The Duke's Passion

"Will they be alright?" Law turned his head to Tilly, standing on top of the highest church where they could see the royal palace. "Mother and Father are the only ones who are there and they're against a lot of bad people."

"To the people of Spade, it was them against two bad people." Tilly kept her eyes in the same direction. "They will be fine. Lilou and Samael."

Law let out a deep exhale, not really sure whether he should be reassured by what Tilly had said. Tilly didn't even show the slightest reassurance or any emotion at all. It was as though she simply read a script and that was all. "It's bad," murmured Law, looking around the capital, and catching people coming out of their homes in the middle of the night. They looked like a colony of ants from his vantage point, but he was certain that going down there wasn't what he wished for right now. "Quentin was prepared," he continued under his breath, snapping his eyes in a different direction. "Considering he had been watching everything and had planned this for a long time, it'll be silly if he didn't prepare just as much," Tilly replied, casting the vast darkness reigning over the land a quick look. "He isn't someone to be underestimated. Especially with his affiliations with the man on the mainland."

"Did it really fall, Tilly?"

"Mhm. It did." Tilly rocked her head, looking heavenward. "Even the moon knew what would happen tonight, and is hiding in shame, for it couldn't do anything about it again."

Law stared at Tilly with pursed lips, reaching for the latter's hand. "Are you sad, Tilly?"

"No."

"Then why do you look… different?" he asked, having a hard time guessing which word to use to describe the slight difference in Tilly's aura. It was faint and barely noticeable; if one wasn't paying attention or didn't know Tilly, they wouldn't even notice it. "I'm angry." There was not that huge difference in her tone or the look in her eyes, but Law knew she was telling the truth. "They make me very… angry."

"What will you do?"

"Nothing… just yet." Tilly gazed down on the capital and the people in the street grew in number. "These people aren't Tilly's enemy. The man on the mainland was."

She then set her eyes on the palace again. "That man in the palace as well and everyone involved in the fall of the mainland."

"What about the person turning back the time?"

"Fabian is gone," she whispered. "I don't think it's right to turn things back to normal."

"Tilly. What are you suddenly talking about?"

Tilly slowly cast Law a look and planted a hand on his head. She ruffled it mildly, not smiling or frowning. "Gut feeling," was all she told him, staring into each other's eyes. "You haven't said that to them, have you?" he inquired, only for Tilly to look back at the palace. "I did. I told Samael and Lilou that Fabian was acting strange back in Karo."

"No, he wasn't. He was being his usual self."

"He was," she stressed soothingly. "When he accepted the idea to part ways, he already confirmed something had gone terribly wrong before the regression."

Law furrowed his brows, staring at Tilly's side profile curiously. He knew about most of their plans and the role he must take. However, never once he had ever noticed something was wrong with Fabian. Fabian raised Law when Lilou was in a coma, so it was safe to say Law knew their family butler. But then again, Tilly and Fabian had this strange, strong connection with each other. They didn't need to tell each other what the other feels or think because they could easily guess. They share the same brainwave, which was almost strange at one point. Therefore, Law couldn't rule out Tilly's guess, even though it originated from a gut feeling.

Thud.

Law's train of thought came to a halt when he heard something land on another high roof. He turned his head to where the faint sound came from, catching Rufus in his casual clothing with a sword clinging to his waist. Law's eyes lingered on the sword that was glinting brightly due to its polished silver scabbard. Rufus had always protected his sword and polished it, warranting jokes from Samael, Fabian, and even from Klaus. It never crossed Law until now that he was hyperaware of his surroundings and the people. Rufus's sword didn't look anything special, but somehow, it looked brighter than any sword Law had laid his eyes on. "Claude will stay behind in the colosseum," Rufus's voice pierced the still air, snapping Law from his trance. "He said he will try to catch up. He got a ton of friends back there."

Tilly just nodded while Law pressed his lips into a thin line. "Big brother, will you go to the palace?" Law inquired, only to see Rufus shake his head. "Then you will go to the border?"

"I have to." Rufus's expression was firm, but his eyes softened at Law. "I have to make way for Heliot and Stefan. We are in a hurry to reunite with Sunny."

Law let out another deep breath. "Alright. Take care on your way." His eyes then fell on the plaza again, but this time, the sight of people sent a chill down his spine.

"Quentin succeeded in enhancing his people's strength," Law added, sensing the sickening aura building up from the distance. "We already know that," replied Rufus sternly, as his expression turned solemn once more. "It's awful and makes my stomach turn."

Rufus's hand trembled as he held the handle of his sword. "Tilly, I'll leave Law's care in your hands."

"Mhm. Take care." Tilly waved and with that, she and Law watched Rufus jump from the roof he was standing on, only to hear loud growls and grunts from the ground. A loud explosion rattled the night, and from the two's vantage point, they watched how a fight broke out with Rufus coming like a storm against countless vampires Zero experimented on.

This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦