Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 156: Eyes Upon the Groundlings

Ruelle sat at the long table meant for the groundlings, where cutlery clinked against the chatter and laughter of the Elites and halflings, while the humans remained quieter, each of them carrying a ball of anxiety.

"...we thought it was an animal only to realise we had disturbed a hornet’s nest," Edward recalled while holding a glass. "I had to stay in bed for an entire day."

"They are painful," Ruelle said, her fork moving across her plate without taking a bite.

Her gaze briefly drifted across the room, noticing the royal guards stationed in the dining room. Her fingers slightly tightened around the fork. But what unsettled her more was the mist that surrounded Sexton, pressing faintly against the windows and it made her want to glance over her shoulder each time she noticed it.

Why did it have to be winter? She quietly sighed.

"I will go get dessert," Ruelle said, rising from her seat.

At the same time, she noticed Lucian enter the dining room with Sawyer beside him. A faint smile appeared on his lips at something his cousin said as they headed toward the very table she had intended to go to.

Before she could decide to move, she felt Hermes’ gaze on her. The same attendant who had once seemed so easily flustered by the prince’s antics now watched them like a hawk.

Ruelle lowered herself, murmuring, "Let me finish the soup."

Even though she forced herself to focus on the bowl in front of her, her eyes betrayed her as they followed Lucian. Not openly but in stolen glances and in between blinks.

His appearance was flawless. From his clean shirt to the last strand of his dark hair. He moved through the room as if it belonged to him, wearing a quiet composure yet one could tell there was something beneath it. Something quieter and colder one didn’t dare to disturb.

She quickly picked up the cutlery. It was like a gravity that she couldn’t resist.

Ruelle drew in a slow breath and forced her attention back to her food, only to realise she was stirring the soup with a fork.

"Let us skip classes today," Edward proposed. "I doubt anything worth attending will happen for the first years. What do you think?"

When Ruelle looked up to respond, she noticed Lucian across the room, his figure falling just behind the prince, his gaze already on her. A faint shiver ran over her skin.

To the prince, it seemed she had been left speechless, her gaze fixed in his direction.

"Ruelle?" Edward waved his hand in front of her, and she blinked. "Sorry. What did you say?"

"I was thinking we could have a little picnic on the balcony. I ought to do it properly this time, don’t you think?" Edward asked her enthusiastically. "I already have everything planned, and this time it won’t be a boat ride!"

Suddenly, one of Sexton’s instructors clapped his hands to gain everyone’s attention. The person announced,

"All students are to gather in the main hall after breakfast and take your seats. The human selection will begin, with the auction set to follow the day after tomorrow."

Though the selection was only for humans, the Elites and Halflings would be present as well, watching and deciding which of the groundlings was worth bidding on.

Soon the dining hall began to thin, and Ruelle also began to head in the direction when she heard a human woman scream in the corridor while being dragged towards the hall by guards.

"I told you, I was only out on a walk! Let me go!"

with the commotion?" Footsteps sounded from the corner of the corridor, and

"This one was

going to return," the woman clarified quickly, her

her for a moment. He then said, "Keep her aside from the lot. She goes

the groundlings standing at the front while

You may take your seats

drawn, the haematology instructor joined next to the box, holding several needles. With every person who stepped forward, he caught their hands, pricking the skin and have a bead of blood well up before dropping the blood into the colourless

did not remain colourless for long as it shifted to

within the glass which was the lowest blood quality. Some other needles turned into

Reynolds," the instructor called. "Where

whisper something to the instructor. The man listened, then gave

instructor said. "Regardless of prior interest, the bid stands. Whatever is

I understand that," Hermes bowed before

called, Ruelle remained at the back, the nervousness settling deeper in her chest. She felt a light nudge along with a hand that

say when you’re stressed,

took it and placed it in

a sweet tooth," Dane said with a wink, leaning back against the wall. "Though this one is a little sour. Do you

hearing Hailey’s name called. Her friend stepped forward, pulling a chit from the box, and opened it. "Fourteen. Batch one..."

everything alright yesterday?" Dane asked only for her to hear, glancing at her before he looked ahead again. "You left

face brightened at Dane’s words, and she replied, "Yes—I

and had stayed talking, only to realise she was going to drag him into this

was the second to last when her name was

"Ruelle Belmont."

stopped before the box. She picked one and

without looking at the needle to feel it prick, and a drop of blood

first haematology class

turned. The front rows were already filled and she stepped forward, scanning

other beside Edward. No one dared to sit beside Lucian, save for his cousin. As for the other seat, she could only imagine Edward had driven others away as if they were

of them and instead, she took the nearest seat

do well to present yourselves properly if you wish to be chosen with any regard. Elites

seated as the instructor went on, his voice fading into the background. A prickle crept over her

something under his breath about the lecture but she did not

rows behind her, her profile visible from where she was seated at an angle. Her gaze remained fixed on the instructor. She hadn’t moved her head even once. Not even by accident

her with a slight tilt

shift

against the wood beside him. There was a pause

rested on the humans at the front a moment longer. "All the best for the auction. Do conduct yourselves accordingly. King Septimus will be attending

passing quickly

glanced at one another, a quiet sort of hope taking root at

to disperse, one of the instructors paused near Dane, catching sight of the toffee in his mouth. The person asked,

He remarked, "Afraid not," before slipping his hands into his pockets and his gaze followed when

outside, making snowmen—despite Edward having dismissed it earlier as something too simple to waste time on. Their boots pressed softly into