The sole survivor

<< a/n: Sorry for the no updates in forever. I have been busy with Exam and suddenly fell ill. I'll try my best to keep a stable update. Enjoy!>>

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you looked familiar." Sullivan said, on seeing that she was not Vanessa.

The maid nodded understandingly before walking away.

"Now, am I beginning to see things that do not exist?"

"Mr. Sullivan." A guard called from behind him.

And when Sullivan turned to look at the guard, he continued, "The king has summoned you to the court."

He huffed out some air and raised his head high before following the guard. This was the first time he would be seeing the king, which everyone has been talking about.

'He must be very thrilled to know that someone actually survived the massacre.' He thought as a proud smile appeared on his lips.

Meanwhile, Vanessa, who noticed someone unusually following her, had hidden inside a room as she could not turn around to see who it was, knowing quite well that it might alert the person.

She saw who it was through the door's eye hole, and her mouth opened slightly in surprise. ''Sullivan. What business does he have with the king? It will be too bad if he or anyone else recognizes me here." Her thoughtful look changed to a frown. "I have to be cautious."

Luckily enough, no one knew her as Ms. Storm. She did not have to worry about the kitchen maid blabbering to the others.

When she left the room, she headed for her own room in the servant's quarter to collect the book of spells the king had given her.

In the courtroom, Sullivan greeted the king with a bow before raising it back so he could see Theodore.

While Sullivan was expecting the king to see him as someone who deserved some rewards, he was shocked when he saw the bored look on the king's face.

Theodore had only spared the human a glance when he bowed his head. And it was as if that one look had revealed everything about him.

"This is Sullivan Guevara," Myles began. "And he is the only survivor from Mistleville."

"So how did Sullivan survive?"

Feeling he had finally gotten the king's attention, Sullivan smiled proudly before saying, "I was out –"

"I was not speaking to you." King Theodore glowered. His eyes changed to a dark red as he turned to look at the human.

Standing up from his throne, Theodore walked towards the lowly human, who now looked petrified and shaken.

"My lord, please forgive him for his ignorance towards the rumors." Myles glared at Sullivan.

If it weren't for the fact that he needed him as a pawn to catch his bait, he wouldn't have bothered pleading with the king.

Myles continued, "He was able to escape the massacre because he was out in the forest, hunting," the real target. Myles added in his thoughts.

Theodore now stood in front of them, his eyes shifting from Myles to look at the human, who didn't dare look at him again. With his words still directed at Myles, he said, "If he has escaped due to being in the forest, then there must be other survivors as well. Don't you think?"

"All the bodies have been identified by Sullivan, and no other person seems to be missing." Myles responded confidently without mincing a word.

"Is that so, Sullivan?" he asked, with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Sullivan nodded and said, "Yes, your majesty."

On the other hand, Vanessa, who had earlier gone to her room, now stood outside the courtroom.

She wondered why the king had summoned Sullivan. With no one in the hallway, Vanessa pressed her side against the wall while standing close to the entrance.

She heard Theodore remark, "For a human like yourself to be able to identify all the bodies, you must be well acquainted with the witches."

A smile spread on Sullivan's lips before saying, "I was. They were like a family." His smile faltered. "Too bad they had to leave so soon."

Vanessa gritted her teeth in annoyance upon hearing Sullivan's words.

'A sharp stake through his filthy throat would have done an excellent job.'

She had not forgotten the way her mother screamed that night. She knew that Sullivan wasn't alone in this scheme.

'And I'm going to make every single person involved pay for their evil deeds.'

Theodore stared at Sullivan for a moment and then turned to Myles to ask, "Have their final rites been conducted? Seeing how you are so empathetic about them, you must have already put them to rest, right?" The last part was directed at Sullivan.

Vanessa, hearing Theodore's words, turned alert and curious. She wished she could conduct the final rites for the deceased families of Mistleville.

But she knew she couldn't. At least not while she was still trapped in this hell hole. She thought.

Sullivan cleared his throat, unsure of how to answer the king. And Myles was quick to take up the reins. The last thing he needed was the king suspecting them.

Myles replied, "Sullivan has been preparing their graves."

But in truth, they have been busy trying to find a certain witch. Neither a grave nor the town have been cleaned up.

Theodore's jaw twitched as his tongue clicked. "That is good to hear. Also, make sure the town is cleaned up."

"Yes, your highness." Myles bowed before handing some papers to Theodore. He said, "These are all the reports from the town of Mistleville."

"You are dismissed." His eyes scanned the papers for a brief moment.

Vanessa quickly turned around to walk away, but she was met with a stern look from Ralph. She stood there, rooted to the ground, unable to move as she had been caught red-handed.

During that same time, the guest walked out, leaving the castle through the other direction in the hallway.

And not a moment later, Theodore also stepped outside of the room. Ralph bowed, followed by Vanessa.

Ralph informed Theodore, "She had been eavesdropping on your conversation."

"I noticed." He gave the reports to Ralph. "Those are the reports from Mistleville; keep them in my study." Theodore ordered.

Vanessa's eyes shifted from Theodore to look at the papers for a moment before going back to meet his gaze.

When they were alone, she said, "I have a request to make."