Chapter 211 - Don't Die... Just Yet.
Chapter 211 – Don’t Die… Just Yet.
The emperor threw a dinner banquet for the arrival of his children, just as he claimed. Azazel was cultured shock at the chaotic dinner hall with the energy of the Tempest siblings. Some even surrounded him, bombarding him with some vampire jokes.
Not just Azazel, but his aide, Cedrick, was also stunned by the warmth and welcoming atmosphere of the werewolves. I could understand their shock since I was the same when I first arrived in this place.
Amidst the dinner, Hugo excused himself as he had to report separately to the emperor. So the two of them left the dining hall.
Minutes after they left, I also excused myself from everyone. Fortunately, Alice also had to follow Hugo and the emperor. Meanwhile, Cora was busy showering her husband with some love. Teresa and Priscilla were too busy stopping the fuming Sally from killing her other brothers, too.
In other words, I didn't get held up in the dining hall and was able to slip away silently. I didn't head straight to the seventh prince's quarters, my husband's chambers. But instead, I went to the crown prince.
His doors were guarded. They didn't permit me to see Daniel, but Daniel opened the door from the inside. Hence, now, here I was, sitting on the armchair beside his bed, while he fixed the blanket to cover his legs.
"I didn't think you will visit me this soon," he muttered, breaking the silence between us. Daniel rested his back against the bed's headboard, eyes on me. "It seems it works out well in the end. The world still found a way for you and Hugh to meet. If this is not fate, I don't know what this is called."
"How are you?" I asked, ignoring his remarks. "You don't look so well."
My eyes studied him. Just one look was enough to know his health condition.
Daniel lost a lot of weight, and his complexion was paler than Azazel. Unlike before, Daniel didn't look that intimidating anymore, despite his youthful appearance. He just looked… sick.
"Is that sarcasm?" he laughed in ridicule. "You know the reason I am like this, Rinnie. The only reason I was able to stand and welcome you here is that it's you, my mate."
"Hugo knew."
"I know. I told him everything."
"Are you sure you told him everything?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. I carefully observed his reaction, and as expected, he furrowed his brows. In that case, Daniel wasn't aware of Hugo and the wolf's actions in his primal state way back in history.
"Do you think I kept some information from him? Hugo already knew why I am in this state and he also knew you are the reason I am like this." His expression faded into a cold front. "What is there that doesn't satisfy you, Rinnie?"
I pressed my lips into a thin line, staring at him straight in the eye. "You can't die, Dan."
"Hah… hahaha!" Daniel laughed in ridicule as if he had heard the greatest joke he had ever heard. "You… don't want me to die? But didn't we agree to leave this world silently without causing trouble?"
"We did. However, things had changed."
"The only constant in this world is change, Rinnie. You and I… we know this very well."
"That is why you can't die… just yet," I stressed solemnly, watching him raise a brow. "If Hugo and your siblings are really important to you, you will have to struggle for a bit."
Daniel let out a short scoff, batting his eyes ever so slowly. "What do you want from me, Rinnie? Do you… still hate me that you want to prolong my suffering?"
I clasped my hands that were on my lap, eyes fixed on him. His eyes were filled with ridicule, running his fingers through his hair.
"Whatever that vampire is planning to do, you can always stop him." He leaned back, letting out a sharp exhale. "Of course, I love my siblings. They're the only ones who made me feel loved and accepted — especially Hugo. I can't keep hurting him by staying alive, knowing the reason I am out of breath is that the woman he loved is the same woman this mortal body yearned for."
"We can only save one person at a time, Rinnie," he continued in the same low and melancholic tone. "I had been selfish in the past. For once… I want to do something that wouldn't benefit me. I want to do the right thing for once."
"Are you certain death is the right thing to do?" he quirked a brow as he slowly set his eyes back to me. "Daniel, if you die… Hugo will die."
"Huh?"
"Back in Althea, Niall unleashed a great power that nearly ruined the small kingdom. There is no blood that is shed, but people disappeared until they turned to ash," I explained, summarizing the important details this man needed to know. "Do you know how that dark shroud that enveloped Althea disappeared?"
There was a moment of silence between us as we stared at each other. My expression gradually turned cold as my tensed shoulders relaxed.
"Hugo ate it," I spoke after a minute of nothing but silence, causing his brows to furrow. "Sounds familiar? Way back in history, gods believed the wolf's mouth can stretch and swallow the moon and sun; those two that give light to this world. For Hugo to devour the darkness cast by Niall… there is something you had forgotten, did you?"
Once again, silence descended on us. Daniel looked down, tilting his head to the side in confusion. We both believed that the only person who could stop the child of evil was the wolf or the lamb. Daniel wasn't afraid of dying, knowing I would live with or without him. Using my affection for Hugo, he knew I would sacrifice myself to save him and the werewolves.
"Daniel, what I'm saying is, there were things you had done before I cursed you. In that primal state during the holy war… we did things we cannot remember, but Niall did," I continued in the same seriousness in my voice. "Did you… split your soul in half out of loneliness?"
Daniel froze, eyes dilating as he looked back at me blankly. "What…" he trailed off as his brows suddenly furrowed.
I knew it.
"Where is it?" I asked as my eyes darkened.. "The mask, Daniel. Where is it?"