12 Chapter-12 Stay cautious

"You did well today," The prince commented as soon as he entered his room, and Elliana turned to look at him with a perplexed smile.

Was he really saying she did a good job with the family?

This was the first genuine compliment she received from him. Elliana felt her heart skip a beat when she stared at his eyes for too long and averted her gaze quietly.

"I am glad," she spoke in her honey-sweet voice, and Sebastian looked at her one more time before entering the bathroom to have a long relaxing bath and change into his casual clothes.

After having a heated discussion with his grandpa, he doesn't feel like visiting the market to check the reports with the rogues.

As Sebastian took off his mask and placed it on the counter, he looked at his face before sighing and walking to the bathtub.

In honesty, he hadn't expected Elliana to be so docile and do exactly what he said. Maybe if she stayed like this, living with her might not be a tough task. Sebastian closed his eyes, his mind clouded with all the things his grandpa said to him.

So the old man indeed did this deliberately. If he thinks a human bride will stop him from fighting Stephano for the throne, he doesn't know how wrong he is. Sebastian smirked.

His father, Leonardo, was also the youngest son. But with his grip over the kingdom and strategic practices of winning the favor of the subjects in the vampire kingdom, he took over the throne, breaking all the hierarchical rules. And Sebastian intended to maintain the example his father set.

He also needs to find out more about what the council is planning. Those maps displayed on the large screen of the conference room that his agent recorded and got his hands on by almost risking his life weren't the normal maps of the state or even country. Those pointers and those red marks had some significance, and he needs to find out about it soon before making his next step.

Meanwhile, Elliana walked downstairs with a book hidden between her hands, not having anything to do.

"Miss Zoya, can you show me to the library?" Elliana asked, and when the head maid looked at the book in her hand, she nodded understandingly.

"By the way, you don't really need to go to the library to read any book. The whole palace remains quiet most of the time. Besides, the youngest prince also barely goes back to his room. He used to stay in his office most of the time, even before you came," Miss Zoya commented, but Elliana didn't say anything.

"Miss Zoya, about your daughter's fee for the College, I will pay for it," Elliana said as they stood at the door of the library, and Miss Zoya halted with wide eyes before booking at the princess as if she asked him to commit some sin.

"No, Princess. What are you talking about? How can I take money from you? No. I won't. The prince will kill me if he finds out I took money from you. Please drop this idea. This can't happen," Miss Zoya said, and Elliana held Zoya's hand.

"I insist. This money is given to me by the prince as a wedding gift, and it's up to me how I spend it. I would rather spend it on someone's education than on materialistic things that I don't lack. Please let me do this. It will make me really happy," Elliana blinked at Miss Zoya and was about to add more when her mind got struck with another snippet from Zoya's recent memories.

~~~~~

"Miss Zoya, I hope I won't have to tell you twice who you ultimately work for. You might be the closest one to the youngest prince, but never forget that I was the one who saved your husband from the punishment that might have left you as a widow," Stephano said while Ruth stood behind him.

"I understand, sir. Please tell me what I need to report to you this time," Miss Zoya bowed her head, knowing all too well that if she said something else, the prince wouldn't think twice before attacking her in the worst way possible. He might go and directly kill her husband that he saved.

The moment she heard her husband committed a grave sin and King Leonardo was going to punish him, but Stephano saved her husband, she knew why the elder prince did that. And she has been paying for it till now.

"Come on, son. Do you need to remind her of our good doing every time you talk to her or need information? Stop being so rude to her. Miss Zoya knows where her loyalty should be, right Miss Zoya?" Ruth asked, her eyes turning slightly red, and Zoya shook before nodding.

"Yes, madam. My loyalty stays with the head family, and the first son," Miss Zoya buttered more, and Ruth smiled.

"See? This wasn't so hard now, was it? Now what you are going to do is give us every single bit of information about this new princess and how her relationship with Sebastian is, especially when they fight, or Sebastian loses his temper around her," Ruth said, and Miss Zoya nodded.

"This old man has married this girl to the youngest prince for a reason, and until the reason is cleared, we will have to keep a gaze at her. She doesn't look like someone easy either. That shudders that I felt when I touched her, making me tighten my grip around her and -" Ruth paused before looking at Miss Zoya.

"I hope we won't have to remind you of everything again, right? I will call you from time to time to gossip, okay? Don't you dare think about double-crossing us, yeah? Because if we decide we need to get this world rid of a head maid, her adopted daughter, and a drunkard husband, it won't be too hard," Ruth smiled sweetly before stepping closer to Miss Zoya and placing her hand on Zoya's shoulder.

"And guess what? Sebastian won't be able to do anything," Ruth grinned, her eyes glowing evilly as Stephano chuckled behind his mother, and both walked away, leaving Zoya with her messed up thoughts.

What should I do now? Should I really report everything? But the prince is like my own child. Miss Zoya thought, leaning on the wall with a hand over her chest to calm her raging heart, pumping blood furiously in her veins, making her crave blood.

~~~~

Elliana looked at Miss Zoya blankly before removing her hands from her.

"Miss Elliana? What are you thinking about? I have been calling you for some time," Miss Zoya's words made Elliana smile.

"As I said, let me pay for the tuition, okay?" Elliana asked, and Miss Zoya finally gave in.

"Thank you so much, princess, for your kindness. I will never disappoint you. My loyalties are with you. If you need any help, I will always be there for you," Miss Zoya bowed and held Elliana's hand before kissing the top of them to show her appreciation.

Elliana smiled at her comment of loyalty, not saying anything nonetheless.

"Don't thank me. I am doing this for my happiness. Helping others makes me happy because I believe God will bring more happiness to me if I keep being good to people," Elliana turned to enter the library. However, when she saw no movement behind her, she half-turned toward Miss Zoya.

"I would like to read in peace and solace," Elliana's words made Miss Zoya nod, and she left immediately, a warm feeling about the princess in her heart.

The smile on Elliana's face immediately dropped. It was clear who were the people she needed to stay wary of even when they pretended to be the best around her.

Things weren't too different. Apart from the fact that the vampires had special abilities that upgraded with their hierarchy, people's nature in both humans and vampires were more or less the same.

Or was it a royal thing?

Elliana pulled out the book she had brought to read in the library.

She didn't know what kind of man this vampire prince actually was, but back at her home, her stepmom didn't like it when she used to catch Elliana reading books, irrespective of whatever genre they were. According to her, it was a waste of time for Elliana since she would never get to study more after high school and indulge in politics.

The library in the young vampire's palace was no joke. She was not even halfway inside and knew it would be a good tour. She could count around twenty big shelves in front of her, and there were around five times those shelves in the hall.

Has the prince read all these books? Elliana thought. It must've taken a buck load of effort and time to read them, no? This reminds her, she was still unaware of how old her husband was. Then again, it shouldn't be a surprise. She doesn't even know what her husband looks like.

It's good this way. At least she is out of the danger's way. As long as she minds her business and doesn't interrupt him with anything, she might live a longer life.

With a content smile, as she fell away from the actual world and her problems among these books, Elliana looked around before walking to the vampire's history. If she is going to live as the bride of the youngest vampire prince competing for the throne, she might as well start knowing a little about them.

She will start looking into the history books when she is unable to sleep and wants to kill her time. Right now, she should focus on the book that she had brought with her stuff.

This was the latest edition she had been wanting to get her hands on since a year ago. It was the second last book of the released series of her favorite book. If she hadn't been in prison, she would've read all of them once again. That's how much she liked reading them.

After finding a good spot in the corner near the window with sunlight peeping in and illuminating the area, farthest from the door, Elliana sat on the ground with her back to the shelf.

'Aaahh, finally. My love, my baby, I am glad I asked maid Sasha to bring all the latest series and sequels of all the books I had been reading,' Elliana kissed the cover, smelling the scent of the fresh pages before smiling with contentment.