The devil's son-in-law

The devil's son-in-law
Sicilia

“What are you doing here, William?" I asked with a hoarse voice the moment William opened the door. I was seated on my bed, arranging the few clothes that I had, getting ready to leave the slave's quarter.

William had a smile on his face, and when he saw me, his smile widened. “Sicilia, I am so proud of you. I heard that you'd be promoted to a warrior if you pass the trial against Beta Victor,” he said with a mischievous gleam.

"Humm,” I hummed thoughtfully, my attention back on the clothes I was arranging. I was in a mood to talk to William, especially since Frank had warned me against telling him secrets.

William was like a puppet, and Dracula's daughter was always using him to get what she wanted. I didn't want to fall into a trap, I trusted no one!

William didn’t back down when he noticed that I wasn't interested in talking to him. He pressed on, “I know you might think that Beta Victor looks like a nerd, hence you wouldn't practice. But trust me there is nothing nerdish about Victor. Every powerful person likes to act like a simp, so you would mistake them as one and back down in training.”

I sighed in frustration and dropped the clothes. "What exactly do you want? I don't remember telling you that I can't take care of myself. I am a powerful woman but I don't act like a simp! I don't understand why people like to quote stupid proverbs.”

William smirked, "I am not quoting proverbs, Sicilia. Also, Dracula put me in charge of you for a reason, and I would appreciate it if you open up to me.”

I arched my brows in surprise and stood up. "Open up to you about what? Tell me, what exactly do you want to hear? It seems you guys are planning something suspicious, and if I find out, you'd wish you had spent the remainder of your years on your wife's bed.” I growled at him.

William sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "No need for the threats dear. Fine, keep as many secrets as you like from me, I won't bother you again. Anyways, about Beta Victor, Alpha Ken could have chosen his best swordfighter, or his Gamma for the initiation fight, but he chose his nerd-looking Beta. Do you think that is by accident?” He asked curiously.

I furrowed my eyebrow with an ‘I don't know gaze’. “I think Ken chose Victor because he thinks I am not a good warrior. Or maybe because I am a woman."

William chuckled. "You're wrong, Sicilia. Alpha Ken doesn't underestimate you. He's testing your abilities, and Victor is the perfect opponent for that."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because Victor's fighting style is unconventional. He's a strategist, not a brute-force warrior. Ken wants to see if you can adapt and think on your feet."

I frowned, intrigued despite myself. "What makes you think that?"

William leaned against the doorframe. "Let's just say I have my sources. And I'm warning you, Sicilia, Victor's not to be underestimated. He's been training in secret, and his skills are... impressive.”

I snorted. "Secret training? You expect me to believe that?"

William shrugged. "Believe what you want. But I'm telling you, Sicilia, this trial won't be easy. You need to focus."

I glared at him. "I don't need your advice, William. I can handle myself."

William pushed off the doorframe and stepped closer. "Fine, but know this: I'm watching your back, whether you like it or not. You might think that Dracula is controlling me, but I have my own agenda."

His words sent a shiver down my spine. What game was William playing?’ I wondered.

“Also, during a war breakout decades ago, Victor was the only one who fought on the war front, every other person died, but he came back without a scratch. We called him the ‘secret weapon’. He was also part of the warriors before, but after he was elected as Beta, he stepped down from fighting.” William said.

I narrowed my eyes, processing the new information. This seemed like a problem. "What are you insinuating, William? That Victor's invincible?"

William's expression turned serious. "I'm saying he's a force to be reckoned with. Don't underestimate him, Sicilia. He's not just a strategist; he's a survivor, and men like him will do all within their power to cancel their opponents."

I scoffed. "And what makes you think I'm not a survivor? I might have a stronger will to kill. After all, I was trained by the Prince of Hell"

William's gaze locked onto mine. "I know you are a survivor, Sicilia. But you're also different. You have a fire within you, a drive that goes beyond mere survival. It's a cry for vengeance, but you only hate Ken, you might not direct the same energy towards Victor. But Victor... he's calculated, always thinking several steps ahead."

William's words painted a picture of a formidable opponent, one who wouldn't hesitate to strike. But I wasn't just any type of fighter, I never gave up.

"Tell me, William," I said, my voice low and measured, "what's your stake in this trial? Why are you so invested in my success? Apart from the fact that Dracula asked you to monitor me if I fail, it doesn't affect you in any way. Neither would it affect you if I win."

William's smile returned, but this time it seemed tinged with mischief. "You are half right. Let's just say I have a vested interest in seeing you succeed, Sicilia. You're... intriguing. And I always back the underdog. Also, you remind me of myself."

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "The underdog? You think I'm the underdog?"

William chuckled. "In this trial, yes. Victor's got experience and strategy on his side. But you... you've got something else. Something that could give you the edge you need."

I frowned, unsure what William meant. But before I could press him further, he turned to leave.

"Don't disappoint me."

With that, he exited the room, leaving me with more questions than answers.

“Such a slimy serpent! Indeed he is the devil's son-in-law. He deserves his wife.” I murmured with a grimace.