DIRTY BLOOD | TR ✔︎

TWENTY ONE ➢ RIDDLE

It's been three months since Kaeda was dragged down for the dungeons at my father's command.

Day by day, night by night, I've been ending the lives of his army. Throughout different branches, the Dark Lord is missing over forty foot soldiers. Mona's army remains untouched... for now.

Mona under the imperius curse is not someone I'd like to trade curses with.

Plus, I'm attempting to keep her alive. She's worked so hard to get Regulus to recognize her, and now their time has been cut short for the second time.

I stiffly slip into bed, letting my eyes fall shut. Faces flash through my mind, faces that'll never see the light of day again. Faces that haunt my nightmares.

I imagine myself in Kaeda's bed, in her arms.

Gods, I should've never taken her to Greece. Everything would've been so much simpler. I should've kept her at her home in the states.

Now, her family has no idea she's being kept as a hostage by a psychotic man with a blood war on his itinerary. Kaeda'd parents might never see her again, Rowan and Chloe, they might never hear her voice.

My heart shatters at the thought.

My fingers curl around the blanket, pulling it up to my chin. I imagine Mattheo down there, talking to Kaeda about whatever is going on. I imagine him leaving her by herself and to her thoughts. I imagine her struggling to sleep because of how cold it is, how alone she is.

I force myself out of my thoughts.

I can't do anything if I can't focus, I remind myself.

I look at the clock.

4:04 a.m.

I huff and slip back out of bed. I tug on the all black clothes and sneak out of the room, creeping out of the house. And once I'm past the wards, I'm apparating away from Malfoy manor.

I arrive in Germany, my knife in hand.

I slip in through the wards, ducking in and out of tents, leaving nothing but a trail of bodies in my wake. By the time the sun rises, twenty-six more soldiers are dead.

I wipe the blade on the clothes on a dead man, blood sticking to his pants.

And then I'm returning to Malfoy manor. I apparate just outside of the wards and slip through, making my way back into the house.

Everyone is still asleep when I return, the light bulbs cold and the tiles speckless of dirt. I think about the fact that Kaeda is right there, under this speckless floor.

Shaking my head, I make my way up the two flights of stairs to my bedroom. I strip off my shirt, kicking the door shut behind me. I head straight to the closet, pulling it open and grabbing out the first suit I see.

I undo my belt, about to yank off my pants when someone clears their throat.

My body tenses and I turn slowly, Mona lying on the bed, leaned back on her elbows. She watches me from her place on the mattress.

"Don't let me stop you, Riddle." She says, gesturing to my jeans.

"Fuck off, Monhagen." I grumble out, crossing my arms over my chest.

"What were you doing out of the house?" She asks, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes.

"I thought I heard something." I mutter, kicking off my jeans before I start changing into the suit.

"So, it had nothing to do with the mass casualties that our Lord's army is suffering?" She asks with a knowing smile.

I glare at her, buttoning up the white undershirt. I tug on the suit jacket, ignoring Mona's words.