Blood Bound

Chapter 5: The Journey

Chapter Five:

The Journey

Devon had never liked packing.

There was something irritating about deciding what he needed when he already knew he wouldn't be gone for long.

He stood in the middle of his room, staring at the open suitcase on his bed.

Two shirts.

A black jacket.

A pair of trousers.

A few other things.

He picked up another shirt, looked at it, then threw it into the suitcase.

A knock sounded.

"Come in."

The door opened.

The young man from the hallway stepped inside, carrying his own bag.

He looked at Devon's suitcase.

Then at Devon.

Then back at the suitcase.

"That's it?"

Devon continued folding clothes.

"What?"

"That's all you're taking?"

"Yes."

"We're leaving the kingdom for who knows how long."

"I won't need much."

The man walked closer and looked inside the suitcase.

"You packed three shirts."

"I have enough."

"You packed one pair of shoes."

"I have another pair."

"Where?"

Devon pointed toward the wardrobe.

The man opened it.

There were several pairs of shoes.

He looked back at Devon.

"You packed the wrong ones."

Devon frowned.

"They're shoes."

"They're formal shoes."

"So?"

"We're going to Rome."

"I know."

"You're supposed to look like a normal human."

Devon stared at him.

"Do humans not wear shoes?"

The man sighed.

"You know what? Forget it."

Devon almost smiled.

Almost.

The man dropped his bag beside the bed.

"I'm still trying to understand why the king sent you."

"Because I'm his son."

"That's exactly the problem."

Devon stopped folding.

"What does that mean?"

"It means your father could have sent anyone."

"And?"

"And he sent the future king to kill an eighteen-year-old girl."

Devon's expression hardened.

"She's not just an eighteen-year-old girl."

"That's what the king says."

Devon closed the suitcase.

"Then believe him."

The man looked at him for a moment.

"You don't."

Devon didn't answer.

The room became quiet.

The man eventually looked away.

"What's her name again?"

Devon picked up his jacket.

"Athena."

"Right."

He walked toward the door.

The man followed.

"You're going to hate me for saying this."

"I already do."

"I haven't even said it."

"You were going to."

The man smiled.

"You should probably try talking to her before killing her."

Devon stopped walking.

Slowly, he turned.

His companion raised both hands.

"I'm joking."

Devon stared at him.

"Don't."

"Fine."

They continued down the hallway.

After a few steps, Devon spoke.

"Her name is Athena Ludent."

The man glanced at him.

"You remembered."

"I read the file."

"Twice."

Devon said nothing.

The man smiled to himself.

They reached the entrance of the castle.

Two guards were waiting beside the large doors.

One of them bowed.

"Prince Devon."

Devon nodded.

His companion stopped beside him.

"Everything is ready."

Devon looked toward the doors.

Beyond them, the kingdom stretched beneath a dark sky.

The air was colder here.

The familiar kind of cold.

He had grown up with it.

He had walked these halls since he was a child.

He knew every corridor.

Every staircase.

Every guard stationed outside the throne room.

And yet, for the first time, leaving felt different.

Not because he was going to Rome.

Because he didn't know what he would return to.

If he returned.

His companion noticed him staring.

"You okay?"

Devon looked at him.

"I'm fine."

"That's what people say when they're not."

"You talk too much."

"I've been told."

One of the guards cleared his throat.

"The king is waiting."

Devon nodded.

"Let's go."

His father's study was on the other side of the castle.

The doors opened when Devon approached.

He stepped inside alone.

The king stood beside the fireplace.

He didn't turn around.

"You're leaving."

"Yes."

"Everything is prepared?"

"Yes."

"Your companion?"

"Waiting outside."

The king nodded.

Devon stood there.

Neither spoke.

Finally, Devon said,

"Is there anything else?"

His father turned.

"Do not fail."

Devon's jaw tightened.

"I won't."

"You don't know that."

"I said I won't."

His father studied him.

"You've always been impatient."

"And you've always been vague."

A brief silence followed.

Then the king walked toward him.

"Rome is not our kingdom."

"I know."

"Humans know nothing about what exists beneath their world."

"Most of them."

"Do not underestimate them."

Devon gave a small nod.

His father stopped in front of him.

"When you find Athena, you will not hesitate."

Devon looked at him.

"She doesn't know what she is."

"That is irrelevant."

"Is it?"

His father's expression hardened.

"Yes."

Devon said nothing.

"Her bloodline cannot survive."

"Because of the throne?"

"Because of what comes with it."

Devon remembered the photograph.

The ancient symbol on the back.

The strange markings in the old records.

He had spent hours reading about the bloodline.

There were gaps everywhere.

Too many.

"Father."

"What?"

"How much do you actually know about her?"

His father didn't answer immediately.

"Enough."

"That's not an answer."

"It is the only one you need."

Devon held his gaze.

Then he looked away.

His father spoke again.

"Bring me proof when it is done."

Devon nodded.

"Understood."

"Devon."

He stopped at the door.

"Yes?"

The king's voice became quieter.

"Do not let sympathy make you weak."

Devon looked back at him.

"I won't."

He left.

But the words followed him down the corridor.

Do not let sympathy make you weak.

His companion was waiting outside.

"How bad?"

Devon walked past him.

"Fine."

"That bad, huh?"

Devon ignored him.

They reached the entrance.

Their bags were already loaded into the car.

Devon stopped beside it.

He looked back at the castle.

His companion noticed.

"You'll be back."

Devon didn't answer.

"You will."

"I know."

"Then stop looking at it like you're saying goodbye."

Devon finally opened the car door.

"I'm not."

He got inside.

His companion followed.

The guards closed the doors behind them.

The car began moving.

The castle slowly disappeared behind them.

Devon watched until it was gone.

The journey to Rome was long.

For the first hour, neither of them spoke much.

Devon sat by the window.

His companion was checking the route.

Eventually, he broke the silence.

"How long has it been since you've been outside the kingdom?"

"Years."

"That explains a lot."

Devon looked at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't know how humans work anymore."

"I know enough."

"You tried to scare a guard because he wouldn't let you skip a security check."

"He was annoying."

"He was doing his job."

"He could have done it faster."

His companion laughed.

Devon turned back toward the window.

As the hours passed, the landscape changed.

The roads became busier.

Buildings appeared more frequently.

Lights began filling the distance.

Rome.

Devon stared ahead.

Somewhere in that city was Athena Ludent.

A girl who had no idea he existed.

A girl who didn't know why people had killed her parents.

A girl who didn't know that an entire kingdom was afraid of the blood running through her veins.

His companion glanced at him.

"Thinking about her?"

"No."

"You are."

Devon didn't answer.

The man smiled.

"You know, for someone who says he doesn't care, you've been unusually quiet."

Devon looked out the window.

"I've been thinking about the mission."

"Of course."

A few seconds passed.

Then his companion asked,

"What happens if she doesn't want to come with us?"

Devon looked at him.

"We're not bringing her with us."

"Right."

"We're killing her."

The words sounded different outside the castle.

Less like an order.

More like a choice.

His companion noticed the change in his expression but didn't comment.

Instead, he looked back at the road.

"We're almost there."

Devon looked ahead.

The lights of Rome grew brighter.

He reached into his jacket and touched the folded photograph.

Athena Ludent.

He had never met her.

He didn't know her voice.

Didn't know her habits.

Didn't know what kind of person she was.

Yet somehow, as the car carried him closer to the city, the thought of finally seeing her didn't feel as simple as it had that morning.

Devon slowly withdrew his hand from his jacket.

"Let's get this over with."

The car disappeared into the lights of Rome.