"Veilkeeper." One of Selvara's subordinates called out as he bowed low before her.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice calm but sharp.
"You have a present. It was sent overnight," he informed her, his tone respectful.
"A present? For me?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Yes, Veilkeeper," he confirmed.
"Bring it in," she commanded with a simple gesture of her hand, her eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion.
The man bowed again before turning and walking away to fetch the package. After a few moments, he returned, holding a large box wrapped in an exquisite manner with a sparkling ribbon adorning it.
Selvara furrowed her brows, watching him approach. "Who could have sent me this?" she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with doubt. The maids, who were fanning her with an elegant, large hand fan, exchanged confused glances, wondering the same.
When the man reached her, he bowed once more, extending the gift to her. She accepted it, her sharp eyes scanning the package before slowly undoing the ribbon.
As the box opened, her eyes widened in shock and revulsion. "Oh, Veils! What the hell is this?" she flinched, recoiling as the gruesome sight of the contents inside became visible.
The maids and guards behind her looked on in stunned silence, their faces contorted with disbelief. Who dared send this to their master?
Inside the box was the severed head of Arthur, his eyes wide open in a grotesque expression of terror, his mouth frozen in a silent scream. A dagger was lodged in his mouth, with the blade coming out from the back of his head. Attached to his forehead was a piece of paper, written boldly in crimson ink: 'YOU'RE NEXT from Kelvin.'
"Who the hell sent this?" Selvara's voice was low but filled with fury. "Who brought this to me?" she demanded, her eyes blazing with anger.
The subordinate who had delivered the box stood stiffly, his face pale. "We don't know, master. We just found it this morning."
"Kelvin..." Selvara growled under her breath, her hands tightening around the ribbon as her fury boiled over. "You've got guts, Kelvin. You've grown wings now, haven't you?" Her voice was laced with venom as she continued, "You shouldn't have messed with me like this. I'll make you regret insulting me in this way."
With one final, furious squeeze, she crushed the ribbon in her hand. "Prepare yourselves for war. It's time to remind a few people of their place, to remind them who they truly answer to—under my fear."
"Yes, Veilkeeper," the subordinate replied, his voice low in submission.
"Burn this," she commanded, handing the severed head and the box back to him.
"You shouldn't have done this, Kelvin," she muttered, her voice dark with wrath. "You've crossed a line. Now, I won't spare you."
---
In the school canteen, Rihanna and the others were gathered for lunch, discussing the recent absence of their friend, Dave.
"I think we should go visit Dave," Rihanna suggested, her concern evident as she picked at her food.
"Yeah, he's been absent for three days now," Ryan added, nodding in agreement.
"No, I don't think there's a need for that," Jordan interjected, his voice firm enough to catch their attention.
"Why?" they all asked in unison, curious.
"Well... um... he told me that... I called him earlier, and he said that he and his parents went for a trip. It'll take a little while," Jordan explained awkwardly, shifting in his seat.
"Really? Why didn't he tell us?" Rihanna asked, furrowing her brows.
"Well, he said he wanted to tell you, but it all happened so suddenly, and the place he's at has bad network coverage," Jordan added, trying to explain.
"Oh, okay. I thought he was sick or something. It's rare for him to skip school for three days in a row," Alex said with a sigh, relieved to hear that it wasn't anything serious.
"Yeah, that explains why his phone hasn't been reachable," Ryan murmured, nodding thoughtfully. "By the way, I haven't seen Kelvin around either. He's been absent too."
A sense of discomfort fell over the group, and Jordan's eyes widened slightly. Oh, crap. Must they ask? What should I say? he thought nervously.
"Well, I'm not sure about Kelvin," Jordan stammered, his nerves showing. "He probably doesn't want to come."
"Let's just eat before lunch time's over," Jordan quickly suggested, trying to shift the focus away from the uncomfortable subject.
"Yeah, you're right," they all agreed, and begin eating.
---
Meanwhile, at the Cullen household, Dave's parents were deeply concerned. They had returned the night before, only to find that Dave was missing. When they couldn't reach him on the phone, they turned to the Cullen family for answers, and now they were faced with a shocking revelation.
"Mr. Walter, please calm down," Haymen, said, his voice shaking with worry. "I know this sounds hard to believe, and it seems absurd, but it's the truth. Your son is safe and sound, nothing is wrong with him."
"Elena, trust us," Rebecca said gently. "Your son is fine. You'll be able to speak to him very soon. It's just too dangerous for him to stay here right now, which is why we sent him to a safe place. He'll be back soon."
"I'm scared, Rebecca," Elena admitted, her voice cracking with emotion. "Are you sure he's fine? He's the only one I have. I can't lose him… If something happens to him, I'll die."
"Don't worry, Elena," Rebecca reassured her, her voice firm with conviction. "I promise you, nothing will happen to your son. He's perfectly safe and sound."
Though their hearts were heavy with worry, Elena and her husband had no choice but to trust the Cullens' words. They didn't fully understand the situation, but they were left with no other choice than to wait patiently for their son to return, hoping that he was truly safe and if after frw days they find nothing they'll take the matters into their hands
---
Back at the secret hideout, Dave sat beside Valerian on the couch, watching TV. They had spent hours chatting, their conversation flowing easily, and valerian had begun to relax in Dave company. The tension that had initially existed between them had eased, especially after Valerian had found out that there was nothing going on between Dave and Sebastian. He didn't know why, but hearing that seemed to ease his nerves and made him feel more comfortable.
"Yeah, Valerian. I've seen that too," Dave said, laughing at something on the screen.
"Yeah," Dave began, his tone suddenly more serious. "I have something to ask you."
"Okay, I'm all ears," Valerian responded, curious.
"I've been thinking about this for a while, but I just can't figure it out on my own. Do you happen to know where Kelvin is? It's been three days now, and I'm starting to lose track of time here," Dave confessed, his voice filled with frustration. "I can't leave, can't see my parents, can't go to school... it's all so confusing. I don't understand what's going on."
Valerian froze, a wave of tension washing over him. He didn't know how much he could tell Dave. The situation with Kelvin was complicated, and revealing too much might endanger their fragile trust.
"I—I don't know. I don't know where he is or what's happening," Valerian stammered, struggling to maintain his composure.
"Don't lie to me, Valerian," Dave cut him off sharply, his voice rising. "I've been told nothing but lies this whole time. I know you know what's going on, and you're just not telling me. I also know you and Sebastian aren't human."
Valerian's eyes widened in shock, his heart racing. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm not an idiot," Dave said, his gaze unwavering. "I know you and Sebastian aren't human."