Chapter 377: What I am asking is why was there a Heart for him to eat.

Before the Veyrs even arrived, the Arcelis already prepared the Hall.

Or at least... whatever remained of it was.

A large section of the ceiling had collapsed during Neroth’s rampage. Several pillars were cracked, the marble floor was split in multiple places and there were dried blood stains that the servants were not in a position to clean right now.

And as bad as the condition of the Hall was, this was currently the best-conditioned Hall in the entire Estate, mostly because the long table in the centre was still usable.

When the Veyrs walked in, their eyes fell on six Vampires standing behind the centre table.

All six of them were Ancients.

And Cassian was standing right in the centre.

Yes, this was Arcelis’s entire might. The oldest and the strongest beings of House Arcelis were all here.

Aurelia glanced at every one of them.

To think they really called every single one of them, that alone was enough for her and everyone else in the Hall to realise that this wouldn’t be a normal conversation.

Aurelia looked behind, on her side were Valerian and three more Ancient Vampires.

So five Veyrs, six Arcelis.

Eleven Ancient Vampires gathered inside one damaged hall.

Seeing that, Aurelia turned back to the other Veyr Vampires and nodded at them, the Vampires nodded and walked out of the Hall.

This place... was not for them.

After all, if this conversation went wrong... this would be... the beginning of a nightmare.

Aurelia’s eyes fell on Cassian, then, she walked inside the Hall, the Veyr Vampires walked behind her.

Cassian watched her approach, their eyes met and for a moment, none of them said anything.

It was strange really, just a few days ago, they were chatting at the banquet as Cassian welcomed her into his House personally.

Aurelia and Cassian weren’t enemies, quite the opposite actually, they had known each other for a very long time, they were... friends.

Or at least, as close to friends as beings like them could become considering their positions.

"I suppose your visit this time went rather poorly."

Cassian spoke up, trying to keep the mood light.

Under different circumstances, Aurelia would have smiled or even let out a chuckle, this time however...

She didn’t.

She had no intention of taking this lightly.

"Where is the Heart, Cassian?"

She asked a question she knew the answer to.

And the instant she said those words, the entire Hall turned silent and the very air around them changed. The little attempt Cassian made to keep the conversation civil was completely fruitless.

That made his expression harden.

Behind him, one of the Arcelis Ancients shifted a little, Cassian, however, didn’t look away.

"It’s not here."

He gave an answer.

"That I know."

Aurelia spoke up before he could say anything else.

"Lucian ate it."

She revealed the truth and when she did, one of the Arcelis Ancients actually blinked in surprise. Another slowly turned toward Cassian, as if he wanted to know if what Aurelia said was true and if it was...

Then how...?

What in the hell happened...?

How did that man... eat an Archdemon’s Heart?

And Cassian...

He had absolutely no idea.

The only thing he knew for certain was that Neroth was gone and if he was...

Then so was the Heart.

He stared at Aurelia and her face became much colder.

"What I am asking is why was there a Heart for him to eat."

Those words silenced the room. The Veyr Vampires all stared at the Arcelis Vampires, waiting for an answer.

And Arcelis...

They did not have anything.

They couldn’t say anything, not when every single lie they could come up with would be thwarted right in front of them because of everything that happened today.

Cassian stared at Aurelia for a few seconds, then—

"You already know the answer."

He simply gave in.

There was no other way this conversation could go. There was no point in denying what he did.

The existence of the Heart could no longer be hidden, not when the Archdemon himself had rampaged through the Estate and destroyed everything he could see.

"I know what you did. I want to hear you say it."

Aurelia spoke as she kept looking at him.

Cassian stared back, not saying anything. Aurelia then walked forward and then, she started speaking in an unnaturally calm voice.

"Nine hundred and eighty-three years ago. I entrusted Neroth’s Heart to you. I could barely stand, you were the only one who had enough strength left to destroy it, so I told you to do exactly that."

For a moment, Cassian lowered his eyes, as if he too, remembered that exact moment.

"I remember."

He nodded.

"Not well enough, apparently."

She snorted.

"I remember every word."

"Then why did the Heart still exist, Cassian?"

Aurelia asked and Cassian...

He tightened his jaw and... he then answered honestly.

"I chose not to destroy it."

At those words, Valerian narrowed his eyes. The other Veyr Ancients stared at the Arcelis Patriarch as well.

To think this man would openly admit to treason.

Not that he had any other choice.

He did it, and there was no denying it.

What was stranger about the conversation was Aurelia’s reaction, the calmness in her eyes did not fade away when she heard the man she trusted mention how he betrayed her.

Instead...

"So you chose to go against my order."

"Yes."

Cassian did not hide it.

He looked into Aurelia’s eyes, certain of the choice he made.

"Why?"

Aurelia asked and as she did, Cassian let out a slow breath.

"Because I had just watched an Archdemon nearly destroy everything around us."

"So had I, Cassian."

Aurelia answered, raising her voice a little.

And Cassian—

"Yes."

He nodded.

"You finally managed to kill him.

But you nearly died doing it."

Aurelia tilted her head, wanting to know where he was going with this.

Cassian continued.

"When you gave me the Heart, I intended to destroy it.

I truly did."

He repeated because he could see Aurelia did not believe him.

"But before that happened..."