Chapter 2 / This is how you trap a vampire

March 3rd, 15.001.  

Eloria, capital of Elaris [Elf Continent].

“We arrived! The city is always so beautiful around this time of the year.” Eloise claimed while looking from the moving car's window, as if she had never been on Eloria before.  Innocence aside, she was right. Eloria, the capital of Elaris, was indeed magnificent—a city caught between past and present. Its towers, built from pale stone and covered with flowering plants, were tall but softened by nature. Crystal glass connected towers across the valley, and light shimmered off enchanted wards that wrapped the city like a second skin. The air smelled of jasmine.

At first glance, it seemed old, but a closer look revealed the quiet buzz of technology hidden beneath its surface. Energy worked in silence, wrapped in wood and ivy so the city always seemed part of the landscape rather than set against it.

The city reflected its people. Elves had always valued knowledge, nature, and beauty. Eloria stood as proof of their way of life, a place that had endured centuries without ruin, thriving in its own careful rhythm. Humans lived here in significant numbers, as did their descendants with elves. It gave the city a sense of quiet variety; after all, it was the country's capital. 

It was a fresh morning, the heat of the summer still not quite there. They arrived at the Fenroth Palace, the personal house of the ruling family of Elaris. 

Sukira whistled low. “Well, shit. I expected a treehouse and a few druids chanting around a pond. Not this.” The main house was indeed breathtaking. 

As soon as they got out of the car, she commanded the dog to wait for her outside, in the gardens. Eloise took the lead and went straight inside the house, waving her hand to all the employees who were welcoming them. They were returning the regards vividly. She was clearly dear to everyone. 

His voice was low, but edged. He looked at Sukira over the car. “He’ll twist this to his advantage.”

Sukira curved her head, smirking. “You warmed me already, no need to repeat yourself. Also, what’s with that concerned face? That’s new, I don’t like it. What are you so afraid of, sourcerer? She said that word with more weight. 

All the stories I heard about the elves’ dumb king are hilarious. Doesn’t sound like the big evil monster he’s so afraid of. Something’s off for sure. 

“You don’t know him.” His eyes darkened, distant.

Sukira crossed her arms, paying attention to his words, inviting him to continue. 

He hesitated but decided to give her a bit of context before entering the mouth of the wolf. 

“I am half-human. Half-brother to Eloise. That alone is enough to make me… inconvenient, to say the least. You already know about my ‘gift’, my curse. She died because of it, and he remarried and had Eloise and my other siblings.”

He was, for the first time, making no sense. He was mixing facts with feelings and talking about people she didn’t know. But she decided not to give it much importance. 

“Cursed? That’s not a curse, that’s a damn blessing. You’ve got a power people would kill for.”

“Shut up.” His tone snapped sharply and final, silencing her. “You have no idea what that means. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Fine, keep your secrets. The less I know, the better.

♥︎ 

Physically, elves appear as the ideal of grace: slender forms, subtle features, pale hair in shades of blond, white, light brown, and blue tones, and light-colored eyes, usually blue or yellow. Their ears are gently pointed, and although they live for centuries, they are not immortal. They maintain good relations with humans and show little contempt for half-breeds, but their distance from vampires remains cultural, not born out of hate for each other, but of opposing worldviews.

Yet, their culture explains. For centuries, the elves lived in abundance. Their sun-warmed and fertile continent was untouched by the great famines, plagues, and wars that scarred others. With minor collective trauma, elves grew to prize peace, balance, and knowledge over conquest or absolutes. 

The gates of Fenroth Castle groaned open, and Sukira’s skin sprinkled at once. She instinctively reached for something from her void but couldn’t manage.

Her eyes narrowed. Restriction seals. Clever bastards.

They entered the council hall, where a massive table stretched across the wooden floor—at its far end sat Edrien, ruler of Eloria. To his right, his queen sat draped in a blue velvet gown that matched her deep blue eyes, and beside her, Eloise’s siblings—Ailin and Aaron—watched with quiet intensity. They were all very much lookalikes, beautiful high elves specimens. Two others were sitting at the table, probably their assistants. The room had only three guards, but magic traps could be sensed from across the room. 

Elven politics are built on both heritage and choice. Power belongs to the royal bloodline of the High Elves (pure-blooded elves, with no mixed in their genetics), but the family rules together rather than through a single monarch. Each member of the royal house takes charge of a different sphere of governance, such as diplomacy, law, culture, or defense, ensuring balance.

Among them, one ruler is chosen to act as the primary voice of the kingdom. This choice is not inherited but made by the Council, a body elected directly by the people. In this way, the elves honor both the sacred lineage of their rulers and the will of their society.

Elon moved without hesitation, taking the place nearest to his father, where an empty chair awaited him. His movements were measured, almost too calm, but Sukira caught the tension in his body, she could smell it. Eloise followed, sitting right in front of Elon. Her hands clenched tightly on her lap. Sukira stayed standing.

“Let’s skip the family reunion,” she said flatly. “I want my reward. Job’s done.”

Edrien’s voice was calm. He completely ignored what she just said. “Welcome to Fenroth Castle. It pleases me that my son has returned safely. I would like to extend my gratitude by thanking you for bringing Eloise back, too.” He paused as he looked at his daughter. “The return of the heir! His homecoming deserves a celebration!” His gaze shifted briefly toward Elon. “In eight nights, there will be a gala in his glory. You, of course, will be our guest of honour.” His face was unreadable, carved with the kind of restraint only centuries of ruling could teach.

“I love parties, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not interested in staying here any longer. I have other matters to attend to.”

The words slid across the table like a blade.

“You will find Eloria’s galas unlike any other,” he continued smoothly, ignoring her tone.

Eloise, even as naive as she was, understood that something was happening. “Father—” she started, but Edrien silenced her with a glance.

“Fuck this,” she muttered, and in one smooth motion, she pressed cold steel against Elon’s neck, from a knife she kept tied to her thigh.

Eloise gasped and half-rose from her chair. “Stop—don’t hurt him!”. Nobody else moved from their spots, but tension was rising. 

“You really don’t get it, do you?” Sukira’s voice was low and dangerous, fixing her gaze on Edrien, who returned the challenging look to her. “I know I can’t escape this place. That’s obvious. But you’ll need to give me more than that for me to cooperate with you.”

Edrien’s expression hardly changed. His eyes slid to Elon, then back to her. “You overestimate his worth.” Now that masks were off, he didn’t even try to show interest in his older son.

Cold. That must have hurt.

Elon’s lips pressed tight. But didn’t speak a word. Still, Sukira could feel the heat radiating off him, but he didn’t move an inch. He behaved like someone who had learned long ago not to defend himself. She didn’t like that. Where’s the brilliant sorcerer I fought hours ago?

“I see.” As fast as the sound itself, she took a gun from the guard behind her, kicking him away from her and knocking him out as his head touched the floor, and immediately pointed at Eloise. She couldn’t use her void, but she was the most rapid assassin of the century, or at least that was what people spoke of her. 

“What about now?”. She returned to the same position she was before, turning Elon slightly, just enough for the knife to kiss his throat. 

Eloise froze; she wasn’t expecting this turn of events. 

For the first time, Edrien leaned forward. His lips pressed thin. “Enough.”

“Not enough until you explain yourself, or let me go.” Her gaze didn’t waver.

Silence stretched. Then, finally, he inclined his head. “They convinced me to lock you here on the night of the 11th day of March. They are vampires, all I can say about their personas. I told them I didn’t know how to convince an assassin to do what they wanted, and someone came up with the plan of rescuing Elon; I don’t even know who, I didn’t ask. They chose me because this palace can suppress your kind's special capacities.” He paused. “Regarding what they gave me in return…”

She stopped him. “I don’t care about that.” She returned the gun to the guard, who was still dizzy but awake now, and saved her knife. For some reason, she was still behind Elon, unconsciously guarding him. “See? That wasn’t so hard. You should’ve said that from the start instead of dressing it up with your pretty-fake words.”

For a moment, no one spoke. The quiet was thick, broken only when Ailin finally pushed his chair back, rising with smooth, practiced grace. Her tone was calm but firm; she carried the sharpness of protocol.

“You will remain in the left wing of the castle,” she explained, her eyes were cool but not unkind. “It has all you will require: chambers, food displayed at your command, access to the library, and you may even walk the gardens of that wing at your will, but no further.” She inclined his head slightly, as if granting mercy. 

“Your companion -is she talking about the dog?- will remain with you. Guards will be posted, but if you do not provoke them, they will not trouble you.” 

She glanced around one last time, then laughed under her breath. “You have no idea what kind of monster you’re locking in your castle, your majesty.”

♥︎ 

Waiting is worse than bleeding out. She thought to herself, while a palace staff member grabbed her luggage from her car and showed the way to her chambers. 

”We’ll be living here for the following days, Cloud. Quite elegant, right? It’s been a while since we last had a good night's rest. Heh, maybe this is more of a favor than they thought.” She talked to the hound like she was used to. 

A long, silent escort by another member of the staff to the left wing of the castle that looked more like a museum than a prison. The night arrived, and she took a chance to rest until late afternoon. After a shower, she decided to go for a walk before dinner. 

Eight whole days until the grand gala, the old one mentioned. Eight whole days trapped in a nest of elves who are watching me like I might bite. Mhm, okay, fair. 

The library. Ailin, the eldest of the siblings—or at least of the “pure” ones—had mentioned she was allowed peek inside. Sukira’s curiosity flared; she loved reading, especially novels.

Her gaze caught on a title. Isn’t this one about Elon’s gift? I’d like to know more about that.

She opened the book and read a passage: 

Every few generations, an elf is born with the Blessing of Vision: the ability to look into another’s eyes and glimpse fragments of their past, concealed emotions, or even unshaped intentions. On rare occasions, the bearer’s gift runs deeper, powerful enough to pierce through hidden truths and foresee threads of the future. Many of the great catastrophes in elven history were either averted or fully resolved, thanks to this unusual power.

“Those books are outdated. They don’t know half of it.” Elon’s voice rose quietly from a shadowed corner, steady but low, where he had been reading silently.

“It seems I only have a part of the story. I apologise for assuming things I clearly do not understand. I also apologise for taking you for a spoilt prince”. Her voice was sharp, but no sarcasm was showing. She truly meant that. Especially after she saw how his father not only used him, but also didn’t even blink when she played him as a hostage. 

“It still surprises me that you can sense me so easily.” He noticed she didn't flinch when he talked to her, as she already knew he was there. 

“I’m pretty sure you know what’s in these shelves. Recommend a book. I prefer novels.” She commanded. 

Eloise and Aaron were passing by. As they were about to enter the library, Aaron stopped his little sister, and they stood there for a second. 

Eloise noticed how casually Sukira spoke to Elon and smiled. The memories of him inside those walls were always so gloomy. On the other hand, Aaron was slightly scandalized. Is he… laughing? No, not quite, but more like he’s showing… amusement? It unsettled him. They kept their way without interrupting them. 

♥︎ 

March 4th, 15.001.  

Fenroth Castle, Eloria, capital of Elaris [Elf Continent].

She woke up and headed straight to the gardens to feed Cloud. After all, he was a bloodhound, and he needed to eat properly. She gave her half a deer, the Fenroth’s happily provided, and he took it and disappeared between the bushes. On her way back to the castle, she encountered a greenhouse and a lovely blonde elf working on some plants inside. 

How cute.

“Yesterday I sensed you for a sec, but you disappeared shortly after,” Sukira said as she entered the greenhouse. “I tried reading one of your books but… I didn’t find it interesting. I’m sorry”. She talked while moving through the space; it was clear that not being able to use her void made her somewhat uneasy. 

“Good morning, Lady Sukira! I hope you had a good night of rest… I wanted to apologise for my father’s behaviour… and regarding my book, it's okay, but could I ask which one you were reading? And why didn’t you like it? For improvement, you know.” She was nothing but an open book; Sukira didn’t even have to try to read her. Every part of Eloise was pure. 

“Mmh, it was something about mixed-race traits. The strongest characteristics of an individual of mixed race are due to the “potency” of their genes, with the “strongest” genes in spirit being those that are most prominent in the individual. Or something like that?” She paraphrased while making faces and looking up like she would remember things better that way. 

“Oh, yes, I know the one you’re talking about. I spent some time traveling between the bigger cities of this nation in order to gather information about mixed individuals. We have a lot of books about the traits of the main races, but none of them talk about the ones who are not ‘pure’ in genes. I would like to add that the part you cited is only a theory of my research; there’s no actual science that confirms my doubts”. 

“Anyway, I didn’t like it as it wasn’t useful at all. I like either novels or… the ones that provide knowledge I can put into practice.”

“I see. If I’ll handle another one, would you read it?”. Sukira smiled at her and let her continue with her work. As she was leaving, she thought for herself that Eloise, with time and a bit of real-life experiences, could come up to be a great, strong magician. 

  ♥︎ 

March 5th, 15.001.  

Fenroth Castle, Eloria, capital of Elaris [Elf Continent].

The dining hall shimmered with lamplight and polished glass. Servants laid dishes down with silent precision, then vanished, leaving the four siblings alone at the table.

Eloise wasted no time sliding into the chair right beside Elon. She leaned forward, chin resting on her hands, eyes sparkling. “I still can’t believe you’re actually here. Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for this?”

Aaron rolled his eyes, but his tone was gentle. “She’s right. You vanish for thirty years. You could’ve at least written.”

Elon cut a slice of fruit, his expression unreadable. “I had nothing to say.”

Eloise giggled, unfazed. “That’s not true! You should see the notebook I’ve kept. Every time someone whispered about a traveler with white hair, every rumor of a visionary in the east, I wrote it all down. Half of my study looks like an archive dedicated to you.”

Aaron groaned and threw his hands in the air. “Do you hear yourself, Eloise? You sound like a worshipper. He’s not one of the Blessings, he’s our brother— he stopped and looked directly at Elon, with growing rage on his words

—the same brother who vanished without a word, left us to answer questions we couldn’t reply, while Father paraded his perfect new heirs around like trophies!” His voice cracked with the weight of years of anger.

“It seems our Father used us all, at some point,” Elon said without reacting to his brother’s words.

Aaron’s hands clenched, his voice rising. “You always said it was to protect us. That you stayed away because of your power, but all I wanted was my brother back. To spar in the yard until we couldn’t move. To chase frogs at the lake and ruin Eloise’s dresses. To sit by the fire while you told us what you saw in your visions. Do you know what it felt like to wake up and discover you were just gone? Nobody explained anything to me. I know I’m the dumbest of us four, but I thought you hated me. I thought I wasn’t worth the risk. You never looked at me, not once. I was just a kid who wanted his big brother.” 

Elon’s gaze flicked up for a fraction of a second, sharp as glass, before returning to his plate. “We were all children, Aaron.”

“That doesn’t change anything!! You had your magic connection with Eloise. Ailin was the older, so she enjoyed you the most before you broke completely, and I had NOTHING left.” Aaron slammed his fists against the table, the echo ringing through the hall.

“We don’t know the kind of things Elon’s been through, Aaron.” Ailin’s voice broke the tension, low and precise, her words cutting sharper than Aaron’s shouting ever could.

All of the siblings looked at her, silent until now. She held Elon’s eyes without flinching. “But we’re not children anymore. Whatever power you feared, whatever control you lacked—we’re old enough to decide for ourselves whether to stand by you or not.”

Eloise’s hand found Elon’s arm, her smile smaller now but stubborn. “We never stopped choosing you.”

The dinner ended sooner than expected. Aaron stormed off, and Eloise lingered until servants dragged her away, but Ailin stayed behind. Elon stood on the balcony next to the dinner salon, the cool night air brushing against his face. The city lights stretched far below.

“You haven’t changed,” Ailin said, her voice flat.

He didn’t turn. “Neither have you.”

She stepped closer, arms folded. “You push us away. Still pretending it’s for our sake. That you’re dangerous, that distance is some kind of shield.”

Elon said nothing.

“When we were children, maybe that excuse worked. We believed it. You couldn’t control your visions, and thought being near us would break us. But you’ve had more than enough time to learn, and we’re not fragile anymore. You know that.”

Finally, he turned, his eyes cold, his voice even more frigid. “I tried looking out for you before I left. But you seemed so… distant.”

Ailin didn’t flinch. “You should have tried harder. At that time, we were something even worse than children… we were teenagers.” A shadow of a laugh escaped her lips.

Elon’s expression didn’t shift, but the silence stretched too long to be indifference.

Ailin exhaled softly, turning toward the door. “Something is coming, Elon. Bigger than all of us. You can feel it too, can’t you? The air's been too heavy lately, even for Eloria’s weather”. 

She paused and continued shortly after: “I’ve chosen a side already. When the time comes, and it will come, I would rather have you standing with me than watching from a distance.”

And with that, she left him standing alone on the balcony, wine glass in hand, the night colder than before.

♥︎

March 6th, 15.001.  

Fenroth Castle, Eloria, capital of Elaris [Elf Continent].

The days passed by rather quickly: she sparred during mornings with soldiers in training, which she humiliated in minutes every time she did. Elon kept recommending books to her. Eloise was always available for a chit-chat to kill some time. She wore different outfits every day. She loved clothes and jewelry, but she hardly had the chance to change from her regular working outfit. 

What’s this, my dream vacation? Also, where are the other siblings? Do they work that much? And that woman, the spouse, she’s always having guests and talking to everyone. Weird family dynamic for sure. 

The night of the 6th day of March arrived, and she decided to have a short late evening walk with Cloud around the gardens, just to keep her mind away from thinking about the gala. She had zero clues of what might happen, and that was enough reason to avoid overthinking it. 

Sukira found Elon still awake outside on one of the palace's many terraces, under the shining full moon. He looked tired and weaker than his composed attitude suggested. 

“How is it that the most powerful elf in Eloria looks this fragile? I know family gatherings can be exhausting, but c’mon.” She joked around as soon as he saw him. 

“Power isn’t the same as strength.” He paused and continued, “And please, don’t peek into other people’s conversations.” He continued reading until she appeared. He closed the book but didn’t look at her. 

“Are you allergic to honesty or something, prince? First of all, you can try lying all you want, but I can still sense you. I’m not picking up on anybody’s nothing; you just happen to be too loud for my instincts to ignore you.  

And secondly, it's okay to be shaken after what happened. It annoyed the shit out of me how the dumb king treated you, but you didn't even flinch. You either have steel nerves or you are way more broken than I thought.” She offered him a cigarette she took from one of her pockets. She was wearing a sort of two-piece black satin pajama. 

“You are trying to lecture me?” He avoided the topic as he accepted the cigarette. He offered to light it for her, and with a snap of his fingers, a red spark appeared. She smiled. I love magic.  

“It's frustrating talking to you. I hope you know that.” She wasn’t expecting him to open up to her after a few days of knowing each other, but she was like that, raw. It was part of her personality and especially something she shared with the vampire stereotype. 

“You could just leave. I know for a fact that you could kill your way out of here if you really wanted to.” He made a mimic path trace with his finger. 

“You are right. If I really wanted to, I would. But as I’m not allergic to honesty, let me explain to you why I’m still here.” She sat next to him on the bench where he was sitting before she arrived.

Cloud started chasing some rabbits while they talked. 

“I need to know who’s so interested in me to plot such a thing. It's been a while, you know… since the last time someone took this amount of time and trouble to see me. I’m intrigued”. Her voice was light and sounded like a child's, full of hope. She was looking at the moon while talking. 

“Oh, I’m sure there are people out there who want you dead”. He looked at her and slightly smiled. Her eyes were red, but he tried to hide his curious nature; the moment she became aware, she would surely restrain them and turn them black right away. 

The sarcastic tone he used cut the emotional tone she was heading for, but she didn’t care and continued: “Do you think so? I hardly doubt that someone is thinking of me”. 

She looked at him, and her eyes changed to black immediately. 

“You know? It does not work like that. I can decide when to use this thing, this power of mine. I don’t go through life digging into everyone’s past. You don’t need to hide your true nature whenever you look at me.” 

“I’ve shown you enough, prince.” She stood up with a tiny jump like she was using her void. “Hah, old habits, I guess. A lot of time has passed since the last time I couldn't use my thing”. She turned back to him. “Let’s go to bed. Tomorrow’s a big day. I’m dying to wear a nice dress. It's been a while since that, too”. 

She kept repeating ‘it's been a while’ like a nostalgic broken record. 

In the past few days, I realised that it's been a while since many things, now that I think about it. 

He stared firmly, almost rudely, at her while trying to understand her. She was brutally honest, so he had trouble understanding when she was talking seriously. He was not accustomed to that. She bent a little to match his eyes while he was still sitting on the bench, eyes fixed on her, and a look that showed he was lost in his own thoughts.

“What? I said let’s go to bed as an expression. I noticed your room is in the same wing as mine. You really are the black sheep of the family, uh? You’re not even invited to sleep in the real palace”.

His face was yelling ‘I told you so’, but he didn’t speak a word. 

“Anyway, if you wanna go to bed with me, you’ll need to try harder to please me, you are too hard to manage. It's tiring.” 

He closed his eyes and nodded gently, making Sukira angrier than before. They head back to the left wing in silence.

♥︎ 

March 8th, 15.001.  

Fenroth Castle, Eloria, capital of Elaris [Elf Continent].

The castle gardens were quiet at that hour, the sun low enough to throw long golden shadows across the stone paths. The air was warm and heavy, carrying the faint sweetness of night-blooming flowers mixed with the sound of cicadas buzzing. Sukira had been wandering restlessly when she heard voices around a bend—one voice, really, carrying with theatrical volume.

The siblings were sitting at a stone table beneath a vine-covered pergola, and a map of the Elunthar Woods spread open, small carved tokens marking different towns. Ailin sat in front of Aaron, silent and attentive, her hands folded neatly in her lap. 

“You don’t get it, Ailin,” Aaron said, pointing to the map. “If we don’t thin out the beast packs near the Rootlands, they’ll head straight for the river crossings. And then what? Another week-long blockade? People panic when they can’t move trade. And when people panic, guess who gets the blame? Me.”

“Or,” she said softly, “we could negotiate with the druids to redirect the migration paths. That way there’s no disruption.”

Aaron groaned, throwing his hands up. “Agh, this is impossible.” 

Sukira leaned against a column, amused. “Sounds like you’re arguing about whose problem the monsters are.”

“Tell me—would you rather set a trap or sit back and hope enemies stumble into one by accident?” he said as he finally noticed Sukira. 

“I’d probably kill them all,” Sukira said, deadpan.

Aaron laughed, delighted. “Finally, someone reasonable! See, Ailin? She gets it.”

She tilted her head slightly, the faintest hint of a smile at the corner of her lips. “And yet the druids have lived with them for centuries without force.”

Aaron groaned, throwing his hands up dramatically. “See what I live with? She’s all patience and riddles. Meanwhile, I’m the one they call when something actually tries to eat a village.” 

He leaned forward, lowering his voice just enough to sound conspiratorial. “Don’t let her fool you. My dear sister’s the one pulling the strings in every negotiation. She could convince a stone wall to sign a treaty if she wanted. Meanwhile, I’m stuck making sure our borders don’t get invaded by monsters and beasts.” He puffed out his chest mockingly. “The big, loud guard dog of the family.”

“You do talk like one,” Sukira said.

He grinned, unabashed. “And yet, they keep me in charge of security. Which proves the family has some sense.”

Ailin finally spoke again, eyes still on the map. “Or we just wanted to keep you busy.”

Sukira smirked but didn’t miss how Ailin gathered her notes into a slim leather case. 

“Going somewhere?” she asked.

“A work-related trip,” Aaron replied quickly, before his sister could. “She’s always off to some summit or meeting or whatever. Don’t worry, she’ll bore half of Eloria to death while I do the real work here.”

Ailin rose smoothly, her pale hair catching the last sunlight. “We all do our part”, she said simply. For a heartbeat, her eyes met Sukira’s—steady, intent, like she was saying more than her words allowed. Then she turned and left, her footsteps fading into the garden paths.

What was that? “We all do our part?”

Aaron yawned theatrically, gathering up his markers again. “Don’t mind her. She was born mysterious. Honestly, I don’t know how anyone survives working with her.” He tapped the map with a grin. “So, if you were me, would you rather deal with a pack of drakes or a nest of bone-wolves?”

♥︎ 

March 9th, 15.001.  

Fenroth Castle, Eloria, capital of Elaris [Elf Continent].

Someone knocked on her door, surprising her, as she didn’t sense anyone approaching. It was early morning, and she was preparing to leave her chambers. 

“Lady S., I present myself in front of you to bring you an invitation from Lady Eloise to join her for breakfast. The princess will be waiting for you in the tea salon on the right wing. Use this stamp to open your way there”.

Fancy. 

“Hi, cutie. Sorry for the delay, but nobody explained how to arrive at this place and, honestly, I had to peek a bit between rooms. Thanks for the invite. Can I sit here?”.

Eloise's eyes opened wide, and instantly, without realizing, she hugged Sukira. It was a short interaction; she quickly understood it was too much. 

The two of them were spending a few hours a day together, and they slowly started to learn and respect each other. She was naive in the most beautiful sense of the word; she hadn't been hurt by life or the world itself, and she held hope close to her heart in everything that she did or thought, and Suki wanted to keep it that way; she enjoyed spending time around her. It was easy and refreshing. And in Eloise’s eyes, Sukira was the coolest person she’d ever met. 

“This friendship does not make any sense,” Aaron said while pouring coffee into his and Eloise’s cups. 

Elon was also there, already having breakfast, in silence, ignoring the whole scene. 

“I called you because I have something for you! Sit while I tell you more about it. Please serve yourself with whatever is to your liking. Is it true that vampires prefer sour stuff and rather despise sweets?”. 

“I hate it when stereotypes are true.” She spat and smirked at the same time. 

“It has come to my knowledge that your kin also prefer cold weather and try to avoid the sun. But of course, those stories about you shining or being burned by it are all human lies.” Aaron, who was a chatty person, said in a distinct voice. “But what I love about vampires the most is your ability to 'read' the blood; it both fascinates and unsettles me to the same extent.”

“You are talking too much, Aaron”. Elon said sharply, coldly, and without taking his eyes out of his book. 

“As I was telling you… Sukira, here, I believe this book will be to your interest. It was one of the first guides I wrote.”

“A princess flowers’ cookbook guide ?”. She mocked her while receiving the book. 

“I noticed you don’t like being healed by magic, so I figured it would be handy for you to learn about practical medicine made by plants and minerals you can easily find or buy while traveling. Even if something happens to Cloud, you can heal him easily!” 

She stopped briefly and continued, “I’m pretty sure there must be many things you already know, but I figured…” Suki cut her right there. She had a habit of interrupting people when they started to ramble.

“I love it. Thank you, I’m sure this will save me on more than one occasion”. She couldn't stop looking at the book. It was old and used, and when she opened it, she noticed a lot of handwritten notes, giving the idea that Eloise kept perfecting the guide after the book was published; it was an intimate gift. 

“Oh, yes, sorry. As this is an old book, I decided to give you my personal tome. After it was published, I kept learning new stuff I wanted to add, and it ended up being a bit messy. I hope you don’t mind. New ones were published, but there are more… I have the feeling you won't enjoy them, as you might this one.” 

“It's even better this way”. 

When was the last time someone gave me something? 

♥︎ 

March 11th, 15.001.  

Fenroth Castle, Eloria, capital of Elaris [Elf Continent].

The day before the gala passed by fast. Eloise knocked at her door, already dressed in a gorgeous cream-colored gown, fluffy, big on fabric, and so long she needed to grab it to walk. The corset was similar to the one she wore in her daily life, but with more additions, making it unique for the occasion. Her hair was up in a messy but controlled way, and she took off the glasses she was usually wearing. She was wearing light pink colored makeup, which made her look even more beautiful than usual. 

“It seems I got ready too soon. I always do this when I’m nervous”. It was still early, and Sukira was wearing a bathrobe; her hair was wet, and the smell of warm vapor was still in the air. “Do you want me to dry your hair faster with a spell?”. 

“Not even as a joke”. 

Eloise bowed a bit and got closer to the bed where Cloud was lying.

“You don’t need to feel nervous, princess. If anyone tries to do something to you, they’ll have to deal with me first.” She blinked at her while preparing accessories that matched the dress she planned to wear. 

“You are so kind. I hope we do not need to get to a situation where blood’s spilled”. She was genuinely concerned. 

As a broken record, Sukira thought Eloise was the cutest, and even though this dream was going to end pretty soon, she had a good time with her, away from her real, cruel world.  

“Hey… So, I know you’ll be departing after tonight’s party, but I would like to think of you as a friend. You’ll see, this might sound a bit selfish, but you are the first vampire I’ve truly met. My family always despised vampires and everything that revolves around you, and I don’t want to repeat those manners just because.” 

She simply smiled at her. There was not much to say; their worlds were completely opposites. They would probably never meet again. But she didn’t want to say that out loud; it would be too cruel and unnecessary. After all, she wasn’t a bad person. 

“Sukira… do you think you could be able to call me by my name?” 

“I’ll try my best”. 

Among vampires, names carry a weight far beyond simple identification. Nowadays, modern vampires are not attached to this belief anymore. Still, old traditions held that to speak a true name was to touch the essence of the soul — a remnant of the nights when superstition and magic were indistinguishable. Even now, many vampires guard carefully when and how to name others. A name, once offered, is an invitation: it can bind loyalty, forge intimacy, or even open paths to manipulation for those skilled in darker magics. To a vampire, to call something was to make it real. Or at least, the old vampires' ways thought of that. 

Eloise left the room after giving a big hug to Cloud, who was always so pleased to see her. Sukira started getting ready and decided not to think a thought while she was doing it. Trying to get ahead of the situation will only make things harder to manage, as she knew from experience.  

♥︎ 

The sound of clapping heels on the floor approached slowly but firmly, with a sense of fearless determination. 

A door opened right when she was passing by. She was heading to the big salon, which Eloise had explained how to arrive at before; no escort needed. 

“Would you mind coming in for a moment?” a deep voice said behind the open door. 

“You finally invite me to your bedroom, blondie! But you see, I have bigger issues that require my presence, I don’t know if I have time for that”. She used a mocking voice while entering the room anyway. 

“It would be a second,” Elon said, already closing the door behind her.

She raised an eyebrow at the gesture. “Oh, now you’re trapping me? That’s bold, considering I can’t escape.”

“I don’t have time for games,” he replied, walking her towards his desk. A few books and other personal objects were spread throughout the table. “I want to put a protection spell on you before the gala.”

“Protection spell? What do you think I am?”. Her tone passed from being sarcastic and playful to serious. She didn’t like how he was assuming she needed his help. 

“I think,” Elon said calmly, turning to face her, “you’re the kind of person who’ll find trouble even in a ballroom.”

That shut her up for half a second. Still, she smirked as she stepped closer, deliberately closing the distance. “Worried about me, are you? Careful—if you keep this up, I will start thinking you actually like me.” If I can’t rattle him here, in private, then maybe he’s truly made of stone. 

He ignored her tone, lifting his hand. “Close your eyes.”

“Bossy,” she teased, but she did as he asked. She felt a finger on her forehead. The warmth of his presence was a bit breathtaking, even though she was the one narrowing the gap.

“Done.” He didn’t move, showing her that her games weren’t making anything for him. 

“…who’s that?”. Without moving, she pointed to a picture hung on the edge of a mirror’s border, placed on the desk next to where they were standing. 

“My mother”.

Her eyes narrowed, sharper as a blade. “Tell me more.”

He let out a big, deep sigh. “She was the first human to ‘taint’ the royal elven lineage. A sorceress, the only one I’ve met so far. My father loved her; he was crazy about her. I was his firstborn, so I was his beloved son, too. He didn’t care I was half human, even when the whole Council was against their union. But they all forget about the mixed-blood thing when I showed signs of being the bearer of the vision blessing.”

When I was around five years old, I presented the very first signs of being a carrier of the power. Usually, it awakens later in life. I was a child, but my father didn’t care and began using it as a political tool. The justification was always the same: that my presence as a visionary bearer would prevent war, that opponents would yield before conflict could begin. Elves have always relied on vision-bearers to legitimize power and stay ahead on all types of matters; I was not going to be the exception.

My mother killed herself a few years after they started using me, out of guilt for not being able to protect me from that fate. My father decided that was my fault. Said I wasn’t strong enough, that if I had carried my ‘responsibility’ better, she wouldn’t have broken.

After that, he remarried—a pureblood elven princess from Mirenvalle this time—political, proper, and approved by everyone. I was stripped from the line of succession. They had three children together. My siblings love me, but I always kept my distance until I learned how to manage this; I was afraid of hurting them. When I finally learned how, they were already grown and not interested in me anymore.

Thirty years ago, I finally left this place. Took what little freedom I could and abandoned the palace. I thought maybe out there I could be more than a pawn that brought suffering to everyone around. You experienced it, it's horrible, it can break people’s minds.”

Sukira leaned back against the desk, arms crossed, her eyes steady on him. She looked at the wall for a second before replying to him.

“I don’t remember my family. Not even their faces, some people told me I killed them. I don’t know if that’s true. They’re gone, and that’s the only fact.”

She shifted, tilting her head, looking to meet his gaze, which was stuck to the floor. “You at least have people who care about you. You push them away because it’s easier to play the abandoned prince. But they’re still there. They still choose you and look after you. 

Your other sister, the mysterious one, she was the one who came up with the idea of looking for you. Your brother talked for hours with all the information he had gathered about you, who knows how he had all that intel, and Eloise, cutie-pie, she followed a vampire assassin into the middle of nowhere just to find you.”

Her smirk returned. “So if you want to waste your time being the cold, half-blood mistake, that’s your choice. But don’t act like you’re alone. You’re not. It's sad and pitiful and honestly annoying.”

Sukira’s response, in contrast to Elon’s cold, emotionless words, was sharp, passionate, and direct. 

“You keep lecturing me”.

He offered a small smile that showed a bit of anguish, but said nothing more. Instead, his gaze fell on the earrings she wore. His fingers brushed lightly against them. “Do these have any meaning to you? Sentimental value?”.

“Not particularly,” she said, almost too quickly.

In one smooth motion, he placed one of his hands on her back, touching her skin directly thanks to her backless dress. He could see all the tattoos she had from the mirror on the desk. With the other hand, he unclasped her earring, then reached into the small case. When he fastened the new earring onto her, she caught sight of its twin sitting on the table.

Elon’s hands stilled for a moment. Then, slowly, he picked up the second earring and clipped it to his own ear, completing the pair. 

His voice was quiet, amused. “What’s with those eyes?”. They were glitching between black and red. 

“Shut up,” she shot back instantly. “I told you I had places to be. Are you coming?”. 

She started walking away from him. While going down the stairs, she touched the earring. It had some sort of magic on it, but it feels light and… pure. 

♥︎ 

The salon stretched wide and high, a cathedral of glass and white stone. Golden chandeliers hung like constellations overhead, their light refracted through crystals that shimmered with enchantments, bathing the room in a shifting glow of silver and amber. The floor gleamed like a mirror, polished marble veined with obsidian, reflecting the endless parade of silks, jewels, and polished boots that were dancing to the beat of a traditional elvery melody.

At the edges of the hall, towering windows reached nearly to the ceiling, framed by deep velvet curtains the color of midnight. Beyond them, the city lights burned, but none could pierce the barrier spells woven into the glass — shimmering faintly when Sukira’s eyes caught them. 

The air itself carries the hum of magic.  

Security was everywhere, though not all of it was visible. Spells were locked in chains beneath the marble, ready to awaken if needed. Glyphs had been carved into some of the stones placed in the hall columns, their runes dormant until disturbed. Sentries patrolled with the polished indifference of professionals, but it was the unseen guardians that mattered, a few magicians dressed as civilians. 

She could see and sense all of that; she was trained for that, she was the best of her league. 

From across the room, Sukira immediately picked them out. Eloise, radiant in the gown she was wearing earlier, her long, wavy hair up, leaving her shoulders bare. Beside her stood Elon. His shirt, with oversized sleeves that spilled deliberately past the cuffs, was loose at the collar, revealing the glint of countless pendants layered over one another. Aaron, in contrast, was understated. A simple linen shirt with fluffy arms and a patterned vest gave him a more restrained air, his only ornament a single clasp at the collar. 

Ailin wasn’t there. It seems that the travel thing was true after all.

And that was how she forgot, for a second, that she was trapped there. 

♥︎ 

I can't be, it's impossible. She smelled someone she hadn’t seen in, at least, 50 years. Her skin tightened as she dug in her memories to figure out who she was sensing. 

“You are here”. She heard a high-pitched female voice coming from behind her and, as a body reflex, she turned while unwrapping a gun she had hidden on her thigh. 

“How on earth does she have a gun??”. Aaron turned back to his guards, shouting at them. 

“We revised her when she entered the room, Sir. We even confiscated a small knife from her. We do not know how this happened. My deepest apologies.” 

Elon laughed in silence while sipping his wine. 

“SukiSuki! It’s really you! You haven’t changed at all, okay, maybe a little, some new tattoos, shorter hair, but, oh my! Oh my! I can’t believe you’re really here! I made it!!”

“You gotta be kidding me.” She said that in a lower voice, like she was talking to herself. “You have 15 seconds to explain yourself.” She looked at the guards approaching her, giving them a look that made everyone stay still. 

“I might need more than 15 seconds. And stop pointing at me!! Where are your manners? We are at a gala”. 

Sukira was angry with herself for not realizing sooner. In front of her, only meters away, stood Dominique Velaric—the firstborn of Umbra’s ruler, the vampire continent. 

The long pink hair was unmistakable, braided into something unnecessarily complicated, sparkling pins scattered through it like stars. Her red eyes were there for everyone to notice. 

She took a step toward Sukira.

The shot rang out, clean and sharp, the bullet embedding itself in the marble just inches from Dominique’s feet. 

Dominique stopped, blinking down at the mark, then looked back up with a pout. “That’s mean! You always hated surprises, but this is ridiculous.”

Two of her personal guards rushed forward. Sukira pivoted without hesitation. Both men dropped dead before they’d taken three steps.

The smell of gunpowder curled in the air. 

Aaron shouted, his voice cracking with fury. “Enough! Disarm her now!”

“No one moves and no one gets harmed, okay, blondie-junior?”. Aaron nodded while giving the rest of the guards indications to stay behind. 

Dominique clasped her hands behind her back, rocking on her feet like a child. “Everyone’s staring at us now. This is embarrassing! ” She giggled, then softened her voice smaller, like they were just the two of them in the whole room. 

“I’ll give you another 15 seconds only because I missed you.” 

 “Oh, come on. Fifty years, and that’s the amount of time I got? Not even a ‘hi, Dominique, how’s eternal youth treating you? Are you still into fist-fighting? How’s everything with your girlfriend?’ Well, we broke up! You know?? Of course you don’t! It was sad and painful, and you weren't there for me’”. Dominique shouted at her like a furious, irrational teenager. 

In the meantime, Aaron, as soon as he realized he couldn’t stop this situation, decided to evacuate the ballroom. Only a selected group of guards, the royal family, and some of Dominique’s remaining (alive) staff stayed. 

“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you. I’m the one who set this whole thing up. Pretty smart, dontcha think? Not because I wanted you dead, of course not, but because it was the only way I could make sure you came, and that you stayed long enough to listen.”

Sukira blinked. Her muscles locked tighter. “You’re the one behind the bounty?”.

“A bounty??”. Eloise asked his brothers. Elon sure was unaware of it, but Aaron looked the other way, ignoring her. 

“No.” Dominique’s tone got a bit more serious. “That’s father. He’s wanted you gone since the beginning, to cover up for Mom’s plot. I found out about it not so long ago. But when he ordered the hunt, I—” she hesitated, “—I used it. I twisted to a trap, yes. But not for your head. I just wanted to get your attention.”

“You already said that.” Sukira barked back. 

Dominique took a step forward. The guards stiffened, but she waved them off. “I know the truth now. I know what happened to your parents, Susuki. And I’m not going to let him erase you, too.”

Are they sisters? They don’t look alike at all. Eloise was trying to figure out what was happening.  

​​Dominique bounced slightly on her feet again, like she was about to announce the winner of a game. “Okay, so, um—how do I even start this without you shooting at me again?” She chewed her lip for a second, then snapped her fingers. “Right! With the important part. I know what happened to your parents, that.”

Sukira felt all the Fenroth family’s eyes staring at her. 

Dominique’s voice softened. “It wasn’t an accident. And it wasn’t you. That’s what they wanted everyone to think, that the little moody high-vampire girl had lost control, that you were too wild, too much of a risk to stay in Umbra. However, the truth is that Mother gave the order to kill them. She didn’t want Varn’s bloodline to matter anymore. She wanted to erase Rintaro Varn’s, her own brother, line completely. Father… he didn’t stop her. Of course, he wanted the throne.”

Oh wait, so they are… cousins? 

Her voice cracked into a small laugh, though there was no humor in it. “It made them furious, you know? You ruined everything. They couldn’t kill you, and every time you came back alive, the whispers got louder—‘She’s a monster, she killed her own family, she’ll come for us next!’ They poisoned everyone against you until even I… even I didn’t know what to believe anymore.”

The silence in the room was suffocating.

Dominique’s hands balled into fists at her sides, like a child about to stomp her foot. “And then Father—oh, Father had the brightest idea of them all. He said you couldn’t stay in Umbra because you were a threat to me and Tech. That you’d bring the assassins that killed your parents to us, while trying to get to you, you’d get us killed too. So he made it sound like he was protecting us by sending you away. He said that to you, am I right?”

Sukira’s chest ached; memories were pressing against the walls of her mind, blurred, fractured. There were so many lies one on top of the other. 

Dominique hurried on, as if afraid Sukira might vanish again. “I couldn’t find you after you left. Or after they kicked you out, better said. I was afraid, and I believed all of their lies. You running away after killing all of your family, it sounds like a pretty good story, you need to admit it. But then you disappeared, and no one would tell me where you were. They all acted like you were dead. He even made me promise not to look for you.”

She took a shaky breath, her red eyes shimmering with heat. “And I let them. I let them send you away because I was too little, too spoiled, too stupid to think for myself. I’m sorry, Suki. I am. But I’m not letting them win anymore. That’s why I brought you here, and that’s why I tricked you into coming.”

Her grin returned from looking at the floor, and she looked directly at Sukira’s, even though her eyes were wet. She almost shouted with the brightest tone: “So? What do you say? Wanna go yell at Dad and Mom with me?”. 

The room stared as if watching a match. 

“Okay, let’s go,” she said after a short breath. She even threw the gun away at one of the guards. 

“Okay, let’s goooo! Wait, what?? REALLY???”. 

“You listened to me, don’t shout. And don’t make me repeat myself.” 

“This is amazing, I’m so excited.” She was making little happy jumps. Her gown, a purple lace dress, was waving beautifully along with her hair. “Hey, Sir Aaron, would it be possible for me to stay the night? We will be departing the day after tomorrow.” 

“...sure. I’ll make the accommodations. Please follow me, I’ll show you your chambers”. 

“What just happened??”.

“Beats me.” Elon put down his empty glass on the side table. 

“Oh, I said that out loud. I wasn’t planning to.” Eloise started looking for Sukira, but she had already vanished. 

♥︎

“Should I call you princess now?” Elon appeared on the terrace where Sukira, still in her gala gown, was petting Cloud. The gardens stretched into the night below, alive with the chorus of insects and the rustle of leaves heavy with humidity.

“I swear I’ll kill you.” She stood up and offered him a cigarette. He accepted.

The flame bloomed at his fingertips with practiced ease, the same trick of magic he had shown her once before. Smoke curled upward, caught briefly in the moist air before dissolving into the dark.

“I have so many questions.”

“Ask. I’m in the mood for replying. I feel very nostalgic.” She was moving, slowly, nothing abrupt, but she couldn’t stay still.

“So, if I made the connections correctly, you are the rightful heir to Umbra’s throne. Your family was the rulers of the continent, but some time ago, your aunt had your parents killed, and for some reason, you survived. At first, they decided to ‘adopt’ you, but then… why do they want you dead? You were a kid; it wasn’t like you were going to start ruling all of a sudden. I don’t understand that part.” Elon said while wrapping dots like a conspiracy theory. 

“In Umbra, only vampires with powerful blood can get into the ministries, and everyone could tell mine was already stronger than my parents’. That’s why my aunt and her husband killed my family. But as long as I was alive, their place in power was never secure.”

Umbra is ruled by some sort of democracy divided into different ministries; elections are held every fifteen years. The highest governors are chosen by those who make up the ministries, but only vampires with powerful blood could run for office. Powerful blood was something all vampires could feel. Normally, pure and thick blood was inherited, so lineages often stayed in power. Vampires greatly respected blood lineage.

Elon stared at her as he processed the information. Does he always stare at people like this? She was starting to notice a pattern; she didn’t mind. 

“Okay, next question.” She brushed the air, whipping his thoughts to keep the conversation going. 

“Are you planning to kill them? Do you want to rule? Why did you agree to go?” 

“No. No. And that’s a good question.” She stopped for a second and moved away from the smoke around her. The night was soggy, and the air felt thick, as usual in Eloria.

“I’ve been haunted for as long as I can remember. They told me it was because those who tried to kill my parents were looking for me to finish their work. Which, technically, as we just witnessed, wasn’t a lie. But years ago, when I was banished from Bloodspire, I became a bounty hunter. I thought that maybe that way I would be able to find the ones who wanted me dead so badly.” A small, ironic laugh escaped her. “Ironic. I’ve been chasing ghosts this whole time.

Anyway, going there and setting things for once seems like a good idea.” She concluded. 

“What’s a high-vampire? I have read this in books, but lately I feel very stupid relying on them when talking with you”. He asked her as he remembered the other pink-haired vampire calling her that before.  

“Oh, right. Em, history says that high vampires are the greatest form of our race, stronger, closer to higher beings. Dominique said that because she used to tease me with that when we were children”.

“That wasn’t a very good explanation.” Elon expected something closer to a proper definition. 

“Look for the answer in a better book next time, then”. 

Elon leaned back, letting her words settle. Lost in his mind, it struck him that this was the first time he had ever seen two vampires speak so openly. Just blunt truths thrown on the table, and instantly accepted. The speed of it left him reeling; in his world, people argued, demanded proof, circled around each other endlessly. Vampires simply… believed.

“One more question, prince”. 

He hesitated, then asked, “Is that normal? For your kind to be so straightforward?”.

“Yes. If someone says something, you feel whether it’s true or not.” She touched his earring, the pair of the one she was still wearing, softly before finishing what she was saying. “Blood doesn’t lie.” 

He grabbed her wrist as soon as she finished talking and messing around. “You killed two people today. There was no need for doing that”. 

“That’s not a question”. 

“You don’t regret it?”. 

She didn’t reply immediately. 

“Mh, I’m sorry, you already used your last one!”. 

She made a sudden movement, and he let go of her. She started walking away from him while calling Cloud with a clap of her fingers.  

“I’m sure you don’t enjoy wasting innocent lives; you just did it out of reflex because you felt threatened.” 

Elon looked back at her as he realized she had stopped walking. The sudden silence from the sound of her heels gave him the note. 

She stood still at the edge of the balcony’s glass door, the beautiful starry night reflected on it. 

“I’m way worse than you think. Don’t idealize me.”   

“I’m not. I’m just putting my hopes on you.” He said that out loud, but no one was around to hear him anymore. 

♥︎  

March 12th, 15.001.  

Fenroth Castle, Eloria, capital of Elaris [Elf Continent].

The morning sun slid gently through the crystal panes of the Fenroth residence. The air was crisp, unusually so for mid-March in Eloria, and the gardens outside rustled with a breeze that carried the faint scent of jasmine and cold earth. Servants moved quietly, loading parcels into Sukira’s black van, the same one that had rumbled across forests and rivers to bring her here.

Sukira leaned lazily against the stone balustrade of the courtyard, one boot propped up, cigarette between her lips—it wasn’t lit. She noticed Dominique lingering by the gates, exchanging a folded letter with Aaron. The gesture was discreet, too discreet. If that was a classical political encounter between two members of the involved governments, the reunion would have been more…official. 

Oh, no, no. I don’t care. I didn’t see anything. It’s none of my business. 

As soon as Dominique spotted her, she broke into a run to meet her childhood friend.

Meanwhile, Aaron stepped forward, his gaze falling on Elon, who was arriving to offer his goodbyes to the vampires departing. The younger brother intercepted him abruptly. “You should go with them,” he said, his tone too measured to be casual. “It would give the Council assurance, and Father would… be pleased.”

Elon’s answer was sharp and immediate. “No.” His refusal was steady, final. “I have no intention of playing either the Council’s nor Father’s games.”

For a heartbeat, Aaron’s composure cracked. He grabbed his brother by the shirt, dragging him against the stone wall, hiding them from the bustle of servants. His voice dropped low, urgent. “This is bigger than us, Elon. I’m so tired of your distance, of you pretending nothing matters. Stop being so damn selfish about what’s happening around you.”

Elon, taller, looked down at his brother with a dash of delight, his gaze directly at his, remembering Aaron’s words: ‘You never looked at me, not once.’ 

“You’ll be a great ruler one day.” He sighed as he peeled Aaron’s hand from his shirt and gently pushed him away. “But the answer is still no.”

Aaron’s heart was going crazy. He was angry with him for refusing, he was also angry with himself, he wasn’t Ailin, he was not going to be able to convince him, to change his mind. But he was having another layer of emotions on top of those, a stronger one: he was happy. A great ruler he said? It didn’t matter if he meant it or not, but for the first time, Elon looked at him and saw him.  

“Then I’ll go.” Eloise stepped forward, her voice steady though her hands were clasped tightly before her. Her cheeks were flushed, but determination burned through the softness. “And for the record, I swear I wasn’t peeking. Aaron, you’re just too loud.”

Aaron blinked at her, torn between disbelief and reluctant recognition. His jaw worked, hesitation plain as his eyes lingered on his sister. Then, with a bitter exhale, he murmured more to himself than to anyone else, “Maybe… maybe she’s the better choice after all. She believes. She’s good; she has a good heart. She’ll be easier to manage, too.” 

His gaze slid from Eloise back to Elon, heavy with a mixture of frustration and resignation. “Perhaps all of that makes her stronger than him for what’s coming.”

He stopped mumbling for himself and continued, loud and clear: “You have my blessing, sister. I’ll hand you some documents that might come in handy, but that’s it. You’ll go as an ambassador of Eloria, a reassurance that everything went well with our agreement with the daughter of Umbra’s ruler, Dominique Velaric.” 

She ran faster than ever in her life, as she was afraid that her brother, the person in charge of security and international relationships with the vampire continent, would change his mind. Elon tried to catch her arm, but she flipped away. 

“What is it with all the running today?” Sukira said playfully, watching Eloise catch her breath after the sprint.

Eloise pressed her hands against the fabric of her skirt, smoothing it down as though composing herself before a court audience. She straightened her posture, shoulders pulled back, and then gave Sukira a small, formal bow. Her cheeks were still flushed from running, but her voice carried a careful grace.

“Lady Sukira,” she began, the title wobbling with a hint of nervous delight, “I wish to humbly request permission to accompany you on your journey to the vampire continent. I understand the dangers, but I would consider it a great honor to be allowed to learn, to see with my own eyes, and to aid however I am able.” She can’t say no to having a healer in her team, right? Eloise’s mind was spinning. 

Her big blue eyes flickered with excitement she was barely containing, but her words stayed polished, rehearsed — like she was presenting a petition before the Council itself.

From behind her, footsteps crunched over the courtyard stones. Elon and Aaron approached in silence, the former with that steady, unreadable calm, the latter still simmering from their argument. Both stopped just behind Eloise, without interrupting.

Sukira leaned her weight to one side, a half-smile tugging at her lips. “Well, that was certainly the most adorable request I’ve had in years,” she drawled, amused.

From the corner of her eye, she caught Dominique looking directly at Eloise, and when Sukira met her eyes, she hid her face behind a hand. She turned back and saw Eloise, who maintained her gaze while looking at Dominique. The young vampire was all that she learn to respect from afar, almost to fear, at some point. She was an extravagant, high-blood vampire with no fear in any of her actions. Her pink hair, her very intense red eyes, her fangs, and even the way she was dressed made her uncomfortable, but in a weird way, she couldn’t quite understand; everything was new. 

Sukira arched a brow. “Isn’t she the cutest?” she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. Then she straightened, cleared her throat with exaggerated formality, and gave a mocking bow. “Alright then, let me do this properly— introductions, as you royals are so fond of.”

She gestured with her hands, while still having the unlit cigarette, in a very vivid way, almost theatrical. “Lady Eloise Fenroth, jewel of Eloria, scholar of plants and possessor of dangerously large puppy eyes… meet Lady Dominique Velaric, fist-fighter amateur, chronic crybaby, and apparent expert at breaking every Bloodspire teenager’s hearts”.

Both Eloise and Dominique froze like deer on the highway.

“This is the best introduction I’ve heard in years. Bureaucratic gatherings would be so much entertaining with her around, honestly.” Aaron let that thought out without even realizing it. 

Dominique burst first, flapping her hands as though trying to swat away the words. “Oh, for the Blessings’ sake, that’s not fair at all. I’m so sorry, Lady Eloise, I can’t—” She covered her face, laughing nervously. 

Eloise, meanwhile, looked like she had forgotten how to breathe. She clasped her hands tightly together and dipped her head with all the dignity she could muster. She didn’t admit a word of her nerves — but the shy quiver in her voice betrayed her. “It is… a pleasure to meet you, Lady Dominique.”

Sukira smirked, utterly delighted. “There. Perfect. Now you two can blush your way across a continent together.”

Eloise forgot all about the embarrassment in a second. “So, that means..!!”

“I don’t care if you come or not,” Sukira interrupted her, flicking the end of her unlit cigarette, “but listen carefully, I’m not a bodyguard, and I’m not your babysitter.”

Those words were enough to make Elon step out from his silent posture. “Then I’ll go, too. You don’t need to worry about her safety. Plus, I have unfinished business on the vampire continent; it seems I need to read a book or two.” He gave Sukira a small, quick look. 

“The legitimate books this time,” Sukira shot back. She didn’t flinch at the change of plans. If anything, she had a sharp ability to mask surprise and adapt quickly, even if she was in disagreement.

Behind them, Aaron had gone still. His eyes lingered on Eloise, then shifted to Elon, and finally to Sukira. Something in his expression cracked between relief and unease, as though handing them over to her was both a good and a terrible idea.

“Take care of them,” he said simply. Then, softer, only to Elon: “Write a letter from time to time.”

Elon gave no reply, just held his brother’s gaze until Aaron turned away.

Dominique clapped her hands too loudly, breaking the heavy air. “Well! That’s settled. This is going to be glorious. Like one of those ridiculous novels, except we are better dressed.” She bent down to scratch Cloud’s ears, who wagged his long tail in obvious agreement.

Dominique checked the packs one last time, Eloise smoothed her travel cloak with barely contained excitement, and Elon slid silently into the company’s seat. Eloise and Dominique climbed in behind, giggling through their nerves, but luckily Cloud leapt up between them, stretching out luxuriously and soaking in double petting.

The residence staff stood in neat rows to bow as the van rolled forward. Aaron stayed apart from them, arms crossed, watching with a frown that didn’t quite hide his worry.

The gates of the Fenroth Castle swung open with a groan, and as the van passed through the outer wards. 

♥︎