Chapter 263: Footsteps, Whistles And Poor Life Choices
"You think it was someone working for the dark forces who knew about our role in the prophecy?" Eve whispered in disbelief.
Ivan gave her a nod and continued in a much icier tone. "My father never mentioned this, but when he finally told me about the prophecy in Dartmouth....I believe my involvement in it was leaked by a spy within the palace."
He did not mention that the attack on the night his mother died was connected to this. Eve noticed the shift in his demeanour and felt the question rise to her lips, but she chose not to ask, sensing it was not the right moment.
Changing the direction of the conversation, she asked quietly, "So you think someone leaked that I was connected to the prophecy as well?"
Ivan’s eyes snapped back to her, pulling himself away from the dark memories that had begun to cloud his thoughts. "Yes," he replied firmly. "I’m guessing that the person who leaked information about me was the same one who leaked it about you as well."
"B-but the vision the Vault of Ages showed me..." Eve said slowly, thinking aloud. "In that chamber, there were only three people. And now....my mother is gone. Which leaves only-" She stopped and looked at Ivan, her question unspoken yet clear to him.
Ivan pressed his lips together under her searching gaze. "It could have been one of them," he said carefully. "Or....there may have been someone else. Someone who overheard the conversation without being seen."
Eve nodded at the possibility, yet she dared not let her thoughts wander towards suspecting either her estranged father or the ever loyal Septimus. The idea of either of them being involved filled her with a quiet dread, the fear of a betrayal so deep she knew, in her heart, she would never be able to forgive it if it proved true.
Her relationship with her father had already been strained to begin with, but Septimus had been a guiding presence throughout her life. She knew that if her trust were broken in this way, the small hope she still carried deep within her heart for them would be lost forever.
Sensing the shift in her mood, Ivan spoke gently. "Eve, keep in mind that this is only one theory. Nothing has been confirmed yet, and a proper investigation still needs to be done. There are too many loose ends tied to these events, and I don’t want you forming opinions about anyone based on this alone."
Cupping her cheeks, he said gently, "Remember, to be a good ruler, one must always see all sides of a matter before passing judgment. Otherwise, you risk punishing someone innocent who had no part in it."
She let his words sink in before finally nodding. "I understand. I won’t hold any prejudices until we have solid grounds to prove otherwise."
"Good," he said with a smile, giving her an approving nod.
He then glanced outside, watching the morning sun brighten the space even further.
"I need to go back to the palace for a while," Ivan said with a hint of worry lacing his voice. "Do you think you’ll be alright here by yourself?"
Eve understood what he meant and replied reassuringly, "Yes, please don’t worry about me." Sliding her hands over his chest, she added playfully, "It’s going to take a lot more than that to break me, you know."
Ivan’s eyes softened at her attempt to lighten his heart before leaving. He leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, then wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace and murmured softly, "I know. The woman I love is strong. I just don’t want you to overthink everything we talked about."
Eve nuzzled into his neck like a kitten, inhaling his calming scent as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Mm... I’ll be okay. Just come back to me quickly."
"I will," he replied, planting a soft kiss on her shoulder before they reluctantly pulled apart.
Eve was the first to stand, and Ivan followed shortly after. She moved closer and helped smooth out his white shirt, fastening the buttons he had conveniently left undone. All the while, she felt his unwavering, gentle gaze on her and had to fight back a smile.
Once she was done, she looked up and blushed at the loving way he was watching her. "L-let me help you with your coat," she blurted out quickly before darting away to retrieve it from where it lay draped over one of the dining chairs.
Returning, she stood behind him and helped him into his coat, and Ivan wordlessly followed her lead. Once she was done, she stepped back in front of him, only for him to pull her close and claim her lips in a deep, longing kiss.
When she was left breathless, he murmured against her lips, "Don’t go beyond the stream. My barrier surrounding this place ends there. Are we clear?"
Having been thoroughly kissed senseless, she could only nod, while still being breathless.
"How about this," Ivan continued softly. "While I’m gone, think of a place you’d like to visit, and when I return, I’ll take you there."
Eve’s eyes brightened at the suggestion, though she asked hesitantly, "But....won’t we be spotted since we are trying to hide?"
"On the contrary," he replied calmly. "Since it’s common knowledge that we’re in the palace, no one will suspect us of being anywhere else. I’ll bring some ordinary clothes with me so we remain unnoticed."
"Oh..." Eve hummed thoughtfully.
"How does that sound, baby?" he asked warmly, intertwining his fingers with hers and giving them a gentle squeeze, making her heart skip a beat.
"Wonderful!" Eve replied, and a childlike excitement lit up her eyes, making Ivan smile at her.
"It’s decided then," he said softly.
Giving her hands one last squeeze, he finally let go and stepped back, his eyes never leaving her as they glowed molten orange.
"Be well," he said, just before fire swirled around him like a living thing, engulfing him in oblivion.
Eve could only stare at the now-empty space and let out a soft sigh at his flashy exit.
She glanced around the cottage and, not knowing what else to do, wandered over to the neatly stocked bookshelf. Deciding to spend some time reading, she pulled out a book and took a seat on the couch near the fireplace, opening the book titled ’Creatures of the Land.’
She flipped through the pages, which detailed information about vampires, lumens, and sorcerers, before stopping at a particular Chapter titled.
’The Shapeshifters.’
...
Back at the academy, the sun had barely dragged itself above the horizon when footsteps echoed through the corridors. Dante strolled along with leisure, hands in his beige coat pockets, posture relaxed, and his lips busy producing an annoyingly cheerful whistle that felt wildly inappropriate for such an early hour.
His red eyes swept over the students racing towards the dining hall, all of them fuelled by desperation, caffeine, and regret.
The moment they noticed him, several students executed what could only be described as expertly practised U-turns. Others suddenly found the walls fascinating, their shoes in dire need of inspection, or remembered some urgent, life-altering reasons to go the opposite direction. Anything to avoid an early morning disaster with the professor, famously rumoured to be missing a few essential screws.
Dante, of course, lived for this. He took immense pleasure in watching dread bloom across their faces when instant recognition struck them.
His grin stretched wide, the kind that said he considered this a perfectly acceptable morning hobby, despite his ongoing delusion that his psychopathic tendencies were well hidden.
It was then that he caught sight of two students whispering about Dartmouth, an incident that had achieved near legendary status across the academy.
After all, Evelyn and Ivan were still conspicuously absent, and nothing fuelled student gossip quite like missing powerhouses, unexplained chaos, and professors who refused to answer questions.
Dante slowed his steps, interest piqued, ’Ah. This was going to be fun.’
He extended his hearing and caught their whispered conversation.
"So what do you think happened to Princess Evelyn? She’s been missing for quite some time now, ever since Dartmouth," one student whispered.
Another replied in a hushed tone, "Well....who knows. Some say she was permanently disabled because of the incident during the field trip. Others say she’s fallen into a coma."
"No way! If she’s disabled, then what about Prince Ivan?"
"Well, there’s another rumour going around that King Solan didn’t approve of their relationship, so he took her back to marry her off to someone else when she recovers, while King Iskara is arranging another match for Prince Ivan."
"Oh, that actually sounds believable," the first student whispered eagerly. "I mean, whoever marries Prince Ivan would become the crown princess of the most powerful kingdom! Versailles is unmatched!"
"Ah! You’re right! It’s practically winning the lottery! I wish they had picked me!"
"Pfft! Keep dreaming. I’m sure they’ll choose another pureblood vampiress. What a lucky woman she’d be! Not only would she wield immense power, but she’d also have such a godlike man as her husband!"
"You’re right. Honestly, I’m kind of glad Princess Evelyn is no longer in the picture. It leaves that opportunity open for the rest of-"
Before she could finish her sentence, an overly enthusiastic voice slammed an abrupt stop to their gossip session.
