บท 112: Leila Draco
Luciana placed a trembling hand on her chest, taking deep breaths to steady herself. As her fingers brushed against a small locket hanging around her neck, a sudden realization dawned on her.
"Why didn't I think of this sooner?" she gasped, quickly removing the locket. It was a linking device, one that would allow her to signal for help if she was ever in danger. Cornelius had explained its use to her.
With growing urgency, she channeled a bit of her divine energy into the locket, which began to glow a radiant gold and white. "Please, work! Please, God!" she whispered fervently.
Suddenly, a window shattered, the sound jolting her. Luciana instinctively shielded Nemesis with her body as shards of glass flew through the air.
"Ah!" she cried out, feeling a sharp pain as several shards embedded themselves into her shoulder. Blood seeped through her gown, but there was no time to tend to it. Nemesis remained asleep, undisturbed by the chaos under the protective spell she'd cast over him.
Panting, Luciana looked back. Three figures in black—dark as ash and barely solid—had appeared, their forms seemingly drawn toward her aura. Panic surged within her.
"This is the palace! How can I be attacked here, of all places?" she thought, desperation clouding her mind. The hallway stretched endlessly before her, and she began running, searching for somewhere—anywhere—safe to hide.
"Erebus!" she called out, her voice laced with fear. Nemesis remained cradled in her arms, blissfully unaware of the danger.
She darted toward a series of doors and, without a second thought, chose one that seemed quiet. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the shadowy figures approaching rapidly. Heart pounding, she burst into the nearest room, slamming the door behind her and locking it.
Her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed to the floor, trembling and gasping for breath. The pain in her shoulder was nearly unbearable, blood soaking into the yellow fabric of her dress. Tears welled in her eyes.
"Who's there?" a soft, panicked voice broke through the silence. Luciana froze, terror gripping her. She wasn't alone.
Footsteps approached cautiously. "Oh my goodness! You're bleeding," the woman's voice grew more concerned. "Wait... white hair?"
Luciana turned, her vision clearing enough to take in the speaker's appearance. Silver hair shimmered in the dim light, paired with lilac eyes. Luciana stared in disbelief, momentarily forgetting the danger.
"Silver hair?" she whispered, awestruck.
The two women faced each other, both surprised.
"Who are you?" the woman asked, her gaze sharp as she assessed Luciana's disheveled state.
Luciana swallowed, struggling to focus. "Where... where am I?" she asked, her voice filled with dread as the footsteps outside grew louder.
"This is General Draco's private lounge," the woman answered, still looking at Luciana with concern. "Why are you here?"
"Please, I just need a moment," Luciana begged, her desperation palpable.
The woman hesitated, her gaze drifting to Nemesis, still asleep in Luciana's arms. Taking pity on the injured stranger, she finally relented. "Alright. You can stay until it's safe, but you must get your wound treated."
Luciana nodded gratefully, but when the woman moved toward the door, she panicked. "Wait! Please, don't let anyone in here. I can't be found."
The woman stopped, her expression unreadable. "I won't." She pulled a rope by the wall, summoning a servant. A knock sounded at the door moments later.
"Bring medicine, bandages, a change of clothes, and my meal. Quickly," the woman ordered before dismissing the servant.
Once the door was locked again, she turned back to Luciana. "No one will find you here, though I cannot guarantee your safety if they search the palace thoroughly." There was a quiet warning in her tone that sent a shiver down Luciana's spine.
Luciana glanced at the woman again, unable to shake the feeling that something was odd. Silver hair and lilac eyes—traits of her own kind, yet she sensed no divine energy from her.
"Who are you?" Luciana asked, her voice soft but insistent.
The woman, though momentarily disappointed by the question, showed no ill intent. "I am Leila, the wife of General Draco and the lady of the head of vampires."
Luciana's heart sank. She had heard of Leila—the powerful woman Calypso had warned her about. One of the most influential figures in the capital.
"And you?" Leila asked, her gaze narrowing slightly. "You don't look like one of us. There's something... different about you. I feel a strange warmth in your aura. Are you an envoy, perhaps?"
Luciana stiffened, fearing to reveal her true identity. She nodded vaguely, hoping it would suffice.
A knock at the door interrupted the tense exchange. Leila retrieved the supplies, refusing the servant's offer of assistance. Once the door was secured again, she knelt beside Luciana.
"Bear with me. This may hurt," she said as she carefully cleaned the wound. Luciana winced as Leila removed several small glass shards embedded in her shoulder. After tending to the wound with steady hands, she applied medicine and bandaged it.
"Had we delayed any longer, the wound would have worsened," Leila commented, finishing her work. She handed Luciana a change of clothes and moved to check on Nemesis.
"Don't worry. I won't harm your child," Leila reassured her, noticing Luciana's protective gaze.
Luciana hesitantly dressed behind a screen, finding the simple, slip-on dress far easier to wear than the complicated garments of her homeland. Although the bodice was a little tight for her chest. She somehow managed to wear it.
When she emerged, Leila was tending to Nemesis, gently examining him. "He's unharmed. There are no serious injuries," she said, much to Luciana's relief. She had laid the sleeping child on he couch.
As she studied Luciana's new attire, Leila's gaze sharpened. "You're expecting, aren't you?"
Luciana froze. "How... how did you know?"
Leila gestured to the dress. "That dress was custom-made for pregnant women, part of my emergency wardrobe. Odd that they would pursue someone in your condition... unless you've caught the Crown Prince's attention."
She was on point.
"My husband is currently attending the banquet under the Tzar's orders. But in his absence I never imagined to be attacked and persued in such a manner."
Leila could see that she wasn't lying.
"It is for the best to lay low. And let me warn you before hand. The crowned prince is very persistent. Once he sets eyes on someone he never lets them be. If you have displeased the imperial family in any way. Then I fear that I can't help you in any way. My authority will be redeemed useless if he takes action against you. Though i do not know why or what he wants from you, I will ask someone to send a message to your husband."
"Then...can you please tell the servant to look for Margrave Stygian?"
Leila's eyes widened with surprise.
"Don't tell me... you're that rumored Margrave's wife?"
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