Chapter 80: Bittersweet Distractions

Ariana stared at him, her eyes wide. She knew one thing without a doubt about this man—no matter how unbelievable many of his words seemed, they always turned out to be true. But then... how was that even possible..how did he know h..hell? "Should I bathe you?" she heard Zavren say, noticing how she had been staring at him in a daze. Ariana immediately shook her head. To her surprise, he simply nodded calmly and stood. "Make sure to bathe quickly and eat. Don’t forget to eat a lot," he said in his usual calm voice. And just like that, to Ariana’s surprise, he turned and left. ’Huh?’ Confusion deepened. The way he had just agreed to it—and now, Ariana wasn’t even sure what she wanted. Was she expecting him to insist? Or maybe refuse? And... bathe her.. She moved, pressing her head gently into the water. After some time, she came back up, using her hands to brush the water from her face. She reached for the black soap and began bathing. After she was done, she stepped out of the bathroom, now clad in a long, milk-colored nightwear. Her body felt fresh and free. She turned to the window—the clouds were still dark, and the rain hadn’t stopped. That was when she realized, thank heavens they hadn’t gone with option one. If they had, they’d still be stuck in the carriage by now. She moved to the table and sat. Food had already been prepared for her. Ariana’s eyes landed on the herbal tea. She knew that tea too well—it was usually given to someone with a cold, something to help calm the body. She could tell by the black grounded seeds floating in it. She picked it up and gulped it down, shutting her eyes tightly as the bitterness filled her mouth. She knew how to endure the taste. Just as she finished, she grabbed the open juice beside it and drank it quickly. Immediately, she dropped the cup on the table, her face scrunching bitterly as her body shivered. The taste had disappeared from her tongue, but the bitterness lingered in her head. She knew Zavren was behind this. Still, she was grateful—at least he hadn’t called a physician. There was nothing this man couldn’t do. As she glanced around the table again, she noticed there were more fruits than usual. She ate in silence. Meanwhile Cling. Clang. Inside a very large room, Raven and Zavren were locked in an intense fight. Raven had no idea why he was being used as a scapegoat. He had only come to deliver the latest report to the king—then, out of nowhere, His Majesty had tossed him a sword and requested a spar. If you’d asked him, he definitely hadn’t seen it coming. Raven’s body slid backward as the sword’s tip hissed, scraping across the floor. He bent low, lifting his sword, one hand touching the ground to steady himself. Before he could catch his breath, Zavren lunged at him. Raven’s eyes widened as he raised his sword—Clang! A loud clash echoed through the room, forcing him to stagger back. He knew his king. Zavren was never the type to strike first. So what was going on? He needed to stop this—or else... his head might be the next thing to roll. Another sharp clash rang out as Raven’s sword flew from his hand, sliding across the floor to the far end of the room. Zavren stood still, expression calm. His black shirt and pants looked far too smooth and elegant for someone mid-combat. What terrified Raven even more was the fact that Zavren wasn’t even trying. Raven’s breath came hard. His eyes widened. "Y–Your Highness!" His voice came out louder than he intended. But it seemed His Highness wasn’t interested in stopping. Raven desperately needed air. Oh, where was Brother Zekel? That was his only hope right now. Zavren finally turned and walked over to a bench. He sat quietly, face unreadable. Raven straightened, sweat dripping from his face, trying to steady his breathing. He knew why he thanked the heavens every morning—just waking up and seeing the sun was a blessing. Every day he wasn’t just fighting for his position... but also for his head. He slowly walked toward Zavren. He had originally come here to deliver a report. Who knew the day had other brutal plans? "Any report?" Zavren asked. ’Yes, Your Highness. That’s why I came—and you decided to kill me instead with your skill,’ Raven said to himself, words he dared not voice aloud. "Yes, Your Highness. The report from the prisoner," he answered calmly. Zavren’s lips curled into a slow, wide smile. Raven knew that smile. It never meant anything good. Raven continued, "He has refused to say a word. It seems he is quite stubborn—and loyal." "I will handle him myself. Any other report?" Zavren asked, eyes shifting toward him. "I... I have a question," Raven said carefully, scratching the back of his head. "Go on. Don’t waste my time," Zavren replied coolly, clearly noticing his hesitation. "I feel the Vampire King’s plan is to make us go extinct. he’s probably trying to find a way to wipe out all werewolves," Raven said with slight worry. Zavren chuckled lightly, his eyes drifting to the sword. Raven took a step back. Why was His Majesty looking at the sword again? "And do you truly believe that is possible? You should not be as foolish as they are. We shall not go extinct—even if we so desired. The most the vampires can do is attempt to make us like themselves. The blood-cursed beast... it is as if a secret they unknowingly reveal to us, and with it, we have discovered their weakness. Vrazen seeks a response from us. But that, I vow, is the one thing he shall never receive," Zavren said, his voice calm and resolute. Raven understood now. No wonder Zavren was so calm. All the Vampire King wanted was for them to strike first—which could only mean one thing, Zavren was already prepared. The vampires and werewolves had never been on good terms it seems the hatred grew as the day went by. "Uh, Your Highness... about Mister Fredrick," Raven said carefully, watching as Zavren’s cold gaze shifted to him. "Any report?" Zavren asked. Raven shook his head. "Then don’t ask me pointless questions," he said. Raven nodded with a bow, though deep down, he still desperately wanted to know—why had Fredrick’s grave been empty that day? Back in the room Ariana moved to the small library corner in the room. She decided to pick up a book to read. It had been so long since she last read, and even the last time she went to the library, she hadn’t gotten to read anything. That was when she had come across that magical book... She reached for a red book with green stripes on the cover and finally read the title: ’Bloodlist’ She gently trailed her finger across the title, wondering what kind of book it was. Maybe she could read it and fall asleep afterward. With the sound of the rain outside, this felt like the perfect moment. She walked to the bedside and tugged the little rope on the lamp. A soft ding echoed before it lit up. She opened the book and, to her surprise, saw a warning for readers twenty years and older. "I’m twenty-one, so what’s the worst that could happen?" she murmured to herself. She had read lots of books before. She laid on the bed, pulling the blanket over her body. She raised the book and began reading. So far, it seemed normal compared to the title. She was already five pages in and so far it was normal. It was a story about a lady who sold tomatoes from her small hut, distributing them from one village to another. One day, she met a farmer who had no money, so he traded her tomatoes for other foodstuffs—something like a barter trade. The book was interesting. The sound of turning pages echoed softly through the room as she read with full concentration. ’Farmer David, would you like some tomatoes today?’ the lady asked gently. But today, something felt different. He had come unannounced. She watched him close the door as he walked toward her, his hands moving to her waist... Ariana sat up immediately, heart pounding. She hadn’t expected that. She glanced around, just to be sure she was still alone in the room. She pushed the blanket aside and took a deep breath. That was unexpected, she whispered in her head, trying to calm herself. Still, she continued reading. ’He raised her chin and spoke softly. "I am the prince, Evie. I am no farmer. I never wanted tomatoes...."’ Ariana stared at the words again. Why did it feel like she was beginning to read something sinful? Wait, he had been a prince all along? she thought, rolling her eyes. ’Such a liar.’ She kept reading. ’I want you...’ And before she knew it, his hands slipped into her blouse— PAA! Ariana slammed the book shut, face burning. Her heart thundered in her chest. ’W–who wrote this?’ she asked herself as she exhaled and inhaled, staring at the book in disbelief. She facepalmed herself, then took a deep breath. "Calm down, Aria. Remember—they’re not real. Just fictional characters." That helped... a little. She opened the book again. After a few deep breaths again, she began to read ’A soft moan escaped her lips as Prince David bit his... and then his hand moved lower, slipping beneath her skirt... "Darling, you’re not wearing any panties...."’ Ariana froze. She slammed the book shut again, her body stiff. ’Agghh!’ she screamed internally, rolling on the bed, trying to calm her spinning head. ’Oh my... h–heavens,’ she thought, pressing her face into the pillow as if that would help calm her now scattered thoughts. And just as if the scene wasn’t already too much— The room door creaked opened.