Chapter 9 Evyths’ death
She felt a warm moisture between her thighs, something she had never experienced with any man or creature before. It was something that felt forbidden.
“Your intention, whatever it is, has ruined me!” she told herself.
But then, the intense kiss broke. Raven plastered a smile on her face, brushing her finger against the prince's before pulling away.
“I will gather the council members immediately, my prince…” Raven said as she left, her hips swaying enticingly.
There was no doubt that she was the allure of men. Men of royalty and nobility, warriors and beasts all vied for her affection. The way she carried herself proved that she was not just a sorceress; she was also a charmer.
Yet, to the crowned prince of vampires, she was merely a woman clinging to his chest. She was ideal for a queen, but she lacked something in his eyes.
When Valerio, Evyths, and the dozen guards following them entered the meeting hall, a chill filled the air, as if an avalanche of ice had settled in each corner.
Evyths rubbed her arms to warm herself, but Valerio remained indifferent, his expression straight and unbothered.
As Evyths glanced around the hall, her eyes darted from one portrait to another, taking in the complex designs and detailed artifacts.
Although it troubled Evyths that the prince had suddenly fallen silent with her, she maintained her resolve to ignore him as well.
Valerio stood by the fireplace as Evyths watched. The fire blazed as if it were alive, piquing her interest even more. She had never seen anything like it before.
Suddenly, she was lost in thought, her mind drifting to her past—her parents, both deceased. Her father had been killed by Ryker’s father, who accused him of stealing a signet ring.
At just seven years old, Evyths had witnessed the brutal man behead her father while she and the rest of the pack looked on.
After ten years, the truth emerged with Ryker’s father’s death: no one had stolen the signet ring. Ryker had taken it and framed Evyths’ father after Evyths had rejected his advances at that tender age.
Evyths discovered the truth when Ryker accidentally revealed it to himself during one of his cruel escapades with her. She had felt voiceless and powerless.
When she finally confided in her mother, nothing was done. Ryker and his family had always been violent, and the pack members either accepted this or feared for their lives.
Evyths could not help but think that the moon goddess had chosen to despise her by making Alpha Ryker her mate. It truly felt like a curse. A burden she carried until she destroyed it.
“Eva, your thoughts are too loud and depressing. Pull yourself together and tone it down!” Prince Valerio snapped, his gaze fixed away from her, jolting her back to reality.
Without arguing, Evyths apologized, shoving the painful memories she had never shared into a dark corner of her mind.
Now it seemed the prince was gifted at reading thoughts, and he had glimpsed a part of her dreadful past.
Valerio was aware of her turmoil; it was no ordinary fire that breathed. It was a magical flame conjured to reveal the thoughts of court members, exposing their true intentions for the crown’s sake.
Thereby, targeting their true enemies within their clan and circle.
Having stared at the fire for too long, Evyths inadvertently unveiled her dark history—one that had long crippled her.
When the prince turned to face her, unable to process the weight of her memories, their gazes met—his eyes filled with anger and chaos.
“Your Highness, I am sorry for what happened in your laboratory. I did not mean to damage your specimen bottles and fluids. If there is any way I can replace them, please tell me... I’ll find them,” she pleaded innocently, her voice filled with concern and remorse.
She dropped to her knees, her face down against the cold floor, her hands flat to help her maintain balance.
“You will?” he asked.
“Yes, Your Highness!” she vowed, nodding vigorously.
“That is easy. Go back in time to the era of Erebus Phillia, in the realm of the leviathan's hollow dwelling, and you shall find it,” he commanded, his voice thick with power and authority, while fear draped her expression. Her palms clammy with sweat.
She had heard of the leviathan dwelling realm—no man had ever lived to find it. It was a death wish to seek it, yet the prince was asking her to return to that time and find it.
Her thoughts were a whirlwind, spinning in endless circles as she struggled to process the impossible task.
“Your… Highness, in the era of angels? No one has survived there—” her voice trembled. What she had thought would be an easy task had turned into an impossible feat.
“Vlad Dracula, the greatest, found it. It was passed down to my generation and now you have destroyed it…” he snapped, his calm tone giving way to anger.
“The fluids and bottles are not just the problem here; time is. And you… you’ve ruined it because foolish dogs like you wag their tails with foolishness in their brains. Empty and naive…” the prince stated firmly, his jaw clenched as the door swung open.
The members of the court filed in, their eyes fixated on the prince and the strange gir they heard about.
Evyths felt paralyzed by his words. They were unthinkable and cruel to voice in front of anyone.
For a moment, she had hoped the prince possessed some better quality, but now she saw he was just as evil.
Evyths told herself as she managed to rise while Valerio walked over to the head chair at the large stone-carved table.
As they bowed in respect and sat, Valerio began, his gaze locked onto Evyths alone.
But for a reason.
It wasn’t sympathy that glimmered in his eyes; it was darkness and cruelty—something Evyths was not prepared for.
Inches from the table stood a stony scaffold. She didn’t know its purpose or why it was there, but the prince's next instruction terrified her.
“Vance?” the prince called, and the guard rushed over, a chain in his hand. “Chain her,” he ordered, and Vance complied.
Everyone watched as she was tied up and chained, just as she had been brought in.
Evyths was confused, her heart pounding nonstop. Her eyes darted from corner to corner as she was dragged to the scaffold, her hands bound behind her.
“Everyone, I conducted an experiment earlier and I am happy to share my progress. Before I proceed, however, I thought my uncle Astaroth and my father, the king, would be present. I regret to announce their unavoidable absence due to the current condition of King Bathory…” Valerio began, his tone sharp and commanding, making everyone feel accountable to him.
“My friend, Lord Octavio, may join us later, or perhaps not at all for this meeting. We have conducted many research studies together, and this particular one is of great concern.” Valerio continued, his attention seemingly fixed on Evyths as if he were monitoring his prey, observing her every movement, even though she couldn’t break free.
Valerio signaled to Vance again, and the guard brought forth a tray with various portions that smelled terrible, causing the vampires to scrunch their noses.
Evyths jerked briefly from the overwhelming stench, then steadied herself again.
It smelled deadly. Poisonous.
“What is this creature?” Evyths muttered to herself, panting lightly.
Valerio rose from his seat and approached her, a deep frown settling on his face.
Was he still angry with her? Was something terrible going to happen? Would he harm her in front of his kind? Only her mind accommodated these thoughts.
“As we know, we have signed a treaty with the werewolves, and in exchange, they will safeguard our territories for the time being. Meanwhile, we will devise a plan to destroy the hunters and their hybrids. My crow has sighted them in the East of Demklov; their dwelling is fortified with ancient sorcery, not just swords or stakes,” he explained, prompting gasps of shock from some in the room.
Evyths was also stunned by his statement. She was eavesdropping on a confidential discussion of the kingdom, but why was she present anyway? A mere omega like herself?
Her curiosity piqued as her eyes throbbed with uncertainty.
“What about Lady Raven of House Blackwin? Will she aid the crown?” one person asked, worry etched on his face.
“She has agreed, but with a condition,” Valerio said. His gaze shifted with resentment that he expertly masked before the council, but not in front of Evyths.
She noticed the coldness in his expression.
“Your Highness, please tell us…” another council member urged politely when the prince's silence lingered a little too long.
Valerio turned to them fully, his hands clenched, his silhouette casting a still shadow on the floor.
“Lady Raven demands matrimony,” he announced, prompting murmurs of agreement as most absorbed the news favorably.
“If that is her only condition, it means we have gained the support of the legion of sorcerers and beasts. Besides, regardless of House Blackwin's assistance, they are still bound to the crown and they must yield,” someone remarked.
“If we wield power without diplomacy, they will spiral out of control and are likely to lose our way…” a third man interjected.
Prince Valerio's lips twitched slightly. “You are all correct, but power without diplomacy is unwise…” he replied. “For the sake of the crown and the impending war, I will wed the heiress…” he added, a hint of pressure in his tone.
“Now, our treaty with the werewolves has led us to a task. I will demonstrate what I have discovered, and I believe it is a gateway,” Valerio said, restoring his confidence and poise as he turned to Evyths, who was wincing from her bindings.
“Now, everyone, to nullify the grip of the werewolves on us, let us test our object to weigh our progress,” the prince declared casually.
He rummaged through the contents on the tray and picked up a vial filled with a greenish-purple fluid, its haze wafting into the air as he opened it.
He stepped closer to Evyths, reducing the distance between them, lifting the vial in his hand.
In her eyes, he saw her helplessness; he could hear her heartbeat thumping loudly as he faced the others.
“Using this enhanced wolfbane fluid, I shall administer it to her throat to determine if my test object can resist its deadly toxins,” he stated, and Evyths’ eyes widened in shock.
“Will she die, your highness?” one asked.
“Certainly!” Valerio said, his voice flat and emotionless.
The other attendees were curious, a wry smile settling on their lips. The prince turned to her again, and she shook her head, begging for mercy.
“Please, Prince Valerio, spare me! I do not want to die like my mother did…” Her voice trembled, the words barely audible. In that moment, he learned a new detail about her; her mother had died from the same deadly plant.
Still, Valerio forced her mouth open, overpowering her as he had always done. The liquid flowed down her throat, a burning sensation slicing her throat.
And for a brief moment, everyone assumed that Evyths had died.
Did the prince truly kill her with the same venom he swore to find a cure for?