Bound To The Goddess

BLOOD ON THE TABLE

CHAPTER 16: BLOOD ON THE TABLE

Dinner in Nocthera was a performance.

Long table. 50 vampires.

Red wine in crystal. Except... it wasn’t wine.

Lithia sat next to Drayk. At his order.

"Stay close," he’d said. "And don’t drink anything."

Serena sat on his other side. Smiling.

All eyes were on Lithia.

"The human."

"The key."

"Is she really going to break the curse?"

Drayk didn’t eat. He just watched the room.

Every time someone looked at Lithia too long, his hand would twitch.

A lord stood. "To our king. And his... acquisition."

Glasses raised.

Drayk stood too. Slow.

"The girl is under my protection.

Touch her, look at her wrong, speak her name with disrespect—

and I will take your head."

Silence.

Then everyone drank.

Later, dessert came. Blood cakes.

Lithia pushed hers away.

Drayk noticed.

He slid his plate to her. "Eat this."

Plain bread. From his side.

"Why?" she whispered.

"Because you look like you’re going to faint.

And fainting is... inefficient."

Serena laughed. "How romantic, brother."

Drayk ignored her.

But under the table, his pinky brushed Lithia’s hand.

Once. Then gone.

Through the bond:

*They’re all vultures. Don’t let them see you scared.*

That night, Lithia couldn’t sleep.

She wandered the halls. Found a room.

Old. Dusty.

A painting.

A boy. 10 years old. Silver hair. Red eyes.

Holding a wooden sword. Smiling.

The plaque: "Prince Drayk. Age 10."

Behind her, a voice:

"He used to smile like that.

Before they broke him."

Serena.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**