Cable sought his father's counsel, hoping King Julian's wisdom could guide him through the turmoil. He found his father in the palace library, surrounded by ancient tomes and soft candlelight.
"Father, I need to ask you something," Cable said, his voice low and serious.
King Julian looked up from his reading, concern etched on his face: "What troubles you, Cable? You've been distant lately."
Cable took a deep breath before asking: "What do you think of vampires, Father? Are they truly evil, or is there more to them?"
King Julian's expression turned grim: "Vampires are worse than you could ever imagine, Cable. They're monsters, feeders of blood and death."
Cable's mind flashed to Sofia's tears and anguish as she revealed her secret: "But, Father, is it possible we're misunderstanding them? Could one of them be... different? Good?"
King Julian's eyebrows rose in surprise at Cable's words: "Why would you even suggest that, son? What's behind this question?"
Cable shrugged casually, trying to mask his internal conflict: "I just want to know about vampires, Father. Nothing else."
King Julian's expression turned grave, his eyes clouding over with a pain so deep it seemed to age him instantly. He clenched his fists, his voice thick with emotion:
"Those creatures are evil incarnate, Cable. They are responsible for the most unbearable sorrow our family has ever known." His voice cracked slightly: "It's because of them that your mother lost her life."
Cable's world stood still. His heart raced with a mixture of horror and unanswered questions: "How did this happen, Father?"
King Julian paused, collecting the fragments of a shattered memory. His eyes remained fixed on the past, pain etched into every line of his face.
"It occurred when I was away on state work. You must remember... your mother and I met secretly in that small cottage. Far from the palace walls, that place was our only true home. That night, you and your mother were there alone."
A tear finally escaped, rolling down the King's cheek. "A vampire broke into our sanctuary that night. The monster reached your nursery, intent on claiming another innocent life. Its eyes held nothing but a cold hunger for your blood, Cable."
King Julian's face twisted in agony as he relived the tragedy: "Your mother... she stood between you and the monster. She had no sword, no shield—only the fierce love of a mother. She fought bravely, but she was fatally wounded while protecting you from its fangs. By the time I arrived, she was lying on the cold floor, covered in blood."
King Julian's voice dropped to a broken whisper: "She died in my arms, Cable—died saving your life from those evil creatures. Tell me, how could I ever find it in my heart to forgive them?"
King Julian's eyes blazed with a cold fury: "From that day on, I took a solemn oath: I would erase the name of vampires from our land. I will ensure they never again threaten our family or kingdom."
He looked intensely at Cable: "Do you understand now, son, why I say vampires are pure evil? They took your mother from us..."
Cable's voice was barely a whisper: "Did you... did you ever find the vampire who killed Mother?"
King Julian's fists clenched: "Yes, I did. His name was... Victor. Victor Marquess. I caught him, had him chained for execution, but he escaped... vanished into the darkness. I've been searching for him ever since, Cable. My oath remains unfulfilled."
Cable felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Victor...
Unknown to Cable, Sofia had been standing behind the heavy library curtains, hidden from view. She had heard everything. Her world shattered in an instant. Though she shared no blood relation with the monster Victor, she had spent decades as part of his cursed pack.
Cable rushed through the corridors, his mind a whirlwind of betrayal and pain. He intended to find Sofia, to confront the truth, but when he reached for her, she was gone.
Sofia didn't wait to be cast out. She didn't wait for the anger in Cable's eyes.
Overwhelmed by a crushing sense of guilt by association, she made the silent decision to vanish. She left the palace without a single word, leaving behind only the cold silence of her absence. She chose to disappear from Cable's life forever, believing that her presence would only be a haunting reminder of the tragedy that took his mother.
Cable stood alone in the corridor, the realization hitting him—the girl he loved was gone, fleeing from the shadow of his mother's murderer.
The palace corridors were empty, silent witnesses to Sofia's stealthy departure. No one saw her leave, not even Cable – she vanished like a ghost into the night.
Hours passed, and Cable returned to his chambers, still reeling from the devastating conversation with his father. He closed the door behind him, feeling utterly lost and adrift.
His gaze fell upon his desk, and his heart sank further... Lying there, shimmering in the soft candlelight, was a familiar necklace.
It was the delicate golden chain with a tiny sapphire stone – his mother's beloved heirloom. The very same necklace he had gifted to Sofia as a symbol of their eternal love.
Cable's eyes welled up with tears as he stumbled backward, collapsing onto his bed. This was Sofia's goodbye – a silent, heartbreaking message that she was truly gone.
He clutched the necklace tightly, feeling her absence like an open wound. The stone seemed colder than Sofia's touch, the golden chain heavier than the weight of his entire sorrow.
Cable buried his face in his hands, overcome with raw anguish:
"She's really gone..." he whispered, his voice cracking under the silence of the room.
The dim light of the evening spread across the palace balcony. Emily, Arya, and Victoria sat together, unaware that Sofia had secretly left the palace earlier that afternoon. There was a deep sadness in Arya's eyes, which everyone mistook for grief over her father's death; in reality, her heart was shattered by Ethan's betrayal—a secret known only to Sofia.
Victoria took Arya's hand, speaking with soft sympathy, "Arya, you must try to stay strong. Your father would never have wanted to see you this broken."
Arya managed a faint, hollow smile, masking her hatred and pain. "I'm trying, Victoria. It's just... some wounds take longer to heal." Inside, she seethed with resentment for Ethan, but she couldn't let it show.
Victoria then turned her gaze toward Emily, who was staring blankly out the window. "And you, Emily? You seem lost today as well. Has the news of Prince Ryan returning to his kingdom troubled you?"
At the mention of Ryan's name, Emily looks at Victoria in shock and asks: "How do you know?" Victoria's face softens and she says: "So was I right about Ryan? . Now would you like to tell me what happened between you two? "
She remembered the moment he had proposed and how she had rejected him out of fear. Shifting her gaze, Emily replied, "No, it's nothing like that. He is just a friend."
Arya, who was herself going through the agony of love, saw the longing in Emily's eyes—a feeling Emily was trying to hide even from herself. Arya said softly, "Sometimes when we say 'no,' our heart is actually screaming 'yes.' Ryan is no longer here, Emily. Do you feel the void?"
Victoria smiled and placed a supportive hand on Emily's shoulder. "Recognizing love isn't easy, but its importance becomes clear once it's gone. Ryan is a good man."
Tears welled up in Emily's eyes. She suddenly realized that without Ryan, the palace felt empty. His smile, his words—Emily finally understood that she was in love with him. But it felt too late; Ryan was gone, and Sofia, her only confidante, was missing too.