Page 13 of Beyond the Treaty

The Blood-bond Ritual, decreed by the High Council, is not a union of souls but rather a form of subjugation. Lord Kaelen’s power is vast, ancient, and uncontrollable. The bond will tie him to Lady Elara, siphoning her essence as a fail-safe should he rebel. If he resists, her life force will drain to ensure his compliance. The bond is unbreakable, except through death.

The words blur as my mind races, yet I compel myself to press on, revealing darker truths:

Lord Kaelen’s lineage traces back to forbidden magic, the Blood- bond Curse of Lord Garth, which lies dormant in his bloodline. The curse will consume both participants if activated, binding their wills to the Council.

This isn’tunity or peace; it’s control. And I... I am the Council’s weapon, their sacrifice. I clutch the scroll tightly, the weight of the revelation crushing me. Azrael’s eyes bore into me; his face remained unreadable.

“Now you understand,” he says softly. “You’re not merely a pawn in their game, Elara. You’re their weapon and their shield. They’ll exploit you until nothing is left and cast you aside.”

My hands tremble as I lower the scroll. “Why tell me this now? Why not earlier? Why do you even care?”

Azrael approaches, speaking in a hushed, intense tone. “I made a mistake, Elara. When I departed, I believed I was shielding you from me, the Council, everything. But witnessing their plans...” he pauses, his jaw clenched. “It’s

unforgivable. I couldn’t just watch it unfold.”

I glare at him, anger simmering beneath the surface. “And

I’m expected to trust you now? After you stormed off?”

He exhales, his expression softening. “No, I don’t expect you to trust me. But I expect you to fight back in the way I know

you can. You deserve more than this fate, Elara.”

His words reignite a spark within me. The betrayal revealed in the scroll feeds the fire. “If this is true, I can’t allow the ceremony to proceed. I won’t permit them to use me or Kaelen

like this.”

Azrael nods, his voice steady. “Then we have work to do.

But you’ll need allies, and you’ll have to decide who you can truly trust.”

The weight of his words settles heavily. There’s no turning back now. The Council’s lies have been exposed, but the path ahead is dangerous. My grip on the scroll tightens as a truth tumbles from my lips before I can stop it. “I spent the night in Kaelen’s castle,” I whisper. “It wasn’t planned, we kissed. And it wasn’t just him; I wanted it, too.”

Azrael’s expression falters, the confident mask cracking. His ember-like eyes dim, and for a moment, he appears wounded, asthough I’ve struck him. “I see,” he finally says, his voice tight. He looks away, regaining his composure.

“Azrael,” I begin, stepping closer, but he lifts a hand to halt me.

“No, it’s fine,” he says, though his tone betrays him. “Kaelen is powerful, alluring, and dangerous. Of course, you’d be drawn to him. The bond pulls you toward him.”

“That’s not fair,” I snap, guilt twisting in my gut. “You left Azrael. After I opened up to you both completely, you vanished. What did you expect?”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t come back to burden you with my feelings. But if we’re confessing truths...” He hesitates, his gaze locking onto mine. “You were never meant to mean this much to me. When I left, I thought I was protecting you. But I was wrong. And every damn minute since, I’ve felt that mistake like a blade in my chest.”

I stagger back, astonished. “Azrael...”

He presses on, his voice now softer. “I’ve tried to bury it, but it’s always been there, this pull, this need to keep you safe. And tonight, when I realised how close they are to taking you, I wanted to burn the entire palace to the ground just to keep you out of their grasp.”

His confession lingers in the air, the room contracting under its weight. “Azrael, I don’t know what to say,” I confess, my voice trembling.

He steps closer, his hand hovering near mine. “You don’t have to say anything. Just understand this: I will stand by you, whatever path you choose. Even if it kills me.”

His words stir something raw within me conflict, desire,

hope. “You don’t get to vanish, making me think you are such a prick, and then reappear telling me what the Council is actually doing and confess your feelings,” I say, my voice hardening.

A flicker of regret crosses his face. “I understand this is a lot for you, Elara. If you allow it, I’ll dedicate my life to making things right. But right now, you have to choose, will you letthem dictate your future, or will you stand up for what belongs to you?”

His challenge stirs a defiance I believed was long buried. While the Council may have set the pieces in motion, Azrael is correct. My choice still holds significance.

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