The Devil's Son and His Fated Bride
Chapter 120: A song of treachery.

Chapter 120: A song of treachery.

In the dungeons, where darkness devoured the flickering glow of torches, a cloaked figure moved silently toward a cell secured by an iron door. With a creak, the door opened, and the stranger stepped inside, waiting in stillness. From the shadows, a vampire emerged, its skin ghostly pale, its fangs bared in anticipation.

The stranger stretched an arm and showed a bloody palm, "Calm down. I’m here to give you a mission from your master," came a hushed, feminine voice.

The creature stilled, and the girl approached the shackles. With deliberate care, she unlocked them, then stepped back.

"Kill the princess. Feast on her blood, and escape, you will be able to ascend and take human form. They’ll be arriving here soon."

With that, she darted out and pulled the door shut behind her. A glint of teeth shone beneath the hood as a wicked sneer curled across her veiled face.

She passed the guards unnoticed, as if they were frozen in place spellbound, or as if she were invisible.

~*~

~Later

Shadow prowled the corners of the dim corridor until he caught sight of a cold, breezy spirit drifting past the Seraphina Garden. In a blink, he darted forward and unleashed his whip. The dark tendrils of shadow coiled around the spirit, slamming it to the ground and anchoring it there.

Little ghost! That was a teenage maiden!

"Who are you?" His deep voice cut through the air, commanding her to obey.

The struggling spirit took its complete shape, a young maiden, translucent like a wisp of cloud. And a human?!

"I’m Suzy! I served your mother," she cried. "Let go!"

"Liar!" Shadow bared his teeth, claws poised to strike and send her to the shadow world. But his hand faltered when he heard The Rose confirming her. He withdrew his claws from her chest, though his expression remained cold.

"You should’ve left this world the moment the princess freed you. Why are you still here?"

Suzy writhed, trying to wriggle free from the binding shadowy whip. Her ghostly eyes narrowed. "Why should I tell you anything?"

"You’ll tell me," he growled, "so I don’t send you to the Shadow World to wander among vengeful spirits. They’ll tear you apart in seconds."

The girl visibly shivered, her form flickering, but still, she scoffed. "Cruel monster!"

"Tell me, why?" Shadow pressed.

Suzy shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Hmm, I like the princess. And I don’t want to leave the Rose and the Vine. I’m staying to help. You didn’t see how fast I sent the branches and thorns tearing through those vampires who fled to the forest. Who do you think hunted them down to protect our precious princess?"

Shadow released a low, almost amused growl as he uncoiled the whip extending from his tail. "So... you’re trustworthy."

She lifted her chin, folding her arms with pride. "More than anyone. By the way, your court is full of fools. They wander around buzzing behind your wife’s back. Shame on them."

Shadow’s eyes gleamed, something unreadable flickering in their depths. "Have you ever lurked near the dungeon? Seen any strangers down there? Yesterday, perhaps?"

Suzy paused, brows furrowed. "Well... I was curious. That monster in the dungeon was terrifying. I’m just glad it’s dead."

"No," Shadow growled, his voice sharper this time, "I mean someone who shouldn’t have been there. A suspicious person."

She furrowed her brow, thinking deeper. "I only saw the guards... and a cloaked royal wolf. A female. Tall, with green eyes and blonde hair. She went down into the dungeons. Is that suspicious?"

Shadow’s eyes sharpened, entirely alert now, every sense of his being grew on edge.

"Well done, Suzy," he said. "I have a mission for you. As long as you exist in this realm, I am your King. Understand?"

She rolled her eyes but nodded. "Just don’t burn me with that whip again."

"That depends on how well you protect the princess. From now on, you’ll watch over her closely. Every whisper, every breath of danger near her... you report it to me."

Suzy nodded eagerly. Somewhere behind them, the Rose of the Seraphina Garden giggled, the sound soft and fluttering like petals in the breeze. Even Suzy had to smile, finally, she had a purpose beyond wandering halls and scaring the hell out of people in the castle.

Shadow stepped back, nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air, listening to the whispers carried by shadow. Then he caught it, the scent.

Elaika.

A deep scowl carved across his face. She must be in the mountain castle by now. But how? How could she command a vampire, especially one mutated and bound by blood to obey only their Lord or King? That kind of authority wasn’t granted lightly. Poor Beta Coran... his sister’s fate would crush him.

Without a word, Shadow returned to the study, where Kai was in mid-discussion with the others. Axe had just sent word via his birds, another village had been attacked by a horde of mutated vampires, and the death toll was climbing fast.

"I found the criminal," Shadow announced, his voice cold as iron. The sharp clicks of his claws echoed as he strode into the room.

"Who is it?" Beta Coran asked, eyes narrowing.

But Kai already knew. His gaze flared with fury as it locked onto Coran.

"Beta Coran," Kai growled, "explain to me how your sister could command a mutated vampire."

His eyes shifted to the Beta, watching the man freeze in place.

"She can do what?" Coran’s voice cracked, disbelief etched deep into his face.

He was loyal and hardworking. A man who would take secrets to the grave but with treachery, he wasn’t the type.

"That was Elaika?" Even Rail’s voice faltered, he couldn’t believe she was capable of such cruelty.

"Yes. It was her," Kai replied, his tone razor-sharp. He didn’t restrain Shadow this time. No, he was ready to unleash him. Elaika would face judgment, and it wouldn’t be merciful.

"Meet me at the cottage near the edge of the forest, by the Spring," Kai commanded. Without another word, he flashed into the shadows, opened a shadow portal, and disappeared through it, sealing it behind him.

Coran’s face twisted in anguish as he turned to Agara. "You know where it is, don’t you?"

Agara nodded grimly and conjured another portal. "You know he won’t show her mercy."

"Neither will I," Coran growled, shame and fury simmering in his eyes. If Elaika had fallen so far as to betray them all... he could no longer excuse her recklessness. What if the vampire had escaped? What if it had slaughtered the guards?

It hurt so bad to know that songs of treachery would be written upon her.

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