Warlock Ch 250. Balancing On a Knife's Edge
They walked down the dimly lit hallway toward Damian's room. Evelyn glanced at him, her expression softening. "You know he's right, though. We should be careful."
Damian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. But it's hard. Every ti I'm around those people, I feel like I'm balancing on a knife's edge."
"You're doing fine," Evelyn said, her voice quiet but firm. "They haven't figured anything out yet. Hopefully, they won't."
Damian stopped outside his door, turning to face her fully. "Thanks, Evelyn. I an it."
She smiled, reaching up to brush a strand of hair from his face. "No problem."
He chuckled, stepping aside to open the door. Evelyn leaned against the doorfra, watching him with a faint smile. "You know, for soone who claims to hate attention, you've managed to attract a lot of it."
Damian grinned, shrugging as he flopped onto the bed. "What can I say? I'm irresistible."
Evelyn laughed softly, shaking her head. "Goodnight, Damian."
"Night, Evelyn," he replied, watching as she closed the door behind her. The silence settled over the room, he let out a long breath, his thoughts turning once again to everything they were dealing with.
'One step at a ti,' he reminded himself. 'One step at a ti.'
The next morning ca far too quickly for Damian's liking. He groaned, rolling over in bed and burying his face in the pillow. The sunlight creeping through the curtains felt like a personal insult. With a sigh, he forced himself up, stretching and running a hand through his hair. 'Another day, another round of surprises,' he thought.
By the ti he got dressed and stepped into the hallway, Cassius and Evelyn were already waiting for him. Cassius leaned against the wall, arms crossed, while Evelyn adjusted the cuff of her blouse. Both of them looked more awake than Damian felt.
"Morning," Damian muttered, rubbing his eyes.
"Barely," Cassius said, his tone dry. "You sleep like a rock."
Evelyn smirked. "We figured we'd give you an extra few minutes. You looked like you needed it."
"Thanks, Mom," Damian quipped, earning a chuckle from her. "So, where are we headed?"
"Victoria invited us for breakfast," Cassius said, pushing off the wall. "Just us, apparently. No nobles, no senators. Should be a peaceful one."
"Great," Damian said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let's see what surprises she has for us this ti."
The dining hall was smaller and more intimate than the grand ballroom from the previous night. The table was set for four, and to Damian's relief, the food looked normal—bread, eggs, fruits, and various ats. It was almost enough to make him forget the tallic taste of the drinks from the party.
Victoria was already seated, sipping from a delicate crystal goblet that Damian sincerely hoped didn't contain blood. She greeted them with a smile, gesturing for them to sit.
"Good morning," she said, her voice as smooth as ever. "I trust you all slept well."
"Like the dead," Cassius said, earning a glare from Evelyn. He shrugged. "What? It's accurate."
Damian chuckled as he sat down, grabbing a piece of bread and buttering it. "What ti did the party even end? Everything still looks… ssy."
Victoria's lips curved into a faint smirk. "Late enough. The servants are handling the cleanup."
"Speaking of the party," Damian began, glancing up from his plate, "about the food… Was that normal? You know, the whole 'made from traitors' thing?"
Victoria's expression didn't waver. "For vampires, yes. It's tradition to ensure nothing is wasted. It's symbolic—our enemies beco part of our strength."
Damian blinked, montarily at a loss for words. "Right… symbolic."
Cassius leaned back in his chair, his tone casual. "Was it you who invited Aria? Or did she co as one of the senators' representatives?"
Victoria's gaze sharpened slightly, though her smile remained. "I invited her. Aria has been keeping a close eye on you three, especially Damian. It was important for her to hear my statent and see where my loyalties lie."
Her eyes glinted with amusent, and a smirk played on her lips. "She's one of the people I wanted to make an impression on."
Cassius nodded, a rare look of approval crossing his face. "Good point. Makes it easier to handle this troublemaker." He tilted his head toward Damian, his smirk returning.
"Hey," Damian said, feigning offense. "I'm perfectly well-behaved."
Cassius snorted. "Sure you are."
Victoria turned her attention to Damian, her tone softening. "After this problem is resolved, I'll be staying with you."
The words hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. The three of them stared at her, the implications slowly sinking in. Damian finally broke the silence, his voice careful. "What do you an? What about the vampire races?"
Victoria leaned forward slightly, her smirk widening. "I've created a puppet—a double I can control from afar. I used it for other purposes before, but now it will serve as my stand-in. It will rule in my place while I live with you."
Damian blinked, trying to process her words. "You're serious?"
"Of course," Victoria said, her tone light but firm. She leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "We'll be a happy couple." Her fingers trailed along Damian's arm, and she tilted her head, glancing toward Evelyn. "Including you, of course. The three of us."
Evelyn choked on her sip of tea, setting the cup down with a clink. "Excuse ?"
Victoria's smirk deepened. "It's only fair we share."
Cassius let out a low whistle, clearly amused. "Well, this just got interesting."
Damian, for once, was at a loss for words. He stared at Victoria, then at Evelyn, then back at Victoria. "You… really know how to make breakfast awkward."
Victoria chuckled, clearly unbothered. "Awkward or not, it's the truth. I owe you my life, Damian. And I intend to spend it by your side."
Evelyn crossed her arms, her cheeks faintly flushed but her tone steady. "You can't just decide sothing like that without asking us."
Victoria raised an eyebrow. "I just did."
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