Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 143: Box That Passed Through Daughters

Ruelle lay on the bed with her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The wooden box had been opened many times before, yet never once had she imagined she had been holding something more valuable than a gem.

"Lucian... are you awake?" Ruelle asked softly.

There was silence except for the winter’s wind howling through the night beyond the walls and windows.

"No."

A small, unconscious smile tugged at her lips at his response from the other side of the bed. She turned to her side and asked, "Where did you learn about the other belladonna ingredients? Mr. Savnitique only spoke about extracts from rare plants. The books never mentioned the rest."

"From the witches in the deep woods," Lucian replied.

She asked, "But aren’t they notorious for hoodwinking people? Wait—you mean that’s how the books got it wrong?"

"Witches don’t speak for free," Lucian said. "They speak when the offer interests them."

"What did you offer?" she asked curiously. Humans? Land? Jewels? She doubted any of it would interest witches.

"My time," Lucian stated.

She frowned slightly and repeated, "Your time?"

"I worked for her. For a month," came Lucian’s unbothered words. "She was an old witch who made me work in the swamps. Digging for bones and dissecting dead animals, running errands for her. In return, I learned everything there was to know about forbidden potions. The only flaw was her trying to kill me when she thought I wasn’t looking so that she could use a vampire’s body."

Ruelle’s eyes widened and she sat upright. "Your family didn’t mind?" A lord’s son working as a witch’s helper would have caused chaos. She couldn’t even imagine him doing that. "How old were you?" she asked.

"Thirteen," Lucian answered. There was a small pause before he added, "I told them I was spending a month at a relative’s place. Said I needed time. Dane was in his third year then."

"And no one found out?" Ruelle asked him with interest.

"My father did," Lucian replied before continuing to speak, "A couple of days after I returned home. My aunt sent a letter saying it was a pity I hadn’t been able to visit." He let out a small exhale.

It was hard to imagine Lucian as a troublesome boy. She wondered what else he had done that no one spoke about. After a moment, she murmured softly,

"I wonder how it would have been if we had met when we were little."

Lucian stared at her in the darkness for a long moment before questioning, "Why?"

When he had first realised who she was, he had been quietly annoyed by how easily she had forgotten him. If he told her now, she might feel indebted to the past, and Lucian had no interest in affection that came from debt. He would rather she walk toward him of her own will.

"I just thought it would have been interesting," she said before pursing her lips. But then again she doubted he would want to do anything with her at all. He would have probably killed her, she thought dryly.

After a moment, she spoke again, her voice softer this time as she changed the subject, "Did something happen this evening? For the minister to come all the way here to see you?"

was about June Clifford’s case," Lucian said. "We

turning toward him in the dark. "Does that mean the murderer will be caught soon?" she asked, a note of relief in her voice whilst

caught, then at least they will be forced to make

blanket to her chin as her thoughts returned to

me

"No."

fast, she thought to herself. Blinking at the

you know why the potions of Belladonna are famous?" Lucian asked

her nose and answered in doubt, "Because

even a thought from anyone in the room can change what answers. If I were to

was a small pause before he added, his

is touched with corruption. People have tried before. Some meant with corrupted heart tried to call angels and summoned something else entirely. If it were my potion, I would not care what

a moment silence filled the room before Ruelle asked, "The witch who taught you... did you not ask her how

one of them," Lucian explained in a matter-of-fact tone,

his help. The books only

head to look out the window, where snow

similar names. Ruelle and Mirabelle." After a pause, she added, "There’s

you the name. Belladonna must have passed the box to her daughter, and

telling me I am a witch." And when she was

attempt the summoning, we will know." He noticed the surprise on her

of a

were found. Everyone knew that. So how could she possibly be one?

classmates stood before the maze, their breath visible in the frozen air. The ground was hard with frost beneath their boots, and the

on the ground," Hailey said, as if the weather itself should have been explanation

had hoped for the class to be cancelled and stay inside. But Mr. Jinxy has decided to freeze them

Mr. Jinxy said, rolling his eyes. "There is a bucket of sticks beside me, dipped in red

in a polite tone, "Your Highness, if you would

huffed at the obvious truth. He was born hunter. Then, as

the prince look less like royalty and more like a boy, and Ruelle couldn’t

her. For some reason, it made her feel as if she had been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to, and her cheeks

been watching Ruelle, and he noticed when her attention shifted. He followed her gaze across

turned back her attention to the bucket and caught her

you are on the hunters team with his Highness, Mrs. Henley," Mr. Jinxy noted. "Stand here," he

first. Hailey ended up with a

sticks, as if trying to choose carefully. Then another hand slipped into the bucket

long. Want me to

hand as his fingers

walked away toward where

looked down at the stick in her hand, she realised it was the same colour

to look around him. "No one

that!" Mr. Jinxy protested and went to