“I have a female Pain Vessel who is unBonded arriving with the next Samyrian Vessel exchange. You will Bond her, which fixes your little crystal problem.”
He paused, and I took a fortifying breath.
“And in exchange?” I ground out, already knowing that Lord d’Refan would request payment.
He smiled that terrifying, predatory grin again.
“You’re catching on quickly,” he purred, and his eyes danced slightly before settling again on my face. “I imagine you know the intimate details of pain?”
His question was so antagonistic, so taunting. As if he were goading me to fall back into the memories of my time beneath the Academy.
I nodded my head once.
“Perfect,” he whispered. “You will help the General devise a battle plan, then. One that causes pain and destruction—one that leaves none alive.”
My throat tightened involuntarily.
“Scope and location?” I asked dutifully.
“Oh, just a small town, a village really.” He waved his hand noncommittally, and I turned to the General, the same question in my eyes, terrified of his answer.
“The Valley,” he intoned, all inflection in his voice gone as if he had completely shut down his emotions. The Valley was a small village cut off from the rest of society. The majority, if not all of the Keepers lived there, working together in relative peace and harmony. They’d never, to my knowledge, openly attacked. In fact, they sent their own people—people who could see futures and visions—to aid rulers in decisions. Theyhelpedpeople.
My heart broke at the part I would have to play in all of this. Orchestrating their destruction?
Who am I?
“Why?” I whispered, turning back to Lord d’Refan.
“They have something that Kaos needs,” he said evenly, as if the potential death of an entire people didn’t affect him. “And, like I said, that bitch of a girl potentially exposed our secrets to the rest of Elyria. It’s a safety breach that simply cannot stand.”
“But why the Valley? Why all of them?”
Lord d’Refan’s face hardened at my continual questions, and the General squeezed my shoulder in silent warning. I shut my mouth, not wanting to push any further, seeing how clearly Lord d’Refan was on edge.
His eyes shook with restrained madness and rage.
“They have a hive mind. What one knows, they all know. The only way to ensure that Vespera survives, that we are safe, is to eliminate the entire threat.”
My blood turned to ice at his calm conviction, and it was entirely evident to me at this point that the man in front of me wasn’t a lord. He didn’t want the best for other nations, or really even his people. No, he wanted complete control and annihilation of those who didn’t bow.
Only one word came to mind.
Warlord.
Chapter 67
Lex
SIXTEEN YEARS AGO
“So you’re just supposed to Bond this girl, fuck her, and then we just . . . leave?” Ilyas asked for what felt like the millionth time as we quickly packed our travel bags. We were departing in the morning with the regiments Lord d’Refan hand-selected for the mission to the Valley. After long weeks of preparation, both in the war room with the General and Lord d’Refan and in the training grounds, Lord d’Refan informed the General this afternoon that we were to be ready to leave by first light.
My movements were jerky as I shoved a spare set of clothes and boots into the recesses of my ruck. My body shook with uncontrollable tremors. My skin was pale and sallow, a sheen of sweat covered my forehead. My appetite was almost nonexistent these last few weeks, and I felt weak. Memories from my time on the streets always hovered just out of reach, and nightmares about what we planned for the Keepers in the Valley kept me awake most nights.
I couldn’t even find solace in Ilyas’ steady heartbeat as we lay together at night. I’d taken my aggression, fear, and disgust withmyself out on his body numerous times over the last week, and he’d never asked why. Simply let me take what I needed.
And now he was concerned about the Forced Bonding that would take place in mere moments.
