บททั้งหมดของ Annesa, Vampire King's Mate: บทที่ 91 - บทที่ 100

The kingdom had changed. Not suddenly. Not through a single battle. Not because one law had been written onto a piece of parchment and announced from a throne. The transformation had taken months. Quietly. Village by village. Market by market. Family by family. And now, almost a year after Eryx had taken the crown, the differences could finally be seen everywhere. The first sign appeared in the human settlements. There were fewer empty houses. Fewer families disappearing during the night. Fewer rumors of humans being taken into the mountains and never returning. For centuries, the humans living near vampire territory had learned to fear the sound of wings at night, the appearance of red eyes beyond their windows, and the sudden disappearance of relatives. Now the roads were guarded by royal patrols. Not to hunt them. To protect them. The old law was simple. No human could be hunted for blood. And for the first time, that law was actually enforce

The northern sky turned red three days later. It began as a faint glow beyond the mountains. At first, the sentries believed it was the reflection of sunset. Then the glow remained long after the sun had disappeared. By midnight, the entire northern horizon shimmered with an unnatural crimson light. The bells of the fortress began ringing. Once. Twice. Then continuously. Annesa woke immediately. She stepped onto the balcony and looked toward the mountains. Hundreds of tiny lights were moving across the distant ridges. Not stars. Torches. An army. Eryx appeared behind her, already dressed in black armor. "They're here." Annesa turned. "Who?" Eryx's expression was grim. "The Kingdom of Vareth." The Varethian Kingdom had existed for centuries beyond the northern mountains. It was older than Eryx's kingdom. Its rulers had watched the civil war from a distance. They had watched Malthus fall. They had watched Eryx take the throne. They had

The funeral of Malthus was held three days after the final battle. There were no trumpets. No royal banners. No magnificent procession. No crown placed upon his coffin. For a vampire who had once commanded an entire kingdom, the silence surrounding his death felt almost unnatural. The funeral took place in the northern cemetery, beyond the royal fortress, where ancient vampire kings had been buried for thousands of years. Snow covered the ground. The sky was gray. The wind moved slowly through the bare trees, carrying the faint scent of frost and pine. At the center of the cemetery stood a simple black stone coffin. There was no gold. No jewels. No symbols of sovereignty. Only his name had been carved into the stone. MALTHUS FORMER SOVEREIGN OF THE VAMPIRE KINGDOM Nothing more. Annesa stood several steps away. She wore a long black dress covered by a heavy cloak. Her face was pale. She had barely spoken since the battle. The old bond had dis

The High Guardian of the Realm—a man feared across kingdoms for his ruthless efficiency, icy composure, and unwavering discipline—was currently standing in the middle of his estate courtyard, personally inspecting five enormous cargo wagons. The stone courtyard echoed beneath the hooves of heavy horses. Crates, chests, and trunks were stacked so high that they nearly formed a wooden wall. From the terrace above, Gareth stared down at the spectacle with complete disbelief. He lowered the parchment he had been reading and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Eryx has finally lost his mind." Below, Eryx was examining the craftsmanship of a carved cradle as though he were reviewing military defenses. A moment later, the estate doors opened. Annesa stepped outside. Her sapphire-blue gown flowed gently around her figure as she descended the marble staircase. The faint curve of her stomach was becoming more noticeable each passing week. She stopped halfway down the steps. Her

The pregnancy lasted for months. And during those months, Gareth discovered something he had never expected to encounter in his centuries of studying vampires. A King who was completely incapable of behaving like a King around his pregnant wife. Eryx could command thousands of soldiers without hesitation. He could negotiate with hostile nobles. He could stand in the middle of a battlefield while arrows flew around him. He could stare down an enemy army without blinking. But the moment Annesa frowned and said, “I don't feel well,” the entire royal medical wing went into immediate chaos. “Gareth.” The physician didn't even look up from his notes. “What?” “Annesa hasn't eaten.” “She ate two hours ago.” “She didn't finish her blood.” “She doesn't have to.” “She should.” Gareth finally looked up. “Eryx, she is pregnant, not dying.” Eryx stared at him. “You're certain?” Gareth sighed. “Yes.” “Absolutely?” “Yes.” “Then why does she look tired?”