The Crown's Obsession (WN)

The next day, Calhoun went to visit the prison of East Carswell. He made his way there with Theodore who walked behind him, and upon seeing the two familiar faces, the guards bowed, stepping back to make way for them.

"Milord!" came Charmire's excited voice, who was on his way to step outside the prison building. As the King was going in, Charmire turned around and followed the King, "I got Doughlas arrested right away and have him in the prison."

Reaching the cell room, Calhoun saw a man with a potbelly who was sitting on the ground with a worried expression on his face. On hearing the footsteps, the man stood up quickly, "My King!" he bowed his head, "Please help me! They have imprisoned me for no reason!"

Calhoun faintly remembered the face of this man, having probably met through someone. "The arrows made in your shop has been found stuck in the vampiress' body. Did you identify the arrow to be one that you made?"

"Yes, they are made in my shop, milord. But that doesn't mean I killed her. It must be one of my customers!"

"Ah, is that so?" drawled Calhoun, "And who are these customers? Have you given the responsible Charmire the list of these customers whom you dealt in the past?"

Hearing the King's words, the magistrate's chest puffed forward, "My King, I have them all written in here." Charmire pulled out the scroll in which he had got the names.

"Don't worry, Mr. Douglas, you will be out in no time once we find the actual culprit," assured Calhoun, "If we were to let you go, we don't know when the murderer might come for your neck, and we don't want that now, do we?" he smiled brightly.

When he turned to the magistrate, the man quickly left to get the real culprit while Calhoun stayed with Theodore, "Mr. Douglas, I was wondering what other elements you make use of while making the weapons in your shop? There are only a few people who have access to silver."

"Yes, milord. My father's father was the one to start the shop, and he used to make them before, to hunt the...vampires who caused trouble in the villages as they picked up humans and left the bodies behind."

"Sounds like the previous King didn't do a decent job when it came to protecting his subjects, isn't it?" chuckled Calhoun and Mr. Douglas didn't know if he was supposed to join the King with a laugh or refuse the claims, "Knowing you aren't someone who is involved in the deaths, I have something to ask from you."

"Anything, milord!" came the quick words from Mr. Douglas.

When Calhoun was done speaking with the man, he and Theodore left the cell, this time making their way out, "Do you think we are going to have many visitors in the castle?" asked Theodore, his face passive without any expression.

"A lot more, if word spreads out which I can say is already spreading," said Calhoun. Reaching the entrance of the building, they exited, and he saw the bustling people walking on the streets. "There is an increase in the people visiting the nearby town and villages. And it's not because of the season of holidays."

It was difficult to pinpoint who was a demon or a fallen angel because they all took over the appearance of humans, blending into the background seamlessly without standing out.

"The water," said Calhoun and Theodore, who was looking at the villagers, turned his gaze back at the King, "Get the water connected to the church that is here. The most obvious ones will cough up turning allergic, and have the men deal with them."

"Yes, milord," Theodore obliged to Calhoun's words, "Allow me to go take a look at the church," and he left Calhoun's side.

Calhoun saw Theodore leave, and as he stood there watching people pass by, he heard a calm and steady footsteps approach behind him. A smile spread on his face, and he turned around.

"I wasn't expecting you here," commented Calhoun, seeing who it was.

"Tell me why I expected you to be here?" asked Helena, who wore clothes that helped her blend in with the other villagers and townspeople who had stepped into the village.

"Because you wanted to meet me?" Calhoun tilted his head, "What are you doing here?"

"One of my men, Luther said he finds your involvement in the current case. I wanted to see it for myself if it was true because sometimes people miss out details while relaying the information." Helena's eyes fell on the entrance of the prison, and it then fell back on Calhoun, "Did you come here to meet someone whom you know?"

"I heard about what happened in the tailorman's house, and I decided to take a look. Just like you," chimed Calhoun. This way, Helena couldn't tell Calhoun was suspicious because that would mean, she calling herself to be suspicious too.

"You said the girl was the one who killed the dutchess' daughter. Yet, here she was found dead. Was it the tailor who killed her?" asked Helena, her eyes sharp, and her lips set in a thin line.

Calhoun knew Helena for some years now, and she was possibly one of the smartest women he had met. But not sharp enough to know who or what he was.

"When did I tell you that Catherine killed Miss Layla?" asked Calhoun quizzically.

Helena's eyes narrowed, "Didn't you tell about the culprit not being caught? Or were you speaking about yourself?"

"I tell a lot of things, Lady Helena. It needn't be all true," he chuckled. Oh James, thought Calhoun to himself. Helena was intelligent enough to question James' involvement in recent death directly. "Mr. Heathcliff has not visited the village, and how can a human kill a vampire? He doesn't seem like the type to kill people," stated Calhoun calmly.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you had a hand in it," Helena's words were direct.

A broad smile came to spread on Calhoun's lips, and he said, "I am not the killer always. You should keep your options open."