Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 190

Chapter 190: The Key to Her Room

"Did Imogen feed you well?" Ruelle looked up and found her father’s attention on her. He said, "You should eat more. Your wedding gown will not fit properly otherwise."

The concern in his voice sat oddly with her. It made the food in front of her harder to swallow. It was a performance to show they were the perfect family, but there was no one here to watch it. Yet her parents kept pretending.

With only a bite of food, Ruelle had poured herself a glass of wine and taken small sips along with Hailey. The bitter warmth sat easier in her throat than the food.

"Speaking of the wedding," Mrs. Belmont said, cutting through her husband’s words. "We need clothes. It is too near now and nothing has been prepared." She turned to Ruelle. "I was thinking we should place our orders where you had your gowns made. The courthouse is paying for it all, after all."

Mrs. Belmont’s eyes then moved to Harold and she asked, "What do you think?"

If there is a wedding at all, thought Ezekiel before he gave a small nod. Then said, "I will be the one walking with her."

And though what he said was him thinking of the future, Ruelle took it as her father walking her down the aisle and she corrected him, "You won’t have to. I have already asked Lachlan to do that."

A frown touched her father’s face, while her step mother blinked. She asked,

"Lachlan is your cousin. Not even your first cousin, Ruelle. Your father should be the one to walk you. "Do you know how that will look? People will ask questions."

Ruelle’s grip tightened around the stem of her wine glass. The thin crystal pressed cold against her fingers. She replied,

"If you want people to look, then perhaps I should alter the gown. So they see what was done to all those years."

The words landed heavily and Mrs. Belmont’s lips pursed as she knew exactly what Ruelle meant.

"That’s enough, Megan," her father said softly, patting his wife’s hand as if none of it mattered. Then he looked at Ruelle and stated, "If that is what you wish."

His hand reached for the serving bowl. He continued, "Still, everyone should eat well." He began serving the dishes around the table. When he reached her, Ruelle’s hand moved and she said,

"I am fine."

But her father didn’t stop. The spoon kept moving, trying to slip past the hand she had placed there. At the same moment, her hand jerked with the wine glass still in it and the glass tipped.

Red wine spilled across her lap, soaking through the front of her dress. She saw her father’s jaw tightened and he snapped,

"Why didn’t you move your hand?" irritation flashed through his eyes.

The sharpness of it made Ruelle look at him. There it was, the true him.

Ezekiel realised his Ruelle had changed and instead of accepting what he was giving her. In the past, she listened to everything that was said and that would mean he would have to bring her back to the right track.

"I told you," Ruelle said, her voice steady as she pushed back from the table, "I have no appetite." Her soaked skirts clung to her legs. "We already ate enough at Aunt Imogen’s."

Before she could reach for a napkin, her father was already there. He had picked the cloth and now dabbed her dress. Ruelle sat frozen by her father’s attempt to help.

"I can do the rest," she took the napkin from him quickly. "Excuse me." She rose at once and left.

Hailey shoved two quick bites into her mouth before jumping up. Offering a hurried bow, she rushed after her.

Ezekiel watched the door long after Ruelle disappeared.

"What?" he asked when he felt Mrs. Belmont staring.

Her brows were furrowed. She asked, "Why are you doing that? Caring for her suddenly." She sounded more confused than suspicious.

Ezekiel leaned back in his chair and sighed. "We cannot afford for the treaty to break because of us. So of course we must be careful."

Mrs. Belmont seemed to accept that. She took another bite and hummed softly at the taste.

Ezekiel snapped his fingers at the servants and ordered, "All of you. Go eat."

The servants bowed and left.

His eyes then moved to the clock. An hour or more, that was all it would take.

Then his gaze dropped to the plates.

Hailey had eaten, Mrs. Belmont too and the servants would soon too.

But Ruelle... She had barely taken a bite or two. His jaw tightened on how less obedient and less willing she was. For a moment, irritation stirred. But it didn’t matter. Once the house slept, he would still have her alone.

Once Ruelle entered the room, she pulled the stained dress over her head and dropped it onto the floor. Then she slipped into her nightgown, the fabric lighter against her skin.

"Do you want me to bring you something else to eat?" Hailey asked as she stepped into the room. "I am an excellent cook, you know. I can bring it here so you don’t have to see your parents while eating."

Now that she was away from them, Ruelle could feel her appetite returning. She thought about it before saying, "Maybe later."

Hailey nodded and shut the door behind her. She smiled, "The wine was good, wasn’t it? I might go back for another glass later," and a yawn slipped from her.

The wine Ruelle had taken earlier made her limbs feel strangely light, as though her body were drifting. She sat down on the bed and placed the books before her. Her eyes went to the grey one, which was still blank.

"I thought the mark on your neck was permanent. Or do you use some spell?" Hailey asked with a curious expression.

"I have no idea," Ruelle replied.

Pushing the thought aside, she picked up the other book with the basics. Flipping through the brittle pages, she skimmed the headings.

Ruelle turned the pages slowly. Some of it was simple like how to hide a witch’s blood by forcing it to mimic human blood. How to dull certain scents. How to weaken traces left behind. Then came the trick the old woman had used, hiding things in plain sight.

Her eyes traced the symbols carefully, remembering the way the books had disappeared one by one as though they had never existed. It was the most useful ability. But the more she read, the more her stomach tightened.

Because nothing came without cost. Every page said the same thing in different ways. It was to sacrifice small to big animals and humans.

And for a moment, she looked up, feeling uncomfortable at the idea of using anything in here at all.

Another yawn came from Hailey which was longer this time.

"The bed feels softer today," she murmured, already sinking against the pillows.

Ruelle smiled. "Sleepy already? I thought you wanted another glass."

"Mm," Hailey’s eyes were half-shut now."That was strong wine. Don’t you feel it?"

Ruelle paused to feel the warmth behind her eyes and the heaviness in her arms. She replied, "Somewhat. Less than you."

She set the book aside and pulled the blanket over Hailey and her friend barely stirred. She frowned at that but Hailey had eaten more than her and drank more too. Perhaps that was why.

Crossing the room, she blew out the candle near the far wall and darkness swallowed that side at once. Only the candle beside her bed remained burning, its weak light stretching over the pages as she picked up the book again.

Outside, the house had gone quiet. Her eyes shifted from the darkness to the writings on the page. She murmured,

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