Chapter 8 : The Promise

Antoinette Halliday, Louise Dowd, Stephen William Cornish - Fade

laylagriffin_

Luca's POV

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These black and grey brick walls were the same as before from when I was 10. Nothing has changed from back then. The same old candles with pentagrams drawn all over the wall to keep away demons from entering this part of the castle where all the royal family reside. This place is also warded off with the Apotropaic Magic used on the symbols. Any dark entity that tries to enter will burn into ash. The floor also felt damp with moisture as the corridors here were open and when it rains heavily, it gets wet easily.

To me, walking in these corridors was a nightmare. A nightmare from when I was 10 that haunted me. Even to a guy like me, there are traumatic things that I never could forget or make them disappear from my mind completely. I still hear the screams of women and children. Like a loud ringing bell, my ears still get filled with the screams. To control it, I had to always silence everything around me. Of course, I was small when there was chaos right in front of me. Everyone might think this is wonderful, but I know it's darker sides. I have seen how this castle was before because I was there when I watched Princess Althenea for the last time. It was the day I never forgot and will never forget as she left me a huge task to complete before she vanished.

My thoughts shatter when we come face to face with the huge brown wooden door. I hesitated for a while before I knocked on it. Rose looked up at me with concern and a bit of worry as to why I was hesitating. I have always hated my mother lecturing me every time I was called to meet her. Well, I do not like to take the throne after her. Can't someone like me be an ordinary spiritualist with no royal duties to work on? No, I never liked and never obeyed the royal duties that I was given.

Before I could knock on the door, it suddenly opened up revealing Mr Virmin; the royal butler of my family and also my mother's personal knight that stands beside her like a bodyguard. After my father's mysterious death, my mother kept Mr Virmin by her side to help her with royal duties. You could say, my mother changed after my father's death that she seemed to be controlled by Mr Virmin. This is why my mother always gets angry with me because I am investigating my father's mysterious death. If he was dead, where was his body? As far as I knew, no one found my father's body after he went to war with the Darketholon. The dark side where all the dark entities reside.

"Young master, young miss, your mother is expecting you in the tea room. Please follow me." Mr Virmin spoke in a formal respectful manner as he directed to the tea room.

Before he could say anything, I just started to walk in a rush as I needed to get this talk done. Rose and Mr Virmin followed suit. Mr Virmin was partly speed walking as he couldn't catch up to the speed I was walking. Rose didn't have trouble following me as she was used to this since the day she was born. Rose wasn't the type that socialized with anyone. She rarely even spoke to anyone, always she would spend time all by herself. This was because our mother was always busy with her royal duties. Every now and then, I always spent time with Rose and I did my best to spend time with her alot. Though she was of royal blood, she was always an outcast that people always started to make unnecessary false rumors of her having evilness in her blood. But, to see her get along with Ruby, it makes me feel a little happy as she made a friend for the first time in her life. Plus, Ruby is similar to Rose though she has her ways of being a little bit of a chatterbox and slightly annoying.

"Young master, please slow down. You're-" Mr Virmin tried to slow down my pace as I just ignored him and continued walking.

"What is it mother? Why did you call us? I have a huge schedule at hand and I need to get them done." I threw open the tea room doors as I loudly spoke to the women seated on the silver glass table with papers and a tea cup in her hand, reading.

"Is that how have I taught you to enter my quarters? Where are your manners Luca?" My mother spoke in such patience and calmness that she still had her eyes glued at the papers in front of her.

"I am busy, so I need to hear what you have to say quickly." I was getting frustrated, as I ran a hand over my hair in anger.

"Brother, you should properly try to talk more calmly..." Rose looked up at me with a soft smile as she kept her hands in the front feeling a little scared.

I patted her head with a smile. "It's alright. She's like that always. Don't worry about me."

"I have been going through the two kids that just arrived. One is assigned to you. She's quite a mysterious girl." A smile that only I knew what it meant, crossed over her face as she said it.

"She's not someone you should lay your hands on!" I shouted in anger as my hands clenched into fits.

She suddenly looked up from the papers and held her teacup just in front of her lips and gave me a smile. "Is it because she resembles her?"

That question suddenly hit my chest like a dart. It was something that I dreaded would happen. Of all the people in this castle, I never expected my mother to find out about Ruby. The words that Princess Althenea said to me last, started to play in my mind like an audiotape recorder.

"Lucian, I need you to protect someone that might probably look like me. She will have black hair and due to her vast ability in power, the roots of her hair will be red. This will probably affect her, but I know she will be someone strong. She will be with humans and will be raised by a couple in the human realm. Please protect her for me."

Those words had always haunted me and since the day she vanished, I did my best in all my studies and to use my abilities well just so I could protect that one child Princess Althenea left me with. The moment I saw Ruby in the school grounds trying to break free from the demon's powers, I knew she had the power to protect herself and that wasn't the first time I have seen Ruby.

"She's still not yours to handle." I answered her with seriousness that I never once used on my mother.

"Looks like you are dead serious on protecting her. Well then, I have nothing against her at the moment but, I will be watching. I came to ask you both anyway to get to know her." Mother stood up from her chair, putting the teacup down and walking towards the huge arch windows that overlooked the field for combat training.

"What are you trying to do?" I asked her in anger.

Mother looked calm as she kept staring out the window and with her hands crossed over her chest. Mr Virmin looked a bit angry as he walked up to my mother. Rose gave me a sympathetic look as she got a little close to me, feeling a little scared.

"Rose," Mother called out to her as she turned towards us with a smile on her face. I knew that smile was fake. It was only for Rose to not fear her.

"I want you to keep a close eye on Ruby and you need to update me on her whenever I call you." Mother used her serious voice, staring intensely at Rose.

Rose hesitated as she started to play with her hands. I knew she was nervous and with her having a best friend now for the first time, I knew she didn't feel like following her mother's orders. She looked down for a second and then, to my surprise, she removed her glasses and told her what she had to say.

"No mother, I won't. You never cared about me at all. You were always so busy with work that you never once wanted to spend time with your daughter. Ruby is my best friend and will always be. I won't do anything that would hurt her." Rose answered with her eyes glowing with flames.

As her brother, I felt proud of her for finally speaking up. After all these years, she finally let out her flames.

"So be it then! Get out of my sight, both of you! You both are no use to me as of now! But, remember this. I will never go easy on her!" She turned her back to us in anger.

Rose turned towards me and gave me a wide grin. I smiled back at her as we started to walk towards the wooden doors.

"I will help you protect Ruby, brother." Rose answered with confidence for the first time.

I patted her head with the best smile I could give her. "Of course! I'm so proud of you. You finally spoke up."

"Yes, it's all thanks to you." Rose gave me one of her best smiles as she said this. I returned her a smile back.

As we both got out of the wooden doors, we teleported to the dinning hall to find a huge fight happening before us. Looks like one needs some proper training and the other, anger issue management. It wasn't a fight with using any part of the body, it was a fight with food.

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Hey guys!
It's me again! Yeah, I told myself I wouldn't do this, but my gut said to do it! 😂 You guys don't know but my mind was like, both of my good angel and dark satan were having a conversation.

Angel Kei: Kei, no you are not going to put the chapter out! Even if you had written chapters early, YOU ARE NOT!

Satan Kei: Yes! You are going to publish one more chapter! Come on! Click the publish button!

Kei: Guys! Come on! I can't do this! 😫 I want put it up but I can't! What do I do?!!!!!

Satan Kei: Just do it! Is that even hard?!

Angel Kei: No don't listen to that geezer! Just be patient Kei. Come on, you can hold it in right? 😇

Kei: But... I- ugh! I give up! I am doing it!

Satan Kei: YES! 😎 THAT'S MY GIRL!

Angel Kei: No!!!! 🥺

So yeah guys, I had to find against my mind to whether I should put this up or not. Let's consider this chapter as a bonus gift update for you all alright? 🤭😁 I anyway want to het this book finished sooner 😂

Question time!
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What do you think Luca's and Rose's mother has planned for Ruby? And if you were in Rose's or Luca's state, what would you have done?
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Comment down your answers! I would love to know! 🤭 Also, if you loved this chapter, please vote! It would make me happier!

I gotta say, I love you guys for giving this book so much love and support. It really means a lot. I love you guys! ❤️ Thank you so much!

Look forward to the next chapter. Its definitely a chapter worth looking forward to 🤭

Well then, adios amigos!

Until next time!

- Kei