Page 16

Treacherous bastard

Iryen

Mate .

The word flashed in my mind like lightning, relentless and overwhelming. It was such a simple word, but it carried an importance far beyond my control. Fate, destiny, things I had always believed and my parents held sacred.

I couldn’t believe that he was my mate, a hybrid, no less.

Of all the complications I could have shoved in my way, this was the one I didn’t need.

Everything would have been easier if he wasn’t.

My initial plan had been to free him immediately, without tampering with his memories, to let him return to his life none the wiser.

He couldn’t be my mate. I can’t do this. He is a stranger, an outsider. He is from Nyssaion, for goddess’ sake.

But now… now everything is different.

I used one-week as an excuse, a desperate move to buy myself time. Time to understand what I wanted and what needed to do. This bond between us wasn’t something I could simply ignore or walk away from. It was there, woven into the very fabric of our beings, pulling us together even if I disliked .

But my duty with Aetheria comes before anything, even the sacred mate bond.

“You have one week, Iryen,” I whispered to myself, the words sounding more like a plea than a command.

One week to figure out what to do. One week.

But what scared me the most wasn’t the idea of failing. It was the idea of succeeding. Because if I decide to accept this bond, there would be repercussions. For the both of us.

As I swam away from the pond, the water growing darker and colder the deeper I ventured into the labyrinthine depths, my mind drifted to another pressing issue. One equally complicated and just as serious.

Ithra .

A surge of anger rose in my chest at the thought of her. She had crossed the line, one that I could not ignore, no matter her reasons. Trying to drown Adrian, my mate, was an act of treason, and I had no choice but to report her actions.

The Queen would not take such treachery lightly, though I knew Thalor would already pull his strings behind the scenes to mitigate her punishment.

He always did.

The place she held with the council and certain families in Aetheria was dangerous.

Ithra had always been difficult, but this…

this was different. She wasn’t just endangering Adrian.

She was defying me, questioning my authority, and, in doing so, threatening the stability of the kingdom I was trying to hold together.

And yet, there was no room for hesitation. No room for leniency. If I didn’t act swiftly, the consequences could spiral beyond my control, especially with her connections.

The waters were eerily silent as I swam, and the use of my powers in such extension drained my energy, slowing my strokes. I had to act before Thalor’s influence reached the council. If Ithra’s punishment was too light, it would embolden her, and others like her, to defy me again.

Whatever the cost, Ithra needed to be held accountable.

I had one week to manage Adrian. But Ithra… I couldn’t afford to wait.

I swam swiftly toward the palace, the familiar currents guiding me as I focused my mind. My telepathic abilities purred, and with a thought, I reached out to my inner court.

“Come to the palace. Met me at my study.”

Their responses came like ripples in the ocean, brief flashes of acknowledgment that reassured me they were on their way.

I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of uncertainty. The palace had always been a place of safety, of sanctuary, but after my parents’ death, it felt different. The walls pressed on me, as if reminding the responsibilities I carried, of what my mistake had cost me and how heavy my duty was.

Entering my study, I saw that Sienna was already there, her deep white tail slicing through the water as she swam into the chamber with her usual grace. Her pale lavender eyes met mine, concern flickering in them.

“Is he alive?” She asked urgently.

“Yes, he is and I’m going to make Ithra regret ever going against me,” I said, hot, bitter anger laced in my tone.

I was on edge, the fear of Ithra succeeding haunting me. Memory of Adrian lying unconscious, barely breathing, flashed in my mind, and it twisted an invisible knife deep inside me I couldn’t shake it.

Ronan and Elora arrived next. Ronan’s gray eyes narrowed in suspicion, ever-watchful, taking in every detail around us with that sharp, calculating gaze of his.

Elora, though, her eyes were alight with rage, glowing like embers fanned to a flame.

I felt her fury radiating off her in waves, her entire body tense.

I wasted no time with pleasantries.

“Where were you, Ronan? What could have possibly made you leave your post?” I asked, my voice low and cold, my disappointment laced in each word.

Ronan’s gaze flicked up to meet mine, irritation barely masked beneath his usually calculated demeanor. Before he could respond, Kieran swam up, his face hard with the same controlled fury that Ronan carried.

“Ithra said that the council had suspended the guardsmen,” Ronan began, his voice tight with anger. “She claimed general Pyros also knew about it. At first, I didn’t believe her, but then Kieran came out and said that Thalor had told him the same.”

Of course, Thalor. But punishing him would be much harder than Ithra.

Treacherous bastard. He had always walked the line of manipulation and charm, masking his intentions behind a facade of authority.

He had a way of weaving himself into the council’s favor, an insidious influence that made him nearly untouchable.

I turned my gaze to Kieran, who nodded curtly.

“It didn’t sit right with either of us, so we went to confirm with General Kai,” he added, his expression dark. “Turns out, the whole thing was a lie.”

“I see,” I said slowly, letting their words sink in. My fingers flexed at my sides. The anger that I tried to keep in check coiled in the pit of my stomach with a force that threatened to drag me under.

“One of you should have stayed,” Elora snapped, her voice sharp and immediate, her turquoise eyes blazing with fire.

She crossed her arms, stepping forward without hesitation, her tail flicking angrily.

“it is basic protocol. You’re supposed to think things through, Ronan. You should’ve known better.”

Ronan’s gaze remained steady, his expression calm but cold as he regarded her outburst.

“I thought things through, Elora,” he said, his voice low and measured. “Unlike you, I don’t act on impulse.”

“Well, considering the human almost got killed, I would say you didn’t think enough.

” Elora shot back, throwing her hands up.

“And my impulse has probably saved your skin more times than I care to count. You should thank me.” Ronan’s eyes flashed dangerously, his tail flicking behind him as he strode toward her.

“Enough.” I cut through their bickering, my tone firm. “We don’t have time for this. The problem is Ithra, and how she tried to kill a human, going against our laws. Focus on that, not your personal grievances.”

Elora shot Ronan a glare before turning her attention back to me, her posture stiff but compliant. Ronan gave me a nod, though I could see his shadows still bubbling in his eyes.

“This isn’t over,” Elora muttered under her breath as she stepped back, glaring at Ronan. He didn’t even flinch.

“I wouldn’t expect it to be,” he said smoothly, though his lips rose upward and a flicker of challenge crossed his gaze.

“What do you want to do with Ithra, Your Highness?” Kieran asked, his voice in a respectable tone. I could see how his muscle tensed in his posture, and the way he braced himself for my response.

My mind raced, thoughts racing like the turbulent waters of the ocean.

I wasn’t planning on revealing the truth about the mate bond just yet, not to anyone, not even to my loyal confidants.

The stakes were too high, and I couldn’t risk their safety or the alliance we had forged.

Even if it meant lying to them, I would do it.

My heart pounded, each beat hammering against the uncertainty curling in my stomach.

The pressure of my decision pressed against my chest, tightening with every breath .

“I want to banish her or mark her as crimson tides,” I replied, my voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. The very thought of Ithra’s betrayal ignited the embers of anger within me. My irritation barely contained a smoldering lightning that threatened to strike.

The darkness of my expression matched the turmoil in my heart. Torn between justice and mercy, I despised the fact that I had to even consider mercy for someone who had tried to kill my mate and so blatantly undermined my authority.

I’m wasn’t made for mercy. I was forged for vengeance.

Marking her as crimson tides loomed large in my mind, more fitting than a simple banishment. It was a public mark of shame, a constant reminder of their crime.

The thought of the ocean around Ithra turning blood-red sent a delicious chill down my spine.

Not from fear, no, not anymore, but from a darker place, from that deeper shadow that had stained my soul since the murder of my parents.

That part of me relished at the idea. It would visibly brand her as a murderer in the eyes of the pod, a title she deserved after breaking the law. I wanted her to feel it.

Was that cruel? Maybe. But cruelty didn’t seem so unforgivable when it deserved. When it was justice.

I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms as I forced my breathing to steady. Aetheria preached mercy, but what mercy had Ithra shown? She had schemed and nearly killed, and for what? Power?

No. There would be no forgiveness.

“You will need the council’s approval, my princess,” Sienna advised, her tone polite but firm. I appreciated her support, but the reminder of the council’s power only deepened my resentment.