Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 134: Chapter 134

Ragnar took the sealed letter from the servant’s outstretched hands without a word. The wax seal bore Jayran’s personal crest, twin hawks entwined mid-flight.

He stared at the envelope in his hands, his jaw tightening.

"Who brought this?" he asked.

"A rider, Your Highness," the servant replied quickly.

"Did he come alone?" Ragnar asked suspiciously, eyes still on the envelope.

"Yes, Your Highness. He said it was urgent. He’s still waiting in the courtyard for your response."

Ragnar gave a brief nod. "Tell him he can leave."

Once the man scurried off, Ragnar broke the seal and unfolded the parchment. He found a short note penned on the back. It was unmistakably Jayran’s weeping scrawl. frёewebnoѵēl.com

"Do with this information as you please," the note read.

Ragnar turned it over to see what was actually written on the parchment. It appeared to be an intercepted correspondence from someone within the eastern rebel faction, and their current location was briefly mentioned in the letter.

Ragnar read it twice more before promptly folding it back up and stuffing it into his pocket.

It was akin to putting hot coals there, the letter seemed to burn in his possession. Just having it unsettled him greatly.

Why would his brother send this to him? More importantly, how did he know that Ragnar had been secretly investigating the rebellion’s movements and trying to pinpoint the locations of their camps?

Ragnar didn’t trust this information. He especially didn’t trust his brother. There was no way of knowing if this was one of the queen’s ploys or not. But if the information was true, it meant he would be a step closer to ending the unrest in the east.

He had to think carefully before taking any action. A wrong step could undo all his months of effort.

Where was Casilo? He had to speak to his second-in-command about this.

---

Ragnar sat behind his desk, the opened letter now lying before him. Casilo stood opposite, arms crossed and eyes narrowed in thought.

"So," Casilo said finally, breaking the heavy silence, "your brother sent this to you?"

Ragnar nodded once, his expression unreadable. "Yes. It was delivered by a lone rider claiming it was urgent."

Casilo’s brow furrowed. "And you believe this information about the rebel camp could be real?"

"I believe it could be," Ragnar replied slowly, leaning back in his chair. "But I don’t trust how it came to me. Jayran doesn’t move without purpose. If he sent this, there’s a reason behind it."

Casilo stepped closer, resting both hands on the edge of the desk. "Then the question is whether this is a trap from the queen or an opportunity."

Ragnar’s gaze shifted to the parchment again. "Exactly."

They both fell silent for a long moment. Outside, faint sounds of the courtyard guards changing posts drifted through the window.

Casilo straightened. "If the rebels are truly encamped there, striking now could put an end to their supply routes before winter. But if it’s false—"

"We would be walking into an ambush," Ragnar finished for him. "And we can’t afford a loss."

Casilo inclined his head grimly. "Then what’s your instinct telling you?"

"That Jayran’s playing a game I haven’t yet seen the rules to," Ragnar said, his tone low and controlled. "But..." He rubbed his thumb along his jawline, thinking. "We can’t dismiss this either. If the information is true, ignoring it could give the rebels time to move deeper into the eastern ridge."

Casilo exhaled slowly. "So we send scouts first."

Ragnar looked up sharply. "You’re suggesting a smaller reconnaissance?"

"Yes. Three men at most. Fast riders. They confirm what they see, and if there’s anything out of place, they report back immediately. We won’t involve the army until we’re sure."

Involving the army so soon would only draw more attention to their operation, and Ragnar already suspected that the rebels were being aided by someone very powerful in Lamora.

The last thing he needed was to tip whoever it was off about what he now knew.

Ragnar considered this for a moment, then gave a small nod. "That would minimize risk. Good."

Casilo relaxed slightly, though the tension in the room remained. "And what of Jayran, Your Highness? Do we respond?"

Ragnar’s eyes hardened. "No. Not yet. Let him wonder what I intend to do with his little gift."

Before Casilo could reply, there came a sharp knock at the study door.

Ragnar’s head lifted. "Enter," he called.

The door opened, and Circe stepped in. She paused when she saw Casilo standing there, the air heavy with the remnants of their discussion. Her eyes flicked briefly between the two men, a faint crease forming between her brows.

"Oh, I didn’t mean to interrupt," she said, her voice even but a touch uncertain. She knew she would find Ragnar in his study at this time of day, but she hadn’t expected to find Casilo there as well.

Ragnar’s expression softened slightly. "It’s all right. We were just finishing."

Casilo glanced between them, reading the room with quick understanding. "I’ll have the riders ready by morning," he said, giving a short bow. "Your Highness."

He bowed to Circe as well before slipping out.

When the door closed, silence returned.

Ragnar leaned back in his chair, studying her. "What is it?"

Circe stepped closer, folding her hands before her. "Nieah plans to go into town this afternoon," she said. "I want to accompany her."

They both knew she was only asking because the guards at the gate wouldn’t let them pass without Ragnar’s order.

Ragnar’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Into town?"

"Yes," Circe replied. "She needs to buy a few things, and I—"

"No." The word came out before she could finish.

Circe blinked. "No?"

Ragnar rose from his chair, the shadows in the room shifting restlessly with his movement. "You can’t leave the estate, Circe. Not after what happened last week."

Her brows drew together, a flicker of defiance in her tone. In situations like these, her first instinct was always to argue.

"You said before that I could go into town if I wanted. I’ll have guards with me—"

"It’s not enough," he cut in quietly but firmly. "If they managed to get close to you once, they can do it again. I won’t risk it."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension between them was palpable, concern clashing with her quiet need for freedom.

Circe exhaled softly, understanding slowly trickling in. "You think something will happen."

"I know that something might happen," he replied. "And that’s enough reason."

She looked at him for a long beat, her expression unreadable, but he saw her face fall before she turned toward the door to leave.

She would never say it aloud, but for that fleeting moment when her expression changed, he could see how much she had wanted his answer to be different.

"Then I suppose Nieah will have to manage without me."

An unwelcome pang shot through his chest, followed closely by a strange sort of guilt he was unused to, as he watched her walk away.

He had always wanted her to seek him out the way he always did with her and now that she was finally starting to, he was turning her down. That would only put her off trying again.

Ragnar’s tone softened as she reached for the knob. "Circe."

She paused, glancing back.

"You can go to town with Nieah, but only on one condition."

Her hand immediately dropped away from the doorknob, and she turned to face him completely. freёwebnoѵel.com

"And what would that be?"

Even though her expression was still mostly unreadable, Ragnar could still spot the faintest trace of uncertainty in her eyes.

"You can go with Nieah only if I accompany the two of you."