Chapter 43: Chapter Forty-three: Attack again? No problem.
A month had passed since Elena returned from Eryndor. During that time, she had continued her lessons on etiquette and morals of the kingdom which took up majority of her time everyday.
Damien had grown increasingly protective of Elena but also unstable due to his returning hunger. Whenever he felt the hunger rise strongly in him, he would use as much energy to push it down especially when he was with her.
She always enjoyed their time together but there was just one thing that bugged her: he was just too overprotective.
If anything, his presence around her had become heavier. Protective to the point of suffocation when he hovered near her like a shadow. Wherever she went, his eyes followed her. Even when she wasn’t around, he always had one person watching her.
It wasn’t like she didn’t love him anymore. It was just too much!
For a while, she thought he was just being careful. But then she noticed the way his hands would tremble when she would touch him certain times and how his pupils would dilate when she is extremely close to him.
She still couldn’t understand why he suddenly changed to that and thought it best to not ask.
That morning, the king summoned all the princes to his quarters. It was a very, very rare thing for the king to summon all princes. That could only mean that something was terribly wrong.
Elena was having lunch in the garden when the king’s attendant came running to him.
"Your highness. The king requires your presence in his quarters." the man said, visibly trying to hide his loss of breath from him.
Damien sighed in annoyance and turned to her.
"You should go. I’ll be fine." Elena said although she was sad.
"I’ll be back soon ok?." Damien reached out and placed a kiss on her forehead before standing up to follow the attendant.
Damien entered the king’s library already in a sour mood. Why did this always happen when they were together?
Lucian followed soon after he entered and from the far side, Cassian had already arrived. Severin entered last while the King was yet in the room. The tension between the brothers was like a palpable thing. No one spoke to each other or even spared them a glance.
The king entered after a few minutes followed by his attendant who closed the door behind him and stepped out. His gaze swept across them all before he finally spoke in his deep, resonant voice.
"More rogues have been spotted in the far eastern territory. The secret troupe reported that they attacked a group of fishermen near the Rythmar River."
"One boy," the king continued, "survived long enough to tell his lord. The message reached me before dawn. He said the creatures tore through the camps of the fisherman, biting into everyone there."
Lucian clenched his jaw, folding his hands behind him. "The eastern side borders the old trade routes. That’s close to the human settlements. If rogues are spreading that far—"
"Then they are increasing in their numbers again," Damien said, finishing his statement.
"That is why I’m sending the both of you, to investigate. Find where they’re spawning, and stop their production if possible."
Cassian who had silently been leaning against the wall broke the calm instantly.
"You’re sending him?" His voice sliced through the silence. "I am the crown prince and yet you send the younger ones to handle a threat of this scale?"
The king’s gaze hardened, yet his tone remained composed. He looked at him thoughtfully as if thinking of what to say to him. "The palace cannot be left without its crown prince. You can stay back and regulate other affairs."
Cassian’s lips twisted into something resembling a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "You mean to keep me here while he—" His eyes darted to Damien with strong malice burning in them that he looked like he was about to strangle him.
Cassian broke off at the king’s word in a sharp and mocking laughter. "How convenient...your highness."
Before anyone could respond, Cassian turned sharply on his heel and within seconds, his presence faded from the room.
Silence fell in the room again.
The king sighed heavily, leaning back into his seat. "Prepare yourselves. You leave when the sun rises. The royal physicians will strengthen your resistance to the poison — and hide your scents completely."
Damien and Lucian bowed slightly. "As you command, your majesty."
The underground research, experiment and observation hall was beneath the royal palace where all research and experiments were carried out. The place is cool and quiet, with stone walls and bright lamps hanging above several work tables. Decoctions, medicines and different experiments were carried out here. It was different from the regular healing bay located within the palace walls.
A soft smell of herbs, ink, and strange liquids filled the air. At one end of the hall is a large glass room where the researchers test new mixtures and watch the results from behind the glass. It is a secret place known only to a few in the palace and also the place where new species and potions are investigated and made.
The chief, an older man with inky air, gestured for them to follow him.
The two princes followed him to a back room behind the main hall.
"You will need to strip your shirts, your highnesses for your shots," he said simply. "They’ll hide your scent and slow the spread of poison if you’re bitten by chance."
The old man walked out wordlessly, leaving them in the room to change.
When they finally came out, they had their upper bodies completely unclothed. The female researchers gaped at them and some even giggled excitedly to each other but they were silenced with one look from the chief. He then ordered them out of the hall, leaving only the two princes, the king and the chief in the room.
Lucian went first, standing tall behind the conservatory as the needle slid into his arm. The chief injected a pale blue fluid into his body, then motioned for Damien.
Damien walked towards the same place Lucian had been for the shot. The King, who had followed them quietly, observed him with faint concern.
Across Damien’s chest, dark branch-like roots which were the remnants of the strange bite that had once almost killed him graced his chest. Under the lab light, the roots were faint, almost close to vanishing thanks to the physician’s decoction.
When the needle entered Damien’s arm, a brief warmth spread through him, followed by the metallic taste of blood at the back of his throat. He clenched his fists tightly until it passed.
After giving them the shots, the chief handed them both small black pills. "These will strengthen your reflexes. You can take it now or before you fight any of them."
Lucian nodded, pocketing his. Damien simply slipped his into his mouth and swallowed dry.
By dusk, they were dressed and ready to go
The wind blew sharply outside the palace walls when they finally arrived there.
They appeared in the town, cloaked and masked, blending seamlessly with the night. The streets were somewhat alive with late-night traders and some who were already packing up for the day.
To anyone watching, they were merely travelers moving silently through the crowd. But under their cloaks, they carried daggers and swords.
The further they walked, the quieter it became. The laughter and chatter faded behind them until only the wind and the rustle of leaves remained. Ahead, the stream laid a few steps away from them shimmering faintly beneath the moonlight.
The water glistened silver under the pale light, framed by dark shrubs, creeping vines, and tall grass. Thick trees and skipping stones lined the edges of the stream as they passed by.
The stream flowed through a valley surrounded by sloping grounds, shrubs, and trees.
When they finally crossed the small valley, they entered the hilly forest.
As they walked on in silence, a snapping branch echoes in the silence behind them.
Lucian’s hand went to the hilt of his twin dagger tucked carefully under his cloak while Damien scanned the trees with his eyes. They ducked behind a large oak to avoid being seen, straining their senses to the direction of the sound..
After a while of waiting and still nothing, Lucian spoke up.
"Could have been a stray animal,".
Damien shook his head slowly. "No animal makes that soft sound unless it flies. They could be here."
Another crack echoed as Damien was talking this time from the left.
Lucian turned slightly now rising to his feet from his hiding place. "We should check beyond the stream—"
Before he could finish, something lunged quickly from the darkness. A flying rogue come rushing towards him but before he even knew of it, Damien swirled around and slapped it to the ground, crashing the monster headfirst into the stream.
Lucian turned around wide-eyed as his eyes dart around their surroundings.
With a sharp twist, Damien’s hand shot out, catching the creature mid-air by its throat. He slammed it down into the stream with a force that shook the ground. The rogue’s skull was cracked forcefully open, leaking out red liquid.
Before they could have a better look of their attacker, the ground beneath them shook violently.
From the shadows beyond the trees, dozens of glowing eyes appeared — red, yellow, and pale blue, all flickering like fire flies in the dark.
Lucian unsheathed his daggers and turned around to see where the sound was coming from
"Holy hell—"