Caleb sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose, setting the paperwork down. It has been two hours since Primrose left with Marlin to meet up with Lumera at Emberlynn's residence, two hours that he has not received any news from her. Balling his hand into a fist, he curses under his breath, he should never let her go that easy…
Butler Richard is pouring a cup of plasma tea as he observes the young lord from the corner of his eye. This is a rare sight, the Head of House Vatore can not focus on anything but worrying about the safety of his mate. For him to be this on edge and even mumbling foul words like that, he is completely infatuated with Primrose Emberlynn.
Staring at the teacup in his hand, Butler Richard doesn't know how to feel about this change in the Vatore family. While he has maintained his stand on the matter of his lord's romantic partner, to see Caleb acting fretting over a fragile human girl almost seems out of character for the noblest vampire in Forgotten Hollow.
"My Lord, your tea."
"Thank you, Richard."
Taking a sip of his tea, Caleb sighs again. Even with this plasma tea, he still can not think of anything else but his lovely raven head. With no way to communicate with her, his anxiety rises with each minute passing by. It is unnerving, his stomach churns every time he thinks of something that might have happened to Primrose.
He trusts Marlin and Lumera to take care of their pupil, he knows that Primrose is more capable of dealing with dangers herself, but the acknowledgment does not make him feel any better. He fears any possibility of her getting hurt during the mission, despite how he keeps telling himself that he must have fate in her.
"A brooding expression does not fit you, my Lord." Butler Richard holds a calm gaze, reminding him of his position "Even if you are worried about your mate, it is best to not wear that anxiety so obviously like that."
Caleb sets down the teacup, nodding at his butler's wise words. It would be very bad if other members of the vampire aristocrat knew about Primrose's daring mission, they might become her circumstances that make the rescue task even harder for all of them. And then, there is Inna Cents…
He knows that the Head of House Cents would never dare to harm his mate, that woman prioritizes their alliance more than anything else. However, that does not mean she will now have someone else to do her deeds. With House Bloodhaven's proposal, Inna and Seraphina will do anything to eliminate Primrose from their game.
If the raven head disappears, with Inna's help, House Bloodhaven will gain enough support to push a marriage onto him. In this mystery and eerie town of Forgotten Hollow, he is the Head of House Vatore and the commander of the alliance force. His title, while granting him many benefits, also chains Caleb to many duties, one of them being having a legit heir to House Vatore. With Primrose's victory against Seraphina Bloodhaven in their duel, some vampires have looked at his mate in a more positive light. However, the majority, led by Inna Cents, still view her as a weak and pathetic human who is not worthy of the title Lady of the House. Caleb may stand firm on his decision, but the moment they are able to eliminate Primrose from the picture, everyone is expecting him to make Seraphina Bloodhaven to be his next mate.
Just the thought of it makes his stomach turn. Primrose is and will be the only mate he has, that is his final decision and no one can change his mind on this matter. That is why he wants to protect her at all costs, the fear of losing his beloved is too much for him to bear.
"My lord, I heard from Lady Lilith that you gave that human girl the pendant…"
"That human girl has a name and it is Primrose. Address her with respect, Richard." the young lord sets his teacup down with a loud, cold clank, giving his butler a warning look "And yes, I gave her the pendant."
"Does she know the meaning of it?"
"It does not matter. I will tell her later when she returns from her mission."
Butler Richard stays silent for a moment and looks at his lord. While he chooses to bite his tongue on the topic of mate, it does not mean that he sees Primrose as a worthy woman. She might show herself capable of dealing with her own issues and navigating her way through the hierarchy of the vampire society, but she does not possess any traits that catch Richard's eyes.
Even to this day, he does not understand Caleb's desire to be with her, she is nothing more than a mere human who can wield water magic. If his lord chooses to be with her, Butler Richard is worried for their future offspring. While the victory against house Straud proves the point that human is not the main food source for vampires and the creation of the plasma trees has reduced the number of attacks in the mortal world significantly, erasing the prejudice against humans is a long and tiring process.
House Vatore is no stranger to the union between a vampire and a human, but it comes with a catch. If the Head of their House can not bear a pureblood child, they will have to step down from leadership. Within the long history of their family, only two unions were able to bring to life a full-blood vampire child and those were deemed to be a miracle. If Caleb chooses to be with Primrose, will they be able to turn that miracle into a reality?
"I understand your concern, Richard." Caleb looks out of the window, his gaze filled with worry and longing "I have made my choice. Whatever comes next, we will handle it together, Primrose and I. But I need your support, my friend. I can not do this alone if you choose to side with Inna or any other vampires."
Butler Richard has a complex expression on his face. What Caleb just told him is the same line that William, Caleb's father, told him years ago when he proposed the idea of living in harmony with the mortals. There is a reason why he stays loyal to House Vatore and he wishes to see their family grow in rich and prosperity. But to build that future, sacrifices must be made.
Lord William and Lady Beatrix gave up their lives without seeing their dreams coming to fruition. Caleb gave up his own needs to fulfill his duty as a Lord and the Head of House Vatore, he chose to give up his love for Primrose Emberlynn to focus on the war and his people, the choice that haunted him even to this day.
Now that Vladislaus Straud is slain and vampires are living a harmonious life with the humans, the young lord chooses to love her, that human girl that he gave up before. Butler Richard wonders if it is all worth it, that the love between Caleb and Primrose is strong enough to withstand any hardships that stand in their way.
"Don't worry too much, Richard." the vampire lord smiles "Sometimes, all you need to do is believe. And I choose to believe that we can make a miracle."
"If that is how you wish, my Lord. I will support you and every decision you make." the butler bows down, acknowledging Caleb's resolution.
"Thank you, Richard. Now, how is your investigation about Don Lothario?"
"There are more leads this time. Their human trafficking ring is bigger than I have originally thought an-?"
A knock on the door draws their attention as Kian steps in, wearing a frustrated look. Knowing his brother-in-law, every time Lilith's husband does this, it is only one thing.
"Caleb, Inna Cents request a meeting." Kian speaks up "Please be careful. She is here with Seraphina Bloodhaven…"
Caleb's expression darkens at the news, giving his butler a knowing look, he wears his suit jacket and makes his way to the living room, where Inna and Seraphina are waiting.
"We're here!"
Marlin, Lumera, and Primrose step out of a portal, they are now at the Emberlynn residence. Hiding behind a big tree, they observe their surroundings, noticing how there are guards everywhere, left, right, up, and down.
"I don't think charging up to them is a wise idea, Marlin." Lumera looks at her husband "Primrose, is there a backdoor or anything that we can sneak in?"
"Even if we can get to the backdoor, there will still be people guarding the place. Besides, see him…?"
Their eyes follow Marlin's finger as he points at the man standing on the balcony on the second floor. Drabbing in a clean, white robe with the Emberlynn crest bearing on the cloth, he stands tall, eyes scanning the whole area to catch evil deeds that may come his way.
"Ah, that is the elder who fought with my father during the meeting." Primrose exclaims "I believe his son did the same crime as Nathaniel but got a much lighter punishment."
"Hm…" humming in acknowledgment, Marlin raises a brow "Either he loves doing this job or he has a beef with your father. I choose the latter instead."
"But why my father?"
Lumera and Marlin look at each other, unsure how to answer at first. Primrose and Nathaniel don't know the scandal Edward created in his youth, how he stepped down from the inheritance role to be with Rosalina. While the story happened decades ago, some members of the Emberlynn family still hold a grudge against Edward, calling him a henpecked husband who chooses his wife over the duty of leadership.
"When we get your parents out, ask your father. He will tell you." Lumera smiles kindly at her pupil "For now, we need to focus on the job."
Primrose pouts, she hates being left in the dark like this, but Lumera is correct. They have a more important task to deal with.
Marlin advises using the back entrance as their way in, believing that it will be much safer than charging ahead. They sneak their way to the other side of the house, noticing how the guards are not as crowded as the front side. The fire mage smirks and turns to his wife, who gives him a firm nod.
Lumera pulls out a small vial in her pouch and opens the cap. A ghostly purple smoke emits into the air as she blows it towards the guards, making their eyelids heavy. Within a few minutes, they fall down onto the ground, sleeping soundly like a log. The woman turns to Marlin and Primrose, winking playfully at her success as they begin to infiltrate the Emberlynn residence.
As they make their way behind the tall fence, Primrose wastes no chance of acting rashly, charging ahead to see her parents. But Lumera and Marlin stop her, with the fire mage lightly scolding her for the irrational action. He points down the faint Emberlynn crest mark on the grass ground, emphasizing how important it is to not step on the thing if they don't want to get unwanted attention.
"What now?"
They peak through the windows, spotting Edward and Rosalina sitting on the sofa of the living room, surrounded by many guards armed with magical weapons. While having a house arrest sentence, this extreme way of guarding is more suitable for a prisoner locked behind the jail cells.
Marlin scans around the area, guards are littered everywhere. Even when Lumera has all the necessities to concoct and create sleeping potions, it is not enough to knock all of them out. They also need to reserve their magic as there is a high chance that the elder of House Emberlynn will fight them if he finds out about this daring rescue mission.
"Primrose, you have lived here a long time, do you know any secret passage?" Lumera asks her pupil again "Surely, there must be a place that helps us get in without being spotted, right?"
The raven head thinks for a moment, searching in her memories for any type of passage that she might encountered in the past before a lightbulb lights up on her head. Pulling the amulet that Edward gave her before and giving it to Marlin. Her father is always several steps ahead in planning, and for him to give her such an important artifact proves that there is an underlying message that she has yet to crack.
"This is a teleporting amulet." the blond mage raises a brow "What do you want to do with it?"
"I…" she bites her lips nervously, not knowing how to respond.
Primrose finds herself pathetic as she is unable to see through her father's cryptic message and what he wants her to do. Rubbing her fingers together, she closes her eyes, trying to think of anything that might be associated with this amulet.
What is it? Come on, Primrose! Think harder!
A door that is always locked, a room filled with magical artifacts, and a hidden passage behind the bookcase…
Her eyes snap open. It is Edward's study room…
"We can use this to teleport to my Dad's study room. Knowing my dad, he will never allow anyone to enter that room."
"Alright then, we have our next destination. Let's get on with it!"
Nathaniel is pacing back and forth in the guest room House Vatore prepares for him. Three hours have passed by and his anxiety only hikes with each minute goes by. Just like Caleb, without any form of communication, he is forced to be on standby and hopes for the best. But that is not the only thing that unnerves him. Somehow, it feels too quiet right now…
Where is everyone?
Stepping out of his room, Nathaniel makes his way downstairs and follows the hallway to the living room. As he touches the doorknob and opens it, the voices behind the door stop him. Raising a brow, he can make out the voices of Caleb, Lilith, Kian and two other females that he is not familiar with. They seem to have some sort of a heated debate and the blond decides it is best that he stays out of this.
That is his initial plan until he picks up the name Primrose Emberlynn in their conversation…
"Caleb, Seraphina is here to speak about the union." Inna Cents sits next to the heiress of House Bloodhaven, giving her a firm nod "Before you say no to any of this, at least listen to her."
The young lord remains calm, allowing the blond vampire to speak her mind and her desire for this union to happen.
"My lord, please understand that I don't want to put pressure on you. My heart and the love I have for you won't allow me to see you struggling…"
Lilith knits her brows annoyingly. Such a hypocritical statement as she is here to discuss the potential marriage between her and Caleb.
Seraphina speaks up about her feelings for the vampire lord, how she admires his strength and the kindness of his heart. She has been infatuated with him for a long time, hoping that he will see her the same way she looks at him. Her father, Xander Bloodhaven, is intrigued by the idea that she can become the wife of Caleb Vatore, believing that the union will bring joy to the Forgotten Hollow.
"I know that your heart belongs to that maiden, but please know that I too love you the same way she loves you, Lord Vatore." with two hands laced in front of her chest, she closes her eyes, making herself appear more saintly and devoted "My lord, if there is any wish you can grant me, please allow Seraphina to stay by your side. I will devote my heart and soul to you to the end of time…"
Nathaniel stands outside of the room, eavesdropping on their conversation with widened eyes. Primrose is not here and Caleb is now being confronted with a marriage proposal?
Just as Caleb is about to speak up, Lilith stops him. She looks at the blond vampire who wears such an innocent face, feeling her stomach churn. This is the same woman who was desperate to get rid of Primrose in the Duello just a couple of weeks ago and now she is sitting here, acting as if she is a sweet maiden who just wants to be with her loved one.
Disgusting…
"Lady Seraphina Bloodhaven, while we appreciate your feelings and devotion for our leader, Caleb Vatore. You must understand that under no circumstances will he choose another woman over Primrose Emebrlynn."
Inna arches a brow, glaring at the younger Vatore. She has no place in this conversation and yet, she decides to insert herself in this.
"This is between Caleb and Seraphina. Don't get involved in this, Lilith." Inna spats out.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that I couldn't have any say in my brother's life. But you can, Inna, you are his friend." Lilith mocks her hypocrisy "You have every right to speak about the matter, especially when it comes to the woman my brother chooses to be with."
"What did you just say?" Inna stands up from her seat, glaring at the younger Vatore.
"I say what I need to say! Who are you telling me what I can and can not say?"
Kian holds onto her wrist, easing his wife back onto the sofa. He is annoyed at Inna's vile intention too, but remains silent as he watches everything unfold in front of his lilac eyes.
Caleb holds up his hand, drawing his sister's attention as she sits down, fumingly irritated at the brunette's audacity. This is the Vatore estate, her house and yet here Inna Cents is, acting as if she owns this whole place. Her brother might be the leader of their family but Lilith is also a prominent member, she will not accept any form of insult Inna throws at her.
"Lady Bloodhaven, it is quite admirable that you choose to speak up about your feelings like that. However, my sister has proven my point. My heart belongs to Primrose and only her. I refuse to betray her love and trust for me." his voice is soft and calm, yet holding a firm conviction.
"I know, my lord. That is why I am here. It doesn't matter who you choose to be with, I wish to remain by your side, whether I can have the title of the Lady of the House or not." Seraphina looks at him, tears glistered in her green eyes "I love you, Lord Vatore. I can not imagine myself with anyone but you."
Caleb shakes his head in disapproval. He does not want anyone else to inject themselves into his and Primrose's relationship. He knows that other vampire lords may have more than one mate by their side and while he doesn't oppose their choice of indulging in that lifestyle, Caleb stands firm on his belief. He will only build a loving family with Primrose and no one else.
Inna interferes, telling him that he must consider the possibility of bearing a pureblood child with Seraphina as it is something that Primrose can not do. She voices her opinion, telling him that the Bloodhaven heiress is willing to do everything to be with him and he must be grateful for the great sacrifice she is making as no lady wants to put herself in this kind of situation. The brunette is angry at how nonchalant everyone is at the future of House Vatore and to put that bright future in the hands of a mere human like Primrose Emberlynn is unbelievable.
Butler Richard stands by Caleb's side, listening attentively to the conversation. He questions Seraphina Bloodhaven's true motive for pushing for a union with his lord, especially when her family name is becoming more relevant in the human trafficking case House Vatore is looking into. While Inna Cents desires a pureblood child for House Vatore and preserves the traditional practices of the vampires, what is the Bloodhaven's intention when proposing this union to them?
"Tell me, Lady Bloodhaven. Why is it that you want this union so much?" Kian addresses the elephant in the room "For a noble like you, it is hard to believe that you choose to be Caleb's second choice while he focuses on a human like Primrose. That doesn't sound right at all, does it?"
"Where are we?" Lumera stares at the scene around them "What is this place?"
"Is this a maze?" the raven head looks around them, trying to find a way out "Or is this…?"
"Your father never wants to make it easy for us, Primrose." Marlin grunts angrily at the sight "This is his space-time magic, alright."
The space around them is distorted, objects floating in the air and the environment is bathed in a deep shade of red. Clocks are hanging from the top but Primrose can not see the ceiling anywhere and the ticking sounds echo in the air, each mark a second passing by.
Marlin fixes his coat, turning to his pupil and asking her to fully concentrate on sensing Edward's magic energy. Because they share a familial connection, Primrose can detect the source of Edward's energy which in turn can lead the way out of this maze.
"Lumera, watch out!"
Bullets of flame flash out of the blond mage as he fires at the lightning arrows that are aimed at his wife. There are humanoid projectiles holding weapons and charging at them, attacking the trio with waves of lightning strikes.
"What in the…?"
Lumera dodges their attacks nimbly, pulling red liquid vials and throwing them at the enemies, creating an explosion. Marlin is right behind her, flame emitting from his hands as he burns down the projectiles. Primrose spreads her arms and waves of water blades slash through the foes.
"Primrose, leave them to us. Focus on tracking down Edward's magic energy!"
"B-but…?"
"If we can't get out of here, it will be the end for all three of us!" the blond mage warns her "No one but Edward can control this world, so you have to find him, fast!"
The raven head nods, closing her eyes and focusing on sensing the trace of her father's power. Seconds turn into minutes as she picks up the faint signal, but it's not enough to create a clear path. Lumera and Marlin continue to fend off the foes, fire and light flashing in the red void space, knocking down the projectiles that keep charging at them. It takes her a few more minutes to pick up the clear trace of her father's energy, her face beams brightly when she notices the familiar pulse.
"This way!"
She runs toward an unidentified destination, her mentors are right behind her. The more they run, a clearer path slowly opens up. Clocks flow to them, forming a path with each step Primrose takes and now the trio is running upstairs with the humanoid projectiles no longer chasing after them.
Marlin is struggling to catch his breath, he hates this physical exercise they just took. Slumping down to the ground, he takes in a deep breath, soothing his racing heart. Lumera giggles at her husband's defeated sight and pats his shoulder with care. This is just the first of many other phases they have yet to face.
Primrose looks around her, more clocks appear, ticking like a timer bomb and distracting her from the main task. The moment she loses her focus, the timepiece path dissolves, leaving them wandering in the red void again.
"Your father is not helping us at all with this three-phase magic spell."
Marlin sighs, tousling his blond locks frustratedly. It's a good thing that they got through the first phase of this maze, but they need to reserve their energy for a bigger, more difficult enemy that awaits them. Primrose closes her eyes again, focusing on finding that familiar pulse. The clock path opens up again, but this time, instead of only one way, the path separates into three routes.
"What is this…?"
Lumera walks up to each path and reads the signs in front of them, each comes with a different prompt. The fire mage points out the question hanging from the top, asking about Edward's greatest strength and weakness.
"I guess it is his magic?" Lumera raises a brow "There is a sign here that said magic."
"Well, let's see what is about his magic that is great but also has drawbacks. Space-time magic and affinity in lightning element. Pretty good combo, I have to say." Marlin hums in response "His magic is quite versatile and quite powerful too."
Primrose nods her head in agreement. Up to this point, she has never seen anyone who surpass her father in terms of magic. But she also remembers how he sometimes complains that he feels like half of his soul just got sucked out of his body after performing a spell. The blond mage notes that the space-time magic takes a toll on Edward's health, which is the reason why they don't see him throwing spells around on a daily basis.
"The School of Magic only requests his aid when they are in a dire situation, too. So his magic fits the description very well, right?"
"Hold on, let's assess the next two answers before coming to a conclusion."
The next answer talks about his Emberlynn last name. Lumera begins with how influential the name is, giving the historical context of how House Emberlynn helped build the Glimmerbrook School of Magic hundreds of years ago. Even to this day, any faculty who carries the last name receives some form of privilege when teaching at the school.
Primrose points out that House Emberlynn may be influential but it's quite tiresome to be a member of their family, especially those who have a direct connection to them, like her and Nathaniel. While her parents decided to raise their children away from the clutch of Edward's family, they still have to follow the rules and laws that are imposed onto them by the elders.
"Not to mention your brother's punishment, that is a weakness of being an Emberlynn too, yeah?"
"True, while they serve their purpose of punishing everyone, sometimes the verdicts can feel a bit unjust if you see it through the lens of the current era." the raven head chimes in.
"So, no freedom if you carry the last name Emberlynn…" Marlin points at the sign "Sounds good, yeah?"
"But what is the last one?" Primrose looks at the last sign "It also says family…"
"I think it means his family. You, Nathaniel, and Rosalina."
The water mage tilts her head, puzzling at the prompt. What is it about them that is a weakness to her father?
She knows that they are his strength as Edward always says that the Emberlynn work together as a team, emphasizing the importance of their family and teamwork. While they have never been put in a situation where they have to fight their way out, Primrose notices how strong her family is when they work together to deal with everyday problems.
Then why are they also her father's greatest weakness?
"Maybe he is talking about how he will do everything to protect his family? Which can translate to how he sees you guys as his weakness, he can not bear to see his family get hurt."
"Take Nathaniel for example. His problem caused him to be punished, right?"
Marlin looks at his pupil's confused expression and explains. Edward was willing to face the wrath of House Emberlynn to buy them some time to get out of the elders' council's clutch. Rosalina, their mother, was there the whole time, facing the problem with him. In that sense, Primrose and Nathaniel were his greatest weakness as he needed them to escape safely, but Rosalina was his strength as he could face anything with her by his side.
"So, this should be the answer?"
"I want to say so myself. Considering all the other options, this one seems to match the way I see him."
The trio agrees to walk on this route with their chosen answer. When they reach the end of the path, there is a door waiting for them. Lumera looks to the side, eyes widening when she sees what awaits them on the other routes. Taping on Primrose and Marlin's shoulders, she points at the two big monsters standing in front of the door on the other paths, shivering at the thought of how slim of a chance they have to escape those fights.
"Alright, let's get going. The final phase of his magic…"