Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 109

Chapter 109: Errands Before the Ball

When the weekend arrived, only a handful of Groundlings took the carriage to visit their families, as though stepping away might cause them to miss the long-awaited Winter’s Ball.

But Ruelle had accompanied Hailey to Hushford town.

Right now, Hailey stood before the tall mirror in seamstress Madame Beaucroft’s shop, turning as the skirts of her newly stitched gown fanned softly around her legs. She asked brightly,

"How do I look, Ruelle?"

Ruelle smiled without needing to pretend. Seeing Hailey glow warmed something gentle inside her chest. "Like a princess," she said truthfully. "Do you have shoes to match?"

"I do have shoes," Hailey lifted the front of her gown, revealing the scuffed shoes.

"You need new shoes," Madame Beaucroft declared, as she made adjustments to the gown.

"Then perhaps you will offer me a discount, Madame?" Hailey asked, flashing a sheepish smile. The older woman gave her a pointed look.

"You bargained my price down to half and begged me to finish this dress in two weeks instead of a month. If I give any more discount, I might as well hang a sign outside that reads ’robbed’."

Hailey laughed, undeterred. "I did promise that once I find my prince charming at the ball, I shall repay you double and make your shop famous."

Ruelle watched Hailey disappear behind the wooden divider to change, while she stayed seated next to the window. Outside, the street had taken on winter’s edge. People passed bundled in wool and scarves.

It felt quiet here, away from people. This was what she had needed after the long week at Sexton. From behind the wooden divider, Hailey’s voice floated out, light and teasing.

"I thought Edward was going to come with us. Not to badmouth him, but he makes my heart pound like I’m being chased."

Ruelle laughed softly, her fingers subconsciously touching the scarf around her neck. She admitted, "He does wear his thoughts on his sleeve."

The first few days she had spent time with Edward, she had felt the same. That breathless sense of being cornered by attention that was too bright.

"Ruelle..." Hailey stepped out from behind the divider, now in her usual clothes, while Madame Beaucroft carried the gown away for final alterations. "Did you think about what he said?"

Ruelle knew at once what Hailey meant. She nodded, though the motion felt heavier than it should have. "I don’t want to be his mistress." She hesitated, then asked quietly, "Do you think that makes me foolish?"

Hailey tilted her head, wearing a deep, thoughtful look. She responded, "Honestly, my mother would call it foolish. He is the prince. But if it isn’t what you want, you should take advantage before Gemma brings the earrings..."

Ruelle nodded. "If I ever do agree to the prince’s terms," she said with a small, earnest nod, "I’ll ask him to release you from your contract."

Hailey laughed and replied, "Or you can just hire me as your lady-in-waiting. I would very much like to be paid for gossiping and eating for free."

When the gown was finally wrapped and handed over, they stepped out of the shop. The cold struck sharper now, slipping beneath their sleeves and collars making them tremble.

Ruelle turned left, and Hailey immediately caught her arm, tugging her the other way. "The local carriage stop is that way."

"I know," Ruelle replied, her smile turning a little secretive. "There’s somewhere I want to go first." Before Hailey could protest, she was already pulling her friend along. Soon they stopped in front of a shop with a painted sign that read Fallow & Sons.

A small bell chimed as they stepped inside.

"Look who it is!" the shop owner exclaimed, looking up from his workbench with raised brows. "I suppose it is too soon to ask if you’ve come back to work for me?"

The familiar scent of leather and polish wrapped around Ruelle like an old memory. She offered a polite bow.

"Good morning, Mr. Holis. Unfortunately, no. But my friend is looking for shoes for the ball. Might you have a pair that was returned?" she asked hopefully.

"With the season of winter, you would be surprised how many are made and sent," Holis replied. "One moment."

When he disappeared behind the curtain at the back, Hailey leaned closer at once. "Ruelle, how are we going to pay for this?"

Ruelle slipped her hand into her dress pocket and took out a gold coin. She said quietly,

"Lucian gave it to me. So I wouldn’t be short on carriage fare. I’ll return it once Christmas is over. So don’t worry."

"Lucian Slater?" Hailey blinked, as if she had misheard.

"Mhm," Ruelle responded absently, drifting toward the display rack. Her fingers brushed over smooth leather and polished buckles.

"I would never have guessed," Hailey muttered in surprise, it was because everyone was terrified of him, including the Elites who walked on eggshells around him.

"He’s a nice person," Ruelle said, picking up a shoe in her hand. "Dane has boots similar to this."

But Hailey wasn’t convinced. Lucian Slater wasn’t loud like Prince Edward. He didn’t smile, he glared hard as if everyone were a pest that needed to be eradicated. Hailey herself had been on the receiving end of that stare.

"Here we are, Miss Ruelle," Holis announced as he returned, an assistant trailing behind him with several neatly stacked boxes in his arms. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Ruelle watched her friend blush when the assistant complimented her feet. At the back, the doorbell chimed softly behind them as someone else entered the shop, letting in a brief gust of winter air.

Holis remarked, "Ah, Mr. Slater."

Ruelle wondered if Dane had come to buy more shoes, but when she turned, she found Lucian standing at the entrance instead. He had one hand still resting on the door handle, as though he had paused for a brief moment.

He remarked with his voice low and dry with sarcasm, "Of all places, you chose the safest town for humans."

"Hailey had her gown made here. It is cheap here," Ruelle explained quickly. "And she needed shoes to match."

But by then Lucian had already turned his gaze on Hailey, and the young woman froze under his narrowed eyes. That was what she had meant! Thought Hailey.

Lucian’s cold eyes then turned to the shopkeeper. He asked, "Is my order ready?"

"Yes, Sire—yes. Peter go get it," Holis ordered his assistant. The shopkeeper lowered his voice and asked, "Has there been any progress with the new case, Sire? The woman’s head they found."

"It belonged to a student from Sexton," Lucian replied calmly.

Ruelle’s attention snapped toward him. Hailey’s too.

"Did they find June’s body?" Ruelle asked in shock before she could stop herself.

Lucian gave a small nod. "Two weeks ago."

So June hadn’t run away but was truly dead...her stomach tightened at the thought of it. If she had still been in Brackenwell, she would have heard the whispers about it. She asked,

"Do they know who could have killed her?"

"Not yet," Lucian answered, before adding, "Don’t wander after this and head straight back to Sexton." It sounded less of a suggestion and more of a command. His gaze drifted to her hair and lingered a fraction too long. Three victims, all blonde women, who were around the age of eighteen or nineteen.

Hailey chose her shoes quickly and had them wrapped. When Ruelle tried to pass the gold coin to Mr. Holis quietly, he lifted it up between his fingers and said far too loudly,

"Oh—a gold coin. It seems like you won’t be turning to my assistant for a while."

Heat climbed up Ruelle’s neck. She could feel Lucian’s gaze on her.

"I’m not certain I have the change for this at the moment," Holis continued, before handing over the coin. "I will write it down and you can settle the payment next time."

"Thank you," Ruelle responded softly.

Slipping the coin back into her pocket, Ruelle and Hailey offered a bow each to Mr. Holis and Lucian before stepping out of the shop. They walked down the street, each of them carrying a box as they made their way to the local carriage stop.

Ruelle had just pulled her pocket watch from the folds of her skirt when the rumble of wheels reached them. She watched the local carriage roll toward the stop and slow down.

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