Chapter 72

"Oh my head. Oh god my head is splitting" groaned Alexis.

"It doesn't get easier" Alastair agreed through pained groans.

"This is a familiar situation, isn't it?" The gender less voice made Alexis perk up.

"Agathus! You're okay!" She jumped at the small green man, hugging him tightly, he didn't get annoyed at her unlike his usual attitude. Instead he uncomfortably waited until she was finished.

"Thank you Miss Alexis. If you hadn't healed me…" his shoulders tensed at the idea.

"I would've healed you in any alternate situation so please don't think about any strange thoughts" she hugged him tighter.

Agathus would've hugged her back, if it weren't for Alastair who glared at him in warning. Agathus' legs trembled at the fierce stare, so much he ended up pushing Alexis away.

"T- That's enough!"

"Eh.. oh…" was the sad reply he got from her.

Alastair patted her head, with fake reassurance.

"I think Agathus just doesn't like hugs. Don't worry, you could always hug me instead" he consoled.

"Sorry Miss Alexis", Agathus added, hoping to cheer up her downcast face.

"Don't be. I know you don't like physical contact, but I'll always be here when you need a hug", she added with a heart warming smile.

If it weren't for the demon behind her he might've thanked her, instead he furiously shook his head.

"N-No need!"

Alexis found his denial strange, but she needed to see Hector and Adam first. Even Emilia would do.

"Is Adam or Emilia in the castle? I need to speak with them" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Interrupted Alastair, "aren't I enough of an information source?" He felt offended at her lack of trust.

"That's not it. I need as much ideas as I can get. Right now I can't even brew one up because I don't know anything about vampires except what you told me. Ah! Dexter! He made a contract"-

"With Shane. I know. He's being held in confinement right now". He stated, his hands perched on her shoulders suddenly as he faced her, "Alexis, you need to calm down. There is absolutely nothing chaotic going on in the palace that hasn't been dealt"-

"Miss Alexis!!" Screamed three squeaky voices as three dwarves ran into the room. They jumped on Alexis who fell on the ground at their weight.

"Owww" her head hit the carpeted ground with a thud as the three familiar faces of her maids appeared. "Hey guys, can you get off me?"

They grinned at her order and scrambled of her in a scurry of shouts.

"Yes Miss Alexis!"

"Of course Miss Alexis!"

"As you say Miss Alexis!"

It was an adorable show that had relaxed Alexis' tensed shoulders. She laughed at their beaming faces.

"Did you miss getting bosses around by me?"

"Yes!" They all answered in shameless honesty.

Alastair also chuckled, helping up Alexis with his hand.

"What an honest bunch you are" he laughed.

His beautiful laughter shocked everyone in the room. The dwarves looked to Alexis for an explanation as did Agathus. But, all Alexis did was meet Alastair's smile with her own as they both seemed lost in each others eyes.

"Whatever is going on?" Muttered Agathus with narrowed eyes.

"Alexis!" Again the doors banged wide open to reveal a man with cotton candy hair. He rushed to Alexis hugging her with no hesitation. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

It was all he said before he was pulled away from her by his collar, via Alastair's speedy hands, and pulled aside. He met Alastair's glare with inquiring eyes and then glanced at Alexis who gave a sheepish reply.

"Thanks Mr Enflada. Um Alastair- I think you should let go of his collar now?" She nervously asked to the strangely hostile man.

"I didn't mean to interrupt so sudden- wait! This is about Alice leaving, isn't it!" His words made Alastair release him in hopes he would leave, but as always he stayed.

"Alice left?" Alexis asked.

"Yes. It seems the palace was a bit much for her and she didn't really fancy you know who" he glanced in an obvious gesture at Alastair.

Alexis' mind screamed Voldemort, but she knew better.

"Oh, well that's sad. I at least wanted to say goodbye. Anyway, where's Emilia? Do you know?" She asked Joshua just asAlastair sighed.

"She in the hall downstairs." He answered instead of Joshua, "Rely on me a bit, won't you?"

Alexis threw him an apologetic smile.

When they finally saw Emilia, who was in a serious conversation with Hector, she immediately broke away from Hector and ran to Alexis, clutching her in a tight hug.

"Oh thank you for being alive!" She said, her body conveying her words in the warm hug.

"I'm sorry I worried you guys", Alexis replies catching sight of Hectors relieved smile. "But we have pressing matters that I happen to be the cause of".

Emilia released her, downing a frown on her face, " I don't understand? You're here, isn't everything fine now?"

Alexis laughed awkwardly, she felt Alastair's arm around her shoulder as he answered for her.

"Well, Miss Alexis here has a knack for creating trouble" he replied, smirking at her blushing face.

Emilia didn't know the contents of what had happened, but her eyes saw that Alastair and Alexis were clearly at a different stage in their relationship compared to when they had left. She smiled at that, thinking whatever news it was wouldn't be so bad.

She was very wrong.

"What do you mean by that! Y- You crazy girl! You've basically made a pact with devil! I told you not to speak to that man!" Her pale face was ashen, her hands clutched her head at her approaching migraine, but most of all, she prominently glared at Alexis. Then as if losing all hope her hands fell dramatically to her side, "The Kaedmen Empire has no hope…" she muttered with desolate eyes that stared up at the ceiling, searching for some kind of light.

Hector was also exactly the same, except a much more milder version. He pinched the bridge of his nose with an annoyed expression as he summoned mountains of book. Some related to Vampires and others that might just help their situation.

"I should've known that where Alexis goes, Alexis brings trouble" he grumbled as he threw a book to the girl who didn't know how to apologise.

"Will these help?" She dumbly asked.

"I summoned them for a reason Alexis, now start reading. If there's anything you can do it's retain information." He pointed to a pile of vampire books, "start with those. You need to understand everything about vampires first".

Alexis took a deep breath at the pile.

'This is going to take a while…'

She started reading. Emilia joined in with another round of curses along with Alastair who joined along with her, just for the fun of it.