Chapter 22-The excuse

Chapter 22: 22-The excuse

"This is my fault. Her only sin is saving me. She’s being punished because of me. Isn’t she?"

Sapphire didn’t answer because Maisa wasn’t entirely wrong. After several moments, Sapphire quietly spoke again.

"The situation...has become much bigger than the academy."

She opened another news article. The headline filled the screen. ’ROYAL SCANDAL SHAKES VAMPIRE NATION’

Once Maisa had read it, she opened another one to show her. ’PRINCESS VARITREYA ACCUSED OF TAINTING ROYAL BLOOD CONDUCT!’

Before Maisa could come to terms with the slander and accusation on princess Varitreya’s name, Sapphire opened the next one. ’REDBLOOD SPARED WITH WHITE BLOOD—NOBLES DEMAND JUSTICE!’

Maisa felt sick. She was out for a day and her existance had made a mess of the vampire nation.

Then Sapphire opened a live political broadcast. A beautiful blackblood woman stood before hundreds of reporters. She looked elegant, powerful and cold.

Long black hair framed a face almost as breathtaking as Addessa’s, making the family resemblance unmistakable. She wore noble robes embroidered with the crest of House Challan.

"Who is that?" Maisa asked. She hoped it wasn’t Addessa’s mother that Sapphire had told her was advocating for the elimination of redbloods.

Sapphire’s expression darkened. "Lady Adelaide Challan, Addessa’s mother."

Maisa immediately became attentive, her heart went cold as she braced herself for what more she had done by simply existing.

The noblewoman spoke confidently. "Our nation has tolerated Redbloods for far too long." Murmurs of agreement echoed through the gathered nobles around Lady Adelaide. "They are unstable, unpredictable and they carry human weakness into vampire society!" She continued.

Her voice was sharp snd commanding to an extent that her audience dared not breathe too loudly.

"Redbloods contribute nothing to our nation," her voice became sharper. "And now... one has contaminated our future Queen by making her kneel for her."

Maisa felt her heart sink. Lady Adelaide was using her situation to inspire more hate for her kind. She was using what happened to draw more supporters. With their beloved princess’ honour on the line, Maisa could already see nobles lining up to appeal to the vampire palace for her law to be passed.

Lady Adelaide continued. "I call upon Her Majesty to enact immediate reform! End the practice of turning humans into vampires! Forbid future transformations and gradually remove existing Redbloods from vampire society!"

Thunderous applause erupted. Someone shouted from the crowd, "Death to the Redbloods!"

Others joined in fiercely. "Protect the Whiteblood purity!"

"Protect the Crown!"

"Remove the impurity!"

Sapphire quietly switched the phone off. The silence afterwards felt almost deafening. "They’re using you," she pointed out to what Maisa already saw.

Maisa whispered. "They hated Redbloods before I arrived..."

"But now...you’re the excuse for them to sharpen their blades against us," Sapphire said sadly. "Vampires aren’t angry because Princess Varitreya saved someone. They’re angry because she saved... you."

She looked directly into Maisa’s eyes. Maisa met her gaze, the look in her eyes was between pained and alarm.

"You’re an unknown newbie. A nobody... a turned vampire of the lowest bloodline and they’re asking why someone like you deserved white blood... the ultimate cure in vampire community," she let out.

Maisa’s eyes widened with shock. She’d read up about whitebloods from books at her home but none of them spoke of white blood vampires having the power to cure vampire ailments and sufferings. The news was new to her and it explained why many were against her having fed from Varitreya’s wrist.

"When generations of noble vampires have lived and died without ever receiving it. They can’t accept that you got it so easily."

Maisa slowly wrapped her arms around herself. She suddenly felt colder than ever. "I didn’t ask for it..." her voice broke. "I never wanted this... I never wanted anyone to kneel for me...." her eyes became bloodshot. "I never wanted her blood."

"I don’t think they care what you wanted. It’s more of what you got."

Maisa’s lips trembled as tears fell from her eyes. "I just..." more tears spilled down her cheeks. "...wanted to survive."

Sapphire moved closer and hugged her but didn’t interrupt her. Maisa cried quietly. Every sob hurt. She had entered Veris Academy hoping to disappear, to survive quietly and to learn how to be a vampire.

Instead, she had become the most hated vampire in the nation. Nobles wanted her head and other redbloods blamed her for adding fuel to the fire the wants to burn them to ashes.

Sapphire reached toward the bedside table. "Oh, i almost forgot." She picked up a thin silver bracelet engraved with hundreds of tiny glowing runes. "Professor Primrose left this for you."

Maisa accepted it carefully. "What is it?" She wiped her teary eyes to take a better look at the bracelet.

"Protection. The only one she can offer," Sapphire pointed toward the enchantments. "The same barrier magic used in the arena, she used it on the bracelet."

Maisa frowned. "I don’t understand."

"The bracelet creates an invisible boundary around you." Sapphire hesitated. "Until the palace reaches a verdict...no vampire within the academy is permitted to approach you or harm you in any way."

Maisa stared. "What?"

"If they attempt to cross the barrier... the enchantment pushes them back," Sapphire said. "They physically can’t reach you."

She blinked. "So... I’m isolated?"

Sapphire nodded reluctantly. "You’ve been placed under house arrest. So... no classes, no training... no leaving your dorm and no visitors without permission. The palace wants you contained," she dropped more bombs that Maisa wasn’t ready for.

The words shattered something inside Maisa. She slowly lowered her head. Contained? Like a dangerous animal? Like a criminal awaiting sentencing?

Her shoulders began trembling. That wasn’t living, it was waiting. Waiting for strangers to decide whether she deserved to exist or be killed.

Her breathing became shallow. Then another thought struck her. The idea was cold and terrifying. If the palace investigated her... really investigated her... they would search her records, find her background, her family and her past.

Her eyes widened in horror. "No..."

Sapphire looked concerned. "Maisa?"

"No..." She whispered again. "They can’t..."

Her fingers tightened so hard around the blanket that her knuckles turned white.

If they looked closely enough... If anyone compared the timelines... If anyone connected the disappearance of the Everheart family’s youngest daughter with the sudden appearance of a newly turned redblood named Maisa Loven... Everything would unravel.

She wasn’t merely an unwanted redblood, she was born an Everheart. The daughter of the most infamous vampire-hunting family in history. The family responsible for massacring noble bloodlines.

The name that made even ancient vampires grind their teeth in hatred. And if that truth surfaced, the calls for her execution would become the least of her worries.

The palace wouldn’t imprison her. They would hand her over to every vampire family that had ever lost a loved one to the Everhearts and they would tear her apart piece by piece.

A strangled sob escaped her lips. She buried her face in her hands as panic consumed every corner of her mind. "I can’t... I can’t let them find out..."

Her broken whisper disappeared into the silence of the room, while beyond the academy walls, the entire vampire nation unknowingly debated the fate of a girl whose greatest secret had yet to be discovered.