Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 119: Seize The Accomplice !

Chapter 119: Seize The Accomplice !

Seeing his brother stand at the opposite side with the same star-blade he had used to torture him, the younger Ivan would have been petrified, hesitant, undeniably frightened by the sight of it, but presently, a slow tenacious smile curved Ivan’s lips as he merely walked to where the star-blade was stuck, only to pull it out from the wall without minding the sharp edges.

His body had become numb to physical pain.

Eamon, who had been hearing about how his humble younger step-brother had changed for the worse, did not bring himself to believe such falsehood until his sister showed him the bite mark Ivan had mercilessly given her. Picturing his sister being bitten by a baseborn had sparked a fire inside of him, he was tempted to remind Ivan of how he was once treated so he could cut down on those growing livers he had been honing, but what Eamon didn’t anticipate for was for Ivan to swiftly haul the star-blade at him in retaliation, and it was thanks to his vampiric speed that he was able to evade the fatal velocity of the star-blade.

Thwack!!

Not only did it hit the wall, but it went right through it with such profound damage that Eamon, who had been in denial of Ivan’s upgraded powers, doubts he’d survive the hit if he hadn’t missed it on time. Turning his attention to Ivan who now leaned against the supporting railings, smiling sadistically at him, Eamon silently cursed through his teeth when Ivan waved at him as though they were really on good terms.

His fingers angrily clenched behind his back while he returned Ivan’s smile, and he felt glad he did, cause Abdiel showed up the next minute he could throw the third star-blade.

"You’re here." Uttered Abdiel who approached Ivan where he stood. Tobias, who stayed right beside him to see his Father coming their way, wanted to spill the barbarous things Eamon had done on his return, but before he could get a word out, Ivan had stopped him with a clear eye signal. It brought a frown upon Tobias’ face to see Ivan still keeping silent, but knowing Ivan wasn’t the same person whom he used to be at a younger age, he failed to predict his reasons for still keeping mute about how terrible his brothers were.

"Hasten your footsteps, either we make a grand entrance or we show up with no carriages. Remember why we’re doing this, you’ll need it if you want to have any chance of gaining the throne. Come."

Abdiel stepped forward to take Ivan away so they could both head down the stairs together. Once they were out of sight, Tobias glanced at Eamon whom he was a year older than, and when Eamon met his stare with the smile completely erased from his lips, he could see the silent threat that displayed in the eyes of Tobias before he left the corridor.

After the dispute last night, the Palace had turned quiet, and there wasn’t much gossip within the Palace unlike the first time. In one of the enclosed chambers, Samantha had stepped out of her room after getting dressed in a simple plain green dress, and her seeking gaze darted left and right within the empty corridor as she searched for Ivan. Somehow, telling him about what she had seen always skipped her mind, but it wasn’t her fault either, the things that were happening so far were unlike anything she had anticipated.

"Where did he go?" She wondered to herself as it was clear he was nowhere near the Palace.

He must have stepped out early again.

Should she wait for Lord Ivan to come back so she could share it with him? But what were the odds that he would believe her unlike everyone else? What if he calls her those silly names just to make fun of her? He’ll probably tell her she was being delusional, and there was a chance he might not take her seriously. If there were actual vines and climbers growing within the Palace walls, then it must mean the mystic orb was around the Palace.... But where?

The visions she had seen in the Orb room could be false, and maybe her Father never took the Mystic Orb in the first place. Thankfully, she was feeling much better now, way energetic to be more precise, and to her relief, she had enough strength to go back and see where those vines were coming from.

If she wanted to make Lord Ivan believe her, she would have to search for proof.

"This might be my only chance to prove my Father’s innocence concerning the Orb." She murmured quietly to herself as if coming to terms with her decision and reminding herself that there was no going back the minute she starts.

Once again, Samantha found herself taking the same route that led her to the loneliest part of the Palace.... The exact same place where she had seen those tendrils, and still the same place where Herbert had kind-heartedly escorted her to only to nearly have his name ruined by her clumsy actions. She had made sure no servant saw her take this route, and now that she was here, looking at the long path ahead of her, it felt scary going in all by herself.

Taking a deep courageous breath as she was only having a harmless look around, Samantha began her advances through the carpeted pathway. Her footsteps were silent against the ebony carpet, making her develop a sense of growing isolation, as if she were the only living soul within the vast expanses of the Palace. Moving on with her lips pressed into a thin line, Samantha’s heart rate quickened exponentially, a mixture of fear and apprehension propelling her forward to who knows where, but at the same time, her eyes scanned the walls just in case she catches sight of those sneaky vines again.

Stopping in her gait to look behind her, Samantha was surprised by the amount of distance she had covered already. Going back was already a no-go idea, and even if she wanted to, she couldn’t. Already making it this far, Samantha couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was being drawn towards something, something significant that awaited her at the endpoint of her journey down this desolate path.

"Breathe Sam." She mentally emboldened herself before straightening her shoulders.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of walking, Samantha’s bright green eyes fell upon a familiar double door. It stood before her, slightly ajar with dim lights spilling out from the cracks, more like a beckoning invitation. The sight of the door had struck a chord deep within her, a feeling of recognition coursing through her veins as she took one step back.

"This.... This is the door to the orb room." She whispered to no one in particular, but then her eyebrows were drawn together. How did this part of the Palace become so desolate? Has it been that long that she passed through this place to have even forgotten where it led to?

But if it leads here then does that mean....

Without hesitation, Samantha pushed the double doors open. The familiar enclosed courtyard was shrouded in semi-darkness, but it was enough for her to see through as she quietly made her way down the stone steps. Dust particles float lazily through the air, adding a mesmerizing touch to the sudden hush of the room.

Venturing further till she made it to the base, the once-majestic pedestal that stood unshakably at the center of the room, with a smooth surface and nothing on top, was now, to Samantha’s disbelief, being gradually overtaken by green vegetation. Halting in her step as the sight had left her rooted to her spot, with wide eyes, she watched as thick vines slowly snake their way up the pedestal’s leg, intertwining with intricate carvings along the way.

"This.... Cannot be!" She shook her head. Although she came here with a high expectation of proof to show Lord Ivan, what she was seeing.... Was nature returning to EmptyHollow??

As if responding to Samantha’s presence, a soft eerie breeze picks up within the hushed courtyard, sending a quick jolt down her body that felt terrifyingly foreign.

"I... I have to tell someone about this! I need to inform Lord Ivan." Turning around so she could quickly leave and inform the rest about what she had witnessed, Samantha had barely made it to the stone steps when Lord Draven walked in, catching her off-guard, and his unforeseen presence had startled her, she uncontrollably stumbled back on her steps in reaction.

"M-my Lordship?" Immediately lowering her head in his presence, Samantha heard him ask a question she didn’t have the guts to answer.

"What are you doing here?"

There was nothing soothing about the way he spoke, it was eerily calm, just like the way she heard Lord Ivan speak, but the difference was, his own voice brought a feeling of dread, like she knew she wasn’t going to make it out of this situation alive. Her heart drummed in trepidation, forgetting the fact that vampires could easily detect the fears of someone by the sound of their heartbeat.

"I...I was..."

"Save it." He briskly silenced her, "I don’t involve myself with traitors! Guard’s! Seize this accomplice!" He ordered.