Loki gazed at me, triggering me to avert my eyes towards Gerta, who walked over to us.
“Young masters, I’m pleased you made your decisions.” She interrupted the twins before bowing towards the young princes.
Unlike us, she showed full respect to the masters of this castle. However, she had an entirely different personality behind that professionalism she tried to uphold. Emma grumbled under her breath because of the sudden change, too. Luckily, no shock came her way this time.
“Present yourselves to your new masters, ladies.” The head maid nudged us as Emma and Zoe went first.
Part of me was struggling to shake off Loki’s playful nature.
“My name is Vivian. I’m here to serve you, Prince Loki.” I bowed to them, too.
It felt awkward introducing myself to my new boss in this manner.
If only…
He smirked, grabbing my chin once again, making me face him.
Do you ever keep to yourself?!
“Interesting. Vivian means life in Latin, the witch’s tongue. Does that make you a witch, sweetie?” Loki asked.
For a moment, I didn’t know how to answer since I never expected him to know our tongue, yet again, his brother was a warlock.
Hah… You’re sharper and brighter than your playful attitude suggests.
Softly, I tugged away from his grasp, smiling yet again, triggering him to frown.
We can both play at this game, Your Highness.
“I was born from one, but sadly, I never received a grimoire. So, I’m just a normal human at your service. I hope that doesn’t bother you.” I answered with a partial truth.
I never received a grimoire when my powers awoke because I genuinely wasn’t a witch.
No, I’m something more, but for you, I have to be something fragile so you can lower your guard and not suspect me.
Even though Loki appeared to want to say something else, Oz stepped in.
“Ah, another of my kin, how lovely. I also don’t have a grimoire.” He said as the little cat by his shoulder tilted its head at me.
I couldn’t help but gaze away from it. Luckily, Eli had retreated from me the moment that Gerta came along. Usually, vampires didn’t have familiars, but Loki’s origins made him a special case.
Much like Rem with her hound familiar, even though she was half Lycan, a species that didn’t possess magic.
Well, until she came along, disrupting the natural order of things. Not that I can say much about it, being the most significant aberration to ever exist in this world.
However, the way she acquired her familiar was also unique, as it came from the twins’ mother when she sacrificed herself to form our link. This made Loki unique, which didn’t help him blend in at all.
“You humble me, your highness, but don’t lower yourself to my level. I’ve heard you’re the most powerful warlock to have ever existed to this day, even without a grimoire, much like your mother was.” I placed the line between us with a smile.
Ah… my muscles hurt so much from keeping up this act for so long.
Although he tried to be humble, this twin didn’t need a grimoire to cast spells or make sacrifices. A trait that differed from his mother and put him closer to me. Our link had made him stronger than any other normal witchcraft user or his grandmother, who was the first one to have a connection to the soul cairn.
Witchcraft was built to sacrifice things for our spells, but he and I were free of that, while Zoe and Emma usually always carried around knives and flowers for their spells.
For a moment, Oz’s eyes widened, smiling back at me. “So, you did your research on us?”
A better question would be, who doesn’t know about this duo?
Loki, the most powerful vampire known in ages, and Oswald, the first warlock, to have natural control over the soul cairns forces. Before him were Vera and Lilith, both females, too. There was no place in this realm where they hadn’t heard about them.
It was why all the girls in there were glaring at us after being chosen by the terrible two. It didn’t help that they were supposed to pick three each, and Loki had decided on me alone. Not that it mattered to me.
If these other females wanted to feast on them, they could be my guests as long as they didn’t pose a danger to them.
“Of course, I need to know who I’ll be working for. It’ll enhance my ability to serve them better,” I answered flawlessly.
For a moment, his eyes widened before his brows rose as well. Like Loki had said, I wasn’t gawking at them, even knowing who they were. I wasn’t the only one, though. Emma and Zoe were catching the twins’ eyes, too.
“I see. I look forward to seeing you care for my idiot of a brother.” The warlock smiled as I couldn’t help but feel shivers run down my spine.
Unlike me, Emma and Zoe appeared smitten by his expression. They were two of the most handsome boys I had ever seen, too.
But you’re both boys while I am a deity. No matter how lovely you appeared, I can never allow myself to fall for any of you.
Even if my mortal body desired kinship, I had to stay closed off to them.
Loki’s eyes twitched as his smirk became crooked. “Oi... Who are you calling an idiot, stupid book nerd?”
Oswald chuckled before patting his brother’s shoulder, “There, there. You can’t argue when it’s a fact.”
“Oi… You little shit.” He huffed, pushing Oz lightly.
It’s good that you two are so close. Maybe we can prevent this idiot’s death somehow.
The future that was seen said Loki would die with his half-brother, while Oswald would be locked up for trying to kill the murderer. I had to protect them by keeping Loki breathing and Oswald free.
Softly, I gazed towards Gerta, who nodded, pleased by the answer I had given to the boys, yet I couldn’t help but feel like I had landed in the sights of a shark who smelled blood in the water.
“Well, if I may interrupt, young masters. I’ll be giving these maids a tour of the castle. They’ll start with you tomorrow if that’s alright.” The head maid informed the two boys, who bickered among themselves.
Loki scoffed at her, not liking what she had said before, gazing back at me. The moment his eyes set on me, I felt like I was in the spotlight again.
Nothing good will come from this boy. I feel it in my bones.
“Heh, more like tonight. I expect you in my room at nine. Got it, sweetie?” Loki declared with a sly smile on his lips.
Pray, tell, why do you need me so late in your room? Do you have to be such a chore?
“Ah, do you need help with something for tonight, your highness?” I politely smiled, prompting his eyes to narrow once again.
Should I feel something when I do so? Is that what I do wrong?
Ever since I knew my life wouldn’t be one filled with everyday things, a void had opened up within me, sucking up all the joy from everything.
I want to hug you! A blurry memory I didn’t recognize passed through my mind.
Huh? To whom... did I say that to?
“I can think of a few things you could help me with, sweetheart.” Loki snapped me out, causing my body to tremble.
It wasn’t because of what he had said since I felt no malice from his words or behavior, but I also knew he wasn’t a saint from what Gerta warned us.
Plus, how you act tells me everything I need to know about you, and I can’t help but want to walk away.
Though his brother Oswald was still a mystery, I hadn’t met someone so hard to read before. Even so, I...
“Well, if they’re within my power.” I agreed to meet him tonight.
It triggered Gerta to sigh, shaking her head.
Well… It’s obvious it’s a trap, but there’s no better way to find out than to walk straight to it.
“Oh, they are, sweetie.” Loki snickered, eyes shimmering lightly, before he finally turned away from me.
The moment he did, I felt like I could finally breathe. With those last words, we were let go as Gerta gave the chosen maids a tour through the castle. Alistair chose three of the seventeen girls who were left after Loki and Oswald had their choice. They were a human girl, Quinn, who had dyed blue hair and brown eyes, along with two vampires.
One of them had red eyes and blond hair, named Ivy, while the other was named Emery, who had hazel eyes and brown hair. By some stroke of luck, or perhaps the bonds attracting one another, we had ended up with the twins.
I don’t want to be ungrateful, but if something influenced Loki to pick me, I have to be careful. He’s a loaf, but his brother Oswald is much more of a danger to me.
After being shown every inch of the castle, we were given a tablet with a digital map on it to use for reference. With it, we could navigate the large building with ease. I had already studied blueprints on it, yet it was nice to have a map.
But it doesn’t show all the hidden passageways. Maybe they blocked them off or… They just don’t tell the staff about them.
When the tour concluded, Gerta showed us to our new living quarters. It was one we would share with the other chosen maids since we were in probation.
“You girls will have to earn your place here. Either because you are a masochist or a sadist, we shall see how long you last here.” She huffed, waving her hand to let us in. “If you last a month, you’ll be considered part of the permanent staff, and when that happens, you’ll be moved to a room closer to the princes so you can serve them better.”
It was spacious enough for the six of us to use as well. They had prepared for nine beds, so three would be unused, leaving us more than enough personal distance between us. This was a nice change since moving around in the shadows was way more cramped than this room.
The moment Gerta left for the night, though, tensions rose inside the room. The girls sized each other up, as if this were some competition. Emma and Zoe couldn’t hide the discontent of the two princes, either.
“How dare that bastard touch our Vivian like that?!” Emma tried not to say it too loud to piss off the other girls that glared at us.
They were unaware that Emma’s possessiveness over me was normal.
I am their adored goddess, after all.
“She isn’t ours, Emma,” Zoe sighed, picking our beds for us.
I’m still wondering if it was all right to bring them along?
Perhaps I should’ve ignored them, yet part of me still yearned for company.
A weakness…
“It’s fine. Remember why we’re here.” I smiled as the witch quickly changed tunes upon seeing it.
Unlike Loki, they didn’t seem bothered by my fake smile.
Hah… Why does it bother you so much when others can’t see the difference?
“How are you such a saint?!” Emma swooned over me again, plopping on the bed.
Saint?! Something’s wrong with this one. Hah… Papa, I’m not sure if this was the right choice.
A soft sigh left my lips as I sat on the bed Zoe picked out for me. We were in one corner of the room while the other girls were in theirs. For some reason, I was between my coven sisters, for better protection, according to them.
Silly girls, I don’t need any.
Unlike what I tried to seem, I wasn’t harmless.
As long as they don’t know my binding, there’s nothing anyone can do to stop me.
No one in this mortal realm knew it, yet Dad said it was written in my mother’s grimoire, which was in Rem’s possession. She had found it in my childhood home and was sealed with my magic that not even Alijah could nullify.
Yet that hybrid has some of the past life’s memories, which I can only hope it doesn’t contain that bind.
“Emma, chill. You’re going to make our roomies have an aneurysm.” Zoe shrugged as the glares we were receiving from the other three girls in the room were stacking up.
Not wanting to deal with it, I studied the map we were given, lying on the bed.
Everything looks normal. I don’t think they’ve done any renovations, which makes our blueprints accurate.
It was essential to know every crook and cranny about this castle to avoid Rem and Alijah at all costs. Emma and Zoe unpacked our things when suddenly one of the girls took my tablet out of my hands, prompting me to glance up at them.
There, I saw Ivy’s red orbs were dead set on me. Even though she was a vampire, it was apparent she didn’t have any royal kinship in her, making her unable to use her ability to control blood.
You’re nothing more than a peasant trying to get into the nobles within this castle. I can’t help but pity you, but at the same time, I… I’m just a human—a weak mortal with no way of fighting off a vampire.
After all, they had the same strength as a Lycan, even in this horrible state she found herself in. If only I could fully act as I should, but I couldn’t feel the fear she wanted me to have.
“Oh, look at you being so obedient. I bet you’re so happy Prince Loki picked you.” Ivy fumbled with the tablet in her hands.
Her words caused me to tilt my head.
Great… Are you jealous? Or happy for me? Hmm... Probably the latter, but I... can’t care less.
This mortal was playing with fire, yet I couldn’t exactly burn her without destroying myself in the process.