Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 327: Chapter 327

Ragnar ground his teeth together, fighting the urge to turn away, to spare her the truth for just a moment longer. He drew in a slow, steadying breath and forced his feet to move, one step, then another, until only an arm’s length separated them.

"Circe..."

Something in the way he said her name made her smile falter. His voice was strained, tight in a way she had never heard before, and the look in his eyes set her instincts on edge. Her shoulders stiffened, her hackles rising, yet she remained silent, sensing that he needed the space to speak. He did eventually but what he said was not what she expected to hear.

"They’re here to arrest me," he said quietly, his gaze never leaving hers. "For treason, they claim. My father wants me to stand trial to prove my innocence."

He watched as the color drained from her face, watched horror bloom in her widened eyes.

"No," she whispered. Then she repeated it, this time much louder, sharper, as if volume alone might undo this reality. "No."

Panic and disbelief flickered across her features as she repeated the word again and again, as though saying it enough times might bend fate to her will. freёwebnovel.com

"My love..." Ragnar murmured, reaching for her.

The tenderness of his voice, the softness of those two words, shattered something fragile inside her.

"No. No, you did nothing wrong. You cannot go with them." Even as she said it, she knew how hollow the protest was. A summons from the king could not be refused. Still, the thought of Ragnar dying, executed for a crime he did not commit, was unbearable.

She shook her head helplessly, even as he placed both hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her. Fear crept through her limbs, cold and paralyzing.

When she finally met his eyes, what she saw there made her chest tighten painfully. Something as simple as breathing suddenly felt like an effort she wasn’t sure she could manage.

"I have to go with them," he said, his voice low and resolute. "I have no choice. If I refuse, it would be as good as admitting guilt." He held her gaze despite the way it tore him apart from the inside.

"Is this about what you did to Lord Corvin?" she asked, grasping for reason, for something that made sense. She felt unmoored, like a raft adrift in a vast, merciless sea.

"If it were," Ragnar replied softly, "I’d be arrested for murder, not treason." He drew her closer and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I love you. No matter how this ends, I hope you never forget that."

"I’m coming with you," she said fiercely. "I don’t care." The horror in her eyes hardened into indignation, her anger flaring bright and wild.

Ragnar shook his head.

"No. Absolutely not." His voice was firm, brooking no argument. "You will stay here, where it’s safe." A heartbeat later, his resolve seemed to drain from him as he leaned in and kissed her softly. "I will fix this. I will come back to you, no matter what it takes."

He shouldn’t have made such promises or offered her any false hope. He knew that. But he couldn’t bear the devastation on her face any longer.

After kissing her one last time, he stepped away and headed for the door, forcing himself not to look back as he went to face whatever awaited him.

He had barely made it into the hall when Circe rushed after him and wrapped her arms tightly around his torso.

"I love you," she breathed, burying her face against his chest. "I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if I let you go without telling you." Her grip tightened, as if she feared he might vanish if she loosened it. "I love you so much and I’m afraid of losing you."

Ragnar stopped dead.

For a moment, he didn’t speak. He didn’t breathe. Her words struck him square in the chest, and something inside his chest lurched. A rush of feeling surged through him. Happiness. True happiness. It was sharp, like stepping out of a large shadow into blinding sunlight after too long in the dark. He hadn’t realized how desperately he had wanted to hear those words until he finally did. freёwebnovel.com

He lifted a hand and stroked her back gently.

"You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that," he murmured.

Circe pulled back just enough to look up at him. "Come back to me," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil roiling beneath the surface, "and you’ll never go another day without hearing it."

By the time Ragnar stepped back outside, the royal guards had already mounted their horses, their expressions tight with impatience.

Circe followed behind him, unable to part ways just yet, not while her heart and emotions felt so raw. Even now, she lingered close by as Ragnar approached the guards. With his chin lifted and his posture deceptively relaxed, he looked the very picture of confidence.

She did not understand how he did it, how he could appear so self-assured even with his life hanging in the balance.

"You will ride with me, Your Highness," the man at the front said curtly.

But Ragnar was already shaking his head.

"I’ll be taking my own horse," he replied evenly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I’ll need it to return home once the trial is over."

One of the guards snorted.

"Confident, are you? You seem very certain this will end in your favor."

Ragnar’s expression didn’t change.

"I’m innocent, so why would I be?" he said simply, his tone calm and unruffled. His gaze drifted past them as he caught the attention of one of the staff milling about the courtyard. He lifted his hand in a brief, authoritative gesture that needed no explanation. The man hurried off at once to fetch his horse, understanding Ragnar’s command even without words.

Moments later, the servant returned and placed the reins of his warhorse into his waiting hand. The powerful animal stamped once as they came to a stop, leather tack creaking softly as it tossed its head.