Chapter 41
Since he didn’t struggle much after64Please respect copyright.PENANA0gY8q4PsvZ
they started moving, the Serpents didn’t see a need to bag him or knock him64Please respect copyright.PENANALgkO0MmWLg
unconscious. While they walked through the down, he took a quick peek, and it64Please respect copyright.PENANAeuYpn6skBP
appeared as though everyone in the village was on the side of the Serpents.64Please respect copyright.PENANA7tHJZZpQYr
Even the normal seeming folk talked with the Serpents as if they were old64Please respect copyright.PENANA01ILzj7tt0
friends. He would have to investigate what would make a village so close to the64Please respect copyright.PENANAI4McKEJdQg
city turn on the King. He didn’t see Eliza, but he could feel her watching and64Please respect copyright.PENANAKmCCuVx3Mt
waiting. Eve opened a door leading into an Inn where Serpents were eating and64Please respect copyright.PENANAw8uzbJxqgv
talking with each other.
“Is64Please respect copyright.PENANAYYmF8Vti1B
that you Eve?” someone from behind the bar asked.
“Yea64Please respect copyright.PENANAuRBYwAoyRa
your old bastard it is.” She laughed. The bigger man launched himself over the64Please respect copyright.PENANAcNTkuHEeHZ
countertop then picked her up on his arms spinning her around.
“I64Please respect copyright.PENANAByfxL6sbhs
see you completed your mission.” The strange man nodded appreciatively at64Please respect copyright.PENANAjyWNB3uzsD
Vander. “Lord Cranton will be pleased, though I’m surprised he came on his64Please respect copyright.PENANAdxGTVYclFs
own.”
“Some64Please respect copyright.PENANAUP9WPQ5BEx
of his squad members came with him, me included, but I took care of the64Please respect copyright.PENANA3XuHnpQsjm
troublesome ones then had our men kill the others.” Eve beamed. “You should64Please respect copyright.PENANA7hy0sDKNLr
have seen his face.”
“How64Please respect copyright.PENANAsAJbLQbAaK
many did we lose?” the man frowned.
“Seven.”64Please respect copyright.PENANA6PjFiQyo9p
She spoke. “I told you not to underestimate him.”
“I’ll64Please respect copyright.PENANAwvXg4g27Gq
have to triple our fee then.” Vander let out a cough causing the two of them to64Please respect copyright.PENANAqz9lrP81nB
look at him.
“I64Please respect copyright.PENANAaDcl3pr9hR
don’t suppose you’ll introduce yourself?” Vander smiled. “It’s nice to let one64Please respect copyright.PENANAoJ7WKBOCpm
know who he should address.”
“This64Please respect copyright.PENANAKucZxbm780
isn’t high society any more whelp.” The man backhanded Vander across the face.64Please respect copyright.PENANAjFhbcTtDXI
“I don’t owe you a fucking thing.” Vander spit out a bloodied took onto the64Please respect copyright.PENANALadIPVeu0M
ground.
“It’s64Please respect copyright.PENANAR31mVegw5i
alright Batiste, I know who you are.” He smiled. “My grandfather told me so64Please respect copyright.PENANAVJqjQ7DQyV
much about you. Glad to see you slumming around with traitors. I can’t wait to64Please respect copyright.PENANADtJe31RQiT
sink my sword into you.”
“Treat64Please respect copyright.PENANA8ReG6kx80X
a guy to dinner first.” Batiste chuckled. He walked over then pulled Vander’s64Please respect copyright.PENANAsK0ZS1mQFq
head back until they were staring eye to eye. “Once they get what they want64Please respect copyright.PENANAvEIZZK8qlU
from you, you’re all mine. I’m going to enjoy sending pieces of you to your64Please respect copyright.PENANAKtXBElt4gB
bastard grandfather.” Vander responded by smashing his face into Batiste’s64Please respect copyright.PENANAuOvyyud1OG
nose. He stumbled backwards, blood pouring out of his crushed nose.
“Get64Please respect copyright.PENANAFUCUngmWjt
him downstairs!” Eve snapped.
He64Please respect copyright.PENANAnpBC5pugo2
was roughly picked up and hauled away.
He64Please respect copyright.PENANALn9pJSde08
was thrown into a dusty corner and kicked one final time before they left him64Please respect copyright.PENANAfqsnOcSzfQ
down there. He slowly sat up and waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom of64Please respect copyright.PENANAWDupQmvBhw
the darkness. There were two unconscious forms lying in the cell next to him.64Please respect copyright.PENANAd6cs8Rizrq
Eliza and Kiara. Thank goodness they were safe.
Upon64Please respect copyright.PENANAe6W2pv09le
hearing the door close, he saw Eliza moved. She slowly sat up then turned her64Please respect copyright.PENANAjTZEUAoVGG
head to look over at him. It took her a moment to recognize him, but once she64Please respect copyright.PENANAnxNqXPu3AV
did, she threw her arms around his neck.
“Vander,64Please respect copyright.PENANAFOhsCkAKtj
why did you come?” she whispered into his ear.
“To64Please respect copyright.PENANAJZhST6QdSV
get the both of you back.” He responded, embracing her. “Is Kiara, okay? Is the64Please respect copyright.PENANAsskxwkusgh
baby harmed?”
“No.”64Please respect copyright.PENANA7EtaSoYMQ4
Eliza shook her head. “They only took her to get you and Cuvera here. They want64Please respect copyright.PENANASezbpni14H
the shards we possess, but how are they going to extract them from us?”
“I’m64Please respect copyright.PENANAjI3v7Tfr9W
not sure, but whatever it is, it won’t be good.” Vander frowned. “We need to64Please respect copyright.PENANA3sbAxCJR4r
get out of here before Cuvera shows up with reinforcements. We don’t want to64Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3sbvVsbYZ
get in the middle of a drawn-out fight.”
“Do64Please respect copyright.PENANA6HQxsN0Fqz
you have a plan?” she asked.
“Let’s64Please respect copyright.PENANAjMGMWFefNW
just wait and see what happens.”
…
Kiara64Please respect copyright.PENANAxZNoRzl4oH
woke up a few hours later. She was doing alright, but Vander knew that she was64Please respect copyright.PENANA30qklkd9o7
worried about the baby. Eliza soothed her while they discussed their next64Please respect copyright.PENANAu0HeP9BDdz
steps.
It was nightfall before anyone came64Please respect copyright.PENANAE34lGTJQYr
back for them. Batiste and Eve came down the stairs with a third person walking64Please respect copyright.PENANAobwhpvUoQq
behind him. Vander recognized the smell and let out a low warning growl. Peyton64Please respect copyright.PENANA9Jjw9Y6Nyf
Cranton smiled down at him with an evil glint in his eye.
“I64Please respect copyright.PENANAXofFgEXqs1
told you he would come.” The man snarled. Vander lunged for him, but the metal64Please respect copyright.PENANAa8fvNt9SIp
bars kept him from leaving the cell.
“Come64Please respect copyright.PENANADcg9iDhiPi
here you slimy bastard.” Vander snapped. “I’ll snap your neck with my bare64Please respect copyright.PENANA5FsvnNpneM
hands.”
“You64Please respect copyright.PENANA7AWQIjrP09
always were such a handful, Captain.” Peyton nodded at one of the Serpents who64Please respect copyright.PENANAv9DDM6YraY
smashed him in the stomach with the butt of his sword. Vander fell to the64Please respect copyright.PENANAZEKNDccpfr
ground clutching his stomach trying to hold back the tears.
“Why64Please respect copyright.PENANAvFRk1z4VLc
are you doing this, Peyton?” Kiara had woken up and while she was angry, she64Please respect copyright.PENANACb8AEbfp0b
wanted to understand. There was no way this kind man would do something so64Please respect copyright.PENANAUbyL1oEhnp
cruel for no reason.
“What64Please respect copyright.PENANAFwux4waOTv
other reason is there?” Peyton laughed. “I crave power, always have. This is64Please respect copyright.PENANAibP9uKp0qI
the only way I can get it. Now, take those two to the courtyard.” He pointed64Please respect copyright.PENANAmv0LZfnkK2
towards Vander and Eliza. “They have the shards we need.”
“What64Please respect copyright.PENANAZzw4x5jhOU
about the Queen?”
“Once64Please respect copyright.PENANAR3T9tujYvP
the ceremony is complete, I don’t care what you do to her.” Peyton shrugged.64Please respect copyright.PENANAD9QoJnsOrY
“But for now, we need them alive to assure their compliance.”
“Understood.”64Please respect copyright.PENANAfjkh7dzfSK
Batiste grinned. He instructed his men to open the door. Pairs of hands grabbed64Please respect copyright.PENANAt00P3vbe9c
Vander, making sure he couldn’t move, while Eve grabbed hold of Eliza. Eliza64Please respect copyright.PENANApC8JD0fi6s
tried to fight back, but Eve held a knife under her throat.
“Actually,64Please respect copyright.PENANAnazWxlSgGw
bring the Queen with us.” Eve said. “If they try to fight us, we start chopping64Please respect copyright.PENANAmsf0MWHupQ
off pieces of her body.”
“Do64Please respect copyright.PENANAVBO6EXkkVK
it.” Batiste ordered. Kiara didn’t even fight back when two more Serpents64Please respect copyright.PENANAgFijz5lg2P
grabbed her pulling her to her feet. The three of them were hauled from their64Please respect copyright.PENANAlldDUnPHKj
cells, out of the Inn, and into the square.
Serpents64Please respect copyright.PENANAIxc10sgC1o
were stationed all along the space not giving any of them room to try and64Please respect copyright.PENANAJTTi66TNXq
escape. Kiara was dragged to the side while a Serpent held a knife to her64Please respect copyright.PENANAmXzyVLhstE
throat. Vander and Eliza were dragged to the center then their shirts were64Please respect copyright.PENANAm1pxbhCyYZ
forcibly removed from their bodies. The night air was cold, but warmth emanated64Please respect copyright.PENANA5w9JIPE8Vq
from Eliza calming him down. They were forced to kneel afterwards. A strange64Please respect copyright.PENANASFpkby8FaH
man wearing a long black walked over to them holding a knife.
“Welcome64Please respect copyright.PENANAeYxCdFWM0C
to the ritual.” Peyton grinned. He walked into the circle also without his64Please respect copyright.PENANAOhZbZt7oMw
shirt. “We will be taking the shards from you and taking the next step in my64Please respect copyright.PENANA58oxB0B3jQ
master’s plan.”
The64Please respect copyright.PENANAFmZN6tacam
black robbed person began to chant as he cut into his arms. He allowed the64Please respect copyright.PENANAHdnKS9quIH
blood to flow towards the end of his fingertips. He walked towards Peyton64Please respect copyright.PENANAUQzIULB1eH
allowing the blood to drip onto the ground. He started to draw strange symbols64Please respect copyright.PENANAXwBqf1d5M4
onto Peyton’s arms, back, and chest. Even from where he kneels, Vander could64Please respect copyright.PENANANwTa6WETPb
feel the power emanating from the runes, but it gave him a bad vibe from it.
Once64Please respect copyright.PENANAaTiRtLXeqZ
they were done covering Peyton, the man walked over to where Vander knelt. “We64Please respect copyright.PENANABSCXNdHG6N
will be taking your power now.” The voice whispered. Then he began to paint64Please respect copyright.PENANAHWrqG1KV1j
blood runes on Vander’s body. As soon as the final rune was painted on, his64Please respect copyright.PENANAoypoRRAvmG
body was racked with pain. He fell to the ground violently convulsing while64Please respect copyright.PENANAH7ju2xIhNb
blue smoke enveloped his body. The smoke traveled from his body towards64Please respect copyright.PENANAzNR1je68af
Peyton’s then it started snaking up his leg.
“Yes,64Please respect copyright.PENANAMS8VJlxJBI
yes!” Peyton cheered. As the smoke reached Peyton’s mouth, Vander felt a very64Please respect copyright.PENANAbR2Omgtbz3
terrifying presence surrounding them. A void appeared between Vander and64Please respect copyright.PENANAtD4QzcOx1F
Peyton, just above where the transferring was occurring. A familiar woman64Please respect copyright.PENANAZLI2TvbBko
stepped out from between the dimensions followed by a large white wolf. Unna64Please respect copyright.PENANAhc6vh4HJRz
had come.
“I64Please respect copyright.PENANAoIuMHpSMP9
was wondering what has happening here.” Unna smiled a blood red smile. Her64Please respect copyright.PENANAI7iTkjcZZI
presence caused the Serpents to collectively hold their breath, not a single64Please respect copyright.PENANA299acfiaFj
person dared to draw attention to themselves. Everyone except for Peyton.
“Unna!”64Please respect copyright.PENANAHe4q8qoqk8
He laughed. “Have you come to bear witness to your new chosen?” She smiled and64Please respect copyright.PENANAXulL9uYcNm
started walking towards him.
“Do64Please respect copyright.PENANAGNnsj3hyvf
you think you can handle my power sweetie?” she smiled. “Stronger men than you64Please respect copyright.PENANARWel6OvEMl
have tried and failed, are so certain you can do it?”
“I64Please respect copyright.PENANAU1mKyfLpdz
can handle anything.”
“We64Please respect copyright.PENANAxt3ta3vfpk
will see.” She pressed a finger into his forehead. Black energy traveled from64Please respect copyright.PENANA3oOaqfIqDs
her body towards his. Peyton started screaming. The energy transfer started64Please respect copyright.PENANAc0PipxP4dG
reversing as Peyton started convulsing. He bent over in half as thick fur64Please respect copyright.PENANAUIqspaXVgV
started sprouting on his body. His arms snapped in half as his leg buckled. His64Please respect copyright.PENANANLyyqlTWtH
teeth began to fall around him as his jaw snapped and elongated.
“This64Please respect copyright.PENANAPaE57VEsyH
wasn’t supposed to happen.” The black robed mage took a step backwards. Ritoru,64Please respect copyright.PENANAX5jEjbgtMh
spotting his chance, lunged forward, grabbing the man in his jaws then biting64Please respect copyright.PENANAnedlZeeP2x
down sending blood spraying all over the courtyard.
“I64Please respect copyright.PENANA4MFVQpFBmh
thought you could handle my power?” Unna asked as Peyton still screamed in64Please respect copyright.PENANAvt6HKlaLDV
pain. “Unlike the others, you messed with something that wasn’t yours to64Please respect copyright.PENANA2YEnmfBF70
control.” She took a step back towards Vander. “Vander, sweetie, this will be64Please respect copyright.PENANAO0xYr4sdg5
the last time I save you. Next time, you’re on your own.” She brought her64Please respect copyright.PENANAiaNaOiniRa
fingers up to whistle. Another portal opened. She and Ritoru stepped inside.64Please respect copyright.PENANAcjeje8KkRz
“Good luck!”
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Vander64Please respect copyright.PENANARVN90OxBJc
may have kept a hold of his powers, but now he was staring down at one of64Please respect copyright.PENANAA0iUrNSaFC
Unna’s beasts. He had to figure out how to get out of here while keeping Eliza64Please respect copyright.PENANAfDGe8teRZE
and Kiara safe. There was only one way he knew how: it was time to make a deal64Please respect copyright.PENANAEhP6zmE5kB
with the devil.