Chapter 329: A Blessing Turned Into A Curse
Selene moved gracefully through the dark, dingy corridor, which led to a narrow bridge connecting to the opposite wing of the castle, where her quarters awaited.
Upon reaching the centre of the bridge, she stopped.
Slowly, she turned her gaze towards the same volcano she had been observing while recounting the tale.
"This is the only thing I can do for you now, Evelyn. To keep that man away from you. That is all," Selene whispered softly, referring to Drake as she kept her gaze fixed ahead.
Her hands gripped the railing of the bridge as she recalled Evelyn’s expression from only moments ago, when the girl had asked that final question.
"If what you said is true... then why? Why didn’t you kill me when I was a helpless child?"
"Let’s just say... I wanted you ripe before you were ready for slaughter. Just like the animals in a slaughterhouse," Selene had replied, a crooked smile on her face as she stared at Evelyn.
In that moment, Selene had seen the expression of a person who was completely broken. Fat tears had rolled down Eve’s cheeks relentlessly while she struggled to remain conscious.
Seconds passed, and before Selene could utter another word, Eve’s head lulled forward, and her eyes finally shut. Even as she passed out, the tears continued to stream tragically down her small face.
The grip on the railing tightened as Selene recalled that face once more.
Then, her green eyes drifted back to the volcano where she knew her purpose lay. It was a goal she had worked toward for so many years, and it was finally close to fruition.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and only one man’s face came to her mind: Malakai.
"I will finally have you... and there is no one who can stop me now." A voice echoed within her as she thought of the man she had obsessed over, lusted after, and wanted for so long.
Time had not been on her side then.
But tomorrow, after finally ridding herself of the woman who had been the bane of her existence, she would at last claim the man she loved. He was a man who had rejected her before even giving her a chance, but she would have it all now.
She would have him!
Hatred and jealousy clawed at her chest as she envisioned the woman from the past, the one with golden hair and beguiling beauty who had stood proudly by Malakai’s side.
In this life, that same face, now framed by dark brown hair, stood proudly next to Ivan, and her conviction to destroy Evelyn grew stronger by the second.
"Come to me, my prince... I know you must be on your way." A crooked laugh escaped her lips before she departed for her quarters for the night.
On that same night, near the forest bordering the village of Varkhalis, King Solan sat upon a rock by the stream. He ran his thumb over a locket that held the image of Queen Selene.
He remembered her gentle, smiling face from the first time he had laid eyes on her, when she had arrived in Luminear for their prospective marriage.
At the time, he had been entirely against the idea of a wedding. However, the court officials had goaded him into meeting the lady, hoping he might find her to his liking. Simply to silence their constant pestering, he had finally marched toward the garden where she waited.
She had been seated at a table arranged within the palace gardens near the Temple of the Goddess of Light, dressed in a pale blue gown. Her dark brown hair had been styled flawlessly as she gazed quietly across the lake.
At the sound of his footsteps, her body stiffened, a reaction he noticed at once, causing him to stop a few steps away. When she rose and turned towards him, their eyes met. The sight of her emerald gaze made his heart falter for a fleeting moment.
Surprise flickered across her face before a breathtaking smile blossomed upon her lips.
Without hesitation, he stepped towards her, as though drawn by an unseen force. His cold blue eyes softened as he stood before her, quietly admiring her presence. Extending his hand, he spoke gently.
"I am King Solan Lumaeth Starforged. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Smiling, she placed her hand shyly in his. A faint blush coloured her cheeks when he bent and pressed a kiss upon her knuckles.
"I am Selene Whilson. It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty."
As he straightened at the sound of her sweet voice, certainty settled within him.
She was the one.
The woman to whom he would give his heart, the woman with whom he would spend the rest of his life.
She had indeed filled his world with a happiness he had never known for a good two years of his life. She was unfailingly kind to all who surrounded her, and everyone loved her in return.
One day, she delivered the greatest news of his life. Their love had borne fruit. A child. Their child is soon to enter the world.
Solan was over the moon upon hearing the news. He planned to give the entire world to the child who was yet to come.
When the day finally arrived, the child entered the world shining like a star, a blessing from the Goddess herself. He loved her instantly. After all, the child was the daughter of both him and Selene; how could he not love her?
But as months stretched into years, he watched the love of his life being reduced to such a sorry state that he could not help but begin to think of that blessing as a curse. She was a curse that had taken his wife away from him.
He knew Selene loved the child, so no matter his own feelings, he could not bring himself to send the girl away. Instead, he chose to turn a blind eye to everything that happened to Evelyn within those castle walls.
Solan was well aware that Queen Elara treated Evelyn harshly behind his back. In truth, he knew everything that happened within the castle walls. He simply never reacted or addressed the issue, keeping the child at a distance until she grew up and found the very man he had sworn to Selene he would keep her away from.
He had believed Selene implicitly when she told him never to allow Evelyn to be with a vampire.
However, ever since that conversation in the academy with Iskara and the others, doubts had begun to creep in. He could not help but ask himself if this had all been a terrible mistake.
Could his wife have been wrong?
He remembered that Septimus had also warned him about the consequences of fighting against fate, yet at the time, he had wholeheartedly believed he was doing the right thing.
Now, everything seemed murky.
It was as if he could no longer distinguish between what was real and what was a lie.
Though he no longer acknowledged Evelyn as his child, Solan knew his wife would never have wished harm upon her.
With Evelyn now taken by the Dark Ones, he understood that the matter had grown far beyond anything trivial. She could be used in unspeakable ways, and such an outcome could bring ruin to every kingdom across the continent.
Regardless of whether he claimed her as his own, one truth remained undeniable.
She was Selene’s child, and for that reason alone, he had embarked upon this journey to bring her back.
"We are ready to leave," Iskara’s voice spoke, pulling him from his thoughts.
Slowly, he turned to find the Vampire King standing behind him. He was tall, proud, and as regal as ever.
Iskara’s eyes moved to the locket in Solan’s hand. "She was a good queen. Irene loved her like a sister."
Solan looked back at his wife’s picture once more before snapping the locket shut and rising from the rock. "Selene loved spending time with her as well." He paused before adding, "She was truly heartbroken after hearing what happened to her."
Iskara fell silent for a moment. "Sometimes the good ones are taken away far too quickly."
Solan said nothing. Silence pressed in on them until Iskara turned to leave.
Just as he took a step forward, Solan’s question halted him. "Do you not ever blame him? For taking your wife away from you?"
Iskara’s eyes widened slightly before he turned to look at Solan. The King was already staring at him with cold, piercing blue eyes.
"Blame him?" Iskara repeated, as if he could not believe what he had just been asked.
"Yes. I heard the incident occurred because the dark forces had come for your son, and that he lost control of his powers. That led to the tragedy. So, do you not ever blame your son for what happened?" Solan asked again.
