Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 173: Under Watchful Eyes

Ruelle did not miss the brief suspicion that passed through Peyton’s otherwise composed expression. The minister’s assistant looked as though she had interrupted something private.

Perhaps the woman had.

It was only when Lucian finally stepped back that Ruelle turned to look at him and realised his eyes had never once left her, as though the interruption had changed very little between them.

Heat lingered faintly against her skin even now, making it difficult to completely forget Lucian’s words from moments ago. The implication tickled below her stomach, making her catch her breath.

"Mr. Slater, Minister Carnifex and the council ministers have asked for your presence for lunch along with Miss Belmont," Peyton informed him, whose expression had returned to a blank one.

Lucian’s gaze finally shifted to where the vampiress stood at the door. "I see." The words sounded polite, though something colder rested beneath them. "We’ll attend."

Leaving Lucian’s office behind, they made their way through the corridors. Peyton walked behind them, while Lucian led Ruelle through the corridors toward the dining hall.

Ruelle noticed the sky had turned darker than before.

She found it hard to believe that she was about to sit at the same table as the ministers who shaped laws, treaties and the very world people beneath them lived within. Men like them had likely never spoken to someone like her unless it was to pass judgement. And now she, a human who’d been nobody weeks ago, was being invited to their table. She doubted the invitation had been extended out of simple hospitality.

The sound of their footsteps echoed softly through the long corridor. The closer they drew to the dining hall, the more aware Ruelle became of her own heartbeat. Glancing at Lucian, who looked unaffected by the invite, she asked,

"Do you usually have meals with them?"

"No," he replied, and there was something detached in the way his eyes moved ahead. He then continued, "The ministers you will be meeting form the council, where most legal matters eventually pass through their hands along with Carnifex, whom you met yesterday. From edicts to punishments."

"If they control so much, then what about King Septimus?" Ruelle’s voice carried genuine curiosity.

"He still holds the highest authority to overrule what the ministers place before him," Lucian explained to her. "But a kingdom is not maintained by one person alone. The council holds influence powerful enough to shape what reaches the crown in the first place."

"So the seed is sown here," Ruelle murmured.

"Not necessarily," Lucian replied as he scouted the space ahead of them. "Seeds can be planted from anywhere. Sometimes all it takes is placing them in someone’s hand and allowing them to believe the thought was their own."

Ruelle quietly absorbed the words.

Somehow, hearing Lucian speak about it reminded her that the world he belonged to was far older and more dangerous than she fully understood.

As they approached the dining hall doors, she picked up the hush of voices from the other side. The two guards standing outside immediately offered bows when Lucian approached.

Following Lucian inside, her eyes immediately fell upon the large round table positioned beneath the chandelier. Her gaze moved across the occupied chairs one after another. Nine pureblooded vampires. Somehow the air in the room felt heavier. Every single one of them carried the distinct presence that came from age and strong bloodlines.

Ruelle offered a bow despite feeling the weight of their eyes settle upon her almost immediately. Some looked openly suspicious, while others appeared merely curious. She caught their attention lingering on the mark resting on her neck.

"Mr. Slater." The greeting came from the leanest of the ministers, a man whose tiny spectacles perched on his nose. "It pleases us to see you finally willing to attend lunches without requiring repeated invitations. We should invite Miss Belmont often."

The minister spoke as though she were not in the room. At first glance, his spectacles made him appear gentler. But the longer she looked at the minister, the less comforting the impression became.

"Why?" Lucian’s eyes rested on the minister as he pulled the chair out beside him for Ruelle. "Is the council considering making space for her among you?" His head tilted while the minister smiled, which carried something far less pleasant by the end of it.

"I fear the council is far too traditional for such arrangements, particularly when the person in question is both a woman and human," the same minister answered.

"If I remember correctly—"

Another minister spoke now, his tone idle and bored. He didn’t bother looking at them, as if the conversation were barely worth his attention.

"—the human bound through this treaty is forbidden from being turned during the first seven years of marriage, are they not?"

As new as the condition was to Ruelle’s ears, she hadn’t considered being turned into a vampiress. And being found as a witch, she doubted a witch could be turned.

Minister Carnifex then interrupted the conversation, his aged eyes settling upon Lucian. He stated,

"The announcement regarding your union has already been dispatched across the kingdom. Seeing it is already noon, the news should have reached most nearby regions by now. The farther towns will receive word soon enough." He then looked at Ruelle. "How is the preparation for the wedding progressing?"

Ruelle straightened slightly beneath the attention that shifted toward her. She answered,

"It has been progressing well so far."

One of the servants stepped forward to pour wine into her glass before retreating once more into the background.

Moments later, the dining hall doors opened once again. Three women and two men were dragged inside and she watched them being brought toward the side of the table before their wrists were slit open without hesitation.

Ruelle recognised one of the girls almost immediately. The same girl had once sat several rows ahead of her during classes at Sexton and had been identified as having blue blood. Somehow seeing her here made the room feel colder.

The humans didn’t react as if they were used to it. Fresh blood poured into crystal glasses one after another while some of the ministers barely looked up from their conversations.

"I must admit, I was surprised that the treaty conditions have been upheld until now," the minister seated beside Carnifex commented with faint amusement as he glanced at the couple. "Particularly after hearing the two of you had already been residing beneath the same room in Sexton."

Heat threatened to creep into Ruelle’s face despite herself. Somehow the ministers speaking about her living arrangement with Lucian felt far more intimate than the reality of it.

Lucian, who sat composed at the table, replied, "The concept of restraint must be unfamiliar to you, Minister Scrooge."

Ruelle noticed one of the ministers pause midway through lifting his glass before hiding the smile behind his drink. Some of the ministers appeared lax compared to others who had spoken so far.

Minister Scrooge’s eyes narrowed. He demanded, "What do you mean?"

"Perhaps restraint comes easier when one already despises humans, which is understandable," Minister Sylvan remarked with a quiet chuckle. His hand caught the human’s wrist, making the cut on the person’s wrist go deeper as blood poured into his glass.

Ruelle watched the woman wince, though not a sound escaped from the person’s lips. As if enduring pain silently had long since become something expected of them.

The minister then continued, "After all, Lady Slater lost her life because of the humans. The wound was deep and I heard there wasn’t much that could have been done."

The mention of Lady Irina Slater seemed to alter something in the room almost subtly. Or perhaps it was only Lucian that Ruelle noticed.

She saw Lucian’s fingers stop against the stem of his glass. It was so subtle that she might not have noticed it had she not been sitting beside him.

She found it strangely ironic hearing the minister speak of cruelty while the vampire casually forced the human beside him to bleed deeper for his own satisfaction. But perhaps that was simply how most pureblooded vampires were. Cruelty seemed to settle around them but beneath the polished etiquette and silverware.

And despite everything between them, she was well aware of Lucian’s feelings toward humans so the minister’s words didn’t come as a surprise. Lucian had never pretended otherwise either.

She watched Lucian finally lift his glass.

fond of humans," he admitted, swirling the drink in his hand. "But your insistence on comparing them to Ruelle does make one wonder if the council’s support for this treaty is less sincere

light enough to loosen some of the tension lingering

I meant them with, Mr. Slater. The success of this treaty is in the council’s best interest. I assure you,

hidden beneath it. Yet Lucian moved through the conversation without

rather overwhelming," the calmer tone almost caught Ruelle off guard. It was Minister Gaile, the one face she recognised

decisions affect the lives of both humans and vampires alike." The words came out steadier than she felt, and she managed a faint smile, the kind that acknowledged the absurdity of her presence here.

minister wore a pleased

Sexton? I heard your academic results were above average. Though I imagine keeping pace becomes difficult around someone like Lucian

this.’Difficult’ barely began to describe it, as

with my studies," Ruelle answered. "I think it made my time at Sexton easier than

had invested her time to help

did? It felt strange hearing these things from other people when Lucian himself had

spoke about the past. Perhaps because too much of it still carried the weight of his mother’s death. And she hadn’t asked either, as though some part of her feared

conversation finally easing into lighter territory. "The pair appear aesthetically well matched. I suppose Miss Belmont’s

eyes briefly toward

been indirect, yet hearing that she suited Lucian still left a faint warmth settling quietly within her chest. It

the same can’t be said about the

to territorial disputes and case assignments. She understood barely half of

let herself drift slightly, content to

away from

earlier mentioned wanting to eat buttered bread? To think he had fulfilled a desire

and handed them to Minister Gaile," Lucian replied

was kept near them wasn’t soft. But the butter on her bread had already melted perfectly

but feel fortunate. To have someone like him beside her. Was this a reward from life? Somewhere, she was worried that she would become greedy for the

was sinking and she had wondered if

as she took a bite, feeling the slight heat from the melted butter on her tongue. Her eyes moved to

is your family doing,

to meet Minister Sylvan’s. There was something about him. It was almost the same demeanour as Brother Dane, that same easy smile, but where Dane’s energy felt

a few humans. She resides within the dungeon now, does she not? You never asked Lucian to release her?" questioned

felt it was

swallowed the bread she had

no different from the kind of people most resent within positions of power." Her fingers lightly tightened around her spoon while her voice came out calmer than she had expected. "I believe

genuine but somehow it made it worse. Like being patted on the head for performing

"Though I admit it does leave one wondering whether questions may

had tried to hide. And as uncomfortable as those words were, they were still the truth. If it weren’t

the treaty appear fabricated," Lucian replied without looking up from the steak he was slicing into. "If

attention never truly left the couple, as though another thought

in a light

families is permitted to threaten or bring harm upon the other. Otherwise, the agreement

A feeling of dread rose in the pit of her stomach, questioning how much information about people related to her was pulled out. How long were their

are your father’s hands? Heard it was broken," Minister Sylvan said in a

were far noisier than the women in her village who

is healing," Ruelle replied

what happened?" questioned the minister sitting next to

men," Ruelle replied quietly. "They broke his arms when he failed to repay it. But

truth, then lied, and then added another truth. Though Sylvan did not continue the subject, she could still feel the implication left lingering behind his words. Perhaps the minister suspected Lucian’s involvement in what

hoped that mentioning the king would be enough for the minister not to poke his nose further

the dining hall after having lunch with the ministers, she felt strangely drained. She realised then that she had no

made her way toward the Slaters’ carriage with Peyton

the horses. The coachman glanced up when he noticed her

the coachman greeted

greeted softly. Noticing the crystal band around his

where they stood, they climbed inside the carriage and the door closed

the courthouse disappeared behind them as the wheels began to roll with the familiar jolting motion. Ruelle didn’t bring up Minister Sylvan’s probing questions, not with Peyton sitting opposite them,

she asked, "Do you have work

but only the first half of the day. I will return to the mansion once I am done with the work," Lucian’s response was smooth as ever, but

town we went to the fair last week," Ruelle answered. "It is just something I wanted to check. Peyton will be there with me,"

at her for a brief moment. Even though he had

want to go for in the town

wasn’t like she could outright tell about the strange plant, lest she wanted the people of the courthouse to know that she

Lucian hummed, the earlier frown disappeared from his face. "I will

him

a servant and have it delivered to the mansion. But she didn’t

have reached the towns by tomorrow. And there was the possibility of it shaking some hornet’s nests—resentful humans,

wouldn’t be able to buy

where Caroline was held in the courthouse’s dungeon, the place had stayed quiet after the visitors

you doing alright?" The woman opposite Caroline’s cell—Marjorie—broke the

had fallen to her knees, sitting motionless on the

your sister was the one to send you here. Is something going on between your

Caroline’s eyes widened.

You don’t know anything..." Caroline’s words

lacked any real emotion. "It’s just that it felt that way.

told her he would get her out of this place. But why didn’t he kiss her before

you are an innocent person so you shouldn’t worry about getting out of here, Caroline," Marjorie’s cheerful tone felt forced, and Caroline nodded automatically, clinging to the reassurance. "But I hope you keep in mind that

they are going to

small and frightened. Because surely Ruelle wouldn’t go that far. They were sisters. They shared blood. Ruelle might

Caroline murmured

be prepared. Sometimes your own blood

trouble to the pureblooded vampires?" Caroline asked

reported me, can you believe it?" The scoff that followed was bitter. "I know my days are

murmured while still worried

"Don’t be."

the bars, and with her lean, gaunt frame, she pushed part of her face through. Her eyes moved

"I plan to escape."

to do. The

though. Will you help?" the woman asked in a pleading, soft

from the courthouse, the carriage wheels continued their steady rhythm through

the ministers, Ruelle, who was staring outside the window, felt her eyelids grow heavy. Slowly,

of the

But it never collided.

gesture was fluid. He gently guided her head down, redirecting her toward his shoulder instead. A soft sigh escaped

her lips were set in a