Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-five
~Elias~
The smell of pepper and tomatoes wafted through the small kitchen, the sizzle of onions in the pan competing with Caden’s loud laughter.
“I swear—Lucien would lose his mind if he saw how you chopped that onion,” Caden pointed with a wooden spoon, his eyes wide in dramatic horror. “It’s like watching a blind rat try to dice.”
“Shut up,” I mumbled, hear crawling up my cheeks. “I’m trying.”
“He’s trying alright,” Mira added with a wicked grin. “Trying Lucien’s patience.”
I reached for a dish towel and swung it at her, but she ducked behind Isla, who just sighed, shaking her head like she was done with all of us. The apron she wore was now splattered in flour, her hair tucked up but still somehow managing to stick to her face with sweat.
“You guys,” she said, “we’re supposed to be making dinner, not starting a food fight.”
“Oh please,” Mira rolled her eyes. “Elias just wants to prove he can cook so he can seduce his vampire king with sauce.”
I froze for a second, my spoon mid-air. “It’s not like that.”
Caden snorted. “You are blushing.”
“I’m hot!” I argued, wiping my forehead. “From the fire!”
“From the fire in your loins,” Mira said under her breath, earning a loud ouch when I elbowed her side.
“Okay, okay,” Isla said before we could kill each other. “Rice is cooking. Who wants to play a quick game while it simmers?”
“I vote water fight,” Caden said immediately.
“No!” I shouted, but it was already too late.
Caden grabbed a bowl of water and dashed out of the kitchen like a maniac. Mira shrieked and followed with a bottle in hand, and within seconds, there was chaos. The backyard echoed with laughter and screams, the warm breeze carrying the scent of herbs and spices. I dodged a splash and stumbled into Isla, who shoved a small bucket into my hands.
“Don’t hold back, Elias,” she said with a grin. “You are already a criminal for sneaking out.”
I gave a small chuckle and let myself relax. For the first time in weeks, I felt…. almost human again. Free. My heart ached quietly as I remembered Lucien’s eyes from that morning. He hadn’t said anything after breakfast, just left—probably to kill something again.
But today, I didn’t want to think about that.
We played until our clothes clung to our skin, soaked and muddy, and Mira declared a truce just to save the remaining dinner. Inside, the four of us gathered around the table like old friends, dishes steaming, our laughter softening into quiet conversation.
“I can’t believe you cooked this,” Caden said, chewing noisily. “You’ve improved.”
“Thanks?” I blinked.
“Our influence,” Mira teased. “We threatened to starve him and he wanted to impress Lucien someday.”
“Actually…” Caden said, his tone shifting to something more mischievous. “Are you two, like, doing it?”
My spoon fell.
“What?” I blinked.
“Like, doing it doing it,” he repeated with a straight face. “Because I saw the way you limped when you entered today—“
“Oh my god, Caden!” I shouted, flushing so hard I thought I might evaporate.
Mira cackled, practically falling over. “Your brother is the best.”
“I hate all of you.”
“Don’t worry,” Isla said between bites. “We will invite you to the wedding.”
“WHAT?”
More laughter. The teasing didn’t stop until the sun was long gone and the night chilled the walls. Mira stood up and began stacking the dishes, but then she suddenly froze.
“Did you hear that?” She whispered, her eyes wide.
I paused. “What?”
“Lucien,” she said, almost like his name summoned thunder. “I swear I just heard him bark in my ear.”
“Don’t be dramatic—“
“No, she’s right.” Isla gulped hard, “That was definitely a summoning whisper.”
My heart thudded. “I’m not going back yet.”
“Elias.” Mira turned to me, serious now. “We promised. You are supposed to be safe. And you left the palace without guards, without telling Lucien, and you have been missing for hours.”
“I just wanted to see Caden. That’s not a crime.”
“It is!” Isla gritted her teeth. “We lost track of time…shit.”
“I’m staying,” I said, voice low. “Cadence needs me. Just one more night—“
“Don’t be stupid!” Mira snapped. “You are going to make everything worse! You know what he’s capable of.”
The silence that followed was heavy.
Caden stood up, looking between us. “I’m fine, Elias. Go. I will be here when you get back.”
I looked at him, something tight clenching in my chest.
“….Okay.”
We hugged briefly, and I could feel the weight of my brother’s silence. Isla and Mira didn’t say another word until we reached the gates of the palace, but I could feel the storm building already. Every guard we passed looked away like they didn’t want to be seen with us.
And then we entered the office.
Lucien was seated behind the long mahogany desk, looking like death himself.
His hair was slightly damp from a recent shower, the collar of his shirt lazily undone, but his red eyes glowed faintly with restrained fury. The whole room was quiet except for the faint hum of the chandelier above.
Mira whispered, “Good luck,” and immediately tried to back out.
“Where do you think you are both going?”
I swallowed hard and stepped forward.
His eyes didn’t find mine. Just focused on Mira and Isla who were already shivering.
“Sit,” he ordered me. His voice was low and deadly.
He finally looked at me, as if he was memorizing the shape of my mouth. His jaw ticked, and there was something unreadable in his eyes—something violent.
Before I could blink twice, Lucien moved like the wind and the next thing I saw that made my breath choke was Lucien’s hand around Mira and Isla's necks.
Their legs waggled in the air as Lucien tightened his hand around their neck.
My legs trembled.
“Lu—Lucien!!!!”