Livia planned to go on like this every night. All this theater was orchestrated by her. An hour before she came to Demyan's bedroom demanding to visit hers. She handed him a piece of paper with instructions and text he had to say to her after entering her chambers.
Dumbfounded he looked at her ridiculous and childish demands. She waved him off. "I want to get the feel of a real couple in love before our wedding. It will show you how happy we will be together in the near future." Demyan just frowned upon her words and then shut the door. Demyan leaned against the door and dipped his face into the palm out of frustration. Adrik sitting at the window was observing his desperation. "Don't worry... soon it will be over." Demyan raised his gaze at him. "You mean when I am married to that crazy woman?! Or do you mean when we will find Petrona dead?"
Adrik wasn't allowed to tell him the truth so he just averted his sight and looked out of the window. He was trying to figure out, how Livia was managing to slip to Petrona, despite shadowing her every move in the castle. Did that mean, she wasn't keeping her side of the bargain and didn't go to give any food and water to Petrona?
Was she still alive by this point?
Rather, than share his concerns with the others he kept quiet. It's not how things should play out, so he still carried some hope inside. He lowered his hand and stuck it into his pocket to hold the little box, which contained special gems for communication. He was waiting for a positive report from the guys finding Petrona. Same as Demyan he was getting more and more impatient.

Meanwhile, Luka, Mirko, and Viridi were searching hard for Petrona. They were walking around the deserted landscape of the Waste Lands. Covered from head to toe they were strolling in the middle of an ash storm raging through the lands coming from the volcanos.
The time was running and despite the harsh conditions they didn't want to give up. Few days already went by and they still weren't successful. Where did Livia hide her? How could she get to her? Is Petrona still alive? Didn't Livia lie to them? Should they trust her words? Doubts began to fill their heads and each day they lost tiny bits of hope.
The day of the wedding came. Petrona, still nowhere to be found. Hunger and thirst were secondary to those three men, if they won't find her today, everything will be lost and Livia will win. They still had time until the evening and the beginning of the wedding, but this was the last attempt to find Petrona.
If they don't succeed, Viridi will return to his country and both Luka and Mirko will escape back to the Lush Lands and board the next ship. Demyan gifted them a pouch full of gold for this specific purpose. If they succeed they have to take Petrona with them. Luka was ogling it and praying to use it for three people instead of two.
They marched nonstop all over the Vampire Kingdom and still couldn't find her. They already reached the outskirts. The huge wide river which was also a natural border of the Waste Lands and the Forest of Howls was very deep with a lot of rapid streams. It was already getting dark and closer to the start of the wedding.
Steep cliffs on both sides couldn't really allow anybody to cross. They were turning their backs to that part of the country for a long time and the last place to search. That was a mistake...

Viridi with his keen Goblin eyes spotted weird natural structures over the riverbed. "A cave?" He looked at Luka he began to sniff around. It was very hard for him to get any scent because of the dense air full of ash and fumes from the volcanos, which were too close.
It was at an almost unreachable angle, but they managed to climb to the cave entrance. The tunnel was dark, moist and the nonstop river noises made it difficult to communicate. Viridi was gesturing with his hands, he had to check first if the cave was safe to enter, because of methane or any other flammable gasses. As a Goblin he was more than experienced. He was built that way since the original spaces they called home before houses, were deep caves.
Viridi signed to follow him. Mirko made a torch, Luka changed into a werewolf for better protection and Viridi was leading them all inside. The cave wasn't that long and they ended up in a big spacious chamber. Werewolf Luka changed back and jumped straight to Petrona.
She was hanging from the wall by chains...
Was she still alive? ... barely. Petrona's body was weak and poisoned by breathing in the toxic fumes from the volcanos. Viridi took out his axe and began hacking on her shackles to free her. Mirko took out clothes and blankets he prepared for this exact purpose. He also took out the little box and used it to contact Adrik.

Adrik was already watching the beginning of the wedding from the distance...

His pocket began to shine and he left the hall to receive the message. They found her! He jumped out of the window and flew to their location. He had to be quick, she was in dire danger.
The whole time till the cave the words "She is dying..." played in his head. At an inhuman speed, he entered the cave and ripped Petrona out of Luka's arms, who was cradling her lifeless unconscious body and wasn't really thrilled about it, but for her good he let it go. "What is wrong with her?"
Viridi silently explained. "She didn't have any obsidian with her so her body was exposed to the harsh toxicity of Waste Land air. She will die soon, we came too late..." Chills run down his demon's spine. "Not if I can prevent it..."
Adrik swiped the hair aside from her face and gently locked his lips with Petronas. Yes, basically he was kissing her. Everybody gasped and Luka blew up. Viridi wasn't happy either, but he knew, what Adrik was doing, so he pushed back against Luka's chest to stop him. Mirko didn't know what was going on, but still assisted Viridi. This way, Adrik was absorbing the poison from her body.
After few minutes of this Petrona slowly opened her eyes hoping to see Demyan, but instead... "Adrik?!" He leaned his forehead against her with a huge relief. Adrik's dizziness didn't stop him from celebrating. He lifted her into the air and spun Petrona around.
Everybody's minds were at ease, now they had to just walk out of the damn cave and escape the whole realm at last. Petrona was left stunned. "What? Leave? Where? And Demyan?" Luka told her the truth about the wedding. "Did he really fall in love with Livia? Were the words he expressed in the mirror all true?" Adrik turned... "A mirror?" Petrona sitting on the floor because she was too weak for standing pointed her finger into the corner of the cave. "I hoped that the mirror was just some scam outside being a portal..." Adrik's light lid up. "So, this way she could travel without being noticed..."
Petrona upon learning about the wedding sat with her head lowered in silence. Viridi came to help her stand up and even offered her to be carried out by him. Luka protested, that he could easily take her out on his back. Mirko just watched this little fight with a smile.
Adrik was looking and contemplating.
Should he let her leave or bring this whole story to the true end? He kneeled down next to her. "Demyan sold his life for yours, if he didn't get married, Livia wouldn't give you food and water, she planned to leave you to die... so he had no other choice..."
Petrona grabbed his hand and asked him for help. She wished to stop the wedding, she would rather die, than let Demyan find his end at Livia's side. Adrik looked at the angry boys, then back at her. "There is a way... " He stood up in front of the mirror and used his demon powers to activate the crystals, not only on the mirror, but also that one specific in the jewelry box in Livia's room...


The wedding began and despite Demyan's grim face, Livia was overly happy. This was her chance for a better life, to gain status, power, and wealth. After the wedding, she will have all the time in the world making Demyan forget about a lousy human female. She had her own secret plan...
Livia was walking down the aisle in the company of her father the Count. Plastered with a smile and a bouquet of white flowers was coming closer and closer to Demyan, who just panicked with each of her step. He didn't want this, but if he wouldn't go through... Petrona would die. Alaso later he won't even have an excuse to avoid spending the night with Livia, which made him get nauseous.
At last, Livia was standing at Demyan's side, the King stood in front of them to wed the couple. Demyan tried to swallow the lump, which formed in his throat. His spirit was leaving his body, but he had to refocus back. His heart belonged only to Petrona, he was doing it for her... Demyan looked straight into Sava's eyes and nodded.
The ceremony began and everything was going according to Livia's plan. But, she heard something... creaking of the door. She turned slightly to peek with one eye behind. NO! It was that WENCH! The king should hurry up! Demyan noticed Livia's restlessness, still in the middle of Sava's wording which was coming to an end. Demyan turned towards the door noticing Petrona wide-eyed and desperate watching. "... and may the groom kiss the bride!"
Livia quickly grabbed his face to seal the marriage with a kiss. As they were about to touch lips, Demyan managed to unshied one of the swords of his father and rammed it deep into Livia's stomach stopping her from whatever she was trying to do. She hunched over and winced in pain. The vampire king couldn't believe what his eyes were witnessing. The whole hall of vampire royals gasped.

In a split of a second, it became a crimson wedding. The blood was gushing out from Livia covering the whole floor underneath her in deep red.