Chapter 110: Cursed Power
Raven and Silas broke the gaze, stepping back as Damian entered the room. Raven’s heart fluttered with something she couldn’t quite place, a feeling of unease, perhaps.
Damian’s hand tightened on the edge of the table, his knuckles white as he faced Raven, his jaw clenched in frustration. The weight of his love for Isla and his growing fear for her safety pressed down on him like a suffocating force. Every instinct in his body screamed to be with her, to protect her from whatever darkness was closing in, but he couldn’t afford to be reckless.
“Tell me everything, Raven,” Damian's voice was edged with urgency. “If you know something about Isla's bloodline, about the baby, now is the time to share it. I’m not playing games anymore. Not when she’s carrying the heir to this cursed power.”
Raven stood across from him, her expression unreadable, yet there was something in her gaze that softened ever so slightly when it turned to him. “I’ve always known more than I’ve told you, Damian. But this… it’s never been about keeping secrets. It’s about keeping Isla safe from what she doesn't even know about herself.”
She paused, her voice low, her gaze flicking to the door as if expecting someone to enter at any moment.
“I won’t lie to you,” Raven continued, stepping closer. “The child she carries… it’s not just any heir. It’s the key. The First Bloodline is not just a lineage of power, it’s a lineage of transformation. The child will either stabilize or tear apart everything we know. It’s a matter of tilting the balance or finding a way to keep it safe. And Isla? She doesn’t even know the full extent of the magic that’s stirring inside her.”
Damian's heart thudded painfully in his chest, his emotions turbulent. His protectiveness over Isla had always been fierce, but now, the stakes were far greater. She wasn’t just his mate, she was carrying the future of their entire world, and that responsibility weighed heavily on him.
“Then why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?” Damian demanded, his frustration giving way to a more guttural form of worry. “Why did you keep this from me? If I had known…”
“Damian,” Raven interrupted, her voice calm but firm. “I’ve told you everything I could. But there are forces at play here that neither you nor I can fully understand. The power Isla carries is something that has been sought for generations. There are those who would destroy everything to possess it, and Vincent... he’s not just after the power. He wants to control it.”
Damian exhaled sharply, his hand running through his hair as the weight of the truth crashed down on him. He had known that Vincent was dangerous, but he hadn’t fully understood the depth of the threat until now. What had happened to his old friend? He was unrecognisable. He always kept more to himself than others but it was understandable due to his childhood experiences. Nobody could blame him. But, he was someone Damian had trusted with his life.
“Vincent will not have her,” Damian growled, his voice seething with a new intensity. “I won’t let him. Not while I’m breathing.”
Isla’s mind raced as she sat by the window in her chambers, staring out into the horizon. The sky above the fortress had erupted in bold stained and grey, clouds swirling as if reflecting her inner turmoil. Every inch of her body ached with the strange exhaustion that had become her constant companion. But it was more than just physical fatigue. It was as though the very fabric of her being was shifting, rearranging, in ways she couldn’t control.
Her fingers rested gently on her abdomen, where the life she carried stirred within her. The baby’s movements were subtle at first, but now, we’re much stronger. She could feel the power growing inside her, an ancient force that seemed to hum with life and magic.
But it wasn’t just that. Something darker was creeping in. A shadow she couldn’t shake, a pull that had been building for days now, ever since the first flickers of her power had awakened. She could feel it deep inside her, an enticing force she didn’t fully understand but that demanded her attention. It was nagging at her hems. She was getting tired of this situation…
The door creaked open, and Raven entered quietly, her presence a soothing balm amidst the turmoil Isla felt.
“Raven,” Isla greeted softly, a tired smile curving her lips. “You’ve been helping so much. But I still don’t understand what’s happening to me. To this baby.”
Raven knelt beside her, resting a gentle hand on Isla’s. Her eyes were filled with concern, but her voice remained steady. “You don’t have to understand it all at once, Isla. But what I do know is this: You are not alone in this. Damian is with you, and so are we. Whatever comes, we’ll face it together.”
Isla’s gaze dropped to the floor as the weight of Raven’s words sank in. Damian. The knot in her stomach tightened.
“I’m scared, Raven,” Isla whispered, her voice cracking. “What if the baby... What if I can’t control it? What if it’s too much for me?”
Raven shook her head, her expression fierce with resolve. “You’re stronger than you know, Isla. And this child? This child is part of your legacy. You will control it. But you cannot do it alone. You need Damian by your side.”
Isla nodded, though the uncertainty still churned in her chest. She needed Damian, but there was a part of her, buried deep down, that feared what would happen when the truth about her bloodline, about the child, came to light. Would people reject her? Would she be the end of the them?