Zaraith's POV

Immediately Vaelith pressed his blood soaked palm against my stomach, it seemed as though the world spun and went still at the same moment. His words rolled out, it was almost a whisper but yet, it seemed to split me open like a sharp, poisonous blade. “You might have thought you hid it well, Princess. But unfortunately you didn't” he sneered. “You carry a monster’s child”

My breath hitched and for a brief moment, I prayed to the goddess that no one heard what he had said, but unfortunately, the silence that suddenly grew in the hall was almost deafening, followed by gasps and murmurs which boomed through the chamber like serpents hiss.

Eyes turned to look at me, lips curled up in a sneer, faces etched with disgust, like they were all hungry for my blood. I saw as my sisters froze too.

I watched as Vyra, one of my sisters, stood up, her beautiful face etched with venom and anger, there was no more trace of her feigned devotion. “Zaraith, you were never meant to be blessed but broken. How dare you carry this….this filth into our sacred temple?”

Selitha knotted her brows together, then leaned in forward and spoke up, her tone soft but laced with menace. “It's not Filth, Vyra” she spoke up, her gaze fixed on by belly like a predator sizing up its prey. “But opportunity, don't you feel it? That….that intense power shimmering in her womb? Blood such as his can literally turn the temple's ritual into fire. And….and imagine what we can….”

Maerin’s shriek cut her words off. Her tone was sharp and piercing, shattering the little dignity that was left in the feast. She slammed her goblet on the table in front of her, wine spilling like light blood across the hall. “You whore!” She sneered, pointing a finger at me. “You…you took him from me! I told the sisters to make sure your magic fails and you die in that forest! I begged them I wanted Vaelith for myself, but no one listened to me! You took Vaelith from me! And now you parade shamelessly with the spawn of another inside you?!”

I widened my eyes in shock, my words piercing into me like poisoned blades. It wasn't the pain that burned inside of me, no, it was the rage I felt, consuming, twisting even tighter than the cramps that were now clawing at my lower belly.

I gritted my teeth, my hands clutching my side. I wanted to hell out that I never chose any of this, I never stole anyone's lover, neither was I a willing vessel, but unfortunately, I choked on my words, the intense stare of everyone burning my skin.

Just then, the nobles and priests present began muttering words I couldn't hear within themselves, some glanced occasionally at me with disgust, others bared their fangs at me, eyes burning.

Then, they began walking towards me, chanting low at first, then within seconds, their voices rose. “Cleanse…cleanse….cleanse…cleanse……” the temple's elders, draped in silk robes and obsidian moved forward, their faces twisted.

“Our ancient law states….A Fae can never bear a demon’s spawn” the eldest spoke up. “For the goddess forbids such seed. And this brings curse to the mother, its vessel. For the safety of this realm and yours, you must be purified and the seed inside you, destroyed before it can mature”

Destroyed? Not spared or saved, no, destroyed.

The words sliced through me, I turned to look at my sisters, the smiles on their faces even more hurting than their words.

I swallowed hard, my grip tightening around the edge of the banquet table until my knuckles turned white. Heat prickled on my skin, soaking my gown, a wave of nausea hitting me so hard I gagged, my magic weakly fluttering in my veins.

Then, Vaelith strode towards me once again, his face etched with a calmness I couldn't fathom, a nobility mask, his tone rising, booming through the hall as he spoke with calmness. “That's enough” he ordered and almost immediately, the hall fell silent. His plan was no longer bleeding, but was now resting casually on the hilt of his enchanted blade. “Don't take this scandal for ruin”

He then fully shifted his attention to me, his golden hair catching the torchlight, a soft smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “Lady Zaraith, you have a chance to be redeemed. I'll bind you to myself and through our bond, your child shall be purified and your disgraced, cleansed…” then slightly, he turned to face the elders. “I'll take her as mine and in that bond, she'll fully serve the goddess as she was meant to”

The gasps rippled once again, it was softer and now laced with awe. Some were excited about his words, others clapped, but in that moment, I caught sight of something others didn't. The way the ring on his finger glowed faintly when he spoke, like his words were a trap.

In that moment, my heart began to pound vigorously in my chest, a thick, suffocating feeling of dread clawing its way up my throat. And in that moment, I realized Vaelith was more than just a pawn in my sisters twisted games, he was much deadlier than all of them combined.

But almost immediately, the doors of the hall suddenly flew open, followed by a deafening crack of thunder which made the chandeliers rattle violently, as though they were about to drop from the ceilings.

Without any invitation, someone I thought I'll never see anymore strode in.

Razek.

And as he walked, the shadows seemed to bend to him, attracted to the dark pulse of his presence in the hall. He walked on the marble floor as though he owned everything, his boot clicking with each heavy stride, cracking the stone beneath with each step he took.

I turned my head slightly, nobles shrank back in fear, their faces laced with dread as though their souls could be devoured in a blink of an eye.

The temple's guards rushed towards him, trying to cage him down but almost immediately, their blades began trembling violently in their hands.

Razek spared them not even a slight glance but when he stood across from Vaelith, he finally stopped, his imposing height towering above literally everyone present in the hall, his black hair spilling around his face, those golden eyes or his burning like fire.

And when he spoke, his voice boomed, low and lethal. “If anyone dares touch my mate….” He snarled, every word laced with a death promise. “You'll die screaming”

The quiet after was total. Even the torches seemed to stop. The old ones, though scared, stuck to their rules like cowards hiding behind walls.

"The Demon King can't talk here," one stammered, though his voice broke. "It's written: a fae can't carry his baby without dying. The mix will kill her, and the child will destroy us all. She must be made clean before the bad spreads."

Their lying made me angry. They talked like they were helping me, but they all looked like they wanted me to suffer. They didn't care if I lived or died, they wanted me gone, the child gone, so they'd still have all the power.

My heart beat fast in my ears, my sight getting blurry at the edges. The sick feeling got worse, till I put a hand on my belly, scared they'd see, but they were too busy with their show.

Vaelith's lips curved a little, a hunter's smile hidden as comfort. And then, with a move so fast you barely saw it, he lunged.

His knife, marked with signs that shone like fresh cuts, cut across my arm. The pain was right there, the burn of magic going under my skin, wrapping like chains around my blood.

I shouted as blood came out bright and hot, dripping on the marble in red streams. The signs pulsed, and I felt the threads of my magic break, crushed under the weight of binding.

My knees gave out, but I didn't want to fall, anger was the only thing keeping me up. The hall went crazy, screams, and shouts mixing.

But above it all came Razek's guttural roar, so wild and mad the air shook, the lights shaking, the marble floor breaking under his feet.

The whole room shook with his anger, and then, no rule, no priest, no prince could hide from it.