Chapter 32 Chains That Bind
"I am not tired of him. I will never be tired of him."
"Not yet. But you will be. When he fails to protect you. When his cruelty costs you everything." Aldric gestured to the guards. "Today, he fails. Today, you watch him die. And then you come with me to Valcrest. Willingly or not."
"You are insane if you think I would ever—"
Pain exploded through me. Sharp. Agonizing. Different from before.
The child. Something was wrong with the child.
I collapsed. Kael caught me. "Sera! What is happening?"
"The baby. It is trying to protect us. But it is too early. Too weak. It is hurting me."
My magic flared. Wild. Uncontrolled. Shadows tearing through the hall. But not strong enough. Not enough to fight fifty guards and a foreign king.
"Stand down," Viktor ordered. "Take them alive. The king and queen are worth more breathing."
Guards advanced. Kael stood over me. Fighting. Killing. But too many. They overwhelmed him. Dragged him down.
Weapons at his throat. At mine.
"Yield," Viktor said. "Or die here."
I looked at Kael. At the man I loved. The father of my child. The king who had become everything to me.
Saw the same calculation in his eyes.
We could fight. Die here. Accomplish nothing.
Or we could yield. Live. Find another way.
"We yield," Kael said. His voice was hollow.
They chained us. Dragged us to cells. Separated us.
I was alone. In the dark. With a child trying to defend me and failing. With magic that was not enough. With hope draining away.
And through the walls, I heard Aldric laughing.
We had come to make peace.
Instead, we had walked into a trap.
And I had no idea how we would escape. And I was not sure I liked what that said about us.
The cell was cold. Dark. Built to hold vampires.
Silver chains around my wrists. Iron bars reinforced with magic. No windows. No light except what leaked through cracks.
I could hear Kael somewhere. Screaming.
They were torturing him. Slowly. Making him suffer.
And I could do nothing.
The bond pulled at me. Desperate. Hurting. He was in agony and I felt every second of it through our connection.
The child thrashed inside me. Responding to my fear. To Kael's pain. Its magic flared and died. Flared and died. Too unstable. Too young.
Each time it tried to help, it hurt me instead. Cramps. Pain. Like my body was tearing itself apart.
I bit my lip until it bled. Stayed quiet. Would not give them the satisfaction of hearing me scream.
Footsteps approached. A door opened. Light flooded in.
Aldric stood there. Looking perfect as always. Untouched by the violence around him.
"Hello, Sera. Comfortable?"
"Go to hell."
"Such language for a queen." He stepped inside. The door closed behind him. "I came to check on you. And the child. How is the little abomination?"
"Do not call it that."
"Why not? Everyone else does." He crouched in front of me. Close. Too close. "Let me examine you. Make sure the baby is healthy."
"Touch me and I will rip your throat out."
"With what power? You are drained. The child took everything. You are barely conscious." His hand reached for my stomach.
I headbutted him. Hard. Felt his nose crunch.
He jerked back. Blood streaming. "You little—"
"I said do not touch me." I smiled. Feral. "I do not need power to hurt you. Just creativity."
He wiped his nose. Healed it with a thought. "Feisty. I like that about you. Kael probably broke that spirit. Turned you into something obedient. Compliant."
"You do not know anything about us."
"I know he is weak. I know he is dying in the next cell while you sit here helpless. I know your bond is breaking from the separation and the torture." Aldric leaned against the wall. "I am offering you a way out. Come with me. Willingly. I will stop his torture. Let him live. Let him go back to his kingdom."
"And in exchange?"
"You. The child. Your bloodline. You rule Valcrest beside me. Raise your child in safety. Away from people who want it dead."
"No."
"You did not even think about it."
"I do not need to. I am bonded to Kael. That is not negotiable."
"Bonds can be broken. I told you this. With the right ritual. The right sacrifice." His eyes gleamed. "All it takes is the death of one party. If Kael dies, the bond shatters. You would be free."
Horror washed through me. "You are planning to kill him."
"I am giving you a choice. Him or the child. Because Viktor wants you both dead. The rebels want you both dead. The Purists want you both dead." He stepped closer. "But I can save one. Choose. Him or the baby. Who lives?"
"That is not a choice."
"It is the only choice. Make it now or I let Viktor kill you all."
Kael screamed again. Louder. Longer. The sound of something breaking.
The bond convulsed. Pain shot through my chest. He was dying. Slowly. And I felt it.
"Please," I whispered. Hated myself for begging. "Please stop hurting him."
"Choose. Him or the child."
"I cannot—"
"CHOOSE!" His voice echoed. "Or I choose for you!"
The child moved. Violent. Responding to my terror. My rage. My helplessness.
Magic exploded from my body. Weak. Flickering. But enough.
The chains shattered. The door flew open.
Aldric was thrown against the wall. Hard.
I stumbled out of the cell. Following the bond. Following Kael's pain.
Found him three doors down. Chained to a wall. Bleeding. Broken. Barely conscious.
Viktor stood over him with a blade. "Amazing how much a vampire king can bleed."
"Get away from him." My voice was not mine. Deeper. Colder. The child speaking through me.
Viktor turned. Saw me. Smiled. "The queen. How kind of you to join us. Guards!"
Four guards rushed in. I threw shadows. Weak but enough. Wrapped them. Squeezed.
They died choking.
"Impressive. But you are drained. How many more can you kill before you collapse?" Viktor raised his blade. "Let us find out."
He lunged at Kael. Aimed for his heart.