Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 86: Twenty days

Heat crept up Ruelle's neck and she shook her head too quickly.

"No. That is not—I do not…" Her words tangled between her tongue and worry. "I am not saving anything for him."

Did Lucian think she spoke with the prince to climb the social ladder? Someone desperate enough to cling to royalty?

"I wasn't trying to do anything like that," she went on despite him never asking. "Things just happened this morning. His hair was stuck in glue, he couldn't see, and I used oil—"

"Belmont."

The single word was enough to bring her words to a halt. His lips pressed into a thin line. Not in displeasure. He stated, "I wasn't accusing you. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

Ruelle's cheeks looked flushed as his intense gaze fixed itself on her. Yet, something quiet sat in her chest, tight and unspoken. The fear that had crawled in last night refused to disappear.

Against the music and the chatter, her lips moved, and though she didn't say it aloud, Lucian caught it. For a moment, something unreadable flickered across his expression.

'Are you… angry at me?' She didn't want him to resent her.

"Why is it that the first place your mind goes is self-blame?" Lucian's voice dropped a fraction, steady and unbearably calm. He raised his hand slightly between them. "Don't see yourself so poorly."

On the other side of the room, Prince Edward craned his neck and spotted Ruelle standing before Lord Slater's younger son. From his view, Lucian wore a severe expression as ever, while Ruelle had turned red. Edward's brows drew together.

"Instructor," he called out in earnest concern, gesturing dramatically for the vampiress to come to him quickly. "I think my partner is being scolded. She looks like she's about to cry."

"Prince Edward," the instructor replied flatly, giving him an exasperated look, "there are already several students crying. Perhaps Your Highness would like to arrange handkerchiefs for the entire class next time?"

"Of course, I can. Wait—are you being sarcastic?" Edward asked narrowing his eyes, but the instructor had already begun to walk towards a pair of students in the back, where one was limping. He turned to his attendant, "Hermes!"

"Yes, Prince?" The attendant bowed his head.

Edward raised his hand, drawing a line on his neck. He ordered, "See it be done."

The attendant reminded him, "Your Highness, the King has pardoned instructors and students, unless it is—"

"Do you want to die?"

"…me included." The attendant cleared his throat.

With the music filling the ballroom, Ruelle realised she had been standing quietly.

Before the ballroom instructor would notice them standing still, Ruelle lifted her hand and placed it into Lucian's. His palm was warm against hers, his fingers naturally folding around her hand.

refined, like silk draping around them. Since she had no prior experience in this dance, she became

low enough it was meant for

on you," she

simply stared at her before he

you down," Ruelle informed him before he could point it out to

Follow me," he said at last, his hand

and achy. Ruelle's fingers

first. His presence wasn't loud or overwhelming. It was steady, drawing her into a rhythm she didn't know she had the ability to follow. She stepped back as he advanced, then forward

filling with chatter, laughter and tension, she

last evening. For defending," Ruelle's

answer. He then replied, "You shouldn't be thanking me for that.

she said

at her lips. She murmured, "Maybe if people knew the Crown Prince and I were

behave better," Lucian said quietly. "They just get

though she already knew and she sighed. She murmured more to herself, "Sometimes I wonder if

you want to change?" Lucian's

added, "Hailey said I finally have a shot in

by her. He

world where warmth didn't dare exist unless he

again, quicker this time. The world rushed in a blur of light, velvet walls and sweeping dresses before she spun back to face

body moved instinctively to his lead. And when he leaned forward and she bent back beneath his hold, the movement drew him into her world and stole the air from it. Her

freely on his forehead were a perfect blend of untamed and carefully styled, suggesting both wildness and

felt him pull her and she rested her hand against his

confident, each step carrying a sense of grace and latent power. Despite the rough edges that his appearance suggested, there was a certain elegance in the

long your stride is," he remarked in

in her

keep that in mind," she

sequence.

smoothly. The sudden movement had Ruelle's breath hitch, her fingers tightening around his sleeve before she

and she

humans hissed, leaning forward with a wince and clutching his ankle. He grimaced, "Ow—I

marching toward the mess. "You"—she pointed her finger toward two final-year vampires—"take him to the infirmary," her gaze then moved to the

the instructor called the name, "do your feet contain marbles? Or do you enjoy mowing through people like a runaway

perfectly straight with her cheeks burning. After being unable to pair with Lucian, she had positioned herself where she could hear what he and

far, only to end up dragging the poor human partner with her. And like stacked

elsewhere. "He tripped. I tried to correct

didn't mean to,"

Groundling curtly, "Go sit on the

have no partner now," Alanna announced, chin tilting high. "We should reshuffle. It isn't as though we'll be dancing with