Claimed by the Prince of Darkness novel Chapter 219

Chapter 219: The Harshest Winter

As they continued to walk, they came to a halt near a modest food stall. Ruelle’s attention, which had been firmly occupied by extinct plants only moments ago, was shamelessly stolen by a row of warm buns glazed with different jams.

"What is that one?" she asked, pointing towards the darkest filling. The scent of warm yeast, sugar, and cinnamon curled invitingly into the cold air.

"Grapes, milady. Sweet and slightly sour," answered the man.

"I don’t think you should be eating food from stalls like this, Miss Ruelle. With the wedding so close, falling ill would be inconvenient," Peyton murmured from just behind her shoulder.

Ruelle waved a dismissive hand, already stepping closer to the display. She reasoned,

"I’ve been eating from stalls like this for years. My stomach has long since grown resistant. Besides, food rarely spoils during the winter months."

A few paces away, a man in a thick woollen coat approached Dane. He greeted, "Mr. Slater, it’s been a while."

Dane offered a nod and asked, "How has trade been faring lately?"

The man sighed, rubbing his gloved hands together for warmth. He admitted, "Slow. Though we should see things pick up soon once the last of the snow melts," and the two men walked away from the food stall to speak, "There was a break-in recently."

At this, Dane’s eyes sharpened faintly though his expression remained otherwise unreadable.

"That’s the strange part," the man answered, his brow furrowing with confusion. "None of the merchants came forward to report anything stolen. Not a single complaint filed. I can only imagine the items in question must have been illegal. That would explain why no one dared to speak up."

Dane turned to look over his shoulder, where Ruelle stood talking to her cousin and the vampiress. Turning back, he asked, "How long ago was the break-in?"

The official scratched the stubble along his jaw and then answered, "Two, perhaps three days ago. No more than that."

It was the same time when Lucian mentioned running into Ezekiel in the old town, thought Dane. He questioned, "What about the watch guards?"

"They tried following the person, but they said the person fell into the water and didn’t surface. It led to some men diving in to make sure but with the cold water... you know," the man shook his head as if it were pointless.

Ruelle came to stand next to Dane and the man offered a bow before leaving them.

Dane’s eyes dropped to her empty hands before returning to her face. He asked, "You gobbled the bun already?"

Ruelle smiled and nodded. "Yes, it was warm. I was thinking of buying a silk roll in the town."

"Are the other two still eating?" Dane asked, turning to look at the stand but they weren’t there.

"I asked them to keep the things in the carriage lest we end up attracting attention. They will join us," Ruelle smiled and said, "We can finish shopping by then to save time."

"There’s no reason to save time. I am quite enjoying my day today." As Dane gave his arm, she wrapped her hand around it, and they began walking. "It looks like we got most of the things we came for. Don’t worry about the courthouse. I am sure Carnifex will help in that matter."

Ruelle gave a nod in response, leaving the centre of the harbour as they reached the buildings. She asked, "What was the official talking about earlier?"

"About someone stealing things and fleeing away. It could be Ezekiel looking for items. No witch is bold enough to do that," Dane explained when they stopped by a silk shop.

"Not this one," Ruelle replied and said, "I usually go for another one. They are much cheaper there."

"You don’t have to worry about the price. I doubt Lucian would care if you were to spend his entire savings like water," Dane teased as he looked ahead, but Ruelle didn’t respond to it.

"It is just a special place. I am sure you will like it too," Ruelle stated before asking, "How are we going to catch Ezekiel?"

"Usually posters of the person work, but considering he’s changing faces, Lucian is planning for something else. Though I didn’t bother asking what," said Dane, his eyes looking at the passing crowd. "Sometimes it’s good to keep the plans in," he took a deep breath before releasing it.

As they continued to walk, Dane asked, "Did you come here often?"

Ruelle nodded and replied, "I did. Caroline and I used to come here, as the wool was sold here much cheaper."

"I sometimes find it hard to believe that you had to go through all of it because of Harold," Dane shook his head. "If we knew about the mistreatment, my mother would have got you married to Lucian right away. She always wanted a daughter and you seemed to fit right into our family."

"Your family has been very kind to me," Ruelle murmured. "Especially you."

"I hardly did anything. Though I am glad for not quitting my work at Sexton this year," Dane remarked with an amused expression. "My brother wouldn’t have realised as fast as he did when I pointed him in your direction. I am glad that everything worked out fine in the end."

The further they walked, the quieter the streets became. The lively hum of the market faded into a distant murmur, then into silence altogether, until they stood before a narrow alley tucked away from the crowd. The shop before them was closed.

"Looks like it has been a while since it has been closed," Dane remarked, tilting his head as he studied the dusty wooden sign. "When was the last time you visited?"

"Before I joined Sexton," Ruelle answered from behind.

"Must be a couple of months then since it was closed." He nodded absently before saying, "I know an excellent place with silks. We can get—"

But the words died in his throat as his chest suddenly stung and he looked down.

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