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"How?" the girl whispered, stunned. Her wide eyes trembled in disbelief.
She hadn't expected anyone to notice her pregnancy ...not when she had gone through such lengths to hide it. Yet here stood this strange councilwoman, speaking truths no one else dared to utter.
"I wouldn't advise remaining in an abusive home," Della said gently, "not for your child's sake."
The girl's cheeks flushed scarlet, shame clouding her expression. Before she could respond, a firm knock came at the door. She turned quickly and opened it to reveal her father—the magistrate.
Her face dropped.
He entered with ease, pausing mid-step at the sight of visitors. His gaze landed first on Della, whom he recognized from her last visit. But then his eyes shifted to the man beside her, and something changed.
"Councilwoman," he greeted, offering Della a thin smile, but his stare lingered longer than necessary on Lord Lucas. The discomfort was mutual.
"We finally meet," Lord Lucas said, smiling coolly.
The magistrate's back stiffened. He recognized what the councilman was—vampire. But more than that, he sensed something ancient. And dangerous.
"A council official?" the magistrate asked, his tone far from respectful.
"I'm Councilman Ian," Lord Lucas replied, using the name of a well-known acquaintance in the capital.
"Ah... You're welcome to my home, sire," the magistrate said, adjusting his stance, masking his unease with courtesy. "May I know what brings you here?"
"You seem to have a curious manner of disregarding the council," Lord Lucas replied smoothly, lips twitching with mock amusement. "Little respect. Dismissive tone. I've heard stories."
The magistrate blinked, stiffening. "I would never disregard the council. The councilwoman visited recently regarding a resolved incident. There was no cause for further concern."
"I'm sure," Lord Lucas said, his tone laced with irony. "We'd like a tour of the village. Your perspective, as a long-standing magistrate, could be... enlightening."
The magistrate hesitated, offering a weak smile. "Unfortunately, I have pressing duties—"
Before the sentence ended, Lord Lucas was suddenly standing directly in front of him.
The magistrate flinched, startled by the unnatural swiftness of his movement.
"You seem to have a lot of courage for a man with so many secrets," Lucas said softly, eyes narrowing.
The magistrate stepped back, flustered. "Who the hell are you?"
Lord Lucas yawned as if bored by the question. "A councilman, or are you daft?"
The magistrate clenched his jaw but said nothing. He didn't know who this man truly was, but something warned him not to test him.
"Are you willing to give the tour now?" Lord Lucas asked, a subtle smile lifting his lips.
There was silence.
Then, reluctantly, the magistrate nodded.
—
The village had changed since Della last came. Though the witch had supposedly been driven away, a pall of fear still lingered. Curtains stayed drawn. Doors remained shut. The streets were unusually empty.
"The villagers are still hiding," Della observed.
"Yes," the magistrate said, voice dull. "They've grown hesitant to return to normal life."
"You sound... comfortable with that," Lord Lucas said, eyes cold.
The magistrate didn't answer.
Eventually, their walk led them to a farmland outside the village. Dozens of villagers worked under the cold sun, sweat glistening on their backs as they tilled the frozen earth. The sight unsettled Della.
"So many," she whispered.
"They work hard," the magistrate said with pride. "This land is mine."
Lord Lucas's eyes narrowed, but before he could speak, Della froze.
She'd spotted a familiar face.
"Xavier?"
The young man turned quickly at the sound of his name. Surprise lit his face when he saw Della...but faded into tension when his eyes met Lord Lucas's.
He walked toward them, dressed simply. Gone were his servant clothes...he blended easily with the workers.
"Milord," he greeted, bowing to Lucas before turning to Della. "What brings you here?"
"We might ask you the same," Lord Lucas muttered.
Xavier stood a little straighter. "I work at Councilman Fredrick's estate," he said clearly. "I was sent to investigate the village, gather information discreetly."
"A servant?" Lucas asked, lip curling.
Xavier flinched but didn't respond.
"Why are you here?" Xavier asked Della, ignoring the vampire.
"I'm with Councilman Ian," she answered, forcing a small smile. It felt strange to lie, but it was necessary.
Xavier nodded slowly. "I'll see you around then," he said, giving her one last glance before turning away.
Lord Lucas watched him with narrowed eyes. Della could feel it—the disdain, the possessiveness. She didn't understand it fully yet, but it unsettled her.
Then her eyes landed on another woman.
"That's the mother of the boy who died," she said, watching the woman work under the pale sun, her body bent with exhaustion.
"Yes," the magistrate replied. "Her husband usually works the land, but he's been away."
Lord Lucas spoke again, this time with a biting edge. "What do you pay your workers?"
The magistrate hesitated.
Lord Lucas called one of the workers forward.
The man came humbly, his hands stained with soil. He bowed. "Yes, milord?"
"How much are you paid?"
The man hesitated. Then, quietly, "Five gold coins per week."
Della gasped.
Her lips tightened. "It's too much labor for so little."
Lord Lucas's eyes darkened. "How greedy."
The magistrate's eyes flickered with irritation. But he said nothing.
"You seem to collect many sins for one man," Lord Lucas muttered. "I wonder how long your little empire will last."
The magistrate said nothing, but Della could see the anger simmering beneath his skin.
As they turned to leave, Della glanced back one more time at the tired villagers.
There was something wrong with this village—beyond the witches, beyond the council.
And she had the sinking feeling that the truth was buried far deeper than anyone had dared to dig.