Chapter 7 – The Duke's Blood
The duke's estate was too quiet.
Even the silence here was different from the slums. In the slums, silence was dangerous, broken only by the shuffle of thieves or the crack of fists in an alley. Here, silence was heavy, suffocating, filled with unspoken rules.
I sat at the long dining table, my feet dangling above the polished floor. The chair was too big for me, the room too wide. Everything smelled faintly of herbs and firewood.
Across from me, the duke sat at the head of the table, his back straight, his expression carved from stone. His white hair caught the candlelight, but his eyes—cold silver—remained fixed on me.
Servants moved quietly, placing dishes I couldn't name. Steaming meat, buttered bread, soups so clear I could see the bottom. Food I had only ever smelled from a distance in the market.
I didn't touch it. My stomach twisted with hunger, but my hands stayed folded in my lap.
Because we weren't alone.
The doors opened, and they entered.
First, a tall woman in a flowing gown, her hair the same pure white as the duke's. Her eyes were softer, pale grey, but they carried the same weight. She moved like the room already belonged to her.
The duchess.
Behind her came three children.
The eldest, a boy who looked around twelve, carried himself like a miniature soldier. His white hair was combed neatly, his eyes sharp and calculating. The moment he saw me, his mouth tightened.
The second, a girl about ten, wore a silver ribbon in her hair. She had the same white locks, but her eyes flickered with curiosity rather than suspicion. She tilted her head at me as though trying to solve a puzzle.
And the youngest—he couldn't have been more than seven, just a year older than me. His face was round, still soft with childhood, but his gaze was the sharpest of them all. He stared at me with a flicker of something I couldn't read.
The duchess took her seat beside the duke, and the children settled in order. Their movements were rehearsed, precise. I suddenly felt small, out of place, my rough hands hidden in my lap.
The duke's voice broke the silence.
"This," he said, his eyes never leaving me, "is the boy."
The duchess's gaze swept over me. For a moment, her lips parted, almost as if in surprise. But then her expression smoothed, calm and unreadable.
The eldest boy frowned. "He looks… like us."
The girl leaned forward on her elbows. "But his eyes are strange. They flicker."
The youngest boy tilted his head, still staring. "Not strange," he said quietly. "Alive."
I froze. My chest tightened. Of all the words I had been called, of all the looks I had received, no one had ever said that before.
The duke's gaze sharpened at the child's words, but he didn't respond.
Instead, he gestured faintly. "Eat."
I hesitated, then reached for the bread. My fingers trembled as I tore off a piece. The taste was warm, soft, almost unreal. My throat ached as I swallowed, my stomach twisting with both hunger and shame.
The children watched me, silent. I could feel their emotions—flashes of yellow curiosity, green jealousy, violet suspicion.
The eldest finally spoke again. "Why is he here?"
The duke's reply was simple, but his tone left no room for questions. "Because he must be."
The table fell quiet again.
I lowered my gaze, staring into the flickering soup before me. My reflection shimmered in the broth—white hair tipped with purple, grey-white eyes glowing faintly. Different, yet the same.
I didn't belong here. Not truly. But something in the way they looked at me—especially the youngest—made me wonder if blood had a way of remembering itself.
In the back of my mind, Noctis whispered. "They are measuring you. Every glance, every word. Be careful what you reveal."
I clenched my hands under the table. "I know. But… why do I feel… connected?"
Noctis's voice softened. "Because you are. One way or another."
I looked up once more at the family gathered around me. The duke, the duchess, the heirs.
And for the first time, I wondered—had I just been sold into another cage? Or had I stepped into the bloodline that abandoned me long ago?
End of Chapter 7