Her feet hit the ground but she landed off balance, slipping slightly.
Damn it. She winced, quickly massaging her ankle.
Careful not to make noise, she picked herself up and ran in the direction she had last seen him go.
Most of the guards were stationed at the castle gates, so she wasn't worried about being seen—she was more concerned about being heard.
She slipped inside the grand building he had entered.
And then, she paused.
Only now did she realize just how massive this place was.
The hallways stretched endlessly. The ceilings were so high she could barely make out the top. From the outside, the structure had looked modest, but inside, it was a sprawling labyrinth.
She had no idea where to start.
---
She wandered past several doors before stopping at one that was slightly ajar.
Through the gap, she spotted rows of bookshelves.
A library.
Something about it pulled her in.
Slipping inside, she let the door close softly behind her.
The scent of old parchment filled the air, mingling with something ancient, something electric.
She ran her fingers along the spines of books, noting the variety: history, war strategies, myths. But what truly caught her attention was the desk at the center of the room.
It was cluttered with pages, scribbled notes, hurried translations, scattered among parchment filled with unfamiliar script.
She stepped closer
She recognized it instantly. The curling letters matched the books she had once stolen from her father's study.
Whoever had been working on this had been struggling. Some words were mistranslated. Others left incomplete.
She traced a finger over a passage..her eyes unknowingly revealing a subtle glow as she read the pages
---
The pages spoke of mythical beasts and dark curses.
Her curiosity stirred, but she quickly retracted her hand. As much as she wanted to spend hours poring over these books, her life was on the line. She needed to find him quickly.
Leaving the library, she hurried through several rooms, each more extravagant than the last.
Finally, she stopped before a grand door.
Her fingers hovered over the handle.
Was this his room?
The entire castle had the air of royalty, too lavish for a mere captain. Yet, from what she had seen, he was treated with unwavering respect.
The king must favor him greatly.
With a steadying breath, she pushed the door open.
A dark sight greeted her.
Not depressing, but deep, heavy, commanding. The fabrics and furniture were draped in midnight blue and black, accented with golden embroidery.
It screamed regality.
"Hello?" she called into the silence, stepping cautiously inside.
Her mind screamed at her to turn back.
'Dammit, this is stupid, this is stupid.'
Her heart pounded violently in her chest as she crept further in, leaving the door slightly ajar.
"Is anybody here?"
She scanned the space. It was big, too big. The only light came from a single lamp, casting long shadows against the walls.
It didn't seem like anyone was here.
Maybe it was best to turn back now.
She swallowed hard.
Alone. In a vampire's room. In the middle of the night.
A terrible idea.
She turned to leave...
And abruptly met a pair of deep red eyes.
Her heart plunged.
A sharp, broken shriek escaped her lips as she bolted for the door, hands fumbling to wrench it open
It wouldn't budge.
She pounded on the heavy wood, voice rising in panic.
"Open the door!"
Silence.
Then...a flicker.
One by one, candles lit, their glow pushing back the shadows.
She froze.
Now that the room was brighter, she could finally see him.
And shame burned through her veins.
It was him.
Standing there, watching her.
Expression unreadable.
But his gaze…
It held something between amusement and exasperation, as though he were looking at the most idiotic person alive.
With her back still pressed against the door, she took a slow, shaky breath.
Then, clearing her throat, she straightened and forced herself to face him properly
___
...xxx
He stood still, watching as she straightened herself, her legs quivering slightly beneath the weight of her own courage. A brave front, but her body betrayed her, he could hear the uneven rhythm of her pulse, the slight hitch in her breath.
He had seen the door left ajar and found her inside, roaming his space like a curious cat. At first, he thought she had come to steal something, or perhaps to make some feeble attempt at harming him. But she wasn't that foolish. Naïve, yes. Stupid? No.
"What are you doing here?"
"I've been looking for you."
They spoke at the same time. Her voice was firm, though he noted the way she shifted on her feet, as if steadying herself before continuing.
"I'm not being treated like a prisoner, but I don't have freedom either," she said, a slight edge in her tone. "You brought me here from my kingdom, and then disappeared. What exactly do you want from me?"
One breath. One long, steady breath, and then she lifted her chin, finally meeting his gaze. The bravado was admirable
"How did you get here?"
This time, his voice carried something else...curiosity, perhaps. A test. There were guards outside. Vampires with hearing sharper than any human, scent stronger than wolves. Yet she stood before him, undetected.
She hesitated only a second before answering. "I don't know either. Your guards are probably lazing away on duty."
His head tilted slightly at that. Lying? No. He would have known. She truly had no idea.
"What do you plan to do with me?" she pressed, forcing the conversation back into her hands.
That was the real question, wasn't it? He had no answer. This was the first time he had brought a captured royal to his castle instead of executing them or throwing them into a cell.
He let a moment of silence stretch between them, watching the way she tensed, her hands tightening at her sides. She expected an answer. Expected a reason.
Instead, he took a step forward, just enough to watch her reaction.
"What do you think I should do with you?"
His voice was deep, smooth, but there was something in his gaze, something unreadable.
Her fingers curled slightly. Her pulse jumped. But she didn't back down.
"You brought me here. You tell me."
He stared at her for a moment longer, then, slowly, one corner of his lips lifted. A phantom of a smile, there and gone.
__
...xxx
"You'll be moved to a holding cell soon," he said, his tone indifferent.
She stiffened. A holding cell? So she really was just another prisoner? After everything, he was just going to lock her away like some common captive?
Her nails dug into her palm as she forced herself to breathe. No, she wouldn't let that happen.
"You can't do that," she snapped, fists clenching, eyes burning with anger.
"Can't I?" he drawled, one brow raising in amusement. "And why not?"
She faltered for a second, scrambling for a reason, anything to stop this. Then she remembered the pages in his library.
"I can help you," she blurted.
His gaze sharpened slightly, a flicker of interest breaking through his cold exterior.
"The texts in the library," she pressed on, swallowing her nerves. "I can read them."
His expression remained unreadable.
"You're the only one trying to t
ranslate them, aren't you?" She lifted her chin, making her voice louder, steadier. "I can help."
A long pause. His eyes glimmered, not with belief, but with something close to intrigue.
"Prove it."