The Bride He Hates-Chapter 115: Riverwatch

Adrian was already waiting in the courtyard when they arrived. He looked both relieved and worried.

"Your Majesties," he said, bowing. "I apologize for interrupting your private time. I wouldn’t have sent word if..."

"We know." Azrael said, dismounting. "Brief us on the current situation."

They walked to the council chamber together while Adrian summarized the situation.

"The attacks happened two nights ago at Riverwatch territory. Three humans have died, including two farmers and a young woman. Their throats were torn and they were drained of blood. Classic vampire kills, but sloppy."

"You think it could be staged?" Lyanna asked.

"Yes. I think someone wanted it to look like vampire attacks." Adrian said. "The other territories are panicking. Five have already ended cooperation. Two more are threatening to withdraw. The human ambassadors want immediate action."

"And the council?" Azrael asked.

"It is divided, as always," Adrian replied. "Lord Cassius and his faction are using this to push for a suspension of all cooperation policies. The rest are waiting to see your decision."

They entered the council chamber to find it already packed. The council members stood as Azrael and Lyanna entered.

"Your Majesty," Lord Cassius said. "We didn’t expect you to be back so soon."

"Three people are dead. Where did you think we’d be?" Azrael replied.

Lord Cassius looked slightly embarrassed.

Lyanna stepped forward.

"I want full details on the attacks. I want all witness statements and physical evidence. Everything."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Lady Morgana said, sliding a folder towards her on the table. "I’ve compiled everything we have."

For the next two hours, they reviewed the evidence. Lyanna read the witness statements while Azrael examined maps and timelines. They worked together, occasionally consulting each other, finally working as a team. The council watched them with surprise.

"This wasn’t random!" Lyanna said. "Look at the pattern. All three victims were outspoken supporters of cooperation and were killed on the same night and that too in public locations where they’d be found quickly. This was meant to send a message."

"What message?" Lord Cassius asked.

"That the cooperation is dangerous and the humans who work with vampires will be targeted. It’s done to instil fear and break the alliance."

"So you believe it’s sabotage?" Lady Morgana asked.

"I do." Lyanna said. "But the question is by whom? Anti-cooperation vampires? Or anti-cooperation humans trying to make vampires look dangerous?"

"Does it matter?" Lord Cassius asked. "Either way, cooperation policies led to three deaths."

"That’s exactly the response whoever did this is hoping for." Azrael said. "They want us to end cooperation to prove that it doesn’t work.

After the council meeting, Lyanna and Azrael went to their chambers to change before heading to Riverwatch.

"You were good in there." Azrael said. "Confident and clear, like before. The council actually listened to you."

"They listened because we presented a united front." Lyanna replied. "Since Sienna had arrived, I was fighting you for credibility but today once again we worked as partners. That changed the dynamics."

Azrael nodded.

"I liked working with you again after so long."

Someone knocked at the door. It was Clara, she was back at Thornfield.

"Your Majesty, I’ve brought fresh clothes for travelling." She said.

"Come in." Lyanna replied.

She entered and put the clothes on the dresser.

"I’ve prepared everything you’ll need." She said and left.

They rode to Riverwatch with a small escort. The atmosphere was tense when they arrived. Humans watched them with suspicion and fear while the cooperation ambassadors looked worried.

Anthony, the territory leader, greeted them at the gates.

"Your Majesties," He said, bowing. "Thank you for coming."

"We’re so sorry for your losses." Lyanna said. "Can you take us to where the attacks happened?"

He led them through the territory. Lyanna and Azrael looked around and saw vampire traders in the market, and humans and vampires actually living alongside each other. But now everyone looked afraid.

"Can we examine the sites?" Lyanna asked.

"Of course." Anthony said. "Though I should warn you, we’ve cleaned up the worst of it. We couldn’t leave the blood for the others to see."

They examined each site carefully. The attacks were brutal but, as Adrian had noted, sloppy. Too much blood had been left behind. It was too obvious.

"As we suspected, whoever did this wanted it to look like vampire attacks." Lyanna said to Azrael. "But they didn’t quite know how vampires actually kill. There’s too much waste. A real vampire wouldn’t leave this much blood."

Next, they spoke with the witnesses. Most had seen nothing, since the attacks happened late at night when most people were asleep, except for one elderly woman, Maria.

"I saw someone near Eve’s house around midnight wearing a dark cloak. The person was too slow while vampires are fast. That person was trying to move like a vampire."

"Could you describe them?" Azrael asked.

"Not well. It was too dark but they had a slim build and were not very tall."

After talking to her, Lyanna and Azrael spoke privately.

"The killers are surely humans who tried to make it look like vampire attacks." Lyanna said.

"First, we need to prove it was sabotage and find the real killers." Tell everyone that this wasn’t a failure of cooperation, it was an attack on the cooperation. And we need to do it fast before more territories withdraw."

"Agreed." Lyanna said. "We need to investigate properly, track down leads and examine the physical evidence more carefully."

"The council won’t like us staying here instead of returning to Thornfield." Azrael said.

"But this is more important."

Azrael smiled.

"You’ve come a long way from yesterday when you wanted to ignore the problem completely."

"I was being an idiot yesterday but I’m trying to be better now."

They called a meeting with the territory leaders and explained their theory, promising a thorough investigation.

"We believe these murders were done by someone trying to destroy cooperation." Lyanna said. "We will find out who is responsible and bring them to justice. But we need your patience and trust. Don’t let whoever did this win by breaking the alliance."

"Why should we trust you?" Someone called out. "You’re vampires! Maybe you’re protecting other vampires!"

"Because we’ve decided to stay here." Azrael said. "We’re not hiding. We’ll stay in Riverwatch until this is solved. If this really was a vampire attack, we’ll be here to answer you."

The crowd murmured in surprise.

"We’re not asking you to trust blindly. We’ll earn it by being here." Lyanna said.