royal blood

38 | demons lie in the shadows.

" once you take a human's life, you should pay with your own. "

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jaehyun did not expect, nor wish he would be awaken by loud screams heard all over his room. he got up, looking to see if seulgi was able to peacefully asleep. he put his hand on her arm, as a small sigh of relief escaped his mouth the moment he realised that she was there, sleeping.

jaehyun slowly got out of the bed. he put on a robe, making his way over to the door. he opened it, as he got out. the screams continued to be heard around the palace, but it seemed like no one else was awake, running around to see what had lead to the screaming.

" what is with the screams ? i did not expect to hear other ones, after that blood-curling one during dinner. " sicheng let out a sigh, as he got out from his room. jaehyun, who was surprised to see that sicheng was the first to come out of his room. " oh, jaehyun, it seems like you are also aware of them. "

" i woke up hearing them. i am still a little too scared to go downstairs, to figure out the source of those. do you want to come with me, for both of us to see for ourselves ? " jaehyun asked, as sicheng nodded. the two made their ways to the staircase, as sicheng was the first to go downstairs. " so, were you able to confirm it was his majesty doyoung's handwriting ? "

" i have yet to see princess yeri since she and i found the letter. i do not know the answer, yet, but i am expecting to know it by tomorrow night. " sicheng let out a sigh, as jaehyun could not help but express his suspicion. while he did not see yeri either, he thought that sicheng would have been able to find and talk to her. " it seems like it is coming from the outside. "

jaehyun nodded. sicheng, who had reached the garden doors, was looking around, to see if anyone was coming towards them. suddently, footsteps were heard from the staircase, as both jaehyun and sicheng widened their eyes. they started to look at the staircase, until they were both met with taeil's shocked expression, seeing them.

" were you the ones that let out those terrifying screams, or did you happen to hear them ? " taeil asked, before another scream was heard. " god, who is doing this at this hour ? " he let out a scoff, trying to hide his fear. sicheng tried to open the door, before realising that the door was locked.

" this is locked. " sicheng said, as he tried to force the door open. he shaked his head, as both jaehyun and taeil watched in fear how shadows started moving around the windows of the garden. " could we find another way to get to the garden, somehow ? it is clear that the garden is the place where the screams are coming from. " he looked around, before more footsteps were heard.

" i have the keys to this door, allow me to open it. " seulgi said, before she let out a yawn. jaehyun smiled at the sight of seulgi, but it seemed like she tried her best not to show that her cheeks were already burning. by the time seulgi searched for her keys, wendy and yeri came downstairs, both scared.

" god, this is so scary ! who is screaming at this hour, during the night ? " yeri asked, as wendy looked out the window. she could not see any movements, until they all heard that seulgi succesfully opened the door. " i am too scared to go outside, but i am too scared to stay in the palace. " she shivered, as the wind blew into the palace.

sicheng was the first to go outside. he looked around, as jaehyun took a candle from the hallway that was barely lightning. he walked into the night, as the rest all followed closely. yeri, who was holding wendy's arm, kept looking around, until she saw what made her scream even louder than the other ones.

all the men turned around, as yeri pointed to the area they were supposed to actually search. she was out of words, barely standing on her legs the moment that all of them walked over to the corner of the palace. irene, who was holding a gun in her hands, was pointing it over to jungwoo, who was sitting on the ground.

" you monster ! " irene yelled, as jungwoo looked down the moment the rest appeard. irene looked up to them, still holding the gun. sicheng tried to approach her and take her gun, but irene pointed it to it. " stay away from me ! allow me to tell you why i am doing this ! " she continued to yell, as she went back to pointing the gun to jungwoo's head.

all of them watched in shock, a sight they had never thought would be able to happen. irene, a known peaceful woman, holding a gun towards jungwoo. it was a sight that shocked all of them, but it was wendy who could try and figure out what was happening. it was wendy who was able to make something up from this situation.

" he murdered mr. lee taeyong, he admitted it to me while he tried to .. tried to seduce me while we were enjoying a bottle of wine ! " irene let out a laugh, " this monster tried to get me to come with him in his bedroom, while talking about how he was able to do such thing. your mouth slipped ! " she turned back to jungwoo, who nodded.

yeri covered her face, as small tears formed in her eyes. back when she first went to peleria, jungwoo presented himself to be a nice, young man who cared about the people around him in a small way, but she never expected to hear that he was a murderer. he commited a murder that affected the whole palace, and he did not seem to feel any remorse.

" is that true, brother ? " taeil's voice cracked, as jungwoo could hear the fear in his brother's tone. " are you not ashamed to sit there and not say a word ?! " he started yelling, as wendy looked up the window. she was scared to see if sooyoung would wake up and watch stunned from the window.

" i am sorry. " jungwoo said, as they all started to watch him. he looked at irene, before a small tear escaped his eye. he wiped it off, as sicheng sneaked behind her and took the gun. irene, who was shocked, moved her attention away from jungwoo. " i did not wish to murder him, but .. i did not have any other choices. " he shaked his head, as another tear escaped his eye.

" i really did not want to do this, but i was not allowed to have a choice. "

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