Chapter 142: Is the queen well?
~Raphael's POV~
As much as I hated Grey's endless bickering, it was better than Drogon's golden silence. That kind of quiet was never peaceful. It was a warning sign.
The three days of our journey had stretched into what felt like weeks. I kept looking at Drogon, hoping to catch something, anything, in his face.
But he showed nothing. His golden-red eyes stayed fixed ahead as if I wasn't there. Even Grey, usually so quick to say mean things, had become strangely quiet.
The silence between us felt heavy, and it got on my nerves because I needed someone to talk to and remove my mind from my mate that I had left. I keep worrying and wondering if she is alright or not.
The road stretched before us, winding toward the border of the Etopi Empire. My shoulders ached with tension.
Every rustle in the bushes made my hand twitch toward my sword. I hadn't slept properly in days. How could I, when the darkness behind my eyelids offered nothing but memories I'd rather forget?
When we finally reached the border, I spotted Caleb waiting with a small amount of soldiers. Relief washed over me at the sight of his presence.
His eyes scanned our party, staying longer on my face a moment too long. I guess, I must look a mess but I recognize that displeasing look, he was giving me.
"Are you alright?" he asked quietly as I got off my horse.
I just nodded and handed him the reins without a word. What could I say? I felt like a thousand souls were pushing down on my chest.
That I had a bad feeling something awful was coming? That I was scared, Ava might go missing again because I had been too stupid to calculate things.
A royal carriage waited nearby, shining black with silver accents, the colours of Etopi. I climbed inside without looking back at my companions.
I needed a moment alone, away from Drogon's cold silence and Grey's uncharacteristic calmness.
As I settled in to rest, I found out the carriage wasn't empty.
"Fancy seeing you, Elias," I said, unable to keep the biting edge from my voice.
Elias lounged against the plush cushions, looking frustratingly well-rested. His dark eyes regarded me with that familiar, all expression.
The scars that traced his jawline reminded me of that night. It caught the light as he shifted uncomfortably.
"Pardon me, Your Majesty. I've been asleep for the past seven months." His voice was smooth and practised. Perfect excuse.
I settled into the seat across from him, studying his face. After all these years, I still couldn't decide if keeping him alive had been mercy or cruelty on him or me.
Trust wasn't something I gave easily, especially not to someone who had every reason to hate me and most likely kill me.
"It gets boring being the only one left," he continued softly. "No mate. No people."
The words stayed between us, bringing back memories I tried to forget. Suddenly I was back there in Mesodomica.
My boots soaked in blood as I stepped over dead bodies, looking hard for anyone still alive.
The smell of death filled my nose. Alasia's hand was on my shoulder, pushing me to finish what we had started.
To leave behind everything. Burn it all to the ground in her words. However, I hadn't. Regret filled my heart and I wanted to make amends. So I kept searching.
While searching I found Elias, barely alive, his eyes burning with hatred even as life drained from him.
I'd saved him. Against Alasia's wishes, against all logic. I'd carried him out myself.
"Of all the bad things I've done," I said quietly, mostly to myself, "killing all those people in Mesodomica is the one I can never clean from my hands."
Elias's face didn't change, but something showed in his eyes. Maybe it was that old hate, or maybe something more.
"Is the Queen well?" he asked after a moment, his voice softening slightly.
The mention of Ava made my chest tighten. "She's better now... Took a while. Thought I'd lost her."
I noticed how Elias tensed at my words, emotion briefly breaking through his careful composure.
He had joined me in hunting Alasia after what she'd done to Mesodomica and had stood by my side as we destroyed all her followers.
But no amount of bloodshed had satisfied his thirst for justice, or mine. No amount at all.
The carriage slowed as we got close to the palace, saving us from talking more about our past.
I looked out the window at the odd beauty of the Etopi capital. Warm stone walls stood all around us, with tall black towers that reached up to the sky.
The buildings looked nothing like the ones in our kingdom. They had flowing curves instead of sharp corners, and windows that made the light dance in strange ways.
King Nordic himself waited at the palace entrance. He was a big man in fancy clothes who still couldn't hide that he was a fighter.
His smile seemed real when he said hello, but I saw how his eyes stayed on Elias a bit too long. His voice got warmer when he said his name.
"Elias. It's been too long," Nordic said, clasping Elias's forearm in a warrior's grip that spoke of shared history.
I watched their exchange silently, Wondering about this unexpected connection for later consideration.
I felt there was more between them than diplomatic pleasantries. After the welcome, a servant showed me to my rooms.
They were big with high ceilings and strange, pretty art on the walls. As soon as the door closed, I sent away the maids and helpers who waited to help me.
I wanted to be alone with my thoughts, with no one watching me or listening to what I said.
I went to the window and looked at the strange city as the sun started to go down. My head was full of too many thoughts.
Too many ghosts seemed to float at the edge of what I could see. I came here looking for answers, but now I wondered if I was just walking into a trap. My mind told me I was.
Moving slowly and carefully, I started getting ready for dinner by myself. Each piece of clothing I put on felt heavy. I kept wondering whatever tricks might be waiting for me at the king's table tonight.
As I closed the last button on my fancy jacket, I heard a loud knock at my door. I stopped my hand quickly moving to where I hid my knife.
"Enter," I called, but no one did.
After a moment of silence, I crossed the room and pulled the door open, prepared for anything, except to find the hallway empty. My eyes dropped to the floor, where a single folded note lay.
I looked down the hallway one more time before picking up the paper and closing the door.
The note wasn't sealed. The paper smelled nice. I opened it carefully and read the five words written in fancy handwriting:
"Beware of the Vampires."
A cold feeling went down my back as I read the message again. I crushed the note in my hand while my mind thought of all the reasons someone might leave this.
Who left it? Are they referring to Elias? Was someone trying to scare me or warn me? Could my instincts be right?
I knew better than to trust warnings from people who wouldn't show their faces. But I also knew better than to ignore them.
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