The Tyrant's Pet

Meanwhile, Aries was not aware of the sudden change in the situation in her surroundings. Earlier, all her people were trying to save her. It only took one order for all of them to have a change of heart. 

Now, the people who were initially stopping the Queen’s people now wanted to stop the ceremony. But alas, the Queen’s people were on the way. 

Aries slowly embraced the soothing light to ease the pain all around her body. Her pain was telling her to hold on to it, to accept it, and be one with it. 

‘Light…’ she whispered to herself. ‘Cleanse me of all the impurities…’

Giselle kept her focus on the queen’s figure. She heard Miguel’s orders and was aware of the change around, but didn’t stop. 

‘Whatever trap they had laid… she will be nothing if she embraces the will of the first king.’ Giselle didn’t share the same sentiments as her comrade. ‘Maleficent and the Grimsbanne… will fall tonight.’

Even though her eyes were nothing but a cloudy white, they were sharp. 

“Abel Grimsbanne,” she whispered. “It’s a mistake to place your heart in her without telling her about it.”

Giselle knew everything that was going on on the mainland. Her lack of sight didn’t deter her from doing her duties and knowing the truths that no one else knew about. 

For instance, she was aware that Aries’s transition into a vampire failed miserably. She was already dead when Abel tried to turn her into one and thus, her chances grew slimmer. 

How Aries was standing now, emanating the scent of a Grimsbanne, was because of what Abel had done to her. He couldn’t bear the grief of losing her and thus, he offered his life to revive her.

Abel placed his heart in Aries; he extended his life in his wife’s. If Aries embraced the light, the light would extinguish all impurities that were within her. That included Abel’s life, for he was born a sin. 

Once Aries embraced the light, everything would change. She would live and breathe for the mainland, carrying the will of the first monarch. With the power of Maleficent, she would be able to do her duties without a problem.

And then… Abel Grimsbanne would be no more. Abel’s death would mark the extinction of the Grimsbanne. This land would be free of the Grimsbanne and the land will be greater than ever. 

That was what Giselle believed. She had met many rulers of the land, and she had witnessed their changes right after being anointed as the king of the vampires. Although most of them failed to kill the Grimsbanne or simply let them be for the good of the mainland, this time was different. 

‘The Grimsbanne… you will all die.’ Giselle’s unchanging countenance appeared colder. ‘The will of all those I served will be finally attained. This land will be free.’

The corner of her lips curled up as the light shining through Aries’s body spread through her. The light grew brighter as if Aries was light, and her scream grew louder before it stopped. 

The battles around halted when the great hall was shrouded in a blinding light. They all turned their heads in Aries’s direction, but could only see the bright light from within her. 

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The last thing Aries remembered was the scorching heat burning her flesh. She saw the light and embraced it. Even though the light was within her, it took her some time to reach it. But once she did, her pain only doubled, and then no more. 

“Huh?” Aries blinked, confused. “Where am I?”

Her brows furrowed, looking around at her surroundings. As she did, she caught a figure not far away from her. It was a man; a man she had never seen before. 

‘You are…’ Aries gazed at the man’s back while staring out at the massive balcony. 

It was already night, but somehow, the moon’s light was brighter than it was supposed to be. There were only two of them: Aries and the man. 

“Back in the day, they said vampires can’t walk under the sun as punishment after the holy war.” Aries nearly flinched when the man suddenly spoke. “Vampires and wolves were a product of a sinful tale of two individuals. They said the god of the underworld fell in love with the beauty of the moon goddess. His desire for her was so intense he would do anything to have her.”

The man looked heavenward, gazing at the full moon. “One would think the god of the underworld was selfish. He was, but the moon goddess was not any better. She used the god of the underworld’s affection to her own advantage. The fruit of their deceitful affair was us, vampires.”

“But when her real motives were revealed, she cursed her children with the god of the underworld. That curse was for us to fear the light,” he continued in the same calm tone. “Vampires were said to turn into ash once the sunlight hit us. Thanks to the god of the underworld, he lifted the curse. His decision was not because of love, but rather, it was a decision to spite her.”

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“Come here,” he added. 

Aries gulped and slowly advanced in his direction. She stopped beside him, eyes falling on where he had been staring. As soon as Aries caught the fire and smoke ahead, her eyes widened. 

“This land and our kind were cursed from the beginning. Wolves and vampires and witches had put a balance to this world,” he continued, setting his eyes on the chaos in their land. “I don’t have a long life ahead. However, I will not leave the mortal realm without assuring my people’s safety. In a while, this land will part from the rest of the world. It will remain hidden for as long as someone will protect it.”

The man slowly faced Aries, watching her look back at him. “Will you do me a favor? Aries Grimsbanne?”