20. Chapter 20
O rm had finally fallen asleep. He lay beside me, his slow, steady breathing brushing against the hair covering my sensitive ear. I felt the guilt for placing Annika in danger slowly wash away, admitting to myself that when Valaram had captured me in the palace, I’d felt relieved, knowing my suffering was ending on the edge of his blade.
But Ani had refused to allow it. She had defied not only an empress but a goddess—for me. If I thought I couldn’t love her more, she had proven me wrong. Who would do that? And for the cursed fae who had schemed to deliver her to the Lich King.
I huffed softly, still unable to believe my luck. Here I was, an Anchor for my domina and blood-bonded to the only man who had ever offered me friendship in a world that had abandoned me. Annika could have chosen anyone. The Dark Mother’s mercy had granted her freedom to select any dark fae in the empire—even bloody Valaram, who practically wagged his proverbial tail to get into her bed. But she chose me , freeing me in ways I hadn’t known I needed.
My fingers absently traced the powerless marks on my chest. I would spend the rest of my life striving to repay the goddess’ trust, to protect Ani and give her all the love she deserved. Still, I was old enough to know that happiness was fleeting, but I was determined to guard mine with everything I had, starting with Ihrain.
Carefully, I slipped from Orm’s embrace. He muttered something unintelligible, his hand reaching out instinctively, and I quickly tucked a pillow into his grasp. The room was dark, but my fae eyes needed no light to navigate. I dressed swiftly, pulling on a dark shirt and trousers—practical for my plans, particularly given the blood that would be spilt. Selecting two daggers from the table, I checked their edges before tucking them into my belt.
Protecting my family was my priority. But they didn’t need to know the lengths I’d go to for them. Ihrain’s death was necessary—not just for retribution, but to extract the secrets he carried. His suffering wouldn’t be senseless. I intended to use it to contact my sister, Rowena, deep within the Lich King’s court. I needed to know Cahyon’s strategy, and I needed to give her hope—hope that we could finally help her escape.
The mansion was silent as I moved through its empty corridors. A few scattered guards nodded as I passed, none questioning my purpose. I stopped at the door next to the wine cellar, the innocuous entrance hiding the cell where Ihrain lay swaddled in the lanara-soaked drapes from the carriage. The space was underground but dry and surprisingly spacious. It was a comfortable place for a prisoner, and I almost regretted having to spoil it with the blood of its current resident.
I stepped inside, my gaze settling on the bundle of fabric on the floor. With a sharp kick, Ihrain jolted awake, his eyes darting toward me, wide with panic.
‘Ihrain,’ I said, my voice dripping with mock cordiality. ‘How nice to see you. I trust your accommodations have been adequate?’
He spat in my direction, jerking violently against his restraints. I tutted softly, shaking my head. ‘Now, now, don’t be like that, old friend. I only want to have a little chat before you leave us to meet the Dark Mother.’
‘You’ll get nothing from me,’ he sneered, his voice laced with venom. ‘You think you’ll achieve anything from this? You’re going to die, and that whore of yours will die, too.’
I smiled coldly as I used the tip of a dagger to slice through the rope binding him. Ihrain scrambled to free himself from the drapes, retreating to a corner as he crouched, his gaze fixed on the blade twirling between my fingers.
He hastily sketched a protection sigil in the air, attempting to pour his magic into it. When nothing happened, I watched in amusement as his expression shifted from fury to confusion, then to despair as he tried again, cursing under his breath.
‘That’s how my domina felt when you stole her power,’ I said, my tone icy. ‘I wanted you to experience that despair when you realised you were entirely at my mercy.’ I paused, letting the words sink in before adding, ‘Not that I have any.’
With deliberate precision, I began weaving a sigil in the air, ensuring Ihrain saw every intricate detail. As the aether began to take form, I had to rein myself in, holding back my magic when I realised that my bond with Annika, enhanced by our perfect synergy, allowed me to draw energy from my surroundings.
‘How are you doing that?’ Ihrain stammered, his voice trembling. ‘The master said the bond couldn’t—’
I released the spell before he could finish, its glowing strands sinking into the stone and latching onto his wrists. They solidified, binding him in place. I debated securing his legs but decided against it. I wanted him to struggle, to feel the false hope that he might escape—even as his blood fuelled my magic.
I approached him slowly, enjoying the panic that radiated from his trembling form. Drool and snot mingled on his face as he whimpered, repeating the same phrase over and over.
‘This isn’t what he promised ... this isn’t what he promised ...’
Gripping his hair, I yanked his head back until his tear-streaked face tilted up towards me. Annika had once thought me broken, a man defeated by his curse. But thanks to her, I had survived. My sweet domina had seen whatever light was hidden within my darkness and bound it to a shard of her soul.
Her love had not just saved my life but made me want to be a better man. Now, it was my turn to ensure that no one—least of all Ihrain—ever threatened her. I would die for her, kill for her, and protect her even if I had to dirty my hands with the dark arts. It was time her enemies learned that whoever threatened her light would die in my shadows.
‘You believed the lies that desiccated corpse fed you? You belong with each other, you arrogant, malicious piece of shit ,’ I spat, my voice sharp with anger as memories surfaced. I forced myself to calm down. ‘It doesn’t matter now.’
I raised my dagger, and Ihrain started thrashing so hard I was left with clumps of his hair in my fist.
‘No! I’ll talk! About the portals, the Moroi . . . I’ll tell you who works for us. Don’t do it! Don’t!’ His screams broke into desperate sobs as I dragged the blade across his neck, just enough to let dark, opalescent blood drip steadily to the floor.
‘No, please! I’ll tell you about the chancellor,’ he blurted. “I saw corrupted Moroi heading to the palace before the trial. They’re going to free him! He knows where the wraith army is, where the Moroi generals are stationed. If you go now, you can catch them. Just—please, stop! I’ll tell you everything! Just please don’t kill me.’
‘You’ll tell me anyway, my friend,’ I said coldly, my voice steady as I surveyed the growing pool of blood at my feet. ‘The dead don’t lie to a necromancer.’
Wielding my dagger like a quill, I began inscribing symbols on the floor. Each line, each mark, had to be perfect—one mistake, and my mind would shatter under the spell’s strain. The weight of what lay ahead pressed heavily on my shoulders. Ever since Ormond had told us about Roan Fortress, I knew I had to contact my sister. If she could stall the Lich King until Reynard could gather an army, the Lowland Kingdoms would have a chance of surviving.
It took several minutes for Ihrain’s cries to quieten until only defeated whimpers fell from his lips. It wouldn’t be long now. I knew it. I had taken pleasure from taunting him, but now I almost cursed as the thought of Annika’s disappointment flashed through my mind. My hand slowed, moving to carve the last symbol, one that would set Ihrain on his final path.
I called forth the power of my necromancy. Purple strands of energy wrapped around my hands before drifting to the marks on my victim’s body and infusing them with primal power. I had to be quick. The spell would only work while the sacrifice was on the brink of death, still tethered to dying flesh but already drifting towards the Veil.
‘Rowena’va Shen’ra, I call upon you,’ I whispered, binding the spell to my sister’s mind.
The world darkened. My body felt weightless, as though I was falling into a deep well. The sensation intensified as I felt the familiar touch of her mind, and my perspective shifted. Before I could adjust, I heard my father’s voice.
‘This is the last time you will hide things from me, daughter,’ my father snarled. ‘He punished me for your insolence—me! When it is all your fault. Why didn’t you tell me your research was successful?’
The crack of a whip followed, and pain lanced through our connection. I shared her suffering, but I couldn’t reach her. She was staring straight ahead, eyes fixed on the wall. There but not there. I realised that my deranged father had whipped her into a semiconscious state, where the mind seemed to detach itself from the body.
Rowena wasn’t aware of my presence, shielding herself so strongly that I barely felt her. I still tried to get her attention, but just then, another voice interrupted my efforts.
‘What is going on in here?’ The dry snap of the Lich King’s criticism made my father bristle. ‘You were supposed to extract the information on her discovery, not kill her.’
‘She is stubborn, my lord, and she isn’t dead,’ my father replied, his tone obsequious. ‘She’s not even unconscious. She just drifted away, but I’ll find a way to reach her. We will start again once her mind returns from the void.’
I’d always known my father was a sadist with no respect for life, but hearing him speak so emotionlessly, as if torturing his own flesh and blood was nothing, made my blood boil.
‘No, you will not. You’ve destroyed every tool you control, Roan. It’s almost as if you don’t want us to succeed. I sent a Moroi mage to free the chancellor and recall Ihrain to Katrass; he has become a hindrance and will be more useful as a subject for one of Rowena’s experiments.’
‘The Moroi can’t be trusted, their hunger—’
‘They are good at spying, especially those whose illusory powers were enhanced by the blood hunger, and they can be trusted. They simply hate you.’
‘So, what happened to turn you against your pet, Ihrain?’ My father’s niggling tone made me smile. It was petty, but I loved to see him not getting his way.
‘He endangered my conduit mage and disappeared to gods know where for days,’ Cahyon growled. ‘But this afternoon, I received his drivel through the portal. Apparently, Annika survived the trial. So did your boy. Ihrain claims he found a way to bring them here.’
The room fell silent for a moment. When the Lich King finally spoke again, his voice cut like steel. ‘But I don’t trust that incompetent fool. Prepare to advance our plans. We need to make a move before the empress brings her army to help Dagome.’
My father muttered a curse under his breath. ‘We should wait ... my lord.’
‘Wait?’ The Lich King’s voice rose, brimming with disdain. ‘For what? I’m sure they’re building portals even as we speak. Why was I cursed with such fools? Your schemes handed Reynard a kingdom. Talena stands with him. Annika bears the Dark Mother’s blessing, and now the entire empire rallies behind their goddess-chosen.’
He began pacing furiously before halting to glare at my father. ‘It was supposed to be a simple takeover. We nearly had Dagome on a silver platter! If Ihrain hadn’t killed that senile bastard, I’d already be king. Now, we’ll be lucky if I don’t end up ruling over another desolate kingdom.’
‘Will it be desolate once we defeat their army? Is it inevitable?’ My father’s smirk was brazen, though he tempered his tone with mock humility.
‘If I didn’t need you ...’ The Lich King’s knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists. ‘Get the chancellor and the Moroi to mobilise my army. We just need to hit them before they’re ready. A single, decisive strike should wipe out their forces. If only I could increase the distance of my influence over the monsters ...’ He trailed off, then pointed to Rowena.
‘Call for a healer to tend to her.’ As my father reluctantly complied, he added, ‘Tell me what you’ve discovered so far. Is it true that she can do it?’
The question, tinged with excitement, unsettled my stomach. Cahyon’s skeletal fingers brushed my sister’s tear-streaked face with grotesque tenderness.
‘The notes I found in her study suggest so,’ my father admitted. ‘What I found interesting is that she was trying to hide it. There were only a few details, but from her scattered notes, it’s clear she’s discovered a way to transfer your spirit into a living body. I even found references to preserving your original body. I gather it means you could live forever if it is kept safe, but her notes were incomplete.’
My blood ran cold. I knew Cahyon wanted to be free of his torturous existence as a lich, but if he could leave Katrass without relying on the constant influx of its magic, Dagome was in more danger than anyone thought possible.
‘Do you know how to perform the spell?’ The Lich King’s voice betrayed his eagerness.
‘No, not yet at least. Only my daughter knows, but it’s just a matter of time before she tells me.’
‘You are a fool, Roan, and you always will be. You lost Alaric to your petty jealousy, and now you are making the same mistake with your daughter. I need Rowena to work with us, not plot against us. How can I trust her with my spirit if she hates being here?’
‘And you think she loves being here ... my lord?’ my father sneered, correcting his tone only as he added the honorific.
‘Love? No, but she has a comfortable life under my protection. As long as she produces results, I will keep her safe. Now wake her up!’
A splash of cold water hit Rowena’s face, followed by a wave of healing magic, pulling her psyche out of its hiding place. I felt her shock when she noticed my presence.
‘There you are, my dear Ro. Your father seems to have purposefully misunderstood my orders ... again. I only sent him to ask how far you were with your research, not hurt you. But that is done with now. I will look after you.’ He turned to my father, a sneer twisting his lips. ‘You will never touch her again.’
A dry finger trailed over my sister’s cheek, wiping away her tears as he held her to his chest. I knew he was good at manipulating people—that’s how he’d taken over the Kingdom of Ozar. I didn’t suspect his manipulation would work on my sister. She must have known him well enough to see through his pretence, yet I saw her wrap her arms around his neck.
‘I’ve let him hurt you for too long, but no more. It will just be us, my queen, and if you can give me back my body, the years of misery in this desolate place will soon be a distant memory.’
‘I haven’t finished ... I’ve only outlined the basics. Even if I perfect the spell, there’s no fae powerful enough to hold your spirit without losing most of your power. The host would also need to be of a similar age to you, or your mind might reject it. It’s so complex that I don’t think it will ever be possible.’
Her voice faltered, giving way to quiet sobs as her frail body shook in his arms. Cahyon sighed softly, a mask of benevolence settling over his decayed features. Yet, as soon as her gaze dropped, his lips curled into a cruel smile, sharp and predatory.
‘A powerful fae of similar age to my old self?’ he mused, looking at my father. Roan instinctively took a step back, as if sensing danger.
‘Guards,’ the Lich King commanded, his voice cold and final. ‘Take this old fool to the dungeons.’
Two massive clay golems stomped into the chamber, their eyeless faces betraying no emotion. Soulless constructs—perfect tools for subduing a necromancer. My father’s eyes widened in disbelief as the realisation hit him.
‘You can’t! You wouldn’t dare!’ he sputtered, retreating until his back pressed against the cold stone wall. ‘Use Alaric! He’s stronger, more suited for this!’
‘True,’ Cahyon replied, his tone eerily calm. ‘But he’s too young. Besides, I have other plans for him. He’ll make an excellent advisor once he’s tethered to me.’
Roan snarled, summoning a glowing shield glyph that flickered before him as he attempted to hold off the advancing constructs. Magic crackled in the air, but clay was resistant to spells, a lesson the Moroi had learned when the Lich King conquered their kingdom. Now it was my father’s turn.
I had to give it to him. He fought well, but death spells couldn’t harm something that had never lived, and eventually his energy dwindled. At last, he collapsed, his magic spent. The golems seized him, their grip unyielding as they hoisted him off the ground while he spat curses at the lich.
‘You swore to serve me,’ Cahyon said, his false smile unwavering. ‘Your final act will be a noble sacrifice, my friend. I’ll make sure to raise a statue in your honour.’
‘Fuck your statue!’ Roan shouted, foaming at the mouth. ‘You will never win. They have a conduit, and you have nothing. You think my useless daughter is helping you? She has her own agenda!’
The Lich King merely shrugged, his indifference cutting deeper than words. ‘I have the chancellor and the Moroi. I have an army centuries in the making. I’ll offer Dagome a chance to surrender, but even with a conduit mage, they won’t be able to stop me in my new body. What can one woman do against thousands of deathless soldiers?’
My father’s laughter was bitter defiance. ‘You arrogant prick. I built that army! She’ll grind you to dust. I hope Reynard comes to Katrass and scatters your bones so your soul will never know peace. You’ll die a pathetic, meaningless death, Cahyon Abrasan.’
The Lich King waved dismissively, and the golems carried him from the chamber, his curses echoing in the hall.
Turning back to Rowena, Cahyon’s expression softened as he crouched beside her battered form. ‘Now we can begin anew,’ he murmured, his tone dripping with mock tenderness. ‘Your tormentor is gone. He’ll never hurt you again. Will you help me now?’
‘You want me to use my father?’ she asked, sagging into his arms when he scooped her up. ‘I’ll help you ... but on one condition.’
‘Name it.’
‘You leave Alaric alone,’ she said, her words barely more than a plea. ‘I want my brother to live free.’
‘That’s not ...’ The Lich King hesitated, then nodded with an indulgent smile. ‘Alright, if that is what you wish.’
Fury burned in my chest as I watched him manipulate her, his skeletal fingers brushing her hair with mock affection. My sister rested her head on his shoulder, defeated. He had broken her.
‘ Rowena, don’t! ’ I shouted into her mind. ‘ He’s lying to you. Deep down, you know it! Ro, talk to me! I’m already free. You don’t have to do this! ’
All I felt was deep, abiding sadness. She didn’t care anymore, and I didn’t know how to reach her.
‘ I’m tired, Ari. Tired of the pain, of making monsters, of always looking over my shoulder. Maybe ... Maybe if he finally gets his kingdom, this will end. Maybe no one else will suffer. You won’t have to suffer. ’
‘ No! ’ I cried. ‘ I told you—I’m free. The Dark Mother granted me mercy. Listen to me, Ro. Give me a few days. I’ll open the portal. Just be ready to leave— ’
The blood spell faded, cutting me off mid-sentence. I was wrenched from her mind, my connection severed. Ihrain must have died, the bastard’s meddling ending at the worst possible moment.
A scream escaped my lips as I opened my eyes and struck his lifeless body. I couldn’t let this happen. I had to reach Rowena before it was too late. Annika would never agree to me going alone or, worse, she’d insist on going with me. But Ro was my sister. Only a coward would turn his back on his family.
Hrae! She will be furious, but if Orm can be persuaded ...
A plan formed in my head while I gathered the surrounding aether, tinted with my signature necromantic power. I let it seep into Ihrain’s corpse. His dead eyes filled with otherworldly light, and his body straightened in its restraints, following my movements as I approached.
‘Good,’ I said, stepping closer. ‘Now we can talk.’