Chapter 56: Shackles and Chains!!

**Nora’s POV**

The faces of all the eyes grazing on me were unclear, but I could still sense a thick atmosphere of mixed feelings flowing throughout the hall. The sixth-single headed Orynx, their uncle stride ahead to pour the remaining portion of immolation on me. My lips were twitched, chanting the spells in full vigour with my body, showcasing the aggression to barrel onto him and rip off his neck to taste the burning fire blood of this serpent, but nothing was materializing. I tried to recoil back when all the attacks failed, but something pinned me on my place, immobilizing me. What is happening? Just as that red aura of the serpent was about to pour that damn potion, someone stopped him, “No! Stop it! She will die,” Ronin’s mother snapped, griping away the flask from him.

“Why not?” he growled, “She is here for revenge; she will kill all if we let her live”.

I stumbled on the floor as if that same thing that pinned me sucked out the energy from me as well. I got drained out and struggled to breathe as I could not hold the words of chants.

“She is pregnant; we need babies!” She fired back the response.

“She used you. It was all her trick, a series of well-thought and well-implemented sinister planning. She has secured life insurance for herself.” Harsh growls leave his uncle’s lips as his hard, dangerous and threatening eyes dart on Ronin.

“Can’t you see? She is helpless. She is not in control of her powers. She is just a weakling as I had bound her magic by a talisman.” Their mother snorted as I could see her sudden and unexpected smile aiming at me. The cloudiness around my eyes evaporated to some extent as my vision started to mould around. I saw her holding an antique iron necklace attached with an amber crystal. The hollow centre of the stone shone in a twitch of red as I narrowed my brows. She seemed to be following my thoughts as she sneered, cupping my face, “Yes sweetie, this is your blood. This thing will let us control your powers. Your spells and magic won’t work till we have it”. She tries to force me to look into her eyes as frustration burns hot in my chest, “Now be a good girl and tell me the whereabouts of ‘Crescent Lure- a legendary necklace of Azra”.

“I don’t know what you are talking about”, I mumbled as my lips turned dry, a sign of my vulnerability.

“Now, who is lying?” she whispers, leaning close to me. I draw in sharp breath seeking Ronin. He understands my gaze as he darts in my direction, “Nora, please listen to them. Give them what they want; I promise to do whatever in my power to let you suffer less.” I could see the moisture plummeting at the corner of his eyes.

“I had been through all her stuff; there is nothing that matches the description of Crescent lure. She probably didn’t have it,” Rorik states as his focus wrenches on us.

“If both of you are done advocating for her, can we proceed with her sentence?” Their uncle growled at both Ronin and Rorik, visibly frustrated at them.

“Before deciding her sentence, please consider the fact that she not only let Dasan escape, but she saved my life as well. If not for her interference, Dasan would have my head,” Rorik emphasized his point, still grappling on the chair.

“Moreover, she is the only one who knows the portal to the Land of Azra. Although most people here are too proud to confess, our forces struggle to keep Ghouls in check. At this rate, we have no chance against them. We want a three-headed Orynx. And only she can lead us there as she did to Ornith,” Ronin also didn’t hold back.

“And then kill you as she did to Ornith? She is playing with the emotions of both of you, just like she did with Ornith and Ozarius. These witches don’t help anyone without a price, too heavy to pay for. She is making you fall into her trap, don’t trust her,” their uncle growled.

“We have no other option. All we can do is hold up our guards and be alert all the time. Moreover, we have her talisman,” Ronin spoke.

“What about Crescent lure? If she is still in possession of it, our talisman may not work. Don’t underestimate her powers; she killed the most dangerous predator, Ornith. She is a fiery, rebellious and menacing creature under the façade of the naïve and innocent girl. Ornith made a mistake trusting her,” Their mom shared her concerns.

All this sudden mention of Ornith lured my body, bursting into the darkness. A different kind of energy engulfed me, not the physical one, as I started rumbling something in strange verses. I closed my eyes and visualized Ornith, and then a wild source of power groped my hair. It was their uncle, “Stop murmuring the fucking shit, if you have guts, speak in our language”, he challenged me.

At first, I held back, but the energy ripped my tongue open as I let a sly smile escape my lips before lashing out at him, “Or what? Kill me? Go ahead! You know what, this is not your anger towards me, but the frustration that your body is overwhelmed by my scent. You know why you struggle to resist my scent?”

He gave me a narrow look. He was shocked by my words, but his curiosity was overpowering him, “My blood binds the curse which forced you in the life of celibacy. So, it’s natural for you to get attracted towards me, as Ronin and Ornith did and all the serpents ever existed.”

“Nora, stop it”, Ronin warned me.

“Rebekah, call me Rebekah and stop being so possessive about me. Why do you territorial creatures have this fucking habit of getting clingy? Your mom is right; if you want to live, kill me now or-” I snarled, curling my tongue on my lips.

“Or what you will kill me like Ornith?” he growls with a warning in his narrow eyes.

“Who said I killed him? Get your facts checked,” I snarled back.

“What did you do to him?” he frowned as his tone hardened.

I smirked, winking at him, without saying anything.

“Fuck”, he grabbed me firmly by my shoulder, shaking me violently.

“Ronin, stop. She is pregnant and not in her senses. You already know she has this frequent bout of darkness. Darkness brings out Rebekah in her. Talk when she is Nora,” Rorik stopped him, trying to subside his anger.

“Rorik! You are so nice, gentle and perfect. You always remind me of Ozarius. You know there is a secret I was about to tell you, but-” I shadow passed through my face as my jaws tense. I finally gave away the effort to keep my eyes open as I slumped on the floor with all the darkness and energy whooshing from my body.

After sometime

I slowly woke up, forcing my drooping eyes to open. My eyelids were too heavy to lift, and my sleep-fogged brain was resisting my urge to rise. Scanning my surroundings warily, my eyes widened as I realized I was in a freaking dungeon enclosed on three sides with thick stone walls with the metallic door on its fourth side. The only source of light and air was a small grilled window at the top-most altitude of the wall. And that was not even the worst part as I was chained in shackles linked to the stone wall behind.

“Fuck! They can’t keep a pregnant woman locked in this cave,” I cursed as I grazed my skin. It seemed normal now; the black veins were disappearing. I am constantly having these bouts of nausea, and I don’t understand whether they are due to my pregnancy or the after-effects of the potion of immolation. My stomach is constantly growling as I feel the slurping motion in my tummy—serpent babies.

A scan sound clicked as my ears perched up towards the metallic door. It opened, and Meghan and Liam entered. They seemed like God-send to me.

“Hey Nora, you look good now”, Meghan scoffed, unsure of what to say.

“Of course, I knew I scared you all” I grimaced, feeling sorry for them.

“Nora or Rebekah, we will always remain your friends”, Liam assured me.

“Thanks, I know I can always count on you two. But what are you both still doing here? Are you not going back to our dwelling?” I asked as they both gave each-other weird looks.

“What is it, please I am not in a mood to play a guessing game. Tell me, why are you still here?” I asked again, clearly losing my patience.

“We will be here with you till you take them to Land of Azra. They want to make sure you co-operate so well we can’t leave,” Meghan brushed in.

“What!? Are they nuts? Can’t they do this to you? Let me talk to Ronin,” I snapped, trying to lift, but these shackles won’t let me.

“It’s okay, Nora, show them the damn Land of Azra and hand over the babies, then we can leave from here. Ronin promised he wouldn’t harm you if everything goes smoothly,” Liam replied.

“Who is he to decide? This is not done,” I snorted out in anger.

“Don’t worry; everything will work out,” Meghan squeezed my shoulders, gesturing me to calm down.

“Okay, as you say. Can you do me a favour?” I asked.

“Sure, just ask,” Liam spoke.

“I want to meet Rorik alone. Make sure Ronin or anyone else doesn’t accompany him,” I blurted out.

“Okay, I will tell him. I will not ask you the reason for this but be sure about doing anything you regret later. Don’t let Rebekah take over you,” Meghan warned me as if reading my thoughts.

“I know”, I muttered as they left.

After Sometime

Rorik came inside the dungeon, “You called me,” he asked as I lifted my head in his direction.

“Please come, sit near me”, I gestured to him.