Chapter 57: 57: Blood Before Fire (4)
A banker’s clerk, who had been writing down names earlier, slowly closed his notebook. His face was white. He had written Lucard Vardros’s name over and over in panic, then stared at it as if the ink might crawl away. In his heart, he understood one simple thing. This name was no longer a fallen family’s leftover. This name had become dangerous.
The Marovain workers near the entrance looked at each other with fear. Some had mocked the Vardros family in their minds only minutes ago. Some had thought Lucard was lucky to get Marovain protection. Now none of them thought that. Luck did not stand covered in blood after killing a Rank Four mage. Luck did manage to make a Velkhur die with fear in his eyes.
The two Marovain guards, Orven and Malik, also understood that their duty had changed. Earlier, they had been sent to protect Lucard. Now they were not sure whether they were protecting him or protecting everyone else from what would happen around him.
The whole square had the same thought without saying it aloud.
Lucard Vardros had killed Dorian Velkhur. And nothing in Gravehold would stay quiet after that.
Adrian screamed in fear, "Run."
His voice cracked with fear.
The guards around him were frozen, so Adrian shouted louder.
"Run. Are you all mad? Run."
Then he turned and ran before his own guards could react.
The blood spell inside him was still active, but fear made him forget everything. He stumbled once, almost fell, then kept running with both hands near his chest as if Lucard might pull out his heart from a distance too.
The Ravencroft guards followed him immediately. Their duty was to protect Adrian, not avenge Dorian. The Velkhur guards looked at Dorian’s corpse, then at Lucard, then at Celia, then at each other. One of them started backing away. Another tried to say something, but his voice failed.
Tina screamed.
It was a high, sharp sound that hurt the ears.
Then her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot. One of the guards barely caught her before she hit the ground. Even in fainting, her swollen cheeks made her look like someone had lost a fight with both hands and dignity.
Jenny stared at Dorian’s body.
Then her face turned white.
She turned to the side and vomited.
She had seen death in the last few days. She had seen corpses. She had seen blood. But this was different. She had just watched a Velkhur die by the hand of Lucard Vardros. Not in a duel. Not with a clean sword strike. Lucard had pierced his chest, pulled out his heart, and turned it into dust. It was brutal. It was impossible. It was something that would shake noble houses.
Jenny could not hold herself.
Jake hid behind Peter.
His small hands gripped Peter’s coat tightly. His eyes were wide and wet. He could not understand what he had seen. A part of him wanted to believe Lucard was still his brave big brother. Another part saw the blood, the heart, and the dead body, and felt fear. He did not run from Lucard, but he hid from the sight.
Peter stood still, his hand on his sword.
He had seen battle. He had killed men. But even he felt cold. He knew the meaning of what happened. A member of House Velkhur had died. In front of the Marovain shop. While Celia Marovain stood there. This was not a small fight anymore. This could bring thunder over everyone’s heads.
Celia, however, did not move.
Blood was still on her face and chest.
At first, she was shocked. She should have been angry. She should have been furious. She should have immediately thought about the political disaster that Lucard had created. But for one strange moment, her mind did not go there.
She looked at Lucard.
He stood in the middle of the broken street, covered in blood, wounded but unbent. His black clothes were burned and torn. His face was pale, but his eyes were calm. He had just killed a Rank Four Velkhur mage while injured. He had done it without hesitation. Without fear. Without asking permission from fate, law, or noble families.
To Celia, who had grown up around merchants, cautious nobles, careful deals, and people always calculating profit before breathing, Lucard looked like something completely different.
Dangerous.
Mad.
Beautiful in the way a sword was beautiful after cutting through armor.
Her heart beat faster.
A strange heat rose inside her, completely different from Dorian’s fire. It was not fear. Or maybe it had fear inside it, but it was mixed with excitement. Her cheeks flushed under the blood. Her chest felt tight. Her thoughts became messy for a few seconds.
Lucard looked like a prince from a forbidden battlefield drama, the kind of man who would walk into a room full of enemies and make the chandelier tremble from pure attitude.
Celia felt something bloom inside her.
Flowers in her mind.
Birds singing.
Which was very stupid because there was a dead Velkhur on the ground, merchants hiding under tables, and blood on her dress.
Then realization returned like a slap.
Lucard had killed Dorian Velkhur.
In front of her.
In front of House Marovain’s shop.
This would come back to House Marovain.
Celia’s face changed. "Lucard Vardros, do you understand what you have done?"
Lucard walked toward her.
Celia continued, her voice rising slightly. "You killed a Velkhur in front of our shop. Do you know what kind of trouble this will create? Do you know what my uncle will have to deal with now? You just made House Marovain part of your mess."
Lucard reached her.
His right hand was still bloody.
Before she could say more, he lifted that bloody hand and pressed it over her mouth.
Celia froze.
Lucard leaned closer and said, "Shhh."
His voice was calm, almost gentle, which somehow made it worse.
"I am going to the inn. Clean up here."
Celia’s eyes widened.
His hand was warm from blood. His fingers pressed lightly against her lips. The smell of blood, fire, and smoke surrounded them. He was far too close. Her heartbeat, which had almost returned to normal, went completely out of control again.
The world slowed.
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