Scars and Burns (No Light Without the Dark #1)

50. Aeron

50

Aeron

I let her rest. Informing Aemond of what has transpired. Instructing him to keep a watchful eye over her until I get back.

Returning to the cave where I left those primitive beasts.

I stalk over to them. They are not prepared for the agony that is about to come.

“So, you think you can touch what is mine?”

Glaring over at them. Fear on their faces. One of them has already soiled themselves.

Huff, and they call themselves soldiers.

“W-we didn’t know she was yours. We were just doing as we were told.” One says with a shaking breath.

I reveal King Elio chained in the corner of the cave. He doesn’t look the least bit afraid.

That will change.

“So, you thought it was acceptable to hold down an innocent women while she was raped. Solely by order of your king. And to make matters worse… your king is the rapist.”

“Don’t you dare degrade me!” King Elio screams from the corner.

I turn toward him. Giving him a devious smile, “I don’t need to degrade you King Elio. You’ve already done that yourself.”

“It was his idea. He wanted her. He was the one hurting her. We were just following orders. It’s his fault.” One of the soldiers says.

“You hear that King Elio. Your soldiers fear me more than they respect you. Ready to turn on you and sell you out. And the fun hasn’t even begun.” A laugh escapes from deep in my chest.

King Elio sneers at me. Not wanting to acknowledge the truth of what I just said.

I strip all of them bare. Ripping their clothes off. “W-what are you doing?!”, another screams at me.

“I’m exposing you the way you chose to allow King Elio to expose Dinalia. The sound of clothes tearing shouldn’t be off putting. As those are the same sounds you just heard.”

Once they are all bare I step away. Taking in their meek forms.

“You think yourself strong. It took three of you to hold down a single female. My female. You thought no harm would come to you if you followed the order of your king.” I pause, “You were wrong.”

Extending my magic. Black smoke evaporating into their skin. Burning them from the inside out. Sweat lines all of their brows. Their skin begins to melt slowly off of their bones. Their screams echoing throughout the cave. Coming back at us in full force. But their screams have only begun.

I thought about skinning them alive but I still need to meet with Saphrina this evening. And I don’t have the patience nor the time to scrub away their blood.

This is not the end of their torture. Melting their flesh, leaving their skin sagging off their bones. To walk through life physically as the ball-less failures they are. I take it a step further.

Unleashing my black flames into three whips. I wrap an end of each around their testicles. Burning and searing them.

Receiving blood curdling cries from all of them.The screams are warranted. I am currently castrating them. The smell of burning flesh fills the air. Smoke seeping into their eyes.

They all pissed themselves one last time, while they still can with a dick attached.

My magic ceases as their most prized possessions fall to the ground. The only sound that fills the air is their pathetic whimpers.

With a wave of my hand they disappear.

Turning back towards King Elio. Shock and disgust on his face.

“W-where did you send them?”

“To the Forest of Despair. They won’t last long, but longer than they deserve.”

“So, the rumors are true. You are worse than your Father. Torturing and killing to no end. Ruthless and malicious in everything that you do.”

I walk over to him. Standing face to face, only a few feet away. “Of the two of us, I would say I am the lesser of two evils. I’ve never had to force myself upon someone in order to get what I want.”

“You think I actually wanted her.”

I grimace. So he was just going to rape her for what reason, if he did not actually want her. I don’t say anything. Knowing he will explain himself. Wanting to preserve his self-dignity.

“I just needed to get her pregnant. Hide her away long enough to harness a new heir then kill her and steal her power for myself. I would have come up with an explanation of how or where I came across the child. Taking it in, raising it as my own. I would have looked like a generous, loving king and it would have inherited her power.”

If that is the case he has to know she has a complete Goddess mark. Probably from the same night I saw it for the first time.

He was just going to defile her. To use her for his own gain.

“Queen Freya’s power not enough for you? ”

His eyes gawk open.

I smile once again at him. Relishing the look on his face. “Yes, I was there. Lurking in the shadows. Watching as she overpowered you. Threatened you. Hearing you profess the love you once had for her. Only for you to stab her directly through the heart and lie right to Dinalia’s face when she confronted you.”

He bares his teeth at me. “I knew you were there. The comment you made at the Greeting. It wasn’t a coincidence.”

“No, King Elio, it was not. I needed to distract you, catch you off guard. And that worked like a charm. Not to mention the deadly glare you received from Dinalia. I’m sure she still suspects you were involved.”

“Of course she does. She worshiped the ground her Mother walked on and I have never given her a reason to trust me. Nor would I ever. She is a worthless, mixed blooded disgrace.”

I shoot forward. My hand instantly finds his throat. His eyes begin to turn red, his face turning purple. He’s gagging under my grasp. I’m tempted to kill him right now. How fucking dare he say such vile things about her.

About my estrella.

But I can’t. He is not mine to kill.

I release his throat. He sucks in air for what feels like an eternity. Being far more dramatic than necessary.

“Why do you care? Who is she to you?”

I take my shirt off and reveal my Goddess mark. His eyes harden into stone.

“She is my mate. Fated and blessed together by the Goddess. Our souls co-exist in harmony with one another. The darkest parts of ourselves matching the other. Our broken souls coming together as one.”

“So-so you’ve confirmed the bond? ”

“We had been denying it to each other for a long time. Though there has always been a pull towards her. A longing desire neither of us could resist for long. Something devastating in her eyes from the moment I saw her.” My face softens. Recalling that raid on her village.

“And when was that Prince Aeron? How long have you kept this from her? Do you really think she will welcome you as her mate after finding out you were there the night her Mother died and you did nothing?”

He has a valid point. I have yet to reveal any of this to her. But no matter, her hatred for me will not reverse the Goddess’s woven fate.

I glare at him, “You won’t be there to find out.”

His features hardens again, “You are going to kill me.” He says it like a statement but there is fear and questioning in his tone.

Stepping even closer. I am right in his face. I can hear the shakiness in his breath. See the sweat drip down the side of his face as he lifts it away. Trying to escape me.

Looking him up and down, “No, King Elio, I am not going to kill you. You are not mine to kill. Why deny Dinalia the pleasure in killing you herself.” Engulfing us in my black smoke, I teleport us to his study and release him from his chains.

“One last thing?” I ask, towards King Elio.

He hums in response.

“The binding used on her wrists. It restricted her from utilizing her magic. What is it?”

He smiles, “Ask your Father.”

My eyes flash and then I am gone.