Chapter 83: A Kingdom Becoming Hers
By now, Lester was sobbing like a child, broken by the torment, so he finally cried out, "H-He gave us the dark stone and promised us power!"
"And how did the princess get involved in all of this?" Ivan’s voice dropped dangerously low as he fought to hold back his rage and not kill the man outright.
Lester stammered, "I-I don’t know whose idea it was! I-I was only informed of her abduction late at night and th-that....s-she would be sacrificed to increase our powers. They had been looking to capture a strong lumen for a while, for the ritual to succeed, but I played no part in her being captured! They said her royal blood would suffice, e-even if she was weak!"
His pleas grew desperate as Ivan’s grip on his hair tightened, "P-Please spare me! I told you everything I know!"
Alex stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, the others have also confirmed the same."
Ivan’s cold gaze remained fixed on Lester. Then, without a warning, he pressed his fingers on his forehead for one final time, savouring every tortured scream that tore from his throat, allowing himself to release the anger boiling inside him. He didn’t let him go until Lester’s skin blistered and burned, his body convulsing before finally collapsing into unconsciousness.
Ivan released his hold, letting the man’s weight crash unconscious on the floor. ’This would do for now,’ he thought darkly, before turning to Alex.
"Keep strict security over all the cells," Ivan ordered. "I want no unauthorized personnel anywhere near them. Starve them, but keep them alive. We’ll need them for the court."
With that, he wiped his hand with his handkerchief, dropped it onto the dark dungeon floor, and stepped out. "Follow me, Alex."
"Yes, Your Highness," Alex responded.
He quickly gave instructions to other Ignis Blades to heavily guard the area before following Ivan back to his expansive study. Once the door was closed, Ivan moved to his desk and took his seat. "Tell me everything you found out from the others."
Alex began, "Your Highness, the others confessed that the princess was captured last night after one of the women from the academy approached their men, in order to hire local goons to...end the princess."
Alex held his breath, bracing for Ivan’s anger to flare, and it did. His eyes glowed orange, like burning embers, as he asked in a low voice, "Who was this woman?"
"She appeared to be another student from the academy. She paid them a hefty sum of gold, but it seems like she didn’t realise they were darkrots disguised as ordinary vampires."
Ivan went silent for a while before speaking, "I am sure she is not working alone, and something tells me that ingrate, Drake Viremont, is involved in this along with her."
Then he added, "See if you can get a description from one of them for an artist to sketch. Otherwise, run a discreet investigation into who slipped out of the academy. Someone must have spotted her in the market when she went looking for these so-called goons."
"Yes, Your Highness." Alex paused, then asked, "Should we involve Master Damien in this?"
"Yes, inform Damien of everything that happened. I am sure his men stationed near the academy must have noticed something. Their reports will help us catch this woman faster."
"Will do, Your Highness. Also, Lady Cece wished to check on Princess Evelyn."
"Tell Cece to wait until the court matter is settled. We can’t risk anyone suspecting that Evelyn is here in the palace. Increase security immediately, now that the one behind all this has seen Evelyn’s powers, he will surely come after her more aggressively."
Ivan’s words made Alex frown. Not liking the fact that the only woman His Highness has ever come to care for had now become a prime target of one of their most dangerous enemies.
"Did the princess see anyone that night?" Alex asked grimly.
"No, she was lured out by someone, and I’m certain it was the same woman." He then looked at Alex and urged in a serious tone, "We need to move fast before they cover their tracks."
"Understood, Your Highness," Alex bowed and was about to leave when a soft knock drew both of their attention.
"Come in," Ivan commanded.
"Your Highness, I did as you asked," Arthur said as he entered.
Ivan’s eyes shifted back to normal, and he asked, "And?"
"The princess did not allow any of us to enter the chamber to assist her with the requested items," Arthur reported.
A ghost of a smile tugged at Ivan’s lips in approval before he asked, "I trust everything was in order while I was away?"
"Sir Caleb has been guarding the door upon your instructions," Arthur reported. He paused, then cleared his throat before adding, "However, there was a disturbance caused by a pair of curious maids who tried to learn the princess’s identity." He hesitated briefly before recounting the full incident of how the maids attempted to approach Evelyn, only to be intercepted by Caleb.
Ivan’s expression darkened, his displeasure clear at the breach of royal decorum amongst the palace staff. "Where are they now?"
"They have been taken by the guards and are awaiting your verdict, Your Highness," Arthur replied.
"I have no use for staff who cannot follow royal protocol," Ivan said coldly. "Fire them and throw them in the dungeon until the court matter is resolved. We cannot risk anyone whispering a word about Evelyn’s presence in this palace."
Then he added more sternly, "It seems you need to warn the entire staff about what happens when you fail to follow simple orders, Arthur. Otherwise, I may have to set an example of what happens when one doesn’t."
Arthur bowed his head quickly, "I will give them a stern warning, Your Highness, and ensure it doesn’t happen again."
"Good," Ivan murmured. Then he glanced at the clock; it was already past eleven. Rising from his seat, he announced, "If there is nothing else, I am retiring for the night." His gaze shifted to Alex. "Report to me as soon as you find something."
Alex bowed and said, "I will, Your Highness."
With that, Ivan left, heading back to his chamber.
Back in the chamber, after taking a bath, Evelyn wore a fresh pastel lavender colour gown with a delicate lace robe layered over it. Currently, she stood on the balcony, braving the sea breeze that gently caressed her long, open hair. Since the balcony faced the open sea, she didn’t have to worry about anyone spotting her.
Away from anyone’s prying eyes, she relishes some moment of peace. Her beautiful blue eyes stared at the faint light of distant ships departing far away from the palace. She watched the sea water shimmer like countless diamonds under the soft moonlight, and her thoughts drifted back to the first time she had entered the Kingdom of Versailles. So much has happened since then.
She remembered how scared and alone she had been, with no one to rely on, sent away from her own kingdom as though exiled. And yet, here she had met people who felt more like her own than those she had left behind back in her own kingdom, who felt more like familiar strangers.
The more dangers she faced, the more she felt as though she was slowly breaking free from her own cocoon, ready to spread her wings and take to the sky. With every storm she weathered, the stronger she felt she was becoming. After coming so close to death in that place surrounded by evil forces, she started questioning the real purpose of her life.
Many questions clouded her mind, but one thing was certain: she didn’t want to give up now. She wanted to live, and if one day her time comes, she wished for there to be at least a few people who would genuinely miss her. Maybe think of her once in a while. She longed to create those memories, to cherish all the people who cared about her, and to fight for the life she still had. She refused to give up now.
Staring at the starry night with the moon shining bright above her, she felt that the longer she stayed in this kingdom, the more it felt like her own somehow.
"How strange.." she murmured softly.
"What’s strange?" a quiet voice whispered near her ears from behind.
Startled, she quickly turned her head, only to meet his molten red eyes fixed on her with intensity that made her heart shudder.
She faced him full and said, "Nothing. When did you come in? I didn’t hear you at all."
She forced herself to talk to him in order to keep her bearings together under the weight of his intense gaze. As her eyes roamed over his form, she noticed he was dressed in a simple white shirt and trousers, his damp hair leaving clear evidence of a recent bath he must have had. She wondered just how long he had been in the room that she didn’t even hear a single sound.
