As Eliana walked into the grand dining hall, her silk gown rustling softly, she kept a straight face, but she could feel the piercing eyes upon her, especially the one coming from her husband, Ryker. His gaze was like a cold breeze on a winter's night, sending shivers down her spine. As she reached the table, she curtsied, raising her skirt but mindful of her wound, careful not to open the bandage that covered her hand. "Your Grace," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her words hanging in the air like a delicate mist.
His expression darkened, his red eyes scanning her dress like a hawk searching for prey. "I see you had an eventful morning. Your dress looks good on you," he said, his voice low and even, but laced with a hint of menace.
Eliana raised her head and turned to sit when she heard a growl from the other end of the table, the sound echoing through the hall like a warning. "Who asked you to sit?" she hesitated to apologize before curtsying, seeing no reason why someone would get angry just by seeing her. "I apologize, Your Majesty," she said, her words tumbling out like a nervous confession.
"Jenkins," Ryker called for the butler, his voice booming through the hall like a command. He hadn't planned on getting angry, but seeing the bandage on her hand made his blood boil like a raging storm.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jenkins ran from the kitchen when he heard his name, his footsteps echoing through the hall like a death knell. He was happy to see his master angry at the human, a species he despised. When he heard his master was bringing home a human wife, he was upset, having disdain for that kind. They were nothing more than food for his kind, mere mortals to be used and discarded.
Getting to the table, he bowed his head, his eyes cast downward like a servant. "Get my wife's maid." Eliana was alerted, her heart racing like a rabbit in a snare. "Your Majesty, I'm a bit clumsy. She has nothing to do with the injury," she said, her voice trembling like a leaf in the wind.
Eliana curtsied, hiding her trembling hands like a secret. "Clumsy?" He scoffed, seeing her tremble when he called for her maid, his voice dripping with disdain like a cold, dark rain. "Can you tell me what happened?" he frowned as Sarah stepped forward and knelt down, her eyes downcast like a penitent.
"I—I failed to protect her, Your Majesty. She fell and hurt her hand. It was my fault," Sarah said, her voice barely above a whisper, her words hanging in the air like a confession.
Ryker's gaze turned cold, his voice dripping with disdain. "Your fault? You know the consequence of failure. You know what I demand from those who serve me." His words were like a death sentence, hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
Eliana's fear spiked, her heart racing like a wild animal, her mind racing with thoughts of losing her maid, her only friend in this dark and foreboding place. She folded her skirt and knelt down, her eyes filling with tears like a summer storm. "Your Majesty, I plead mercy," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her words hanging in the air like a desperate prayer.
Ryker was taken aback by the sight, surprised by her show of weakness, his heart softening like a winter's thaw. One rule in the vampire world was to never show weakness, but he felt a strange sensation, a desire to run to her and hold her tight, to comfort her and make her tears stop. He turned, his back facing Eliana, his voice like a cold breeze. "Eliana, you have to be more careful in the future. Accidents can be costly."
The tension was palpable, Eliana feeling trapped in a web of fear and uncertainty, her heart racing like a wild animal. She nodded, dusting her skirt, as Ryker turned his gaze, signaling Sarah to leave. His gaze lingered on Eliana, as if daring her to make another mistake, his eyes like a cold, dark shadow that followed her everywhere.