Promised To The King

The Red Eyes Are Coming

BLAKELY'S POV: 

    He takes in my features slowly. It seems as though I had been walked into the lion's den. An idiotic lamb that was taken to s*******r. He notes my shaking hands silently. He looks at the fallen duffle on the ground then back up to my face. 

    "How could I forget. I didn't mean to scare you. Forgive me." He says wrapping his hands around mine. I flinch back instinctively and he lets go. He glances behind me to the woman in the throne room. "Blakely, step into the throne room please."

    I did as he said, Axton's orders playing in my mind. I stepped inside shakily and dad's head snapped in my direction. I looked to the ground avoiding his glare. If looks could kill, I would've dropped a long time ago. I feel Silas tense up behind me. I was afraid of what the next moments held. Was this an execution? Either way, it seemed better than marrying Eldric. The thought still sent chills down my spine. 

    "Of course. I should have known. Not only did you have to be weak, but you also had to be a traitor too." Dad said spitting at my feet. 

    "Lilith? You haven't hurt them yet, have you?" Silas asked the beautiful red-haired woman. Lilith. So that was her name. 

    "No. It was difficult not to. But, I didn't. Now had you sent Shea, we would be having a whole different conversation." She smiled. I rose my head and our eyes met again. "So this is her?" She asked watching me. 

    "Yes, it is. We will have time for introductions..." Silas' voice trailed off and I could feel his eyes on me. "Blakely. What happened?" He moved my hair to the side. 

    Immediately I knew what he was staring at. I could have sworn mom had covered all traces of abuse with the makeup. Apparently, she just did what could be seen by the people. I froze not knowing what to say. "I...I can't remember." I lied. "I must have fallen or something." 

    "Who did..." He froze and Eldric rose his head to look at him. "You. You hurt her? How dare you!" His voice sounded deadly. And when I looked back to meet his gaze his eyes held such threat...no, not a threat, promise. A promise to kill. 

    I flinched away from his eyes, not knowing what to do. I turned my face back to the ground. I heard more footsteps as more people entered the room. I looked up and was met with two curious pairs of eyes. The woman was smaller, about my height with dark black hair that was pulled back, and the man, was captivating, he had short brown hair with a single blonde streak slicked back. Both pairs of eyes stared at me and took in every feature. 

    "Alaric. Stay with me. Lilith and Shea, take her to the car. I will be out soon. Do not scare her." He warned shoving my duffle bag that I didn't know he was holding into Shea's arms. He pushed me gently toward Lilith who then lowered her sword. 

    Lilith tried to offer a friendly smile. "Come on. We won't hurt you." She said offering her hand to me. 

    I took it shakingly and nodded. I didn't know why they were here, or who they were. But, what I did know was I trusted Axton with all of my being. And if he said mom knew, then, surely I was safe. 

    "You can not take my bride!" Eldric screamed as he watched the scene unfold before him. 

    "I can. And I will. Who will stop me? You?" Lilith retorted watching him. 

    "Go Lilith. Now." Silas warned. "Guess what Eldric, I am taking her. and you will be alive long enough to watch her leave."

    Lilith walked me out of the room quickly, the palace is seemingly dead. It was normal protocol for times of intruders that Axton and Amias evacuate the palace, all except the royal family. So that it could be handled within. Lilith quickly walked me out of the building as Shea walked behind, keeping an eye open for guards planning to stop us. 

    As we arrived at the car Shea got in the front seat, and Lilith slid me in front of her. We sat in silence for a moment. And I did everything except look at them. Lilith kept her hands folded in her lap. She looked at me awkwardly. 

    "I am sorry to ask, but I need to know. The injuries Silas found, are those the only ones?" Lilith asked delicately. I thought long and hard about my response. She noted my hesitation. "I understand. But you should know. He can not hurt you anymore, Nor can your father. Eldric will be dead before Silas comes out anyway. You are safe with us. I just need to know so that I can get you the medical help you deserver upon arriving in the city." She said gently placing her hand on my knee. 

    I took a deep breath. "No. There are many more. Just covered in makeup. Some new some old." It came out more like a broken whisper than anything. Something she had said suddenly crept into my mind. "Wait. Eldric? Dead?"

                                                                             -------- SILAS' POV:

    I watch her walk away, here every move still captivating to me. Then my head snapped back to Eldric and Everett. "Hello, boys. It has been a while." A smirk formed on my lips showing my fangs. 

    "Sire, what do you wish to do with these two?" Alaric asked from behind them, watching their every move. 

    "Well, unfortunately, Eldric is drawing his last breaths as we speak. Everett, I will allow to live." I smiled watching both of them. 

    Alaric looked at me concerned. "Live? Sir, is that a wise decision here?" 

    I shot him a warning look. "Do not question me Alaric. I will explain my reasoning later. Now is not the time." I hissed looking at him. 

    He nodded silently. I turned my attention back to my captives. I kneel so that I can be on eye level with them. "I will make you suffer for hurting my Queen. Duke of bullshit." I gritted my teeth. Thinking of what they must have put her through was making me sick. And they would pay for it today. 

    "Queen? Ha! She isn't fit to be a maid, let alone a Queen!" Everett spat at me. 

    Before he knows what hit him, I stand and kick him hard in the face. "Do not ever, and I mean ever, disrespect my bride in such a manner!" My voice boomed throughout the room. 

    He screamed as blood dripped from his mouth. He spits blood at my feet. "She is worthless and you know it. I made sure she would never trust you again." 

    I smile at him. "I am not you. She will realize that soon enough. I think that will be my justification for letting you live. Just to let her take your life later." I laugh a little. "Alaric, keep him quiet, but awake. I want him to see what he has to look forward to later in life. I want him to watch me rip Eldric apart." 

    Alaric gives an obedient nod. Then he smiles as if he just had the best idea. "May I..." He started acting like a child asking permission. "May I cut his tongue out?" 

    I laugh a little. Leave it to Alaric to amuse me in the middle of a torture session. "Yes. That would be perfect. The only way to heal it would be to swallow his pride and seek out a witch to do so."

    Everett's eyes widened as I gave the order. But before he could speak, Alaric had already grabbed his knife and pinned him to the floor. He had a wicked smile on his face like he had been dying to do this for a long time. I laugh knowing the feeling.  Jeez, don't have too much fun there. I think and laugh silently. 

    I watch Everett struggle for a bit as Alaric pulls his dagger out. He pries Everett's mouth open forcefully as he screams. He jerks his tongue out and laughs a bit taking his dagger and slicing through it with ease and without hesitation. He drops it to the ground as Everett screams, his mouth pouring blood. 

    "Was that satisfying to you buddy?" I laugh watching him stand. 

    "Oh, yea. He should be lucky that you are letting him live." He smiles at me wiping his dagger on his pants. 

    "It will be funny to know that he will end up groveling to a supernatural to be healed," I smirk and turn my attention back to Eldric. "Now, it is your turn. What to do with you. I could dismember you slowly, with my bare hands. So that you feel your flesh ripping. That would be fun. Or I could butcher you like a piece of meat." I taunt him. 

    "I don't care what you do to me. I will never beg you for anything, not even my own life." He hisses at me. 

    "We will see about that. Everyone has a breaking point. And I will find yours." I tap the side of his face as I stand. I turn to Alaric. "String him up like a pig. I am going to gut him. Slowly." 

    Alaric smirked at me nodding. "As you wish." He ties him upside down by his feet and I watch. 

    "Perfect. Post yourself outside these doors. Ensure that we will not be interrupted." I watched Alaric leave the room before turning back to Eldric. "The big bad Duke of bullshit sure doesn't look so terrifying now. Does he?" I pinch his cheeks tauntingly. 

    He watches me. "You may kill me here, but rest assured what I have done to her will haunt her dreams for as long as she lives." He laughs. "Really, I have made more of an impact on her life then you will ever make!" 

    The more he speaks, the more I can feel my blood boil. My hands shake with anger. If I don't end this now, I will leave no survivors in my wake. Thinking the logical way I pull out my dagger. I decide to end this quickly. I smirk watching him get nervous. 

    "Have either of you ever gutted an animal before? Well, this isn't like that. This time, you will be alive to feel it." I laugh dragging my blade over his body without piercing it just yet. 

    I take the dagger and dig it directly above his groin listening to his screams as I force it down stopping right below his sternum. I smirk at his cries. "Seems like I found your breaking point. But I am not done yet. Stay with me a minute huh?" I smile a little and roll up my sleeve real quick. I shove my hand into the open wound and wrap it around his intestines. Slowly  I jerk them out of his body and watch the light leave his eyes. 

    I smirk dropping his intestines to the floor. I stop for a second and look down at Everett. Laughs as I stare at his passed out body.  I wonder when he faded out?  I hear the door creak open behind me. "Cora. Lovely to see you." I smile turning to face her. 

    "Your mother always knew when I was coming as well. I am so sorry for what he had done to them. I had no knowledge of his actions until it was too late." She smiled hesitantly. 

    "I know Cora. It's okay." I offer a weak smile. "I was hoping to see you before we left. I wanted to say thank you." 

    She smiled and held up a hand. "Just keep her safe huh?" 

    "Of course I will." I nod. "Tell the witch, whoever she is, that I appreciate her help in all of this. I am forever in her debt." 

    Cora smiled. "You need to go Silas. Guards will come any minute and I need to force some fake tears. But, just know, you told her yourself." 

    The door creaked open again and I watched the all too familiar woman walk in. "It's...you?"