Chapter 47: 47: The Fire Cousin (3)
Ravencroft chose his words carefully. "Young Lord Dorian, House Marovain owns that shop. If we attack inside, it will be seen as disrespect toward them. Even House Velkhur may not want unnecessary conflict with Marovain over a fallen baron bastard."
Dorian’s eyes narrowed.
"Are you telling me to fear House Marovain?"
Ravencroft lowered his head slightly. "I am only saying we must be careful."
Tina stepped beside Dorian and grabbed his arm.
"Cousin, please. If we let him walk away, everyone will laugh at me. They will say Tina Karswell was slapped by a mudblood and did nothing. They will say Velkhur’s blood is weak."
Dorian’s expression became colder.
"Nobody will say Velkhur’s blood is weak."
Adrian coughed lightly, then said, "Young Lord Dorian, Lucard will leave the shop eventually. If we wait outside, we can kill him the moment he steps out. That will not be inside Marovain property."
Dorian smiled.
"Now that is a better idea."
Ravencroft looked at Adrian with concern. "You cannot go in your condition."
Adrian’s face became stubborn. "I will go. I want to see him die."
Tina nodded. "I am going too."
Ravencroft did not like this.
If something went wrong, Adrian could be in danger again. Also, if Lucard died before removing the spell, then Adrian might die too. That was the most important problem.
He said, "We still need him to remove the spell from Adrian."
Dorian waved his hand. "Capture him first, then force him to remove it. If he refuses, I will burn his fingers one by one. People speak very clearly when fire starts from their nails."
Tina smiled through her swollen face.
Adrian also looked pleased.
Ravencroft thought for a moment. Dorian was strong. Rank Four fire mage. If he acted, Lucard would not be able to fight back easily. Ravencroft did not know what Lucard’s strange power was, but he knew Lucard was still physically young and had weak mana. Tricks might work against him or Adrian, but against a prepared Rank Four mage from House Velkhur, it should be enough.
Still, Ravencroft decided not to go personally.
He was the lord of Black Raven Manor. If he appeared near the Marovain shop and something happened, the blame would fall directly on him. He was very weak in front of a duke family. Even though Dorian was only from a side branch of House Velkhur, he still had a stronger backing than Ravencroft. If there was trouble, Dorian could carry more weight than him.
Ravencroft spoke slowly.
"Alright. I will not stop you. But I cannot be present there personally. If I show myself, the blame will be sent to me. House Ravencroft cannot stand in front of Marovain if this turns into a noble dispute."
Dorian looked at him with slight contempt.
"You barons think too much."
Ravencroft lowered his head. "That is because barons die when they do not think."
Dorian laughed.
"At least you are honest."
Ravencroft looked at his guards.
"Take twelve men. Stay near the shop but do not enter. Do not attack until they leave Marovain property. If possible, capture Lucard alive. Adrian must be protected first."
Dorian waved his hand carelessly.
"I will handle the bastard. Your guards can stand there and look useful."
The Ravencroft guards did not react, but some of them lowered their eyes in anger. They could not answer back to a Velkhur.
Tina was already excited.
She imagined Lucard being dragged out, burned, and forced to kneel. She imagined Jenny crying again. She imagined Jake begging. The thought made her feel better even though her cheeks still hurt. In her mind, revenge had already begun.
Adrian was helped into a carriage.
He still looked weak, but his eyes were full of hate. The blood spell inside him had not been removed, and that scared him, but the chance to see Lucard punished made him ignore some of the fear. He told himself that Dorian would handle everything. A Rank Four fire mage from House Velkhur could not lose to a bastard from House Vardros.
Dorian rode at the front on a red horse.
Tina sat in the carriage with Adrian because walking with her swollen face in the streets would be too humiliating. Several Ravencroft guards followed them. Dorian’s own four guards rode beside him. The group left Black Raven Manor and moved toward the merchant square.
From a high window, Baron Ravencroft watched them leave. His expression was dark. He wanted Lucard dead. He wanted the Vardros children crushed.
But he also felt something was wrong.
Lucard had not acted like a normal desperate noble. He had not begged. He had not panicked. He had forced Ravencroft to let him leave with one move. A boy like that might have another trick hidden.
Ravencroft turned to the guard captain beside him.
"Send two hidden men after them. They are not to act unless Adrian is in danger. If Dorian loses control, they must bring Adrian back first."
The guard captain’s eyes widened slightly.
"My lord, do you think Young Lord Dorian may fail?"
Ravencroft was silent for a moment.
"No," he said. "But I have already underestimated Lucard once. I will not do it again."
The guard captain bowed and left.
Ravencroft looked toward the city again.
"Lucard Vardros," he muttered. "Let us see if your tricks can survive fire."
Meanwhile, Dorian and the others reached the merchant square.
The Marovain shop stood ahead, bright and polished under the morning sun. People moved in and out of the first floor. Carriages passed nearby. Merchants bowed slightly when they noticed Dorian’s clothes and the Velkhur mark. Dorian enjoyed those looks. Respect was proper. Fear was better.
He stopped across the street from the Marovain shop.
"We wait here," he said.
One of the Ravencroft guards asked carefully, "Young Lord Dorian, should we not hide?"
Dorian looked at him.
"Why would I hide from a mudblood?"
The guard immediately lowered his head. "Forgive me."
Dorian smiled coldly.
Tina looked through the carriage window at the shop entrance. Her hands clenched in her lap. Adrian sat beside her, breathing unevenly, but his eyes also remained fixed on the entrance.
They waited.
They waited for Lucard, Jenny, Jake, and Peter to come out.
Dorian’s fingers moved slightly, and a small flame danced above his thumb for a moment before disappearing.
"When that bastard comes out," he said, "I will make him understand why low blood should never touch fire."
