Claimed by the Prince of Darkness-Chapter 107: Seven Days Before the Ball

After the lunch hour, the bell from the nearby tower rang across Sexton, its deep toll rolling through the corridors and open courtyards, Ruelle made her way towards Seduction Technique class with Hailey, Kevin, and Edward walking at her side.

Apparently, Edward had been pushed to attend the session with the first years. And the prince was more than happy to attend it, as Ruelle was there.

When they entered the slightly darkened room, Ruelle picked up the scent of lavender oil and roses. Once she took a seat, she sensed someone staring and she turned to catch her sister.

Caroline sat one row behind with a stiff back and eyes fixed on Ruelle with a wounded expression. Before Ruelle could look away, Edward followed the direction of her gaze. Caroline, who noticed the prince looking at her, immediately dropped her eyes to her lap.

"If she’s bothering you, do you want me to have her removed from this class?" Edward asked as if offering to move a chair.

Ruelle turned to him at once. "No. Please don’t... She has every right to be here."

Just because she wasn’t on talking terms with Caroline, it didn’t mean she wished ill upon her sister. It was just that she had decided to remove herself from her younger sister’s life.

Edward’s gaze lingered on Caroline a moment longer before he leaned back in his seat, crossing one leg over the other. He began,

"You know I have several half-siblings. Most of them are tolerable," he continued with a dismissive wave of his hand. "One or two are even useful. But the one I liked the most..." His voice lowered, "He tried to poison me, but my mother was the one who drank it."

Ruelle stared at him, unsure of what to say before uttering, "I’m sorry. It must have been terribly hard for you."

Edward’s gaze drifted somewhere distant for a heartbeat. "It was," he answered before continuing, "So I recognised that look, the one you had this morning when she spoke to you. It’s often the people we try to protect who rest the gun on your shoulder when they want to take their shot," he sighed.

Ruelle stared at him. No one would believe it, but beneath the pride and arrogance people saw, there was a softness. The understanding that only grew in places where something had once been broken.

"You are a strong person, Edward," she said gently. "I don’t know if I would be able to carry something like that and still smile the way you do."

His chin lifted at once. The Edward everyone knew snapped back into place and he declared, "That I am. The mental fortitude I possess is such that even fear flees in my presence."

A small laugh escaped Ruelle before she could stop it, light and genuine. She murmured,

"I suppose it would." Seeing him wait for her to say something after what he had offered, she folded her hands on her lap and said, "My sister didn’t try to kill me. It’s just that our journey together has come to an end and it was time to part."

Edward watched her closely and the earlier seriousness in him softened into something almost boyish. A pleased smile tugged at his lips, as if the small piece of honesty she had shared made him feel chosen. He then suggested,

"How about we meet at the library this evening to study together?" as he wanted to spend more time with her.

But Ruelle hesitated. She apologised, "I would but Hailey and Kevin don’t have the pass to enter the library. We usually study in one of the spare rooms."

"That’s even better!" Edward’s eyes brightened as he nodded. To him, fewer people meant fewer distractions. Fewer distractions meant more time where her attention would not be divided.

Soon Ms. Gemma Gilbert’s heels clicked into the room, interrupting the chatter as she made her way to the front of the class and Ezekiel followed right behind her. The vampiress informed,

"With the Winter’s Ball only seven days away, I trust many of you are still in the delicate process of securing your partners." Her eyes swept over the students as she continued, "For some, this will be a night of opportunity. For others... a night of humiliation, depending on how poorly you manage yourselves. We will therefore be working on courtship today."

Caroline’s face lit up the moment she spotted her husband. He had told her that he would find a way to get her out of the contract and had left her here in Sexton.

She now waited for his gaze to find her as it moved across the room, but it never reached her as it settled instead on another person.

As her eyes followed his line of sight, Caroline caught Ezekiel staring at Ruelle.

Ezekiel couldn’t believe Ruelle was here in the class.

She sat among the first years as though nothing had happened as if she had not vanished from his reach for nearly ten days. His jaw briefly tightened as if upset that she didn’t come to him.

Caroline’s eyes moved from her sister to her husband, noticing Ezekiel’s gaze never looked for her and she felt a sting.

And yet Ruelle sat there, unaware of the storm inching closer.

"The men can take this side of the room, and ladies, please pick your fan. You will see that it is a very useful tool," Ms. Gilbert instructed, clapping her hands.

The students stood up from their seats, moving, while Ezekiel stepped forward with a stack of folded fans which were made of silk. Caroline pushed one of the human girls out of the way to reach her husband sooner and her lips parted to speak,

"Ezel—"

But he placed the fan in her hand without glancing at her as if she didn’t exist. This had her fingers curl around the fan, while other students pushed her in the back.

Her husband stood only a few steps away but had not looked at her even once.

When Ruelle stepped after Hailey to pick up her fan, Ezekiel offered it to her with a smile and asked,

"Where were you all these days, Ruelle? I am glad you are alright."

Ruelle neither greeted him like she always did nor did she meet his eyes. She turned away to stand beside Hailey.

Caroline’s lips trembled before she called loudly, "Ezekiel!" resulting in several heads turning to look at her.

"Caroline Henley," Ms. Gilbert warned with a frown marring her face. "This is a classroom and you will follow its decorum. Your personal attachments may resume outside these walls."

A faint ripple of amusement moved through some of the Elites, and Caroline flushed in embarrassment. Her hands clenched before snapping, "If it weren’t for these ridiculous earrings of yours keeping me hostage I wouldn’t even be here."

Her glare directed at Ms. Gilbert, but when she turned back at Ezekiel, expecting support, she faltered. He did not smile or step forward. Instead, he wore a tight and distant look right now, as if she were causing him inconvenience.

"Ms. Gilbert," a groundling asked with worry in his voice, "is it true we were tricked into wearing these to bind us into a contract?"

"We weren’t informed," another student added, louder now. "You can’t bind people without their knowledge. That’s not agreement, that’s deception."

Before Ms. Gilbert could answer, an Elite vampiress scoffed, rolling her eyes,

"Did you imagine your families were being paid because you blessed Sexton with your presence? You are housed, fed and educated. Do you believe this institution runs on charity?"

The Groundlings murmured amongst themselves before Caroline asked the female instructor, "What about Ruelle?"

"What about her?" Ms. Gilbert questioned back, raising an eyebrow.

Ruelle’s stomach dropped, her feet turning cold. She turned slowly, meeting her sister’s eyes, who looked like she had been wronged and was now ready to drag everyone along with her.

Caroline pursed her lips, her eyes briefly meeting Ruelle’s before she said, "She’s a student of Sexton too, isn’t she? If the rest of us are bound then shouldn’t she be too?"

"I was also marked fail for the test," Ruelle defended herself, turning back toward Ms. Gilbert, her voice steady despite the tightening in her chest.

But another groundling began, "It is not right—"

"You should be grateful she isn’t a slave. Otherwise you wouldn’t stand a chance competing with her," Edward let out a short laugh, but it only made the situation worse.

"The new groundling is right, Ms. Gilbert," one of the Groundlings spoke up, rising halfway from her seat. "This isn’t fair. Ruelle should be bound to the contract too. Why the partiality?"

"Yes, exactly," another added, emboldened. "She must have been told to fail on purpose. Otherwise, why would she miss something so simple?"

Murmurs broke into open noise. Ruelle felt the weight of human eyes settle on her, which carried envy, suspicion and resentment.

This had never been her choice. The outcome had been controlled by Lucian, not her. If she had not been his roommate, she would have been standing among them now, wearing the same invisible chain.

"I used to think I wanted a sister," Hailey said suddenly, her voice reaching Caroline. "But after seeing how they turn out, I’m glad I don’t have one."

Caroline glared at Hailey and shot back, "I don’t know who you are, so stay out of this. It has nothing to do with you."

"Really?" Hailey frowned, "This morning you were announcing to the corridor that she was your sister. Now you can’t stand that she isn’t trapped with you?"

Caroline’s composure shattered. Her hands clenched at her sides before she strode forward, fury overtaking sense and lifted her hand toward Hailey.

But Ruelle moved first and she caught Caroline’s wrist mid-air.

"Don’t even think about it," Ruelle said firmly, pushing her sister’s hand away. She then murmured with disappointment, "No wonder you never cared."

"Caroline. Step outside," Ezekiel’s stern voice interrupted. "Now." Feeling betrayed, Caroline stormed out of there and was followed by Ezekiel.

Silence fell in the room before Ms. Gilbert exhaled slowly, then turned back to the class, her composure restored. She said,

"Ruelle is not being exempted from the contract. The earrings distributed are created through several enchantments before being handed to you." Her gaze shifted toward Ruelle and she added, "She will be issued one as well. Any more complaint about it, you will be meeting Mr. Mortis," she gave a pointed look.

Once the class was over, the students began to step out of the room and Gemma glanced at Ruelle once before leaving.

"My offer still stands, Ruelle," Edward said as he walked towards her, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve.

Ruelle’s gaze met his eyes with a frown, while they were the only four students left there.

"I know it doesn’t sound ideal right now," he continued, voice unusually serious beneath its usual polish, "but you would be free with me." He frowned deeply as he murmured, "Better than being claimed by some old noble."

Edward’s words were blunt but Ruelle knew they weren’t wrong. She had entered Sexton for her family’s sake. Now, she was here trying to build something of her own. She wondered if the rope Edward was offering her would be something she would regret in the future if she refused now.

Kevin muttered under his breath, "You should let her free without a clause if you are truly her friend," before getting jabbed by Hailey’s elbow and being dragged out of there.

"What did he just say?" Edward’s eyes narrowed.

"You should let her free, Your Highness," Hermes arrived at his side, who had been standing outside. But Edward feared if he did that Ruelle would slip away. The attendant informed him, "We should now leave for the next class."

"Mm," Edward hummed, before he told Ruelle. "I will see you in the evening then. Be prepared with parchments," saying that he left the room with his attendant.

Ruelle stepped out of the room, intending to head straight for her next class but her steps faltered. She caught Ezekiel standing in the corridor and Caroline wasn’t with him.