The Vampire King's Pet-Chapter 327: Missing

It did not take too long before they arrived at Liora’s house, the carriage slowing as it rolled over the quiet cobblestone road before coming to a stop.

Aira and Rymora did not step down immediately. Instead, they both reached up almost instinctively, drawing the hoods of their cloaks over their heads to shield their faces. The fabric was heavy enough to obscure their features, casting their faces in shadow beneath the faint glow of the lanterns lining the street.

The carriage itself was plain, deliberately so, bearing no crest or emblem that would suggest it belonged to the king or anyone within his family. It looked no different from any other hired conveyance that passed through the city at night, an intentional choice meant to avoid attention.

With quick, subtle steps, Aira descended first, her movements controlled but tense. Rymora followed closely behind her, staying within arm’s reach. The guards remained alert, their presence silent but unmistakable, as they escorted the two women toward the entrance.

They were let in the moment Aira made her identity known. The heavy doors opened without hesitation, revealing a warmly lit interior that stood in stark contrast to the chill of the night outside.

"Where’s my sister?" Aira asked the butler the second she stepped inside, not bothering with pleasantries.

The man stiffened before instantly bowing low. "Lady Aira, Lady Liora had to step out—" He paused mid-sentence, his eyes shifting briefly toward Rymora. The hesitation made it clear that what followed was not meant for her ears.

But Aira only shrugged and shook her head. She was too worried—and too afraid—to care. Rymora could keep a secret, and more importantly, there was nothing she was not already aware of.

"Lady Liora’s stash of food in the basement is finished, and she needed to step out to get more," the butler continued directly, a deep frown settling on his face. "The guards offered to go in her place, but she insisted on heading out by herself."

He swallowed before adding, "...choosing not to be followed. We do not know where she went or when she will be back."

His gaze dropped to the floor as though ashamed, and Aira’s expression tightened further.

Rymora, standing just behind her, betrayed no reaction. She understood well enough what that "food" likely was but chose not to dwell on it. She did not like Liora, nor did she care about her beyond the simple fact that she was Aira’s sister.

"What about the usual places she heads to?" Aira asked, her voice edged with worry. "Have you checked?"

The image of Liora slipping out of the castle without warning surfaced in her mind. Something was wrong—deeply wrong—and the realization made her chest feel tight. What unsettled her most was the knowledge that her abilities did not work on her sister at all.

If something happens to her, I won’t be able to heal her.

"Find her," Aira ordered sharply. "...Take some of the guards I brought and start looking for her."

The butler hesitated. "It hasn’t been long since she left, my lady. I see no cause to—"

"Find her," Aira interrupted coldly, "or I’ll give you cause to worry."

The meaning was unmistakable. She might not hold official authority, but everyone knew she was affiliated with Zyren. His name alone carried weight—fear, even—and the butler clearly understood that.

He bowed low once more before turning to whisper urgent instructions to two nearby guards. They nodded immediately and hurried out.

Aira gave two of her own guards permission to join the search. Some of them looked as though they wanted to object, but one glance at her face told them that this was not the moment to argue.

Rather than remain in the entrance hall to wait, Aira felt her unease pushing her elsewhere. Without announcing it, she turned and headed toward the basement.

Rymora followed instantly, knowing better than to let Aira go alone. Two guards trailed behind them, their footsteps light but cautious.

They had barely reached the lower corridor when a metallic tang skittered through the air and hit their nostrils.

It was thick.

Heavy.

Sickening.

Aira slowed, her brows furrowing as the smell grew stronger with every step. She reached the basement door and pushed it open only slightly.

She froze.

Her grip tightened until her knuckles turned white.

Bodies lay strewn across the stone floor.

There were more than twenty—she could count that much at a glance—and there was every chance that more lay beyond what her eyes could immediately see. Blood pooled and smeared across the ground, dark and congealed.

The wounds were grotesque. Throats torn open crudely, flesh mangled in a way that was neither precise nor restrained. It was unlike the clean punctures of werewolves or vampires with fangs.

This was savagery.

The work of a monster.

The cruelest kind.

And the monster was her sister.

Aira did not push the door open any further. Instead, she pulled it shut swiftly, sealing the horror away before anyone else could see.

"Are you not checking the basement?" Rymora asked, worry creeping into her voice.

"I can smell blood," she added, fear tightening her expression. She had already lost her mother. The thought of losing her sister as well—on the same night—was unbearable.

She had overheard that Aira could not heal Liora because of a ritual that had been done. The details meant nothing to her. Only the consequence mattered.

Aira shook her head firmly and turned away, gesturing for them to follow.

"I checked," she said quietly. "Liora is definitely not there."

She said nothing more as she headed back toward the main area of the house, choosing to wait near the entrance where visitors were usually received. If Liora returned sooner than expected, she would see her immediately.

Aira and Rymora settled there, sitting side by side as servants offered them drinks and small portions of food. Neither woman touched much of what was placed before them.

Time passed slowly, each minute stretching longer than the last.

Liora did not return.

Hours slipped by until it was well past midnight. There was still no word from her, nor from the guards sent to find her.

Eventually, exhaustion claimed Aira. She drifted into sleep where she sat, Rymora leaning gently against her. Both women waited in uneasy hope that they would be woken by news—that Liora had been found.

But no hands shook her awake.

No hurried footsteps echoed through the hall.

Instead, pale dawn light spilled across her face. Aira stirred, squinting as she raised a hand to shield her eyes.

And with that came the realization that morning had arrived.

And her sister Liora was still missing.