Bound by Darkness (Bound By Series)

46. Broken Chains

Chapter 46

Broken Chains

THALIA

Every last drop dripped down my throat.

It burned .

It burned like silver fire.

My hands stung as the iron held them back from clawing at my throat.

The burning refused to subside as it traveled up my neck. It lit everything on fire as screams lamented from within.

“What did you do?” Kaydn yelled. “If she dies?—”

“Wait,” the woman said, her voice filled with annoyance as she waved a gloved hand. “It’s working.”

My breathing became less shallow as the pain slowly washed away. Where my skin had once burned, no evidence of the roaring sensation lingered as if it had simply faded away. My bones no longer shook as I stilled in front of the woman who now held my fate.

She walked over, lifting my hair as she examined my neck. “The mark is gone and so is your blood oath. Pledge your loyalty to me for removing such a blight.”

Coughing, I narrowed my eyes at her. “I’m not making another blood oath.”

“I don’t care about making a blood oath with you. They are mediocre at best and dispel when someone dies. You’re lucky I had one of my rebels sell you that bottle of potion.”

It had been her. She’d set up the entire encounter and the thought made my blood curl.

Her black cloak billowed around her as she cocked her head to the side. “I can see you aren’t very bright. Otherwise, you would have ingested the potion I’ve crafted significantly earlier, and we could have avoided all of this. Do you know how long it took me to master that spell to undo blood oaths?” She huffed as she walked back, her arms resting across Moria and Fin’s shoulders in a flashy show of dominance. “However, it seems we are here, and I’m growing tired of this conversation,” she said, the mask warbling her voice. “Agree to come with me, and I’ll spare them.”

“I don’t?—”

“Kaydn already informed me of how much you despise deals, but I wouldn’t disagree to this one.”

Faster than Kaydn, she plucked a dagger from her side, the blade embedding in Moria’s shoulder.

She let out a sharp cry, most of it muffled from the cloth.

A trickle of blood dripped from the blade as the woman yanked it out, not caring if tendons and flesh broke.

“I’ll ask again, but it won’t be in a pretty spot,” she said as she angled the dagger over Moria’s neck, her gloved hand entangled in her hair as she exposed the bruised skin beneath.

My eyes swiveled to Kaydn, but he wasn’t even looking in my direction.

“My patience is wearing thin,” she mused, the dagger pressing deeper into Moria’s throat.

“I’ll agree!” I shouted, my eyes swiveling to Moria.

Moria’s head shook, but I couldn’t lose her. I couldn’t deal with the pain if I was the one responsible for her death.

“What a rational decision,” she stated, the dagger falling back at her side. “I was afraid my gloves were going to get dirty.”

My eyes narrowed. “I agreed, but only if you spare Moria and Fin.”

“Sure. My hands will not harm them.”

“More specific,” I said, my eyes roaming between them.

Where was Iyanna? Where was Naexi? Had they left with the citizens or were they in the middle of fighting? Would they hear the commotion in this tent and help us?

“Fine,” the woman huffed. “I swear I will not harm Moria or Fin with my hands.” She raised both in emphasis, her fingers wiggling slightly.

The tent flaps jostled, a man with fighting leathers entering the room. The rebel crest was etched into the fabric.

He made his way over to the woman, whispering something into her hood before stepping back.

She gave a quick nod as he exited.

“Kaydn.”

“Yes?” He stepped forward, the light cascading across his face.

“It seems Iyanna has broken through my spell and is on her way here. See to it you finish your work as agreed upon.”

“Sure,” he muttered.

The woman walked to the tent flaps, raising them slightly as she glanced back.

“Oh, and dispose of these two before leaving,” she said as she gestured between Fin and Moria. “I think our newest member will appreciate that,” she hummed before leaving me alone with the traitor, the rebel spy .

All of the things I’d trusted him with—“Why did you let her do that?” I shouted at him, my hands bound together. “Release them!”

This had to be a joke, a ploy to kill time before he acted. He wasn’t a rebel. He wouldn’t kill them. He couldn’t .

“I can’t,” he said, his eyes avoiding mine.

“Release. Them.” I took a step forward, Fin’s eyes wide as he looked at me.

His head jerked toward Kaydn, his words muffled as he desperately tried to speak around the gag.

Sleep , a voice whispered in my mind sweeter than a lullaby. The pungent smell of ash wafted to my nose. My eyes grew heavy, my steps lulling to a stop as my eyes swiveled back to Fin’s. He’d remembered… and I’d forgotten about the Armas ability of psychic casting.

Sleep , the voice purred in my head.

I fought desperately against the clawing in my head as it shut down every process, every thought. It was uncontrollable as I dropped to my knees, my muscles refusing to listen as his command took over my body.

A sickening feeling eased into my bones as a familiar calming effect took place. It was the same feeling in the carriage the first time I met him. Even the same pungent smell—the smell of casting.

My eyes flashed to Moria’s before everything dimmed, that psychic casting overflowing my senses as I crashed to the floor, sleep weaving into every bone.

The dark vanished, my eyes swallowing in bits of light as I sat up, an unfamiliar numbness coating my arms .

A groan left my lips as a deep ache burrowed into my back. Where was I?

As my vision focused, trees came into view, one after another. I wasn’t in the tent anymore.

I wasn’t?—

My head swiveled around, my eyes meeting silver. “Where are they?”

There was no answer.

“Where are they?” I shouted, my voice hoarse from casting.

“Carnage doesn’t suit you,” he said, his eyes glued to the tree in front.

Tents lined the trees behind him, a fire cracking in the distance. They’d set up camp and I was their prisoner. I tried to move, but nothing budged as I looked down, thick rope tied around my stomach and arms. It was the cause of the numbness, and the bane of my boiling blood as I stared at Kaydn.

“Where are Fin and Moria?”

Kaydn tossed a dagger into a tree. “At the Hideaway.”

A memory resurfaced, of that woman telling him to kill them.

“You didn’t?—”

He stayed quiet.

The chirping, the crackling of the fire, and the quiet murmurings around the tents vanished as he stayed silent.

“Tell me, Kaydn.” My eyes stared at him. “Damn it, tell me if you ever even cared about me!”

He reached into his pocket, taking out something silver as he tossed it. It landed on the ground, catching the glow from the fire behind him.

A cry left my lips.

It was Moria’s necklace. The necklace I’d stolen for her in prison.

“She said to give that to you.”

“She wouldn’t give me that.” I spat, tears welling in my eyes as I slammed my head against the tree. “She would only part with it if… if—” My lips wouldn’t form the words.

“She was dead,” he answered for me.

Dead.

Glancing at him, I saw it. Bits of blood splattered his leather vest and face, his sword resting beside him coated in red.

He’d killed her.

He’d killed them before leaving the tent.

“I’ll kill you!” I screamed at him, my body thrashing against the bindings. “I will kill you when these chains come off!”

Rage, deep and pure flowed from me as I yelled at the man I’d once called a friend.

The man I’d once trusted.

The man I’d cared about more than anyone.

“I will suffocate and tear your lungs from the inside!” I shouted, not caring if my voice traveled to the tents behind him.

He’d killed Moria and Fin with no remorse.

All I needed was the chains removed.

I didn’t care if my casting swallowed me whole. I didn’t care if night billowed from me, uncontrollable and all-consuming.

It would take him.

It would feast on him, and part of that casting grew desperate to release itself at the willingness I gave it.

Another dagger flew, slicing the tip of my ear as he glanced at me, silver fire igniting his gaze. Something lifted from his pocket, and I knew it instantly—a blood stone resembling the one I’d received from the witch.

“You can’t. We’re Siorai, half-breed,” he said as he lifted another one from his pocket. Both gems rested in his hand as if cut from the same rock—the hue and color identical. “The gods placed an everlasting bond between us even you can’t sever.”