Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 144: An Ill Omen

On Saturday morning, the corridors and halls of Sexton had fallen quiet, emptied of the usual sound of footsteps and voices as most of the students departed in carriages at first light in the morning. By ten o’clock, the courtyard too stood nearly abandoned, with only faint tracks of the carriages’ wheels pressed into the thin layer of frost.

In one of the corridors, before one of the rooms, Ezekiel turned the doorknob and upon pushing it, he found Caroline sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands clenched tightly in her lap, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

The moment she saw him, she rose to her feet and cried, "I don’t want to be sold to the minister!" Her voice broke as fresh tears gathered in her eyes. "Please, Eze. Do something—anything, please."

Her fingers twisted into the fabric of her dress. She did not understand why such a harsh fate had fallen upon her. She was a married woman, and now she was to be sent to another man’s bed? She whispered, "I will kill myself!"

Ezekiel crossed the room and stopped in front of her. He brushed the tears from her cheeks and said in a low voice, "It won’t happen. You must calm yourself now."

"It won’t?" Caroline asked, her eyes glistening. "Are you going to sell the estate to settle this?"

"Yes," Ezekiel replied, and Caroline broke into sobs once more. He pulled her into his arms and held her there. "You are my wife. I would never allow such a thing to happen to you. It is my duty."

Caroline hiccuped, "I was so sc—scared...."

"I know," Ezekiel said, patting her head. "I have everything in order. Would you like to step out of Sexton today?"

"To visit my parents?" Caroline asked, unaware of the way Ezekiel’s expression soured at the mention of them.

"No, not your parents," Ezekiel replied, and Caroline pulled back slightly to look at him. "It has been a long time since we have spent any time together, just the two of us. I heard there is a fair in one of the nearby towns."

"A fair?" Caroline asked, her eyes brightening a little. "Alright. Just you and me," she repeated, comforted by the attention he was giving her and by the thought that things might return to the way they once were.

Ezekiel gave her a warm smile and said, "Why don’t you go and wash your face and change into something more presentable? I will fetch my coat as well."

Caroline nodded before turning away.

Ezekiel then stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. The smile on his face faded. When he came across one of the servants in the corridor, he handed the man a letter along with a small pouch of money.

"See that this is delivered to Brackenwell," he ordered the servant.

Ezekiel had grown impatient with the delay in putting Caroline behind bars, and so he had decided to resolve the matter himself. This was better, he thought. Ruelle would come to mourn her sister, and she would see the pitiful state he, the widower, was in.

Far from Caroline’s room, in the quarters reserved for the pureblooded Elites, Ruelle stirred faintly at the soft rustle of movement within the room. Her eyes opened to the dim grey light of early morning and she caught Lucian sitting at the edge of the bed.

forward slightly as he tied the laces

slightly over his forehead, and the pale morning light traced the sharp line of his cheek and jaw, leaving the rest of his

the last few days, Ruelle had found that simply looking at him was enough to send a strange tingling sensation through

as he finished tying the

returning home...?" Ruelle asked watching him

Work." He slipped it over his shoulders before adding, "I have

"I see..." she murmured.

step right next to the bed where she was and then lower himself slightly, placing one hand on the

to the

gave a small nod. "At eleven," she whispered. "Kevin said that would give the vendors enough time to set up

a frown, "I assume

it on purpose or go looking for it," Ruelle said with a laugh. "And this time Edward will be

Lucian placed his finger lightly against her lips, stopping the rest of the sentence before it could leave her mouth. The touch was gentle but it was enough to send a small shiver through her

murmured, his gaze lowering briefly

a brief moment, Ruelle lost focus, her thoughts slipping away from her, caught somewhere between the feel of his finger against

nothing unusual had just happened, "I’ve left some money on the table. If you find something you like at the

necessary," Ruelle said, looking up and finding him already watching her. "I still have the coin

spent on your friend," he reminded her, and she smiled awkwardly. "Take it with you. If you don’t

his gaze steady on hers as he asked, "Can

to spend it. She swallowed before answering,

"Good girl."

straightened and stepped away from the bed. He walked to the door and turned the handle, but before leaving, he

into the pillow. She murmured into the fabric, "He’s going

Ruelle was ready, she left the room and met her friends on the ground floor. She noticed how the ground was slightly slippery due to the frozen ground. Together, they carefully made their way toward the courtyard, only to pause when they noticed a lost figure standing near

clothes and wore a rough hat pulled low over their face. From behind, the

that person out," Hailey murmured, watching as the figure turned their head left and right in a very unconvincing

Kevin suggested with his

all three humans’ mouths fell open. Because it was Edward. He was

genius or what?" Edward asked, tipping his hat and

were in a state of quiet

to dress like a peasant? This way,

deep frown and he spoke carefully, "I don’t mean to be rude, Your Highness, but

offended sound. "My

let Hermes carry