CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 36. THE AMBUSH

The hall outside the Grand Duke’s chamber had become a battlefield; it was bloody and chaotic. Anton and his children fought the remaining assassins, their claws flashing under the torchlight, but the assassins moved faster, answering blood with silent, calculated strikes.

The moment Wyndham knights arrived, the corridor erupted into a storm of clashing steel, howls, and curses. The air reeked of blood and burning oil as blades cut through fur and flesh alike.

Inside the bedchamber, however, the true danger waited. Roxanne stood between the bed, where Vivianne lay, hidden beneath thick furs and a veil of Undine’s protective magic, and the group of assassins who came from above and the balcony. Her crimson eyes burnt like twin flames as she assessed them in an instant.

Two of the intruders stood taller than the rest, their bodies wrapped in layers of black silk armour that shimmered like smoke. Masks of obsidian covered their faces, expressionless and cold, each etched with runes that pulsed faintly in the dim light. Shadowlords.

Roxanne’s gut twisted at the sight of them. These two are not just killers; they’re the ruling hands of the Black Covenant, the elite who commanded entire regions of the guild.

Rogue demons, she realised, sensing the wild, untamed magic coursing through them. Magic born not of bloodlines but of ancient, forbidden pacts. Even Marvessa couldn’t face one alone.

Behind them stood three warriors with a lesser, yet still suffocating, presence. Their black sclera glimmered beneath their hoods, their fangs were bared in cruel smirks, and their very skin seemed to shimmer with the faint taint of corruption.

The Wraiths are high-ranking assassins and commanders of smaller squads. They’re faster and deadlier than any lesser demon kin, and their presence made the air feel heavier, harder to breathe.

And surrounding them like a dark tide were nearly a dozen Blades, the guild’s trained killers. Though weaker than their superiors, even one was enough to slaughter an alpha werewolf or spirit user if caught off guard.

Roxanne’s lip curled in a snarl. They sent a full strike force for Vivianne. Whoever hired them isn’t just rich; they’re desperate. "Damn that emperor." She muttered.

Behind her, Vivianne stirred faintly beneath Undine’s shimmering protection. The spirit’s watery form rippled gently over the Grand Duchess’s body, cocooning her in tranquillity, ensuring she remained unaware of the chaos raging around her.

Roxanne’s chest rumbled with a sound that’s more growl than breath. "I won’t gamble with her safety." Her muscles tensed, claws digging into the stone floor.

Then, with a bone-shaking roar, Roxanne let her power erupt. Her body surged, tearing past the limits of her hybrid form into her full demon figure. Her frame expanded, black horns curling high from her skull, her wings unfurling in a burst of wind and shadow. Crimson sigils flared to life across her skin, glowing like molten fire, while her fangs lengthened, sharp enough to tear through steel.

The temperature in the room plummeted as her demonic aura crashed outward, a tidal wave of raw dominance. Even the Blades staggered, some dropping to one knee as their instincts screamed at them to submit. The Wraiths hissed in unison, raising their weapons, while the two Shadowlords merely tilted their heads, unfazed but clearly intrigued.

Marvessa, standing near the far wall, didn’t even flinch. Her expression is calm, almost bored, though her blade was already red with blood. Two Blades lay dead at her feet, their throats cut so cleanly their heads barely remained attached.

"Two Shadowlords," she reported evenly, her voice cutting through the roar of Roxanne’s magic. "They’re mine to distract, but not to defeat. Don’t expect miracles. I can’t fight them alone."

"Don’t fight them head-on," Roxanne snarled, her voice deepened and layered with a demonic echo. "Your priority is Vivianne. No one gets past you."

Marvessa gave a sharp nod, pivoting smoothly to meet two more Blades rushing her flank. Her movements are precise and deadly. One parried her strike, while the other lunged low. She spun like smoke, severing a wrist, then slashing upward to gut the second assassin before either could scream.

The remaining Blades surged forward, shrieking their silent war cries. The Wraiths moved in their wake, flanking them with terrifying speed. And then Roxanne moved.

With a single beat of her wings, she vanished from where she stood, reappearing in the heart of the enemy ranks with a sound like thunder. Her claws slashed in wide arcs, severing limbs and weapons alike. Blood sprayed across the room, spattering the walls and ceiling.

A Blade barely had time to gasp before Roxanne’s tail whipped around, impaling him through the chest and flinging him across the chamber like a rag doll. One of the Wraiths snarled and struck from behind, its twin curved daggers glowing with cursed energy.

Roxanne ducked low, her movements fast yet unnervingly precise, then grabbed the assassin by the face. With a growl, she slammed his skull into the stone floor, shattering both with a sickening crack.

The second Wraith leapt at her back, only to be caught midair as Roxanne twisted, tearing apart on its shoulder. Her fangs tore through flesh and bone, ripping the creature nearly in half before she flung the remains aside like garbage.

The final Wraith hissed and unleashed a burst of corrupted magic, black tendrils whipping toward Roxanne. She countered with a roar so powerful it shredded the spell apart, her sheer aura overwhelming the attack.

The two Shadowlords finally moved. They split apart, one circling left, the other right, moving so quickly they became streaks of shadow. Their weapons, obsidian blades forged in the depths of forbidden demon realms, flared with sickly green light.

Roxanne shifted into a defensive crouch, her wings shielding Vivianne’s bed. "You want her?" she snarled, her voice like fire and ice. "Over my dead body."

The Shadowlords attacked in perfect unison, one striking high while the other came low. Roxanne blocked the first with her forearm, sparks exploding as blade met demonic bone, while she twisted to kick the second across the room. The impact shattered a stone column, but the assassin simply melted into shadow and reformed unharmed.

And a sudden deafening roar tore through the courtyard, shaking dust from the rafters. The Borgia reinforcements had arrived. Mara is the first through the group of Blades; her white tiger stripes glistened under the torchlight, and her demon blood burnt red beneath her skin.

"WHERE ARE THEY?!" she bellowed, her voice like a war drum.

The assassins froze for a heartbeat, just long enough for Mara to descend on them like a hurricane. She tore through the nearest Blade with her bare hands, ripping his head clean off in a single motion. The rest scrambled back, but the other Borgia knights surged in behind her, forming a wall of steel and fury.

"Protect the Grand Duchess!" they roared in unison, their weapons cutting through the panicked Blades.

The courtyard is in a bloody massacre now; the white marble stone and the green grass have turned crimson, a gruesome testament to the night’s slaughter. Without a word, Mara bolted from the courtyard, ignoring her own wounds as she sprinted toward the Grand Duke’s chamber, while the rest of the Borgia’s knights cleaned up what was left of the assassins.

She knew the Grand Duke was more than capable of protecting herself, but with an ambush of this scale, Mara found herself far more worried about the Grand Duchess and, surprisingly, Marvessa.

Earlier, after tonight’s dinner, Marvessa had stubbornly insisted on taking the role of guard, determined to be the one on guard in front of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess’s bedroom for tonight. She had wanted to be the Grand Duchess’s protector.

But now, seeing the sheer number and strength of the attackers, Mara realised that this is far beyond Marvessa’s current skill. These aren’t just assassins; they’re killers of the highest order. And against foes like these, Marvessa’s determination alone might not be enough to keep her alive.

"Mara!" one of the knights shouted, but she didn’t stop.

She jumped into the balcony, and rushing in, the sight that greeted her froze her in place. Blood was everywhere, splattered across the walls, soaking into the thick carpets, pooling beneath the massive bed where Vivianne slept. The sharp, metallic scent of it made Mara’s throat tighten. For a single, horrifying heartbeat, she thought she was too late.

Then her sharp eyes caught movement. Roxanne stood in the centre of the room, her demonic form towering, her massive horns slick with blood. One of her claws was buried deep in the chest of the second Shadowlord, who writhed and shrieked as black smoke poured from his mouth and eyes. With a roar, Roxanne ripped her claw free and hurled the body aside, sending it crashing into the far wall with bone-shattering force.

"Filth," she spat, her voice rough and guttural, more beast than human.

Mara’s gaze darted to the side, and relief flooded her when she saw Marvessa. The spirit wielder stood near the bed, drenched in blood from head to toe. Her blade trembled in her hand, her face pale and drawn with exhaustion. Despite her state, she hadn’t moved an inch from her post, standing as a living barrier between Vivianne and the chaos.

And Vivianne herself, she’s safe, lying untouched within the shimmering water barrier created by Undine. Inside, she slept peacefully, completely unaware of the carnage that had taken place around her.

Mara staggered forward, her throat tight. "Marvessa... Grand Duchess..."

Marvessa turned her head slowly, her tired eyes locking onto Mara’s. Her lips trembled, but she forced herself to speak. "She’s safe. Not a single scratch on her."

Mara exhaled shakily, relief nearly making her knees buckle. She crossed the room in a few strides and clasped Marvessa’s shoulders gently, mindful of her exhaustion. "You stubborn fool," she growled, though her voice was softer than usual.

Marvessa gave a weary smile. "Protecting her... is my duty. Even if it costs me my life." Mara then pulls her into her arms, tightly.