Chapter 180: An Unwelcome Return
When Ruelle woke up, she felt her head pound. For several seconds she stared at the ceiling, and when she attempted to sit upright, the room spun enough that she dropped back onto the mattress.
"Don’t tell me I caught a cold," she groaned.
Last night she had spent a little too long outside without a coat or scarf. But it hadn’t mattered then, as she had loved every second of it with Lucian. With Peyton’s delayed return, they had been left alone longer than expected.
The potion Dane had made her sniff hadn’t brought back only pleasant memories. Some she would have gladly left buried. Yet she had let them pass, choosing instead to linger on the ones tied to this mansion.
To someone who didn’t know Lucian, he appeared cold and untouchable, a man who seemed impossible to move. Yet knowing who he truly was, Ruelle found herself feeling fortunate. And the portrait hanging on the wall didn’t do justice to the memories she had seen.
"...so cute," she murmured at the memory of a young Lucian.
"What are you calling cute?"
Before Ruelle could properly open her eyes, she felt a cold hand settle against the side of her neck and a soft sigh escaped her lips. As her vision cleared, she found Lucian watching her, and she smiled.
"Would you like me to summon a physician?" Maude inquired with an almost blank expression.
Lucian’s fingers remained against Ruelle’s pulse. He responded, "It should subside with rest," his gaze didn’t leave her. "Bring the pill box. And something warm for her to eat."
"Would you like me to bring your meal here too?"
"Yes."
Maude bowed before stepping out of the room, leaving them alone.
Ruelle’s gaze drifted behind him and she noticed the minister’s assistant was missing. Peyton still hadn’t returned. She hoped the vampiress wasn’t currently buried beneath an avalanche of snow somewhere.
"How are you feeling?" Lucian asked.
"Not that bad. I’ve felt worse." A laugh escaped Ruelle’s lips while the answer only deepened the slight frown between his brows. Embarrassed, she looked away and asked, "What time is it?"
"Nine minutes past nine."
"Ah..."
It was the hour the family usually gathered in the dining room in the morning for breakfast. He must have noticed her absence and had come to check on her.
When she attempted to sit up once more, Lucian steadied her. One hand settled behind her neck while the other supported her back.
"Thank you," she murmured. Strangely, the pounding in her head felt less severe than before and she blinked.
She was sipping water when hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor outside and she paused. A second later, the door opened and Peyton stepped inside. Snow still clung to parts of the vampiress’s coat. Unlike usual, she hadn’t taken the time to compose herself after travelling. Her expression was tense and her eyes immediately sought out Lucian before they fell on Ruelle.
"We didn’t do anything," Ruelle uttered as if wanting to ease the vampiress’s worry. The woman stared at her before turning to Lucian.
"There was a breach last night at the courthouse’s dungeon," Peyton informed.
It took Ruelle a couple of seconds before she understood what Peyton’s words meant.
Peyton continued to speak, "None of the prisoners stayed behind, including Ms. Belmont’s sister, everyone was let out and the guards were found dead. None of them survived."
"No intruders?" Lucian asked, the look in his eyes turning serious.
"No forced entry. It looks like someone caught the guard with the key before letting everyone out. The blood in the dungeon mostly belongs to the guards. Halflings," Peyton added with a grim expression.
Ruelle wanted to believe Caroline had been swept up in the chaos. Yet knowing her sister, she couldn’t completely dismiss the possibility that Caroline had fled alongside the others.
"The nearby towns and villages have been informed to keep a look out for the men and women who were held in the dungeon," Peyton continued speak, her lips setting in a thin line.
Lucian didn’t look pleased. When his eyes moved to Ruelle, he noticed the worry in her expression. It stood out more than usual against the slight fever colouring her cheeks. His gaze returned to Peyton.
"Is the Elder Minister still at the courthouse?"
Peyton gave a nod. "He intends to keep the matter contained for now. Some of the council members believe the announcement of the treaty may have provoked retaliation."
Silence settled briefly, before Lucian spoke, "Helsing is dead. Now an entire dungeon has been emptied overnight." His gaze sharpened. "Whether the two incidents are connected is irrelevant. People will connect them regardless."
He then turned to Ruelle and said, "I will try to get back soon."
"Wait," Ruelle caught Lucian’s hand before he could leave. She asked, "Can I come along with you?"
Lucian’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment. He took in her flushed cheeks, the slight exhaustion in her eyes and the fact that she was still wrapped beneath the blankets and the warm hand that held his.
"You have a fever, Ruelle."
"I know, but—"
"You can barely sit upright," his voice remained calm and patient.
Ruelle turned redder and she replied, "That was different."
"How?"
Ruelle opened her mouth before realising she had no answer. A faint look of amusement appeared in his eyes. She then said, "It is only a cold."
She saw him bend, placing his palms to rest on the edge of the bed. The softness in his eyes had returned and he questioned, "How wise do you think it is to travel in this state and strain your body?"
"I know but..." she admitted quietly, before adding, "I will sleep in the carriage."
The suggestion earned her a look and it wasn’t an encouraging one. Her smile turned sheepish. "Please?" It was just that she doubted she would be able to rest, not knowing what was going on. She felt as if Caroline were digging her grave deeper than what their parents had dug for them.
For several moments, Lucian simply stared at her. He then said, "Your judgement is questionable right now, Ruelle. Do you know how cold it is outside?"
"It is winter," Ruelle replied, only to see his eyes narrow.
She noticed his finger lightly tap against the edge of the bed as though giving her an opportunity to reconsider her answer.
Then suddenly she felt it. The warmth in the room seemed to disappear and a chill crept across her skin, a shiver running through her. It felt as though every trace of heat had been quietly stolen away.
"Lucian..."
"Feeling cold?" His voice remained infuriatingly calm.
That wasn’t fair at all, Ruelle thought to herself, while he looked at her with softened eyes.
More footsteps were heard in the corridor and soon Ruelle caught sight of Dane and Sawyer.
"I have been summoned to the courthouse because of the breakout," Sawyer informed, with a look of seriousness. "Are you coming along?"
Dane, whose eyes fell on Ruelle, remarked, "One evening alone with each other and Ruelle has turned redder than a tomato." And as he entered the room, his eyes fell on Peyton as if he were already aware of her presence in the room. "Looks like Lucian can’t play the physician, as he has to go to work."
"That’s alright, I will be going with him," Ruelle declared and noticed the corner of Lucian’s mouth twitch once. She quickly added, "You said I could yesterday..."
The rest of them who didn’t know what Lucian said looked mildly curious.
"Ruelle looks like she doesn’t want to part from you. How about I accompany her when you go meet the ministers?" Dane offered and Ruelle nodded eagerly.
"You will not have to worry about me," Ruelle agreed.
Something flickered briefly across Lucian’s eyes before it disappeared. He then said, "You will remain in my chambers at the courthouse and rest."
Ruelle nodded her head right away before a sneeze escaped from her lips and her hair turned messier. Lucian’s lips pursed as if he wanted to say something. She then saw Lucian walk to the side and he pulled the calling rope. Once Maude arrived, he instructed,
"Ruelle will be travelling with us to the courthouse. Help her dress."
"Yes, Master Lucian," the head of the housekeeper bowed, and everyone stepped out of the room.
Once Ruelle was dressed and bundled into a coat, scarf and enough layers to keep her warm, the five people headed towards the courthouse. On their way, she found herself chatting with Dane and Sawyer, while Lucian kept a watch and listened to them.
One would think that she was recovering from the cold already, but Lucian noticed the way she breathed deeper than usual.
Before long, the familiar outline of the courthouse appeared through the carriage window. Guards moved quickly through the snow-covered grounds. Messengers hurried between buildings with stacks of documents in hand, and even from outside, she could sense the tension hanging over the courthouse.
Just as Ruelle stepped down from the carriage, she noticed the courthouse grounds holding more guards than the last time she had visited. Men stood stationed at intervals along the stone pathways, while others moved between entrances.
One of the officers hurried toward their carriage the moment Lucian appeared.
"Mr. Slater," the man bowed deeply.
"What is the update on the situation?" Lucian asked without wasting time on greetings.
As the officer straightened and began his report, another guard approached Peyton from the side. The vampiress listened to whatever was whispered into her ear, her expression revealing nothing.
The officer reported, "The cells weren’t forced open. However, blood was found splattered inside one of the cells. On the inside of the iron bars. The watchmen stationed above reported hearing nothing. They saw no one enter or leave. A few unburnt documents were also recovered from the fireplace."
"Where?" Lucian asked, his gaze shifted briefly toward Peyton, who gave a small nod before departing with the other guard without explanation.
"Minister Carnifex and Minister Sylvan’s belongings." The officer hesitated briefly, yet it was enough for Ruelle to notice. "One of the documents that was burned was the treaty recently released to the public."
Ruelle’s stomach tightened slightly. Perhaps it was coincidence that the treaty ended up with the other documents to be destroyed. Yet the longer she listened, the less it sounded accidental.
If Peyton was right... Then perhaps their wedding would not pass as smoothly as she hoped.
"It doesn’t make a difference." Ruelle blinked and turned to Lucian, his eyes already on hers. The words had clearly been meant for her. "It is a blood contract treaty. Burning parchment won’t change anything."
Only then did Ruelle realise she had been holding her breath and she quietly released it. Of course. A treaty like that was not merely ink on paper. Still, hearing him say it eased a tension she had not realised had settled in her chest.
"I’ll go check how they are doing with the perimeter," Sawyer gave a short nod before heading off without waiting for a response.
Ruelle found herself looking toward the distant courthouse wing that housed the lower levels, like the dungeon. With everything she had heard so far, it felt natural to assume they would be going there next.
Yet Lucian reached into his coat, withdrew a key, and handed it to Dane. He said, "Let her rest. There are blankets in the cupboard."
When Ruelle’s eyes met Lucian’s eyes, she couldn’t haggle more than what he had offered right now. The cold air had grown sharper while they stood outside. The fog escaping her lips appeared thicker now than before.
"Come, Ruelle. You heard him," Dane remarked, placing his hand on her back to guide her. "Let them handle the boring parts."
Lucian had work to do, and she could wait until she felt better, she thought to herself. Giving one final glance toward Lucian, she allowed Dane to guide her away.
But as Ruelle walked, Lucian’s eyes didn’t leave her and he questioned the officer, "Do you have the list of the prisoners who were in the dungeon?"
"Right here, Sire. I added the details of who caught them and who was interrogating them," the officer answered promptly, pulling out parchments from his coat and handing them to Lucian.
Ruelle and Dane had barely taken more than ten steps when someone came rushing toward them.
The courthouse grounds were more crowded than usual. People went in and out of the place, but not easily, as each carriage was checked before it entered and exited.
"Ruelle!" The voice cracked. Startled, Ruelle turned and caught sight of her stepmother. "I am so glad you’re here!"
Mrs. Belmont stumbled the remaining distance between them and for a moment, Ruelle almost failed to recognise the woman. She didn’t know if it was because of the cold she had caught or if it was because this person simply looked exhausted. Her hair was untidy, her eyes swollen from lack of sleep.
"Did you hear about Caroline? Someone must have kidnapped her!" The woman’s hand found Ruelle’s hands. "You look sick. You should be resting instead of here. Are you here because of Caroline?"
Standing a short distance away, Lucian said nothing but watched the way the older woman looked relieved, as Ruelle worrying about them was a good thing. Then Mrs. Belmont looked toward him as hesitation in her expression returned. She then turned back to Ruelle and pleaded,
"Please find her, Ruelle. I beg you. She’s been through so much, I am worried something bad is going to happen to her."
Ruelle didn’t know what to say considering she had no power to find Caroline herself. But she understood that her stepmother was asking for Lucian’s help through her.
"Where are the others?" Ruelle asked her.
"You mean your father?" The woman looked troubled. "I haven’t seen him since two nights ago. I tried asking around but no one knows."
Since two nights? Even though her father liked to gamble until the hour of dawn, he always returned home, thought Ruelle. Was he swept with other debt collectors or did it have something to do with the recent chaos that had ensued?
For all Harold’s faults, Mrs. Belmont believed in her husband. She then said, "And Ezekiel? I haven’t seen him since the same time Harold disappeared."
Ruelle fell silent. She didn’t know a name could make her thoughts turn uneasy.
"Hm, both of them not in contact with you for two days?" Dane asked with a quizzical expression. "Did they run into each other and try to drink their sorrows away?"
Ruelle noticed the way her stepmother’s face twisted into a deep frown before fear seemed to strike her features. She looked extremely worried and she turned to Lucian,
"Please find all of them."
"We will put up your daughter’s sketches through the towns and villages, as there was a breakout, but for your husband and your son-in-law, we need to be sure something happened before we can file the report," Lucian explained to Mrs. Belmont.
"What about speaking to Ezekiel over the murders?!" Mrs. Belmont questioned frantically.
Ruelle blinked. Did her stepmother believe that he had something to do with Caroline too? She asked, "Why are you suspicious of him?"
To her question, Mrs. Belmont turned tight-lipped as if not knowing how to respond to it. The older woman’s lips trembled slightly before she looked away, "It is just a feeling—"
"She believes Ezekiel Henley might take revenge for what she did to him," Lucian’s words were sharp as he interrupted the older woman’s words.
Mrs. Belmont’s eyes widened at the truth.
Lucian added, "For getting Caroline married to him when he explicitly asked your hand in marriage."
Ruelle caught sight of the guilt written across the woman’s face.
"Follow me, Mrs. Belmont," Lucian spoke calmly.
"Yes," Mrs. Belmont replied, but as she began to walk, she glanced back at Ruelle and said, "I will see you later, Ruelle."
Ruelle did not answer. She merely watched them leave.
The information about being denied possible happiness made Ruelle realise it didn’t hurt much knowing about it. Once, perhaps, she would have spent days wondering what might have happened if the choice had been different.
The thought lingered only briefly before Dane guided her toward the courthouse entrance. By the time they reached Lucian’s office, the cold had settled deeply into her bones.
The door was unlocked by Dane before she was ushered inside.
The moment she lowered herself onto the couch, the fatigue she had ignored seemed to descend all at once. Her limbs felt heavy and her head heavier. She closed her eyes for respite.
"Your cold is getting worse."
Ruelle heard Dane’s voice before she felt the thick quilted blanket being draped over her.
The warmth immediately settled around her shoulders.
"Do you regret letting me come here, Brother Dane?" Her voice sounded quieter than she intended.
When she opened her eyes, Dane was looking down at her. A smile appeared on his face before he replied,
"Not one bit. If anything, I think bringing you here was the correct choice." He adjusted the blanket around her. "The security is tighter than usual today. This is probably the safest place in the land."
His smile deepened slightly.
"And Lucian must have reached the same conclusion. Otherwise, he never would have let you come." That much was true. Ruelle could not imagine Lucian agreeing if he genuinely believed things would get worse. He straightened and said, "I’ll start the fireplace."
The room grew quieter after that, quiet enough for her thoughts to return.
At some point, her eyes drifted shut again. Then she felt something cool touch her face. Startled, her eyes immediately opened only to have a damp cloth settle gently over them.
"Brother Dane..."
And she heard him chuckle. "It is better this way. It should help your eyes." The couch dipped slightly as he sat down. "This is what happens when you wander into the cold without a coat."
"That was because of the perfume—" Ruelle corrected herself. "The potion you gave me."
"I thought you would immediately seek out Lucian," Dane laughed out of amusement. "I had no clue you would leave the mansion at the coldest hour of the night."
After a pause, she heard Dane say, "Maxine was surprised this morning on seeing the bare apple tree have lush green leaves which were absent last night."
"Apple tree...?" Ruelle’s mouth turned dry.
"Mhm. It was quite interesting what I saw yesterday but you should be careful, Ruelle," Dane advised, his voice dropping. "Not that anyone from yesterday would care, but the world outside would as humans don’t have abilities. You should be careful with your emotions."
Ruelle’s body froze. Last night, she had noticed nothing but Lucian. She knew Brother Dane wouldn’t reveal it but she would have to learn to control whatever came from her touch.
While she rested inside the room, the courthouse remained in a state of unrest. Lucian was in Minister Sylvan’s room right now to investigate the matter. The ashes from the fireplace was being collected into a bag while being taken out of the room, including the smallest dust that fell on the floor.
"A pity. Have you resorted to cleaning up the fireplace now, Lucian," one of the ministers who worked under Minister Sylvan questioned. "Surely you don’t intend to investigate a pile of ashes?"
"Fortunately, one of us does," Lucian replied, turning away from the fireplace after inspecting it.
A few of the men nearby suddenly found the wall far more interesting while the lower minister’s face turned red. The man huffed lightly and said,
"Mr. Slater, there comes a point when even an investigation must distinguish evidence from soot. Surely our time would be better spent pursuing the escaped prisoners."
"Perhaps some bones. Things you cannot hide, you burn," Lucian’s words were calm, while another trembled. It was simple because a week ago, a body had been burnt by them. "Which is why I’m investigating the man who mistook evidence for soot."
As Lucian stepped out of the council minister’s chambers, only the lower minister followed him out to the corridor.
"Give it to Claude and tell him it’s ash," Lucian ordered one of the officers. Just then the lower minister interrupted.
"You speak as though someone within this courthouse is responsible."
Lucian turned to meet the newly promoted minister’s eyes. For a few seconds, he simply stared at the vampire, making the man feel like a fool before he spoke, "Someone within the courthouse is responsible. The prisoners did not open their own cells, unless you are giving humans the benefit of doubt that they are smarter than our kind."
The lower minister’s eyes narrowed and he remarked, "It would be unfortunate if public sentiment forced the Elder Minister to reconsider the treaty and instead not let it happen to keep peace."
Lucian continued to walk without paying heed to, while his eyes sharpened. His hand slipped into his pocket, his thumb brushing against the cool metal of the compass resting there. He then made his way toward the courthouse infirmary, where the dead guards had been moved there hours ago.
The smell of herbs and blood lingered in the air as attendants worked quietly around the room. The guards’ bodies lay side by side upon the stone floor. With hours that had passed, the blood had already darkened. Lucian crouched beside one of them, studying the wounds on the bodies.
"The wounds are deep," Sawyer remarked as he studied the bodies. "You would need the strength of a vampire to drive a blade that far. There were only two vampire prisoners."
"The human prisoners must have been forced into it," the officer in charge offered.
Sawyer’s head tilted slightly. "That still leaves the weapon. Every prisoner is searched before entering the dungeon."
Lucian remained silent. His fingers pressed lightly against the wound in the guard’s chest.
"What do you think?" Sawyer asked.
"Doesn’t seem like vampires." The officer frowned at Lucian’s response. Their gaze remained on the corpse. "Vampires do not stop to kill guards when freedom is waiting beyond the door."
Sawyer folded his arms, a whistle escaping from his lips. He said, "But for a human, it is a stretch."
"True."
Lucian reached for the dead guard’s hand. Beneath the fingernails were traces of dried blood and skin. He brought it close to his nose.
"Find out what this one was doing yesterday. Where he went, who he spoke to and every human he came into contact with," Lucian ordered the officer. The guard must have managed to scratch his attacker before he died.
The officer straightened immediately and responded, "Yes, Sire."
After spending some more time in the courthouse’s infirmary, Lucian and Sawyer finally returned to the main building.
"Mr. Slater!" came the desperate voice of Mrs. Belmont from behind. She hurried after him through the corridor. "Why—why is there a bounty being placed on Caroline? She isn’t a criminal."
Lucian didn’t stop walking. "She escaped from a courthouse dungeon."
"She was caught in the chaos!" Mrs. Belmont tried to keep up. Her voice went higher as she continued, "This is only going to scare her, making her believe she is being hunted." She didn’t understand why they would even do that instead of catching the main criminals in this. Lucian’s footsteps halted and so did hers.
"If Mrs. Henley is innocent, she has nothing to fear. If she isn’t, a bounty is the least of her concerns," Lucian informed. Mrs. Belmont’s lips pursed before she nodded.
The officer spoke to the woman, "Milady, your husband was to show up for the investigation. It would make things difficult if he were to stall."
Mrs. Belmont looked exhausted at the question and she wore a deep frown. But then her expression turned to relief and she said, "There he is."
Hearing the woman’s words, Lucian’s eyes narrowed and he followed her gaze. Harold Belmont walked down the corridor towards them.
