Chapter 99: Chapter 99

Alvaro stared at Sylas, who walked in silence. There was something different about the prince. How many things had happened while he wasn’t by the man’s side?

He walked with his head down, something he never did while on duty since he was supposed to stay alert to his surroundings. But his mind was elsewhere. Too many things had happened while he was away from Sylas.

Sylas mounted his horse and returned to his residence. Along the way, he tried to process his own feelings. He was glad to see Kai enjoying himself, surrounded by people, smiling like a normal person.

Why did it make him feel uneasy? Sylas didn’t want to ask himself why Kai couldn’t smile like that when he was with him.

Lost in thought, he searched for an answer.

Kai had smiled at him a few times.

So it wasn’t him, right?

Still, Sylas couldn’t understand why he felt so unsettled. He should have been calm, happy, glad even that Kai was adapting, far better than he had expected. Why, then, did he feel so weighed down instead?

As soon as he got off the horse, he went straight to his room without saying a word.

"Are you okay?" asked Alvaro, walking beside the prince.

Sylas nodded. "I’m fine. I’m just tired."

"You look more like a brokenhearted man than someone who’s tired," Alvaro remarked.

Sylas stayed quiet. Suddenly, the truth struck him.

Was he... jealous? Heartbroken?

Sylas stopped abruptly in the middle of the stairs, making Alvaro bump into his back.

"Oh, sorry," Alvaro said, looking up.

Sylas stared at him intently. "Alvaro, do I look that frustrated?"

Alvaro frowned. It was odd for the prince to stop just to ask such a question.

"No, not frustrated. More like someone who just lost something," he replied.

Sylas let out a long breath. "You’re right. I shouldn’t be ."

He continued walking, leaving Alvaro puzzled.

When he entered his room, Sean was already waiting. Sylas didn’t say a word, just changed his clothes and went straight to the sofa. When Sean excused himself and left, Sylas only nodded.

Alvaro stood in the middle of the room, then stepped closer. It was obvious his friend needed someone to talk to.

"What happened? You’ve been acting strange since we left the church," Alvaro said.

Sylas rubbed his forehead. "I don’t know. I just feel... bad."

"A gnawing feeling that makes you feel guilty just for thinking about it."

Sylas fell silent, inhaled deeply, then opened his mouth as if to speak, but shut it again.

"Is it about Kai?" Alvaro asked.

Sylas turned toward the balcony doors. He didn’t answer, but his expression and body language said it all.

The room fell into silence.

Finally, Sylas looked back at him. "Is it normal to feel jealous just because the person you care about is away, and you see them happy with someone else?"

Alvaro let out a short chuckle. "Don’t tell me you have feelings for that slave."

Sylas lowered his gaze to his hands. "Well... he’s very sweet. I’m always happy when he needs me. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but yes, I admit I like him. He’s unique. And I want to protect him."

Alvaro took a moment to process that. "And now that he doesn’t seem to need you, it makes you uncomfortable?"

Sylas met his eyes. "Is that so wrong?"

"I don’t know. Human feelings are strange. But you said you want to protect him. You’ve done that. He’ll be safe as long as he can live his own way. You saw him today—he’s fine."

Sylas exhaled heavily. That was exactly what unsettled him, Kai was fine. Even happy without him.

"I feel awful. It’s like my mind isn’t in the right place," Sylas admitted, realizing he wasn’t being the supportive person Kai needed.

"Do you want him to suffer?" Alvaro asked.

Sylas shot him a glare. "Of course not. I’m glad he’s happy. I just..." He trailed off.

"You just miss him. You want him here, happy... with you," Alvaro said.

Sylas rubbed his forehead again. "Maybe."

Alvaro studied Sylas, and Vlad’s shadow returned to his mind.

Was this how the vampire had felt? So blindly jealous, just because he had seen him with another woman? Torturing him instead of asking?

But Vlad wasn’t Sylas. That vampire couldn’t control his emotions. He never even tried to talk, only to dominate.

The thought irritated Alvaro.

Yet one thing he realized from Sylas’s words was that maybe Vlad had simply missed him. They hadn’t seen each other for days. For a vampire so obsessed with him, maybe that was already unbearable, especially after seeing him with another woman.

But still, shouldn’t he have asked?

Damn it, Alvaro thought.

Why was he even thinking about this?

He frowned in frustration.

Just then, a guard entered to deliver a message.

Sylas was surprised to receive a report at such an hour. Perhaps it had to do with the murderer inside the palace who still hadn’t been caught.

He motioned for the guard to step inside.

It was the commander of the special forces he had tasked with finding the witch. Earlier that day, Sylas had ordered him to send men to the candy shop. Content orıginally comes from NoveIＦire.net

"Did you manage to bring the shop owner here?" Sylas asked.

The guard shook his head. "Not yet, Your Highness. I came to report that the men we sent there... haven’t returned."

Sylas froze. A heavy silence filled the room. Alvaro’s chest tightened with unease.

"Haven’t returned?" Sylas repeated quietly. "But why? I only asked them to bring her here to meet me..."

Alvaro took a deep breath, recalling how he himself had spent hours trying to leave that place. That building wasn’t normal.

"Your Highness, I told you, that woman is cunning. She isn’t human."

Sylas turned sharply toward him.

Alvaro described his experience, how he had walked endlessly but ended up in the same spot.

Sylas narrowed his eyes. "You’re certain it’s her doing?"

Alvaro nodded. "I’m certain. And now... it’s likely the men are also caught in her magic. If they still haven’t returned, there are only two possibilities: they’re lost inside her spell... or she’s holding them captive."

Sylas fell deep into thought. "Then how do we make the witch come to the palace?"

Should he go himself?

Alvaro hesitated. He couldn’t ask Vlad to deliver Lilian, even if it might work.

He didn’t want to face that vampire again.

And maybe the vampire didn’t want to see him either.

Alvaro left Sylas’s room with heavy steps. For a moment, he thought he saw Amos’s shadow. But he hadn’t seen the man all day.

He looked around. The halls were quiet, with only a few guards posted at their usual spots.

Maybe it was just his imagination.

When he reached his room, he closed the door softly and undressed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he lay back, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Vlad’s shadow appeared in his mind.

The memories rushed back. The vampire’s sly smile, his piercing gaze, the cold fingers brushing his lips...

Alvaro parted his lips unconsciously, then snapped back and cursed.

He slapped his head hard, trying to chase the images away. Why was he still thinking about him? Why did the vampire haunt him ? His thoughts spiraled without answers.

It was impossible for a normal man to fall for someone who humiliated him, stripped him, forced him, wasn’t it?

"That’s impossible!" he muttered aloud.

He turned onto his side, trying to sleep. His breathing was unsteady, his chest rising and falling.

Eventually, exhaustion claimed him. But when he opened his eyes again, he saw a tall figure in the corner of the room, silver hair, glowing silver eyes.

Alvaro bolted upright, eyes wide. "You...?"

But when he blinked, the figure vanished. Only darkness remained. At some point, the lights had gone out.

"Damn..." Alvaro muttered, clutching his head. Hallucinations. But why was his heart racing so fast?

A moment ago, he had actually hoped the vampire was real.

He turned toward the window, letting out a frustrated snort. Damn it.

Then, a shadow flickered past.

Alvaro froze. He saw it clearly, illuminated by the garden lights outside, while his room stayed dark.

He rushed to the window.

It couldn’t be Vlad. The vampire always came through the door, never the window.

He leaned out. The garden looked still, peaceful.

Scanning the grounds, he saw nothing.

He unlatched the window, letting the cool night air wash over him.

He was about to look down when suddenly a figure shot upward, straight at him.

Before he could react, his body was slammed against the wall.

The figure landed on him, then quickly pulled back. Alvaro’s eyes widened as he struggled to understand.

Then, to his shock, Vlad stepped through the window and onto the floor.

With the garden lights shining behind him, Alvaro finally saw the man who had just crashed into him—

"Amos? What—" But before he could finish, Amos was already pinned to the wall, his feet dangling. Vlad was choking him.

Alvaro’s eyes widened as the guard’s legs kicked helplessly in the air.

"Lord Vlad, stop! What are you doing? You’ll kill him!" Alvaro cried, keeping his voice low enough not to be heard outside.

Vlad said nothing. His sharp nails dug into Amos’s neck, blood dripping from the wounds.

Amos’s face reddened as he gasped for air, clawing at Vlad’s hands.

"Lord Vlad!" Alvaro shouted, louder this time.

He watched in horror as Amos weakened. His legs no longer touched the ground, his eyes rolling back. Alvaro grabbed Vlad’s waist, trying to pull him back, but the vampire didn’t budge.

Only when Amos went limp did Vlad finally release him.

Amos collapsed to the floor.

"Damn it! What have you done?!" Alvaro rushed to him, frantically checking. Relief washed over him when he felt a pulse at the guard’s wrist.

"Kill him," Vlad said calmly.

Alvaro glared. "Why? He’s a royal knight!"

"If you don’t kill him, he’ll kill you."

He was supposed to be angry at the vampire, but shock and confusion overtook him.

He scowled and hoisted Amos’s body, carrying him toward the door.

"You’ll regret ignoring me," Vlad warned.

Alvaro didn’t care. What could Vlad mean? Amos had always been distant, quiet, but that didn’t mean he wanted him dead.

He had to get him a doctor.

But when he reached Amos’ room, it wouldn’t open. Searching Amos’s body, he finally found the key.

The moment he unlocked the door, a blinding light flared across the table.

"What the hell is that?"