Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 90

Chapter 90: What is buried beneath

The prince rubbed his eyes, hoping for Lucian’s face to change into Ruelle if he tried hard enough. But it didn’t.

Edward lowered his hand slowly. He had, in fact, closed his eyes all the way here, picturing how Ruelle might look upon waking. That vision had now been thoroughly ruined!

"May I help you, Your Highness?" Lucian asked, his tone polite and his expression aloof.

"Yes," Edward replied at once, lifting his chin. "I came to see someone important. However, it appears my attendant has failed me again." He flicked a glance at the pillar.

"Your Highness, this is—" Hermes began, who stood behind the pillar.

"Quiet, Hermes," Edward shushed without looking at him. "You already misled me once. Do not compound it by speaking." He turned back to Lucian, continuing as if uninterrupted. "I am looking for Ruelle. Although, I suppose you wouldn’t know—"

"This is her room," came Lucian’s calm response.

"—when you are—what?" Edward paused. He frowned before demanding, "Then what are you doing here?"

"This is also my room."

The silence that followed was quietly filled with the sound of crickets. Edward’s eyes widened and he questioned, "You—what—why is she sleeping in the same room as you?"

Behind Lucian, Ruelle appeared at the doorway, eyes still clouded with sleep. She took in the sight before her and blinked in surprise.

"Your Highness? What are you doing here?" She asked the prince, confused.

Edward turned to her with a look of shock and repeated, "What are you doing here?"

"I was sleeping. It is five thirty in the morning," Ruelle frowned.

Edward looked as though he were one heartbeat away from tearing his hair out. Lucian’s expression did not change.

Ruelle noticed how Edward had dressed as if he were going somewhere. Was he returning to the castle? She noticed him take a step forward. But at the same time, Lucian shifted, just enough to block the path.

"What do you think you are doing?" Edward asked in a low, threatening voice.

Lucian sneezed once, quietly, bringing a knuckle to his nose. He murmured, "Flowers."

"Oh..." Ruelle glanced at the flowers. "He is allergic." When Lucian took a step back, she noticed his eyes water faintly.

Edward stared at Lucian, dumbstruck, before the moment turned into a glare. Because the prince had almost buried Lucian’s face in those same flowers earlier, and he had been perfectly fine!

The prince then stated, placing one hand on his chest, "I picked these for you, Ruelle. It is customary to celebrate new beginnings. To our new friendship." He extended the bouquet further, as if intent on placing it directly into her hands.

But at the same time Lucian sneezed again. He turned his face away and walked inside.

Ruelle’s eyes flicked between Lucian and the flowers. She hesitantly accepted them, and replied sincerely,

"Thank you, Edward. They are lovely." After a pause, she added, "But I cannot keep them in here... I will have them placed somewhere nice where everyone can admire your handiwork."

She noticed the prince think about it with a deep frown. She then said, "I will see you later at the dining hall. And in the meantime, I will think about what gift I should give you in return."

Edward’s expression shifted at once. The earlier displeasure melted into something brighter, almost boyish. He nodded and responded,

"Very well. I shall look forward to it."

With that, Edward turned on his heel and began to walk down the corridor with Hermes hurrying after him. But once they reached the bottom floor, the prince stopped in his tracks with a grim expression.

"Hermes!"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"I want you to bring in men..." Edward knew this was a problem. "Something needs to be fixed. Bring them immediately."

Back inside the room, Ruelle moved inside the room after placing the bouquet outside. She crossed to the window and pushed it open, letting the morning air spill in and thin the lingering scent of flowers.

"I am sorry about that... I didn’t expect him to appear at the door this early," she apologised. She added, "I will have the flowers placed somewhere else."

"Don’t fret over it," Lucian replied, standing before his cupboard as he reached for a clean shirt. "You’re not responsible for the prince’s behaviour."

Still, Ruelle couldn’t quite shake the feeling that she had caused him discomfort.

Two hours later, the dining hall was yet to fill itself. With the weather that had turned colder, Ruelle had wrapped her scarf around her neck, which kept her warm. She entered the hall with Hailey when an enthusiastic voice called her.

"Ruelle!"

When she turned, she caught Edward seated at the end of the Elite’s table with his sides and the front empty as if he had reserved it. He lifted his arm and waved.

Ruelle caught Edward patting the seat beside him and he called, "Join me."

"Your Highness," Hailey offered a polite bow, but Edward’s attention never left Ruelle. Lowering her voice, Hailey leaned in and murmured, "I will catch up with you after breakfast."

She had already begun to step back when Ruelle’s fingers grabbed her wrist.

"Wait." Ruelle then walked towards the table and asked the prince, "If you don’t mind, I was hoping Hailey could sit with us."

Only then did Edward seem to notice the other young woman. His gaze skimmed over Hailey briefly—no more than a glance—before returning to Ruelle. He responded,

"But this seat is just for us."

"That’s alright," Hailey began quickly, her cheeks turning red. "I already have a seat—"

"Forgive me," Ruelle interrupted gently, offering Edward a polite smile. "But I cannot leave my friend behind to sit at a better table."

If it was someone else in her place, he would have punished them for rejecting him more than once. But he didn’t know why he couldn’t do the same to her. He studied Ruelle for a moment and then asked with a baffled expression,

"Are you... refusing? You would leave?" he added looking offended. "You said I was your friend."

"I did," Ruelle replied with a nod. "And I meant it. I hope my new friend would wish to get along with the people important to me and not push them away." After a pause, she added, "I hope you enjoy your meal."

"W–wait!" Edward’s fingers tapped sharply against the tabletop, irritation fighting with something close to panic. After a second, he exhaled and waved his hand as if granting a great favour. "Very well, your friend may stay."

He had to move things quicker because Ruelle’s attention needed to be drawn back where it belonged before it strayed too far toward the prince or anything that had nothing to do with him in her life. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"...in the middle of the forest. Hermes had gone to fetch rabbits and I was attacked by the lion!" Edward continued his brave tale, while Hermes, who stood at the back, shook his head. Only the attendant knew that the lion the prince was referring to was actually a cub.

"You are very brave to go against a lion, Your Highness," Hailey looked amazed and Edward nodded with a solemn expression.

"Compliments are unnecessary. Still, it would be impolite to dismiss one offered by Ruelle’s friend," Edward replied. He then turned to Kevin and questioned, "What about you? Have you fought a lion?"

"I haven’t, Your Highness..." Kevin answered, not expecting the difference to feel so stark as he chewed his food quietly.

By then, Lucian and his friends had taken their seats at the Elites table and Ruelle could see him as he sat on the other side.

"Of course, for that you would have to venture deeper into the forest," Edward laughed. Then he added, "A lion’s hide would make an excellent keepsake for you, Ruelle. I will bring it for you next time."

"You don’t have to... I am fine without it," Ruelle replied, but the prince only waved the knife in his hand.

"It would be wonderful to have it in your room. You can place your feet on it once you step out of bed. You haven’t experienced it, which is why you reject the idea," Edward sighed as if the humans had no taste.

Ruelle smiled, and at the same time, she felt a stare so strong that she couldn’t ignore it. She shifted in her seat, suddenly conscious of where she was sitting.

Was someone plotting to kill her for sitting at the Elites’ table she didn’t deserve? It was probably Alanna and her minions, she thought to herself. She patted her forehead with the back of her hand.

Across the room, Lucian’s gaze remained too focused on the other side of the table.

Too focused.

"Why are we getting only three days before the Winter Celebration? We should be having a week to ourselves. It’s not like there’s much to do," Sawyer sighed, leaning forward from his chair. "It should be a fun time."

"If you want a good time, we can ambush a village," Angelina hummed, unfazed as she chewed her food.

"And people think I am the menace," Sawyer chuckled, pointing his finger at himself.

"Why?" Angelina asked. "It is a good way to kill time. What do you think, Lucian?"

"If you’re bored," Lucian’s darkened gaze moved to his cousin and he remarked, "find something that won’t require cleanup."

"What happened to the Groundling who went missing, which Mortis was trying to find?" Sawyer asked with a lack of curiosity.

"Who knows," Angelina murmured.

Lucian’s eyes returned to where Ruelle sat. He heard the prince ask her, "Do you have a fever?" his hand already on her forehead.

Lucian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Blood rushed up Ruelle’s neck and she pulled away by moving back. She assured, "I–I am fine."

"That’s good," Edward said with relief. "It wouldn’t be much fun if my partner for the Winter Ball fell sick."

Although Lucian’s expression appeared calm, it was not detached. Like water drawn too far from the shore, held back by restraint alone. And when it returned, it did not ask what it was allowed to take.