Hellbound With You (WN)

By the time Zeres stood and walked out of the water, there was a new set of clothes sitting neatly, already placed on top of a large flat stone nearby. He lifted his gaze and saw Zeke leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree, his one hand playing with a dagger and the other inside his pocket.

Zeres silently got dressed, ignoring Zeke.

"I'm going to go back to the kingdom." Zeke broke the silence and Zeres simply paused his movement for a moment and still didn't say a thing.

"Now that we have found the cavern, it's time for us to get the next clue. I'll come back with the prophetess as soon as possible."

"Yes." Was all Zeres said. His voice emotionless and eyes blank, as if he genuinely did not care about Zeke's words and plans any longer.

Zeke already knew. He could tell that Zeres was no longer interested about what he was saying or planning to do because it was apparent to him that Zeres now had a plan of his own – a plan Zeke could never agree with. However, in Zeres' thinking, that was the only path left for him to travel. Zeke also knew that he could not stop Zeres, not that he did not want to but it was more of the fact that he knew it was too late to do anything now.

After leveling one hard and heavy stare at Zeres, Zeke left with an inaudible sigh.

…

When Zeres returned to the villa, Zeke was already long gone. Lucas was busy cooking up a storm for everyone's breakfast in the kitchen. Since the young prince still refused to drink blood, Lucas had to cook nutritious food for him to supplement the necessary nutrients needed for a growing vampire teen and also for the witches three times daily. This happens every single time they stopped to stay over in a place far from human towns. The ginger head had been a huge help and he was unexpectedly a good cook too.

Kyle was outside the house on guard duty to keep watch for any unforeseen dangers or stray rogue vampires while Lucas was occupied with cooking when he felt Zeres' presence. He immediately leaped to the window of Alicia's room and saw Zeres already inside, already gathering Alicia up carefully in his arms.

"Zeres!" the boy called out as he entered through the window and approached them. But for a split second, he paused in his tracks when he suddenly felt something in the air that made his defensive instincts kick into high gear. He frowned hard, confused but continued approaching them after that short moment of hesitation. "She's still not waking up. Where are you taking her?" he asked, cautiously.

Zeres glanced at him and to the boy's relief, he responded. "I need to wake her up."

The boy's brows creased. "H-how? I mean, why would you need to –"

"She'll sleep forever if I don't wake her up. We'll be back in a few minutes."

"O- okay…" Kyle could only nod and stood there feeling useless while watching the witches disappear from his sight.

Worried and confused, Kyle left the room with a heavy heart and headed back down to the kitchen where Lucas was still in the midst of his food prep. His brother had just left with a single order. They were to stay put in this house until his return. Kyle was also worried sick about Queen Alicia. When he watched over her last night, the queen didn't even make a single move or twitched in her sleep or made any sounds that he had to approach her bed a few times to check on her closely, just to assure himself that she was still alive and sleeping and not dead. Her breathing was so weak and hard to sense it out that he was scared she had actually stopped breathing.

He had noticed her weakness long ago, but it still shocked him how much she had deteriorated and how weak she had become. Her silver hair had now turned dark grey and even her lashes and brows were a darker colour. Though she wasn't shining as bright as the moonlight anymore, she was still the most beautiful queen he had ever met.

With a deep anxious sigh, Kyle slumped onto one of the kitchen chairs. Even the delicious smells wafting off the food Lucas had prepared failed to elevate his mood this time.

"Zeres felt scary just now…" he muttered, half talking to himself and half telling Lucas what had happened earlier. "But knowing that he is the one who cares the most about Alicia, I couldn't stop him but only let him take her away."

"You did the right thing, Your Highness. And besides, you don't have the right to stop him from taking her away." Lucas replied, facing the stove. The pale pink apron he wore was a glaring contrast against his pure black clothes and big frame.

"But… Zeres really felt different this time. I'm starting to feel wary of him."

Lucas didn't speak this time and silence reigned for a long while until Kyle said again.

"If… if Zeres suddenly becomes an enemy… our enemy, can we deal with him?"

The young prince's question had taken Lucas by surprise, rendering him frozen to the spot and at a loss for words for a few seconds before finally asking, "Why would you think something like that?"

Kyle's eyes widened as if he had just realized what he had blurted out. "I… I don't know. I think I'm imagining too much." He sighed, raking his hand over his hair hard. "Zeres is one of the nicest I know and he's very caring and kind too. There's no way he'll become an enemy, right?"

When Lucas said nothing, Kyle noisily stood from his chair. "Ugh. I don't like these crazy thoughts. I'll take a breather outside to clear my head."

"Remember to remain within a five-meter radius of the house. Or else your breakfast–" Lucas nagged.

"Yes, boss. I know. Rest assured I'll listen obediently." Kyle rolled his eyes and smirked at how Lucas was playing the nanny role perfectly.

Once the boy was gone, Lucas' expression changed. His hands slowly dropped to his sides as he leaned against the table behind him, staring absent-mindedly at the food laid on the table and that which was still on the stove.