Her Devious King

Here goes nothing

"I don't understand," she said.

Elias simply shrugged in response. He spun on his heels and sauntered off.

"Elias."

For her sake, he halted.

"My necklace."

Elias turned his head and winked over his shoulders. "It will be mine."

She opened her mouth to protest.

"—until you make your decision."

Adeline didn't want to return to the ball. Aunt Eleanor would be irritable and Asher would be pissed. She had spent far too long out here. But time seemed to stop in Elias's presence. When he was around, she saw no one but him. It was as if he was the center of her world.

"This makes no sense," Adeline mumbled.

It seemed like Elias knew her as a child. For some reason, she felt like she knew him as well. Adeline wouldn't have just let a stranger touch her.

When she was in a dazed state, she must've recognized him. From his words and promise, they didn't reach the same conclusion as a husband and wife would.

"Was he… one of Asher's friends?"

Adeline shook her head at the foolish thought. She would remember Elias if he had been Asher's friends. Besides, Adeline doubted Asher would ever tolerate a Vampire, much less, a Pure-Bred.

There was one last conclusion that came to mind.

Elias must've been a friend of her father, Crown Prince Kaline. They must've been good friends too, for her father was a protective man that never let any boys around her.

"I should ask Aunt Eleanor. Maybe she knows something."

Adeline waited a few more minutes before she finally left the balcony. That way, no one would have suspected that she and Elias were together. She wasn't sure if he walked like a normal man, or just zoomed through the room. Regardless of which option it was, everyone knew.

She could see it in the pressing eyes that ranged from shades of burgundy to orange-brow. Vampires. They were all aware of who exactly she had an exchange with. Not many people seemed happy.

"Adeline," Asher scolded the second he saw her. "Where did you go?"

Adeline warily glanced around their surroundings. The music played in the background, people waltzed on the dance floor, as conversations stimulated the air. But t felt like every pair of eyes was glued to her—except for the rare amount of humans invited, who did not understand the exchange.

Adeline touched her grumbling stomach. She could feel her patience reach its limit. Whenever she was hungry, she was not a pleasant person to be around. Which was half of the time in the Marden estate.

Asher gently frowned. His fingers paled from the tight grip on the plate. "Are you lying to me, Adeline?"

"Have I ever lied to you?" she asked in a hardened tone.

Asher was left speechless. She rarely spoke to him like this. Almost instantly, her face softened.

"I'm sorry Asher, I'm just hungry," Adeline sighed.

Asher silently frowned. She needed to know snapping at people when irritated was not the best tactic. Wordlessly, he handed her the lemon tart. She gratefully reached a hand out, then paused.

"Where's the fork?" she asked.

Asher blinked. He glanced down, realizing he had forgotten the second most important thing.

"I apologize," he stated.

Asher retracted his hand. "The lemon tart is probably not as good as when it was freshly cut. I'll get you a new plate and fork."

Adeline slowly nodded her head.

"Behave, Adeline," he murmured. "Don't wander off again, Aunt Eleanor won't be happy with that."

Asher patted her upon the shoulders. He suddenly wished she wore something more conservatives. The dress was a bit more low-cut, revealing snippets of the top of her breast. Her collar was left bare, for everyone to see.

"I'll be right back," he grunted.

"Alright."

Asher walked off without another word. But he was mindful to keep a watchful gaze upon her.

Adeline's attention traveled around the ballroom, searching for the familiar face of Aunt Eleanor. Just then, she noticed Aunt Eleanor speaking with the same gentleman from last night. They were by the pillars of the castle before, but now, they were nearing the exit of the ballroom.

Where were they going?

"They seem to be plotting something…" Adeline hoped he was not a suitor.

Curiosity nipped at her. She had a bad feeling about this. But Aunt Eleanor would never hurt Adeline. Aunt Eleanor had plenty of chances to kill Adeline if she wanted to. Especially when Adeline was just a young, orphaned girl at the age of ten.

"I wonder where…" Adeline snuck a glance at Asher. His back was turned to her, whilst he sliced her another piece of the lemon meringue tart.

Adeline snuck off in the direction that Aunt Eleanor and the man went. Something in her gut told her this was a conversation she must hear. Thus, she bravely ventured through the crowd of Vampires with prying eyes that watched her every movement.

Adeline pushed the doors of the ballroom open. It was one of three, and this was of smaller size. The large door was the entrance, and it was brightly decorated up with glistening chandeliers and beautiful lights stationed on the walls.

Except, the double-doors that Adeline ventured through were far from that. The hallways were dimly lit, with a few fixtures on the walls. She squinted closely. Were those torches?

But why?

Adeline realized everything about this place felt ancient. The torches would die and soon, the entire hallway would be plunged into darkness. This was not a place that mere humans like her should venture off to.

"Maybe I should go back…"

Adeline turned to leave but found the doors were locked. Horrified, she yanked at the doorknobs, but to no avail.

Her breath was caught in her throat. With more force, sh tried again. Alas, nothing. She loudly knocked on the doors.

"Hello?" she called out, hoping someone on the other side could hear her.

Silence.

Not even a single footstep. It was as if the world of festivity from beyond never existed in the first place.

Adeline was terrified. She shakily leaned her head upon the doors, closing her eyes. "I will never venture off again…"

Adeline's grip on the doorknobs tightened. She had no choice but to turn around.

Where did this hallway lead to?

There shouldn't be anything dangerous lurking near the ballroom. Right?

"I can only walk forward…" Adeline realized. She turned and observed her surroundings.

It was a single hallway that ventured into the darkness. The torches' lights were growing dimmer. It must've been a strategic design. That way, when the entire hallways were plunged into darkness, whoever was here was trapped. Maybe this place was not meant to be explored at all.

"W-what would Aunt Eleanor be doing here?" Adeline whispered to herself. And who exactly was that gentleman? Was he a Vampire? But that should've been impossible…

Aunt Eleanor despised Vampires.

With nowhere to go but forward, Adeline took a timid step back. Her heart loudly thudded upon her ribcage, filling her ears with unpleasant noises of gushing blood. She was so terrified, that the only sound she could hear was her own heartbeat.

"H-here goes nothing…"