[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Running Toward the Future

Shrouded beneath his robe, Xion's breath came in short, uneven gasps. The lack of oxygen burned his lungs, but he still pushed forward.

With hurried footsteps, he rushed to the only safe place he could think of, Ray's room.

The tears swirling in his eyes clouded his vision. He swiftly wiped them away with the sleeve of his robe leaving behind a dark, damp patch. The stain clung to the grey fabric... just like a sin.

I need to run away... The thought pounded in his mind, louder than the frantic rhythm of his heart.

He carried a face which seemed to be crafted just to entice others' sadistic desires be it envy, hate or lust.

As the illegitimate son of Marquis Roberto Vaelis, Xion was nothing more than a pawn, a tool to be used and discarded.

His father would likely applaud the benefits his existence could bring, even if they came at the cost of his dignity.

And now, he could not differentiate between himself and the poor girl Eli.

His mind was spiraling at such high speed that he did not even notice the figure standing in front of Ray's room until he collided with them.

The impact sent him stumbling backward. However, instead of crashing his butt on the cold floor, he was pulled into a firm hold.

He instinctively reached out to steady himself. His hands brushed against the solid chest of a stranger and in doing so, he somehow managed to do the stupidest thing he could at the moment.

His bracelet got tangled in the long, silken strands of silver hair of the stranger.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Xion gasped, barely able to look up as he tried to untangle his bracelet with trembling fingers.

His heart still raced, but now for a different reason. The man before him exuded a presence that made Xion's breath hitch in his throat.

If Xion had taken a proper glance, then he might have marveled at the handsome male who looked as if he came straight out of some comic book.

But all of his attention was taken away by those piercing green eyes and weirdly enough, they reminded him of a poisonous snake.

Xion did not know the exact title yet, but the man whose gaze seemed to pin him in place definitely belonged to the higher nobility. That had set another jolt of panic in his already troubled heart.

What if I get punished for running into this male?

Before Xion could apologize again, Darius tilted his head slightly. A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he studied the flustered boy.

Then, without a word, he bent down and scooped Xion up like a child.

"W-What are you doing?!" Xion yelled, his arms flailing for balance as the ground disappeared beneath him.

For a moment, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over him. Was today my unlucky day?

The way he had been constantly running into scary people's arms, it sure sounded like that.

Xion's eyes, hidden beneath his robe widened. I agreed to no such thing!

Thank goodness, I hid my face as soon as I left the servants' quarters, he thought. If this man had seen me that would only make things worse...

Those green eyes were so intense, so scary, that they seemed to see through his robe. So, the moment Ray took the attention of the taller male, Xion slowly scurried out of the way.