Valerian Empire

Chapter 82: Assassination- Part 1

Hearing Ralph utter the words, Katie laughed thinking he was joking until she saw her cousin holding a serious face unlike hers.

“You are serious?” She asked him and then tried reasoning with him, “I understand that visual truth is the strongest actuality but how can you say it was Lord Alexander who had the bodies dumped there? Even if he did he isn’t a careless man. He is a smart man, and a smart man wouldn’t leave his trails to be tracked,” she defended him.

Even though she had questions she wanted to ask Lord Alexander she trusted the man she had fallen in love with. She believed him.

“You do have a point but Katie Lord Silas-” Ralph said to which Katie interrupted him.

“I have heard how Lord Norman and Lord Alexander have been in a conflict since a very long time. One trying to push another but I can guarantee you that the Lord of Valeria has nothing to do with what you have witnessed,” she explained taking the knife from him and placing it on the table, “Because if it really was true he wouldn’t have saved the little human thirteen years ago and moreover provide a shelter in his residence.”

“He gave our parents a burial which is right here in his empire. I don’t think a man with that much hate as you said would do something like that. Don’t you think so?” she asked him to which he stood silently.

Pondering over what she said Ralph then spoke, “So you’re telling me the south Lord is trying to frame him?” and Katie shook her head.

“No. If that was so the council would be here but they aren’t. It appears that they are trying under handed methods in trying to throw the west Lord off the map. He is trying to use you, Ralph.”

It looked like Lord Silas was trying to get his work done by dirtying Ralph’s hand. Hypothetically if Ralph was successful with the job, the Norman’s would be happy. But if her cousin wasn’t they had nothing to loose.

She heard Ralph sigh loudly before he pulled out his belongings that was under the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“Sorting out my head while also distracting the confusion that’s going on,” Ralph gave her a dry laugh before flopping on the bed, “I am trying to wrap things around my head. I feel Lord Silas has been very kind all this time and he doesn’t seem like a person who would use anyone but then you have a point too.”

“By the way, how did Lord Silas know you were here?” she asked him curious.

“He just found out,” he replied before looking at her, “I’m sorry for panicking you. It would be wrong to blame Lord Alexander without any proof,” he laughed scratching his neck.

“I’m glad you’ve cooled down your head now,” Katie smiled her face now relaxed.

“Both the Lords sound sketchy to me now,” he muttered flopping his back against the bed.

“Can you promise to be careful the next time you meet the man?” She asked him anxiously.

“Lord Silas?” And Katie nodded, “I will be, sister.”

It would be wrong to blame the Norman’s when she hardly knew them up close but with what she heard and tried understanding, it looked like they had instigated her cousin enough for him to follow the path of vengeance.

Feeling relieved with the previous tension diffused, Katie sat down next to where her cousin laid now. Would the vampires and the humans ever co-exist together? She wished they could live peacefully but the dream was way too far to wish for. There was a possibility that it would never happen. After all both of them thrived to be at the top of the food chain but it was quite obvious with who had the upper hand, thought Katie to herself.

She looked to her side, to see her cousin starting up at the ceiling.

Her cousin wasn’t a bad man. He was someone who believed people just like she did when they entrusted their trust in the person.

Apparently Ralph was supposed to go at the middle of the night to meet Lord Silas’ men before proceeding with their plan, but now that he wasn’t going there was no need to worry about anything.

“How far is the cemetery?”

He asked, his eyes closed now while he had his eyes covered with the back of his hand.

“Around twenty minutes by walk and lesser if we make use of the carriage,” she answered him and got up from the bed, “You must be tired. Go to sleep now.”

“Mm. I am. Especially with all the things I saw,” he said getting up himself and then asked, “How do you trust him so much?”

“Sometimes hope and courage is all that’s left,” and he offered her a smile, “Good night, Kate.”

“Good night, Ralph,” she wished, leaving his room and just as she was about to pass through the dim lit corridor she felt a shadow pass through from the corner of her eye.

Humans lived with vampires but ghosts and shadows weren’t something to be used to. Shadows were usually treated as an ill omen.

It wasn’t until she found the butler carrying a candle with him that she exhaled.

Martin looked no less than a ghost with the light reflecting on his lean face marked with wrinkles. He walked across the hall before vanishing into the kitchen. At times she wondered if the old man was really alive. He hardly ever spoke or made any noise.

Catching hold of the railing, she started walking up the stairs as she thought of what just happened in the guest room.

She was thankful that her aunt and uncle had never differentiated her when it came to including her into the family. She had gotten as much attention as Ralph received as they grew up together. They could practically call each other as siblings.

The Desmond’s were the kindest soul one could find in South and they had inflicted the same with their children. Ralph and Katie were the knit siblings that covered each other’s little mistake when one of them committed it because that was what siblings did.

One hand on the rail and the other holding the candle she had picked from the hall. She heard the cat meow from the top and saw Areo swishing its black tail as it meowed again looking at her. Smiling down at the cat, she bent down to pet it to receive a purr.

Gazing towards the Lord’s room she wondered if he was there or had gone for a walk which he usually took late at night.

Standing up straight, she turned the knob to her room. Once she got inside the room she pulled out the knife she had taken from Ralph’s room along with it’s sheath as a precaution. Unsheathing she looked at the black blade with a edge of silver on it. She hadn’t seen anything like this before and it didn’t seem like any ordinary knife.

Just when she raised her hand towards the blade ready to test the sharpness she heard someone speak in the room.

“Careful with that else you’ll hurt your pretty finger.”

Snapping her head up she saw Lord Alexander who had Aero sitting next to his leg.

“Lord Alexander...” she whispered his name. She had decided to throw the object somewhere no one would find it or make use of it but the Lord ‘s eyes looked at it calculative as he gauged the object in her hand.

“What are you doing holding the knife in your hand,” he asked her as he walked to where she was.

“I was just seeing it,” she replied when he came to stand right in front of her. Taking the knife from her, he ran his finger over the side of the blade.

“Hmm, a fine one but not good enough, ” he said to himself before one corner of his lips turned up, “And here I thought there was no better way to die than in your hands.”

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