Barracks (War of Hearts)

16- Actions

Our attention shifts to Maximillian, standing at the center of the room. Upon the second chime of the glass, he grins. Emma and Tristan stand beside him, surrounded by close relatives.

"Good evening. Before we commence, I'd love to give thanks to everyone present tonight and also to the ones who have accompanied us these past days. In the name of my bloodline, you are all welcome. Have a joyous night."

The crowd converges, moving to congratulate Emma and Tristan.

I stand apart, unable to share in their joy. Accepting the impending change is daunting, terrifying. Sensing my discomfort, Xavier escorts me to a banquet table in the dining hall. The waitresses bow in deference.

Each seat bears a label. For a moment, I fear I am an uninvited guest, but Stefani appears just in time to guide Xavier and me to our seats. Xavier remains silent as we sit, his sudden mood shift worrying me. Perhaps no vampire is truly emotionally stable.

Himley takes the seat to my right, Xavier to my left. Aldaire sits across from me, with Superior Jonathan opposite Xavier and Stefani opposite Himley. Maximillian occupies the end of the table nearest us.

"Is everything alright?" I inquire.

He snaps out of his trance and smiles. Leaning towards me, his breath fans against my neck. "Yes. Are you better now?"

"Perfectly fine!"

He takes the golden paper bearing my name and tucks it into his coat pocket.

Caught off guard by his actions, I freeze. "What are you doing?"

"Taking it for future reference," he shrugs nonchalantly.

When the table falls silent, Tristan rises. "Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you enjoy your meal."

Immediately, the clatter of cutlery against plates fills the room, accompanied by laughter and conversation.

Under the veil of my thick lashes, I steal glances at my nearest neighbors. Stefani is engaged in conversation with Aldaire. She is practically swooning over him, and if he isn't enjoying it, he isn't showing it. He displays no emotion about their conversation other than disinterest. He looks at me in a way that causes a pang of pain, a feeling only I am privy to.

"So Aldaire...," a voice echoes across the hall, originating from a figure seated three chairs away from him, "...how was your journey to the realm of humans?"

The once silent crowd pivots in our direction. Despite the sudden attention, Aldaire's gaze remains fixed on me. I yearn for the stone floor to swallow me whole. He is the architect of this chaos.

"It was invigorating. Quite a refreshing and exhilarating experience."

"Did you explore new hunting techniques? I've heard they are far more liberal compared to us."

"Indeed, they are. The land is teeming with life; a missing soul rarely raises an eyebrow."

The man chuckles heartily. "Aha! I might consider a sojourn there then."

As the crowd joins in the laughter, a wave of repulsion washes over me. Has Aldaire been hunting in my world all these years? The injustice of it all is staggering. Here, humans are protected, but in the other realm, he is free to act as he pleases. The table soon returns to its previous state of normalcy, the attention shifting back to the couple.

I manage a strained smile at Xavier, my gaze dropping to my untouched food. I prod at it, imagining it to be Aldaire's head crashing against the stone floor.

"You've attracted attention," Xavier whispers in my ear, leaning closer.

I glance up to find he's right. They scrutinize me unabashedly.