Chapter 38-Outcast’s hope

Chapter 38: 38-Outcast’s hope

Inside noble estates, outrage mixed with disbelief. "They’re protecting a redblood?"

"The Queen threatened the nobility with a straight face. How could she do that?"

"What happened inside that academy?" Another stepped forward. "What is so special about Maisa Loven thar she is commanding such a change in our nation just to accommodate her?"

Others remained speechless. If the Queen herself had spoken, the matter was settled. No family possessed the authority to overrule the Crown.

Queen Velanora was the fastest, strongest and most ruthless in vampire nation. Even if they all ganged up on her, she could kill them faster than they can spell her name. So even though they were enraged, they couldn’t do anything about it.

~

Within the lower districts, redblood communities gathered around the fading mirrors. Some cried openly, others simply stared at the black mirrors with disbelief.

An elderly turned vampire slowly lowered herself into a chair. "In all my three hundred years... i’ve never heard a monarch defend us."

A younger vampire quietly wiped tears from his face. "They finally acknowledged we exist."

For the first time in generations, hope entered neighborhoods where it had long been absent.

While Veris Academy erupted into discussion. Every hallway buzzed with excitement, students abandoned self-study lessons and groups formed everywhere.

Even professors found themselves surrounded by questions about how the school would ran moving forward. The announcements from the palace were final but they doubted centuries of passed down hatred and differences between bloods would end just because the queen said so.

Inside the Redblood dormitory, dozens of students crowded into the common room. "What happens now?"

"We’re actually protected. The queen spoke for us and didn’t bend to the pressures from nobles," Sapphire said. "We aren’t getting executed."

"They can’t openly attack us anymore," a second-year student suddenly stood. "I have an idea."

Everyone looked toward him. With hope awakened in their hearts, they could look forward to tomorrow without fear of being killed off to maintain the pure bloods.

"When the Student Council elections open again..." he smiled. "...let’s vote Maisa Loven in."

Confused murmurs spread. The redbloods doubted that plan. The other bloods would never agree to have a redblood sit in the council.

He continued. "We’ve never had redblood representative. Not once and we have problems that those higher ranking bloods can never understand. We need one of us to represent our needs, our rights and our voices," he spoke up.

"We finally have someone the palace knows. Someone the Princess herself protected," another senior, female this time, spoke out. "If anyone can speak for us...it’s her."

Silence lingered before one student raised a hand. "I’m voting for Maisa. Let’s create a better place for our kind, even if it’s just starting with live at the academy."

"So am I."

"Me too."

Within minutes, the room unanimously agreed. They were going to vote for Maisa to stand up for them. To be their voice and ensure that they didn’t get the short end of the stick every time the student council made decisions that affected the academy.

For the first time in academy history, the Redblood students had found someone they wanted to follow. Whether Maisa accepted or not, they had already chosen their candidate. Their leader to not just a better life for the outcasts but better resources and better treatment and acknowledgement.

And above the academy, inside the whiteblood tower, the five vampires watched the announcement in complete silence.

Maisa kept her eyes fixated on the mirror long after the announcement ended. She had no idea that the redbloods had already decided to choose her as the captain to steer them to greener pastures.

The room remained still long after the crystal mirror faded. Varitreya finally exhaled. "So... my mother chose diplomacy in a dictatorship form," she said, relief softened the tension in her shoulders.

Had the Queen ordered Maisa’s execution, the mate bond would never have allowed her to stand aside. She didn’t know what she would have done but she knew one thing. It would have been disastrous.

Her fingers unconsciously brushed the mark hidden beneath her sleeve. "Thank you, Mother," she whispered.

Across the room, Maisa simply collapsed backward into her chair. Her entire body trembled. "I’m... not getting executed!"

The words came out barely above a whisper. Tears welled in her eyes. She had prepared herself for exile perhaps even death and instead the Queen herself had protected her.

The crushing weight pressing upon her chest since arriving at Veris Academy finally eased. She covered her face as a shaky laugh escaped between quiet sobs.

"I... I really get to stay..."

Lumi smiled softly. "Like I always say, politics can surprise people."

Maisa laughed through her tears. "I don’t think you’ve ever said that to me."

"No?" Lumi chuckled. "I suppose I didn’t but I’m glad that i was right."

Nearby, Zolani beamed. She crossed the room before wrapping Maisa in a warm embrace. "I knew everything would work out. Congratulations on escaping death this time."

Maisa hugged her back tightly. "By a hair, Zolani. I really thought...I’d die."

"You won’t." Zolani squeezed her gently. "You have us now and believe it or not, we’ll protect you."

The words warmed every heart in the room except one, Addessa. She stood silently beside the window.

She hadn’t spoken since the announcement ended. The moon light reflected in her black eyes as her expression remained unreadable.

Varitreya approached quietly. "You’re thinking about your mother, aren’t you?"

Addessa didn’t deny it. "Yes."

She looked toward the distant lights of the capital. "The Queen wasn’t merely defending Maisa. She was sending a warning."

Varitreya nodded. She heard that part of the message too and as much as it helped her out of the mess, it was also bound to stir trouble.

Addessa’s jaw tightened. "My mother has spent years campaigning against turned vampires. She built allies, imfluence, support and tonight... the Queen declared that campaign a crime against the Crown."

Her voice grew quieter. "Everyone understood who that message was truly meant for."

Maisa looked over, guilt filling her eyes once more. "I’m sorry..."

Addessa immediately interrupted. "This isn’t your fault but you should watch your back," she warned her. "I’m certain that you just became number on my mother’s target list. Enemy number one," she added and walked out.