Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 184

Chapter 184: Before You Leave

Ruelle’s thoughts were so consumed by her having to live with her parents that she didn’t care about Ezekiel’s presence. If she had known this was going to happen, she would have bribed Peyton to remain as her chaperone until the wedding day. In her fevered mind, the thought almost made her laugh.

For a fleeting moment, she wondered if she should have told the ministers regarding what her father had put her through. The proof was still hidden beneath her dress.

But only if it was that simple.

The conditions in the treaty tied the Belmonts and Slaters together. If fingers started pointing in one direction, they would eventually point in the other too. Lucian had broken her father’s hands and also had burned down their house. Whatever protection she might gain would come at a cost.

She noticed her stepmother’s eyes darting between her, her father and Lucian. The woman looked relieved one moment and worried the next.

Perhaps none of this would have happened if Caroline and the others had remained inside the dungeon. Then again, she wasn’t certain of that anymore because the ministers had spoken as though the matter was being discussed for some days now.

"Please let me know how I can help," Ezekiel spoke to the minister. "As you know, the Belmonts don’t have any criminal records and their daughters were raised well."

"We are aware of the Belmont family’s circumstances, Mr. Henley," Minister Carnifex replied, his voice lacking sympathy. "It is possible that your wife was taken against her will but at the same time, it cannot be ruled out that she played a role in the escape. At present, we have evidence for neither."

Mrs. Belmont hesitantly replied, "Surely you don’t believe—"

"We are considering every possibility," Minister Carnifex interrupted.

"And if I may add," Minister Sylvan stepped in smoothly, offering a courteous smile to Ezekiel, "with your wife being Ms. Ruelle Belmont’s sister, her case naturally receives more attention than the others. We would prefer to locate her before any harm comes to her."

"Of course. I only wish for my wife’s safe return," Ezekiel answered with relief.

Standing in the corridor, Ezekiel’s jaw subtly tightened.

He couldn’t believe that Caroline had disappeared instead of stepping on the gallows. The trial that should have ended in execution had instead ended with her disappearance. The woman was like a thorn that needed to be ripped out, an obstacle standing between him and Ruelle. He needed to find her before the officials did.

Across the corridor, Ruelle stared back at him. The fever had left a faint flush on her cheeks, softening her otherwise troubled expression.

"If the discussion with the Belmonts is concluded, the officers will escort them to their new residence. I believe Lucian has other things to deal with in the courthouse," Minister Sylvan informed them.

"You presume I am occupied, Minister," Lucian’s gaze remained on the council minister. "I will accompany Ruelle."

Minister Carnifex gave a nod of approval. He said, "The guards will be stationed around the house right away. The house is hardly forty minutes from the courthouse."

"Let us hope you don’t change your mind again from one week to the rest of the days, Minister Carnifex. It wouldn’t look good if people were to hear how often you change your word," Lucian remarked, his eyes colder than they appeared.

"You seem to believe that the rules need to bend to you, Lucian. Or did you fail to read before the treaty was submitted by your very own hands?" Minister Sylvan’s eyebrows rose in a mock question.

Ruelle wondered what the deal was with this minister who went out of his way to provoke Lucian or stick his nose in when he could turn a blind eye. Because at the end of the day, wasn’t that what they wanted? To prove humans and vampires could co-exist and live in harmony.

"Strange," Lucian responded, his demeanour aloof. "The treaty appeared remarkably flexible when the Belmonts couldn’t be found."

Minister Carnifex’s lips set themselves in a thin line as he stared at the young pureblooded vampire. "One week." His words sounded less like a promise and more like a concession.

"I would like it in writing," Lucian stated bluntly.

Some of the dread in Ruelle’s chest eased but it didn’t disappear entirely with the change that had been forced onto them.

"Very well then." Minister Sylvan only smiled. "Kais, bring the carriage for the Belmonts."

"That is very kind of you, Minister," Mr. Belmont thanked them before offering a bow. "We will make sure to follow all the conditions."

"Thank you," Mrs. Belmont followed her husband’s suit.

"How about you, Mr. Henley? I heard you had to give up your residence for your wife. It must be hard now," Minister Carnifex commented, turning to Ezekiel. "Do you plan to stay with the Belmonts?"

No, Ruelle’s mind whispered. The last thing she needed was having him under the same roof.

"That—That, Mr. Henley actually found another house for him and Caroline," Mrs. Belmont was the one to respond and she smiled above the hesitance she felt. "Once Caroline comes, they can live together. I mean, the couple would want their own nest and time," she laughed at the end, her voice fading.

Ruelle doubted her stepmother wanted Ezekiel anywhere near Caroline, but right now it was evident that she didn’t want her son-in-law near them. The man who had murdered other women. She wondered if the woman was kicking herself for making a wrong decision.

She saw Ezekiel stare at her stepmother before his eyes shifted to her father. He then turned to the elder minister and said, "Right. I also need to find my wife, so I won’t be home much."

"Of course," Minister Carnifex’s response was brief as if he wasn’t interested in the matter.

Soon the carriages were pulled into the courtyard of the courthouse. Mr. and Mrs. Belmont were seated in the carriage that belonged to the courthouse with an officer, while Ruelle took the Slaters’ carriage, accompanied by Lucian and another officer. Dane had stayed behind chatting with the officers.

Inside the carriage, Ruelle leaned against Lucian and an inaudible sigh escaped from her lips. Just the sight of her parents and the ministers had left her drained. She couldn’t believe the ministers had pulled the guardian card on them. Her lips pursed and she wondered if her father would use the same trick.

In a way, perhaps it wouldn’t have mattered even if she had told them what her father had put her through. The ministers had spoken of guardianship and conditions as though they were laws carved into stone. What was a cane compared to that? Children were disciplined in different ways. As long as she was alive, fed and standing on her own two feet, would anyone truly care? The title of guardian carried more weight than she did.

"You should get some sleep," Lucian murmured, feeling the rise in her body temperature.

Ruelle shook her head. "Once I get to the room, I will be sleeping a lot anyway." She didn’t want to waste the little time they had together.

Somewhere, she felt as if the closer they got, the farther they were pulled away from each other. And the thought made her heart grow heavy. Perhaps she should have taken the initiative last night. She should have told him it was okay to not follow the rules...

"Ruelle," Lucian called her name and she instinctively turned to meet his eyes.

"Mm?"

"I will visit you." His words came without hesitation as though he had already decided it the moment the ministers had made their decision known.

"I know," she replied softly, her gaze dropping.

Lucian was not the sort of person to make promises lightly. But neither was the courthouse the sort of place that allowed people to have what they wanted. The ministers had already found one reason to separate them and Ruelle feared they would find another.

She could sense the tension beneath Lucian’s calm demeanour, as though what had happened today bothered him far more than he revealed.

"Claude will bring your things later," he said. After a brief pause, he added, "If something feels wrong, leave the house. Don’t wait. Just leave."

Ruelle gave him a nod. Keeping her distance from her father for the next seven days sounded like a wise decision. After some thought, she said,

"Lady Maxine had said that she’s hosting a soiree for the women. Can you tell her that I accept the invitation?"

"When is it?" he asked.

"Tomorrow," Ruelle replied, before a smile cracked on her lips. If she was going to spend a week with her parents, she might as well spend as little time inside the house as possible, she thought to herself.

"I’ll let her know," Lucian replied.

And while the carriages continued to travel, outside, snow-covered roads stretched beneath the grey winter sky while the distance between the courthouse and the Belmonts’ new residence slowly disappeared beneath the carriage wheels.

Elsewhere, another Slater had chosen a different destination. Dane moved in the opposite direction. The forest ground was covered in hardened snow, the trees leafless, and there was no sight of a bird or animal.

His eyes skimmed the place as he walked before his footsteps finally came to a halt. His hand touched the tree closest to him and the next moment, the snow that had settled on the trees fell to the ground from the vibration that came from within them. The ground softly rumbled, the dead branches shaking in their places before the ground on one side collapsed.

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