Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 51: Chapter 51

Circe stowed herself away in the library for the rest of the day. It had taken her a while to find it again. Once more, she had gotten lost in the maze of winding corridors and identical-looking halls. She almost let out a triumphant yelp when she finally caught sight of the familiar heavy wooden doors, its ornate carvings now a welcome relief to her fraying nerves.

Now, she sat curled up on the floor in one of the library’s hidden corners, her back pressed against the rigid spine of a tall bookshelf. Dusty rays of late afternoon light filtered through the high windows, casting golden shadows across the stone floor and the open journal perched on her lap.

The leather-bound book Rowen had gifted her was already filling with sketches, and today she had added another. This one of a magpie mid-flight, its wings outstretched, its tiny feet just lifting off the ground. The lines were rough and hurried, but there was a freedom in the way the bird soared across the page.

She was still hunched over her drawings when Nieah found her hours later. Like the last time Nieah followed her into the library, Circe barely heard her footsteps. She was so engrossed in her sketches that she didn’t even hear the heavy library doors open. By the time she looked up, Nieah was already standing a few paces away, her presence as calm and unobtrusive as ever.

How does she manage to keep her steps so light?

"Your Highness," Nieah said softly, a gentle smile tugging at her lips, "dinner is already being served. You should come down and join the others."

Circe didn’t return her smile. Her expression remained closed, guarded.

" Is Ragnar going to be there?" Circe asked flatly.

Nieah blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Well... I don’t see why he wouldn’t be," she answered honestly.

" Then I would rather starve." Circe looked away from Nieah, gaze returning to the journal perched on her lap. It was a clear dismissal. She would not be discussing the matter any further.

Nieah inclined her head in a small bow before turning and silently retreating the way she came, her footsteps once again swallowed by the silence of the library.

Minutes passed.

Then, the heavy doors creaked open once more, followed by approaching footsteps. These, unlike Nieah’s, were unhurried and unmistakably familiar. Circe glanced up just as Rowen rounded the corner and spotted her sitting on the floor.

His face immediately lit up when their eyes met, and he quickened his stride, weaving carefully between tables and shelves. In his hands, he balanced a dinner plate piled high with food, his grip steady despite the awkward angle.

"What do you have there?" Circe asked, lifting her head a little as the delicious scent of roasted meat and herbs wafted toward her. Her stomach betrayed her immediately, rumbling loud enough to make her wince. She hadn’t eaten a single bite all day, and now her hunger was impossible to ignore.

" Casilo said I could bring you some food since you didn’t join us for dinner." Rowen said cheerfully, coming to a stop in front of her.

" Casilo said that?" She raised a brow in question.

Rowen nodded his head emphatically, perhaps a little too emphatically. "Yes! Well, I mean... he didn’t say no, and he was busy talking to someone else, so I took that as permission."

Circe narrowed her eyes at him. She was about to question him further when her stomach rumbled again, this one much louder than the first time.

With a sheepish grin, Rowen crouched down and carefully placed the plate in front of her. He unwrapped the cloth napkin he’d brought along and handed her a polished knife and fork, their handles still warm from the kitchen. freēwebnovel.com

Circe stared down at the plate, then back up at her brother. Something warm unfurled quietly in her chest. She hadn’t realized how much she had needed a small gesture like this, something simple, something kind, something normal.

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, softening her earlier nerves.

"Thank you," she said. "But I can’t possibly finish all of this by myself. Come, sit and eat with me."

Rowen didn’t need any further invitation. With the enthusiasm only a younger brother could muster, he dropped to the floor beside her and tore off a chunk of bread. The moment reminded her of the way Rowen would always wander into her bed chambers every evening when they were still back home.

And for the first time that day, the weight pressing down on Circe’s shoulders began to lift, if only a little.

As the night wore on, Rowen got up to retire to his chambers, leaving Circe in the library alone. She lingered a while longer before choosing to leave as well. She clutched the journal to her side as she walked out the door. She wasn’t sure where she wanted to go from here but Ragnar’s bed chambers certainly wasn’t an option.

It didn’t matter much anyway when there were many other bedrooms in the manor to begin with. She could easily just spend the night in any one of them. Circe twisted the knobs of every bedroom door she walked past. They were all locked. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

That was odd. None of them were locked the first day she came there. Her thoughts went back to the fight she had with Ragnar.

Her forehead creased as she frowned. Surely he wasn’t petty enough to lock all the other bedrooms to force her to return to his.

Circe walked past a maid as she wandered the halls aimlessly. Her trek ended with her standing in front of Rowen’s chambers. She was out of options and despite how brave and stubborn she tended to be, she didn’t think she could bring herself to sleep outside in the stables.

She knocked on the door and seconds later it swung open. Her brother stood at the other side of the door, rubbing his eyes.

She stepped inside and carefully shut the door behind her.

" Can I sleep here tonight?" She asked.

Worry shone in Rowen’s eyes. " Did something happen? What did prince Ragnar do?

" Nothing happened. I just missed you so much." Circe said. It wasn’t a complete lie. She didn’t want him to know about the fight or her current predicament.

" Okay." Rowen said with a yawn. He walked back to the bed and crawled back into the covers, Circe following slowly behind him.

She placed her journal on the nightstand and slipped into the covers as well. She was so tired from the day’s events and the ride from the palace that she slipped into a deep slumber the second her head touched the pillow.

A sound in the bedroom awoke her an hour later. Her eyes were still scratchy with sleep when she pried them open to look around the room, pausing when her gaze fell on a shadowy figure in the far corner.

Her eyes widened when it moved.