Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 56

Chapter 56: The Weight of Small Things

Ruelle could still feel the dull throb and heat emanating from her ear—and it wasn’t from the needle. It was from where Lucian’s fang had sunk in.

Her fingers hesitantly brushed against the spot, feeling the faint, lingering warmth. It wasn’t painful, yet something about it felt... different. Like a whisper of something foreign beneath her skin, something that didn’t quite belong to her.

Outside, the rain drummed softly against the windowpane, a steady rhythm against the cold stone walls.

She hadn’t expected him to bite her. Had it been necessary? To scare her, maybe. A flush crept up her neck, and she forced herself to shake the thought away. It wasn’t a big deal. Vampires bit people all the time. Still, she found herself watching him as he stood.

Clearing her throat, she murmured, "Thank you."

Lucian barely glanced at her.

"Don’t mention it," his tone was so nonchalant that for a brief moment, she wondered if it had even happened at all.

The candle on the chair flickered as he moved away, his presence still heavy in the air.

Ruelle exhaled and turned towards the long mirror. Opening the small velvet box, she studied the earrings her instructor had given her.

Tiny diamonds. Small enough to be unassuming, yet still undeniably expensive for someone like her. How generous though, she thought to herself. For all that Sexton demanded from humans, its generosity in return felt almost calculated.

Would they even be allowed to keep them after the assignment was assessed? Or was this another reminder of their place—something to give, something to take away? She sighed internally. It didn’t matter.

She reached up, guiding the first earring toward her ear—

"Don’t."

The word sliced through the silence of the room, sharp enough to make her fingers still mid-air. She blinked, her gaze snapping toward Lucian in the mirror. Slowly, she turned to face him fully.

"...What?" Ruelle asked him.

Lucian leaned back slightly in his chair, stretching his long legs out in front of him, his posture impossibly unbothered. His dark eyes flickered briefly to her ear before settling back on her reflection.

"The piercing is fresh," he said, his tone casual, as if discussing the weather. "It could get infected."

Ruelle blinked, thrown off by the unexpected concern. No, that wasn’t the right word. For a moment, she almost nodded in agreement. It was true—some of the other students had been dealing with bruised, swollen piercings. Some had even had infections.

"But I need to wear them for the test," she pointed out.

Lucian, whose fingers had reached for a book near him, paused. He didn’t look at her. Instead, he let the silence stretch between them, before he finally asked, "And?"

Ruelle frowned slightly. "And... everyone else is wearing theirs."

him exhale, before swivelling in his seat to turn in

said,

in her palm. The insult crawled under her skin, burned its way through her chest, leaving a dull ache

uttered, the disbelief sitting heavy

the sting of humiliation. She knew Lucian held humans in contempt. But this was

me," Lucian

how he said it. There was mockery woven beneath every syllable. Like she wasn’t even worth a proper insult. Not

She demanded, "So then why did you even

She saw him lean back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other,

the piercing at all? Why not let

thinking you had a chance?" He taunted her, with his gaze flicking up to hers. "Now where would

so smoothly, that she couldn’t even tell if it was a

in watching me suffer," Ruelle shot back in response to his words. Feeling

door so that she could stay

all means, run along," Lucian remarked from behind, "I hear the hallways are particularly safe this time of night where a Groundling

make sure not to get attacked. I wouldn’t want to give you another satisfaction," Ruelle muttered before stepping

humiliation didn’t disappear. Lucian’s words shouldn’t have hurt, because he didn’t know her. But those words had

aren’t worthy of being a Belmont," her father’s voice echoed in the back of her head. "A girl like you

prickled, but

had thought

helped her most of the times, some part of her had believed

the week’s tests had

studying. No more ink-smudged fingers or endless pages

she hummed, tilting her head this way and that, watching the tiny

you tell her to

then sighed, flicking a loose curl over her shoulder. "But all I got was a

"I guess there’s no

speak while Ruelle had stepped towards her desk. "You know, I heard some of the

as her fingers brushed over the parchment, books, and the cool glass of the

diamonds. Even if they’re small, they are real. Can you imagine? They could solve most

crease formed between Ruelle’s brows. She checked the side drawer, then the small cabinet by the bed. Nothing. Her stomach tensed slightly. It should be here. She was certain she had placed it on her desk last night. Or had

it has to

her voice

find the box," Ruelle

take it with you this morning?" Hailey blinked, her casual stance

Ruelle shook

"Are you sure?"

in her mind. "I’m going to fail the assignment. I can’t submit

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