Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 199: Why Peyton?

Ruelle’s fingers slowly curled beneath the table. Even though the fire burned on the side in the fireplace, she felt an icy chill crawl through her. How did he find out?

She forced herself to keep looking at Elder Minister Carnifex, afraid that even the smallest flicker in her expression might tell him he had struck the truth. She had been careful and there was no way Peyton had known.

"There’s no need to be hostile," Elder Minister Carnifex remarked, and his eyes shifted to look at Lucian sitting beside her. The black tendrils of smoke had quietly spilled across the polished floor, spreading outward until they swallowed the ground beneath them. "If I truly intended to make an issue of her being a witch, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Would we, Lucian?"

But the black tendrils didn’t retreat.

Ruelle’s fingers tightened in her lap before she found herself asking, "Does that mean... you’ll still allow the treaty to continue?"

The man drew in a slow breath before answering, "Yes."

At that, Ruelle’s face brightened with a smile and relief. She bowed, "Thank you. Thank you for it." She hadn’t expected kindness from the Elder Minister, least of all towards a witch, Ruelle’s smile only widened.

The black tendrils creeping across the floor remained exactly where they were, as though Lucian had yet to decide whether the answer was enough.

She heard Lucian remark, "The treaty has already failed once. A second failed treaty would destroy any chance of him pushing one in the future. The Council wouldn’t be completely in support."

It wasn’t like she had underestimated Carnifex. If anything, the more time she spent near him, she saw how he didn’t reveal anything while always wearing that frown on his face. Curious, she asked the Elder Minister,

"How did you know?"

Elder Minister Carnifex’s lips pressed together for a brief moment before he lifted his own hand and tapped the back of it. He said,

"You had a scar here when you left Minister Sylvan’s chamber earlier. When you returned, it was gone."

Ruelle’s eyes instinctively dropped to her hand and though the scar wasn’t there, she couldn’t help but hide it under the desk.

The firelight caught the wrinkles around Carnifex’s eyes as he continued, "You will have to be careful from here on. Especially after your father’s death has already been attributed to witchcraft. Once people learn there is a witch connected to the Belmont family... it isn’t just the treaty that will fall apart."

Though Ruelle was aware of the danger that came from the kind she belonged to, it hadn’t crossed her mind that her father’s death could be connected to her.

Lucian leaned back in his chair, one arm resting against it and his fingers tapped against the armrest before he stated,

"There was something wrong with Harold Belmont. He refused to let the physician examine him last night, as though he feared something would be uncovered."

"Harold Belmont isn’t a witch," Carnifex clarified.

"Right," Lucian agreed, before continuing, "But why would he be worried and run out of the house? There was no forced break in. He should have stayed dead the first time, but he came back and was fine. Isn’t it odd that—"

"...what?" Carnifex blinked as if he had heard wrong the first time, while Ruelle shifted in her seat, not expecting Lucian to drop the news like this with such a composed expression. For the first time since entering the room, the older vampire sounded genuinely caught off guard.

"What do you mean he should have stayed dead?" The Elder Minsiter’s eyes narrowed while they stayed on Lucian.

"It was only the first time. The second time was by a witch," Lucian clarified, looking at Carnifex with a straight expression.

The chamber fell silent and Carnifex pinched the bridge of his nose while the nerve on his forehead popped. The crackling from the fireplace suddenly seemed far louder than before.

Ruelle watched the Elder Minister close his eyes for the briefest moment and he then spoke,

"Peyton..." He seemed to be lost for words before he said, "Get the medicine and some refreshments."

"Yes, Sire," Peyton offered a quiet bow. The doors closed softly behind her once she left, leaving the room quiet.

Carnifex looked into the fire for several moments before speaking again with a hardened voice,

"Lucian Slater. You violated the one condition that mattered," his gaze angry. "You killed a member of the bride’s family. And sharing this, you expect me to conceal it?"

much as flinch. "Would you rather have buried the bride? Or her

beyond the window as if deep in thought, before his eyes moved to Lucian and he asked, "Did you not kill him right the first time?

didn’t seem to remember about it. The treatment towards Ruelle had changed a lot too," Lucian explained with a grim expression. "Dane said when he went to check the

after much thought, he said, "I will put the case under Gaile so that you can take over it.

remarked, "It seems life has demanded rather a lot

as if he were validating her hardship and she didn’t expect the man to do it. She lowered her eyes

has been kinder recently," she answered. "I am grateful you chose my

gratitude. He instead said, "Your father was a

Ruelle agreed. She then said, "I think she will eventually find

then shifted from Lucian to Ruelle before he corrected, "I wasn’t referring to your

Ruelle simply stared at the old vampire, trying to understand if she had heard him correctly.

"Yes."

simple admission sent

someone other than her dead father who knew about it. If the minister knew her mother, then did he doubt that she was a

carried water and some other refreshments, which were placed in front of them. She then handed a medicine to the vampire, who took it without

"Please help yourselves."

to pick up the glass when her line was cut, with Lucian picking it up

are sitting down and talking

Belmont was a dormant witch and she didn’t need

for Ruelle to associate her mother with. Did her mother

him, "How did you

Minister Carnifex reached for one of the biscuits on the plate before taking an unhurried bite. His eyes briefly shifted to Lucian, almost

when I was caught by a hex." The minister’s thumb absently traced the edge of the teacup as he said, "Had she not found me, I wouldn’t

that why he had chosen to overlook her being a witch? Because he owed her mother a life?

debt remained between them... she found herself

else do you know about her?" The question slipped out before Ruelle could stop herself, and she leaned forward without realising it. A moment later, she caught herself and quietly apologised. "I’m sorry. My father... he never liked speaking about my mother." Except to remind her that she had taken the woman’s life

though he wasn’t looking at Ruelle anymore but someone she reminded

and very graceful. You resemble

her mother had been Harold and he had always spoken it with resentment. But the minister didn’t say it in anger. But she wanted to know more and the

another question, three measured knocks echoed through the chamber. And the door opened. As the footsteps came to stand behind them, Ruelle couldn’t

was Minister Griswold, who stared right back at her with

enter my chambers to be part of the furniture,

needed your seal," Minister Griswold answered, handing the parchments

reached for her hand, his thumb brushing lightly over the inside of her wrist, as though

"Does it hurt?"

wrist. "Not anymore..." while she felt Griswold’s eyes on her again. But even

you wanted to say?" Carnifex asked with his usual grim expression towards Griswold, who shook his head. "No? Then go." The man reluctantly bowed before leaving

who valued rules above people and expected everyone else to do the same. Looking back, perhaps she had only ever seen him as the Elder Minister,

the closed door. Ruelle flinched, her eyes darting towards it just as Peyton hurried across the room. It seemed like a lot of people came looking for Carnifex in a short

before forcing the

"Speak."

Mr. Henley unattended for only a moment," the guard reported. "When he returned... Mr. Henley was gone. There are drops of blood on the floor. Officer Wimbley believes someone may have taken Mr. Henley, much like what happened to Mr. Belmont," he guard

Minister Carnifex closed his eyes for the briefest second, the lines around them deepening. It was the

else could, he ordered, "Every entrance is watched through the tower. Check

immediately lowered his head.

it was true

sat rigidly inside a hired carriage, his handkerchief pressed tightly beneath his nose. Every few moments, he pulled it away,

stop and the smell of iron clung

well. The courthouse has a physician if you’d like

folded the stained handkerchief before the man could see

body, he had expected everything to return to normal. Harold’s body had begun rejecting

His jaw tightened.

a stop and before the coachman could offer a hand, Ezekiel stepped down and made his way towards the crooked cottage. Outside, the crows perched along the roof let out harsh cries that grated against his already