.
But what could she do? Her emperor had such pleasing features.
"A knight's duty is clear. If you require something else, I shall find someone to fulfill that need." She said politely.
Kael exhaled sharply through his nose. "Unbelievable." He uttered under his breath.
She wasn't acting like a stalker. And it seemed she wasn't pretending to be someone for his attention. If anything, she acted like she didn't care about his feelings at all—only about serving this imaginary 'Emperor' she thought he was.
Diandra had a sudden thought. It had slipped her mind before. "Your Majesty, might I ask, about the empress—"
"I don't have one." He instantly cut her off before she finished whatever ridiculous question she had. The mention of empress gave it away. He rubbed his temple and plopped himself down on the nearest sofa.
He exhaled loudly and had clenched his eyes, silently praying for a little more sanity in this situation. He leaned back against the seat. His arms were crossed. "Sit." He demanded when she just looked down on him. "There. At the single chair." He doesn't want her near him, or he might just strangle the truth out of her literally.
Fine. Flirting was useless. Time for a different approach.
Diandra sat where he directed her. She could sense that he was angry again. What did she do this time? Was it because she rejected his ministrations?
"Alright, let's start with something simple." His tone was all flat now; gone was the amusement a minute ago. "Don't call me with any title. Just Kael. Now, how did you get into my estate?"
"But it is not right to address you with just a name. I—" She stopped as she saw his sharp gaze that could cut her in half. She bit her lips and she lowered her head.
"It's what I prefer." He uttered. "Answer the damn question."
She didn't know how she ended up in that well. Either she was thrown or she fell. But she had bruises and was exhausted, like she had just survived a war. "I… do not know exactly, Your Majesty. It was…" How should she explain it?
Kael let out a dry chuckle. "What? Don't tell me you just crawled out of that well like some cursed spirit?"
He was only joking—half joking, really—because the idea was ridiculous. Even though his people said that possibility before, it was still absurd. It sounded like something straight out of a fantasy drama. It sounded eerily similar to the plot of his upcoming series.
But before he could laugh at his own joke, Diandra tilted her head slightly and gave him a look. That kind of look that wasn't offended or amused. Just confused. Like he had just accidentally spoken what she was about to say.
Kael choked on his own amusement. His smirk wavered. The room suddenly felt heavier.
"Wait." His voice was quieter now. "Are you actually saying… you came out of that well?"
Diandra nodded once, calmly. "Yes, Your Majesty—Sir." She thought that 'sir' could be better than just a direct name to call him.
What the hell? Now that he had confirmed that she really came out of the well, for the first time since meeting her, a sliver of unease crept into his chest.
It was one thing for a crazy fan to break into his estate. It was another for her to act like she had actually stepped out of his drama. And he didn't like that feeling one bit.
Kael couldn't just ignore it. The coincidences were stacking up, one after another.
The dagger she had. He had dismissed it earlier at first, thinking that it was just an impressive replica. Just like the one Debbie—the actress playing Fiona—held during the photoshoot.
Then, her appearance. The long, cascading red hair, the ethereal silver-blue eyes, the knightly posture—it was exactly as described in the script. The way she spoke, the way she carried herself—it was as if the character had come to life.
And then, there was the well. Kael clenched his jaw. A chill running down his spine. That well wasn't just some random backdrop in his upcoming drama. It was where Diandra—the knight—had been thrown into, assuming that was her end.
It was just a fictional event. A scripted scene. Yet, here she was, sitting in front of him in real life, claiming to have no memory of her past—except her duty to protect the emperor.
And that emperor was him. In the drama, of course.
Kael ran a hand down his face. This was insane. It was a prank. A twisted joke meant to mess with his head. He let out a frustrated breath loudly. He leaned forward, his patience hanging by a thread. "So, let me get this straight." He counted on his fingers. "You don't remember where you're from. You don't know how you got here. But you think you're a knight and you swore to protect me because I'm apparently your 'Emperor.'"
Diandra met his gaze without hesitation. "Yes, Your Majesty—sir."
Kael ignored her slip as he exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "That's ridiculous."
"It is the truth." She simply said.
"Give me something—anything! Whoever the hell you are." He was slipping into rage as his voice slightly raised in desperation to find out what was really her deal.
Diandra flinched at his tone but tried to remain composed. She blinked and looked down at her hands on her lap. Her expression didn't change as much. It wasn't a look of someone lying. It was the look of someone who genuinely didn't know what was exactly happening around her.
"I remember nothing else." She admitted. Her hands clenched tightly into fists. Why did she have to lose her memory? Why was it happening to her? Did anyone take it? It was so cruel. She shouldn't be this lost in herself right now. She could have answers to everyone's questions. Things could have been easier. Frustration started to bubble inside her, but she shouldn't let it out on His Majesty. She took a deep breath to keep them at bay.
"Only these three things." She held up a hand and counted. One. "My name is Diandra." Two. "I am a knight." Three. "And I have sworn an oath to protect the emperor. I promised someone I would fulfill it. And before you ask—no. I couldn't recall who that someone is."
She said them with unwavering conviction. Not an ounce of doubt nor hesitation. Yet, her answers were as vague as a badly written script.
Kael studied her, looking for a crack. A slip—anything that would expose her as a fraud. But there was nothing. She was either the best con artist or liar he had ever met that could even top him and Kalista in their career for acting, or this woman truly believed every word she just said. That was even more unsettling.
He sat back, watching her closely. "So, what now? You just plan to follow me around? Guard me like some medieval bodyguard?"
Diandra nodded, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Yes, Your Majesty—sir." She quickly corrected it.
Kael groaned. He had to end this madness sooner. As in right now.