Moon Blessed

Chapter 54 ~ A Wave of Darkness

"Let him go," Nastasia demanded, icy rage snapping through her veins. "You're going to regret this, Kazimir."

"Oh no, Princess. I think you will be the one with regrets, though perhaps not quite as many as your mother." Kazimir's oily grin deepened and his gaze remained fixed on her parents.

Alexei had closed his eyes now and his shoulders jerked with each rapid breath he took. Shudders wracked his body and Nastasia could see the tension in his jaw as he gritted his teeth against the pain. 

"Please," Serafima begged again. "Please don't hurt him. I have given you, given Andrian, everything!"

"Everything except this boy's blood," Kazimir retorted. "Perhaps I should spill it and consider your broken promise mended."

"Will you release him if I come with you?" Nastasia asked, risking a glance about the room.

The fighting was still ongoing, but the Andrians were beginning to overpower their opponents. She didn't have much time to fix this. A faint glimmer of metal caught her eye as she brought her gaze back to Kazimir.

"Let him go and I'll put the ring on myself. I'll come with you." She jerked her chin towards her father's throne, which the ring now lay beneath.

"Nasi, no," Alexei protested. Kazimir gave his arm another jerk and a cry broke past her brother's lips before he could stop it.

"Drop your dagger and go pick it up," Kazimir commanded.

Nastasia swallowed hard and set her dagger on the floor. Slowly, she moved towards her father's throne, not taking her eyes off Kazimir and Alexei. The icy blade in her grasp melted away as she knelt to pick up the ring. She clenched her teeth against a hiss of pain. The metal was burning to her touch.

"Put it on."

"Not until you let him go," Nastasia protested.

"Put it on!" Kazimir pressed the blade harder against Alexei's neck and a thin red line leaked from beneath it. Alexei's breath came faster still and his eyes closed once more.

"Kazimir, please, I beg of you," Serafima pleaded.

The Emperor's dark gaze fell on her. "I was always told a mother's love knows no bounds, and yet you would sacrifice your daughter for your son. Why is his life more valuable than hers, hm?"

"I love my children. I don't want to see either of them hurt."

"But now you must choose which one will be. Your son or your daughter?" Kazimir let out a low chuckle. "I have an idea. Take the ring from your daughter. If you truly wish to save your son, put it on her yourself and bring her to me."

Serafima hesitated, then took a step towards Nastasia before a hand caught her by the wrist. "Don't do this," Gavriil whispered as she turned to meet his gaze. "We'll find a way, but this isn't it."

"There is no time," Serafima replied, "and there is no we." She freed herself from Gavriil's grasp and took the ring from Nastasia's hand.

Nastasia didn't fight as her mother took her wrist and prepared to slide the ring onto her finger. "I will never forgive you for this," she hissed between her teeth.

"I wouldn't ask you to." Nastasia closed her eyes and turned her face away.

•༻᯽༺•

Nikolai skidded around a corner and slowed his pace slightly as he neared the passage's exit into the throne room. He didn't know what he'd find in there. He could only pray that Nastasia was all right and that his friends would be able to get in soon.