Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 59: Crimson Bloom

Ruelle woke up to the soft, persistent chirp that seeped through the thin walls. Light spilt in through the cracks of the curtain. The fireplace had turned cold.

Her eyes drifted across the room. Lucian was gone. His bed lay neat, and she couldn’t tell if he had stayed away all night or slipped out before she woke up. Her gaze then moved to the floor, where the shattered remains of glassware from last night had disappeared, as if what transpired was only a dream.

Looking at the velvet box sitting on her desk, she reached for it.

"I should have worn them two nights ago..." Ruelle whispered as she stared at the earrings. "I shouldn’t have listened to him."

Thanks to him, she would now fall into the bottom of the student ladder, exposed to scorn and humiliation. She had slapped him... something that still didn’t feel real. That wasn’t her. She didn’t do things like that. Not even when she was angry.

A sudden knock at the door broke her thoughts.

"Ruelle? Are you awake?" Hailey’s voice bubbled through, bright and eager. "We have to head to the river!"

Ruelle pushed off the blanket and tucked the box into her bag before opening the door. She greeted cheerfully, "Good morning, Hailey."

"You haven’t even gotten dressed!" Hailey’s eyes widened as she swept into the room like a gust of spring air. "I took the liberty of checking in after spotting Lucian in the corridor. Now hurry—and don’t forget your bloomers," she added, hiking her dress slightly to reveal the off-white cotton fabric just below her knees.

"Are we getting in the water?" Ruelle asked, walking toward her trunk.

"I thought it was better to be prepared," Hailey said with a grin.

Ruelle pulled out a dress, which was softer and paler than her usual browns and greys. It was pastel pink. Combing her hair, she tied it with a ribbon.

"That won’t do," Hailey declared, shaking her head.

"I think it’s perfectly fine," Ruelle replied, turning to look at her.

Hailey, who had tied half of her hair and let the rest down, waved her hand. "Sit. I’ll fix it."

Ruelle sat as Hailey’s fingers worked. Her golden blonde hair was braided across the crown and pinned delicately, while soft strands were left to hover beside her temples and brush across her forehead.

When she stood and checked her reflection, she asked, "Better?"

"Very," Hailey smiled. "You’re going to knock the breath out of a few lungs today."

Away from the Sexton main buildings’ looming stone walls, Ruelle and Hailey followed the forest path. Dew from the grass beaded on their ankles. Coniferous trees filtered sunlight into soft beams.

Voices drifted ahead, growing louder.

"Everyone’s already started enjoying!" Hailey’s voice bubbled with excitement—until Ruelle stiffened and Hailey’s smile faltered.

"Not everyone," Ruelle murmured, frozen. Six Groundlings—humans—stood with apples perched precariously on their heads, while second-year vampires aimed arrows straight at them. One of the Groundlings flinched as the arrow whipped past, sending a ripple of cruel laughter through the onlookers.

"Bullseye on the trembling one, and you take my carriage," a tall vampire taunted in competition.

hope it comes with horses,"

you want the horses, you better aim at the bottom of that

arrow in their head..." Ruelle

volunteered," Hailey said quietly, tugging at

an old tree whose thick branches arched over the river. From them hung wide ropes. One adventurous human grabbed a rope and swung high before letting

on the water that sparkled in the sun. Laughter rippled from the bank, over the surface of the river and echoing off

she was unaware of the gazes she had begun to catch. Male ones

the students seemed to stop mid-conversation or halfway through what they were doing. Their gazes held longer on her than usual—drawn by her softened appearance. She looked like spring caught in motion with wind tugging a wisp of hair onto her face. She brushed it away absently, smiling faintly as she observed a boy let go of

Ruelle murmured, her gaze never

girls sat along the bank with skirts hitched slightly, feet dipped in the

is!" came a breathless

squeaked, placing a hand to

dripping wet, his shirt clinging to him like a second skin. His curls were matted down,

or get conscripted into

eyes. "You look like a drenched

Kevin

quietly

hooves was heard. They turned their heads to look at the horses that emerged from the

the river ahead with disinterest. He wore a black cloak

the horses?" Kevin asked, louder

are for

belonged to none other than Ezekiel. He stood a few steps away on the riverbank, hands

asked, glancing between Ezekiel and the vampires

of the forest," Ezekiel explained. "It is a tradition. It is considered... more primal than swimming. A way to let their instincts free and whoever returns with the biggest

Ruelle remarked with a slight

wonder how it even plays out," Kevin said, tone curious.

end up as the biggest catch," Hailey muttered under her

Groundlings from joining the Elites in these hunts. If you

time,"

only a matter of time before the vampires and vampiresses mounted their horses, each carrying a crossbow before disappearing

forward, the forest enveloping him in deeper silence with the wind rushing. The sound of the hooves scattered while Sawyer rode parallel to him while Blake and

Angelina, voice low. She asked, "Is it me, or is Lucian... different

flicked to Lucian and she remarked, "I thought he was just being Lucian. But he does

his crossbow and released the arrow when the nearby bush shook. It only

Angelina called her

his reins. "What

going on?"

just a warm-up. We’ll find

him. And

replied, remembering what occurred last night. He laughed. "It came

he could finish, Lucian released an arrow, which whistled past Sawyer’s head and thudded

sharply. "You almost shot