One week had passed since I arrived at Velmont, staying in the confines of my room. Cora never failed in keeping me company. She would bring books to read, wool to knit into whatever I wished, and trays of food so delicious I almost forgot I was living in a kingdom of vampires.
My injuries had fully healed. The physician was also nice and attentive towards me. Her gentle care made it easy to forget that she, too, was one of them, though the color of her eyes still reminded me I was far from home.
I often sat by the window, discreetly watching the courtyard below. Guards patrolled in slow, deliberate steps, their movements precise and silent. I also saw carriages frequently moving in and out of the gate. This was a castle after all.
Though I didn't have an idea of what the castle looked like, the exterior view seemed gothic. The castle grounds were tiled with dark cobblestones bearing unreadable markings.
There were also statues of angels, saints, and creatures I couldn't quite name at the castle's fountain.
That evening, I sat quietly in the corner of the room, my hands busy with the soft wool I had been knitting while listening to the birds chirping a melody as fresh air breezed in constantly.
The quietness was broken when Cora entered the room. Her usually calm expression was replaced by an urgent look. She moved quickly across the room, her eyes darting toward me as if measuring my reaction.
"Milady," she began, "your presence has been requested in the dining room."
My hands subconsciously loosened on the wool I was knitting, like a bucket of ice was poured on me.
She said softly, "It is customary to dine with the household in the evenings. It was due to your injuries you were exempted from the table, but now you're fully healed, you have been asked to start having your meals in the royal dining room."
I had grown so comfortable with my room that I hadn't thought about the possibility of leaving it.
I had forgotten the reason I was here in the first place. The king of Velmont.
My breath turned shaky at the thought of him.
His red eyes… his horns… his wings. How could I even stand the sight of those? What if he decided to grab me by the throat and plunge his sharp canine into me?
What if I would end up becoming the dinner instead?
The comfort I had felt all the while vanished in a moment.
Seeing my hesitation, Cora gave a reassuring smile. "Do not worry. I will prepare you."
Before I could protest, she guided me to the dressing area. She had laid out an evening gown of silk, crimson in colour. It was simple but elegant. As she helped me into my dress, her hands moved with the skill of someone who had done this a hundred times, smoothing the fabric and adjusting it to fall perfectly. She dabbed a faint perfume at my wrists and my nape. It smelled like lavender.
She then combed my hair, weaving it into loose waves that framed my face, tucking strands behind my ears so that they would not fall into my eyes.
Finally, Cora offered her arm. "Shall we?"
I took it, my heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and trepidation. With cautious steps, I followed her out of the room.
The moment I stepped outside the room, it felt like I had entered another world. It seemed like my room had been purposely designed to look soft and dream-like, because outside was nothing like I ever expected.
Instead of the soft golden chandeliers that adorned my room, polished jeweled skulls hung from the high ceilings, strung together with chains. Candlelight burned within them. The flames flickered through their hollow eyes and their open jaws.
Rather than wood, the ceilings looked like they had been built with bones of animals. The walls were painted red and gold, decorated by black vines that clung to it in a spiral pattern. The floors were laced with black marbles that dangerously reflected light as the corridor stretched endlessly.
It was scary to me… but had this kind of haunting beauty, I could not deny. The flames cast long, wavering shadows that seemed to move when I wasn't looking directly at them.
My grip on Cora's arm tightened.
Our steps were soft against the stone floor as we walked in silence. The air itself was different. It was cooler and heavier and carried a certain metallic scent mixed with burning wax.
Occasionally, we passed people who I took to be servants because of their clothing. They turned their gazes at me, but not for too long. Some of their eyes faintly glowed as they looked at me.
A chill crept up my spine.
"You should try not to look at them, milady," Cora murmured gently, sensing my unease. "You will grow accustomed to it."
Accustomed? I wasn't sure I wanted to be.
After what felt like an eternity, we turned down another corridor. This one was wider and grander.
Tall windows lined the walls, though no warm sunlight entered, only the pale glow of the evening sky. Heavy velvet curtains draped on each window.
At the far end stood a pair of towering doors.
My steps slowed, sighting the door. They were carved from blackwood with an intricate design. Vines like from earlier snaked around it. But the most unnerving part were the winged creatures that spiraled across the surface.
All of them formed a circle pointing towards a figure in the center. A crowned being with outstretched wings.
My breath hitched. It was him.
Even in the carving, it was true like the rumours had stated.
Two guards stood on either side of the doors, unmoving as statues. As we approached, they straightened slightly. Their sharp eyes flicked toward me before one of them pushed the doors open.
The door's groan echoed.
My heart began to pound so loudly, I was certain everyone inside would hear it.
"Have a pleasant dinner, milady," Cora whispered, giving my arm a gentle squeeze before letting go. It felt like her words carried a heavy amount of irony, and as soon as I stepped in, I heard the door close behind me with a heavy thud, trapping me inside.