Josef returned home with a terrible headache from the evening's events. Too many things had happened that didn't add up in his hunter's mind.

The prevailing hypothesis was that the Regulus were vampires and that as such they might be the culprits behind Aloysia's murder, but some points didn't coincide.

They were not the usual vampires he had dealt with.

They did not look like ruthless monsters.

He imprecated realising what was going on.

He had let himself be captivated by Maria's beauty and had behaved differently than usual.

He closed his eyes.

He still remembered with the same intensity.

Something very similar had also happened to him the other time.

He had been dazzled.

A thunderbolt that had led him to behave differently than usual and to break out of his usual patterns.

He growled and punched the wall.

He felt disgust for himself.

How could he compare the two events?

They had nothing to do with each other.

He took a couple of deep breaths and went back to thinking like a vampire hunter, analysing the elements of the evening.

He would just have to remember Maria's monstrous nature to calm his thoughts.

It wasn't so difficult, certainly not the main problem.

He remembered how Herius was watching him at the beginning of the evening and how he seemed to have sent Maria to conquer him.

He threw the fur coat on the sofa.

They seemed to know who he was.

He loosened his shirt and threw himself on the sofa.

So there was a possibility that they had come especially for him.

But for what reason?

To kill him and take some strange credit within the vampire society?

He stared at the ceiling, remembering the impression Duke Regulus had given him.

Perhaps he wasn't a vampire who needed a place in the society of the night, but he would only be able to understand that by hanging out with him.

Regardless of Herius' position, it seemed rather obvious to him that killing a vampire hunter could only be something positive.

And he had just been invited by his potential killers.

He would have barded himself further to avoid being bled to death like any unprepared mortal.

Maria's voice inviting Amalia to her house for tea suddenly crossed his mind.

He jumped up with a strange feeling.

He didn't want that girl to get further involved in that affair. It wasn't like when they had gone out togethrt. In that case he would have been ready to defend her.

If Amalia decided to accept Maria's invitation, no one would be able to defend her against them.

He stopped himself from thinking in order to prevent unpleasant memories from flooding back to his mind. He had to stay focused. It was not only Amalia's life that was in danger, anyone's could be wiped out if he didn't act with lucidity.

He reorganised the elements he had.

The Regulus had taken it upon themselves to take part in a dance and had not merely looked down on all the participants, ignoring any social duty; on the contrary, they had woven nets.

Strange connections, but they had done it.

He was fairly certain that Herius had exchanged a few words with others as well before heading towards the Reddans.

It wouldn't have made sense to bother networking with anyone and then blatantly commit murder.

Or was that even an option?

He didn't think so, but he couldn't rule it out.

The Reddans were in any case the most 'involved' in the murder story, whether it was no coincidence that Duke Regulus had turned to them?

But why make friends with young Amalia?

What perverse game were they playing?

He struggled to understand how the pieces of the puzzle could fit together.

The only way to make them fit was to carefully study the wolf's den.

On the carriage that would take the Reddans back to their home, Amalia was lost in the blurred skein that her thoughts had now become, the different scenes of the evening swirling in a blur, waiting to be transposed. But to take them in would have meant for her having to come to terms with a reality she may not have liked. A reality she would have liked to avoid.

"Let's hope the duke's daughter actually invites you over, Amalia. It would be an excellent opportunity for you!" Exalted Countess Reddan exclaimed.

The girl merely asserted, knowing that her opinion would count for nothing in that matter.

"Indeed. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After what happened with Dietrich we needed something to get us over those unpleasant events."

And the two continued to disquisition about that the rest of the way, not noticing the storm Amalia was going through at that moment.

She agreed that it was to her advantage not to be taken to task, she would probably burst into tears if she was forced to talk for more than two minutes.

She tried to block the flow of her thoughts as much as possible; when she was in her room she would try to get some clarity within herself.

She had not spent much time with Josef and didn't even know him well enough to be able to rationally explain what was happening to her now, as warm tears caressed her face.

Why was she crying?

Had the man promised her something?

Had he taken any action that could make her believe that there was something between them?

That he considered her more than just a customer?

The answer was clear, simple.

An unequivocal no.

There was not a single element that could make her even hope that something would happen.

And yet.

And yet she was crying.

She hated herself for her weakness of spirit.

It had always been clear that Josef was only there to work, but to see him react like that in front of that girl had killed her.

She wished she could have been looked at by him in the same way.

With the same sincere admiration.

She squeezed the pillow tighter to soothe her tears.

She couldn't even blame him.

Maria Regulus was truly beautiful.

Those stories about her being a Lorelei were no exaggeration.

She had never seen anyone who could compete with her.

She couldn't be too surprised if Josef found her interesting.

And she couldn't blame him if he tried to make a connection with her.

Who wouldn't?

She remembered the first night she had danced with him, a completely different scene compared to what had happened here. Incidentally, the two had danced more than once, evidently enjoying each other's company.

Fate had definitely contributed to making that experience more miserable than it seemed to her.

Not only had she had to witness the mockery of seeing Josef in that state, but the girl for whom the man had taken a fancy had invited her to have tea with her.

Her weeping subsided as she thought back on this situation.

Who knows why Duke Regulus had approached them and why Mary had asked her to visit.

Sure, they were one of the most important families, but they were certainly not the only ones of account in Gibergan.

A dark thought crossed her mind.

But they were the only ones who had ended up at the centre of the latest events.

That there was a connection?

But what could it be?

She couldn't imagine a reasonable answer to that question.

However, considering that they had also returned to Gibergan just shortly after those events, perhaps there was something then.

And the only way she could get clarity was to make a connection with Maria, at least he would have an excuse to get out of those four walls.

She thought again about the young girl.

In retrospect, not only was she beautiful, but Duke Regulus was also no less so.

She wondered how old he could be.

He hadn't seemed that old to her.

She would pay more attention to it later.

And here she realised she had a problem.

Or a consolation, depending on your point of view.

Namely, Josef's presence at the dukes' house and the possibility of meeting him if he started a friendship with the young duchess.

Her mind began to gallop.

She imagined Maria and Josef officially together.

Him greeting her with a kiss on the cheek before letting her enjoy a chat with a friend.

Amalia.

Stop it.

You're making a fool of yourself.

She had to find something that would allow her to distract herself and avoid thinking too much about Josef. There was already her brother Dietrich going mad with love, she had no intention of ending up in the same spiral of pain as him.

What could she do?

She had to find something her parents were also willing to approve of....

An idea came to her. The next day she would make her case to try to get what she wanted.

The night had been particularly restless and strange dreams had made her sleep less than usual, but she had a mission to fulfil.

"Father, may I speak with you?"

"Tell me."

She swallowed nervously.

"I'd like to start something new."

The father lifted his gaze to her questioningly. "Are you finally going to take up the art of embroidery again? Your mother would be happy."

"Actually, I was thinking of something else..." Her confidence was definitely wavering.

"Darling, tell me."

"I'd like to go horseback riding."

A long moment of silence followed his statement.

"On horseback?"

The count asked in a puzzled tone.

"Yes, I need something more stimulating than simple embroidery."

"You need it to ride around with that one? After your exit some rumours have reached me too, you know."

"Do you really think there can be anything between us after what happened at the ball?" She asked venomously.

The father sighed. "Your brother was enough for me to pursue foolish and senseless loves."

Amalia restrained herself from shouting at her father the worst things on her mind, but that wasn't her goal. Not at that moment at least.

"Then consider this wish of mine as a sort of distraction that will allow me not to repeat Dietrich's mistakes. If you allow me to go riding I will be so happy and busy that I will easily forget about the rest." Or at least that was what she hoped for.

The father sighed.

"All right Amalia. If that is what you wish it can be done."

"I thank you father."

And she made to leave, but the man held her back.

"Amalia, wait."

The girl turned suspiciously towards her father. Would he have raised any objections?

"A letter arrived for you."

"A letter for me?"

The father smiled.

"Yes from the daughter of Duke Regulus. I suppose she is intent on completing what was mentioned yesterday, isn't that a splendid thing?"

Amalia smiled.

That was why her father hadn't resisted her proposal too much.

She left the man's study with the precious letter in her hands.

Her means of reaching Maria, but perhaps also Josef.

Being with the girl would allow her to know the exact evolution of their relationship without having to try to deduce elements from the rumours.

And, perhaps, who knows, she would also discover more about those secrets that Josef seemed to be hiding in his soul.

8/12/2022
I've also added here a drawing of Amalia, I'll try to fix it later lol

Do you think our Amalia is a bit too dramatic???

Next chapter: The Wolf's Lair