Elias pondered briefly before replying with a question, "Do you recall the sea witches, milady?"

  "Yes." Elaine cocked her head, confused by his response. "The leviathans chained to the ocean floor."

  "Correct. Yet, despite the witches' imprisoned bodies, their souls remained free."

  "Are you insinuating the sealed Ruina is in the same situation?" she chanced.

  The male protagonist nodded. "Not the same, but similar," he corrected her. "The portal creatures are manifestations of his magic. To be precise, they are remnants of it."

  "His remnants…" Elaine creased her brows. How overpowered was the Ruina for a tiny fraction of his magic to become such a menace? "Could the sea witches venture far from their bodies?" she gauged.

  "They cannot leave the ocean. It is their punishment."

  "If the portal creatures are similar to the sea witches, why are they not restricted inside the Insidious Forest?" Free to roam as they wished, the insidious monsters' terror knew no bounds. Their ruthless pursuit wore down their victims and reveled in the endless torture and suffering.

  "They are not under the same limitations as the sea witches," Elias admitted.

  Elaine's hands balled into fists as she struggled to control their shaking. Fear, anger, and frustration assailed her emotions like a siege, stirring turmoil in their conquests. Were there no other choices besides surrendering to their abuse? "The souls," she mumbled.

  The black-haired young man arched his brow and leaned closer. "Could you repeat your question, Lady Estella?"

  "The creatures…" Elaine lowered her gaze in a pensive silence before continuing, "What is their purpose for collecting souls?" she blurted, her stomach churning as soon as she raised the question. However, she lifted her gaze, and her expression again assumed a composed demeanor. Elaine was risking her secret—exposing Elias to the fact that she was a foreign soul. The portal creatures had knowledge about her identity. Their imitation of Elaine's parents' voices and masterful understanding of intimate details about her original life was impossible without glimpsing into her past. The realization plunged her into a debilitating fear. If others discover the truth, Elaine would suffer a premature death. She would be condemned and executed for the crime of necromancy.

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  Despite étoile's rotten core, the laws forbid some practices for its citizens. Among them was the art of necromancy, considered grotesque and taboo. The Magician Association and the royal family shunned even scholars studying its history, considering them criminals. Elaine dreaded the prospect of exposing her origin. However, the black-haired young man sitting before her was possibly the only person who could provide the information she sought about the incessant menace plaguing her day and night.

  Elias stayed silent. His eyes studied Elaine. Dark, cascading lashes covered sparks of emerging curiosity. "Collecting souls…" he paused momentarily as if contemplating his response. "Is that what the portal creatures desire from you, milady?"

  Elaine's heart raced, pounding wildly inside her ribcage. Her facial muscles strained to retain their poise exterior despite the spreading panic. "No, I—" She frantically searched for an excuse, but her efforts only led to failure. The creatures tailored their illusions to each of their victims. Besides the targeted individuals, no one else could see or experience the psychological torture. What if she was the only one, and these monsters had not pursued other souls before? Elaine believe most of their prey did not escape. Even if there were survivors, little information circulated about them. Cold sweat drenched Elaine's back while anxiety eroded her other senses. Terrors consumed her as she drowned in a sea of dismay and regret.

  He is going to find out…He is going to find out. How idiotic. How stupid can you be?

  Self-deprecating words gnawed at her. She cursed her impulsive mouth and unmanageable emotions. There was no need to wait for Estella's enemies or the creatures to complete the deed. Elaine had foolishly backed herself into a corner, walking straight toward the execution chamber. Though she wanted to bolt for the door, her body remained nailed to the chair. Elaine's eyes diverted from the male protagonist while a war raged between her instinct and rationale.

  Elias' piercing gaze never departed from her. Behind his inscrutable expression was a mental acuity not to be underestimated. Elaine saw herself reflected in his fluorescent amethyst eyes and shifted uncomfortably, feeling transparent under their scrutiny, like an organism observed through a microscope. Its lenses magnified her shortcomings and secrets tenfold. Not even a minute had passed since the oppressive silence descended between them, yet grim thoughts had already clogged her mind.

  "I am unaware of the portal creatures collecting souls," the black-haired young man said, breaking the stalemate. "As you have likely noticed, milady, the creatures rarely return those they have spirited away. Unfortunately, my knowledge of the subject is limited. Perhaps I can answer another one of your concerns."

  Elaine's averted gaze slowly shifted to meet the male protagonist's as the violent thumping in her chest returned to its natural rhythmic beating. "I see. Thank you, Sir d'Amboise." A weak smile spread across her face. Though Elias' unexpected reversal confounded her, she eagerly followed his lead, pivoting from the previous question. Elaine had no reason to continue twisting in knots over an explanation if he decided not to delve deeper. "What measures should I take to discourage these creatures?" she asked her final and most important question. Even if Elaine could not decipher the vindictive beings' intentions for her soul, she should at least seek means to safeguard against them.

  "The simplest way to avoid becoming their victim is to adhere to the rules, whether you are in the portal or here." He pointed to item six on the list. "However, Lady Estella, an extra potent deterrent might be more effective in your situation."