The Duke's Passion

731  He had fallen

"I don't feel safe."

Heliot watched her reaction and saw nothing. Tilly's expression remained the same, blinking every once in a while, and then taking another bite from the biscuit. "Very well. A servant will come if you needed something else, and my men will prepare a carriage for you." He planted his hand on the armrest, getting his cue to leave her alone. "You do not need to inform me of your departure and if you can, give my word to His Grace. My people are already assembling."

With that being said, Heliot pushed himself up and sauntered off without another word. But just as he was several steps from the door, he stopped at her remarks. "What did you say?" he asked, looking back at Tilly. Tilly shot him a glance and then turned her head to the window. "He had fallen," she whispered. "He?"

Tilly didn't answer, knowing Heliot had already guessed whom she was referring to. She put the biscuit back on the plate, pushing herself from the chair. She didn't speak a word and simply sauntered towards the balcony, pushing it open. The wind immediately blew past her face, causing the bell tied in her hair to ring softly. Seeing her action, Heliot followed her and stopped by the entrance of the balcony. His brows were knitted together, watching her plant her hand on the railing. She was looking in a direction, her hair floating back, and the bell continuously rang. "I had warned him..." she whispered after a prolonged silence as her eyelashes drooped. "He should've fled."

"Are you referring to the king of the mainland?"

"He's still alive," she continued, ignoring his question. "Though, barely."

Heliot frowned, but he stayed to listen to her. As he did, he studied her back and felt the brief melancholic air surrounding her. He didn't hear anything regarding this woman's relationship with the king, but he was certain the current king on the mainland regarded the woman in the forbidden forest with the highest respect.

  But that wasn't what was important to him. Heliot lowered and narrowed his eyes, pondering the little detail she spewed just now. 'He had fallen?' he repeated in his head. 'Did the royal family on the mainland had fallen?'

His eyes darkened with the thought. Aside from the Grimsbanne clan, the royal family on the mainland was the most powerful among all clans. For them to fall, a stupid scheme wasn't enough to overthrow the throne. The opposing forces should not only be cunning but also equally powerful in terms of strength and blood. This wasn't good. While Heliot was mulling about the situation on the mainland, his train of thoughts was once again cut off when Tilly spoke. He slowly raised his piercingly sharp eyes, carrying murderous intent. As soon as he did, Tilly was already facing him. Her expression was still the same, but sincerity lingered in her beautiful eyes. "Karo... will fall?" he repeated what she said just now, almost scoffing, dissatisfied by what she uttered with certainty. "Yes." Tilly nodded. "This beautiful place will fall."

"How are you certain it will?" he inquired solemnly. Normally, the reply should be, 'are you mocking our Karo's forces?' but this was Tilly: the woman in that forbidden forest. This woman might be strange, but what Heliot had observed from her was that she would never bluff on things such as this. This matter involved the royal family of the mainland. Even if she didn't care about the land of Karo, she wouldn't benefit from anything by uttering such an omen. "Because my friend had fallen, therefore, all purebloods who were gifted with an enormous amount of power would be next," Tilly explained calmly. Her eyes held his gaze for the longest time. "Not only they were after the Grimsbanne, but also those bloodlines who had been there since the establishment of the mainland."

"The Grimsbanne, the La Crox, Von Stein, Le Blac, and the rest who had been supporting the king all these years to maintain peace," she continued, turning to look in a particular direction. "Vampires were free to go and venture the world beyond the mainland. However, they could not return as much as they pleased and would be treated as traitors."

"That was established so everyone would have second thoughts. It is also to protect our kind from the outside world, not just from humans, but from the wolves who had always been the favored ones over our kind and other creatures who walks on the surface of this world," Tilly added, imparting the knowledge that the king had passed to her every time he visited her in her home. "Karo is a magnificent place and the Von Stein clan were amazing to build a land that sheltered very few greedy individuals."

"It would have been nice if you had shared your methods with him. In that case, he would've been able to prevent it before they had poisoned the mainland." Her eyes softened and her hand on the railing carefully curled. "He had always been so foolish."

"Who... had taken down the king?" Heliot breathed out solemnly, eyes still on her frail back. "Was it the Moriarty?"

"Who knows...?" she whispered, looking up at the moon shining unnaturally bright. "Who did it doesn't matter. What they would do next or who they were going after next is the real question."

Heliot remained silent, putting himself in the shoe of whoever overthrew the throne on the mainland and could've caused mayhem. If he was in their shoes... after taking down the strongest clan — the Grimsbanne Clan excluded — on the mainland, Heliot would surely go after those weaker ones. Although some pureblooded clans weren't at all weak, they were all inferior to the descendants of evil. If he considered the enemy's awareness of Samael's plans, then they would surely try to cut anyone who could help them. But then again, it didn't make sense. "The Grimsbanne Clan are powerful. You can put them in their place. The Duke of Grimsbanne can even do the dirty work for you." Heliot pointed out, eyes glinting with intrigue. "It's impossible that they can be this confident, knowing you, an Original, can squash us like bugs."

"You are correct."

"So how?" he asked without beating around the bush. "What sort of people are coming after us?"

"Everyone."