Chapter 6

King Herod turned to his side upon Sebastian's arrival at the court meeting. The sun already set on the horizon but the council hadn't reached any conclusive remark regarding the princess who willingly go with the king of vampires. It didn't fail to make the king flinch in anger when Marcus intended to drag his daughter in such a fashion familiar not just to him but to everyone in the council who fought alongside king Xavier.

"What of their journey." The king tried to be passive in his question.

"Your majesty, I'm afraid I wasn't able to follow their path anymore as they entered the Cheruba." Sebastian broke the news which made the council turn in his direction.

"Cheruba?" Henry reacted despite his old stature. "That forbidden passage for us all."

Sebastian could only understand how the king was speechless upon hearing such a piece of news. "I tried breaking in but the barrier stopped me from entering."

"Then how are the princess and the vampires got through it?" Elisar reinforced.

King Herod's façade crumbled as he leaned over the table in both elbows, burying his face with his palms. The meeting of taking back the princess by force will be in naught as soon as he heard about Sebastian's words.

One man, the same age as the king approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

King Herod looked up to his side and saw Ference in there. They exchanged a look that the two of them could understand.

"We should rest this meeting. Everyone should depart now." Ference made a call and announced it to the council. Since the people knew that he was the voice next to the king, no one dared to raise another question, seeing how Ference's face also appeared grim.

As the councils slowly emptied the hall except for the king, Ference, and Sebastian, the silence became unnerving. Like a calm before a storm would land on the ground.

"Perhaps I should prepare for my daughter's funeral, in this case, Ference." the king's voice broke down though he refused to show his face still.

Ference sat down on the chair on the right side and stared at the wordlessly for a bit of a moment.

Sebastian couldn't leave there if he wasn't directly dismissed by either the king or Ference. So, he stood there in practiced silence, though he was utterly worried for Kaleen. The strange reaction of both the king and Ference intensified his concern even more. What could have been in that Cheruba that made them act in such a way?

'And a funeral?' Sebastian thought to himself.

"I heard the queen and your daughters are coming back in Vel," Ference said after a while which made king Herod look up at his friend with a hint of tears in his eyes.

Even without many words to express his affection for his daughter who fought alongside him in tumultuous times, Sebastian could see it very apparent now.

"The queen?"

Ference nodded. "She must have heard the arrangement firsthand. Perhaps you should go over the unread letters she sent to your chamber tonight. The matter of the princess is out of our hands now. We cannot risk sending our troops there because Cheruba was built to withstand any force of any man or vampire. Too bad it wasn't made to withstand the werewolves."

"What will happen to the princess now, sir?" Sebastian dared to ask Ference.

Ference regarded Sebastian and nodded momentarily. "You got the right to know since you fought alongside her for long."

"Will they kill her?" Sebastian concluded in horror. Maybe he should have attacked the throng of vampires despite the numbers he brought along to spy on Marcus's travel. That way, he might have been able to save Kaleen. That way, he might have a chance to do so before a barrier of Cheruba came to stop him from following.

"No. But the Manik which guarded the barrier will." Ference said.

"I'm sorry, sir, but Manik? The creature of the underworld?" Sebastian asked incredulously.

"Yes."

"They are a myth, sir." Sebastian corrected, however, he had no idea why his heart won't stop racing in speed. For he had read books about Maniks. He had nightmares about it after the professor at Knight's institution tackled it. In fact, everyone in the class had the same experience all at once.

The mere mention of a such creature in anyone's mouth would be visited by it in their dreams. It was such a terrible experience that no one can't forget. The professor who taught it in the class was brought into account by the many parents of the nobles who took up lessons in his class.

The lessons about Manik were since banned from the institution and forbidden to even be uttered by anyone's lips.

In fact, Sebastian risked his night's sleep for even saying the word so carelessly now. Maybe because Ference appeared unshaken for saying it before the king. Careless for him indeed but Sebastian didn't care much.

Kaleen will face such a creature which made him pissed his bed for many nights before. What horror she must go through before she'll be killed by it.

"Aren't we supposed to do something, sir? Your Highness?" Sebastian found his voice after a shocking revelation.

Ference only shook his head while the king looked blankly ahead of the empty chair at the opposite head of the table.

"I have heard that king Xavier created such a barrier. Surely, we can undo it." Sebastian hypothesized.

"It can be undone..." Ference said which lit Sebastian's ray of hope. But it soon diminish when it appeared that Ference uttered in the same grim expression he wore upon dismissing the council a moment ago.

"What's the matter?" Sebastian asked but then it seemed that he already knew the answer to that.