Lady Dhampir
Chapter 309

"You used that little pest to get to Ellias?" Milena frowned, disgusted.

She already hated the woman, but to know she had been used at such evil ends made it all far worse. woman again after that. Had Ellias gotten rid of her, or had King Silvius found someone else to send b "Queen Lyriana was a foolish woman, in many ways," sighed Silvius.

"Pawn in B5."

He moved her pawn, which f****d him to retreat his own Bishop, or else he'd lose it.

uldn't help but replay the scene in her foggy mind. That one scene she wished she never would have witnessed... To think about it, she hadn't seen that de anyway? It had been a long time since Ellias wasn't fully himself... How long had he been fed that poison, unbeknownst to him?

"While she was focused on keeping Rayan alive, she did not think for a single second I would dare harm the precious human Prince... Of course, at the time, I had no intention to. But, foolish as she was, she didn't concern herself much with training him against poisons or drugs. See, those things were even more common back in my time, and I've kept a certain or slipping those into my enemies' cup. Of course, Houses like the Duchy De Crescent were smart enough to keep that knowledge over the years, but many other noble houses disregarded it, or weren't as serious. Many still underestimate the threat, or think of themselves as not important enough to watch out for those... Like Prince Ellias. He feared the politics and sword-out battles so much, the poor boy never knew to check his cup twice!"

It was impossible that Ellias didn't have a minimum of knowledge about poisons, but it took more tha happened. She had realized he looked worse and worse at times... Everytime Silvius' drugs had gotten been fed to him. He thought he had chased away all his enemies, but they had gotten closer than eve "To be fair, convincing that little wench was the easiest part. Women of loose morals are very prone to "What did you give him?"

He chuckled.

"A nice cocktail... Psychotropes. I'm assuming you'll be more than educated in those by now?" The anger in Milena's heart rose.

It was the same thing that Ellias had given her, in that tower. The mere memory of it was sickening. Sh "Ah, yes... He may have gotten a bit too familiar with it, didn't he? See, those things are great to build

of training to be fully safe. If someone was desperate to keep poisoning him over the course of weeks, even months, surely, that would explain what had

. With time, Ellias had been more and more isolated, surrounded by the previous King's lackeys and servants. No wonder he had fallen prey to whatever had a different face than those he expected...

otion, and being the King's mistress was always one title no one could really ignore."

hed her fist, but the pain in her shoulder quickly stopped her. It radiated throughout her body as the man seated across the chessboard chuckled.

ety and paranoia in the subject. Another one of my dear brother's creations, actually. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who wants to live a long life, but

it's horribly addictive over time. The young King didn't need much more of my help once he got used tough... Your move, my Lady." "You turned him into an addict so he'd be more obedient," she hissed.

"Yes. My pawns had a tendency to turn against me as of late, so I took some measures to prevent it from happening again... His affection for you was bothering me a lot, actually. Men do make foolish decisions when it comes to the lower s*x... Your move, please." Milena was beyond disgusted. This monster's obsession for control had pushed far past the limit. He had turned Ellias into some mindless imbecile just to ensure he'd stay an obedient puppet! "Your. Move."

She wanted to scratch that annoying smirk off his face. Milena had never felt so mad and powerless at the same time. He deserved to have his body pierced by a hundred burning swords, and yet here she was, pinned to a damn chair and f****d to play chess with him while she was bleeding to death!

Her injury had become numb, but it was no good sign. In fact, she barely had any sensation left in her right arm, which was more worrying. She was trying to move her ankles bit by bit to free herself from the binds, but her right wrist was the biggest pain, it wouldn't even move at all. Moreover, she was still dizzy from the injury, that light-headedness one got when their body was just running on empty. Her extremities felt ice-cold, same as her lips, but she couldn't tell if it was from the cold coming from the wide open windows or her own body shutting down, and it was scary. That man didn't seem to mind the cold at all, or perhaps, just like his sense of smell, he had lost the sensations of his body. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. He was just a foreign host in a decaying shell. She remembered what she had learned about the High Priest. He had looked youthful for decades. If King Silvius had been trapped in bodies for decades, that meant that bodies naturally rotting could also be his prison, yet this one he had kept in a decent state... Perhaps he had been more careful. If the Priest had died young and from something that didn't physically damage the body, like a disease, or poison, and paid some extra care to it, it would have been doable to keep it in decent condition for a while... Bit by bit, she was finally filling the blanks.

"...Rook in D8."

He nodded, and moved her Rook, then his Queen.

"Unlike what you might think, I do not enjoy harming such young people, Grand Princess De Crescent. I only do what I deem necessary for this Kingdom's survival."

"Bishop in B7....You say this as if you can't hear the sounds of battle outside, King Silvius," she retorted. "Or perhaps you've chosen to become blind to it?"

"No, I hear them", he said. "However, you're speaking to a man that has seen two dozen generations pass. Those people are nothing but short existences that will come to pass, one way or another. My sight is greater than a battle happening downstairs right now. I see far, far beyond that future." "...So that's what it is," Milena hissed. "You think of yourself as some God who manipulates others' destinies."

He frowned, visibly not pleased with her mocking tone. He glanced down at the Chessboard, and swapped his Rook and his King, the same movement Milena had used earlier. The Castle, to protect his King.

"I believe some of us will serve a greater purpose than others," he said. "I have the knowledge of three centuries of witnessing foolish politicians and greedy nobles. You're just a child that was born yesterday. You may think I sound arrogant, but this is merely the argument of a student too green to understand the master. Without me to pull the strings behind the scenes, to push our history in the right direction, who knows how lost our civilization would be today?"

"If we're bound to disappear, it should have nothing to do with you," she retorted. "You're not acting out of charity or concern for the people, King Silvius. You're just a man who has gotten far too drunk on power, and a coward as well."

"Do not call me a coward, Child," he threatened her. "You would be wise to hold your tongue."

"You wanted an opponent to play with you, you shall learn that some students surpass the master early. My knight goes in E5."

He glared at her, and after a second of reluctance, moved her knight forward, where it threatened both his Bishop and his Knight. A smirk appeared on Milena's lips.

"A child like you is as arrogant as they come."

He took her knight with his.

"Bishop in E5."

He flinched as she confiscated his knight. A smirk appeared on Milena's crimson lips. She was feeling physically ill and weak, but she had never been one to let it stop her. If she only had this Chess Game to fight back, so be it. Maribella had told her that literally anything could become a weapon, and this one was a psychological one. She was stabbing, chess piece after chess piece, into her opponent's mind to dig up his secrets. She wanted to finish the job before her husband got here. It was as if her sword had been back in her hand, and she was the Black Queen standing at the forefront of her army, leading her dark pawns, ready to take down the enemy lines, while keeping her King as safe as possible.

"You're making bold statements, Your Majesty," she said. "Who knows what Queen Silvra would have been capable of doing?"

"My sister was never meant to become Queen!" He roared.

"...And a Dhampir child was never meant to be stolen from their family," she hissed. "Destiny works in funny ways, doesn't it?"

Angry, he grabbed one of his pawns, moving it forward mindlessly.

"Just pawns," he repeated. "Necessary sacrifices for a greater goal!"

Milena kept glaring at him. To think she had once admired King Silvius and all he had done for the Kingdom... Now, he had fallen too deep into the abyss of power. His greed was worse, he just wasn't ready to let go at all. He had sacrificed far too many to even dare let go, just one second, of the castle of cards he had built himself all this time. No matter which generation would come, he wouldn't trust it. He had taken that impossible position as an omniscient God who felt entitled to no bounds. Milena sighed. Reasoning with that man was beyond hope, he would just never let go. All she could do was hope they could get rid of him, for good, like some disease that had been infesting the Kingdom silently all this time.

"You've gone blind, Your Majesty," she muttered.

"On the contrary, I see clearer than anybody else, Princess De Crescent. And you're the one feeling in overwhelming power when you're holding on to nothing!"

"I beg to disagree. ... Bishop in C7."

He moved her Bishop, and one of his pawns forward, a grin on his face.

"I believe we should wrap this up quickly before that dear husband of yours gets there."

"Rook in C8."

She tried to listen while he moved her Rook. Rayan was definitely getting closer, but so were the sounds of fierce battle. Neither side had won yet, the battle had just moved to the Castle. Was Rayan more focused on reuniting with her first? He did not need to kill his twin for them to win, her husband knew the real fight was happening where she was, in this tower, facing the real enemy. It had only been minutes, but those were long, long minutes for Milena's body, which was growing weaker and weaker. She was all absorbed in the game and in her opponent, to try and forget her own condition.

Confident, King Silvius moved his pawn forward again.

"Are you feeling lonely?" He asked.

"I've been alone many times, but never truly lonely, Your Majesty. My allies are near, and I'll show you how treating your friends and family right can lead to victory. Unlike you, I know it doesn't all come down to one man, or one woman. Bishop in B6." "You're buying time hoping many of you can corner me," he chuckled.

He moved her Bishop, and frowned. Milena smiled.

"Check."

She was getting the first check of the game, a direct hit possible towards his King. He frowned, and moved his piece to the corner.

"Knight in G4," she immediately said.

She wasn't even looking at the Chessboard anymore, her purple eyes riveted on him. She wanted to see him flinch, to see him finally realize he had underestimated his opponent, a woman. He moved her piece, then his Bishop. "Queen in H4."

"So typical. You're taking all the risks to protect your King," he scoffed.

Suddenly, Raelius appeared in the room. His eyes went on the High Priest, then on Milena, opening wide in horror at the sight of the open, bleeding and large injury on her shoulder.

"Milena!"

"Don't."

He looked back. Facing him, the High Priest had suddenly taken out a g*n, pointing it right at Milena's heart. It was far too close for him to possibly miss the shot. She'd die right here and now. The High Priest chuckled. "Come on, brother, don't tempt me to use your precious heiress next. If you move, she dies."

Raelius' expression fell. He glanced at Milena, visibly worried sick about his descendant, his feet stuck on the ground, ten steps away from her. She could almost see his heart beating like crazy in his chest, the sweat on his white temples. He clenched his fists hard, a look of hatred like she had never seen in his red eyes, riveted on the High Priest.

"...Silvius?"

"Oh, you've gotten smarter over the years, Raelius," he chuckled. "Or did our dear Princess put you on the right track?"

"You're the only bastard that would stoop that low," her ancestor hissed between his teeth.

Silvius scoffed.

"Right. Because you were such an example of righteousness..."

"At least I never used a child for my goals!"

"And look where it got you."

He moved his pawn, threatening her Queen.

"I know you can teleport, but if I see you any closer than this to the Princess, I'm putting a bullet right through her heart," he said. "So stay still and let us finish our game, Raelius."

"....Are you alright, Milena?" Raelius whispered, his voice full of anxiousness.

"I'm teaching a lesson to a centuries-old ghost of a King," she retorted. "... Rook in C3."

The man frowned.

"...You're letting me take your Queen?" He scoffed.

"Go ahead."

He shrugged, and took her Queen with his pawn, throwing the chess piece at Raelius' head, who didn't dodge it.

"You idiot," said Silvius. "You'll really listen to protect her, won't you? This is why you were always so weak... Unwilling to compromise."

"You killed Silvra," Raelius retorted. "And Slev."

Silvius rolled his eyes, but didn't answer, focused on their game. He was in a difficult position even when Milena had lost her Queen. Meanwhile, the ruckus was definitely getting closer. Milena could hear the shouts of several soldiers. Just like her before, Rayan had sent his men to search the rooms, watching out for Wendigos. Perhaps he had found the remaining ones, but it wasn't her fight anymore. Her fight was here, with the final opponent.

And she was winning this game. At least, on the black and white board. It was her Rook against his Queen, one or the other was going to be sacrificed. He scoffed, and took her Rook. "Bishop in E4."

He frowned, unhappy to see her take his own Bishop.

"Check."

He glared at her. She was threatening his King, again. That woman had lost her Queen already, yet all of her chess pieces were trying to corner his King, and moving his Queen as they pleased. Milena smirked.

"I told you, King Silvius. There will always be one student to best the Master, even if he's three or thirty centuries old. Especially if you tend to underestimate the next generation. You belong to another age, Your Majesty, and you should have stayed in it."

Raelius scoffed, proud of her. She was indeed winning this game. He kept looking out for when Silvius would relax, even just a second. It was too risky to try and take him by surprise, not when he had his finger on the trigger and the barrel inches away from Milena's heart... Their best hope was Rayan and his men climbing up. This Chess Game was coming to an end, and so would the fight.

King Silvius moved his Queen back to protect the King.

"...You should have used your Queen better earlier."

He glared at Milena. The parallel was too obvious, and so had been the King's mistake. It was only a matter of time now.

They heard the doors banging on the same floor. A relieved smile appeared on Milena's face. Rayan was almost here. It would all be over soon.

"Rook in H3. You already know how it ends, Your Majesty. You should know when to give up."

He had lost the game. No matter what, he wouldn't be able to save his King, Milena's pawns had blasted his defenses open and her King had stayed far behind, unexposed and unthreatened all this time. He glared.

"Fine," he muttered.

He suddenly stood up and put the g*n against her temple.

"Don't move, Raelius. All it takes is one second, one bullet."

"...I know," hissed his brother.

Milena could see her ancestor's fists, clenching with all his might, furious to be so powerless. Milena shivered. The man had untied her wrists, her ankles, and he suddenly grabbed her, one hand pressing on her shoulder, making her scream in atrocious pain. The injury had been numb until then, but not anymore. It was now an atrocious, infinite void of pain, and he was voluntarily pressing on the exposed, b****y flesh. Meanwhile, his g*n was still pressed on her temple and he turned around, using her as both a hostage and a shield.

"Anyone comes near, and the Grand Princess becomes my body for the next ten years," he hissed. "That works for her pet too....Call her. I know that wretched thing is near."

Blanche jumped out from behind Raelius' back, where she had probably been hidden all this time. She shape-shifted into a wolf, and growled furiously, but staying at the same distance as Raelius. Her state immediately took Milena out of her pain-crazy thoughts. Blanche was hurt. Her shoulder also had a large injury, her front paw covered in blood, and her fur had turned more ash-grey than white. She was missing a fang, too. "Blanche," she muttered.

Only then did Milena realize the tears had come to her eyes, from the incommensurable amount of pain she was in from her injury. Either that man was pressing hard, or the painkillers were wearing off. Perhaps both. Just standing was requesting her a lot of energy not to faint.

"Milena!"

She looked ahead.

Rayan had just ran into the previous room, sword in hand, visibly exhausted and battered by the fight. He looked around at the abandoned bodies, and then looked up again, grasping the whole situation in one gaze. He immediately glared at the High Priest. "Oh, yes, that glare," chuckled Silvius. "Your Princess has fought bravely all this time, Prince Rayan, but you're coming too late."

"Not if I can finish you off myself," he groaned back, stepping forward.