Ch. 86..90: The Vampire Prince's Blindfolded Bride Chapter 86-90

Chapter 86: Do I appear happy to Father?

"When was the last time when two both walked together like this?" Esmond queried Magnus, who didn’t seem to be interested in any kind of conversation with his father.

Noticing that Magnus wasn’t interested in speaking with him, Esmond responded, "It was 50 years ago. You must have forgotten the time, but as a father, I have not," he asserted.

"What does Father want to convey with this?" Magnus inquired. "That I’m a disrespectful child to his parents and doesn’t care for them. It is not false either because they never cared about my choices." He didn’t hesitate to taunt his father.

"When did we not care for you?" Esmond wanted to know why Magnus suddenly drifted away from them. "Our family has a motto– to be always together. However, you seemed to forget that long ago," he gently reminded Magnus.

"Because we were never together. At least, I never felt at home. Since the time of my birth, I have always seen both Father and Mother busy in their works. While Father wanted to grow the Kingdom, stopping the wars between the vampires, werewolves, and humans; Mother got busy with Lillian, at the same time, working along with you. I was supposed to grow by myself. And that’s what I did," Magnus affirmed, recalling his childhood.

Esmond remained oblivious to the fact that their early neglect of Magnus had caused him to become detached from their family.

"Izaak also grew up under similar circumstances," Esmond remarked.

"Ahh, but I’m not like my brother Izaak," Magnus declared defiantly.

"You were given everything, Magnus. Even now, I’ve spared you from work because you’ve shown no interest in it. You prefer to enjoy your life with a human," Esmond stated, his words laced with a hint of taunt.

"That human has a name, Father. She is called Alora Magnus Lukeson, my wife," Magnus pronounced. Both father and son gazed at each other for a moment.

"I have no problem with Alora as long as she doesn’t use her eyes," Esmond asserted.

"How I wished she had used that incredible power to burn all those, who humiliated her," Magnus remarked, causing Esmond to feel betrayed by his own son.

"Magnus, are you upset about today?" Esmond asked directly, coming to a halt. He turned slightly, and Magnus stopped walking as well.

"Do I appear happy to Father? Why did he even issue such a decree to Eugene? Father was the one who betrayed my trust first. That’s why I don’t believe in this family motto of being together. What I like, you hate. It’s always been that way," Magnus expressed his feelings openly, without any fear.

"If you had chosen a woman of our own kind, I would have never objected," Esmond stated.

"But none could grab my attention. The reason I left Velaris and didn’t return over a hundred years was because Father wanted to set me up with his choice of women. I still believe staying away from Velaris will be good for me and Alora. Father has hurt my Alora today. Why did he summon Norman and Venus? Father is well aware of how much they despise Alora, yet he called them to crush Alora," Magnus asserted, revealing more reasons to not like his parents.

"Magnus, parents don’t want wrong for their children. I only wanted you to see how many difficulties you will have while having Alora by your side," Esmond justified his morning decision to summon Norman and Venus to the court.

"Some parents do wish the worst for their children. If I were to speak further, Father might be hurt," Magnus remarked solemnly.

"Very well. Give me one reason to believe in Alora. If you can convince me, I’ll make everyone bow to her. You are charmer by her and go to great lengths for her sake. Therefore, it’s only fair that you uncover the mystery behind Alora’s eyes. I’ll give you three months," Esmond proposed a deal to his son.

"Father will also apologize to her," Magnus stated.

"I will," Esmond assured him.

"I’ll bring the answers to Father then," Magnus was now determined to work on this as fast as he could.

"And if you fail, then you need to make sure Alora leaves your life. If you don’t do that, I will do it. Do you accept this?" Esmond put forward the second part of the condition.

Magnus chuckled as he took a step away from his father. "Fine. Until then, let’s not see each other. I’ve started to hate you more," he said with a dark grimace. He slightly bowed and turned to go ahead.

Esmond watched his son leave while he furrowed his brows together.

••••••

Seeing Magnus return to the residence without their father, Izaak approached him and inquired why he was alone.

"I’m finished with talking," Magnus replied tersely as he ascended the stairs, the red carpet beneath his feet.

"I will accompany both of you to Shadowbrook," Izaak declared, prompting a swift response from Magnus.

"No, you should return to the palace," Magnus stated firmly.

"I believe Alora would appreciate my presence with you both," Izaak asserted.

Magnus didn’t respond to him, simply disappearing from Izaak’s sight as he walked away.

King Esmond entered the living room, prompting Izaak to approach him. "Did everything go well, Father?" Izaak inquired.

"It’s hard to say. Magnus had a lot of grievances," Esmond replied with a sigh. "Accompany them to Shadowbrook. I don’t want Magnus to cause any trouble there, at least," he ordered Izaak.

"I will follow your orders, Father," Izaak assured him. He promised to see him off to the carriage. Esmond nodded in agreement and made his way to the foray of the house, where the carriage awaited him.

As Tobias and Griffin joined them, Izaak observed his father settling into the carriage. He made a silent vow to speak with Magnus once he had calmed down. Attempting to reason with Magnus in his current state would only lead to more grumbling and complaints.

Chapter 87: Darling, that’s quite slow

Alora sat by the window of the room and sighed. Everything that happened in the morning revolved in her mind again and again. She picked up the hand mirror and looked at her reflection in it.

"If I knew how to use my eyes well, things would have been better," she murmured.

"Why are you here?" Magnus’s voice reached her ears and she tilted her head to spot him. "Weren’t you supposed to sleep? You have a headache." His concern grew as he walked to Alora, who was on the chaise.

He noticed the mirror in her hand. Before he could seek an explanation from her, Alora said, "I couldn’t sleep. So, I thought to come here." The moment she lowered her eyes, Magnus sat next to her.

"Why do you hold this mirror?" He asked despite he already had realized Alora must be checking her eyes.

Alora remained silent. Suddenly, the brightness of her face had lost. Magnus held her hands, asking her to look at him. "Tell me what bothers you," he said. "If it’s your father, then I will–"

Alora covered his mouth by bringing her hand to it. "You don’t need to malign your hands. I feel it was my destiny to be abandoned by my father," she muttered. "Every girl is connected to her father more. I could never do that. I tried to be a good daughter to him."

Even though Alora had told Magnus earlier that she was burden-free, she couldn’t deny the fact that she always wanted acknowledgment from her father.

Magnus hearing those thoughts of her wondered how he could make Alora feel better. He made promises to her, but he couldn’t fulfill them. There would be no meaning left for more promises.

"Did I make you upset? I no longer want his acknowledgment, Magnus. Those were a few thoughts of mine, which made me feel low," Alora stated.

"Whatever troubles you, troubles me as well. Not all families are nurturing, and not everyone receives fair treatment. Norman was never deserving of a daughter like you. There are no words left to comfort you," Magnus spoke with a heavy heart. He was accustomed to causing pain, but seeing Alora suffer stirred conflicting emotions within him.

Drawing closer, he gently traced his fingers along her face, offering a tender caress in an attempt to provide solace to her.

"I agree with His Highness’s words," Alora said. She brought her hands to the collar of his coat and planted a soft kiss on his lips. He, too, nibbled her lips, feeling their softness against his mouth.

His lips touched her teeth as she parted them slightly. Her heart filled with joy that Magnus kept his promise from the day he held her hand to never let it go.

She found his hand on the back of her head as he angled her face to find a perfect tilt to savor her mouth and deepen the kiss. Alora didn’t want this moment to end. Her left hand moved to the gap between his coat and now, her hand was on his chest.

Magnus gently laid her down on the chaise, his hands exploring every inch of her body. As his mouth left hers, eliciting gasps escaped from Alora’s mouth, he buried his head in the crook of her neck, his movements slowing down as he remained there.

"Why did you stop?" Alora asked between gasps, her voice filled with longing and desire.

"You want this to go until?" He asked a question as he finally lifted his face to peer into her eyes.

"Till I feel satisfied," Alora replied. Her palm rested on his cheek, her thumb stroked it with such a lightness that caused Magnus’s insides to shiver. "If you think I initiated this to forget the pain, then you are wrong. I initiated this because I love you and I want to feel that love more," she whispered, her eyes reflecting her deep affection for him.

As soon as her words ended, Magnus crashed his mouth onto hers, consuming her with an urgency that left no room for breath. His hands swiftly lifted her into his arms, carrying her with vampiric speed to the bedroom. Alora felt the softness of the mattress beneath her as they landed.

Alora’s breath caught in her throat as she felt her dress being torn off, her eyes widening in surprise as they shot open. Any moans that formed in her mouth were stifled as Magnus’s hands found her breasts, sending shivers throughout her body.

Magnus left her mouth just as she needed to draw in a breath, his lips latching onto her neck with a fervent hunger.

"Ahh... Mmm..." Alora cried and moaned at the same time when he nipped her sweet spot.

Magnus smirked, his pupils now a deep shade of wine red as his lips trailed downward. The dress had already been discarded from her body, leaving her exposed to his intense gaze and fervent touch.

Alora had forgotten all the pain in her heart as she surrendered to the ecstasy of Magnus’s touch. Each caress seemed to ignite a fire within her soul, leaving her yearning for more. He pulled her onto his lap, his fingers tracing down her spine as he whispered into her ear, "How does it feel? You’re completely ready for me."

"Incredible," Alora replied, her voice filled with longing. "You’re still fully clothed," she murmured, pressing her lips to his neck. With gentle determination, she pushed the fabric of his coat from his shoulders and began to unbutton his shirt slowly.

"Darling, that’s quite slow," Magnus muttered impatiently, his desire evident as he tore off his shirt, eager to join her in their passionate embrace.

"What’s with your obsession with tearing off clothes?" Alora questioned him, glancing at her torn dress with a mixture of amusement and desire.

"To expedite things," Magnus whispered huskily, his tongue tracing her lips teasingly, causing her to instinctively part them. Her hands found their way to the nape of his neck, holding him close as his hands moved to her thighs, covered in the garter, igniting further anticipation in her.

 

Chapter 88: Magnus wailing over Alora’s loss

"Brother Izaak, here is the ring you requested. Use it with care," Alaric stated, handing over the ring with a blue sapphire embedded in it. The ring had the unique ability to detect unknown sources of energy by glowing.

"I will," Izaak affirmed, examining the ring and wearing it. He felt it was essential to bring it along on their journey to Shadowbrook.

"How is Sister-in-law faring?" Alaric inquired.

"The last update from Tobias was that Alora was experiencing a headache," Izaak responded.

"And where is Magnus?" Tobias inquired.

"He’s with Alora," Izaak answered.

"I heard Father came to see Magnus. I hope they’ve resolved their misunderstandings. In the palace, Mother is upset with Magnus. She had hoped that this time Alora would leave Magnus’s life for good, but it seems that didn’t happen," Alaric informed him.

"Did she tell you?" Izaak’s interest piqued.

"I spoke with Mother before heading here," Alaric replied, recollecting their mother’s desire for Scarlet to become part of their family.

**Flashback Starts**

"May I see Mother?" Alaric requested the attendant outside the chamber. She opened the door for him, granting Alaric entry.

Alaric entered the grand chamber’s living room and found his mother seated on the plush maroon sofa. He bowed respectfully to her before taking a seat in front of her as she had instructed.

"Are you here to advocate for Alora?" Margaret inquired, her annoyance palpable. "Because of her, Magnus has entangled himself with the werewolves. Don’t you think it’s your duty to speak to your younger brother and guide him back to the right path?" The Queen pressed him.

"Mother, we all understand the uniqueness of their love. Only Magnus can truly see into her eyes, and that’s what makes their bond extraordinary. You should embrace their union," Alaric countered with a gentle smile.

"Didn’t you and Izaak feel apprehensive when Alora discarded that blindfold?" Margaret questioned, her brows furrowing in concern.

"Alora isn’t malevolent. She’s aware of the significance of her eyes. If you were to communicate with your daughter-in-law, Mother, you would discover the beautiful soul Alora possesses," Alaric explained earnestly.

Margaret fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Do you know what my special ability is?" she inquired.

"To foresee misfortunes, Mother," Alaric replied.

"The greatest misfortune I foresaw was the catastrophic war between the vampire and werewolf species, resulting in the destruction of my own family," Queen Margaret revealed solemnly.

"Did Mother see something again?" Alaric was now curious to know.

"I witnessed Magnus wailing over the loss of Alora," Margaret asserted.

Alaric was taken aback by this revelation, momentarily ceasing to blink. "Are you implying that Alora will die? Won’t she be turned into a vampire?" he inquired, his voice tinged with concern.

"I don’t know. But what I saw was Magnus’s suffering. I wanted to spare my son from that fate, but he fails to comprehend me or his father. He perceives us as adversaries," Margaret explained to him with a heavy heart.

"Future may change, Mother," Alaric stated.

"I hope it does. However, if Alora doesn’t find the answers to her eyes, I have to intervene," Queen Margaret stated.

**Flashback Ends**

"Mother saw someone’s misfortune after a long time," said Izaak as he turned a bit serious.

"Discuss it with Magnus," Alaric replied.

"He won’t listen. Let’s keep it concealed from him," Izaak insisted, intrigued to see how events would unfold based on his visions.

"I agree with Brother’s suggestion," Alaric concurred. "I noticed two carriages parked outside. What’s the occasion?" Alaric inquired.

"We will head to Shadowbrook tomorrow morning," Izaak responded.

"And the reason?" Alaric pressed with a frown.

"Magnus and Alora seek some time away from here," Izaak explained.

"So, it appears you all will be there for quite some time," Alaric inferred.

"Indeed, a month," Izaak confirmed.

"I hope Alora feels better and becomes stronger in this time," Alaric stated with a hopeful smile.

~~~~

Alora waved her hand in the water as she smiled. She felt lighter and with this herbal bath she felt rejuvenated. As she found the water had turned cold, she exited the bathtub and wore the bathrobe before stepping into the closet.

Selvina bowed to her and told her she would help her. As Alora sat on the chair in front of the dressing table, Selvina dried her hair using the soft towel to absorb the moisture in them. She avoided any eye contact with Alora while conversing with her.

"I packed all the useful clothes and essentials of the Princess. The trunks are already set in the carriage," Selvina replied. "I’m glad Princess Alora decided to take a break from here. It must be difficult for her after all this time," she muttered.

As Selvina picked up the fine-toothed comb, she heard Alora speak.

"Yes, it was. However, I finally realized I no longer need those people in my life. They will only make me feel low," she opined.

"That’s a brave choice by Princess Alora," Selvina remarked. "I fled from home when my father remarried after my mother’s death. My stepmother wasn’t kind to me," she revealed.

Alora was taken aback by Selvina’s story. She also suffered in her home.

"Then what happened? How did you manage to survive on your own?" Alora inquired with curiosity.

"At the time I ran away, I was already eighteen. I used to work in a local alcohol shop, and one day a vampire attacked me. Fortunately, I didn’t die; instead, I underwent a transformation into a vampire, albeit of lower rank. I’m not as strong as others," Selvina explained.

"So, how did you control your blood thirst? All this time, I thought you were a human," Alora murmured.

"Their are a team of vampire guards, who catch and train newbies. I was one of them. I learned to control it over time, Your Highness," Selvina answered.

"And after that, you were appointed here?" Alora asked.

"Yes, I consider myself fortunate. I found greater happiness after leaving my home. Princess Alora, it’s challenging to let go of the feelings we have towards our families, but once we do, we find peace, especially when our families aren’t good to us," Selvina counseled Alora, offering her comfort.

"I’ve to learn the same to be happy," Alora asserted as she praised Selvina for being so strong.

Chapter 89: Departure to Shadowbrook

Learning about Selvina and her past gave Alora more insight into why she needed to find her own way of happiness instead of finding it in the people. She always considered her parents, her grandmother, and siblings as her people. However, except for her mother, nobody cared for her.

"Thank you, Selvina. I really appreciate that you shared something so sensitive with me," Alora expressed her gratefulness.

"Princess Alora is a beautiful soul with a compassionate heart. However, such traits make people take advantage of you," Selvina stated as she further advised Alora to learn to answer back since she was in a position to do so.

"Hmm. I have realized that," Alora murmured.

Selvina smiled as she turned silent now, focusing on her work. She dried Alora’s hair before making two braids and clipping them at the back of her head. She kept the other hair loose.

Taking a step back, Selvina told Alora to check herself and then, they would go out.

"I like the hair you did," Alora said as she checked herself in the mirror.

"Then, we shall go out," Selvina humbly said. Alora turned around and went to the door while Selvina followed her.

"Did I make you too long?" Alora reached the dining room, where Magnus was already seated. Though they needed to leave early in the morning before sunrise, he changed his plans and decided to go after the sunrise.

"You didn’t, Love. You look different today, especially with your hair," said Magnus as he pulled out a chair for Alora and made her sit on it. He signaled everyone to leave and served her the food.

Alora enjoyed her breakfast while Magnus remained lost in her beauty. As she dabbed the napkin across her mouth, she said, "I noticed how the prince had his eyes only on me." She sipped the water before placing the glass on the table.

"Yes, they were. Why? Did you not enjoy my gaze?" he asked.

Alora smiled and left her seat. "We should leave now," she opined and went toward the door. He followed her outside and told her how Izaak was adamant to accompany them.

"What? I thought the King had strictly ordered him not to be around me," Alora said.

"Father has given the permission to my brother. Brother Izaak took a stand for us and convinced Father that you were never a threat. Father even met me last day," Magnus shared with her.

"With His Highness’s tone it seems he didn’t like conversing with his father," Alora said.

"Because Father decided to see me when Izaak told him. He would not have ever decided to converse with me unless it was urgent work," Magnus muttered.

Alora realized that they had differences too. But, why? However, she decided not to speak about it now given the fact that Magnus looked annoyed.

Reaching downstairs, Alora heard Izaak’s voice, who greeted her. She kept her gaze low and returned the greetings with a curtsey.

"I learned Brother Izaak will also accompany us," Alora said, smiling.

"Yes, I am," Izaak responded, returning the smile to her. He gazed at Magnus, who looked pissed for some reason.

"Shall we go then? Is everything ready, Tobias?" Magnus asked.

"Everything is ready, Your Highness," Tobias confirmed.

Magnus went ahead with Alora while Izaak followed them.

~~~~~

Venus met the fated mate of Eugene, who was mourning his death. "You should not have eyed Eugene, Zinnia," she said after taking a seat on the chair in the corner of Zinnia’s room.

"You are the reason why my mate died," Zinnia declared in fury. "You never had an ounce of feeling for Eugene. Do you think I didn’t see through you the first time he introduced me to you?" she questioned Venus.

"Eugene died because you accepted being his mistress," Venus said with a grim expression on her face. "Anyways, he deserved to die and so did his parents. They tried to make me their servant and you as their queen. Didn’t I tell you until I’m alive I won’t let you be his Luna?" she smirked.

"Why did you do it, Venus?" Zinnia asked in a trembling voice.

"Eugene refused to make me a werewolf, of his kind. And I didn’t like the way you were smiling with my late husband," Venus stated and chuckled. "Also, I only complained about the wrongs I faced in the Lacroix family. The rest of the matter was handled by Princess Alora, my dear sister," she added.

Zinnia knitted her brows together and placed her hand on her chest.

"Alora is the main reason why Eugene died. I only wanted a divorce. Alora sent her husband, Prince Magnus, to kill Eugene and his parents. Eugene told me an interesting fact, Zinnia. He said the mates are inseparable. If one dies, then the other dies too in pain. Why don’t you avenge the death of Eugene, your fated mate?" She suggested to Zinnia.

"I know you are lying." Zinnia didn’t believe her. She knew Venus was crooked and evil. She wanted Zinnia to turn against the royalty.

"Even if I am lying no one can deny the fact that Prince Magnus was the one who killed Eugene at the peak hour of the blood moon. My sister even wanted to perish Eugene with her eyes. Why don’t you go and ask Alora the truth about it? At least, die with pride, Zinnia, not like a coward. If you were at Eugene’s place, what have you done?" Venus asked as she totally manipulated Zinnia’s thoughts.

Zinnia lowered her eyes. "Eugene had killed the person, who would have killed me," she murmured.

"Yes. Eugene would have fought for you till the end," Venus affirmed with a smile.

"I cannot go to the palace," Zinnia said.

"You should try meeting Alora. She is kind and she will see you because you are Eugene’s mate," Venus advised her.

Zinnia, who was unaware of Alora’s eyes, came into Venus’s words. She decided to meet Alora and decided to kill her.

Chapter 90: Spell books

Alora was awestruck to see the cottage before her where they were supposed to stay for a month. The cottage was situated below the giant mountains, which could be viewed from its backside fully. A river was flowing right in front of the house, but not too close to it. Because it was night, the beauty of the place wasn’t fully visible.

"Shall we go in, Alora?" asked Magnus, bringing her out of the trance.

"Ahh, yes." She went inside the cottage, where an old man greeted the three of them. He was Louis Darham, the caretaker of the cottage, which belonged to the royalty. In the old times, the King and the Queen used to come here.

"Louis, is the dinner ready? Alora is hungry from the long travel," Magnus said.

"It will take twenty more minutes, Your Highness. The Princess will freshen up in that time," Louis replied.

"Sure. Brother Izaak, let’s see each other in the morning," Magnus said.

"Good night," Izaak said and went ahead to the room which a servant showed him.

Ascending the staircase, Magnus and Alora entered a cozy room adorned with a king-sized bed enveloped in cascading white curtains. The room exuded warmth with its dark maroon drapes adorning the windows and complementing furniture. A gentle glow emanated from the crackling fireplace, casting a comforting ambiance throughout the room.

Alora sat close to the fireplace since she was a little cold. Because of the mountains, the temperature here was low. "Magnus, come here," she invited him to join her.

He sat next to her on the chaise and moved his hands to her neck to remove the cloak. As Magnus put it aside, he caressed her hair when some of them entangled in her earring. He was gentle in freeing the hair from the earring.

Suddenly, Alora placed her hands on his cold cheeks after getting the warmth from the fireplace heat and smiled.

"What are you doing?" Magnus was amused by her reaction.

"Keeping you warm," Alora replied. "You cannot get sick," she murmured.

"I don’t get sick," Magnus answered.

"Really?" Alora pulled away her hands.

He caught her hands, placing them back on her cheeks. "But I like it," Magnus huskily whispered. He peered into her eyes affectionately and then, her lips. Before he could press his lips, Alora put her finger on his lips.

"I need to use the washroom," she said and left her seat.

Magnus chuckled as she walked away without letting him taste her lips. A knock occurred on the door, and he asked the servant to come in.

"Your Highness, dinner will be served in the dining room adjacent to this one," the servant informed Magnus.

"Very well, make it swift. And what’s for dessert?" Magnus inquired, rising from his seat to approach the servant.

"A chocolate strawberry pie awaits, Your Highness," the servant replied with deference.

"Thank you. You may go," Magnus dismissed the servant, closing the door behind them. Settling onto the chaise near the fireplace, he smiled to himself, content in his solitude.

When Alora exited the washroom after changing into a fine nightgown, she spotted Magnus seated on the chaise. His eyes also met hers as he rose from his seat.

Holding her hand, he took Alora to the adjacent room. "The dinner is already set. I hope you’ll enjoy it," he said, making Alora sit on the chair.

As Alora ate quietly, she suddenly spoke, "I hope my mother isn’t troubled. I broke the relationship with my family."

"Your mother wants your happiness. She won’t mind it," Magnus said.

Alora chewed slowly and hummed at him. "I hope Mother stays happy too," she murmured. She was aware of how her father always scolded her mother for giving birth to Alora. He might have nitpicked yesterday’s matter and blamed Rhea for it.

"Your father won’t dare to trouble your mother," Magnus responded to her after hearing her thoughts.

Alora locked eyes with him, her expression curious. "What did His Highness do?" she inquired.

"Norman may risk his rank if he ever disgraces you and your mother," Magnus responded, opting not to delve into specifics.

"How would His Highness even know?" Alora pressed, growing more intrigued.

"I have my ways," Magnus replied cryptically. He asked Alora if she should not think about that anymore and focus on enjoying the time in Shadowbrook.

~~~~~

In the middle of the night, Magnus came downstairs, as his sleep abruptly broke. He went to the old library, which was situated pretty far from the cottage. It used to be open all day and night for a very long time. The old library consisted of books even before the time of his birth, so Magnus felt he might find any book, which could help him find out about Alora’s eyes.

The young librarian welcomed Magnus as he entered through the door, but he couldn’t recognize the prince.

"I have never seen him before," the young vampire whispered.

"He is Prince Magnus," Griffin replied him and went ahead.

"Why did you follow me, Griffin? Shouldn’t you be resting?" Magnus asked as he looked at the old books on the shelves.

"I couldn’t sleep," Griffin said and randomly took out a book.

He placed it on the wooden counter made just below the shelf and opened it. "The last I opened a book was thirty-four years ago," Griffin murmured. "I think we can find out about Princess Alora’s eyes in the spells. Who knows that woman was a witch and Gloria lied to you? We cannot trust the witches," he proclaimed.

"Gloria didn’t lie. I could read her thoughts clearly," Magnus answered. He crossed his arms across his chest and let Griffin do his work.

"Is the Prince looking for an old spell book?" The same young librarian asked. "I am Carin, Your Highness," he bowed and told Magnus he would bring some old books on the spells.

"I didn’t ask you to do it," Magnus said, making Carin halt at his steps. "What do you want?" he asked.

Carin turned to glance at Magnus. "I want nothing. I thought to help His Highness. Because it was my first time seeing the prince, I got excited," he muttered.

"Learn to speak less in front of me, Carin," Magnus stated.

Griffin rolled his eyes as he realized his friend’s tone with the other people hadn’t changed much.

"Forgive me, Your Highness," Carin lowered his eyes.

"Bring the books," Magnus instructed him, bringing a glint in Carin’s eyes. He left to bring the ancient spell books.

Magnus flipped the pages of the book, which Griffin had opened. His eyes scanned the pages quickly, but he didn’t find anything useful in that.

He closed it and said, "Gloria must have known such a spell if existed. It must be something beyond our imagination."

"Gloria is not old enough," Griffin opined.

"Father and Brother Izaak said that Gloria was knowledgeable," Magnus asserted.

"The witches never liked the vampires ruling anyway. Perhaps, she hid the truth from His Highness," Griffin deduced. He wasn’t wrong. The witches hated vampires more than the werewolves. Because they were less in numbers, they could never overpower them.

"Your Highness, I’ve brought the books!" Carin’s voice fell into their ears as he invited them to the table.