Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 122: The Veiled Subject

The last piece of log of wood in the fireplace collapsed with a soft crack as the birds chirped and stirred Ruelle awake from her sleep. She stretched her hands, her muscles loosening, and when she realised she had slept in the bed, her eyes flew open. She sat upright, her gaze sweeping the couch and then the rest of the room.

Lucian had left early, just as he always did. Once she was dressed, she left her room to meet her friends.

Ruelle had only descended two flights of stairs when she saw Caroline, standing at the next flight with her arms crossed, as though she was waiting. Upon catching sight of her, her sister stopped her. "I need to speak with you."

"I thought we agreed there was nothing left to talk about," Ruelle replied, trying to pass but Caroline only stepped into her path. "Move."

"Do you like Ezekiel?" Caroline demanded. "Are you interested in him?"

Ruelle stared at her. "He is your husband," she reminded.

"I know. But I am not certain you do," Caroline said, her lip curling in bitterness. "Getting me to Sexton because you could not marry him yourself. The elder sister forced to watch the younger wed first—"

"Caroline. Mr Henley does not concern me," Ruelle frowned at the absurdity of her sister’s implication.

"Then you are not jealous?" Caroline pressed, her voice thinning. "There has never been a moment? Not a look... a touch?"

The memory of Ezekiel’s arms around her in the shadow of the bell tower flashed through Ruelle’s mind, and her hands clenched.

Noticing the silence, Caroline whispered in horror, "It happened... didn’t it? Tell me it is not true. Was it during a lesson? After?"

"Nothing improper passed between us."

"You are lying!" Caroline accused, her eyes beginning to fill themselves with tears. "I see the way he looks at you now." After a pause, she then demanded, "Then why refuse the prince? If you are not waiting for Ezekiel, then why?"

"I am not required to answer your questions. We are past that point," Ruelle said.

Caroline’s lips trembled as if she wanted to say more. But at the same time, Hailey called from several steps away from them, "Ruelle, are you coming?"

"Yes," Ruelle answered her friend before glancing at Caroline. She doubted her sister would understand if she spoke of what had happened the night before the wedding. "You need not fear me," she said quietly. "I have no wish to stand between you and your husband or your marriage."

Walking past Caroline, Ruelle joined Hailey, who frowned, looking behind her before they walked down the rest of the stairs.

As they walked through the corridors, Ruelle’s eyebrows furrowed. She could not tell whether Sexton had driven her sister to this state or whether it was Ezekiel himself.

Hailey glanced toward the corridor ahead and thoughtfully murmured, "I wonder if there are rules about instructors spending time with the students out of class. I don’t think I’ve seen them together."

Was that the reason her sister was spiralling?

Caroline belonged to Sexton now, and places like these did not protect humans. They appraised them before choosing how they might be of use.

Upon entering the dining hall, the voices seemed to fade in Ruelle’s ears. Her gaze moved and came to rest on the instructors’ table. She noticed Ezekiel’s eyes were already on her, his expression composed and gentle. Her sister’s words echoed,’He’s never looked at me like that.’

Ruelle forced her gaze away and moved toward the serving table. The scent of bread and broth rose in the warm air, but her head felt light. She reached for a plate, her fingers unsteady.

She had told herself that it had been a mistake. A misunderstanding. But what if the note was never meant for Caroline?

No, that couldn’t be it, could it? Her own thoughts began to turn against her and her hand tightened on the edge of the plate. After filling her plate, she blindly followed Hailey and sat down at the Groundlings’ table.

"....can stay during the weekend," Kevin responded to something Hailey had said.

"You don’t have to worry about us. Our luggage isn’t much. Ruelle and I will be just fine," Hailey laughed before adding lightly, "Unless you have something planned that day?"

hadn’t decided on what to do about the new quarters situation. It had been only two days since the ball, and

town. Do you both want to

repeated, giving it a thought and then giving a nod. "We can attend

know. Don’t need them thinking I turned into someone’s meal

"I thought fairs were usually held during spring.

humans several years ago. But now it is under the vampire’s

it once we finish moving into

room, avoiding the instructors’ table before they halted upon Lucian,

his gaze, a

from his cup again before he turned to respond to something

instructed to choose a landscape and paint it upon their canvases. The room filled itself with the soft sound of brushes and the faint scent

the easels, offering quiet corrections. When he came

he said at last, his tone carefully neutral, while his hands held together in front of his chest. "May I ask what you

far away from the assignment. She had layered blue upon blue until the colour deepened

was dipped in white,

night sky," Ruelle answered with a faint

fortunate," he replied dryly, "that you did not present it

sheepish smile

absence," one of the Elites remarked with a

which I find unlikely, given his own deficiencies in the arts. You would do well to amend your work." He glanced at his

the word catching her off guard. "You did not mention—" and the same moment, her sleeve brushed the canvas. A white dot turned into a streak. She cleared her throat and said, "That is a... meteor in the night

were the

minutes later, chairs scraped and students began to

I shall present you with

an impatient harrumph. "It is good that these things don’t worry me. It is not as though I shall end

Which is precisely why you ought to pay attention more

in Caroline’s face at

now, Mr. Swan," protested a human male from the back, clutching his rolled canvas which had a handprint. "I mean to serve as a royal guard. How is painting going

a brow. "Sexton is not

are the

not deal in morals at

man who calmly accepted the very

at the canvas, her stomach sinking. It was as if in every term she

you may yet pass the class. I require subjects for my

male questioned with a suspicious

turning toward the door. "This room will not serve for

way out, Ruelle slowed beside Hailey and Kevin who were waiting for her. "I will find you later," she whispered, offering a small, reassuring smile that did not quite

sighed, wondering if

asked, "Do you

turned back

been like this since he left," Kevin

clay and wet stone lingered in the corridor as Ruelle, Caroline and the male

followed,

the ceiling, allowing the pale winter light

is sculpture," Mr. Swan announced, already moving toward a workbench. "And you will be

no time to waste." The male human hesitated only a moment before obeying and taking his shirt off and placing it at the side. "Good structure. That will

Swan began, turning to the young women, "take off excess clothes.

Ruelle reminded him. At that moment, she noticed a thin white fabric next to her

have to worry about it. The room temperature will grow warmer," Mr. Swan

then pointed