Chapter Eight: Chains (I)
1691 Words
Xoraxys
She was slipping through my fingers.
I had felt it in the way she looked at me—not with love, not even with fear, but with something far more dangerous. Defiance.
I had spent two years molding her into mine. My queen. My love. And yet, with every passing moment, she was pulling away.
I should have erased her memories the moment she started doubting.
But I had let her keep too much.
And now she remembered him.
Lyrien.
The mere shadow demon.
My jaw tightened at the thought. That wretched shadow had always been a problem. Silent. Loyal. But to her, not me.
And she had called for him tonight.
I had watched from the shadows as she searched for him, her voice trembling—not with fear, but with worry. She had never called for me like that. Not in desperation. Not with such urgency.
It annoyed me, she was mine. Not his. She was to mention no one else's name.
So, I had done what was necessary.
I had removed the problem.
Jade’s glare burned into me, her hands trembling at her sides, fists clenched as if she were holding herself together by sheer will.
A tiny part of me wanted to provoke her.
“Where is Lyrien?” she demanded.
Ah, there it was. The rage. The fire. The hatred.
She had never looked more beautiful. So enticing.
I sighed, giving her a mocking smile. “Why do you assume I know?”
Her entire body tensed. “Because you always do something when I start seeing the truth.”
My smirk widened. Clever girl.
She lunged at me, her hands slamming against my chest as she glared up at me with those blazing emerald eyes. “What did you do?!”
I caught her wrists easily, holding them in one hand. She struggled, but it was useless.
“You wound me, my love.” I lowered my voice, mocking her fury, her desperation. “Always assuming the worst of me.”
She ripped herself free, her breath ragged, her chest heaving. “Tell me where he is.”
I could have lied. I could have played this game longer, dragged her deeper into my control.
But I was tired of games. I wasn't in the mood to play.
So I simply said—
“He’s in the dungeons.”
Jade froze.
The blood drained from her face, her lips parting slightly as if she couldn't believe it. She had expected denial. Not this.
A beat of silence.
Then—“No…” A whisper, raw and broken.
I stepped closer, letting the truth sink in. “Yes.” pulling my lips into a smug smile.
Her eyes shined with rage. “You—” Her voice cracked with fury. “You put him there?!”
I shrugged. “You were starting to remember.. so I did the most logical thing.. I got rid of any distractions.”
Something inside her snapped.
“You’re a monster.”
The words should have cut deep.
They didn’t.
Instead, I felt something else stir inside me.
Something dark. Something thrilling.
She was breaking.
And I would rebuild her.
I reached out, cupping her chin, forcing her to look at me. She trembled under my touch—but not from fear.
“And yet,” I murmured, leaning closer, “you are still mine.”
She slapped my hand away. “I’m going to find him.”
I let out a low, dangerous laugh. “Go ahead, Jade. Run to him.”
She turned toward the door, her breath coming fast, shaky. But before she could take another step, I caught her wrist again—this time, my grip unrelenting.
I pulled her against me, her back flush to my chest, my lips brushing the shell of her ear.
“But if you go to him,” I whispered, my voice turning to pure command, “you will regret it.”
She stiffened.
I felt her heartbeat, wild, erratic.
A battle was raging inside her.
She wanted to run. But she wanted to stay, too.
I loosened my grip, brushing my fingers over her skin—a silent challenge.
___
Jade
Son of a b***h!
I glared at him! “Don't you think you're being petty?!”
He shrugged as if I was boring him!
I couldn’t breathe. His manipulation, his possessiveness, it was all so suffocating.
Xoraxys’s grip on my wrist was unbreakable, his body pressed close—too close. His voice low and threatening, wrapping tight, suffocating.
"But if you go to him, you will regret it."
A chill raced down my spine.
I wanted to deny it, to shove him away, to scream that I wasn’t his.
But my body betrayed me.
I stood frozen, my heart running a marathon, my breath coming too fast. I hated him. Gods, I hated him.
But I also knew him.
Knew what he was capable of.
Knew that when Xoraxys made a threat, he followed through.
And yet—
I had to go.
I had to find Lyrien.
I swallowed every bit of fear in me, I ripped myself from his grasp. My wrist throbbed where he had held me, but I refused to acknowledge the lingering heat of his touch.
I turned to face him, trying to stand firm,
“Stay out of my way, Xoraxys.”
His expression didn’t change. No anger, no outrage—just amusement.
Like I was entertaining him.
Was all this some sort of joke to him?!
I hated that smug look, that unshakable arrogance, as if he already knew the outcome of this battle before it had even begun. I just wanted to punch him, but I knew better.
His head tilted slightly, crimson eyes gleaming. “Go then, my love.”
I hesitated.
He was letting me leave? Just like that?
No. This was a game. It was always a game.
But I wasn’t playing anymore.
I was sick of this! I wouldn't let him control me.
I turned on my heel and bolted from the room, ignoring the sound of his low, knowing laughter as it followed me into the halls.
---
The Palace Dungeons. Honestly this was my first time here, it was dark, cold and smelled like blood and decay.
The air grew colder as I descended beneath the palace, the flickering torches lining the stone walls doing little to chase away the suffocating darkness.
The guards didn’t stop me.
That alone told me something was up.
Xoraxys had let me get this far.
Which meant he wanted me to see whatever was waiting for me down here.
I clenched my fists and kept moving forward. For Lyrien.
Finally, I reached the iron doors of the deepest part of the dungeons. My stomach twisted as I saw the chains, the dark energy humming in the air.
I grabbed the bars and peered inside.
Lyrien.
He was slumped against the wall, his wrists bound in blackened iron, his normally sharp gray eyes dull.
Blood. Dried, cracked against his skin. His face was bruised, his breathing shallow.
Something in me shattered.
How could Xoraxys be so cruel?!
“Lyrien!” I whispered harshly.
His head barely lifted, his gaze locking onto mine.
Something flickered in his eyes—relief, pain… guilt.
“Jade,” he rasped, voice hoarse. “You shouldn’t be here.”
I swallowed the guilt and pain I felt, then spoke. “What did he do to you?”
His gaze shifted, darkening. “It’s not me you should be worried about.”
I froze.
The air behind me shifted.
A slow clap echoed through the corridor.
My breath caught.
I turned—
And there he was.
Xoraxys, leaning casually against the doorway, his smirk cutting through the dim light.
“You found him,” he said smoothly, like he was pleased.
I took a step back. “You bastard.”
His crimson eyes gleamed.
“You didn’t really think I’d let you walk away without seeing the consequences, did you?”
This was a trap.
I had to be honest, I saw it coming.
I turned to him, my jaw clenched, “Let him go!“ I demanded.
He yawned, a bored look on his face, I opened my mouth to talk but nothing came out.
He was mocking me, he was mocking my helplessness, how powerless against him.
How did I fall in love with such a person? How did I not see this monster earlier.
“If you wanted me to see him like this then I have” my fist clenched, “It's enough, let him go”
He chuckled, “This is cute” he tilted his head a bit, “But you misunderstand me dear wife”
“What else do you want?!” I yelled.
He took a step closer, closing the distanced between us, he leaned in, our noses almost touching. A smirk on his face.
“I want you to understand something” he pointed to the barely conscious Lyrien in the cell.
His voice a menacing whisper as he warned, “This is what happens to those who try to get between us”
How could he?!
Lyrien didn't deserve this!
I didn't deserve this!
“I hate you” my voice trembling, my fist clenched beside me. “I wish I was never your mate!” I declared.
The air stilled, I looked up to meet his eyes.
I had no idea what to call the emotion I saw, pain? No– never once had this man felt pain, my words couldn't hurt him. Soon his expression turned cold, his voice unusually calm.
“Lyrien will be executed tomorrow” he spoke as if he was talking about the weather.
“No! You can't do that! Please” I couldn't watch Lyrien die!
He turned to leave, quickly I grabbed his arm but he shrugged my hand off, as if my touch annoyed him. Without turning back he left.
I stood in the dungeon, my teeth biting deep into my thumb, I needed a plan. Quickly.
- Writer
