Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 178: Chapter 178

Circe was gone from their room in the early hours of the morning, just as the first rays of sunlight spilled over the estate grounds and bathed everything in a soft golden glow. She had managed only a few restless hours of sleep, too shaken by her latest discovery to do anything more than lie on her back and stare blankly at the ceiling. Every time she closed her eyes, new and unsettling thoughts began to churn.

She slid out of bed with careful movements and pulled on her light coat, knowing that a lingering morning chill still clung to the air at this hour.

As she adjusted the coat around her shoulders, her gaze drifted to the chair where Ragnar sat slumped in sleep. His head rested against the back of the chair, long lashes lowered, his breathing deep and even. He looked peaceful.

She realized he rarely slept easily at night, and now that he finally had, she didn’t have the heart to disturb him.

Circe kept her steps feather-light as she slipped past him. She eased the door open and closed it behind her as quietly as possible. Only once she was walking down the dim corridor did she allow herself a slow exhale.

She spent most of the night replaying everything she had learned about the war and about her father. The unsettling truths twisted and knotted inside her chest until she felt she might burst.

What else had he hidden from her? And why? Then there was Rowen. How could she possibly explain all of this to him? How could she tell her brother that their own father’s actions had practically doomed them both to live as war prisoners in another man’s land?

These questions followed her like shadows all the way across the grounds, nipping sharply at her heels until she reached the stables.

The familiar scent of hay and leather filled her lungs. She spotted one of the stable hands mucking out a horse’s stall. He was a tall young man with a dimpled chin, one of the newest employees Ragnar had hired to work around the estate.

The man had always treated Circe with kindness and respect, and now was no different.

Noticing her hesitant presence at the stable entrance, he paused and bowed politely.

She must have looked unsure, even lost, standing there with her hands clasped in front of her like she wasn’t entirely certain why she had come. She had intended to walk through the flower gardens again, hoping the sight of the flowers in bloom and morning dew would soothe the storm inside her. Instead, her wandering steps had led her here.

"Your Highness," the stable hand greeted softly. "Is there something I can assist you with?" freeweɓnøvel.com

Circe opened her mouth, but no words formed. Her emotions still swelled too close to the surface, feeling raw and still too painfully exposed. She couldn’t even string together a believable explanation for her presence.

The stable hand seemed to sense it and offered her a gentle reprieve.

"I was just about to groom your mare," he said kindly. "Would you like to help, Your Highness?"

Her eyes brightened immediately, her relief instantaneous. She nodded, perhaps too quickly but she didn’t care.

Her affection for the mare, Kena, had become common knowledge among the stable hands. Even though she no longer rode the horse as often as she used to, they all still referred to the horse as her mare, a small courtesy that warmed her heart.

The man handed her a curry comb and carefully explained the task to her. Circe listened intently, grateful for something she could, anything that could keep her mind distracted for the time being.

The moment he finished, she walked toward Kena’s stall.

Kena whinnied the instant she saw her, ears flicking forward with excitement. It made Circe laugh, an earnest sound pulled straight from her chest.

She stepped closer and stroked the mare’s neck, smiling as Kena nudged her affectionately with a warm puff of breath.

When she had finished showering the horse with affection, she began to groom her, running the comb in slow circles along Kena’s neck, shoulders, and flank. The repetitive movement was soothing, grounding her more effectively than anything had all night.

She had only been grooming for a few minutes when she felt someone else enter the stables. She didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Her entire body seemed to recognize him before her mind caught up, as though she had become attuned to his presence in some instinctive way she couldn’t fully understand.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard his voice as he spoke to the stable hand. She kept her focus on Kena, pretending she hadn’t noticed, though her heart thudded with each approaching step.

Having him there awoken another fresh set of memories, ones from last night of how he had embraced against his solid chest and of how perfectly she fit in his arms.

"So this is where you ran off to," Ragnar said lightly as he approached.

Circe glanced back at him for only a second and her chest gave a sudden lurch.

His long hair was slightly tousled, as though he had just woken up and immediately came searching for her without bothering to tame it.

He wore loose breeches and a simple shirt, the top buttons undone, revealing a stretch of smooth, tawny skin that made her throat tighten unexpectedly. He looked softer like this, unguarded. Handsome in a way that made her feel warm and unsettled.

"I thought you were still asleep," she murmured, pulling her gaze away before it lingered too long.

Ragnar’s lips quirked faintly, as though he had noticed her reaction.

Her thoughts were a tangled, restless mess, and his presence now did nothing to steady them.

"I was but I’m a very light sleeper." Something molten flickered in his eyes as he spoke. "A pin drop can wake me and you, princess, were much louder than that."

Heat rose to her cheeks. Unable to hold his gaze, she turned back to Kena, her pulse thudding a little faster.

"I’m sorry for waking you," she murmured, resolutely avoiding his eyes.

"I want to ride one of the horses around the estate," he said after a while. His gruff voice had deepened, sliding up her spine in a way that made her breath catch. "Will you join me?"

Why was he acting as if everything were normal? As if last night had never happened?

Circe had come out here searching for something to occupy her mind, anything to pull her thoughts away from her father and brother. A ride would do just that and she couldn’t think of a good reason to refuse.