Chapter 105
Kenzo knelt on one knee, holding me gently in his arms. His hand moved soothingly over my back, trying to calm the trembling that had overtaken me. Slowly, my body began to settle, and I regained my senses. But as soon as I realized I was in his embrace, panic surged through me. I flinched and pulled myself free, almost tripping over my own desperation to escape.
Scrambling back, I shoved myself away from his chest, landing ungracefully on the hard ground. Kenzo looked at me, his lips twitching in amusement as he tried—and failed—to stifle a laugh. My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I clenched my teeth and hurriedly got to my feet, brushing the dirt off myself.
“I—uh, I’m sorry about that… And thank you,” I mumbled, avoiding his eyes as I continued to dust myself off.
“You’re welcome,” he said softly, a hint of laughter still in his voice. Then, more seriously, he added, “Are you okay now?”
“Yes…” I replied, still refusing to meet his gaze. “I—I should go now…” My words came out hurriedly as I stepped past him, heading in the direction I’d come from.
My mind was in chaos. I couldn’t untangle the mess of emotions twisting inside me. All I knew was that I had to put as much distance as possible between myself and Alpha Kenzo.
“Wait.” His voice stopped me, and before I could react, his hand caught my wrist.
I turned back, startled, and saw the intensity in his gaze. He seemed to be searching for words, but nothing came. His hesitation gave me the chance to gently remove his hand.
“I need to go back,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
He let me go, his hand falling to his side as he stared at me, visibly conflicted. I seized the moment, slipping away and almost running through the maze. Somehow, I managed to retrace my steps and find my way out, my heart racing until I reached the Palace’s east wing. Only then did I feel like I could breathe again.
“What was that?!” I hissed to myself, my voice trembling with frustration and confusion. “How could I let him hold me like that? How could I—” The thought of Hadrian seeing me with Kenzo sent a fresh wave of panic crashing over me.
Would he have been jealous? I wondered bitterly. He hadn’t shown much concern for me at the ball. His focus had been entirely on Selene, while I wasn’t even allowed to approach him. That ache in my chest tightened, the longing for him almost unbearable. I missed him desperately—his presence, his scent, the way his touch had once steadied me. I needed him to reassure me, to tell me he felt the same ache for me.
Lost in thought, I continued walking toward my chambers, the emotional turmoil consuming me. But as I neared the east wing, something caught my attention—a figure darting out of the entrance and heading toward the maids’ quarters. It was a young woman, her behavior suspicious. She moved quickly, and by the time I tried to follow her, she was gone.
I sighed, brushing off the incident, and turned toward my chambers. Yet unease settled over me when I saw my door slightly ajar. I stopped, instincts on high alert. The silence within was unsettling. Slowly, I pushed the door open and scanned the room. Nothing seemed out of place.
I moved cautiously, checking the bathroom and every corner. I was alone. But just as I began to relax, my eyes fell on something out of place—a notebook on my bedside table. Its worn, leather cover was unfamiliar.
I leaned back into the corridor, looking for any sign of who might have left it. The hall was empty. Shutting the door behind me, I approached the notebook cautiously. My first thought was that it could be another one of Selene’s cruel schemes. Yet, my curiosity won out.
I grabbed a tissue, not trusting the book to be safe, and opened it carefully. The first page revealed elegant, sophisticated handwriting. As I flipped through, I realized it was an old diary. The dates in the corners confirmed its age—entries from the nineteenth century.
The further I read, the clearer it became: this diary had belonged to a vampire noblewoman, a princess. My breath hitched as I pieced it together.
“This is Selene’s diary…” I whispered, horror and fascination coursing through me.
My paranoia flared. Why had someone left this here? What motive could they have? Was it the maid I’d seen earlier? Despite my caution, I felt compelled to keep reading.
The entries painted a vivid picture of Selene’s life—her indulgence in luxury, her parties, and her cruel schemes. Her obsession with someone she referred to as “H” became more apparent with each entry. It didn’t take much to realize she meant Hadrian.
One entry in particular sent chills down my spine. She described an incident where the chancellor’s daughter had flirted with Hadrian. Enraged, Selene forged evidence of treason against the girl, sentencing her to death.
Her words were haunting:
“Her lowly father came to me today, begging to spare her life. I told him I would, if he stayed kneeling outside until six o’clock in the morning. The fool agreed, not realizing the summer sun rises earlier. An hour before dawn, I brought his daughter to watch. As the sun rose, they both burned—his screams were almost as satisfying as hers.”
I shuddered, the gruesome imagery vivid in my mind.
The diary was damning, but not enough. Royals like Selene could evade justice no matter the crime. I needed more.
As I flipped through the remaining pages, I noticed that more than half of the diary was blank. But hidden in the back was a hollowed-out space containing a small casket. Inside were tiny, rolled-up notes. My pulse quickened.
One note, when unrolled, revealed an encrypted message:
“Iva tfxgkr nxzh fv sshmmtfah rh Dnmersow…”
My initial excitement gave way to frustration. Whoever had left this behind had given me something crucial—but locked behind a cipher I couldn’t yet break.