When the door finally opens and we see Silas, I yell before I can even stop myself.
"You did this intentionally!"
Anger courses through my veins like wildfire.
How could he lock us in the lab for hours and then simply show up and ask why the door was locked, as though he had nothing to do with it? As though he had not been the very one who sealed us in that suffocating room.
I look him dead in the eye.
"What did you stand to gain by locking us in your lab?"
Silas freezes in the doorway.
For once—just once—his usual carefree expression is gone.
"I did not lock you," he stammers.
His voice sounds genuinely confused.
"I did not lock you in the lab."
"You did!" I snap immediately.
My voice echoes against the stone walls.
"You did, because how else could it have happened? No one else has access to this lab but you."
Silas opens his mouth, then closes it again.
"That is why I am confused about how both of you were in the lab and it was locked," he says slowly.
I have never seen Silas this serious in my life.
His brows are drawn together in a deep frown. His eyes move between me and the king as though he is trying to piece together a puzzle that refuses to make sense.
He looks genuinely confused.
But my eyes—everything about me—is clouded with rage.
I cannot think straight.
Everything is too much at the moment.
Too many emotions. Too many thoughts. Too many things I cannot understand.
"I swear," Silas says again, raising his hands slightly. "I did not lock that door. I did not lock you inside."
"What would I gain from locking you and the king in my lab?"
I laugh bitterly.
"What would you gain? Your fun. Your laughter. You gain a lot of things. You tell me."
The king says nothing.
He is just staring.
Watching everything unfold with an expression I cannot quite read.
There is something in his eyes—something that looks dangerously close to regret.
His gaze doesn't accuse Silas.
It doesn't defend him either.
It just… lingers.
Heavy.
Guilty.
"If you wanted to have fun," I continue, my voice shaking slightly, "you would have found many other ways to have fun, Silas. Not locking me up with someone that doesn't even want to be close to me."
Silas flinches.
"You, of all people, should understand the fact that not everything is fun," I continue. "Not everything is supposed to make you laugh."
My chest rises and falls rapidly.
"We are not your jesters, Silas."
"I…" he begins slowly. "I know that you are upset. I sort of—"
"But nothing!" I explode.
"That is enough, okay? This is enough!"
My voice rises again, echoing through the corridor.
"Both of you are enough!"
And before either of them can say another word.
I turn and storm out of the lab.
I walk fast.
Too fast.
My footsteps echo loudly through the castle halls as I try to blow off some steam.
Servants pause as I pass them.
A couple of them stop mid-conversation, turning their heads to stare.
Lord knows I must look terrifying right now.
My chest is heaving. My breathing is uneven, sharp, and angry.
If I were a dragon, those creatures I read about in the library the ones that breathe fire and have enormous wings and massive bodies…
If I were one of those creatures, I swear I would have burned this entire castle down by now.
Another word I learned from the library comes to mind.
Ginormous.
Yes.
That was what those creatures were described as.
Ginormous.
Despite my rage, the absurd thought almost makes me laugh.
Almost.
But the laughter never comes.
I can still feel the servants' eyes following me.
Their whispers.
Some snicker.
Some snort quietly as I pass.
Perhaps they are thriving on my rage.
Perhaps they enjoy the spectacle.
I clench my fists as I walk.
I know Silas would not do something like that intentionally.
Maybe he didn't do it at all.
Maybe someone else did.
But that thought barely lasts a second before my mind rejects it.
No one has access to Silas's lab.
His lab is practically marked as a forbidden zone.
A no-near territory.
Everyone knows that.
It is his space. His domain.
So how could anyone else have entered it?
How could anyone else have locked the door?
The logic circles endlessly in my head as I walk toward the servants' quarters.
And when I finally reach my room—
I slam the door shut.
The sound echoes loudly through the quiet space.
I sit on the edge of my bed and try to calm myself.
I fail miserably.
With a frustrated sigh, I fall back onto the mattress and close my eyes.
Maybe I can sleep.
Maybe sleep will shut my mind off long enough for me to forget the disaster that just happened.
This is the moment I regret being a vampire.
At least when I was human, I could force myself to sleep.
Sleep meant escape.
Even if it was temporary.
Even if it lasted only a few hours.
But sleep meant silence.
Now?
Now my mind refuses to shut up.
My thoughts are scattered everywhere.
Fragments.
Pieces.
Memories of the lab.
The king's words.
His expression.
The things he said.
The things I said.
Everything keeps replaying in my head like a cruel loop.
How on earth did I find myself in this situation?
Once upon a time, I was living just fine.
Hungry, yes.
Poor, yes.
But fine.
At least I wasn't confused about emotional nonsense.
And now here I am.
Thinking about someone who claims that I cloud his thoughts, yet somehow he is the one clouding mine.
Someone I am not even sure feels anything for me.
Someone who is so far above me that the distance between us might as well be the sky itself.
He is a king.
I am… nothing.
A servant.
A sired vampire who barely knows how to control herself.
The difference between us is almost laughable.
It is like I am a seedling planted deep in the earth—
And he is the sun.
So far away that it helps the seedling grow, yet still impossibly distant.
The seedling can never grow tall enough to reach the sun.
I sigh heavily.
What kind of thoughts are these?
What am I thinking about?
"Snap out of it," I mutter to myself.
"Snap out of it."
What is this feeling?
He doesn't love you.
He doesn't care about you.
He is as confused as you are.
Both of you are confused.
And confusion leads to problems.
Problems that neither of you will be able to fix.
So the answer is simple.
Walk away.
Walk away.
Walk away.
"Yes," I whisper.
"That is what I will do."
I will walk away.
The moment the thought forms, my throat tightens.
The idea of walking away feels strangely painful.
Like something twisting deep inside my chest.
If I leave the castle…
Where would I even go?
Cassian and Silas are still training me.
This castle has become my routine.
My life.
I know the halls. The kitchens. The library. The training grounds.
I have grown accustomed to it.
To them.
"No," I say suddenly.
"No."
I sit up on the bed.
I will not allow one single person to make me uncomfortable in my own home.
Because this place is my home now.
More than any other place has ever been.
And if one entity decides to stand in my way,
Then I will simply pretend that entity does not exist.
I will go around him.
Continue with my life.
Continue with my training.
Continue reading in the library.
There are countless books I have not opened yet.
Scrolls I have not read.
Maps I have not studied.
Knowledge waiting for me.
Knowledge that could change everything.
I smile faintly.
I might be a peasant.
But knowledge belongs to everyone.
Not just nobles.
One day, if I leave this castle, I will leave with something valuable.
Knowledge.
Something that can take me anywhere.
I could work in the town's library.
Teach children.
Become a pharmacist using what Silas has taught me.
Even become a gardener.
I have options.
Prospects.
A future.
So no one
no one
will stand in the way of my goals.
Not even the king of Greyhaven.
Because I still have something important to do.
Something I cannot forget.
Revenge.
I need revenge against the bastard who did this to me.
The one who bit me.
The one who left me at death's door.
The one who forced me into this cursed existence.
I will find him.
And when I do
He will pay.
I will survive.
That is my goal.
And not even that king will make me forget it.
"…And I hate this!"
The scream tears out of my throat before I can stop it.
I grab the candle beside my bed and hurl it against the wall.
It shatters with a sharp crack.
Wax splatters across the stone.
I growl in frustration.
The sound that leaves my throat is almost animalistic.
Rough.
Feral.
I have never sounded like that before.
And all because of one stupid vampire.
I run a hand through my hair, pacing the room.
What is this feeling?
Is it rage?
No.
It doesn't feel like rage.
Rage is what I feel when I think of the man who turned me.
This is… different.
It burns.
Twists inside my chest.
Like something clawing its way out.
Like an urge telling me to march straight back to him and demand answers.
I groan loudly.
"This is ridiculous."
He doesn't deserve this much emotion from me.
He barely sees me as anything.
Barely air.
Yet here I am.
Losing my mind over him.
I press my palms against my face.
"I hate this," I whisper again.
And the worst part?
I don't even know why.
(Darian's POV)
The silence she leaves behind feels heavier than the argument itself.
I stand there long after Isolde disappears down the corridor, the echo of her footsteps fading into the stone halls of Greyhaven.
Neither Silas nor I speak.
For a moment, the only sound in the corridor is the distant crackle of torches burning along the walls.
Silas finally breaks the silence.
"What in the gods' name just happened?"
I do not answer.
My eyes remain fixed on the empty hallway where she vanished.
Silas studies me carefully.
Then his gaze sharpens.
"What did you say to her?"
Still, I do not respond.
Because the truth is simple.
I said far too much.
I close my eyes briefly, pressing my fingers against the bridge of my nose as if the gesture alone might erase the memory of the last hours.
Her scent still lingers in the air.
Warm.
Alive.
The irony, the undead scents alive?
What do I call these thoughts?
Dangerously distracting?
It clings to the laboratory like smoke.
Silas sighs.
"Darian."
I lower my hand.
"Yes?"
"That girl just stormed out of my laboratory looking like she was ready to set the entire castle on fire."
His expression darkens slightly.
"And you're standing here like a man who has just realized he accidentally started the fire himself."
I let out a quiet breath.
"Perhaps I did."
Silas raises an eyebrow.
"Well that sounds promising."
He leans against the doorway of the lab, folding his arms.
"So," he says slowly, "would you like to explain why my apprentice just screamed at me as though I had personally betrayed her?"
"She believes you locked the door."
Silas snorts.
"Clearly."
His expression shifts again, more serious now.
"But I did not."
"I know."
Silas watches me carefully.
"Then how did the door lock?"
I do not answer that either.
Because the truth is I do not know.
And that bothers me more than I care to admit.
Silas rubs his chin thoughtfully.
"That door locks from the outside," he mutters.
"Yes."
"And the only keys are mine."
"Yes."
He pauses.
Then his eyes narrow slightly.
"You don't think—"
"I don't know what to think."
The words come out sharper than intended.
Silas studies me again, more closely now.
Then his gaze drifts down the hallway where Isolde disappeared.
"You hurt her."
The statement lands quietly between us.
I stiffen slightly.
"That was not my intention."
"Intentions rarely matter," Silas replies calmly.
"What matters is the result."
I remain silent.
Silas tilts his head slightly.
"You said something to her."
Not a question.
A conclusion.
"Yes."
"What?"
I hesitate.
Which is answer enough.
Silas groans.
"Oh no."
He runs a hand through his hair.
"Darian… what did you do?"
"I spoke without thinking."
Silas laughs dryly.
"That is possibly the most terrifying sentence I have ever heard you say."
I glare at him.
He ignores it.
"Because the last time you spoke without thinking," he continues, "you started a war between three provinces."
"That was a different situation."
"Was it?"
He gestures vaguely down the hall.
"That girl looked ready to commit murder."
I exhale slowly.
"I told her the truth."
Silas freezes.
"The truth about what?"
I look away.
And that is when realization dawns on him.
"Oh."
His eyebrows rise slowly.
"Oh no."
He straightens.
"You didn't."
I remain silent.
Silas stares at me.
"You did."
"I did not say everything," I mutter.
"Everything?" Silas nearly chokes. "Darian, why would you say anything?"
"Because she asked."
Silas stares at me like I have lost my mind.
"Since when do you answer questions like that?"
I have no answer for him.
Because the truth is deeply unsettling.
Since her.
Silas studies my face carefully.
Then he sighs heavily.
"You're in trouble."
"I am aware."
"No," he says slowly.
"You are in real trouble."
He gestures toward the corridor again.
"That girl barely understands what she's feeling yet."
"And you just threw your feelings into the middle of that storm."
I lean against the stone wall, suddenly more tired than I care to admit.
"I did not intend to."
Silas laughs softly.
"Intentions again."
He shakes his head.
"You know what the real problem is?"
I glance at him.
"You."
He points directly at me.
"You are the king of Greyhaven. A lot of centuries aged vampire who has fought wars, crushed rebellions, and terrified entire kingdoms."
His finger lowers slightly.
"And somehow that girl has you looking like a man who just realized he's stepped into a trap he can't escape."
I do not respond.
Because he is not entirely wrong.
Silas watches me quietly for a moment.
Then his tone softens slightly.
"She matters to you."
The words are simple.
But they land with uncomfortable weight.
I stare down the empty corridor again.
Images flash through my mind.
Her anger.
Her frustration.
The way her eyes burned when she looked at me.
"She clouds my thoughts," I say quietly.
Silas huffs.
"That is the most poetic way I've ever heard someone describe being completely doomed."
I ignore him.
But deep down, I know something he does not.
This is not merely attraction.
Nor fascination.
Something about her presence unsettles me in ways I cannot explain.
Something ancient.
Something instinctive.
Something that makes the predator inside me… pause.
And that alone should terrify me.
Because predators do not hesitate.
Yet around her
I do.
Silas sighs again.
"Well," he says.
"You're going to have to fix this."
"I doubt she wishes to see me again."
"Oh, she definitely doesn't," Silas replies.
He pauses.
"Which means you're going to see her constantly."
I frown slightly.
"What?"
Silas shrugs.
"Because avoiding each other in a castle is impossible."
He smirks slightly.
"And tension like this?"
He taps the stone wall.
"It doesn't disappear."
"It grows."
And for the first time since she stormed away
I begin to realize just how complicated this situation has become.
Day One
Morning in Greyhaven usually begins quietly.
Not today.
The sharp clash of steel rings through the training grounds, echoing against the castle walls. It pulls my attention away from the scrolls scattered across my desk.
I rise slowly and walk toward the window of my chambers.
Below, guards are sparring in the open yard.
But it is not the guards who command my attention.
Two figures stand at the center of the training ring.
Cassian.
And Isolde.
My hand tightens against the stone windowsill.
Cassian steps back, lowering his sword slightly.
"I thought I was done teaching you," he says, confusion clear in his voice.
Isolde lifts her blade again, her stance firm.
"You said you were done," she replies calmly. "That doesn't mean there isn't more you can teach me."
Cassian sighs.
"There are no new tricks left."
"Then repeat the old ones."
She lunges again.
Their swords collide with a ringing clang.
Guards begin slowing their own training, gradually stopping as they realize who is fighting in the center of the yard.
Whispers ripple through the crowd.
Isolde and Cassian used to train in quiet corners of the castle. Hidden spaces where no one could witness their lessons.
But today
She does not seem to care who watches.
Cassian blocks another strike, his brow furrowed.
"You're pushing too hard," he mutters.
"Then stop holding back."
Her movements are sharp. Precise. Aggressive.
Cassian is no longer sparring.
He is defending himself.
I watch the fight in silence.
A strange emotion coils in my chest.
I love my cousin more than anyone in this castle.
Yet in this moment
I wish I were him.
I wish I were the one standing across from her.
The one close enough to feel the brush of her hand during a strike.
The one she is touching even if it is only the accidental contact of combat.
Jealousy is a bitter thing.
If I walk down there now, if I interfere
Whatever fragile ground remains between us will shatter completely.
So I remain where I am.
Watching.
Regretting everything.
Day Two
The throne room is filled with voices.
Nobles debate trade agreements while advisors argue over border disputes. Servants move silently among them, pouring wine.
And then—
She walks in.
Isolde carries a silver tray filled with goblets.
My grip tightens on the arm of my throne.
I made it clear.
Her servant duties were supposed to be reduced.
I told the head maid myself.
If she must work, let it be in the library.
Or assisting Silas.
Or training with Cassian.
Anything but this.
Yet here she is.
Serving drinks like any other castle attendant.
My gaze flicks briefly toward the head maid.
She refuses to meet my eyes.
Coward.
Isolde walks slowly through the room, pouring wine for each noble.
She does not look at me.
Not once.
Her gaze remains fixed on the floor.
I want her to look at me.
Just once.
Raise your head.
Please.
But she finishes serving the last goblet and turns toward the doors.
Without ever meeting my eyes.
When she leaves the throne room, something inside me twists painfully.
Day Three
Silas summons us to the laboratory.
Isolde arrives first.
Cassian joins moments later, looking mildly confused.
Silas clears his throat.
"I believe I have discovered why the laboratory door sealed that night."
Cassian folds his arms.
"Well?"
"The lock is faulty," Silas explains. "It occasionally seals on its own."
Cassian blinks.
"You're saying it wasn't intentional?"
"Correct."
Silence follows.
Isolde shrugs.
"Well."
She moves toward the door.
"It is none of my concern why it happened."
Silas frowns.
"You're not curious?"
"It was not the best experience of my life," she replies flatly.
"And I do not wish to repeat it."
Her gaze drifts briefly toward me.
Cold.
"So perhaps it is best if the locks are changed."
Cassian glances between us.
"You're Silas's apprentice though—"
"I will still help him," she says, turning toward Silas.
"If you need assistance, I will gladly offer it."
"But I will not step inside this laboratory again."
Silas blinks.
"We can work elsewhere," she continues.
"In the gardens. In the fields. Even in town gathering herbs."
Her voice sharpens slightly.
"But I will not enter this lab again."
She pauses.
"It holds unpleasant memories."
Her eyes flick toward me.
"Of annoying people."
Cassian slowly turns his head toward me.
Silas pretends to study his notes.
The coward.
Day Four
The castle has begun whispering.
Servants murmur in the halls.
Guards exchange knowing glances.
Everyone senses the tension.
Cassian hears it too.
That evening, he corners Isolde in the courtyard.
"Why do you and Darian look ready to kill each other?" he asks.
"It is nothing you should worry about," she replies.
Cassian studies her.
"You need a distraction."
She raises a brow.
"Let's go into town," he says. "Back to the dog house."
A small smile appears on her face.
"That actually sounds nice."
They leave the castle shortly after.
Neither of them notice the second carriage following at a distance.
Mine.
The dogs recognize her immediately.
They gather around her as if drawn by some invisible force.
They do not bark.
They do not growl.
They sit quietly beside her.
Watching her.
Waiting.
As if they understand something about her that I do not.
The sight unsettles me deeply.
What are you?
Day Five
"I need something," I tell Silas.
He does not look up from his work.
"That sounds dangerous."
"Do you have anything that can erase memories?"
Silas slowly raises his head.
"No."
"Nothing?"
"If I did," he says dryly, "I would have used it on myself years ago."
"For what?"
"To erase the memory of you asking me that question."
I grab him by the collar and slam him against the stone wall.
The impact echoes through the laboratory.
Silas sighs.
"You are in a mood."
"Fix it," I growl.
"Fix what?"
I gesture vaguely toward my chest.
"This."
Silas stares at me.
"That's called feelings."
"I do not want them."
"Too late."
Day Six
War strategies are discussed in the garden.
Generals argue quietly over maps.
I attempt to focus.
But then I hear her voice.
She is laughing with Cassian and Silas somewhere beyond the hedges.
Her scent drifts across the garden on the wind.
She speaks to everyone.
Except me.
And the silence between us is slowly driving me insane.
Day Seven
Enough.
I march toward the servants' quarters.
Her room is empty.
I check the library.
Nothing.
My patience finally snaps.
I storm into the laboratory.
"Where is she?"
Silas barely looks up.
"She went into town."
"With who?"
"Cassian."
A growl escapes my throat.
They have been leaving together often this week.
Far too often.
Silas finally glances up.
"What is wrong with you?"
I stare at the doorway.
One question repeating endlessly in my mind.
Is she spending time with Cassian because she enjoys it?
Or
Is she doing it simply to drive me mad?
Because if that is her intention…
It is working.
Perfectly.
And I will find them and claim her before him, the urge to claim her has been overwhelming and I want to make it clear to him that she's mine
He won't get her, he is not for her.