Page 133 of Bound to the Dreadlord

"Kill her."

The command is absolute.

His forces move.

Blades are drawn. Arrows nocked. The air hums with the charge of spellcasters readying their magic.

And I am helpless.

I am going to die.

Suddenly, there’s a shift of shadow, just a blur of movement.

Then steel meets steel.

Veylan.

He moves before anyone else.

His sword flashes in the firelight, cutting through the nearest soldier before they can reach me. The sound of it is wet, final.

Then he turns, shields me with his body.

He is fighting against them. Against his father.

"You will not touch her."

Hazeran laughs."You disappoint me, boy."

Veylan does not answer.

He lunges.

Hazeran meets him like he has been waiting for this.

Their blades collide.

The battle begins again but I cannot move.

I am still on my knees, the world spinning too fast, my body shaking too hard.

I reach for my magic—and feel nothing.

Panic.

I try to breathe. Try to move.

Veylan’s soldiers rush past me, colliding with Hazeran’s forces. I hear the battle, but it is distant. Distant and meaningless.

I am useless.

Hazeran took everything from me in a single moment.

The man who betrayed me—the one who broke me—is now fighting for me.

And I cannot do a damn thing. Why the hell is he doing this anyway? Why is Veylan fighting so hard?

Is it to complete that damn ritual? It feels like a hand is reaching out to my heart, ready to tear it apart.

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