Bound By Chains (MxM)

Chapter Forty-Two

I awoke in my room. It was dark, with only the barest hint of moonlight gliding through the curtains of my windows. My body ached and I had a massive, pounding headache, and for a moment, I laid there in a daze, wondering what the hell I had done to be feeling such a way. Did I get absolutely pummeled during sword training or something?

I ran my fingers through my hair, completely at a loss, and when I went to itch the side of my neck, my fingers brushed against something cool, and metallic. A collar. It was as if a light had been lit, as all my memories rushed back to me—leaving me breathless as I shot up in my bed, completely ignoring the pain that shot through me at the action.

Father...no...Alton had found us. He found Davian, and here I was, waking up in my room at the castle. Where was Davian? Had Drakell escaped? Had the both of them found safety? Or had they been captured as well?

A sinking feeling apparated within me, and I grunted in pain as I dragged myself to my feet—using the headboard as a guide. If Alton captured Davian...I-I had to find out. I had to, so I knew if I needed to rescue him or not. Because if he was back in that bastard's hands...t-then I had failed Davian. I promised him that he would never see this place, and yet...

No, Cayden, I thought to myself—the sound of my heart loud in my ears as I pushed towards my bedroom door, you don't know if he's even here. He could have escaped. H-He could be safe and sound with Drakell right now...

But deep down...I had a feeling that wasn't the case. Which meant that I was a failure as a person. I promised Davian he wouldn't come back here, and he believed me. H-He believed me, and I failed him.

If I wasn't so desperate to find out if Davian was here or not, I probably would have started tearing up. But I had to hold strong. If he was here, I had to find him before Alton did anything with him. My legs felt like jelly, and the pain that radiated within me nearly had me blacking out during my trek to my bedroom door. However, I held steady as I turned the handle and pulled it open—only to pause as I caught sight of two armored individuals standing on either side of the door.

What the hell was this?

The taller of the two—a tall elf with silver hair that cascaded down their back—looked at me, raising a silver brow as their companion side-glanced me. "Something you need, your highness?"

"Why the hell are you posted at my door?" I retorted—gripping the handle of my door so hard my knuckles were practically white.

The elf continued to stare at me, and deep down I had to desire to punch that smug little face of his.

"We are here at King Alton's request. He doesn't trust that you've...recovered enough to roam around idly without someone to...keep you from harming yourself further."

I could barely contain the rage that flooded through me—my chest growing tight as the desire to beat the hell out of people grew. So I was his prisoner, then. In my own home. Who the hell did that bastard think he was, holding me captive like this? And to be so petty to give me babysitters? What, was he afraid that I would take his "precious prize" from right under his nose? Even though Davian was his own person and was not a damn object for Alton to play with?

Speaking of which...

I looked at the silver-haired elf, hating the fact that the bastard didn't even seem the least bit concerned about the situation. "The half-dragon...where is he?"

The other guard who had been silent this entire time, turned his dark eyes towards me. "That is not your concern. Your concern is recuperating for your wedding in a week."

My heart stopped. "Wedding? What the hell are you talking about? With whom?"

"Why, you and Princess Maryanna, of course," the elf provided—staring at me as if I had just lost my mind.

So not only was I a prisoner in my own home...Alton was now going to try to force me to marry someone I had no romantic intentions towards? Hell no. That wasn't happening, not when my heart already belonged fully to Davian. If Alton thought he could force me to do something I didn't want to do, then that bastard had another thing coming. And judging by the other guard's response when I questioned him about Davian...I had no doubt that Davian was here now. Not my concern? Like hell that man wasn't my concern. And I was going to do everything in my power to rescue him, regardless of what Alton tried to throw my way.

Steeling my reserve, I straightened myself and placed an indifferent mask over my face—desperately trying to ignore the pain that was shooting throughout my body. "Fine. Can I at least talk to him then? About this...wedding?"

"Apologies, but His Highness is currently busy finalizing a few things. I am unsure when he'll be available to talk to you." The elf responded, causing me to grit my teeth and grip my door harder.

So, I tried to change tactics. "I'm hungry."

The elf raised a brow and glanced at his companion. "You hear that, Rudan? The prince is hungry." He turned back towards me, plastering a fake smile on his face. "And what would you like to eat, your Highness?"

I grinded my teeth together. "Anything hot is fine."

"Rudan" shared only one glance with the elf before he huffed and stomped off, and sure enough, the damned elf stayed behind—meaning I couldn't sneak out the traditional way. But that was alright. I had a secret passage in my room. Sure, it would lead me out of castle bounds, but I could always sneak my way in and find where Alton was keeping Davian. Then I would rescue him and bolt as far away as we possibly could go.

With that thought in mind, I bade the elf farewell and moved back into my room, heading straight towards the very passage Davian and I had escaped the first time. However, when I went to move the mechanism that opened the door...nothing happened. The door didn't even budge.

I began to panic as I tried to pull the mechanism again, thinking that maybe the cogs were stuck, or something, but when nothing happened again, I growled and threw the table containing my alcohol aside, causing the glasses to shatter once it hit the floor.

Breathing heavily, my bedroom door opened—a silver head peeking through. "Everything alright, your Highness?"

I sent a glare his way—the tight feeling in my chest almost suffocating. "I'm fine," I managed to bite out, waiting till the elf closed the door before I limped my way over to the windows. It was a little high up, where my bedroom was situated...but I did say I was going to do everything I could in order to save Davian and if I have to break a leg to do that, then so be it.

What I didn't count on...was when I touched the locks on the windows, a sharp, electrical pain shot through me, causing me to gasp and drop to the floor as I immediately grabbed at the problem. The collar. As soon as I touched those locks the collar ignited and violently shocked me, leaving tears to drop from the corners of my eyes as I attempted to catch my breath.

What in the gods' name was that?

It took me a moment to gather my breath and my strength, and once I did, I made my way into my bathroom—the collar rubbing my neck raw as I forced my way to the mirror. Surely the collar Terry had given me would have done that...right?

I wanted to scream when I saw my reflection. The collar Terry had fashioned was no longer there—instead it was a collar similar in design to what Davian had worn his whole life. Which meant that Alton had removed the other collar...just to shackle me himself. And now I was trapped in my own room, in my own home...while Davian was gods' know where with that demented bastard that had fathered me.

A/N: Poor Cayden. He just wants to live in peace with the man he loves, and his creepy dad keeps getting in the way Q-Q. Poor boi T-T

Anywho, hope yall enjoyed the chapter! Lemme know what you think! I love reading your feedback! :)