Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 150: The King’s Word

[Music Recommendation: It’s a Girl - Johannes Lehniger]

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Ruelle felt her hands grow cold, which spread through her body, until even her breath turned short. This couldn’t be happening, she thought to herself. It didn’t feel real, and yet when her gaze dropped, it was there, the dark stain of blood smeared on the ground. Her stomach turned from worry.

For a moment the room seemed to tilt, the walls too far and yet too close at once and she could not tell if it was the metallic smell of blood or the silence that pressed harder against her chest.

She needed to say something, anything before her fate would be sealed.

"My king, I do not wish to be the prince’s mistress. I had already conveyed this to him, and he accepted it," Ruelle said, forcing the words out before they could falter.

King Septimus did not respond immediately though his gaze remained on her. Then, slowly, his head tilted as he asked,

"Are you unaware that a king’s word is final or do you simply believe it does not apply to you?"

Ruelle stepped aside, moving away from where the blood had trailed before she lowered herself to her knees. She immediately bent forward, her forehead touching the ground.

"I did not mean to offend you. I only beg that you reconsider... please," she pleaded, the words coming quicker than she intended. Her fingers pressed against the cold stone floor. "There are others who would accept it willingly. Many who would want what you are offering."

When King Septimus chuckled, Ruelle lifted her head without meaning to. The sound did not ease anything. She heard him say,

"Edward has never taken an interest in any person. Nor has he ever asked anything of me. So no, others are of no concern. You should consider yourself fortunate. You will suit him."

"But I do not wish for this," Ruelle replied, the words tightening as they left her and she noticed him narrow his eyes. "Would it not be better... for the prince to have someone who returns the same interest as his?"

But King Septimus clicked his tongue as if in distaste. He stated,

"You speak too freely for someone who was not meant to leave this room alive. Putting the prince in harm’s way. Do not mistake circumstance for permission and do not forget your position, woman," his words were sharp. He then said, "Sexton appears to have grown careless in what it teaches its humans about how easily a life may be lost. Almost makes it seem you were raised sheltered."

The king then called without raising his voice, "Hermes. You have failed in your duty. Edward does as he pleases, and you allow it. And now the human mistakes me for him. She believes she may refuse my orders. You should correct it, yes?"

The attendant replied curtly without looking up, "Yes, my king."

"Remove your shoe and sock," King Septimus ordered, his deep voice filling the room.

Ruelle stared at the king at his odd order. Remove it? For a moment, it didn’t make sense. Her thoughts stalled before she felt a similar dread she had felt in the pit of her stomach.

Hermes did not hesitate. He removed his left shoe, then the sock, his movements quick as he revealed the pale foot. For a moment nothing happened, but the next second King Septimus didn’t even lean forward, but his hand shifted as it elongated and morphed into sharpened metal. The motion was swift and with one clean strike, the attendant’s big toe was severed.

Her eyes widened in horror, blood draining from her face as she noticed another toe sliced out with blood spilling.

Hermes didn’t make a noise or move as if it would warrant something far worse.

"...stop!" Ruelle said, her voice unsteady. "Please... he’s done nothing—don’t hurt him!"

But the king did not stop. The third toe was severed as cleanly as the first two as though her voice had not reached him at all. Hermes’s body trembled despite his effort to remain still, his breath breaking under control he could barely keep.

"Edward has never been one to remain within the castle. Especially after his mother’s death," King Septimus said, his voice unchanged and calm. He paused before continuing, "But this will please him. I do not wish to see him displeased and I would hate for another rift to appear between us."

gaze returned to fall on

breath trembled, unable to steady itself. Her hands would not stop shaking, the feeling in her chest tightening

It had only been... what it always was. Conversation. Passing time like with the others. Nothing

join your friends," King Septimus said. "I trust our conversation

room, his footsteps echoing down the corridor, while

weighed nothing, gathering the heads that had rolled.

he wrapped his kerchief around what remained of his foot, his movements tight yet

am sorry..." Ruelle whispered with guilt soaking her mind. Her gaze dropped to his foot, where the handkerchief darkened.

Hermes said, managing a faint smile

Given it was wrong for the debt collectors to chase after her, the main fault lay in her

voice quivering. "I told him I didn’t

pursed, half in pain and half from

displeased with His Highness..." He paused for a second and added, "I have known the prince since he was seven and he has never asked the king for anything after his mother’s death.

herself to her feet when one of the servants moved closer to clean where she had been sitting. Her

she

Miss Ruelle to the powder room," Hermes ordered

nothing away as he

was about to step out, when Hermes’ voice reached

"Miss Ruelle—"

"I understand it is not what you

later it struck her that Hermes had witnessed

without warning. The king’s ability she had never heard about, the blood spraying and spilling, the sound she could not unhear. The king’s voice followed it,’You

narrowed in a way that made it harder to breathe, the walls pressing

basin while the doors gently closed behind her. Soon, her trembling hands found

uneven as she held on to the cold basin like it

Turning the faucet, the sound of water filled the silence as she splashed it over her face again and again as if she

from her chin, soaking into the front of her clothes. When she reached for her handkerchief in her pocket, her fingers

to it without thinking, loosening it just enough to check. It was still there—the bracelet

else moved in the bag with a soft clink. Ruelle reached in, her fingers closing around it before she drew it out, the black onyx pendant that was cold

end

Ruelle’s eyes closed as she gripped the pendant with water still dripping from the line of her jaw. But

pushing the chain back into the cloth bag before slipping it

king, the way he called

wanted to speak about the debt collectors... about punishing them," Ruelle said, her voice heavier than it should have been. "Edward was stabbed after

she turned, Hailey’s brows pulled together at once. She asked, "Ruelle... are you alright? You don’t look

smile. Her hand tightened around the edge of the basin as

for a brief moment, the thought passed on how it would have been better if they had never grown close at all...

replied, "King Septimus

guessing it wasn’t a nice thing to see," Hailey frowned before patting Ruelle’s back. "Your body feels ice-cold

ate at the fair didn’t agree with me. I threw up," Ruelle explained,

voice as if someone might overhear. "It wasn’t your fault. Things

were led to the gardens by Edward, just as he had promised to show the beauty of

Edward to send her a

flower left. What should have been filled with colour was gone, buried beneath the weight of

her gaze resting on the garden without truly seeing it.