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“Yes.”

Rurik’s expression changed into one of horror.

She has tricked me. She has been waiting.His trust for the Witch was falling by the second, at each time she confirmed what Strolguil the Vast said.

“I did not know how things would pan out, but when you hunted me near her little cottage, I thought perhaps I was supposed to bring you together.” He gave a bright smile, his crooked teeth showing his glee. “I wondered if the prophecy was supposed to begin before this day.”

Rurik turned his gaze away to let his eyes flicker over the cold, stone-brick floor he lay on as he tried to think.

This has been planned.

“I knew you would fall for her charm.” His eyes shot up to see them together, to see the innocent looking Witch in front of him being held by his greatest enemy. The woman whose beauty had easily captivated him, whose softness had made him lower his guard. “I knew you would find her lovely, would find her caring and kind. That, as long as I did not intervene, did not turn her yet, you would be at ease with her if you ever found her. She was convincing, was she not?”

It... It was all an act?Those fragments of trust were beginning to fall away faster.

“Blood debts are a funny thing, are they not WitchSlayer?” He met Strolguil’s burning gaze. “I brought her to you so she would heal you, and when they came to put her in fire, I knew you would save her.”

Strolguil turned his head to Amalia to kiss her cheek, making her head turn up slightly. Her eyes lifted to the ceiling.

“I am sorry I had to let the humans burn you, my dear. It was necessary, but with the prophecy in place, I knew you would survive it.”

Rurik watched her breathing hitch.

He didn’t know if that was at the mention of her time on the stake or because this foul cretin’s lips were against her. They had dulled his senses – he couldn’t smell.

He growled while he watched them, at her allowing Strolguil to touch her with no fight and without trying to get away or flee.I had been a fool!

“Do you like my home?” The hand around her torso moved to gesture to the walls around them. “You are very tricky, WitchSlayer. I have searched for your lair for years and only knew you flew near these lands often..”

Strolguil’s eyes trailed over the side of Amalia’s face before he brought them to Rurik’s.

“I worried that I would not find you in time, but then she released the lightning, did she not?” A cold rush rolled through him. “I knew it had to be her.”

She led him to me on purpose! She let him into my lair! She has been a part of this the whole time.The last fragments of trust faded, and Rurik began to fill with hate and anger for the woman.

“Tell him about the prophecy, Amalia. Tell him what you have known since you were a child.”

Her eyes faded out as though she was thinking back with her gaze on the wall.

“On this night of the black moon, Amalia Swafford, daughter of Witches Gregory and Hellena, will steal the heart of the Dragon, Rurik the WitchSlayer, and one day birth his child. The child will be the first DragonWitch ever born and will be more powerful than either Dragon or Witch, will fly the skies without stolen wings while harnessing the power of both its parents. It will be the start to many born.”

She pronounced it with boredom, like a well-rehearsed line. Rurik shook his head, not believing such a thing will ever be born.It cannot be. I know she is not pregnant.

Strolguil’s hand came down to rest low on her stomach.

“I thought when you took her that she was to take your child sooner. I had not thought that she would need to take both your heart and seed this night.” His eyes widened, becoming horrified because he was starting to understand what was going to happen. “I have removed that pesky little spell of yours, the one that stops her from getting pregnant.”

She will ride me and cut out my heart.Rurik snarled with disgust.I cannot let this happen.

“And I will raise that child,” Strolguil grinned. “I will raise that child of power with her. I knew she was meant to be mine, to give me it when I heard of what her future was. That once it was born, I would bond her to me.”

Rurik began to struggle in his chains, wanting to escape, to prevent this, and the sound of them clacked and chimed.

“Then, when it has grown and has become strong...” Rurik didn’t like the dark humour that rolled in his tone. “We will consume that child for its unimaginable power.”

His scales puffed, and he managed to shuffle back in abject horror. She wouldn’t look at him, made no reaction to such a vile thought or plan. It was like she didn’t care.

I bedded a monster.