Page 5 of Redemption (Deliverance Duet #2)
Chapter Four
Alaric
L urching forward, I pull on my chains once more, but they only bite into my wrists and yank on my shoulders with a red-hot burning sensation. The pain barely registers in my mind, the agony in my chest so all-consuming that the metal cutting into my skin is only a mild discomfort.
Iron cuffs are locked around both wrists and feet, draining my power and keeping me weak. Without the damned metal, I might have been able to break free. They know my magic is strong, and that is exactly why they chose to bind me this way. The one thing that makes all of this more agonising, though, is that I’m being held captive by my own father.
This room is made for containing fae, with iron chains and shackles, as well as the large windows designed to let in as much light as possible. If I were Unseelie, then I would be burned by the sun—just another way to torture their enemies. The space is large and circular, the chains keeping the captive in the very centre. Various implements to cause pain and discomfort are stacked against the wall. None of those have been used on me, and even if they were, nothing would be more painful than what I am experiencing by being separated from Iris, my mate.
No one has been allowed in to see me other than a select few guards who have been watching me with uncomfortable, untrusting gazes. Before, I might have cared that they looked at me this way, but now, I don’t give a fuck. Snarling at the two who are currently on duty, I revel in their discomfort.
“Are you not going to say hello to your father?”
I finally turn my attention to the male standing by the door. My father, King of the Seelie, looks regal in his long robes. His auburn hair is like mine, only shorter, and we get compared a lot. If you were to compare us now, though, you would notice a stark difference. In the week that I have been held here, I have lost a shocking amount of weight, and I’m sure I look awful thanks to the iron sucking my strength away.
Staring into his green eyes, I let him see every ounce of anger and hatred I feel towards him. He took her away from me. He doesn’t deserve to call himself my father. He looks uncomfortable but quickly hides it behind a frown.
“Can’t you see that I’m trying to help you?”
He could help me by letting me go or by not killing her in the first place. No, this isn’t to help me, this is to cover his own back. He’s afraid of me and what I’m turning into with my shattered bond.
What a joke. We are supposed to be good fae, the fair folk. I attempt to step forward, my chains squealing in protest as I take the smallest step, snarling and flashing my teeth. “Killing the one who is promised to make our lives better, your son’s mate , is anything but helpful.” Each word is like acid on my tongue, but I need to say this aloud. “You pretend we are above the Unseelie, but really, you are no better than them .” I feel satisfaction as he flinches back.
“Son, I had no choice. The Unseelie were about to take her. The only option was to make sure they couldn’t use her to break the curse. I made the difficult decision—”
“You killed my mate!” The words rip out of me, another tear in my soul as betrayal and grief sit heavily on my shoulders. Breathing is hard, and I have to look away from my father, unable to stand seeing him for another second. I don’t want to hear his excuses. I was close, I could have done something to stop her from being taken. My father didn’t like me being mated to a human, so he conveniently found a way to solve that problem.
My breath saws out of my chest, and my head hangs down, the chains the only thing keeping me upright. “If you think I am ever going to listen to anything you say ever again, then you are delusional.”
I can feel my father’s gaze on me, but I ignore him.
Clearing his throat, he tries again. “That is just the broken bond speaking.”
I’ve had enough of his bullshit and refuse to listen to any more. “Release me this instant!” I bark at the guards, looking from one to the other, but they just awkwardly avert their gazes. “She needs me.” There’s a plea in my voice now, and I don’t care if that makes me look weak or not.
“One minute you say I killed her, and the next, you want to go find her.” There’s a hint of smugness in my father’s voice as he continues, thinking I just proved him right, that I am going feral from the bond. “You are not making sense, son. You shall stay here until we are sure you are safe to be released.”
The door swings open behind him, and I see a flash of long chestnut hair and a beard—my closest friend and second, Blaise. I’ve not seen him since that awful day, and seeing him now eases some of the weight I’ve been carrying.
“Your Majesty, please, he needs to follow his instincts, otherwise the bond will drive him mad.” Blaise has clearly been listening at the door, waiting for his chance to speak to me, and was not able to hold himself back any longer. He has always looked out for my best interests, even if that goes against my father’s wishes.
My father stiffens at Blaise’s presence and slowly turns to look at him, his eyes travelling the length of his body. Unimpressed, my father tilts his head to one side. “Do you think I am doing this to harm my son?” he demands, his power filling the room. The air becomes hot, and a phantom breeze whips around us.
Blaise realises his mistake and drops into a low bow. “Of course not, my king. Please forgive me.”
Although I’m exhausted and every move hurts, I lift my head and snarl at my father, daring him to lay a hand on Blaise. He stares at Blaise for a moment, a scowl on his face as he decides whether to punish him or not. He glances at me and takes in my expression. If he did anything to hurt my friend now, then it would irrevocably break our relationship.
“Prince Alaric will be here for as long as it takes,” he announces to the room, keeping his eyes on me the entire time. Spinning on his heel, he storms from the room without another word, leaving Blaise still holding his bow.
As soon as the door shuts behind my father, Blaise stands up and mutters a low curse under his breath. There is no love lost between the two of them. Remembering why he’s here, he hurries over and kneels before me. My body sags between the chains.
“Alaric,” Blaise whispers, looking me over in horror as he takes in the iron and my failing body. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come until now. The king has everyone on lockdown.”
“Blaise, you believe me, don’t you?” I ask in desperation, hanging from my chains. My power is sapped from me by the iron, and thanks to my lack of sleep this week, my mind is a mess. Really, I should be asking about my people and what’s happening in the land. Why is everyone locked down? Has something else happened? I cannot get myself to form the questions though, only able to think of her . Perhaps I am going crazy after all.
Blaise understands, gripping my shoulder in a gesture of solidarity. “Of course I do.”
Unfortunately my shoulders are wrecked from my struggles and the position my arms have been held in, and I groan in pain. He curses and removes his hand, shaking his head as he shifts his gaze to my wrists. They are blistered and bleeding, raw from the chains.
“She saved my life, and that created a bond,” he continues, gently examining the wounds. “Not like yours, but I can feel her too. If she were dead, that would have been severed.” Dropping his hands, he shakes his head, anger lighting his hazel eyes. “I need to get you out of here. The king is killing you.”
“We need to find her, Blaise.” My breath catches in my chest, and my voice breaks, hopelessness weighing me down.
“I know.” He cups my cheek, waiting until I meet his eyes so I can see his determination. “I promise you, Your Highness, we will find her.”
There is a loud banging on the door, and a guard steps into the room. I know what is coming before he even opens his mouth. Neither Blaise nor I bother to look at the guard, who was undoubtedly sent by my father.
“Time is up, the prince needs his rest,” the guard orders with far more authority than he truly has. His prince is chained and injured, while he is walking around carrying the king’s direct orders. We both know that his command has nothing to do with me resting and is about the king putting Blaise in his place.
Blaise stands slowly, a promise written in his determined expression. “I will come back as soon as they let me. Stay strong.”
“Find her, Blaise,” I call out as I watch him march from the room. If anyone can help me, it will be him. I only hope that he can get me out of here soon, because without Iris, I truly will descend into madness. I can already feel it clawing at the edges of my mind. It is only a matter of time.