Chapter 66 - 65

"So... All I have to do is apologize?"

"You have to be serious about it as well as stop your creepy ass antics. Gideon already found out about most of it and admitted to just excusing it, probably because he was afraid that you would hurt him"

Amias had told Kaiden everything earlier regarding what Gideon felt about their situation. And he even gave a few extra notes on what Gideon might have felt uncomfortable with. It was several key factors that Kaiden needed to understand.

"You need to understand Gideon's personal space, you can't always stick close to him and you shouldn't really force him even if you're the prince. But I'm not saying that you should avoid him altogether like what you're doing right now. I can tell Gideon got bothered by it"

Amias even wanted to add the "even felt guilty when he shouldn't" but they should talk about it with one another since it is no longer his area to pry in.

"Another thing is that you need to stop trying to be the "hero" in his life. Gideon is a full-grown adult and I'm sure that's the reason why you find him attractive as well is it not?" Amias poked one of the flowers growing and Kaiden's ears turned red at the tips.

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

"You silenced a lot of people when they spoke badly of Gideon. You practically nursed him yourself while he was still unconscious when you did not have to. You keep doing a lot of things for him when he can fend for himself. He's not someone who needs to be taken care of or protected"

"But if I don't do that then"

"Then he'll figure things out. If he needs help, he can ask for it"

Kaiden sighed in defeat realizing that both Azazel and Amias were right. The problem was really him trying to protect his precious person who never asked for protection. And because of this, he made that person feel terrorized instead of protected. Which forced that person to escape from his grasps and confide in other people instead.

"I can have him visit the palace in a few days under the guise Theodora isn't resting... well she really isn't" But vampires don't really need rest if they keep drinking blood which she is since it's more abundant and accessible here in the Capital.

"This way you can try to meet with him, just talk to him personally to ask what you did wrong and apologize for it" Amias rewrapped his scarf around his neck.

"If you can, that would be nice" Kaiden plucked a lily and played with its petals.

It is still amazing how everything in this greenhouse is in bloom regardless of the season. All of that is thanks to Luciel working with several angels to create this place. The plants here will continue to live for as long as he is still alive to appreciate them.

Kaiden looked rather woeful in his current state. Amias thought over the fact that El took interest in Gideon but then again he just told Kaiden to stop being overprotective of the boy.

'Should I tell him?'

Maybe he could tell it vaguely instead of directly so Kaiden could pick up on the pretense that it's nothing serious.

"I'd just like to say another thing before I go"

"What is it?"

"Even though I did tell you to not be too overprotective of Gideon, I do not mean to leave him alone entirely"

"You're telling me this because?"

"No reason. I'm just saying that if there's something off and Gideon just brushes it off... try to at least protect him from a distance without hurting anyone. I'll be taking my leave, I still have to meet with someone else" Amias bowed before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. 

Kaiden was not sure if he understood what Amias was trying to say earlier but what he got was that there might be someone who is a threat. But it seems like both Amias and Gideon are unsure if they are really one. 

.

.

"I don't understand what the lady wants with this abandoned place since the owners left it years ago"

"I'm aware of it"

"No you don't understand, there were rumors of it being haunted"

"In this world where Demons and Angels, as well as other creatures, exist... do you think ghosts will scare me?" Arda laughed when she heard that warning from the man who drove her to this place using a tiny jeep.

"You... You do have a point" the man hesitated to reply and watched her as she goes past the gates with ease and into the abandoned mansion that got taken over by greenery outside.

"May the sun of this kingdom watch over that young lady" The man whispers to himself before driving away.

The place that Arda had arrived at was one of their past residences. The outside of the mansion looked terrible but the inside was not that bad with the exception of dust being everywhere.

"Now... time for work"

Arda walked into a few rooms to check if their old files were still here and while some were still there, there were some that got destroyed by age. When was the last time she was in these rooms? It's been what? 30 years? Or was it more? Who cared, all she knew was that she was old.

She entered Luciel's old room and checked some of the files there. Compared to the rest of the building, this place was protected by Luciel's array.

"Huh?"

Arda looked all over and could not find several of their boxes. Those files weren't that particularly important since it was reports and profiles of some of the soldiers. But it was still concerning because no one should have been able to take those easily without notifying them.

Was this the reason why Luciel made her check?

But it wouldn't make sense to have her check everything instead of going here straight away. Was he unsure of which location got accessed?

"No..."

He wasn't aware that they got broken into since the array was still active. Meaning the person who went in here is was someone familiar to them.

"Just how many moles do we need have to lure out?" Or maybe it wasn't a mole since there had been sightings of "Deceased" soldiers popping up here and there.

Arda took several things and placed them into her bag before getting out of that place. She took out her phone and called Luciel's number.

"It's a surprise that you called me. I thought you were enjoying your break"

Arda couldn't help but roll her eyes at Luciel's remark but she did have more time to rest compared to when she was still in the Palace.

"Luciel, I just want to clarify something. Did you send me out here because you sensed something off?"

"Go on" Luciel urged her meaning he already knew and just wanted to hear Arda explain it to him for confirmation.

"And it was by someone who is a part of our faction seeing the place did not blow up" That was the connected array to the first one that sensed if a person was a part of Luciel's side or an enemy.

"Correct. That will be your next job, Arda. Find out who it was" Luciel tells her and the call suddenly ended.

"Luciel? LUCIEL?!" Arda was surprised that she suddenly got hung up on.

Just how is she going to figure out who the culprit was? Was it not easier for them to assume it was a traitor?

"Because it wasn't a traitor nor it was someone from Matthew's side" someone suddenly answered and when Arda looked around there was no one there.

A frown appeared on her face and she texted Luciel for permission to destroy this place before she leaves. A few moments passed and he responded with "Just take what you think is still viable before you do so".

Arda already had done that earlier since she planned on checking it with their current records to see if it was still consistent with that of the past. 

She placed her hand on a specific location in the lot to activate the explosive array that was supposed to activate when the intruder went in. They only had this option in case of an immediate evacuation and they needed to cover their tracks.

"Who knew I'd be able to do this again after so long" She mumbled to herself before she began to count from 180 down to one while walking away from the lot,

"100..." She was out of the gate already.

"10...9..." She was already somewhat at a distance from the Mansion as she began to countdown to the last second.

"3...2...1"

Suddenly the windows exploded and fire could be seen spreading inside the mansion rampantly. This was their way of making sure no one gets hurt but the wanted results are still achieved.

After that day, the people were surprised that the Mansion could barely stand on its own.. Everyone began asking one another regarding what happened because no one heard the explosion nor did the fire spread anywhere else.