Chapter 47

Chapter 47

But as their lips met, they heard a distant sound.

Cassius pulled back, turning to see an infected vampire running towards them. There were about five infected vampires.

"Anastasia, run back to the castle and hide in your room."

She hesitated for a moment before turning around and began to run towards the castle gates.

But there was a particular vampire that drew closer to Anastasia, and she increased her pace.

Cassius grabbed one of the vampires, smashing its head against the walls of the palace.

She continued running, feeling the cold air brush against her skin. Just before she reached the gates, she stepped on a rock and fell to the ground.

The impact of the fall was so strong that she felt a piercing pain in her chest. Her arms and legs hurt so badly.

She groaned, closing her eyes for a moment, and saw a beautiful woman with long dark hair and high nose, small lips and full eyebrows.

She recognized the woman from the book she had read.

"You are Nerina, aren't you?" Anastasia asked.

She had read so much about her, how she had been evil to all her children.

"Clever child," she smiled. "Thought it would take you a while to recognize me."

"Though your mother haven't fulfilled her promise."

Anastasia's brows furrowed, feeling confused at her words. She narrowed her eyes at the woman.

"What do you mean?" Anastasia asked.

"Irina," she said. "She has yet to fulfil her promise of returning you back to me."

Anastasia barely knew what to say. She felt confused about how this woman knew her mother. What relationship did her mother have with her?

Then she laughed, her black piercing eyes, making Anastasia terrified.

"I have been watching you every day," she said. "You possess so many powers you haven't discovered yet."

"What do you know about me?" Anastasia asked, blaming herself for not carrying any weapon with her.

"I know a lot about you, more than your mother," she smiled. "Soon enough you will return to where you came from, and both of us will bond again."

Anastasia managed to stand up, feeling the metal weapon appear in her hand. She closed the distance between them, throwing the metal towards her, but Nerina vanished into thin air.

Anastasia breathed out, blinking to see the infected vampire lying dead on the ground with the metal in his chest.

But another infected vampire came running towards her.

Anastasia staggered back, gathering every strength in her to run. As she took a step forward, she heard the sound of an arrow piercing through the air and it landed on the infected vampire.

"Naomi," Anastasia breathed out, seeing her remove the hood.

"Anastasia, let's go inside," she guided her into the gates.

Before she took a step forward, she turned to see Cassius and other guards fighting against the infected vampires.

Anastasia was led to her room.

"Is he going to be okay?" She asked, stepping inside her room.

"He's an Elder vampire," Naomi replied. "He can take care of himself."

Anastasia nodded. "Thank you for saving my life."

"I will do anything to save the Queen from danger," Naomi said.

Anastasia shut the door, letting out a sigh. As she lay on the bed, closing her eyes to sleep, she found herself on the shore of the ocean, Cassius in her arms as she cried out.

"Cassius, please wake up," Anastasia cried out, her body soaked with water from the ocean.

A voice sitting on her shoulder whispered into her ears. "This is what will happen if you don't return to me."

Turning around, Anastasia saw herself back in her room. She blinked several times, feeling her tears soak the mattress. What kind of dream was that?

When she closed her eyes again, it felt like she had returned to the dream again.

Anastasia brought her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes. The dream had felt too real that she started crying. 

It felt so real, seeing Cassius dead in her arms and the voice she heard. She quickly stood up, hurrying to the window and gazed at the vast land. She felt pain in her lower body, from the impact of falling hard to the ground. Where was Cassius now? Could it be that her dream was real? She wanted to see Cassius.

Grabbing a wollen sweater, she stepped out of the room to meet Cassius standing there.

"Anastasia?"

Without warning, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. When she pulled back, she could feel her face wet from tears.

"What is wrong?" He asked.

"I don't know," everything around her felt blur. She was just happy to see him alive and healthy.

He guided her inside the room, sitting down next to her on the bed.

"Talk to me, Anastasia," he said. "You know I don't read minds."

She wished he could, so he would understand the feelings she was developing towards him.

"I saw her."

"Who?"

"I saw Nerina last night," Anastasia replied.

"Did she tell you anything?" He asked.

"She spoke about me returning to her or I'll face consequences," she drew closer to him. "I don't understand any of her words."

"Why will she want you to return to her when you don't belong in the water?"

"That…." She trailed on, her voice barely audible.

Just then, the door opened and they saw some guards walk in.

"King Cassius, Queen Anastasia," he bowed. "There is massive protests outside the gates."