Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 505: Chapter 505

He retraced the same path he had taken earlier, striding through the corridors with barely restrained fury simmering beneath his skin. Guards called after him, but he ignored every single one of them.

His blood roared deafeningly in his ears.

By the time he reached the courtyard again, he climbed back onto his horse almost mechanically. The animal reared slightly beneath the force of his mounting, but Jayran barely noticed before spurring it forward toward the palace.

The ride back felt like a blur. freёwebnovel.com

When he finally arrived, he tossed the reins toward a startled stable hand without slowing his pace. He barely paused as he stormed through the palace gates, grief and rage twisting together into something dark and dangerous inside him.

People darted out of his way as he strode through the long palace halls with only

Servants lowered their heads and pressed themselves against the walls the moment they saw his expression. None dared to speak to him. None dared to stop him.

Elka was already awake. She stood near the tall window of her chambers in a simple ivory nightgown, her arms loosely wrapped around herself as she gazed down at the courtyard below.

Earlier that morning, she had watched curiously as the queen and Hairan departed the palace in haste inside a carriage. The sight had unsettled her, though she could not explain why.

The sun had risen barely three hours ago, and she had yet to leave her chambers or speak to anyone. So far, the silence has been comforting.

A minute later, her door slammed open with such force that she nearly jumped out of her skin.

Elka spun around sharply, her heart lurching into her throat.

Jayran stood in the doorway. The fury on his face was terrifying. Pure, unrestrained rage darkened his features, and his eyes burned with such hatred when they locked onto her that her entire body went rigid.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then he stepped inside and slammed the door shut behind him before locking it with a harsh click that echoed through the room like a death sentence.

The sound sent a chill racing down her spine.

Instinctively, Elka stepped away from the window.

Jayran was already striding toward her before she could ask why he was there. His movements were so fast that she could hardly put significant distance between them before he was upon her. Yet as he drew closer, she caught something else hidden beneath the rage blazing in his eyes.

Pain.

No, not merely pain. There was grief there too.

A deep, suffocating sadness that looked as though it was tearing him apart from the inside.

But she barely had time to process it before he reached her.

His hand shot out suddenly, tangling harshly in her hair before yanking hard enough to force a cry from her throat. Agonizing pain exploded across her scalp as he gripped tighter, and for one horrible moment she genuinely feared he would rip the strands clean from the roots.

"You swore to me," he said, lips curling as he sneered at her.

"You swore you would not go anywhere near Azul. You swore." His fingers tightened further in her hair. "Does your word mean nothing?"

Elka’s eyes widened with panic and fear.

"Your Highness, I—"

"I asked you a question." His growl cut through her words like a blade.

The only other time she had ever seen him this furious was the day he caught her throwing Azul from the balcony.

Her survival instincts immediately took hold. Her mind scrambled desperately for something she could say that would not provoke him further.

"I didn’t," she said quickly, her voice trembling. "I didn’t go to him. I haven’t seen him since that day. I swear it."

"Then explain to me," Jayran hissed, "how my brother is lying dead in his bed with his throat and face cut open."

The words hit her like icy water.

Dead?

Azul was dead?

She instinctively tried to pull away from him, but his grip remained merciless. Tears stung the corners of her eyes from the sheer pain radiating through her scalp.

"I didn’t kill him," she pleaded frantically. "I didn’t kill Azul. Please, you have to believe me. I was here all night."

Her breathing had become uneven now, scared out of her wits.

"The guard you stationed outside my door never left. You can ask him yourself."

Jayran stared at her with a wild, vicious gaze.

"If not you, then who?" he demanded harshly. "Who killed my brother?" His voice cracked on the last word. "How am I supposed to know you didn’t hire someone to do it for you?"

Elka shook her head frantically despite the pain shooting through her scalp.

"I don’t know," she whispered. "I swear, I don’t know. I didn’t do it. Your Highness, please... I kept my word. You have to believe me. I didn’t kill him."

Jayran searched her face desperately, as though trying to tear the truth from her very soul.

Part of him wanted her to be guilty. It would make everything so much easier if she were.

If Elka had killed Azul, then he would have somewhere to direct this unbearable agony consuming him alive. He could punish her. He could rage. He could destroy something. The fury boiling inside him was the only thing keeping him standing upright. Without it, he feared he would collapse beneath the crushing weight of his grief. freёweɓnovel.com

Rage was simpler than sorrow. Rage burned hot and sharp.

But grief?

Grief hollowed a man out from the inside until there was nothing left but emptiness.

His gaze kept moving desperately over her face, searching for even the slightest flicker of deceit. Anything that might point him toward the truth. Anything that might make sense of the nightmare he had walked into that morning.

But he found nothing. Nothing except fear.

Either Elka was a remarkably skilled liar, or she truly was innocent.

Jayran squeezed his eyes shut tightly, fighting against the tears threatening to spill over. His jaw clenched hard enough to ache, but the battle lasted only seconds before he lost it completely.

***

Please support me by reading my privilege Chapters. It helps boost struggling writers like me.