Chapter 3 — Betrayal

The chains that had bound Annesa's hands and feet for seven days were finally removed.

For the first time, there was no sound of metal clanking whenever she moved.

No more pain that made her body writhe.

No more thirst burning through her throat.

Annesa's body was slowly becoming calm again.

She was still wearing the same cream-colored dress.

But it was far from its original appearance.

The fabric was wrinkled, covered in dirt and dried blood. Around her neck, the bite wound left by the Vampire King had almost completely disappeared, leaving only a faint scar that was slowly fading.

The drops of blood that had once soaked her dress had hardened into dark stains across the fabric.

Annesa stared at those stains for a long time.

As though she could still see her old life reflected in them.

The life she had before everything changed.

She then moved to the corner of the cave.

She curled herself up.

Her knees were drawn against her chest, and her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

Then she cried.

Not loudly.

Just quiet sobs echoing between the stone walls.

Sob...

Hah...

Sob...

The crying continued.

For a long time.

A very long time.

Outside the cave, snow continued to fall without stopping.

The cold wind slipped through the cracks in the rocks and touched Annesa's skin.

Strangely, she no longer felt pain.

Her body only felt cold.

Not stiff.

Not violently trembling.

Not numb.

She could still feel the coldness of the snow.

But her body no longer reacted like a human body.

Annesa looked down at her hands.

She hadn't eaten.

She hadn't drunk anything.

For seven days.

If she were still human, perhaps her body would have already given up.

Perhaps she would have died from starvation, dehydration, or blood loss.

But now...

she was still alive.

In fact, after drinking the blood earlier, her body felt healthier than it had before.

Annesa wiped her face.

More tears fell.

"Why..."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Why am I still alive?"

There was no answer.

Several meters away, Eryx sat with his back against the cave wall.

He didn't approach Annesa.

He didn't tell her to stop crying.

He didn't tell her that everything would be all right.

He didn't even say that things would get better.

Eryx simply sat there in silence, staring outside the cave.

Snow fell before him.

His silver hair occasionally moved with the wind.

The black sword remained sheathed at his waist.

He looked like someone who had understood long ago that not every wound could be healed with words.

And strangely...

Annesa felt that was better.

Better than someone who claimed they would protect her, only to hand her over to a monster.

Better than someone who said everything would be fine while secretly destroying her life.

Her father.

Annesa closed her eyes.

She remembered her father's face.

She remembered his smile.

She remembered how he had told her that she would marry a wealthy man.

"This is for your future, Annesa."

The words were still clear in her mind.

Her father had told her the man was rich.

Powerful.

Capable of giving her a better life.

Annesa had believed him.

Because she had no one else.

Her mother had died long ago.

Since then, her father had been the only family she had.

The only person she trusted.

The only place she considered home.

But it turned out...

that home was the first place to betray her.

Annesa began crying again.

Eryx remained silent.

Time passed.

She didn't know how long.

Hours, perhaps.

Until finally, Annesa's crying slowly stopped.

Her eyes were swollen.

Her face was still wet with tears.

She took a deep breath.

For the first time, the cave felt somewhat peaceful.

Eryx was still sitting in the same place.

He hadn't moved.

He hadn't turned toward her.

Then, without looking at her, he asked,

"Are you feeling better?"

Annesa fell silent.

"...A little."

Eryx nodded.

Several seconds passed.

Then he spoke.

"I'm sorry."

Annesa turned toward him.

Eryx was still staring at the snow outside.

"I know what it feels like."

Annesa didn't answer immediately.

She didn't know what the man had gone through.

But there was something in his voice that made her decide not to ask.

Eryx finally turned toward her.

"What happened that made the kingdom's soldiers come looking for you?"

Annesa froze.

Her fingers tightened around the hem of her dress.

She had only just met Eryx.

She didn't even know who he truly was.

She didn't know why he lived in this cave.

She didn't know why he had saved her.

She didn't know why he possessed an expensive sword and carried the gaze of someone who feared no one.

Should she tell him?

Annesa lowered her head.

"I..."

Her voice caught in her throat.

Eryx didn't pressure her.

He simply waited.

Annesa took a breath.

"I was deceived."

Two words came out almost inaudibly.

Eryx said nothing.

Annesa stared at her hands.

"My father told me... he was going to marry me off to a man."

She paused.

"He said the man was rich."

A bitter smile appeared on her face.

"He said that he could give me a better life."

Annesa swallowed.

"But I didn't know..."

Her voice began to tremble.

"...that the man wasn't human."

Eryx watched her.

"He was a monster."

Annesa closed her eyes.

"A vampire."

The single word made the cave fall silent again.

"I wasn't married to him."

Annesa quickly shook her head.

"I hadn't even said yes."

Tears began gathering in her eyes again.

"Then suddenly, he came closer."

Her hand slowly touched her neck.

"I still remember his hands."

Her body trembled slightly.

"He grabbed my neck."

Annesa took a short breath.

"Then... he bit me."

Tears fell.

"I screamed."

She closed her eyes.

"But my father was there."

Eryx didn't move.

Annesa looked at him.

Her eyes were filled with pain.

"He saw everything."

Her voice cracked.

"My father saw me crying."

A single tear rolled down her cheek.

"He saw me in pain."

Annesa shook her head.

"But he didn't help me."

Her sobs broke through again.

"He did nothing."

Annesa covered her face with both hands.

"He just stood there."

Her quiet crying echoed through the cave.

"I called for him."

She sobbed.

"Father..."

Annesa lowered her head.

"I called him again and again."

There was no answer.

"He just watched."

Annesa bit her lip.

"I thought he would save me."

Her tears flowed harder.

"Because he was my father."

Eryx stared at her without saying a word.

Annesa wiped her tears.

"I have no one else."

"My mother died a long time ago."

"Since then... he was all I had."

Annesa hugged her knees tighter.

"I trusted him."

Her voice became a whisper.

"And it turned out..."

She paused for a long moment.

"...he sold me."

Eryx finally lowered his gaze.

Annesa continued telling her story.

How her father had brought her to the kingdom.

How she had been ordered to wear the cream-colored dress.

How she had believed she was going to meet her future husband.

How the Vampire King had appeared.

The hand that had gripped her neck.

The pain when his fangs pierced her skin.

The blood that had flowed.

Her father's unchanging gaze.

And how Annesa had eventually escaped.

Everything came out in fragments, broken sentences interrupted by tears.

Eryx didn't interrupt her even once.

He simply listened.

Until finally, Annesa fell silent.

The cave became quiet again.

Eryx stared at the small fire near the entrance, which was almost extinguished.

Then he spoke softly.

"So it wasn't the Vampire King who betrayed you first."

Annesa raised her head.

Eryx looked at her.

"The first person to destroy your trust was your own father."

Annesa didn't answer.

But from her eyes, Eryx already knew the answer.

Eryx then stood.

He picked up his sword and walked toward the cave entrance.

Annesa watched him.

"Eryx."

The man stopped.

Annesa hesitated before asking,

"Why did you save me?"

Eryx didn't answer immediately.

He looked at the snow-covered forest outside.

Then he said,

"Because I know what it's like when the person who is supposed to protect you becomes the first person to betray you."

Annesa fell silent.

Eryx took several steps outside.

But before he truly left the cave, he stopped.

Without turning around, he said,

"Get some sleep, Annesa."

"Tomorrow, you'll learn how to live with your new body."

Annesa stared at his back.

For the first time since the night her life had changed...

she didn't feel completely alone.

But Annesa didn't know one thing.

Eryx never saved anyone without a reason.

And the reason he had chosen to save Annesa...

---------------------------------------------

Morning light slowly slipped through the gaps between the trees.

The sky, dark throughout the night, began turning bluish-gray. Snow covering the forest reflected the pale sunlight, making the world outside the cave look brighter than it had the night before.

Annesa was still sitting in the corner of the cave.

She had only slept for a short while.

Her eyes were swollen after crying for hours.

The cream-colored dress she wore was still covered in dried blood that had hardened into dark stains. The wound on her neck had become even fainter, but the stains on her clothing remained as a reminder of what had happened.

Annesa stared outside the cave.

The sun.

She used to see morning as the beginning of a new day.

Now, sunlight felt different.

It didn't burn her.

It didn't hurt.

Yet somehow, she still felt strange seeing herself survive like this.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Tap... tap...

Annesa turned.

Eryx emerged from the cave passage.

His silver hair looked even more striking in the morning light. He was still wearing his black clothes. The sword with its engraved sheath remained at his waist.

In one hand, he carried a long piece of dark fabric with a hood.

In the other, a black bowl.

Annesa immediately recognized the scent.

Blood.

She frowned.

Eryx approached and placed the fabric beside her.

"Wear this."

Annesa stared at it.

Then her eyes shifted toward the bowl.

"No."

Eryx wasn't surprised.

"You need to drink," Eryx said.

"I'm not thirsty."

Eryx looked at her.

Annesa indeed didn't feel the overwhelming thirst she had experienced the previous night.

However, her body still reacted whenever the scent of blood filled the air.

She deliberately turned her face away.

"I don't want to."

Eryx crouched before her.

"It's the same blood."

Annesa looked at him.

"Bear blood?"

Eryx nodded.

"Yes."

He brought the bowl slightly closer.

"If you're going into the city like this, you need to drink."

Annesa frowned.

"Why?"

"Because there are humans in the city."

Annesa fell silent.

Eryx continued in a calm, low voice.

"And if your thirst appears while we're surrounded by humans, you may not be able to control yourself."

Annesa stared at the bowl.

"I won't bite anyone."

Eryx's tone wasn't judgmental.

"Every vampire says that before they lose control."

Just a fact.

"You're still in the early stages of your transformation. Your instincts haven't fully stabilized yet."

Annesa lowered her head.

Eryx lifted the bowl again.

"Come on. Drink."

His voice was calm.

Masculine.

Not harsh, but firm enough to make Annesa understand that this time, he wasn't really giving her a choice.

Annesa stared at the blood for a long moment.

She remembered the previous night.

The thirst.

The pain.

The burning in her throat.

The feeling that her body was tearing itself apart.

Then she remembered how everything had disappeared after the blood entered her body.

Annesa sighed.

"I still don't like it."

"I didn't ask you to like it."

Eryx cut her off immediately.

"I only want you to stay alive."

Annesa fell silent.

Then slowly, her hand moved.

This time, Eryx didn't bring the bowl to her lips.

He let Annesa take it herself.

Her fingers wrapped around the black bowl.

She stared at the red liquid inside.

There was still hesitation.

But finally—

she lifted the bowl.

She drank slowly.

One sip.

Then a second.

The blood flowed down her throat without causing the same disgust as before.

Her body immediately became calmer.

Annesa lowered the bowl.

She wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

Eryx gave a small nod.

"Good."

Annesa handed the empty bowl back.

Eryx took it.

Then he pointed toward the hooded cloak he had brought.

"Now put that on."

Annesa unfolded the fabric.

It was thick and warm.

She pulled it over her cream-colored dress.

The hood was drawn low enough to cover most of her face.

The dried bloodstains on her dress were no longer clearly visible.

Annesa stood.

For a moment, her body lost its balance.

Eryx instinctively reached out his hand.

But Annesa managed to steady herself.

"I can do it."

Eryx withdrew his hand.

"All right."

They walked out of the cave.

The morning air immediately touched Annesa's face.

Cold.

But not painful.

She took a breath.

The forest looked far more beautiful beneath the morning light.

Tall pine trees rose into the sky, their branches covered in snow.

Animal tracks marked the path.

Annesa stopped for a moment.

She could hear so many sounds.

Birds.

Wind.

Branches.

Small animals.

And something she had never noticed before.

From far away—very far away—she could hear the sound of carriage wheels rolling along the road.

Annesa looked at Eryx.

"How can I hear that?"

Eryx continued walking.

"A vampire's senses are sharper than a human's."

Annesa quickened her pace to catch up.

"Are all vampires like this?"

"Not entirely."

"Then what about me?"

Eryx glanced at her briefly.

"We'll find out."

The answer only made Annesa more curious.

They continued through the forest.

Eryx walked several steps ahead.

He didn't speak much.

Annesa followed him in silence.

Every now and then, she glanced at the sword hanging from Eryx's waist.

Its black sheath gleamed beneath the sunlight, decorated with delicate silver engravings.

The weapon looked far too expensive for an ordinary wanderer to own.

Annesa wanted to ask.

But she decided against it.

Not yet.

After walking for some time, the trees began to thin.

In the distance stood a tall stone wall.

Beyond it were buildings with steep roofs, towers, and chimneys releasing white smoke into the air.

A city.

Annesa stopped.

It had been a long time since she had seen anything resembling ordinary life beyond the kingdom.

Carriages moved along the roads.

People walked between the buildings.

Smoke rose from taverns and houses.

The sounds of life gradually became clearer.

But along with those sounds, Annesa caught something that made her throat grow slightly warm.

The scent of blood.

So much blood.

Too much.

She stopped walking.

Eryx noticed immediately.

"Don't look at them for too long."

Annesa swallowed.

"I'm... fine."

Eryx looked at her.

"Tell me if you start losing control."

Annesa nodded.

Then she pulled her hood lower, covering more of her face.

Eryx continued walking.

Annesa followed.

Two figures dressed in dark cloaks slowly entered the road leading into the city.

No one knew who they were.

No one knew that one of them was a girl who had only just lost her human life.

And neither did anyone know that the man walking beside her...

was carrying a secret that could change the fate of the entire Vampire Kingdom.