Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 193: Return to Brackenwell

The look on her father’s face was one Ruelle had never seen before. It sat somewhere between rage and confusion, as if he had seen something that refused to make sense in his head.

When her fingers rose to her neck, she felt it sting and realised what had brought the expression. Heat rushed back into her face as she remembered Lucian’s lips moments ago. And from the way her father’s eyes sharpened there, it seemed he had realised it too.

Without a word, he turned and stormed back into the shop.

"Did you forget something?" Noah asked, one brow lifting when he saw him. But her father didn’t answer.

Ruelle followed after him, her pulse thudding louder with every step as he pushed past the waiting room and entered the corridor that led to the changing stalls. He threw open one stall after another, the doors slamming hard against the walls, but there was no one inside except dresses hanging from hooks and folded fabrics left behind.

By the time he turned back to her, the look in his eyes had grown harder. He grabbed her wrist and pain shot through her hand.

"Let go! You’re hurting me!" Ruelle cried.

The sound had brought the others. Mrs. Belmont appeared first, confusion written plainly on her face. She asked, "What is going on?" It was only moments ago everything had been calm, and now her husband looked as though he had lost his mind.

"Lucian was here!" he snapped, his eyes fixed on the mark at her neck, the fresh bruise sitting just above the soul bond. Against her pale skin, it looked impossible to miss. "Where is he?" he demanded, turning on Noah, who had just entered.

Noah blinked with a genuinely confused look. He answered, "I didn’t see him enter. He hasn’t come by in nearly a week. Though if he is here, it would save me time. I still need his fittings."

Ruelle saw her father’s jaw clench. When his eyes returned to her, his voice softened, "Was he here, Ruelle?" His grip tightened. "I won’t be angry if you tell me."

Did he think she was still a child? That she would agree because he softened his voice? Ruelle forced herself to stay calm and she asked,

"Why would he be here, Father? He must still be searching for Caroline."

Mrs. Belmont, who had only been able to find some image and reputation built here felt the humiliation of this settle over her immediately. She stepped to her husband’s side, forcing a smile, and asked him,

"Harold, what are you doing?"

Ezekiel finally let go of her wrist. His eyes were cold and he explained,

"I thought we were meant to follow the courthouse’s conditions. Ruelle and Lucian are not supposed to be acting intimate before the wedding. Look at her neck."

The words made every eye turn to her. With everyone staring at the mark on her neck, heat crawled up her skin. Forcing herself to look unaffected, she said,

"I don’t know what you are talking about, Father. The soul bond disappeared for the last two days. In the stall, I scratched the spot too hard and it appeared." Her fingers brushed the bruised skin lightly. "What does that have to do with Lucian being here? Do you think every mark on me must be because of him?"

Ruelle could see it in the way her father’s jaw worked, in the way his lips trembled with barely-contained anger.

to be married in a few days." Her eyes narrowed at her husband, "The treaty has already been fulfilled. Our

hung over all of them, and unlike her husband, she had no interest in being on the bad side of the Slaters. Turning to

for the commotion. We

on his sleeve. "I do hope Mr. Belmont

words made Harold’s

stepped out of the shop, the

but after one look at Mr. Belmont’s face,

looking down the street, her scarf pulled closer around her neck. And when Hailey’s eyes drifted there, she caught the faint bluish mark blooming against her skin. It made her blink. It reminded her of Sexton, of the groundlings she had seen with marks that came from vampires. Hailey cleared her throat

head back

are going to the courthouse," Mr. Belmont snapped, his voice sharp enough to make everyone

said to him, "You are the only one who wants to go there. You can go. We will be

his eyes narrowing in

"I want to visit Mother’s grave. It

father stared at her for a long second and

Of course he would.

entered last, and with them came the pureblood officer who had escorted them into

in silence. When they reached the edge of Brackenwell, the pureblood stepped

wait for anyone. She stepped down and walked through the rows of graves, her shoes pressing into the snow that the groundskeeper had cleared into narrow paths. The

she reached her mother’s

And no memory of her voice or her touch. With no one near her, she bent down slowly, pulling her glove off her hand and

green pushed through the

caught her father still watching her. At the same

your father to Brackenwell. Keep him there for as long

her parents were and she said, "I should go find flowers

weather?" Mrs. Belmont frowned at

the way here." It was a poor lie but enough

Mr. Belmont shifted to follow, Mrs. Belmont caught him by the

breath. "You’ve been acting like a madman all day. They are only walking through the village, and the guards are going with them. Come with me. I want to see what state our old house is in. Did you eat

composure more than he liked and he could not afford another mistake. Not now, when Lucian could already

eyes and let his shoulders slacken. "I am only tired, Megan," he said, quieter now. "Everything is falling apart. I just want to make things

enough. She tightened her hold

then, Ezekiel strained to listen for Ruelle’s footsteps growing distant, but being a half-blood meant his hearing only stretched so far. Not like

other side of the cemetery path, with the guards behind them, Hailey leaned closer to

you like the dress you chose

for it," she admitted. "But when Mrs. Belmont said the courthouse would cover it, I thought—why not?" She

I feel like your father’s hair might turn grey before the

breath, "It

Hailey said, her voice quieter this time. "Thank you. For inviting my parents to the wedding. Father told