Claws of Eternity ✔️

Chapter 17: Wicked things

"It's a funny world you've built for yourself. Resembles a human world. Keeping the outcasts on the outside, letting only those you want in." Giselle said.

"It made sense at first, not wanting those who cannot control their impulses inside. But after some time, the Monarchy realised they hold a tremendous amount of power. They began exiling not only those who cannot control their impulses, but also those who do not agree with their opinions. Vlad tried to let them in when he was the king, it backfired when Augustin Bryce sat on the throne."

"Who came after him?" Giselle asked Sergey.

"A woman called Svetlana Adamova, the mother of your dear husband. You know, they don't have any heirs. Her second son, Maximilian Adamov went rogue and lives somewhere in the woods. Rumour had it, Adam feared he wouldn't make a son if he'd been made."

"Yes, Octavia and Alacaris told me." Giselle laughed out loud against herself and Sergey joined.

"Isn't life a tricky thing?" Giselle felt Sergey looking at her knowingly and it was comforting.

What Giselle found tricky was how Adam didn't tell her this. Maybe, Giselle thought, just maybe, she would've given him a son if she knew they had an opportunity to live forever. But for the first time, Giselle understood him and she was sorry.

"The poor bastard couldn't make a child, just as his mother couldn't." Said Andryj. Giselle threw a questioning glance towards Sergey.

"Vampires can procreate with a help from a witch, the baby ends up alive and entirely human. It can choose to become made when it grows old enough." Sergey explained.

Perhaps Adam really couldn't make a child and Giselle drank mercury for nothing.

"And Adamovs are in feud with tricksters. God only knows how Svetlana found one." Andryj was surprisingly angry, which could've been because he believed Giselle was the innocent one in this story. She felt sorry for him, too, because it was such a classic trap and she wondered if a man would come whom she would finally tell the truth.

"Well, she did. Now her son wishes to be a king." Sergey smiled, his stare still locked on the threes outside.

"It's a bad idea, me being the queen. I am sure Vlad wants to manipulate the whole thing, but his wife would've honestly been the better choice." Giselle said and Sergey nodded.

"My darling, sometimes we must do things we do not want to in order to please those who can help us. Vlad doesn't need you to rule, he needs you to stand as a candidate." Sergey smiled encouragingly.

"It's all because of my mother. I gained nothing by myself." Her words sounded more bitter than she wanted them to.

"Men always try to make a name for themselves, trying not to live in the shadow of their parents, or brothers or whomever. I deem it a classic mistake, because they always end up denying what's been given to them. Use her name, use Leona's name until it burns out, and then my dear, you can rise from the ashes." Sergey finished the sentence with a light smile he constantly kept on, but a moment later his smile faded. It was the simplest thing in the world, the lack of that comforting smile, and Giselle knew trouble awaits.

Slowly, darkness fell around them. The same sticky, wet air filled her lungs and Sergey and Giselle stared at each other. Last time this happened, Giselle died. She knew it and Sergey knew it, as well.

Sergey opened the small window separating them from the carter and opened the carriage door.

"Come in, young man, come in, now!" Sergey rushed the carter and he quickly squeezed between them. He was human and seemed to be completely devoured by fear. But Giselle weirdly appreciated Sergey for remembering the carter.