A few days later, Athelia and Odelius were walking through the woods towards the vampire manor. The summer sun breaking through the trees, and a faint breeze carried the smell of the nearby ocean. Approaching the arch leading to the manor, Athelia's smile dropped as a thick smell of blood nearby hit her. Hurrying ahead of Odelius, Athelia followed the smell of blood that got stronger as she approached the manor, which was deathly silent compared to normal.
Bursting through the door to the manor, Athelia was met with the sight of a blood bath. Carefully Athelia stepped over dead vampires and thralls, blood pooling on the floor beneath them. Hearing quiet footsteps, Athelia looked towards the kitchen and watched as someone hobbled towards her while gripping onto their bleeding arm.
"Princess..." Reaching Athelia, they collapsed to the floor, "We couldn't stop it. Our wounds wouldn't heal..."
"Lexi... What happened?" Athelia questioned, kneeling next to her and healing the wound on her arm while waiting for an answer.
"It was a dark creature that could fly." Lexi answered, kneeling in front of Athelia while she was being healed, "Like a shadow?"
Athelia looked to Odelius as he entered the manor, "That sounds like a wraith?"
"Yes, that is right." Odelius replied, observing the massacre inside the manor.
As Athelia finished healing Lexi she quickly asked, "Do you know what happened to Drathus and Drake?"
"The King and Prince were out hunting; they are not due to return yet." Lexi replied, standing from the floor and bowing, "I will fetch some help from the lair and get this mess cleaned up."
***
The next day, Athelia and Odelius were in Odelius's lair. The fire under the cauldron roared while a red mixture Odelius had been working on boiled angrily. Sitting on a stone step, Athelia waited while Odelius rummaged around the boxes in his cave.
"The wraith that attacked the vampires is the same person who kidnapped Jasmine." Odelius announced as he walked over to the cell room where Penelope had been kept.
"Are you sure?" Athelia was surprised at Odelius's assumption.
"Very." Odelius replied, opening the cell door, "However, they cannot come to me directly, so they have been attacking those near me. Which means they can come to you."
"I am not bait!" Athelia quickly stood from the step as Odelius gestured for her to go into the cell.
"You are now." Odelius replied, pointing into the cell, "Trust me, you will be fine!"
"You don't know that!" Athelia argued, not moving from the step she was standing on.
"Just go into the cell." Odelius huffed, "I will be right out here if they turn up."
Sighing, Athelia walked into the cell and Odelius shut the door behind her. Athelia paced the room impatiently. Turning to walk the other way, Athelia suddenly felt the room get darker and she heard a quiet screech behind her. Spinning round, Athelia came face to face with a wraith. Feeling her heart sink, Athelia stared in shock as the shadowy wraith floated closer to her.
"Odelius!" Athelia shouted, stepping back as the wraith floated closer.
Running into the room, Odelius quickly stood between Athelia and the wraith. Seeing Odelius, the wraith backed away slightly. Speaking in what sounded like an ancient language, Odelius sounded stern. Once Odelius was done, the wraith vanished.
"We shouldn't be having problems with them for a while." Odelius spoke calmly, walking back out of the room.
"Wait, what did you say to them?" Athelia hurried after Odelius, her mind full of questions, "What language was that?"
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Chaos & Order: Dawn of Chaos
الخيال (فانتازيا)The first book in our Chaos and Order series. In Vandor being a magic user is forbidden, but Athelia, the daughter of a Lord, hides it well. After her sister is kidnapped, Athelia finds out that Odelius, the head advisor for the king, is also a mage...
