The Demon Covenant (Otherworld Series #6)

Chapter 46- Thankful.

They escort us through the bridge and inside the Castle.

I'm seperated from Nikolai, who's being held back by Alexei, his face red with anger, his body on fight mode, his demon form on show.

"I am your King, now, I have returned, you will obey me!" He bellows.

The other guards shift nervously but don't react. The guards that came with us were standing guard in front of Nikolai and Alexei, they too, were unsure of how to behave.

"We have orders from Dimitri Shizkov to not listen to King Nikolai as he is under the influence of foreigners."

"Then you can take orders from me." Alexei says, scowling at the traitors.

"Why should they? When you betrayed us?" Another voice cuts in.

Dimitri strides in through the doors, the wind is suspiciously quiet as Alexei and Nikolai look towards their brother.

Dimitri's stern expression melts away when he sees Nikolai's closed eyes, but he quickly manages to handle his emotions, and the mask is back up. He points and accusing finger at Alexei.

"You are the one who set Lunia free on the day of her execution."

Alexei scoffed. "Congratulations on finding out so fast!" He shoots back, "If you were good enough at your job, then you would have figured it out long ago, Dimitri."

Dimitri's face is red and his teeth are bared, he snarls at his younger brother. "I found out now, so it's enough. The two of you will be kept in confinement while Lunia's execution will be carried out as usual. Once you both are out of her enchantment, you will thank me."

"I will never forgive you if you kill my wife and child, Dimitri." Nikolai warns.

"Your wife tried to kill you firs-" Then his words registered in Dimitri's head and his narrowed gaze reached me, specifically my belly, which was protectively covered by my hand.

"You're pregnant?" His words are horrified. My eye twitches with anger, I'd been quiet so long because I was expecting him to melt when he saw that Nikolai was in one piece.

But no such thing was happening. Nikolai's presence hadn't changed Dimitri's mind. And now the fact that I was pregnant wasn't going to work either.

But before I could open my mouth to speak, my vision went black.

Suddenly, I was standing at the foot of the stairs in the castle. The walls were mossy, only a single lamp lit the place up.

At the top of the stairs, Alicia had been drawn out by the commotion. She was still weak from childbirth and was holding a hand to her belly as she climbed down the stairs.

She winced with each step, but she had to go find Dimitri. She had to convince him that Lunia was innocent. He would listen to her surely.

A loud shout drifts by, Alicia looks up towards the sound, she doesn't pay attention to where she steps and she that was her mistake. The mistake that costs her her life.

Alicia tumbles down the steps and I soundlessly scream as she lands before my feet, her neck is twisted at an odd angle and her sightless eyes stare up at me, a baby's cry echoes up from the rooms above, a child now without its mother.

I wake up with a gasp, Nikolai is holding me and jerking me.

I'm weak, my eyes closing, I cannot bear the brunt of the visions in my current state, but I have to help Alicia, I could save her, I had to.

"What did you see?"

I raised a hand towards Dimitri, who was also crowded beside his brother.

"Alicia, the stairs!" I croaked, I'm thankful for the dawning horror in his eyes as he realizes what's happening.

I'm so, so thankful that Dimitri is smart enough to know. He disappears from my line of sight and I close my eyes,finally giving away to the darkness.

Hoping that my timing was right.