Meanwhile, Silas entered a prison cell, his gaze sweeping across the gritty walls and shackles scattered on the floor. He knelt and dangled the chains in his grasp. His expression changed.
"That's strange. These chains are too weak to hold a demon in place."
He yanked back the chain with a considerably lighter force, snapping it into two.
"These cannot contain a demon at all. Why'd someone chain slaves with something so useless?"
"My lord!" A knight called out. "There's another fork here that leads to more prison cells."
The entourage headed that way, and Silas stepped into another similar prison cell. Lifting the shackles, he said, "Yes, these shackles are strong enough to keep a demon restrained. So why did the earlier cells have weak ones?"
Zerath scanned the small, constricted space, walls scratched with marks, hinting at desperation and untold agony. As if a heavy boulder pressed upon his chest, he couldn't breathe.
Gressil, too, struggled against the rotten, stale air. "My lord, I'm getting a bad feeling about this."
"This isn't something we can overlook," Zerath's mind churned quietly, each possibility only taking a more grimmer and darker look.
Their troop soon encountered another rocky stairwell through which a sharp, foul stench immediately assaulted their nostrils.
"Ugh! What is that smell?" Gressil nearly choked.
The lower floor opened into neatly lined chambers on either side of the walls, sealed with heavy stone doors. Zerath opened one such chamber, and the earlier stench grew unbearable. He walked in, and inside sat one bed pressed against the far wall. Two sets of shackles were mounted near the bedside - one large, one smaller.
"These rooms are quite different from the cells above," Zerath observed.
Silas studied the two shackles. "One set of the cells held weaker demons and the other was to restrain stronger ones. Here, we have both - which means slaves from both kinds of chambers were brought here. But for what?"
"Good question. I have another one for you."
Zerath approached the small bedside table and found two small dried-up cups. Above it was a closed shelf that contained rows of empty vials. He cautiously took a light sniff, and a strange, almost pungent odor knocked his breath out of his chest, to the point it left him dizzy. Its lingering traces were still strong enough to be recognizable.
"This is a pleasure drug."
Gressil broke into a light cough. "Pleasure drug?"
"There was a brothel in the town where I was raised. Vials like these were a common occurrence."
Every other chamber they visited after that was a mirror image of the first - Zerath stared at the same bed, same chains and the same two cups with vials of pleasure concoction just placed above. A certain thought crossed his mind - it's mere absurdity sending waves of cold dread down his spine.
"I believe…the first set of prison cells held demonesses, and the second set held demons."
Silas voiced the same conclusion. "It's pretty evident at this point. Demons and demonesses were made to breed here by force. But what I don't understand is why such weak chains were used to chain demonesses? Even they could break free of them quite easily."
Feeling a tug at his legs, Zerath looked down, only to find Eurus burying his face in them.
"You can still go back."
Despite the atmosphere and mana physically ailing him with every breath, he refused to budge from his stance.
Silas grimaced. "Then be brave enough to watch everything, or you're just in our way. Never in my life would I want a cowardly disciple."
Eurus stiffened. He lifted his head slowly and after much hesitation, tremblingly stepped out of Zerath's safe shadow - albeit with a mountainous difficulty.
Gressil asked, perplexed, "I don't understand the purpose of this forced breeding. Did they want the slaves to give birth and for what? Sell them illegally?"
"Let's see if we find the answers we're looking for."
Heading back out, they hit a dead end. There were no more forks or pathways that led to more chambers or prison cells.
Zerath's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "This doesn't end here. The nauseating mana that's making Eurus and Arzan ill is not here. Search this floor again. We're missing something."
—
Audreya ran as fast as she could. Sweat trickled from her temples. Every breath she tore a scorching pain through her chest. The Grisbane estate was stretched endlessly, as if it would take her forever to escape.
Hearing the knights closing in, she dove behind a tree. Her heart hammered in her chest as if it would burst out of it. She pressed her lips shut, afraid to make even the tiniest sound of her breath. Peering around, the royal knights at a distance were frantically searching for her in all directions. One of them turned toward her, and she swiftly hid back to safety. Noiselessly, she removed her hair pin and clenched it in her hands, ready to strike if needed.
But then came a voice -
"I think I saw a red head woman running that way!"
The knights halted and soon leapt to the woman's side who had called out. Hearing his steps fade away, Audreya cautiously peeked out and caught a maid pointing in the other direction. The knights acknowledged her and sprinted away. But Audreya didn't let their departure ease her guard.
If this is a bait then…
The crack of a twig made her ears twitch, and her eyes narrowed. She didn't lose her grip over her hairpin and held her breath.
"They're gone. I don't know where you are hiding, but you can come out now."
Audreya stayed still.
"I'm Erissa! I serve the Princess. I was there at the bell tower when you were caught, remember? You can trust me. I'm here on my lady's command."
Princess Clairette?
Erissa whispered. "My lady had anticipated this outcome as one of the possibilities, which is why she stationed me outside to find you and help you escape! If you stay here any longer, the knights will eventually get hold of you. My lady has asked me to take you out from here into a safe hiding place."
Audreya went into deep contemplation. Right in front of her, Clairette had gotten into a battle with Judith just to clear a path for her escape. Even before that, she had painstakingly planned her escape and arranged for her to take Melissa's place, only so that she could enter the tea party.
Exhaling a quiet breath, Audreya finally stepped out of the tree's shadow. Erissa hurried to her side.
"Quick. I don't have the time to explain everything, but put this coat on for now. Hide your hair with this bandana. Let's get out before the knights return!"
—
Inside the Grisbane residence, Judith caught Sierra's chin, tugging it closer to her face. "What do you say, Lady Sierra? You don't seem to fit so well by the Crown Prince's side."
The ladies gulped, preparing themselves for an onslaught of a storm. Only Judith in the whole wide Human Realm held the mad confidence to challenge Sierra's position.
I don't know if I should call her brave or stupid, Vivia wondered. Sure, becoming the future Queen is tempting, but is this way really…
To everyone's surprise, Sierra's calm and poise didn't face even a single dent.
"I never said I was perfect. I simply want to adhere to my duties of being Elvin's wife. I've a lot to learn. Though Elvin is beyond your reach, you might certainly consider brother-in-law Aeren. He's bright, talented and worthy to become your husband."
Priscilla blurted out. "What? Prince Aeren? No way! Lady Judith has despised brother-in-law all this time. But as soon as my sister became his wife, your tune changed. There should be punishment for openly eyeing a married man like that!"
Judith yawned. "Children should stay out of adults' conversation."
Her face blackened like a burned pot. "You..you always speak to me in that rude tone. You seem to forget who I am!"
Judith ignored her rant. "I already know who you are. It's old news. What I'm more interested in is…"
Out from Sierra's shadow, she now faced Vivia, tipping her head to the side.
"Princess's sword fighting skills. When did you learn to fight?"
Vivia answered. "I trained myself in secrecy."
Judith arched her brow. "Without a master? So you learned to dance and wield a blade in secrecy all on your own? So much so that even your own family didn't get a whiff of it?"
Vivia smiled. "A Princess's life is filled with difficulties and hardships. Is it wrong to be prepared? The perfect secret is the one you can keep to yourself as much and for as far as possible."
"Hooo…"
She's a nosy one…
Claudia then stepped forward and bowed. "Pardon my intrusion. I-I'm truly ashamed of what unfolded today. I never imagined my humble tea party would take this turn…"
Frost settled in Vivia's gaze as it landed on Raffert and Walterce.
Sierra held her hands. "You need not apologize, Lady Claudia. You hosted a perfectly lovely tea party. It was us, the royal family, who brought forth such chaos. Please forgive us. I understand you hosted this party to lift your family's atmosphere, but we ruined it."
"No, no, my lady! Please don't say that!"
"You're very kind. If I may ask…Has there been any news of your cousin, Mr. Martin?"
Claudia wiped her eyes and shook her head dejectedly. "There's still no news of Brother Martin. Uncle is doing everything he can, but it's as though he has simply vanished from the face of this earth."
Vivia blinked.
Vanished?
"Princess seems to be perplexed," Judith's lips tipped into a light smile. Don't you remember that Martin disappeared or perhaps…I'm talking to a different person altogether?"