Chapter 90: Chapter 90

TRISTAN:

Because of the sudden inspection, we were given a pass to rush inside the city gates of Dalrus.

I looked absentmindedly at the throngs of carriages that were still being inspected as we rode towards the capital of Apricus, the vampire kingdom.

A thousand thoughts filled my mind. Why were the city guards on full alert? Why were they looking for a Shadow wolf? Somehow, I can’t help but think that all of these occurrences must be connected with the vampire invasion Samalah and I have initially plotted.

I looked back at the unexpected rogue invasion in Payn two days ago and the ambush attack on me from last time as well. I was sure that those two must have been mere coincidences. Was there someone sabotaging our plans against Count Jeteris?

Either way, Count Jeteris must be found guilty. Twenty years of walking free and not getting punished were enough for him. This time, he must pay for his crimes dearly...

As soon as we entered the city of Dalrus, I became aware of the heavy presence of soldiers.

They must really be alarmed due to the news of a Shadow wolf being the apparent leader of the vampire attacks in the outskirts. How else would they behave this way?

I looked at Dahlia beside me, and I could feel her nervousness. If I knew that the security would be this tight, I would have fought more fiercely against her coming with me today.

“Do you want to go back,” I asked her. She jumped a bit at my words. She must have been surprised since I just broke the perpetual silence between us.

“What? No,” she said, looking back at the window at her side of the carriage. “I was just surprised at the amount of security forces around here… Was their security like this before,” she mumbled.

“You can still go back. It’s not that far,” I said. Although I was grateful for her being here and rescuing me earlier, I didn’t think she should be here at all. Who knows what kind of misfortune I could run into now that there were so many guards with rune detectors lying about?

“How about you?... You’re still staying for the auction, right? If you are, then, I better stay here too,” she said softly.

“Go back. You won’t be safe around here,” I said more firmly. Even though my mother’s spirit stone was important to me, I would never risk my mate’s life like this…

“I’ll go back when you go back,” she said more resolutely as well.

We eyed each other for a while, each of us clearly not backing down from our own resolves.

After a few more minutes, the carriage halted. Gideon opened the driver’s side window and spoke, “We’ve arrived at the inn, my lord, my lady.”

“Go back home, Dahlia. You shouldn’t be here,” I said. I was going to order the coachman to turn around, but Dahlia was swifter. She shifted to the seat opposite me and opened the door to my side of the carriage.

“Don’t be silly,” she said. She exited the carriage quickly yet gracefully, and when it was my turn to go down, she held a hand towards me.

I looked at Dahlia more intensely. Just yesterday, I thought I would never be able to see her again, but now here she was, reaching out her slender and perfect fingers at me.

“I don’t intend to forgive you,” she said in a low whisper, “so I must make sure you must live a long life full of regrets for deceiving me through and through.”

I smirked. “Fair enough,” I whispered just enough for her to hear. How can I say no to that punishment?

Even if I had to endure a lifetime of suffering, I’ll do it if it pleases her even just a little bit...

Dahlia quickly enveloped her whole left arm around mine and clasped my hand as we walk inside the inn we will be staying for the night.

Just as I have predicted, even the inn was full of soldiers.

Something tells me that the auctioned items later on would indeed be authentic. Why else would the whole kingdom be this cautious if that wasn’t the case?

We checked into the inn, which was fully booked. Despite the visibility of soldiers, the plaza and the inn itself were teeming with people.

As expected, Dahlia and I could not book separate rooms – another ordeal that we’d have to struggle through during our stay here…

“It’s alright. I can sleep on the couch. You take the bed,” I said, to which she did not reply.

I originally wanted to scout the streets and the surrounding venue before the auction, but because of the tight security, I had no choice but to get confined in the bedroom with Dahlia.

“Can you tell me what our schedule will be later,” she asked as soon as she settled her things on the bed.

“Gideon and I will be heading to the auction at nine while you rest here,” I replied.

Dahlia’s eyebrows shot up in the air. “You’re going to leave me here?”

“Dahlia, this isn’t a game. Anything can happen in there…”

“Precisely my point.”

“It’ll be better if you don’t go. I’d rather that you be safe here.”

“And how about you? I could only guess that you have a plan how to conceal your smell during the auction, but what if your plan backfires? What will you do?”

I wasn’t looking at Dahlia when she said this. I took out the vial of potion that Samalah had given a day before to me. I wondered whether the swirling greenish liquid in it will be enough to last the whole night during the auction.

I didn’t realize that Dahlia had already walked towards me and was standing right in front of me in the couch until her shadows fell to the vial.

I looked at her, and she knelt in front of me, her hands clasping the potion as she spoke.

“I guess this potion must have been from your lover,” Dahlia said.

I was about to protest, but Dahlia put her hand over my mouth.

“I don’t need your explanation,” she began. “Everything has been over between us the moment that you chose to lie to me… Let’s just focus on the task at hand. That spirit stone is important to you and to Livia. I promised her I will help you obtain it, so please don’t say you will leave me here.”

I can smell Dahlia’s wonderful fragrance from her hand. I moved my lips closer to it and kissed it.

Surprised by my action, she moved it away all of a sudden.

“If you come with me tonight, you know that this was how we must act. You can only help me mask my scent if we are… intimate,” I said coyly.

I knew this was all an act. She wouldn’t be able to keep up with such antics all night long while the auction was ongoing. She definitely had to give up coming with me now…

To my surprise, she gave me a peck in the cheeks.

“So be it,” she whispered back. “Let me show you how good I can act too.”