The heavy doors closed behind Levi, leaving a silence that rang louder than any roar.
Historia's heartbeat hadn't slowed since the announcement. Eight men. Eight. Against an entire army of werewolves twisted by Dimitri's ambition. Was Nicklaus mocking her? Testing her? Or... did he truly believe in the strength of his sword?
Her gaze returned to the vampire king, who now leaned back in his seat, fingers steepled once again. Calm. Dangerous. Distant.
"You're serious?" she asked, her voice lower now, almost cautious.
"I don't bluff," Nicklaus replied smoothly, without looking at her.
Kelly shifted beside her. "But it's war. Dimitri won't wait. He—"
"He already made the mistake of thinking numbers equal power," Jeremiah interrupted, amusement laced in his tone. "Let him cling to that fantasy a little longer."
Victor leaned over, his eyes half-lidded with boredom. "Levi doesn't lose. If your pack's still breathing, they'll be breathing freely by dusk tomorrow."
Historia didn't know whether to be relieved or insulted.
She stood slowly, her hands pressing against the edge of the long table. "I'll hold you to your word, King Drayven."
Nicklaus's gaze lifted to meet hers. "Then stay alive long enough to see it."
The bluntness of it hit harder than it should've.
---
Later That Night
The chambers they were led to were nothing like she expected.
Gilded walls lined with dark velvet, flickering lanterns casting a honey-gold glow across polished floors. The room was beautiful, luxurious even—but it felt cold. Too clean. Like a place no one truly lived in.
Kelly was already curled under the heavy covers of the second bed, her wound cleaned and wrapped, her cheeks flushed with real food and warmth for the first time in days.
Historia couldn't sleep.
She stood by the tall window, staring out into the vampire kingdom bathed in moonlight. Cold towers. Silent streets. A darkness that whispered in the corners.
The wind stirred her silver hair as she whispered, "What have I done?"
The deal had been made. The king had moved. And yet, the air still felt thick with danger—like the calm before something terrible.
---
Elsewhere in the Palace...
Nicklaus stood alone in his war chamber.
Maps spread across the table, red markers dotting the lands near the southern border—Silver Moon Pack territory.
He stared at the center marker. The one marked "Alpha Draven."
Victor entered without knocking, tossing a flask onto the table.
"You really sending Levi over one little wolf girl?" he asked, half mocking, half curious.
Nicklaus didn't glance his way. "She made a deal. I honor deals."
Victor scoffed. "You think she can do it? Make you fall in love in eighty days?"
A long pause.
Then, finally, a single word from the king:
"No."
Victor grinned. "So, what then?"
Nicklaus turned to the window. "Let her try."
---
Back in Historia's Room
Historia finally lay down beside Kelly. But sleep didn't come easily.
Her mind spun with everything that had happened—from fleeing Dimitri's ambush, to watching Kelly nearly die, to standing in a room full of vampires while offering her life and her people in exchange for hope.
Her eyes closed, but not before one final thought surfaced:
If he's serious about sending Levi... then I have to survive long enough to play my part.
--
A sharp knock shattered the morning stillness.
A sharp knock broke through the quiet of dawn, yanking Historia from her restless sleep. She blinked groggily, momentarily disoriented. Kelly stirred beside her but didn't wake.
The door creaked open, and in stepped Princess Vivian, her black hair bound tightly in a braid, her presence calm yet commanding. Dressed in dark training gear and boots, she looked more warrior than royalty. Behind her stood a man in a white coat—the same doctor from yesterday.
"I thought you might be interested in a little early training," Vivian said coolly, her voice clear and strong. "Are you up for it?"
Historia sat up and nodded without hesitation. "I am."
Vivian's lips curved into a faint smile, clearly pleased. "Come in," she called over her shoulder.
A maid entered with two black boxes and set them down at the foot of the bed. "Combat clothes," Vivian explained. "Pick whichever fits you best."
Kelly finally stirred, groaning as she tried to sit up, wincing from the sharp pull in her leg.
The doctor stepped forward. "May I?" he asked softly. At Kelly's nod, he moved to her side, gently peeling back the bandages to check the healing wound.
Vivian handed over two silver daggers, their handles engraved with ancient symbols. "For your protection. Not that you'll need them in the palace," she added with a small smirk, "but just in case."
She turned toward the door. "Eva and Iris will assist you with your bath and escort you to the training grounds. I'll see you there." Then, with a brief nod, she left with the maid trailing behind her.
As the door closed, Kelly leaned back with a groan. "So early? She wasn't joking."
Historia had already risen and opened the boxes. Inside were neatly folded black combat outfits—tight-fitting yet flexible. They looked both stylish and practical. She glanced at Kelly, who was still rubbing her temples.
"You okay with training?"
Kelly gave a faint smile. "If I don't pass out, sure."
Just then, Eva and Iris entered, their appearances as flawless as ever. Iris's hair was pinned into a cascade of blue and silver waves, while Eva's was in an elegant bun. Neither looked like they just woke up.
Eva gave a little scoff. "Werewolves really are wild things. You look like you slept in a tornado."
Historia ignored her, already in a mood. "Good morning to you too," she replied flatly, and walked past her toward the bathroom.
Iris, gentler than her twin, knelt by Kelly's side and examined the wound. "It's healing faster than expected," she said softly. "But you shouldn't wear tight or long pants today. Let it breathe."
She went to the wardrobe and returned with a black bum short and a loose-fitted oversized hoodie. "This will be easier on your wound."
Kelly took it without complaint. "Cute. Not like I have options anyway."
While Iris helped Kelly change and rewrap the healing wound, Eva helped Historia into her combat wear and styled her silver hair into a braided crown.
Historia's mind, however, was elsewhere.
Eighty days. That's all she had to change her fate.
And the fate of her people.
If she failed, she'd be nothing more than a slave—her pack broken beneath vampire rule.
She had to win over Nicklaus Drayven. A man whose smile was a myth, whose court was drenched in power plays and blood. He wasn't just a vampire king. He was cold, unreadable... and devastatingly hard to reach.
How do I make a man like him fall for someone like me? she wondered as Eva tightened her combat boots.
When they were dressed and ready, Iris offered Kelly her shoulder. "Lean on me."
"I'm fine—" Kelly started, but a slight stumble proved otherwise.
"Hurry," Iris said with a knowing smile, letting Kelly rest a hand on her shoulder. They started walking down the long hallway.
As they made their way through the quiet hallway, the sound of their footsteps soft against the marble floors, Historia walked beside Eva, her mind spinning with thoughts of the vampire king.
How do I get close to him? How do I use these eighty days wisely? She needed more than just bold words—she needed a strategy. He was distant, unreadable, powerful. And yet... something about him pulled her in.
Her thoughts shattered the moment her eyes caught a familiar figure moving down a connecting corridor just a few feet at their opposite direction.Her breath hitched.
It was him.
Nicklaus Drayven.
Clad in his usual dark attire, his steps were silent but regal, his posture as commanding as ever. Even in the simple act of walking, he radiated power. His black hair brushed the collar of his jacket, and that cold blue eye—sharp and emotionless—glanced briefly toward them without breaking stride.
Historia froze.
The pull she felt toward him intensified like a string being drawn tight in her chest. Without a second thought, she stepped away from the group.
"I'll be back. Go ahead without me," she said quickly.
Kelly's eyes widened. "No, Historia! Don't go wandering around vampire territory alone—"
But she was already gone.
Historia vanished in a flash, her werewolf speed blurring her into the shadows before Kelly could finish her sentence.
Kelly sighed, glaring at the empty space her cousin had just occupied.