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"How strange. It was so quiet, but the stench of death is undeniable."

Ismael peeked through the window to see what was happening outside. However, aside from the soldiers patrolling the new palace, nothing seemed amiss. Just now, all the monarchs were evacuated from their lodging to the new palace as discreetly and quietly as possible.

"The cry of soldiers and the sound of people fighting isn\'t the only sound the war carries, King Ismael." Inside the sitting room where Samael was at the moment was Veronika pouring herself a glass of wine. "Silence… is also a part of it."

Veronika paused, casting Ismael a look as she picked up the wineglass. "You and I both know that. After all, war starts within the palace walls and among the royals."

"I can\'t deny that." Ismael scratched the back of his head, walking back to the round table.

When Ismael stood beside the round table, his eyes fell on Veronika\'s beautiful, sharp facial features. He kept his eyes on her momentarily while reaching for the decanter.

"Now that I think about it, I haven\'t asked why you are here, Your Highness?" he asked, peeling his eyes away from her as he poured himself a glass. "For sure, you didn\'t come in here just to share a few glasses of wine. A woman knocking on a man\'s room in the middle of the night… how scandalous."

"It is only scandalous if we are both married."

"I believe the land of Chivisea is a conservative country." Ismael placed the decanter back on the table and picked up his glass, gazing back at her. "Married or not, isn\'t this quite bold of you? Don\'t get me wrong, princess. I have no plans to take advantage of you, but I care about my reputation."

Veronika let out a short snicker. "Why are you so serious, Your Majesty? It\'s not like we\'re strangers. Our country had been in a friendly relationship. A meeting between us might incite caution to those who were on our bad side, but not a scandalous rumor between a man and a woman."

"Before we are that… you are an emperor and I am the first in line on the throne," she added in a knowing tone. "I\'m certain you are aware of that, and there was no need for me to spell it out. So, how come that didn\'t cross you?"

Silence followed Veronika\'s remarks as Ismael took the seat across from her. She cocked her head to the side, not showing the slightest worry that they might die tonight. After all, even though they were moved to this castle by the people of the summit, they didn\'t explain the reason. Still, Veronika wasn\'t born yesterday, not to guess the reason they moved all participants to another place for safety.

Blood would spill into the main building.

"Was it because of Her Majesty?" she asked when another minute had passed and Ismael didn\'t answer. "Are you worried about her? She was abducted, so it wasn\'t surprising you were worried about her."

"Not that." Ismael shook his head mildly, letting out a deep sigh. "I was simply thinking of what she said."

"Of what she said?"

Ismael snapped his eyes at her curious eyes and shrugged. "Nothing."

"Really?" Veronika rolled her eyes. "Her Majesty is my friend before I became her loyal subject. I will die for her, and if she told you something that worried you, I will naturally want to hear it. I owe my life — no, the entire Chivisea and all the women in that land owe her a debt. Even our lives aren\'t enough to thank her for everything from then up until now."

"I am curious because I want to help if I can," she added sternly. "So please, Your Majesty, if this is something she didn\'t specifically ask not to be disclosed, let me hear it."

"You are so persistent…"

"The only time I am persistent is when I\'m securing my spot and my queen." — that was true.

Ismael assessed Veronika\'s face for a moment before he sighed for the second time. He trusted Veronika because this woman had already proved her loyalty to Aries. Even if Aries asked Veronika to slit her throat, the latter would happily do so.

"Contract," remarked Ismael. "Back there in the conference hall. She mentioned being bound by a contract. I had been in contact with witches, but not with vampires. All the turned once were arrested and put to death sentences when I rose to power since they were all Joaquin\'s loyalists."

"You can say I don\'t know much about the complicated details of vampires and what else they could do," he continued solemnly. "But, I feel like whatever this contract is, it\'s not good. My gut feeling is so sure about this."

Veronika stayed silent, recalling those vague words that slipped past Aries\'s lips, which she told Abel first thing. She didn\'t dwell on it because there were many more things at hand. The summit had to continue even after Abel abducted Aries and Maximus walked out. Veronika and Ismael had to handle the summit and help London Leviticus, so the first day wouldn\'t go to waste. They succeeded, though.

"Chivisea doesn\'t have vampires in their records," she said under her breath. "But I also don\'t know about that…."

Veronika trailed off as the round table between her and Ismael suddenly swayed. Both of them glanced up, catching the chandelier sway as well. Some dust from the ceiling sprinkled down on them, landing inside her glass of wine and snacks.

"How scary…" she whispered, eyes on the dust on the surface of the still wine. "No screams, cries, or even the sound of metals or pistols. Yet, all the hairs across my body are rising in fear."

"Silence is also a sound of war, you said it yourself," Ismael humored with a smirk. "Though I won\'t make fun of you. After all, the feeling was mutual."

Ismael slowly turned his head in the window where the wind was blowing the curtain. "This silence… scares me. I am not excited to look forward to what news I\'d hear tomorrow. Whatever the outcome is."

One thing was for sure, whatever the outcome tonight, it wouldn\'t sit well with anyone. Why? Because if Maximus would live tomorrow, that only meant everyone was doomed. But if he didn\'t and Abel turned up at the summit tomorrow, that only meant they were also at his mercy.

It was just a matter of whose devil was a little less evil.

From a biased point of view, Ismael would still choose Abel because he had Aries. But what if something happened to Aries?

The answer to that was something no one else was certain of and no one wanted to know.