Lucy stared at her mother as she tried to understand what her mother just said. Had amice left the castle?
“Where did she go?” Lucy questioned her mother, and her mother rolled her eyes.
“You are telling me you don’t know where she is? Yesterday one of the guards saw someone in your room. There were two people in this room at night, Lucy, so tell me,” Lady Samara raised her hand, and Lucy flinched, shrinking away from her mother. But the woman didn’t strike and dropped her hand to her side.
Lucy slowly opened her eyes, and she saw her mother stare at her.
“Your grandmother will deal with it,” said her mother before stepping out of the room without exchanging another word with her.
In the room of Queen Morganna, who was still getting ready with her jewels being worn around her neck and rings being pushed on her fingers, she held a grim expression on her face while listening to one of the men who worked for her inform her about what he saw.
“Are you sure it was her?” questioned Queen Morganna, and she saw the man bow his head through the reflection of the mirror.
“The maid has left the castle without any trace. The guards at the gates haven’t seen her pass through the gates nor the ones who were patrolling out on the castle grounds,” explained her servant. “I don’t think she’s left the castle yet, my Queen.”
Morganna stared at her reflection, not understanding why a maid would visit her granddaughter and then plan to leave the castle. She slightly raised her head and ordered, “If the guards haven’t seen her yet she should still be around. Have them search for her, and if you find her, bring her to me.”
“Yes, my Queen!” the man bowed his head.
Once he was gone, Morganna stood up from the plush chair, and she moved her head to the side to take a look at the pearls that hung in her ears. “Bring my granddaughter to meet me after breakfast. I would like to have a little chat with her in my private room.”
The maids who stood behind her bowed their head.
Lucy got ready in her room, being helped by maids before she stepped out of the room with questions on her mind. She couldn’t help but worry for Theodore. One of the guards had seen his shadow in her room, and she bit her bottom lip. Fiddling with the ends of her sleeve, she continued to walk in the corridor.
Before she could make her way towards the dining room, her eyes fell on Calhoun walking in another corridor, and she was quick to search for Theodore, who walked right behind him. Her heart fluttered, and for a moment, all her worries seemed to dissipate.
“Lucy,” came a voice from behind her, and she turned around to find her cousins heading to where she was along with her aunt, Rosamund.
“Aunt Rosamund, cousin Markus and Sophie, it is good to see you here. Pleasant morning, isn’t it?” came the polite words from Lucy while trying to get rid of the blush that had formed on her cheeks.
“Don’t you look lovely today, Lucy,” greeted her aunt, opening her arms and hugging Lucy.
Rosamund’s eyes fell on Calhoun and the bodyguard who were walking in the nearby corridor. She then pulled away from Lucy, a bright smile on her lips.
“How have you been doing, Lucy?” asked the young blonde boy.
“Very well, Markus,” Lucy nodded her head. “It has been a while since I last saw you and Sophie. How are your studies going on?” she questioned, and her eyes fell on her younger cousin sister, but the girl seemed to disregard the presence of Lucy and ran past her.
“Don’t mind her, Lucy. Sophie is still learning,” there was a small smirk on Markus’ face. “I heard you have been meeting suitors. Anyone who has caught your eyes?”
Lucy could feel her aunt’s eyes on her, and she smiled at her cousin Markus, “No one so far.”
Markus’ smile dulled down when he looked behind Lucy, noticing Calhoun walk from one corridor to another.
Sophie had followed Calhoun like a fly that kept moving back and forth around Calhoun. Noticing him not paying attention to her, she decided to cling to his leg.
“Seems like she likes you,” commented Theodore.
Calhoun’s eyes narrowed. “Let go of my leg,” he ordered the girl, but the small girl was spoilt, and she didn’t listen to him.
Calhoun stopped walking with no one around to see them, he leaned forward before bringing his hand in front of her face. He flicked her forehead in a force that she not only let go of his leg but also ended up falling away from him. The girl was stubborn enough to bite Calhoun in anger, but this was caught by Laurence, who just appeared in the corridor.
“Sophie!” King Laurence reprimanded the girl, and she looked petrified. She ran back to her mother.
“Mama, he hit me!” complained the girl.
Rosamund’s eyes snapped at Calhoun, who had a perplexed expression on his face. “Me?” he asked the girl, and he then offered her a warm smile. “I didn’t even touch you. Are you sure about it? A lie is never good, little girl.” Looking at Calhoun’s smile, the small girl turned confused now.
Before the older vampiress could tell anything, King Laurence said, “Rosamund, I thought Sophie was being taught by a governess.”
“Sophie is young. It is going to take some time, my King,” answered Rosamund, putting up a smile on her face.
“It is good to see Markus here, I hope it is to spend good time with his cousins?” King Laurence didn’t want his mother going behind his back and trying to have his nephew on the throne.
“Of course,” Rosamund’s smile stayed on her lips. “I thought Markus could spend some time with his new brother. Hopefully they can bond with each other? Like hunting?” she proposed.
“What a wonderful idea,” King Laurence approved this idea, and he placed his hand on Calhoun’s back. “Hunting is always an excellent recreation for men.”
When everyone started to head towards the dining room, Lucy quickly came to walk next to Calhoun, and she pulled Calhoun’s sleeve.
At her action, he raised his eyebrow, and she whispered, “Can I come along?” and he gave her a nod.
“Sure.”
