A Dawn So Dark (Blood Bound #1)

Chapter 31

Chapter 30

Aurora Artorias

T he world spun as Ardens chuckle consumed every bit of my being. I wanted to cry in relief. Arden had come for me. He was going to save me from her. “Ard-” I coughed out before Noa yanked me up, her blade pressed firmly against my throat. He looked like a rider of death as he approached us on horseback. His black armor glinted in the moonlight, silver hair tousled from riding and his blue eyes wide as he came upon the scene. My stomach churned when Arden did not draw his sword. What was he doing? Why was he waiting ?

“Don't you dare come any closer, Arden.” Noa pleaded, annoyance lacing her tone. “Don't make me kill your toy.” He dismounted and drew his blade, slowly approaching. “Noa… What are you doing? You were supposed to bring the Princess to Astyrn.” I felt Noa tense against me, her grip in my hair tightening before tossing me back to Lancelot's hold. He pushed me to my knees and held his blade against my throat .

“I am doing what needs to be done to save our Kingdom. I am turning your mate over to Arthur.” Noas words are laced with poison, her claws emerging and digging into my scalp.

He laughed, actually laughed. His eyes glinted with indifference as he looked me over before shifting his gaze back to Noa. “You beat me to it.”

My heart fell into my stomach. What was he saying? Had he really followed me out here to drag me back to turn me over ? “You planned to turn your mate over? I don't believe that for a moment.” She was staring at Arden with deep infatuation as he shrugged, removing his gloves. “I was never a man made for a mate.”

I sat kneeling in the mud, yet again a prisoner, while two people I had thought I could trust decided my fate. “How fucking dare you!” I spat at them, Lancelot had locked the cuffs around my wrists as tightly as they would go, biting into the scars that littered my skin. “I thought you were my friend, Noa. And you… ” My stomach churned as I looked up at Arden, tears of anger welling in my eyes “I trusted you. I cared-” I cut my confession short, anger welling in my chest like an overflowing cup. “She said I am your-your mate . Is it true?”

He sighed, crouching down so his gaze was level with mine. His face was void of the usual life and mischief I had come to find endearing, attractive. He smirked at my clear and blatant distress, lifting a finger to my bloodied chest, drawing his finger through the thick substance. “It's true. We never planned on claiming you. You were merely our plaything. You are nothing more than something to be used against your father. Why else would we have ruined you before shipping you back to Arthur? Noa beat me to disposing of you.” I felt as if he had pulled my heart from my chest. He had made me feel desired for the first time in my life. So I did the first thing that came to mind. I reared my head back and headbutted him, hard .

He groaned in annoyance more so than pain, gritting his teeth “It would seem I was right. You are fucking stupid.” He stood as Lancelot yanked me back, growling in my ear “Watch yourself or I will let the feral ones deal with you. ”

“Enough of this show!” Father bellowed. I cringed as Lancelot dragged me and tossed me up to another Knight on horseback, tying my chains to the saddle.

Arden waved him off as he retorted “This is all to avoid war, so this would be exactly the place to expect me. Now, take her and leave our lands. My King would be quite displeased to know you ventured so far into his woods.” I forced my gaze upon my father who sat on horseback, Thane on the horse next to him. Dread settled in my chest. “We shall retreat back to the borders, but no further. Not until I have had a chance to discuss it with your King.”

I looked to Arden with nothing but pure rage and heartbreak, he and Daemon had manipulated me into believing they cared. “You're all as good as fucking dead.” I whispered, knowing they would hear me as they began to rear the horses to return to camp. Ardens expression remained neutral, unfazed by my words. Noa simply smirked and blew me a kiss as the butt of a blade came down and the world faded around me .

Chapter 31

Daemon

I t had been hours since Arden had followed after Aurora to wish her farewell with no sign of return. Perhaps he had decided to escort her all of the way to ease his worry. He had been distraught when he learned Aurora had left without him getting to speak with her, so I sent him after her so he could soothe his bond enough to get through the day. I had been waiting here in the makeshift command center that had been set up not too far from where Aurora had first stumbled into our lands. Arden had sent his men to secure a camp here. He was more of a romantic than I gave him credit for. Seeing him soften for Aurora while also pushing her the way he had always pushed me, struck a chord deep in my chest.

A horn sounded in the distance, signaling Camelot's arrival. Their caravan appeared in the tree line several hundred yards from us, Arthur leading the crusade on a white steed. He had always been about imagery, showmanship. That was why the Knights of the Round Table had been banded together. To show the realm that Arthur had collected our lands most skilled and powerful to do his bidding. I analyzed the man I once called a friend from a distance, noting how time had ravaged him these past twenty years. Time and sin had ravaged his features. His once crimson hair had faded to gray, his eyes had sunken in and gave him an eerie sternness that suited him illy. . He was once glowing with youth, optimism, and loyalty. We had once shared values, a vision for our two kingdoms to thrive in unity. All of those hopes and dreams were tossed aside for greed and pride. He had used the power of Excalibur to snuff out any hope of that future, killing my father to seal our fate as enemies. It was almost saddening to see him in such a state. Almost. Rage clawed its way through my chest as memories of Arthur, Arden and I sparring in fields much like this one. The friendship we shared was reduced to ash when he killed a man he always told me he admired. My father was the first casualty of the Monster Campaign, thousands more following him to the grave. Excalibur glinted at Arthurs hip in the sunlight as he sauntered into the tent, a smug scowl set firmly on his thinning features.

“You haven't aged a day.” Arthur cackled as Merlin lurked a few feet behind him, his men lining the outside of the open air tent. Before I could retort with an Arden-like remark about how it looked like time had skull fucked him, I offered a simple shrug “Nor have you.” My blood ran cold when Thane filed in alongside Merlin, his features every bit as slimy and unattractive as Aurora had depicted. He couldn't have been any taller than Aurora, hair coated in what looked like grease and beady eyes like a rat. This man was supposed to lord over a trading and fishing port, both of which he seemed incapable of doing. Arthur was going to marry her off to him? Clearly he was rich, Arthur was desperate to dig Camelot out of its financial crisis. But to bring such a disgrace into the folds, there must have been a deeper reason.

“How long has it been?” Arthur laughed, reaching a hand towards me as if there was no animosity between us. As if he had not killed my father. “Twenty-three years, Artorius.” I snapped, my fangs protruding, a silent threat that I could kill every man here with ease. “Interesting, the timing of it all…” Aurora was twenty three. The war had likely started when Arthur and Gwynivere conceived her, wanting to pass on full domination of the kingdom to the son that they had wished for. I gestured for Arthur to sit, Thane and Merlin took the invite as an open invitation and also took a seat. I sat across from the man who had betrayed me when he took my fathers life, who had locked Aurora away and tormented her for years. My stomach twisted with a deep hunger to taste his blood as I ripped his head from his shoulders.

Arthur sat on the far end of the table, an arrogant smirk tugging at his lips as he leaned back. “Enough of this, Your Majesty.” Merlin griped, his unsettling crimson eyes focused on me in a furious disdain. “I know not why we are even entertaining their kind-”

Arthur smirked, a cold rush passing through me. I knew that look. I had seen it on the battlefield decades ago. Arthur had the upper hand and he knew it.

“Surrender while you have the chance, Daemon. It is clear you are out of your depth.” Arthur shrugged, his dead blue eyes taunting me. He wanted to get a rise out of me. I crossed my arms over my chest, peering down at the human men. “We have no intention of surrendering. Nor do we plan on settling for a treaty.” Not after the crimes he had committed against our kind. He hadn't mentioned Aurora, not once. The very reason they had claimed to march on our territory. Arthurs gaze fell to the left of us, focusing on the far end of the clearing. I turned to see what had planted the prideful smirk on his lips and my heart fell into my stomach at the sight.

Lancelot approached from a distance, blood garnishing his armor. My blood ran cold. I glanced at my men before focusing my gaze on Arthur. He had her . I could smell her divine blood, it coated Lancelot's armor. I wanted to rip him limb from limb. But I could not take his life, as it was Auroras to take. “It would seem you have lost your bargaining chip…. ”