Chapter 206-Opposing the old one

Chapter 206: 206-Opposing the old one

While Taratoya accompanied Kheamossa and Velanora in the royal carriage, Katrina was directed toward the carriage carrying Maisa and the others.

She paused beside the open door, taking in the collection of young women already inside.

Varitreya sat beside Addessa, their shoulders nearly touching. Lumi occupied the opposite seat, watching everyone with the alert expression of someone who suspected that the evening’s arrangements concealed a complicated secret.

Zolani, meanwhile, looked delighted by the prospect of being taken somewhere without being told why. And it helped to be seated next to Maisa.

Maisa sat near the window, her attention fixed on the lights reflecting across the river.

She said nothing since the start. Her heart was a mess with trying to figure out what the queen and her consort had in store for them.

Katrina climbed inside and settled beside her.

"Is it always this dramatic during the week of Hearts?" she asked, glancing between the others.

"No," Lumi answered immediately. "Usually, royal interference is better disguised or it doesn’t happen at all."

Varitreya shot her a look. "Nobody is interfering," she felt provoked when her family was mentioned.

"Of course not. Your mothers simply decided to gather all five of us into royal carriages without explanation on the very evening everyone is celebrating love. A perfectly ordinary coincidence," Lumi said, voice full of sarcasm.

Zolani leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "Perhaps they want us to fall in love. It wouldn’t be too bad, we are..." She caught her tongue before the secret slipped Infront of Katrina.

Silence descended. Addessa suddenly became very interested in the embroidery on her sleeve. Varitreya’s ears turned pink, while Maisa slowly shifted her gaze away from the window and Lumi didn’t meet anyone’s eyes.

Katrina looked from one face to another and she smiled. Because of Taratoya, she knew about the bond between them.

"Oh. So that is what this is about."

"It is not about anything," Varitreya insisted. "You’re overthinking things."

"Of course," Katrina replied, settling comfortably into her seat. "And I suppose the royal family always kidnaps its guests for perfectly ordinary reasons."

"We have not been kidnapped," Varitreya protested. "And last I checked, you came on your own with Teetee. No one invited you."

"Then why does the carriage have six royal guards surrounding it?"

Varitreya rolled her eyes. It felt beneath her to answer to a mixedblood, even obe favoured by her cousin.

"It’s protection," Addessa answered for her.

"From what?"

Addessa opened her mouth, then closed it again. She couldn’t come up with an excuse. The week of hearts was the one week where vampires put aside their differences and we’re most peaceful.

Lumi snorted. "I think what we need protection from is love but I doubt we need guards for that."

Even Maisa’s lips twitched, though she quickly concealed the expression by turning back toward the window.

Outside, the fireworks continued to bloom above the capital, scattering brilliant colors across the dark water.

The seven candles burning in every household had become tiny points of light beneath the night sky, each flame carrying a prayer for Kheamossa’s long life and the happiness of the royal family.

Inside the carriage, however, the atmosphere had become considerably more complicated.

Six young women sat together, each carrying secrets that could alter the fate of their world.

Their flower of fate had awakened, their bonds had been restored, and the future their elders seemed determined to encourage was anything but simple.

Katrina leaned back and regarded them with quiet amusement.

"Well," she said, "whatever your mothers have planned, I hope there will be food."

"There will be food," Varitreya assured her. "It’s the palace. You’ll have blood of every type, blood fruits and other delicacies."

"And privacy?" she asked.

What Katrina wanted most was to spend more and more time with Taratoya. The candlelight surprise from the previous night was still fresh in her mind and she wanted more of that.

But she’d never been to the palace before. This was her first visit and she hoped it would be everything she imagined.

"Is it possible to have privacy in the palace?" She repeated.

Varitreya hesitated. Privacy? That was the one luxury that wasn’t accorded in the palace. Everyone minded everyone’s business and did so unapologetically.

Lumi burst out laughing. "That..." she declared, "...is the first sensible question anyone has asked tonight."

The carriage rolled away from Sweet Valley River, carrying the six young women toward the royal residence.

Behind them, Kheamossa and Taratoya continued their delicate game of questions and half-truths, while Velanora watched the city lights pass beyond the carriage windows.

The queen had spent the evening celebrating love, but she understood that love alone would not protect the people she cherished.

Something was moving beneath the surface of their world. The hunters were gathering their strength, the flower of fate had revealed itself, and the Mother had returned to the land of the living.

The coming days would demand more than clever words or royal blessings.

Still, as Velanora glanced at her wife and their beloved niece, she allowed herself one small hope.

Perhaps, before the world demanded everything from them, the young women would be given the chance to discover what they meant to one another.

And if a little royal matchmaking was required to make that happen, Velanora saw no reason to apologize for it.

"What did you just say?"

Taratoya caught herself. She had accidentally revealed a truth she hadn’t intended to speak.

"It’s nothing."

"Tara..." Kheamossa gave her a glance that demanded she come clean before she asks again.

Taratoya braced herself and decided to reveal the truth. She opened her mouth and slowly and carefully told Kheamossa everything that went down since her return.

Kheamossa listened carefully and felt more and more proud of the girl she raised while listening to her.

"I must get my mother’s belongings back, auntie," she said. "I know that you don’t approve of..."

"Forget the mission. I’ll have the boxes in your hands before sunrise," Kheamossa held her hands.

She had no idea that Vaki had used this method to eliminate Taratoya as an obstacle in his path. But it wasn’t necessary to hold such items hostage.

"What do you mean?" Taratoya stilled. "Do you know the whiteblood that’s behind this?"

One look in Kheamossa’s eyes told her everything. "That vampire intends to crown Maisa and could destroy all vampires, aunt!" Her voice came out out sharper than she intended. "He must be stopped by all means..."

Velanora took her hand and held it with great gentleness. "Calm down, Tara."

"How can I calm down. Our existence is on the line," Taratoya wished they knew the danger that was looming over their heads. "He’ll erase vampires from existence."

"That vampire has no plans to erase vampires from existence, Tara," Kheamossa spoke, in the softest tone that lacked any panic.

"But..."

"The flower of fate had another purpose... His plan is to rid the world of humans," she informed her niece.

Taratoya froze. She blinked, her eyes looking between her aunts in confusion. She couldn’t comprehend the new information they dropped on her.

"And that vampire isn’t someone you should be messing with, dear."

"Who is he?"

"Hayde Vancrest..."

The name hit Taratoya like ice cold water. Hayde Vancrest was a legendary name in the vampire world. It was the name of the founder of the vampire nation.

Her lips parted. "Vonvaki!"

Vonvaki Hayde Vancrest, the first male whiteblood vampire to ever exists! Taratoya nearly fainted.

Her mind crashed as it dawned on her, "All this time, I’ve been opposing the Old One?"