Chapter 10

As Damon settled into his abode. The rhythmic cadence of a knock disrupted the prevailing silence, commanding the prince's attention.

The scene that unfolded before him stirred a profound sense of repulsion within Damon. A small, trembling maid stood at the door, her head bowed in deference, a stark contrast to the imposing figure of the dark prince.

"Your majesty, I've prepared bath... water," she stammered, her voice barely audible over the palpable anxiety that emanated from her.

Damon, in a display of reluctant acquiescence, tilted his head slightly, gesturing for her to enter. The maid advanced timidly, navigating the unfamiliar territory of the prince's quarters with trepidation.

With her head still bowed, she inadvertently collided with a decorative headstone, causing scalding water to cascade onto the polished floor. A gasp of horror escaped her lips as she crumpled to the ground, overwhelmed by a torrent of sobs.

Damon's eyes gleamed with an inscrutable intensity as, for the first time, the maid raised her head to meet his gaze. The intensity of his presence prompted her to yell, her reaction accentuated by the flinging of the now-empty bowl as she hastily retreated from the room.

The dark prince, his countenance unreadable remained rooted in place.

"Your majesty," announced Albert, the grand butler, as he made a timely entrance. Assessing the mess, he diplomatically offered, "I'll send some other maids to clean this mess up."

"Don't bother!" Damon's booming voice filled the room. He had had enough of those scrimping frightened and sobbing maids. "Clean it up yourself," he thundered, his tone brooking no argument.

Alfred, with a respectful bow, commenced the cleanup immediately, efficiently restoring order to the disheveled quarters.

Other wings of the palace had their own contingents of maids assigned to maintain the conditions of the North, West, and Southern wings. However, Damon's wing remained an exception—an isolated realm that echoed the solitude and emptiness craved by the enigmatic prince.

Soon as the task was completed, Alfred exited the room immediately without lingering even for a moment

As Damon settled onto the plush expanse of his bed, a sudden surge of pain lanced through his skull, sending him sprawling to the floor.

Kronos was having another one of his temper tantrums. He had just returned to the castle but now he was out for blood. For some reasons he was enraged. He was unhinged and ran around within Damon.

"Calm the fuck down!" Damon roared holding his head. His head snapped backwards as his eyes shone glowed a powerful red. Kronos wanted to come out, it had been raging mad since the moment his stepped back into the palace, this was more reasons why staying around people was dangerous

Damon flung his own body against the unyielding door. Rising, he relentlessly hammered his head against the bedstand, a desperate bid to wrest control from the consuming darkness that engulfed him. The echoes of this internal struggle resonated through the chamber for what felt like an eternity.

Gradually, a deceptive calmness settled upon Damon's face as he sat motionless.

Seated amidst the aftermath, blood trickling from his battered head, he exuded an eerie calmness that belied the internal turmoil.

A concerned voice pierced the silence, a knight cautiously inquiring. Alarmed by the commotion, he knight cautiously ventured into the room, addressing the incapacitated prince with a hesitant "Your majesty?" His call was greeted with silence. The air hung heavy with trepidation, and as the knight reached out, Damon's head which was hanging low snapped backward, revealing eyes that emitted an abyssal darkness

Panic gripped the knight as he recoiled. "No! It's happening!" he cried out, realizing that Damon was no longer in control; Kronos was now in possession.

Desperation tinged his plea for aid as he yelled, "Send help..." Yet, Kronos, irritated by the knight's pleas, silenced him abruptly, snapping his neck with minimal effort.

The hall outside Damon's chamber transformed into a battlefield as knights flooded in to suppress the deranged prince. However, it was no longer Damon they contended with. With unhinged laughter, Kronos dispatched them ruthlessly, leaving a trail of bloodied and unconscious men strewn across the once-peaceful hallway.

"Where is she?!" Kronos's voice rumbled like distant thunder, a terrifying growl that echoed through the cavernous corridors of the castle. Her scent hung thick in the air, an intoxicating presence that clawed at his senses, eroding any semblance of patience within him. The vast expanse of the castle's rooms became infuriating, he didn't have the patience to go through each one of it.

A timid maid, a mere witness to the unfolding scene stood by the side, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear. Pointing with trembling fingers, she directed Kronos toward the wing where the new bride resided. His predatory instinct heightened and with each step, the scent grew more potent, guiding him with an eerie precision.

With a burst of unchecked strength, he kicked the door open finally spotting her. There she lay, sleeping peacefully the smell that had been tormenting him since he arrived.

Jasmine awoke abruptly, disoriented from sleep, her mind struggling to comprehend the sudden disturbance. The recent visit from Sophia had added some entertainment, but still a plethora of unanswered questions lingered in her thoughts. Just as she settled into bed and began to drift into slumber, the tranquility was shattered by the forceful slamming open of her bedroom door.

The tall, cloaked figure, masked and foreboding, emerged into her room, casting an immediate pall over the once-peaceful atmosphere. The air, once serene, became thick with an unsettling heat as his eyes, glowing a fierce red, locked onto Jasmine with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

The man's terrifying aura held them both in a momentary standoff. Jasmine, breathless, locked eyes with him as he advanced toward her, each step deliberate and predatory. His hand ascended, lightly brushing her neck with the tips of his fingers. Shivers traversed her skin as she stared directly into his eyes, feeling an inexplicable pull, as if they were drawing her into an unknown abyss.

Breaking the gaze, the man withdrew abruptly, the room seemingly unable to contain the charge between them. With a voice both wild and hoarse, Kronos issued a command that cut through the tense atmosphere, "Strip."