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But if they are already draining Orin, how long have we been here?
The thought of them subjecting my woman to this kind of torture had my blood boiling. I wanted to believe they wouldn’t do it. After going through a tragically violent past, the Sarenians had completely restructured their society and passed countless laws to ensure the safety and protection of their females. Surely, whatever political insanity Deimos and his acolytes were pursuing, it wouldn’t involve maiming and murdering females?
Ignoring my physical pain, I bunched my muscles and strained against my restraints. Although I didn’t go all out, I instinctively knew that no amount of effort would break them. Deimos had made certain they would not bend to the phenomenal strength of a pureblood—even one with berserker powers.
The discreet swish of the door opening, breaking the occasional beeping sounds of the machinery surrounding us, startled me. I jerked my head towards the door, wincing at the sharp pain that crossed my head. Instant anger and a thirst for blood flooded through me as I watched Deimos casually stroll in, a smug smile stretching his lips as he gazed upon me.
“Jakar Keran,” Deimos said with warmth and enthusiasm, as if reuniting at last with a long-lost friend. “It’s such a pity that we should meet like this. I have followed your evolution with great interest over the past few years. You would have made a very honorable ruler for your people.”
“If that is how you feel, then why have me shackled like this?” I asked in a calm and conversational tone, despite the fury that raged within me. “Why not release me?”
He gave me an apologetic look. “I cannot do that. You’re a good man, but you cannot be allowed to rule.”
“Why? Why are you betraying our alliance?” I asked, my voice hardening.
Deimos gave me a patronizing look that made me want to punch him in the throat as he slowly shook his head.
“I am not betraying any alliance. Our people are not formally allied. You have an agreement with Prince Zerien. Butheis not the Emperor of Sarenia. Nemrox is. And Fate willing, Zerien never will be.”
I recoiled, shocked beyond words. As far as I knew, the Sarenians adored the Crown Prince. From a young age, he had proven to be an old soul. His own father had started delegating more and more decisions to Zerien, even offering to abdicate early so that his son could prepare for the imminent Great War the way he saw fit.
“What? How can you say this?” I asked, baffled. “And whatever your dislike of the Prince, you know Nemrox supports all the decisions his son makes. What you’re doing is treason!”
Deimos took a menacing step forward, bearing his teeth while his fangs descended. In that instant, the violent—almost feral— nature his people struggled with was plain to see. And yet, I didn’t fear that he would do me any harm… at least not right now.
“It is not treason, but patriotism,” Deimos hissed. “I do not work for Zerien. I am sworn to the Emperor and to the empire. It is my duty to protect both from external forces that would destroy us.”
“And you achieve this by sabotaging their primary alliance?”
“I’m doing this by preventing history from repeating itself,” Deimos snapped with a self-righteous expression. “Prince Zerien held so much promise. He was once strong, determined, with his head screwed on right. And then he met that Guldan female and is now entirely controlled by his cock. He’s even gotten in bed with the Korletheans.”
“Zerien is hardly lust addled. He has shown remarkable restraint and respect towards Siona while waiting for her to come of age,” I countered, even more confused. “And the partial peace he’s entered into with the Korletheans occurred long before he met Siona.”
“But without her negative influence, we would have swayed him into breaking that abomination of a truce. Korletheans are a stain on the galaxy that must be wiped out. We will not rest until every last one of them has been exterminated,” Deimos spat, his fury resurfacing. “As if allying with them wasn’t enough, Zerien even went so far as allowing Faolen to marry a fucking Korlethean and brought a bunch of them to our homeworld, traipsing about in our own fucking court!”
I stared at him in disbelief for a moment, rendered speechless for the first time in my life. He was so blinded by hatred that he no longer thought logically.
“Siona has nothing to do with any of this,” I said in a soft and reasonable voice, hoping to calm him down a bit. “It was the Great General—the young Titan, Vahleryon Praghan—who convinced Zerien of the wisdom of letting go of the past. Zerien was shocked to see Faolen with a Korlethean Oracle. You’ll recall that Faolen himself was furious that this was the hand that Fate dealt him. But she’s his soulmate. Their souls vibrate in perfect harmony. That bond is sacred.”
“Yes, it is. Which proves that Faolen is not suitable to take over my role as head of the Sarenian Secret Service,” Deimos growled with disgust.
I snorted with disdain. “Jealousy? All this because you’re mad Zerien will give your position to someone else?”
Deimos huffed. “I don’t give a fuck about that position. What I care about is Sarenia. The Korletheans caused way too much harm to get off so easy. Sorry doesn’t cut it! Entire Sarenian bloodlines have been exterminated out because of what they did to us.”
“That was theirancestors! Notthisgeneration! You’re sounding like the hybrids asking me to retroactively punish people for acts that were legal when they were committed,” I exclaimed.
“So we should just turn a blind eye and let it slide?” Deimos hissed. “They are all the same worthless blood. Someone must answer for the genocide my people suffered.”
“Theyaremaking amends! Those who came to Sarenia, knowing what terrible welcome they would receive, did so to help your people overcome some of the wrongs their ancestors did to you. What more do you want? When will it ever end?” I challenged.
“It will end when the last of them has been wiped out of the galaxy. Their ‘kahtraining’ is too little, too late.”
At that moment, I realized there would be no reasoning with him. His hatred was too deeply rooted.
“Fine, you hate the Korletheans. But why killus? Why put my people through this torture?” I asked in a conversational tone.
His anger instantly faded, and that apologetic expression returned on his ridiculously handsome face.
