inside the palace

Chapter 3

"No, Your Highness, it's just..." the maid trailed off, leaving Seraphina hanging.

"It's just what?" she pressed, her curiosity spiking.

"You're very beautiful. In fact, too beautiful," the maid said, smiling.

Seraphina furrowed her brows at the words. They had her worried for a moment—she had almost thought someone had cast an Ugly spell on her. That particular spell was used by witches to turn those they disliked into something hideous, but it only lasted for 24 hours.

"Beautiful? You mean I'm beautiful?" Seraphina asked, her lips curving into a smile before she even realized it. She knew she was beautiful—many witches had praised her appearance—but hearing it from an outsider felt different.

She had very distinctive features. Her silver hair was completely unique, and her rare purple eyes set her apart even further. In fact, she had never seen another person with the same eye color.

"Yes, Your Highness," the maid replied, still smiling. That was when Seraphina noticed something odd—the maid didn't smell like a vampire.

"Wait, are you human?" she asked, her shock evident. Could humans actually live here?

The maid nodded, as did the other three standing nearby. That was unexpected—but also convenient. It would make things easier for her.

"Alright then, let's go in," she said, quickly regaining her composure.

As they walked through the palace, she could feel vampire maids staring at her with strange, assessing looks. Now this was what she had expected. She knew they all disliked her, and she didn't care—she hated them just as much.

She couldn't help but wonder what their king had been thinking when he decided to take a witch as his bride. They could have simply continued hunting witches as they always had. So, what were they plotting this time?

The maids led her to the far end of the hall, where a large door opened. She exhaled deeply, bracing herself before stepping inside. The tension in her chest disappeared the moment she saw what her quarters looked like.

The curtains, bedcovers, and nets were all shades of blue—her favorite color. The design was soothing to the eyes, and the dimly lit candles spread a warm glow throughout the space.

For a moment, she was completely charmed.

The maids quickly surrounded her, reaching for her gown, pulling her out of the daze the room had cast on her.

"Wait," she said quickly, stopping them. Back in her kingdom, she never allowed her maids to dress her. She disliked it and preferred to change by herself.

"I'll take care of the rest. You all can leave. I'll call you when I need you," she ordered firmly. Though they weren't vampires, that didn't mean she could trust them completely. She still had to be cautious.

She needed to stay alert at all times. Now that she was in enemy territory, there would definitely be vampires eager for a taste of her blood. Fortunately, she wasn't a weak target. Anyone who wanted to attack her would have to fight her first, and it definitely wouldn't be an easy battle.

The maids nodded without arguing and stepped out, closing the door behind them. The moment they were gone, she heaved a sigh of relief. Alone at last.

Seraphina was used to doing things herself, so it didn't take her long to bathe and change into new clothing. Among all the outfits arranged in the closet, she picked the most revealing one.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she suddenly felt naked. She had never worn anything so bold before, but she needed to use her charms to survive. If the rumors about the vampire king killing his brides on their first night were true, she had to ensure she was irresistible.

She had no idea when the wedding would take place, but her mind kept spinning with thoughts of what he might try to do to her tonight.

Her fingers tightened around the fabric. What if my exposed neck and curves make him want to suck my blood instead?

Panic surged through her, and she immediately rushed back to the closet, grabbing a different nightgown—one that covered her more properly. It was still somewhat revealing, but at least it didn't make her feel completely exposed.

Her stomach growled quietly, and she realized she was hungry. But there was one problem—she hadn't asked for the maids' names. How was she supposed to call them now? And stepping outside dressed like this was out of the question.

She quickly grabbed a cloak from the closet and wrapped it around herself before heading out. The moment the door opened, the maids assembled immediately.

Diligent, huh?

"Your Highness, how can we help you?" one of them asked, her head lowered.

Seraphina found their overly respectful behavior a little unsettling, but she chose to ignore it.

"I'm just hungry," she replied, rubbing her stomach lightly.

The maid clapped her hands, and within moments, several others appeared with trays full of different dishes.

Seraphina blinked. What was going on? Was someone throwing a feast? She could barely finish a single plate, and they were bringing trays. For who?

"I think there's a mistake. I only need one plate. Is someone else joining me?" she asked, trying to be polite. Did I look like a pig who could finish all this?

"No, we were asked to treat you to a feast as a welcome. These are among the best dishes we have here," the maid explained, motioning toward the trays.

Seraphina almost softened at the thought that the vampire king had actually prepared a warm welcome for her. But she quickly reminded herself of why she was there.

"What's your name?" she asked. She needed to know how to address them properly. The one who had spoken seemed to be the head among the four assigned to her.

"It's Irene, Your Highness," the maid replied politely.

"Alright, Irene. I only need one plate of food. You can take away the rest."

A deep voice suddenly cut through the air, sending chills down Seraphina's spine.

"And who said you were eating alone?"

Her body went rigid. That voice.

Her breath hitched as she felt an overwhelming presence behind her.

Had she been so distracted that she hadn't sensed him approach? That was impossible. She was an assassin—her senses were always sharp. There was no way in the world someone could sneak up on her.

So what in the world was he?