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!"

the corner of the corridor, and

bowed. "This one was attempting to escape. We caught

to return," the woman

Oak stood over her, studying her for a moment. He then

hall. She noticed the groundlings standing at the front

return it once your name is called. You may take your seats after handing 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

liquid did not remain colourless for long as it

needles turned into a pale pink, which was good quality. And then, there came the blue

the instructor called. "Where

stepped forward and leaned in to whisper something to the instructor. The man listened, then gave a

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

understand that," Hermes bowed

the males were called, Ruelle remained at the back, the nervousness settling deeper in her chest. She felt a light nudge along with a hand that appeared in front of her holding

when you’re stressed, you

placed it in her mouth.

wink, leaning back against the wall.

Her friend stepped forward, pulling a chit from

her before he looked ahead again. "You left as though something slipped your mind,"

and she replied, "Yes—I

talking, only to realise she was going to drag him into this entanglement he

to last when her name

"Ruelle Belmont."

and stopped before the box. She picked one and

it prick, and a drop of blood

from the very first haematology class about it. But to think the quality hadn’t

front rows were already

empty seats. One beside Lucian and the 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

either of them and instead, she took the nearest

details," the instructor began to explain at the front. "You would do well to present yourselves properly if you wish to be chosen with any regard. Elites and Halflings, you are not to subject

over her skin, steady and persistent, as though she could

something under his breath about the lecture but she

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 and the only movement was

a

shift in her breath. She had not

wood beside him.

the humans at the front a moment longer. "All the best for the auction. Do conduct

murmur broke out in the room, whispers passing quickly between them, "Has King Septimus attended

is here..." Some of the groundlings glanced at one another, a quiet sort of hope taking root at the thought

instructors paused near Dane, catching sight of the toffee in his mouth. The person asked, "Do

crinkling slightly. He remarked, "Afraid not," before slipping his hands into

Ruelle and her friends were outside, making snowmen—despite Edward having dismissed it earlier as something too simple to waste time on. Their boots pressed softly into the snow as