The Duke's Passion

Fabian felt a chill ran down his spine, making his brows furrow. He raised his hand, staring at the skull ring on his finger as it gave him this sudden thrill.

"Fabian, you look thrilled." Samael noticed as he saw the sinister smirk on the corner of Fabian's lips. "You don't hate those kids so much for you to be this happy while they are sufferings, right?" 

Fabian slowly peeled his eyes away from his ring and set them to Samael. "No, your Grace. I just had a gut feeling things will be interesting soon." 

"You think?" 

"I hope," Fabian corrected, shifting his eyes towards the shut door before them. Inside this room, were the children being treated as the repercussions from all the experiments had put the children in pain.

"I don't hear their screams anymore," Fabian uttered, staring at the door while scratching his chin. "Did Lord Noah kill them out of irritation?"

"Noah is not that type of person, Fabian," Samael commented while resting his back against the wall with his arms crossed. 

Fabian nodded in agreement. "Lord Noah is surprisingly soft and stupid. It'll be more strange if he suddenly smothered those kids to death."

"I don't think he is the only one who is soft towards those kids, Fabian." 

Samael watched Fabian turn his head towards him, chuckling as there was no expression on the latter's face. Well, what he said was true, because Fabian wouldn't stay and wait with him if he wasn't worried even the slightest.

"Your Grace, do you think the Remington was involved with the king's plans?" Fabian gazed at Samael's nonchalant visage as he didn't know about the details, unlike Samael.

"Hmm." Samael hummed a long tune as his mind drifted back to the time they were in Whistlebird. "You know Fabian, I think you should know about this, but don't you think what we did to the Remington's is a bit too much?" 

Fabian remained silent for a moment. Of course, he had always wondered why Samael bothered to touch the Remington, knowing his history with the previous clan leader of the Remington, the late Alfie Remington.

"The retribution of the Davidsons and other noble clans in Grimsbanne, that I understand," Fabian answered in a low tone. "But, in all honesty, I don't think you will bother with the Remington at whatever they do in their land and their people. Even if your grace did it for her grace, it still baffles me."

Samael nodded as his mind drifted at the time they arrived in Whistlebird. "Back then, Arthur stared at Lilou for a long time, and said something as if he knew her."

Fabian's brows furrowed in confusion. He wasn't in the restaurant back then, that was why he didn't know about it. The only thing that Fabian remembered was Samael arriving with Arthur Remington's heart.

"Lilou also looked at him as if they were acquaintances, then my wife showed signs of pain in retrieving erased memories." Samael paused, recalling that time he had to erase Lilou's memories. "Out of curiosity, I peeked at Arthur's memories and I saw someone in it."

"Is it the king?" 

"Stefan aside, Lilou was also there."

There was a moment of silence between the two of them as Fabian furrowed his brows. What did Samael mean by that? And why was he only saying that now?

"Her interactions with Arthur were quite… I'd say, they were like on equal footing. Lilou knew about Stefan's plans to some extent and…"

"My lord, are you saying her grace is involved with this?" Fabian finished Samael's words in a questioning tone. He watched the latter nod his head.

"That's why I erased everyone who was involved with her in the past. But alas, I get the feeling that Lilou will soon find out her origins," Samael paused as he gazed down, seeing how Lilou was back then. "And I'm worried what she will do after that."

"Don't you believe in her grace's trust in you?"

"I believed her, but once she hears the will of the Bloodfang, there will be three forces fighting for the throne." 

Fabian quirked a brow. "Your Grace, what do you mean three? You don't mean you will…"

"I don't want the throne, Fabian. However, I can't let Lilou take it for herself." Samael raised his head when the door opened and revealed Noah.

Noah let out a heavy sigh, cocking his head from side to side. "The children will be fine for now, my lord," he said, but his tone wasn't at all relieved. "Marquess Cameron needs to be here as soon as possible. I barely soothed their pain, but we don't know how long it will last."

"I see," Samael nodded in understanding..

"Lord Noah, do you think those children will successfully turn into vampires?" Fabian inquired solemnly, exchanging gaze with Noah. "From what I see it, they are barely humans."

"If they are, then we should expect the worse." The air around them grew thicker as soon as Noah said those. "That only means that the king had already created his own militia, so he is now testing it to children."

"Send someone reliable to assist the Marquess, Noah," Samael ordered as he strode towards the room, but stopped when he was by the door and cocked his head back. "If Cameron is in danger, that means the Crawfords can hinder their plans."

"I can go myself, my lord." Fabian volunteered, as he was more capable of escorting Cameron to safety.

"No, Fabian. Stay in the Capital no matter what." As soon as Samael those words, he entered the room where the children were asleep on their individual beds.

The two who were left outside, stared at each other and bowed without saying a word before Noah left to execute the order. Samael hadn't briefed them about everything aside from the current plan, but what they were certain was it was only a matter of time before the mask that this kingdom wore called peace would be shredded to pieces.

"My blood trembles at what is about to come," Noah mumbled as he walked through the hallway with his eyes glinting in resolve.