He took a left turn into the hallway that led to the maid's quarters, and there stood Dara, amidst tears.
"Dara!" he called out.
She turned swiftly and ran to embrace Dishon when she laid eyes on him.
"Brother! I had no idea she would run away. I swear I'm innocent!"
"It's okay, Dara. Let's go. His Majesty has requested your presence."
"His Majesty?" she exclaimed, her eyes widening.
"Dishon…she cried
"Don't be scared. I'm here for you."
"Your Majesty, I'm sorry, but I have no idea where she could have gone to. I found this note on her bed."
"Hand it," Damien ordered, intense.
Brother, I'm sorry… but I can't live without him.
I'm in love with Prince Lokki, and I will fight for what is rightfully mine. I don't care about Father or even my mom.All I care about is my love for Prince Lokki. I'm sorry, Damien.
...Isabel
"Damn it," he cursed, squeezing the paper and flinging it across the room."She is without the jewellery! How will she survive out there?"
"Her Majesty has one. Lady Glinda made her one." Dara confessed
"What?!" Damien exclaimed. "Grandma made her one?"
"What the hell is going on?" he muttered.
Suddenly, Glinda appeared from thin air. "Damien, before you jump into any conclusion, you've got to listen to me."
Damien frowned.
Glinda's silver eyes softened as she recalled the events.
"Glinda, I promise, my brother asked me to come to you personally," she says. "Make me one of the jewellery."
"Isabel? Are you sure?" Glinda's eyes narrowed. "Why would I lie?"
"Okay… I will make you one."
Glinda's voice echoed in Damien's mind as memory bled into the present.
"She came to me personally," Glinda continued calmly, silver eyes distant. "She used your name, Damien. She said you sent her. I found it difficult to believe she was lying."
Damien clenched his jaw.
"That little brat," Glinda scoffed. "Cunning just like her mother."
Damien exhaled sharply. "I'm sorry, Grandma. I had no idea." Glinda waved a hand dismissively. "What's done is done."
Damien straightened. "Then I'll go get her myself. She's probably in Wintercrest."
Before anyone could respond
The doors burst open.
"Your Majesty!"
A soldier stumbled in, panting, face pale with panic. "Forgive my intrusion but Her Highness has returned."
Damien froze. "Returned?"
"She's…the soldier swallowed hard, "covered in blood."
"What?!"
Damien and Glinda spoke in unison.
Damien vanished.Dishon and Dara barely had time to react before they followed, vampire speed ripping them through the corridors. In the blink of an eye, they were inside Isabel's chambers.
The scent of blood hit first.
Isabel lay on the bed, pale, trembling, her skin blistered and burned. Glinda was already there, seated beside her, hands glowing faintly as she tended to the wounds.
"Grandma?" Damien demanded, panic lacing his voice. "When did you get here?"
Glinda didn't even look up. "I'm a witch, Damien," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Try to keep up."
Her fingers moved swiftly. "She lost the jewelry. A human took advantage of her. Her fangs aren't mature enough to retaliate."
"Isabel… easy, Isabel," Glinda murmured, brushing sweat-damp hair from her face.
Isabel coughed weakly.
"Tell me," Damien growled, eyes burning crimson, "who did this to you?"
Her lips trembled.
"It was… Prince Lokki."
The room detonated.
Damien turned away, fury ripping through him like wildfire. He kicked over a table, the crash echoing violently. "DAMN HIM!"
He slammed his fist into the wall, stone cracking.
Isabel whimpered, covering her ears, shrinking back in terror.
"That's enough, Damien," Glinda snapped. "Destroying furniture won't fix this."
He turned back, shaking with rage. "I swear by heaven and earth," he snarled, "that bastard will pay. I'll kill him with my own hands."
"What exactly happened?" Glinda asked calmly, handing Isabel water as Dara supported her.
Isabel took a shaky sip before whispering, "He tried to force himself on me. When I refused… he beat me. I lost my necklace while struggling. The sun…. her voice cracked, it started burning me."
Silence fell.
Then the temperature dropped.The air turned heavy.Cold.Everyone felt it. Dracula had arrived.
Glinda wasn't surprised. She had expected him sooner.
"A pathetic creature did this to my princess," Dracula's voice echoed, calm and lethal.
Damien bowed his head slightly. "Father…"
"I want his heart," Dracula said flatly. "In two days." Damien's lips curled. "You won't have to worry. I'll make him regret ever being born."
Dracula ignored him.
He walked to Isabel.Cupped her face gently.
Smiled.Then he pulled her into an embrace and whispered soft enough that only she could hear:"I know you're lying."
Her breath hitched.
"This," he continued quietly, "was a clever way to get what you wanted."
Isabel's lips curved.
"You truly are my daughter," Dracula murmured. She smiled wickedly.
"Thank you, Papa."
Dracula straightened.
"You're welcome, my child."