Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 228: No Easy Solution

Chapter 228: No Easy Solution

Margrave Boris held back the urge to ask what had happened. The situation didn’t permit him to do so. He kept his head down, trying to gather clues and make sense of the situation on his own.

As the king gently patted his lover to soothe her, he glanced around the hall. This hallway led to a storage dungeon once used during special occasions—grand balls with foreign guests, royal weddings, or coronations.

But since the guerilla attack led by the late Elder Alfred, the palace had closed its doors to the public. No parties or celebrations had taken place within its walls. Many lives had been lost, and King Valentin saw it as a tragedy that deserved proper mourning.

Lady Maris also believed it was best to avoid public gatherings to keep Florian out of the spotlight.

"I don’t want any more vampires to suffer," Lady Maris said weakly, shaking her head as she pressed her clenched fists against the king’s chest. "I did what I had to do."

"Right," King Valentin muttered, his tone heavy.

Lady Maris looked up, her face streaked with tears, her sobs still shaking her body. "He needs to be contained, Your Majesty. And the only thing that can contain him is..."

Her gaze flicked to Margrave Boris. She hesitated but realized she had no choice. Sooner or later, he might be involved in this, anyway. If he was going to help deal with Florian, there was no point in keeping secrets any longer.

"...the dark magic," she finished, her voice barely above a whisper.

Margrave Boris couldn’t hide his shock at Lady Maris’s words. Since Emperor Kaan’s departure, the investigation into dark magic had come to a halt. The kingdom, still reeling from the aftermath of the battle with the elders, simply wasn’t in a position to continue it.

Over time, the investigation had quietly faded away, with no signs of resuming. The king had even withdrawn the resources he’d lent to the emperor for the inquiry, reassigning them to fill vacant roles in the palace.

It had all seemed reasonable, and Margrave Boris had never thought twice about it. But now, hearing Lady Maris speak of dark magic, he realized the king might have deliberately buried the matter.

His breath caught, and despite his best efforts, he struggled to maintain his composure. "I beg your pardon, My Lady?" he managed, his voice tight.

Both the king and Lady Maris turned to the Lord Steward. The king took it upon himself to explain the situation, revealing the summarized truth in a clear manner. Margrave Boris quickly grasped that Lady Maris had been trying to protect both Florian and the kingdom.

"I understand you’re acting out of necessity and experience, My Lady," Margrave Boris said cautiously, "but isn’t it dangerous to attempt dark magic on your own—even for a noble cause?"

His concern was visible. He feared the dark magic could harm Lady Maris, and through her, pose a threat to the king and the kingdom itself.

Lady Maris straightened her posture and wiped the tears from her cheeks, regaining her composure. "You’re correct, Margrave. I’ve just admitted to using dark magic to control Florian, and it’s true. But this isn’t the same dark magic the late queen used to conceive him."

She took a deep breath, her voice steadying as she focused on recounting her actions instead of dwelling on the horrifying events she had witnessed only nights ago. Gradually, the color returned to her face.

"I sought the help of a human witch to craft a similar form of dark magic to bind him. It’s not the same as the spell that brought Florian into this world—it’s far weaker. But it should suffice to prevent any more victims," she explained calmly.

Margrave Boris remained skeptical. "Dark magic, in any form, carries great risk, My Lady. Just because this version is weaker doesn’t mean it’s safe."

His tone was firm, his concern unmasked. Dark magic, no matter how diluted, had a way of spiraling beyond control, and he feared the consequences for everyone involved.

"I understand the risks of dealing with magic, Margrave," Lady Maris said, her voice trembling but resolute.

"But tell me this—would you prefer more innocent lives to be lost? The kingdom is already in chaos, and His Majesty is under immense pressure to act. We have the perpetrator in custody, but it’s not his fault—well, not entirely. I can’t bear to see him staked in public."

Her voice cracked as the image of Florian’s grim fate loomed in her mind.

Margrave Boris pressed his lips into a thin line, unable to offer a solution. As much as Lady Maris’s plan was fraught with risks, it seemed like their only viable option.

There was, of course, another path—surrender Florian to a fair public trial. But that option was fraught with complications.

Florian was a member of the royal family. A trial would not only tarnish the crown’s reputation but also risk exposing his true lineage, stirring up dangerous questions, and potentially empowering opposing factions.

Caught between the weight of moral dilemmas and political realities, Boris found himself grappling for answers in a no-win situation.

"She’s right," King Valentin said, his tone resolute. It wasn’t just because the idea came from Lady Maris; he had already gone over every possible scenario in his mind, and none offered a better solution.

He took her hand in his, gently rubbing the back of it to convey his gratitude for her courage and action. "Did you lock him in the dungeon?"

When Lady Maris nodded, he pressed further. "How did you get him to go there? Didn’t he resist?"

She shook her head. "No. He knew what I intended to do. He knew that I knew about his actions. You should have seen his face, my love. He’s heartbroken, utterly devastated. He regrets it deeply. His guilt was so overwhelming that he followed me willingly, even knowing I would lock him away."

Her voice faltered slightly as she recalled the moment, but her resolve remained strong. Florian’s torment was clear, and though it pained her, she believed this was the best way to keep him—and everyone else—safe.

The king turned to the margrave, his voice commanding. "Find a way to suppress the demon without resorting to dark magic, if possible. For now, we’ll keep him contained this way."

He then faced Lady Maris, his tone softening. "My love, we must keep this a secret. I trust you and Lisbeth to bring him meals until we find another solution."

Lady Maris nodded, her expression solemn. Though no one spoke further, all three shared the same unspoken thought: there was no way to truly suppress Florian except by using the dark magic that had created him in the first place.

But that idea was too bleak to voice, so it lingered in silence, unspoken but understood.