Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 488: Chapter 488

She tossed the ripped up pieces into the lit hearth, watching as the flames caught and consumed them, reducing them to ash.

With that out of the way, she began to search his chambers. She didn’t trust that he could just hand over the letters without keeping something to blackmail her with later on.

She moved through the room with purpose, opening drawers, rifling through compartments, scanning every hidden corner. It didn’t take long before she found two additional copies of her letter.

She destroyed them immediately, feeding them to the fire without a second thought.

But that wasn’t all she found.

In one of the drawers, tucked beneath other documents, was a missive. The seal had already been broken.

It bore a name she recognized. Yannick Tavish.

Elka unfolded it, her eyes scanning the contents quickly. In the missive, he spoke of the rebellion in a way that made it painfully clear that both he and Azul were either aware of—or directly involved in—the rebel militia’s secret dealings.

Her grip tightened around it.

She searched further and found more correspondence. Each one painted the same damning picture, each one of them connecting Azul and Yannick Tavish to the rebellion.

Carefully, she gathered them all.

These, she would not burn. She would use them as leverage.

Once she was certain she had taken everything of value, she stepped back, her gaze sweeping the room one last time.

She should leave as soon as possible before anyone finds her here. That was the smartest thing to do.

But she didn’t.

Her eyes drifted back to him. To his unconscious body sprawled across the floor.

Something inside her snapped. She thought of all the fear he made her feel. Of all his threats. Every moment he had cornered her, speaking of breaking her, of bending her to his will. frёeωebɳovel.com

With the memories, came a fresh surge of rage. It was hot and destructive, consuming every inch of her soul.

She set down the documents she had found on the table, her mind already racing ahead, a plan forming as she strode toward the door.

Olena was standing just outside, exactly where Elka had hoped she would be.

Without a word, Elka beckoned her inside and quickly shut the door behind her, sealing them both in.

"You drugged him, like we discussed?" Olena asked in a low voice.

Elka nodded in confirmation, but there was something off about her expression as her gaze drifted once more toward Azul’s unmoving body.

Oblivious to the shift in her Elka’s demeanor, Olena let out a quiet breath of relief. "Good. And I take it you destroyed the letter. We should return home now."

She turned toward the door, ready to leave, but Elka did not move. Not even a step.

"I can’t leave him alive," Elka said.

The words were spoken quietly, but they still made Olena stop in her tracks. She turned back slowly, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"But, Your Highness—"

Elka cut her off sharply.

"If we leave him like this, what is to stop him from going to my father anyway? He will know what I did. He will want revenge." She argued. "He could try to kill me. I can’t let him live. I won’t let him ruin me."

Her gaze flicked back to Azul, something colder settling behind her eyes now.

"He harassed and tormented me. Threatened me. Made me feel unsafe, always having to look over my shoulder." She clenched her jaw. "And I keep thinking how many others has he done this to? How many more will he do it to if he walks away from this?"

She shook her head, as if rejecting the very thought.

"I won’t allow that, Olena. I won’t be able to live with myself. I won’t carry the guilt of knowing I could have stopped him and chose not to."

"But Azul is royalty," Olena argued, her voice trembling now. "If the queen finds out we harmed him, we won’t just be punished, we’ll be executed."

Elka stepped forward and seized Olena by the shoulders, gripping her firmly. Her eyes searched Olena’s face, desperate and pleading.

"If it were your daughter... your sister... any woman you loved—if they were in my place—would you still do nothing?" she demanded. "Would you stand by and let a powerful man destroy them simply because he can?"

Olena’s gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet hers.

The silence that followed said it all.

Disappointment flickered across Elka’s face before it hardened into resolve.

"Fine," she said, releasing her. "You don’t have to agree with me. And I won’t force you."

She turned away and began searching the room anew for something sharp that she could use as a weapon. But there was nothing. Not even a fork. Not even the smallest blade.

Frustration built with every passing second.

Then, just as she was about to abandon the search, her gaze caught on the door leading to the balcony.

She moved toward it quickly and pushed it open. Cool air rushed in, brushing against her skin as she stepped outside. The sky had already begun to darken, the last traces of daylight fading away. She walked to the edge and looked down.

The height was staggering.

Azul’s chambers sat at the highest level of the building. From here, the ground seemed far away, distant enough that a fall would be catastrophic.

"What are the chances of someone surviving a fall from this height?" Elka asked without turning.

Olena hesitated before answering. "There is a chance... but if they live, their legs would likely be shattered. Walking again—normally, or at all—would be unlikely."

A slow, chilling smile spread across Elka’s face.

"That’s good enough for me."

She turned and walked back inside.

Dragging him alone would be difficult, nearly impossible but she didn’t allow it to deter her. She grabbed Azul by the collar and pulled with all her strength. His body shifted only slightly, resisting her efforts. She tried again, and again, her breath growing heavier, her arms beginning to strain. It wasn’t enough.

Without a word, Olena stepped forward and bent next to her.

Together, they dragged him across the floor. Inch by inch. By the time they reached the balcony, both of them were breathing hard.

The darkness outside had deepened, cloaking them from view. Anyone below that looked upwards would see nothing.

With effort, they hauled Azul upright and propped him against the railing. His head lolled forward, his body limp between them.

Then just as they were about to throw him over, his eyes snapped open.

His hand shot out, gripping the railing desperately. He gasped, disoriented, his gaze darting wildly before landing on Elka.

Understanding dawned on him and panic surged.

He clung to the railing, struggling, trying to pull himself back, his strength slowly returning.

Elka reacted quickly. With a sharp breath, she shoved him with all the force she could muster.

Still under the influence of the drug, it got to a point that he couldn’t resist for much longer.

His grip broke and he was gone, falling to the ground below.

Elka stood there, chest heaving, her heart pounding violently against her ribs as she watched him disappear into the darkness.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then she heard footsteps coming from behind her.

She spun around instantly, her pulse lurching.

Jayran stood in the doorway.

His face was frozen somewhere between shock and horror, his eyes wide as they locked onto hers. His face was pale.

He had seen everything.