NIGHTS OF HALLOW

The meeting ended in an uncomfortable silence that enveloped the courtroom after what the king said.

Right now, Sthena made his way to the guest room where Marco was and he thought Perdita would be there too.

On reaching the hallway that led to the guest room, he saw Marco stepping out of the room with slightly unsteady steps.

Sthena frowned. What was the boy doing and where was his sister?

”I see you’re awake,” Sthena spoke when he reached where Marco stood trying to catch his breath that came out in small pants.

Marco was startled by the sudden voice he heard. He raised his bowed head and saw it was the red-haired vampire.

When did he walk up to him? He hadn’t heard him coming.

”Where are you going? I don’t see a need for you to stretch your legs when you can barely stand.” Sthena further said.

”I’m looking for my sister,” Marco answered in a small pained voice. His body was still in pain.

The frown on Sthena’s face deepened. He asked again, ”Your sister? Was she not in the room when you woke up?”

Marco took a deep breath before replying, ”She was. She was in the room when I woke up before she said she wanted to get me something to eat. She hasn’t returned since then.” Marco explained with a small frown and worry creasing his forehead. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

It had been almost an hour since Perdita left him in the room and had not returned since then.

At first, he thought that maybe she was caught up in something but as more minutes passed he got the feeling that all was probably not well.

What could be taking her so long? And also, he didn’t know where they were for her to be out there alone. He knew by the decor of the room that he was in no ordinary mansion and this was confirmed when he stepped outside the room.

He was not surprised to have seen the red-haired vampire, because he knew he was the one who saved them from the village.

”How many hours has she been gone?” The question of Sthena brought Marco out of his thoughts.

”Almost an hour,” He replied thoughtfully and saw Sthena curse almost inwardly.

”Let me help you inside, you’re still weak to walk,” Sthena said and took hold of Marco’s hand. He noticed that the boy’s body temperature had returned to normal where he was not all that cold like a corpse. His temperature was now that of a vampire.

Sthena closed the door behind him after he helped Marco settle on the bed and went out to look for Perdita who he had a small bad feeling that something might have happened to her.

She was not the type to leave her brother who just woke after being unconscious for two days. Where had she wandered to? Did any of his family members see her? Or perhaps she lost her way?

Sthena wished for it to be the latter because he wouldn’t find it funny if any one of them harmed her.

On his way, he met some of the maids whom he questioned if they had seen the green-eyed lady and their answer was always a no.

The negative answers he was getting made his already sour mood turn ugly. He didn’t want to imagine what someone might have done to her in his absence because they would likely think she got into the castle without permission.

Sthena’s hand clenched by his sides and as he turned on yet another hallway, without seeing anyone that looked like Perdita in sight. He assembled all the maids including the guards that guarded the castle both inside and outside in a hall.

Sthena stood on the raised platform of the hall where the maids and guards stood with their heads bowed in fear. Some maids had an inkling behind the call from the king because he had questioned them about the green-eyed lady.

Sthena slipped his hands into his pants pocket trying to keep his anger at bay and from snapping someone’s head. He questioned in his authoritative voice,

”Who saw the green-eyed lady?” Right now, the maids didn’t know the name of the lady, and what she could be addressed with was the color of her eyes which was different from the many black or red eyes in the castle.

Some maids who haven’t seen or heard about the lady turned confused as they internally questioned who the lady was. They didn’t dare voice it to the hearing of the king who appeared to be angry.

Meanwhile, the guards whom the Prince had asked to lock Perdita up felt their body jerk with fear. They tried to calm their jittery nerves from the coming storm that was going to befall them soon. Still, they didn’t have the courage to step out and answer.

”I won’t repeat myself,” Sthena’s voice thundered in the hall once again.

One of the guards stepped out with shaky legs and spoke, ”I...did, Your Majesty.”

The next second, Sthena was beside the guard making the already scared man more petrified.

”Where?” Sthena asked in a low deep voice that sent jolts down the guard’s body.

Scared to speak up immediately, he dragged the second guard out to stand beside him. He was not going to be the only one who will suffer the wrath of the King.

This was what the recklessness of Prince had caused them.

Sthena watched the guards scared and acting like children. What the hell was this? He didn’t have the time and patience for this.

Sthena’s control and patience snapped. His hand shot forward and he grabbed the first guard’s neck.

”I asked where did you see her?!” His voice boomed in the hall making everyone take two steps back in fear. Some looked as if they would run away.

”In t...the cell,” The guard stuttered to answer.

”What did you say?” Sthena questioned unsure of what he heard. He let go of the guard’s neck to allow him to speak

The guard coughed feeling like he can breathe again. He answered, ”Prince Regan asked us to lock her up. We told...”

Sthena didn’t let the guard finish with what he was saying and he hurriedly left the hall.

He arrived in the cell in no time. He intuned his hearing senses to the rooms trying to hear the heartbeat he had become familiar with the past few days Perdita was in the castle.

And at last, he heard a faint heartbeat coming from one of the cell rooms. When he opened the door, his eyes hardened and he gritted his teeth to control his rage at the sight of Perdita crouched on the ground looking breathless.

”Perdita,” He called immediately beside her. He noticed her pale skin and the sweat on her forehead and the way she was trying to breathe.

Without saying another word, he lifted her and carried her in his arms before taking her out of the cell room.

He had forgotten she was still recuperating and she hadn’t been eating well with sleepless nights of watching over her brother. This had left a huge toil on her body. Since she was only a turned vampire, it would take time before her body waded off the exorcism ritual she inhaled. And now this.

Locked up in a stuffy room filled with dust had done nothing but suffocate her more, and this was caused by that Regan of a Prince.

It has been long he taught some people some lessons, and they must have forgotten what it felt like to be on his bad side. Maybe he will start from him and remind others not to tamper with what he had his eyes on. Right now, Perdita and her brother were his utmost priority.

Sthena carried Perdita taking her back to the room and after some minutes of walking, Perdita’s breathing came back to normal.

She gently pushed on Sthena’s chest and whispered, ”Put me down. I...I can walk.” She was embarrassed with Sthena carrying her in such a way and it was bringing them a lot of attention from the maids which she didn’t want.

”Keep quiet,” Sthena’s words vibrated on Perdita’s hand that was on his chest. Her heart skipped a bit with her face turning red in more embarrassment.

Soon, they reached the room Perdita recognized to be the one she had slept in and she couldn’t be more thankful to be away from the eyes of so many people.

Sthena gently laid her on the bed and said, ”Stay here. I’ll be back.”

”Where are you going? I need to see my brother.” Perdita made to scramble out of the bed.

”He’s being taken care of. Rest now. You’re still weak.” Sthena after speaking walked out of the room.

The first thing on his mind was to find Prince Regan.

Now standing outside his room, he directly opened the door and saw a sleeping Regan sprawled on the ground looking wasted.

The room reeked of alcohol and several wine bottles lay on the ground near him, empty.

Sthena didn’t bother to wake the sleeping Prince up. He grabbed his hand and teleported them out of the room and appeared in the same cell room where Perdita was in.

Sthena left the Prince on the ground and locked the door. A crooked smile appeared on the lips of Sthena.

The Prince should get a taste of what it feels like to be confined in a dusty and stuffy place.

This was not the punishment he initially had in his mind because this was more like a warning to the Prince.

He wondered what could have happened that made him lock Perdita up. Sthena frowned. He needed to set everything right else someone repeated the act and he wouldn’t be lenient to leave the person unpunished.

Perdita was now his to take care of and look out for.