My lips were parted open as I breathed, or at least as I tried to while my heart raced and my blood pulsed harshly behind my ears.
The room was tense; everyone stood on high alert as if they were waiting for something else to happen.
"So, it's you."
The silence was broken by Cyprus who pushed himself past one of his guards to become more visible. I pressed myself further into my mate's chest when I saw that he too had relinquished control to his daemon. Cyprus took several steps forward before my mate growled, the sound a threat as to what would happen if he came any closer.
"You're the bastard Prince...and the one who claims my daughter."
His voice was almost guttural and disturbed me more than being called his daughter at that moment.
"If you think I'm going to let you take my child away from me, you must be mistaken."
Bael hummed; it was a short sound, abrupt— as if he didn't care for what Cyprus had to say and disregarded his words entirely.
"Rosa will be coming back with me, there is no need to take what I was given— in fact, the only thing I will be taking is your head. I plan on keeping it with me as a trophy of sorts; perhaps I should hang it outside the castle walls to serve as a reminder of what might come to those who cross me."
Cyprus growled and took a step forward, his eyes raking up my mate's form as if he were sizing him up.
"If you threaten so openly ensure that you plan on seeing it through. Because I promise that you will not make it out of here alive, and certainly not with her."
I whimpered as my protective shield was withdrawn and Bael stepped closer to Cyprus with his fists clenched as if he was ready to show him just how serious he was.
"Bael." I pleaded as I saw his talons elongate and his shoulders tense in preparation—but it was too late.
His hand flew outwards as if to plunge into the side of Cyprus' neck, but the daemon moved to the left so only the base of his collarbone was caught by the sharp weapon.
My mate growled in frustration but had to avoid the fist that was thrown in his direction.
I could only cover my mouth as I watched the fight unfold. I watched as it became more brutal and bloody, as the snarls and growls filled the room so that those loud, horrible sounds were all that could be heard.
Desperately, I looked around the room, hoping that someone was feeling the same dread as me. But to my dismay, soldiers on both sides stayed out of the way, giving the two space to brawl as if this was normal. Why were they just letting this happen?
"No, no, no." I whimpered and squeezed my eyes shut as Bael was thrown across the room. My heart dropped to my stomach as I heard the reverberating slam against the stoned walls and the crackle of dust and rubble as the structure gave in to his weight and started to crumble.
But just as soon as his body hit the ground, he was back up again, tackling Cyprus to the floor, the two daemons snarling as they clawed and attacked one another.
I needed to do something.
My eyes circled the room once more, and my breath caught in my throat as I came across a familiar pair of red eyes that were also watching the fight.
"The King." I whispered to myself as I suddenly felt an ounce of hope bubble to the surface.
Subtly, I slipped between the soldiers who were too distracted to notice my movements and I quickly made my way over to where he stood.
"Y-Your Highness. Please, stop this. He's going to get hurt." I whispered after tugging on his jacket to get his attention.
I saw his jaw twitch before he looked down at me, his eyes taking in my appearance before lingering on what I presumed to be the tears marring my cheeks.
"He needs to let his anger out; I can't have him returning back with us in this state."
My bottom lip trembled, and I shook my head in disagreement.
"I'll calm him down, I-I promise. Just please, stop this. I-I can't watch him...We can't let this happen; he's getting hurt!"
The King stared at me for a moment, taking in the distress in my expression and the shakiness in my voice. He looked back at the two daemons who were still engaged in their primitive affairs before glancing at me once more.
"Bael can handle himself, he will be fine. He's only playing right now, letting Cyprus get enough hits in to think that he has a chance, but he never did. I won't let Bael kill him but this I will allow. It will be over shortly."
I released a breath of frustration and turned around, pressing my hands to my ears in an attempt to tune out the noise and distract myself from my surroundings.
He wasn't going to do anything, nobody was. It was cruel of him to make me stand here and watch my mate engage in this kind of danger.
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to calm my breathing, quietly counting to 10, my lips parting open and closed as I mouthed the numbers.
However, my eyes flashed open as I was suddenly grabbed roughly and pressed against a chest. I felt something cold touch my neck and I froze, the blood draining from my face as I realized what it was.
"Enough! Enough of these games. You will not take her from me—you won't! If I can't have her, then neither can you so what's it going to be boy?!"
My eyes were wide as I slowly registered the current situation—Cyprus had taken me hostage, and I was being held to his wet, bloody chest with a knife to my neck. The sharp point was being pressed into my skin, threatening to puncture it with just the slightest of movements.
I stared at my mate, our eyes locking as he watched me. He appeared stoic, his face not moving an inch as Cyprus applied further pressure to my neck. But I knew that he was panicked, I could feel it.
His dread, his helplessness squeezed the air out of my lungs more harshly than my captor's grip around my chest. I was going to die, but all I could think about was my mate and how much it would hurt him to see me that way.
"Put the knife down," Bael ordered lowly. But his words caused Cyprus to shift the weapon against my skin and nick the base of my neck, making me yelp.
"Don't—"
"You're not in a position to be making demands. So again, I ask, are you going to kill your mate? Or are you going to leave here...alone?"
Leave me
I begged and pleaded through the bond, but he had blocked me out. I could only watch as his composure began to unravel, and the nervous tells that were once hidden were starting to surface.
Bael seemed to give up control in that moment as the familiar combination of earth and fire was looking back at me, staring helplessly, desperately. I gave a watery smile, trying to comfort him as best I could, knowing that those emotions had the potential to bottle up and explode, and I didn't want him to do something that he might regret.
It's okay
I said to him once I no longer felt his block on our mind link
I'll be okay. You can go
"Let go of the girl."
My breathing shifted as I heard the King's voice. It was calm and steady, a stark contrast to the erratic and tense notes of the room.
Cyprus laughed, seemingly at the request, and stood his ground.
"If you sink that sword into my back, I'll take her with me."
"But you won't. We won't even get that far because you care too much about your own life, much more than hers no matter how much you claim otherwise. Now, let her go."
I felt Cyprus tense behind me, and I knew that the King had struck a nerve. But what I didn't expect was to be released moments later, allowing me to stumble into my mate's arms.
"You're okay?" He whispered in my ear as he nearly suffocated me in his embrace.
I pressed my face into his chest, nodding, while an endless stream of silent tears dampened his shirt.
"I'm okay."
Although I was pulled from our bubble by the sound of movement behind me and the familiar voice of the King who seemed to be giving orders.
"Lyonel, arrest him. See that his guards are also taken in for treason."
His words calmed me but seemed to have the complete opposite effect on the daemon who had me wrapped in his arms.
"Arrest him? That fucking piece of shit held a knife to my mate's throat and you really think that he's going to stay breathing long enough for you to place restraints on his wrists?"
"Azrael—"
"No!"
Chills ran down my spine as I heard Azrael's voice blend with his daemon's, and the sheer, omnipotent rage that saturated their tone.
"We had a deal"
The King stood strong, his jaw tensed as he met Azrael's gaze, but I could tell that he was making the effort to not appear intimidated.
"I let you have your way with him, but I can't let you kill him—there would be too many questions. How do you expect me to explain the death of a highly regarded member of the high council? I will take him back with us as a prisoner and he will serve time for treason. But that is all."
The entire room shook as a growl ripped through Azrael's chest. My eyes dropped to the scorched marks that started to spread on the floor beneath us, but I quickly refocused and tried to calm him down.
"Azy it's okay. W-We can go now. Please just forget about him. Please."
I wanted him to look at me, but he wouldn't, probably because if he did, he would likely listen.
"You're a liar. A fraud. You're a shit father and an even worse King."
The Royal guards unsheathed their swords at his words, and I furrowed my brows in confusion at the sudden shift.
"I will let this slide because I know that you're upset. But tread carefully Azrael, I don't want you to make a dangerous mistake."
"Azy, please."
I tugged on my mate's arm to try and pull him away from wherever he was heading but my words fell on deaf ears.
"And what mistake would that be? Telling the truth? Because I am when I call you a fraud. How can you not be when your entire reign is based on a lie?!"
The King stepped closer to us, his expression dark as he watched my mate.
"Watch it."
"What?! You don't want everyone to know that you killed your mate? They might know that I'm your bastard son but with who? I'm sure you managed to leave out that little detail."
I heard distant mumbles as the royal guards shared glances of confusion, some even lowering their weapons as they stared at their King in question.
"These claims you make are treasonous."
Azrael clenched his jaw and tilted his head.
"Perhaps, but they're true. I dare you to look me in the eyes and tell me otherwise."
Father and son stared at one another, both of them were tense but neither moved nor even said a word.
"You're challenging me."
The King finally broke the silence; although he couldn't hide the disbelief that laced his words, passed his lips and dispersed throughout the open space.
Boisterous laughter sounded out of nowhere, and all turned to face Cyprus who was being held by Lyonel and a few other guards.
"Karma's a bitch, now, isn't it?"
Both men ignored the daemon's goading and continued sizing the other up.
"Maybe I should," Azrael spoke, finally responding to his father's earlier comment. "I won't allow my mate to be surrounded by lies any longer.
My mind raced as I tried to decipher what exactly was going on. What did 'challenging' entail exactly? What does any of this mean?
Still, I remained at my mate's side, refusing to let him part from me again.
"I was going to give you the crown, Azrael. You know this." The King appeared confused but his jerky hand movements suggested that he was frustrated, perhaps even scared.
"I don't want the crown if I have to keep your secret. I want you to tell our people the truth. If you refuse, then I am happy to settle this matter by the ways of our people. But you and I both know how that fight would end."
The King appeared tense, his eyes darkening as his daemon came to the surface. But still, he remained in his place, his fists clenching in anger at his sides.
"Then you wish for your father's death."
A dry chuckle rumbled within Azrael's chest.
"I wish for retribution."
Thick waves of tension flowed between the two and wrapped around the throats of everyone else as we all waited to see what would come of this exchange.
The King ground his teeth before suddenly nodding towards Lyonel who approached the daemons with Cyprus in tow.
However, as soon as Cyprus was in close proximity, Azrael took him by the neck and lifted him until only the tips of his shoes touched the ground. I could only watch in fright as my captor choked and fought against the fatal restraint, but his efforts proved futile once a loud, bone-chilling snap filled the room.
I stepped back with a silent scream as I stared at his head that now lolled unnaturally off to the side and his lifeless body that was just as quickly thrown to the ground as Azrael released his grip.
I remained frozen, my eyes not moving from the corpse in front of me until my vision was obstructed by a broad chest and my senses were filled with the sweet scent of rain.
I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, deciding that I would focus on my mate to distract myself from what had just happened. Although my will wasn't strong enough to miss the King's next words.
"Then I will confess."
~
A/N:
BIG smut coming up