Bound To Cazmus

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

The whispers of the young vampire boys echoed through the dimly lit chamber, their voices laden with disdain and resentment.

As they spoke in hushed tones, they cast disparaging remarks about the impending fate of a human girl, rumored to become the next good for dead servant of the prince.

Their words carried a weight of bitter contempt for the royal family, particularly directed at Queen Victoria's apparent disregard for the lives of the people of Dramér.

Despite the risk of severe consequences, the boys dared to criticize the prince, labeling him as beastly, a golden-eyed freak, a murderer, and an unworthy heir to the throne.

Their clandestine conversation was punctuated by the ominous reminder that speaking ill of the royal family could lead to dire repercussions, underlining the palpable tension that permeated the room.

Fortunately, I was sent off to the first prince, Cazmus. The man who ruthlessly killed every single servant Queen Victoria forced onto him within that second of

them stepping foot into his chambers.

I didn't believe I wouldn't die here, Cazmus was known as someone who killed for the hell of it.

A human woman was supposedly the longest person that ever lived after being here for two days, and that was only because she escaped the palace, but was hunted down and drained of her blood by palace guards.

Humans were capable of being bought, She made it a law and had no intentions of demolishing it.

I quickened my pace in response to the guard's command, the sound of my dragging chains echoing off the concrete floor.

I couldn't help but stare down at the heavy shackles around my ankles and wrists, feeling them slow me down with every step.

Was this necessary? I've been working for the palace for four years. I wouldn't run. I didn't plan on it. I needed to speak with Cazmus.

As I moved faster, the shackles rubbed against my skin, inflicting new bruises.

"Open the doors!" the guard shouted, and the large black metal doors were promptly pulled open. Before me loomed a dark, imposing ancient castle.

It had a cold and dreary presence, with grand stairs leading in both the left and right directions of the palace.

Vines adorned the fortified walls, adding to the eerie charm of the castle. Its gloomy interior and cold stone walls created a haunting atmosphere. Despite its desolation, the prince's palace exuded a somber beauty, nestled in a remote area far away from civilization.

The once-bustling halls now lay empty and lifeless, enough to send shivers down one's spine.

“The prince has just awakened from his three year slumber, I reckon he will be thirsty. There aren’t many slaves here, who are capable of stepping foot into his majesty’s chambers. As his servant, you are to care for him, feed him your blood if you must. His chambers are on the east wing.”

That was all they said after removing my shackles, I entered the palace, they slammed the doors shut, locking it behind me. I stood in the center of the palace, looking around.

The space was illuminated by a large circular window positioned on the ceiling, casting an intimidating but not entirely frightening glow.

I proceeded up the stairs, following the guard's instructions, until I arrived at a narrow hallway with only one room at the far end.

There was no slave in sight. As I stood in front of the door, my gaze fixated on the intricate runic carvings that adorned its surface. Despite my inability to understand their meaning, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the mysterious symbols.

I approached the massive doors and was greeted by an overwhelming sense of finality.

I was prepared to walk through them, even if it meant facing inevitable death, as long as I spoke to Cazmus, I wouldn't care if I died later on. My life had been marred by fear and abuse, leaving me with nothing to live for. I had no one to love or care for, not even myself, but not now, Maxwell was my sole purpose of living. I needed Cazmus to protect Maxwell from Orpheus.

Maxwell had stopped sending me letters a month ago, I was worried Orpheus had found out. And….I feared the worst.

As I rapped my knuckles against the door, I felt a shiver of anticipation. When no response came, I hesitantly pushed the door open and was enveloped by a blast of cold air and darkness. The room was shrouded in shadows, with every curtain drawn tightly shut.

Sunlight struggled to break through, casting faint glimpses of glass shards scattered across the floor from the windows that were blocked by wood.

"Your Majesty," I called out, breaking the eerie silence. My eyes were immediately drawn to the open coffin, a chilling sign of the prince's awakening. Slowly, my gaze shifted to the bed, where a large figure remained motionless, facing the wall.

After a second, a pair of golden eyes with a faint hint of red fixated on me, exuding a malevolent gleam. The bed creaked as the figure rose from it, moving towards me with deliberate, predatory steps. Before I could even blink, I was forcefully pressed against the wall, a harsh gust of wind striking me. The impact caused my head to smack against the wall, momentarily blurring my vision and leaving me gasping for breath.

“Y-your majesty.” I managed to choke out, his nails dug into my neck, and his warm breath fanned against my ear, I could hear his animalistic breathing.

"Please, hear me out," I stammered weakly, clutching at his wrist as his grip tightened. He wasn't trying to kill me—not yet. If he had wanted to, he could have snapped my neck effortlessly. He seemed hesitant.

"I couldn't care less about what a mortal has to say."

"It's about Queen Victoria and Duke Vanderlaat; they're conspiring with the Sorcerers—"

His expression shifted to one of surprise, eyes widening before he abruptly released me. "Sorcerers? They've been extinct for ages. You expect me to believe this—"

"That's what I believed too... but it's true. I overheard Duke Vanderlaat and Victoria discussing it. She's... she's using your father's blood to control you, your emotions, your ability to control—"

"Control other demons. Blood manipulation. So, you claim my father is alive. It's been centuries... My father was the first demon created; do you think a mere fledgling vampire could detain him so effortlessly? If you're going to lie, at least make it plausible," he retorted.

"Nevertheless, I am intrigued about how you came to know this. It's a secret known only to my father and me, and I've never wielded it."

"Wasn't Duke Vanderlaat your father's assistant? Surely, he would have informed him. And if my words were false, why is Queen Victoria still alive? She has brought you nothing but pain and suffering. Are you telling me you've restrained yourself from ending her life? Every time you were close to doing so, you changed your mind."

Discussing the assassination of Victoria was risky enough to warrant execution, but it was just Cazmus and me, and I was certain of the answer. The moment his anger faded, confusion took its place.

"Why are you telling me this? What can I do if she's controlling me?"

"She can't, not anymore. Victoria has ceased using it; King Voltaren's blood was toxic to her. She's afflicted with an illness that will likely be fatal. However, Victoria is no longer our main concern. Now, it's Prince Shazer. After all the years of your defiance."

"He almost persuaded the people of the Dramér kingdom to support his claim as the crown prince. He's intent on finding your dragon and claiming mastery over it. Therefore, I urge you to return to the palace and demonstrate your rightful capability to be king."

"But first, we must seek the Sorcerers to lift the spell from you and recover your father's remains."

Cazmus appeared frustrated; with a snap of his fingers the candles ignited, illuminating his presence. Prince Cazmus was unlike the creature I had envisioned. He bore no mouth of sharp teeth, no horns jutting from his head, no red eyes or black, feathery wings as others had described.

Instead, he possessed long, beautiful black hair that cascaded to his waist, a pointed nose, narrow eyes exuding weariness, a defined jawline, and a muscular physique visible beneath his black fur coat and silk shirt. Cazmus seemed as though he had been carved by Aphrodite herself.

"So, I am to behave? To seek out Sorcerers, recover my father's remains, and ascend to the throne? Is that what you're implying? Amuse me, woman. This is my realm; why should I seek approval? If I wished to ascend, I would have done so already."

He was obstinate. "It's not as simple as you believe. The queen has the Sorcerers at her command; if she desired, she could have you killed or ensorcelled into slumber indefinitely. Your vulnerability isn't to wood... but to silver wolfsbane. She's aware of this, as it was your father's Achilles' heel. The Sorcerers possess ample quantities to end you."

My knowledge stemmed from the fact that Victoria was far from discreet around her offspring. Amis, the youngest at seventeen, confided in me; after discovering my correspondence with Maxwell, he expressed a desire for Cazmus's return to the palace. I also maintained cordial relations with Amir, the third eldest, and Samber, the fourth; they were more reserved, yet they shared insights with me.

"And your stake in this? I presume a human wouldn't exhibit such concern for Demons."

"I... don't. My sole wish is for you to liberate the humans from the werewolves, nothing more."

I harbored no desire to request his mark. Indifferent to Orpheus, to carving out my own destiny, I hadn't even contemplated survival beyond these events.

“Well then, I can do that. But before we go anywhere, We must stop by the palace first. I need a few things.”

“Thank you, Your majesty.” I muttered, I didn't expect him to agree so easily, but then again, this was his freedom we were talking about. “When shall we depart?”

“Tonight, we'll stay at the palace for a night. Since I'll be traveling with a human, I'll need Vixen.”

Vixen…that was his horse, a beautiful creature it was. I suppose that'd be smart, since I'd slow the process down. And his majesty would need something to hide his identity. If anyone finds out he's the crown prince there's a possibility the word will spread like a wildfire, and it'll reach the palace.

It has been three long years since Cazmus left the palace and showed his face, so it was bound to happen.

“Your Majesty, then we should get going now–”

“We can't leave without knowing the spots to search.” He interrupted gesturing me over with his finger, I silently obeyed and stood next to him, staring down at the old map. “We'll search Zeffari first, it's an old town, on the skirts of Xynnar, that's where Sorcerers were last detected.”

Xynnar? That was by far the most dangerous town in the Dramér kingdom, it was crawling with starved demons hidden as humans. So it was hard to detect them. Especially since that part of town was the market, so many people travel there to shop. It'd take us a day to get there.

“You don't think the queen will take interest in your silence?”

“Of course she will, that old hag has never been the one to mind her business, we'll stop occasionally. I'll search the area for any one she may have sent to trail us. We'll discuss the rest on the way there.”