🩸 THE VAMPIRE FORBIDDEN BRIDE

Chapter 9

The warning remained beneath Elena's pillow all night.

She couldn't sleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, the same five words returned.

Stay away from the king.

Who had written it?

Why did they care?

And why did they think Elena would listen?

By morning, she had almost convinced herself to forget about it.

Almost.

But somewhere else in the palace, someone was uncovering a secret that had been buried for eight years.

---

Mirella descended the old staircase beneath the eastern wing.

Few people knew about this part of the palace.

It was where the royal archives were kept.

Ancient records.

Family histories.

Births.

Deaths.

Treaties.

Names of servants who had entered the palace generations ago.

Mirella carried a small lamp as she walked between the shelves.

Seraphina had given her one instruction.

Find out who Elena really is.

At first, Mirella had expected nothing.

Elena was a slave.

A nameless girl brought into the palace years ago.

There should have been nothing interesting about her.

But something had bothered Mirella.

The palace kept records of everyone who entered through the royal gates.

Everyone.

Even slaves.

So why had Elena's record been so difficult to find?

Mirella stopped before an old cabinet.

She pulled open the drawer.

Nothing.

Another.

Nothing.

Then she found a box covered in dust.

There was no name on it.

Only a date.

Eight years earlier.

Mirella's eyes narrowed.

She opened it.

Inside were several documents.

She began reading.

Names.

Locations.

Lists of prisoners.

Then—

Her fingers stopped.

One page had been partially torn.

But one name remained.

Elena.

Mirella's expression changed.

She read the line beneath it.

Her eyes widened.

"This can't be..."

She searched through the other papers.

Another document.

Then another.

The same name.

But the details didn't match the story everyone had been told.

According to the palace records, Elena had been brought to the palace as an unidentified human child.

No parents listed.

No village recorded.

No explanation for her capture.

Mirella frowned.

That was impossible.

There was always a reason.

She turned another page.

A handwritten note had been added to the bottom.

The handwriting was old.

The ink had faded.

But the words were still visible.

Do not disclose the girl's identity.

Mirella's breathing slowed.

Identity?

What identity?

She turned the page.

There was another sentence.

Her blood must remain unknown to the royal family.

Mirella froze.

For several seconds, she simply stared.

Then she heard footsteps.

She quickly closed the file.

A shadow passed beneath the archive door.

Mirella waited.

Silence.

She opened the document again.

There was one final line.

Partially scratched out.

Only a few words remained.

If the king discovers...

The rest was gone.

Mirella's heart began beating faster.

She closed the file.

For the first time since Seraphina had ordered her to investigate Elena, Mirella wasn't thinking about jealousy.

She was thinking about danger.

She took the file and slipped it beneath her cloak.

---

That evening, Mirella returned to Seraphina's chambers.

Seraphina was sitting before the mirror.

"You found something."

It wasn't a question.

Mirella stopped behind her.

"Yes, my lady."

Seraphina turned.

"What?"

Mirella slowly removed the old document from beneath her cloak.

"Elena's record."

Seraphina's expression changed.

"And?"

Mirella hesitated.

"There is almost nothing about her."

"Almost?"

"The record was deliberately altered."

Seraphina stood.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Mirella placed the document on the table.

"But there was a warning."

Seraphina looked down.

"What warning?"

Mirella met her eyes.

"Her blood must remain unknown to the royal family."

Silence.

Seraphina stared at the words.

"Her blood?"

"Yes."

"Who wrote it?"

"The handwriting is too old to identify."

Seraphina's eyes narrowed.

"Does Lucien know?"

Mirella shook her head.

"I don't think so."

Seraphina slowly looked toward the window.

For years, she had considered Elena nothing more than an irritating servant.

Now she wasn't so sure.

"Find out everything."

Mirella nodded.

"And my lady..."

Seraphina looked at her.

Mirella lowered her voice.

"There was another line."

"What line?"

"It was damaged."

"Read it."

Mirella swallowed.

"The only words I could make out were..."

She paused.

'If the king discovers...'

Seraphina's expression hardened.

"Discovers what?"

Mirella shook her head.

"I don't know."

For the first time, neither woman spoke.

Then Seraphina slowly smiled.

"Then we find out."

But neither of them noticed the figure standing silently at the end of the corridor.

A vampire had heard enough to know that something was wrong.

And before the night was over...

the forgotten record would no longer be a secret shared by only two women.