Lady Delice had always seemed like one to hold her own, her smile ever present and the little aura of life seeping from her at a noticeable rate, but tonight, Zezi couldn't help but notice that she looked different. Her smile was gone, non-existent, her eyes seemed a little dead than usual and have sensed a nervousness in her aura. Even without the King's blood running in her veins, Zezi could pick up on that. It made her wonder how much Oliver could pick up on, leading her to be even be more curious about her past with him. She could use this distraction till it was time for her to go down to the Library, after all, she still had hours left before that. "It's been tremendously long." Oliver beamed, grasping her hand in his before she had time to oppose of his unanticipated touch. "We should catch up. What do you say?"Delice looked up at him, feeling a bitter taste raise in her mouth as his scent poured into her lungs unrestrained, reminding her of days that she would like to for
"You don't have to be so polite, Lady Delice. I know I'm late."Oliver chuckled, his voice filling with excitement the more he spoke. "To where? Maybe I can join in?""The palace garden." Zezi snapped gently, watching as relief flooded Lady Delice's gaze and this time around, her smile seem to reach her eyes.Zezi hated that she was doing this and liked it at the same time. She hated that she cared so much about a vampire to do this but at the same time, she couldn't just turn a blind eye to what was going on.First she was a woman first, before a vampire. Zezi knew she was no longer in this for the curiousity. If she wanted to know their history so badly, she could just ask Oliver. His mouth was a basket, words will sputter out. He would talk, she just knew it, even if that would mean enduring his annoying personality.He clearly seemed like he had something to flaunt about it and for people like him, they always never pass up at the chance to do that. It would be easier to get th
The way his almost hazy eyes had held her gaze, and how affected she had been at how close he had leaned towards her in his bed.By the Moon.She could almost feel him close by just through her memories.Damn this mate bond!Zezi bit the inside of her lips, looking away. She was avoiding the King. Hadn't seen him since she had left his room, her neck completely littered with hickeys.He was the reason she was wearing a dress with high collar and long sleeves. Despite how well, she had been doing in the hiding department, she knew she would still have to see him soon or later. Not with the mission she had in her hands waiting to be done. Determined not to let that sway her, Zezi shifted the line of conversation."Why not?""Pardon, Lady Zezi?""Asides from the King, why won't you take me with you."But Lady Delice wasn't ready to 'asides from the King' in her reply. That was the only thing she could think of. The only excuse she had abd thought reasonable."The King will not like it
"Mummy is sorry." She whispered, tracing the letters on the gravestone. "Mummy should have done better. I know. Mummy should have protected you better, I know. It is all my fault. My son." She cried. "It is all my fault. I didn't even get to name you."Zezi fell to her knees slowly while Delice wept, with a slow movement, she put her hand over Delice's shoulders.For tonight, she would cast it all aside. For tonight, she would view them as the same person, for tonight she would allow herself to comfort her. For tonight, she would be blind to her monstrous side.Only for tonight, she would raise the white flag.Delice took the comfort in her action, her head resting against Zezi's shoulder, her face buried into the upper part of her chest, her hair brushing one side of her neck, while she wept and Zezi patted her back slowly, moving her hand up and down in a sign of comfort, not saying a word.Somewhere along the line, tears had welled up in Zezi's eyes and she was crying too. Her hear
"My parents were disappointed. They had high hopes and the signs I had showed, they had thought I had it in me. You know, a wolf." She paused slightly before she continued. "Every ounce of love they ever showed me disappeared. Despite the fact that I was their only child, they lead me to the boarder themselves and set me into the wild. I watch them turn their backs on me and not once did they look back."Zezi's hand stilled around Delice's, tightening as it moved further up to her shoulder. "I understand them, even right there I understood where they were coming from. My parents were mere omegas and anything more that would bring them below the Pack ranks would have been nothing more but painful shame to what they were already facing. I have forgiven them, I hold no grudges against them and I hope that they are doing fine in their graves." As lighthearted as those words had sounded, Zezi was more distracted by the whiff of madness that she had once sensed from Lady Delice's lingering
"Our friendship was almost ruined.." Delice gasped slightly, remembering how she had dashed out of the room immediately, her heart shattering. How Laura had followed her, wrapping a bedsheet around her body in a hurry, hickeys littered across her neck, her lips swollen from kisses, her eyes hazy with lust, blood dripping from a side of her lips."She told me she would banish him, that she had only conducted a test for him to see if he was worthy of me.""And you believed her?"Delice didn't answer immediately until she finally did."Laura loves me." She gulped, nodding. She looked up at Zezi, before looking down slowly, saying the next words underneath her breath like she was trying to convince herself of something she already had reasonable doubts about. "She loves me."There was something about this whole situation that reminded Zezi about that time in the Alpha's office, when George had thrown her right across the room because his wolf had taken over and he was about to fight with
Zezi gulped, folding her arms and leaning back into her seat. She should be in the library, she should be meeting Akeem, Akeem should be introducing her to his High Pillar, her mission should be in motion by now but she had foolishly allowed her emotions to sway her and now she had missed it. What if they left the library, taking her absense the wrong way and decided she would never join the White Circle?That didn't sound as threatening as it should when she thought about it. She knew she was important to them and it would take them much more to decide that they didn't need her. But she couldn't be sure. She didn't know the White Circle enough to know how their minds worked. If they even decide they didn't need her anymore, well, that would be alright.What raised her fear though was if the White Circle sent death after her. They could even send Akeem to silence her, the mission would be smooth and easy for him, considering the qualities he possessed. He had no aura, and he hide
"You shouldn't make Lady Zezi your Queen. With all due respect and all the formalities that I should have started with. Sorry about that."Unfortunately, the voice was one that Zezi knew all too well. The light-heartedness of the aura it flowed with, the humour that was buried within it, and the way the calmness slipped through the shelf that she was hiding behind and floated to her ears like a gentle petal swayed by the breeze. There was no doubt in her mind that that voice belonged to Sir Oliver. For once since he had stepped into the Castle and she had seen him, this was the first time she would be wholeheartedly agreeing with something he said. She didn't know the reason why he had said that but what does it matter?Despite her total agreement to the statement, she dared not speak. Not because she was afraid of saying it, she had after all made her intentions about this whole mate situation known to the King times without number, the only problem, was that, she was hiding. Rushi
Regret threatened to overcome her but this was not the time to think of her past actions and question herself as to why she had made those decisions without thinking properly. Every second was important and she would not waste of by dwelling on the past. If her assumption about the White Circle was right, Zezi knew she would need the help of everyone she could get, and to test Lord Rosil, she had asked her if she really didn't want her head for killing her son."I totally understand if you do. What kind of mother wouldn't want the head of her son's murderer?"Well, it seemed like she had hit a nerve because, after that, Lord Rosil had plenty to say. "The kind her son wanted to murder. That silly boy thought draining my blood would give him magic, then gave his sister a hard time because she had orchestrated my escape. Sometimes, it had felt like he was two vampires, stuck in one body. He has one that played the role of a Governor perfectly, and the other that displays just how much
"It is different." Zezi finally declared and Lord Rosil frowned, taking a step closer to her. "Are there any other bonds you know of that could be mistaken as a matebond?""No... This..."Zezi shook her head. This wasn't the time to get overwhelmed by sadness or Lord Rosil's stuttering answer. This was the time to get her head straight and think probably.Lord Rosil snapped her fingers like she had just gotten a groundbreaking idea."Well, of course, it is different! Both of you are different." Her green eyes glinted with excitement at her coming explanation and for that brief moment, Zezi remembered Gwen and missed her. "The King is a Soul Seizer and you, are his mate."Zezi nodded, waiting for more, there just had to be more. "And?""Your Majesty, the King had to make a really big sacrifice to kill his father." Everything somehow felt a little quieter to Zezi, and all her focus zeroed in on Lord Rosil as she approached her. "Only self-sacrifice could kill him and he made that. He s
Had Akeem also been taken by the Volakys?That was what Zezi started to worry about when she still hadn't gotten a message back or seen Akeem and it was already some minutes past midnight. She had also gone to the library to check on him, but as expected, his seat was empty. The library had looked untouched by the chaos going on the the castle, it felt peaceful and Zezi lingered around longer, hoping to walk into Valerick.He had said his mother loved the library, and she thought that he was probably here to find peace in that knowledge.But no, Valerick wasn't here either. With a long and heavy sigh, Zezi stood up. She should probably ask Delice if she had seen Akeem, it was good to confirm everything before jumping to conclusions. She wouldn't want to report anything and arouse suspicion regarding her relationship with the librarian, if things turn out differently. Zezi didn't want more walls thrown between her and Valerick, they already had so many problems to deal with at the m
Zezi's heart was pounding with regret as she ran up the stairs of the castle at an unfathomable speed.Why had she left to watch the execution in the first? She should have never left. She should have never convinced herself that she needed to be at the Execution for all the reasons she had thought it was important before. Right now, they all felt very useless.George and Aunt Alice had stayed behind to be with Mira. Not like they would have been allowed to watch the execution, not like they wanted to either. Gwen had stayed too.Oh, by the Moon, Zezi hoped they were all okay. She screeched to a stop right in front of her daughter's door, flinging it open as fast as she could. Her eyes combed the room and horror seeped through her veins at what she found... or rather what she didn't. Mira's bed was empty. George and Aunt Alice were nowhere to be found, along with Gwen who was...Wait!George and Aunt Alice were on the floor, unconscious. Zezi ran to them, accessing the situation
Valerick looked unmoved and it was hard for Zezi to figure out what he was feeling through the bond. His side of it was still blocked.This was frustrating!She was sitting right by his side but it seemed like a whole wall had been thrown between them. Her attention moved to the Princess, who sat upright, her gaze unmoving from Riza as she clocked her claws together. Zezi wondered if she had poison beneath them, and mentally noted to herself not to get too close to Laura no matter what. She couldn't be trusted right now. But then, when was she ever worthy of trust? They were all unworthy.From the other corner of Zezi's eyes, she watched Lady Delice's reaction. The Royal Advisor kept a calm demeanour but something about hers and Laura's aura were off.From what Zezi could deduce, they were scared that Riza was going to talk about the White Circle.That made Zezi curious. What about the oath she had made before joining the White Circle to keep their business secret? Everyone had
After that, Zezi had gone to see Delice. She didn't even have to share her suspicion, the Royal Advisor had beat her to it."Just be vigilant," Lady Delice had said, as they hurried away from the den, and up the stairs. "I think there is more to this than we know, I will ask Laura soon." Leaving Lady Delice, she had ran into Akeem, whose path she had blocked. His eyes which were originally filled with worry turned into those of attack but she refused to move. Instead, she pulled him aside into the Hall of Statues. So much was going on in the Castle lately, their presence here would most likely go unnoticed. "She turned you, didn't she?" Zezi said the moment the door was shut behind her. "But something had been different in the process. That is why you are different."Hope lit in Zezi's heart. Maybe she would be able to get what her daughter was before the tests would be conducted.Maybe her daughter was just like Akeem. Akeem's face shadowed with secrecy. "I don't know what you a
"I don't have it. I gave it away.""To whom?"Her eyes found his, it had only been for a moment before she looked back at the King, pleading."Please, he didn't do it. He didn't mean it--""Who did you give it to?""Oliver. I gave it to Oli, my mate.""It was a gift of trust." Oliver stood up from the chair, his eyes twinkling with the glint of the ever-present humor. "I didn't even use it. I didn't do this, I didn't do anything. Tell them, Laura!" He ended with a smile. Rage blazed in her eyes, seamlessly mixing with helplessness. It was such a sight. Beautiful."You did it."His smile dwindled."I know you did it and that is why things haven't been the same between us.""Things haven't been the same between us because I spent a night with Riza."Gasps filled the court at the implied reference to cheating. It was a scandalous thing and very distasteful thing to happen between mates, fated or chosen. It was an act deserving of punishment.How hypocritical these vampires were, Zez
"What gives you the audacity to put a royal Pureblood in these filthy chains?!" The Princess's voice rang through the hall, bouncing off the walls, her glare directed to the guard that had just dragged her in and pushed her into the Accused box.Raising her head, she accessed her surroundings, a formation that seemed so high, that it made her feel like she was in a pit, with iron railings camping her. On the high chairs on her left side, different Lords were seated, while on her right, the Governors along with her sweet Delice, Oli. Behind her were the people.Wait!Next to her brother was that fur bastard whose existence was an absolute irritation. This was the Royal Court of Lavida, what an absolute disgrace it was to be in this box. Laura felt repulsed by everything. "You stand in the presence of the King and Queen of Lavida, Royal Adviser, Governors, Lords, and the people, to speak in your defence against the accusations that you are the one behind the Volakys attack!" That br
Valerick was nowhere to be found and even though she didn't want to, Zezi started to panic.Until, she had met Nicholas who told her that the King had to attend to other pressing issues that had more priority than "chit-chatting" with her. When she asked about Mira's health, he tried his best to seem reassuring but Zezi could see straight through his lie.Dr. Nicholas didn't know if her daughter would ever wake up. It was strange. If she really was a vampire, then why was she at the risk of dying without the Volakys venom ever being in her veins in the first place?This just didn't make any sense. "She has been starved for too long. Years! I don't even know how she had survived this long. My guess is that she is some kind of hybrid and that other part has been the one keeping her alive, and the overworking has been killing that part of her. That is why she is always sick. It will be a medical breakthrough to get to the root of this."He had declared in absolute excitement."My daug