Bride To His Darkness-Chapter 269: Friction In The Library

"My blood?"

"Yes." Answered Duncan, and he let go off her wrist when he sensed she wasn’t going to walk out on him. Her attitude towards him was noticeably different from everyone else, so did her heart race differently when he was near, though he could never fathom why her presence and everything about her had inexplicably piqued his slight interest. It was rare for him to have long conversations with someone who wasn’t Ivan or his bodyguard, but he was here, freely speaking with a decisive woman who turned out to be the key to ending his suffering.

He assumed their interaction was ’forced’ from the start. He’s never had too many people around him to understand how their emotions worked, and the only reason she was able to grasp his attention was because of the language she had unknowingly spilled. At the end of it, he realizes she’s the same princess he has been searching for; the one who got rejected and sold by her parents due to a scandalous rumor she never defended.

He’s heard of her story from the priest, how the rumor gave her Father the opportunity to finally kick her out of his kingdom, as he never wanted a prodigal daughter. None of that sad tale was his business anyway, what mattered to him was getting the elixir from her blood that was capable of healing him. He didn’t mind offering her anything in return for her blood, and he was serious about it.

"What has my blood got to do with your illness?" Lucy couldn’t hold back the question, her hand subconsciously touching her neck as her eyebrows creased in perplexity. Her cluelessness didn’t go unnoticed, but before Duncan could answer her question, a knock on the door had disrupted their conversation.

When it opened to reveal Atticus, the bodyguard quickly bowed his head and said, "forgive my intrusion, your Majesty, but there is an important matter I must share with you... ’in private.’" He emphasized that particular phrase, conveying the seriousness of the matter to Duncan.

Duncan’s crimson eyes lingered on his bodyguard for a moment, then he shifted his gaze to Lucy who had also turned her head to meet his stare. novelbuddy-cσ๓

"We shall finish this conversation tonight." He curtly said and gestured for Lucy to take her leave from his piano chamber. Lucy opened her mouth to firmly disagree, she wanted to understand why he needed the blood of a woman like her, she was still stupefied to her nerves, but the words didn’t dare to spill from her parted lips.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Lucy lowered her head respectfully and exited the piano room. When she was out of sight, and the door had closed to give the men some privacy, Atticus proceeded to say,

"It is an order from the Queen, Your Majesty." Atticus informed him, and he moved forward to hand the envelope to Duncan. Duncan opened the letter to read what was written, and there was silence, until a flicker of anger displayed in his eyes. He crumpled the letter in his hand and looked at Atticus whose gaze remained politely fixed to the ground.

"I see how it is." He tossed the crumpled paper at Atticus who skillfully caught it, "find somewhere safe and burn it. If anyone asks, I didn’t receive a letter. It’s about time I see to what extent Mother is willing to go in order to keep me wrapped around her fingers. You may leave." And Duncan took his seat before the piano, leaving Atticus startled, but all the more concerned by his ignorance lately.

Was he going to defy his Mother again?

—-

In the grand library, Samantha was escorted by Lady Seraphina who wanted her to indulge more in the Kingdom’s family history books. The air was filled with the scent of old parchment and the soft crackling of candles.

While Lady Seraphina walked ahead, picking out the necessary books that would improve Samantha’s knowledge, Samantha on the other hand had separated herself from Lady Seraphina, whilst her attention was on books that spoke more about witches and the type of powers they possess.

"Viney, do you know anything about witches?" Samantha asked her pet plant who was perched on her right shoulder, and it wiggled its plump body to the side.

’Viney knows little knowledge about witches," answered Viney, and it sensed its master had reached for a book from the shelf.

"Are witches bad in nature? All I’ve been hearing is the sudden kidnap of little children. The matter has been rectified, the guards on night patrol are more on alert, but I feel sad for the victims who are yet to be saved."

’Witches aren’t born evil, Master.’ Viney responded solemnly, stretching a vine to the side. ’It often starts with an insatiable thirst for power, a desire to control forces and defy the laws of nature. They may become envious of those who possess greater magic, and seek forbidden knowledge to achieve those desires. In GreenHollow, the mystic Orb was their target, they wanted the energy rippling through it, but now that situation has changed, Viney is worried for Master.’

"What are you doing?" The voice of Seraphina had Samantha stopping in her actions. Viney was quick to hide away from Seraphina’s line of sight, and when Samantha turned around to look at the vampiress who approached her, she was wearing the same false smile and offering the same insincere bow.

"The grand library is not a haven for the Queen to simply wander off without a trace. You can get lost, and the Palace is never a safe place for you or anyone to walk alone, so please, do inform me of your whereabouts before dashing off."

"I wasn’t wandering about, and I understand if my actions have gotten you worried." Samantha answered curtly before looking at the books in her hand. "His Majesty is trying to curb the witches, and I was just trying to see if there are books that can be of great aid to him. The library holds secrets, and these many books have their secrets to tell."

"But that is for His Majesty and the Ministers to focus on. Forgive me Your Highness, but such matters do not concern the Queen." Seraphina handed the five thick books in her hand to the servant beside her, and her smile was yet to vanish. However, her indirect insult did not go unnoticed by Samantha.

"Your Highness, all you need to do is host or attend state banquets while looking pretty. Make public appearances, engage with the public, and do some beneficial reading and research, which is our first activity for today."

"I understand what you are trying to say to me, but none of these activities you’ve mentioned will help His Majesty concerning the troubles of the kingdom," Samantha asserted firmly, "my duty is to help him and His Kingdom, and as your Queen, you have to listen to whatever I ask. I will read the books I have chosen."

Samantha made it clear.

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