What is he?

 "Your grace? Please have a seat. We should talk," Dowager Duchess Victoria Willem said, as if nothing had happened. 

 "Yes, I agree," Lord Fletcher said with a tighter smile. 

 "Certainly, you would, Lord Fletcher," I sarcastically said and forced a small smile. At that point, he understood that I still wasn't keen on the idea of being anonymous to one another. Plus, he was still keeping a secret from me. 

 "Duchess Ava, we do not wish to break it to you ourselves, but if the duchess asks, why should we not?" 

Now Victoria's response was sarcastic. 

 "I am interested." I forced a small smile again. 

 "Good." she paced back and forth, keeping a slow pace while her blue dress flowed evenly on both sides. "Did the duke, your husband, tell you about the… the little existing uproar?" she asked as my brows crammed a bit. 

 "What exactly?" I asked, tilting a brow. 

 "Oh, it is not my place to speak about political matters with you. It is your husband's place only. Well, have you… consummated yet?" she asked. It was clear that she didn't want to speak further about the pressing matter that they kept a secret. 

 "We barely speak to each other—"

 "That means… you have yet to consummate?" she asked and scoffed. "Are you scared that it may hurt? I hear that your honor is unbroken, true?"

 "Err… Lady Willem, it is best that I speak to her grace about it. Baron Cunningham has set out details that I might pitch in this aspect. I hope it does not bother you?" my uncle interrupted politely, but that was his way of dismissing the conversation.

She forced a small smile. 

 "The family's name depends on you, your grace. It is important that Alaric sires a son, otherwise we lose this title, and we cannot afford to lose it. The time is not ours to have fun with," she said.

For a moment, I tried to absorb her words. She walked over to me and spoke up. "I shall give you a tour around the castle when Lord Fletcher is done with the highlights," she said before leaving. 

When the door shut after her departure, my uncle turned to me.

 "Really? You do wish to destroy our plans, do you not?" he was pissed off. 

 "What bloody plan, uncle? Clearly, you have distanced yourself from me. I had been unconscious for three days and no one spoke a word to me. I was not prepped into marrying into a bloodsucking demon's family."

 "Ava, stop it," he yelled at me.

 "It is 'your grace' now," I sarcastically corrected as he scoffed lightly and looked away as I continued speaking. "You lied to me. You pretend to be something else. What is this place?" I asked.

 "I lied for your good—you and the heir." he lowered his voice. 

 "Is it true? I have a hint that you are aware of this… bloody game that Willem's are playing—"

 "The Willem's are your family now," he firmly interrupted. "They are all you have, not even me. If you wish to remain alive, be a good wife to Alaric and a good duchess to Vy," he warned me. "I shall see you soon. Meanwhile, this secret cannot escalate, your grace." he left the room. 

I was left with my thoughts spinning all over again. 

Now the question was, who should I meet for nothing but the truth?

…

The tour that Lady Willem promised did not go as planned. I was told that an important meeting had drawn her attention and that of her son's. 

I waited in my chamber restlessly. It was as if I was walking into the fire with my eyes wide open. 

While in thought, Maria walked in. 

 "Good, you are here." I began with a snap as she nodded.

 "Of… of course, your grace. I mean, Ava." she smiled. 

 "What have you noticed since I woke up?" I asked as I stood in front of her in my nightdress. I wanted answers, she could tell. 

 "I will be honest with you, you look paler and very odd."

 "That is not what I asked." I snapped, crossing my arms. 

 "What do you ask, your grace?" her eyes widened a little. 

 "I was initiated into the family's customs. I have been unconscious for days, and they all act normal about it," I pointed out bitterly. 

 "There are reasons why…" she innocently said even if she was unsure. 

 "And I shall find out, do you not think?" I said to her. 

 "Perhaps they are not allowed to complain about it."

 "This is ridiculous. At first, my uncle lied about my identity and his identity. Secondly, I'm told to play by the rules of a strange custom. What am I, a political pawn?!" I flared up. 

 "No, Your Grace," she replied as I rubbed my face across. "I have yet to understand what this marriage is all about, no one says a word, and it bothers me a lot."

Maria sat next to me and asked again. 

 "What bothers you?"

I sighed, "I stormed in on Lord Fletcher and Lady Willem earlier. They were hiding a very big secret from me. It bothers me because I am the object of that secret," I explained. 

 "What do you mean, Ava?" her response swam into chaos as her brows knitted. By now, she had tilted her face in my direction. 

 "You will not understand—"

 "You can make me too," she interjected instantly but calmly. 

I sighed again. "There is a secret that the Willem's are keeping. They are not ordinary, nor is there a fine line—"

A knock interrupted as I paused my words. 

 "It is Athena, get the door please." I calmly said, looking through the window.

One thing baffled me: how was I able to tell who was close and not? Something was abnormal with me and my child. I've felt movements already, and it is not even the second or third trimester of the pregnancy. 

My thoughts were interrupted by Athena's soft voice. 

 "Your grace, you are still up so early… His grace would despise that." She bent while speaking as Maria strutted away to fix my bath. 

 "I am up. I have been confused about everything lately. I want answers, Athena, do you know anything about… this family?" I asked without a second thought. She sighed, rubbing her neck lightly. 

 "I am in the dark as well. The dowager, the duke, and the grand council have been careful since the lethal passing of the late Duke Willem. I know nothing at all," she explained. I didn't trust or believe her words because her expression appeared otherwise. 

As if sent into a whirlpool of darkness in a trance, I saw Athena with a strange man who had a title as well. They were all romantically connected, but I could not hear the words that they spoke…

 "Your grace? Are you… okay?" Athena asked, and I was brought back to reality. 

 "I am well. Are… are you all right?" I asked her. 

 "I am, your grace." she nodded. "You were lost in thought," she said.

I forced a smile and continued. 

 "Did you promenade or meet the man you spoke about?" I asked curiously. One thing was certain: I had seen a vision of her and a strange man, but who was he, and what were they? And why did I have that vision? I asked myself. 

 "N- no, no, I didn't. I was at the Modiste. Do you not remember?" 

 "I do." I gave a small smile while she seemed perturbed. "I just thought you… visited someone…" I forced a smile and did the same.

 "It is funny, I cannot read your mind anymore," she confessed. 

 "You cannot? Now, why is that?" I asked, straightening my lazily. 

 "If a member of the clan is faced with such problems, especially in the case of a… mere mortal, it means that the person carries more potential than… being human," she said. "Why can I not read your mind? Do you possess some sort of… witchcraft? Your grace?" her gaze was daring and intense on me. Was she doing all that she could to read my thoughts, or what was her goal? I wondered. 

 "You are staring at your duchess with so much contempt, is there something that I need to know, Athena?"

I interrupted her as she feigned a grin. Her gaze turned soft suddenly.

 "No, no, no. I have nothing against my duchess, I am sorry… I shall leave now and return tomorrow to see how you are faring," she said. She rose and bent before walking to the door. 

Suddenly, I felt Alaric's presence in the room when I was now alone. 

I could feel the gravity of his dark aura hovering over me. 

 "I have come to see you, Ava, the consummation has yet to take place." his icy voice echoed in my head. 

Maria stepped out of the inner chamber and walked out without a word, as if she was being controlled by some strange power. 

Instantly, Alaric appeared to me. He was standing next to the table that had wine as he gracefully poured himself some. He was only wearing loose pants and a sleeping cloak over his tall and strong figure. The strict man's golden hair flowed effortlessly past his shoulders. 

He carried beauty and darkness with him. 

He gulped the contents and swiftly stood near me. He was light on his feet. It was as if he didn't walk at all or use his feet. How come?

He took my hands with him. He was cold, and I could barely feel his pulse or anything that would make him human. 

He stared at me carefully and placed a hand over my abdomen. His golden eyes shot carefully as he sniffed my scent and exhaled like an obsessed man. His eyes instantly opened and he spoke up. 

 "You are with a child, my child. Cambion." he paused while I remained speechless. 

 "What does that even mean," I asked. 

I felt his cold hands on my face as he cupped it. He smelled like earth and sandalwood. He slowly and gently embraced me, my face resting on his chest, but I felt no heartbeat. What is he?

 "A half demon and half human," he said under his breath. 

If I am a human, does it mean that Alaric has been a demon all along?