The Duke Augustus Louie de Vicar's POV:

I tried focusing on my work but the bubbly blonde in front of me kept depriving my attention away.

"Lady Delrose, what are you doing here?" I placed my quill down on the desk and laid my head in my hand.

"Keeping my amazing future fiancé company!" She giggled and blushed at her own fantasies.

I was about to ask her to leave until the doors to my study were abruptly thrown open, revealing Lady Vastroth with Andrik and Miss Genoth.

Lady Vastroth's eyes went down to Lady Delrose, "What are you still doing here?"

"I'm visiting the town for a bit and since I'm a noble, I'm the Duke's guest. I could ask the same of you honestly." Delrose looked at her nails trying to prove that she wasn't very interested in Lady Vastroth.

"It's quite obvious why I'm here but I wouldn't expect someone as dumb as you to understand. My house is too far away and the Duke suspects that I'm working with my sister. Am I wrong?"

My eyes widened in shock as she threw her allegation at me, but she wasn't wrong. We didn't know if she was working with her sister and that meant he have to keep a close eye on her.

I even had someone tail her while she was on her small outting.

I quickly motioned towards Lady Delrose so that she could take her leave. She got the gist of it but wasn't very happy when she stormed out.

"No, but why are you here and with guests nonetheless?" I quickly adverted the topic back to where it needs to be before any unnecessary comments were made.

Vastroth gasped as if she just remembered something, "how could I forget! Duke have you met Lady Genoth?"

I slightly nodded my head, "we've come across each other a few times."

"Well, good. Saves me the trouble of introducing her. I was in her shop when we both.... sensed blood magic." Vastroth turned her eyes to Lady Genoth who nodded her head in agreement to what she was saying.

"It disturbed us both so we decided to follow the perpetrators. Sadly, we lost sight of them." She slightly glanced towards Andrik but quickly resumed her eyes towards me.

I thought about it for second before deciding I should investigate what these two witches saw. "This is certainly troubling. I'll send some people out to investigate immediately. Where did you say this was?"

Lady Genoth's calming voice joined our conversation, "it was in the alley way behind my shop. There was two men and one woman."

"Did you see their faces?"

"Just one man. He seemed like a normal citizen but his face was completely blank, like he was in a trance." Genoth's words stung. These were my citizens being taken.

"He's probably dead." Vastroth bluntly stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

We all stared at her in disbelief, "What? I'm most likely right. They usually only use these people for their blood."

Even if she is crude, she's right.

I sighed and waved my hand to dismiss them, "Please leave, I have work to do."

Andrik and Lady Genoth walked out of the room but Lady Vastroth stayed still. 

"Do you need something?" 

She hesitated for a second before speaking up, "I heard about your decree from Yala.... Thank you."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This crude, blunt, and rude lady was thanking me? 

"Witch's are people too. Just because I'm an exorcist, I'm supposed to believe they are evil? Plus, we need them more than they need us."

She pondered this for a second before nodding her head and leaving quietly. 

I've only known her for two days but this woman has rarely been quiet within that time.

Mary came in shortly after Vastroth left the room. 

"Mary, please discreetly investigate if anyone saw a cloaked couple roaming around earlier."

She softly nodded and left as quietly as she had entered.

And now we wait.