Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

A price to pay

Once Ruelle had secured the syllabus, her next destination was Sexton's grand library. She and Hailey made their way up the winding staircase at the far end of the corridor to the designated floor. The corridors were dimly lit with flickering lanterns, casting shadows on the stone walls.

Upon reaching the entrance, Ruelle caught the faint, musty scent of old books wafting through the air, mingling with the slightly damp chill of the library. The quiet ambiance was occasionally punctuated by the distant echo of footsteps on the stone floor.

Two classmates stood whispering to each other with anxious expressions, their voices hushed and tense as Ruelle and Hailey approached the towering double doors. Just as they were about to step inside, a figure emerged to block them. His greasy hair was slicked back, and his spectacles perched precariously on the bridge of his nose.

"And where do you think you're going?" His voice was smooth but laced with contempt, dripping with a superiority that made Ruelle clench her fists reflexively.

"To fetch books for the syllabus listed for our year..." Ruelle replied, holding up the scroll as if showing him evidence that she was a student here. Hailey nodded beside her.

"Did you bring the fee?" he asked, arching a thin eyebrow. The curve of his lips suggested he already knew the answer.

"The fee?" Ruelle echoed, her voice filled with confusion. At her naivety, the man chuckled—the sound was as condescending as it was dismissive.

"Everyone who wants to access the library needs to pay a fee of fifteen shillings," the caretaker explained with a scornful flick of his fingers. "If you don't have it, move aside and don't crowd the entrance."

Ruelle found the demand absurd. Wasn't an academy established for teaching supposed to provide books to read for free? Her heart sank at the thought of failing her classes because of such a barrier.

As an Elite vampiress swept through the doors unhindered, her lofty gaze not even acknowledging them, Hailey asked, "Is it because we're humans?"

"This applies to every student," the caretaker remarked, looking her up and down. "The difference is, the Elites' families have already paid their share, unlike you Groundlings."

"Maybe we can borrow the books from others," Ruelle suggested, a note of desperation creeping into her voice as she tried to grasp at solutions.

But the caretaker was quick to extinguish any hope. "Groundlings are not permitted to leave the library with books. If you wish to do so, it will cost you twenty gold coins," he declared, his words cold and definitive.

"...!" This left the two girls in shock.

The sum was more than their families could conjure up at once. Images flashed through Ruelle's mind—of chains, oppressive shadows, and an endless cycle of submission. Her fingers tightened around the scroll.

To witness the ease with which the privileged glided through life was to understand a devastating truth—the burden of suffering disproportionately weighed upon the shoulders of the less fortunate.

"We don't have the money now, but we could pay after the weekend," Ruelle proposed, her voice wavering yet defiant.

"No," he interjected bluntly, his refusal like a door slamming shut.

"How are we going to study then? Only rely on the classes?" Hailey's eyes brimmed with worry.

"If you want access here, you should start working," came the curt reply from the vampire. "And by work, I mean for the Elites, as they are the ones with the resources. You can ask anyone and they'll tell you the same."