Chapter 41
Since he didn’t struggle much after117Please respect copyright.PENANAqkTO3kivet
they started moving, the Serpents didn’t see a need to bag him or knock him117Please respect copyright.PENANAJnlvr6rsa6
unconscious. While they walked through the down, he took a quick peek, and it117Please respect copyright.PENANAeGdtIW0M9M
appeared as though everyone in the village was on the side of the Serpents.117Please respect copyright.PENANAh5w3DV8VhY
Even the normal seeming folk talked with the Serpents as if they were old117Please respect copyright.PENANA5A9oLuSYJX
friends. He would have to investigate what would make a village so close to the117Please respect copyright.PENANAJgHjxIyCji
city turn on the King. He didn’t see Eliza, but he could feel her watching and117Please respect copyright.PENANACgGHj7htuW
waiting. Eve opened a door leading into an Inn where Serpents were eating and117Please respect copyright.PENANAd9CmxSaOJG
talking with each other.
“Is117Please respect copyright.PENANAviJFrGSyci
that you Eve?” someone from behind the bar asked.
“Yea117Please respect copyright.PENANASldqRV7kOz
your old bastard it is.” She laughed. The bigger man launched himself over the117Please respect copyright.PENANAuvLQWi8uZh
countertop then picked her up on his arms spinning her around.
“I117Please respect copyright.PENANAD477KtH7Vp
see you completed your mission.” The strange man nodded appreciatively at117Please respect copyright.PENANAII7f8ca1os
Vander. “Lord Cranton will be pleased, though I’m surprised he came on his117Please respect copyright.PENANAdvSkAlOVVH
own.”
“Some117Please respect copyright.PENANAl0enVwq3hM
of his squad members came with him, me included, but I took care of the117Please respect copyright.PENANADcksW4fFLM
troublesome ones then had our men kill the others.” Eve beamed. “You should117Please respect copyright.PENANAgq5JwLm5ls
have seen his face.”
“How117Please respect copyright.PENANAkIbF2ngPPc
many did we lose?” the man frowned.
“Seven.”117Please respect copyright.PENANA5h4pE0A37Q
She spoke. “I told you not to underestimate him.”
“I’ll117Please respect copyright.PENANAvkAIIWUqjb
have to triple our fee then.” Vander let out a cough causing the two of them to117Please respect copyright.PENANAf5JFd5JQjR
look at him.
“I117Please respect copyright.PENANADyxxEFkKIc
don’t suppose you’ll introduce yourself?” Vander smiled. “It’s nice to let one117Please respect copyright.PENANAqZ7dN4ghSW
know who he should address.”
“This117Please respect copyright.PENANAnwn8uz8I6I
isn’t high society any more whelp.” The man backhanded Vander across the face.117Please respect copyright.PENANAtegRaHSFzo
“I don’t owe you a fucking thing.” Vander spit out a bloodied took onto the117Please respect copyright.PENANA0VQgj37bw6
ground.
“It’s117Please respect copyright.PENANA6STxWSuFPZ
alright Batiste, I know who you are.” He smiled. “My grandfather told me so117Please respect copyright.PENANAz7BUm8vUHg
much about you. Glad to see you slumming around with traitors. I can’t wait to117Please respect copyright.PENANAZwawIZKv1a
sink my sword into you.”
“Treat117Please respect copyright.PENANAppHyXt1SgB
a guy to dinner first.” Batiste chuckled. He walked over then pulled Vander’s117Please respect copyright.PENANAEhPSsUYxcN
head back until they were staring eye to eye. “Once they get what they want117Please respect copyright.PENANAvTEVW0ez8G
from you, you’re all mine. I’m going to enjoy sending pieces of you to your117Please respect copyright.PENANAhFenSQhwm4
bastard grandfather.” Vander responded by smashing his face into Batiste’s117Please respect copyright.PENANAoOH7JRlAeN
nose. He stumbled backwards, blood pouring out of his crushed nose.
“Get117Please respect copyright.PENANAkwGXIhv5DW
him downstairs!” Eve snapped.
He117Please respect copyright.PENANAmCUh4BIDCS
was roughly picked up and hauled away.
He117Please respect copyright.PENANAEOYKrjsZu1
was thrown into a dusty corner and kicked one final time before they left him117Please respect copyright.PENANAm6spu6rAiL
down there. He slowly sat up and waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom of117Please respect copyright.PENANANm3eFYTYEG
the darkness. There were two unconscious forms lying in the cell next to him.117Please respect copyright.PENANAmEiliNReqQ
Eliza and Kiara. Thank goodness they were safe.
Upon117Please respect copyright.PENANAyDXVUigvVB
hearing the door close, he saw Eliza moved. She slowly sat up then turned her117Please respect copyright.PENANAXyHleZsEBS
head to look over at him. It took her a moment to recognize him, but once she117Please respect copyright.PENANAKJj2QDmZWa
did, she threw her arms around his neck.
“Vander,117Please respect copyright.PENANAz5yzp88BEn
why did you come?” she whispered into his ear.
“To117Please respect copyright.PENANAUC7OEMNUNa
get the both of you back.” He responded, embracing her. “Is Kiara, okay? Is the117Please respect copyright.PENANAW8FoTTnNLv
baby harmed?”
“No.”117Please respect copyright.PENANAZnRDxjG97x
Eliza shook her head. “They only took her to get you and Cuvera here. They want117Please respect copyright.PENANAPq7HkYwth1
the shards we possess, but how are they going to extract them from us?”
“I’m117Please respect copyright.PENANAasYZ5hJpeY
not sure, but whatever it is, it won’t be good.” Vander frowned. “We need to117Please respect copyright.PENANAkQ5sAUMbRf
get out of here before Cuvera shows up with reinforcements. We don’t want to117Please respect copyright.PENANAGQA5qREbee
get in the middle of a drawn-out fight.”
“Do117Please respect copyright.PENANAZJl24ezc1S
you have a plan?” she asked.
“Let’s117Please respect copyright.PENANAITA7RdDHsV
just wait and see what happens.”
…
Kiara117Please respect copyright.PENANADnVvrM9RRc
woke up a few hours later. She was doing alright, but Vander knew that she was117Please respect copyright.PENANAaFBiNU5ke6
worried about the baby. Eliza soothed her while they discussed their next117Please respect copyright.PENANAO7e1g3AnjG
steps.
It was nightfall before anyone came117Please respect copyright.PENANASqLAthhg8F
back for them. Batiste and Eve came down the stairs with a third person walking117Please respect copyright.PENANAkRPZZifHiw
behind him. Vander recognized the smell and let out a low warning growl. Peyton117Please respect copyright.PENANABfsqxPwqlk
Cranton smiled down at him with an evil glint in his eye.
“I117Please respect copyright.PENANAqAll3IwbgI
told you he would come.” The man snarled. Vander lunged for him, but the metal117Please respect copyright.PENANAClFot4paVo
bars kept him from leaving the cell.
“Come117Please respect copyright.PENANACZDBKT95OE
here you slimy bastard.” Vander snapped. “I’ll snap your neck with my bare117Please respect copyright.PENANAnr9g3qrJYx
hands.”
“You117Please respect copyright.PENANAb1jSKSQOJP
always were such a handful, Captain.” Peyton nodded at one of the Serpents who117Please respect copyright.PENANAddimNV7O7E
smashed him in the stomach with the butt of his sword. Vander fell to the117Please respect copyright.PENANAhrJ2Y1yeyP
ground clutching his stomach trying to hold back the tears.
“Why117Please respect copyright.PENANAQQkobraSd2
are you doing this, Peyton?” Kiara had woken up and while she was angry, she117Please respect copyright.PENANAgYlTrKvyNU
wanted to understand. There was no way this kind man would do something so117Please respect copyright.PENANAAniksKkKPC
cruel for no reason.
“What117Please respect copyright.PENANAEuVXiBZQ9W
other reason is there?” Peyton laughed. “I crave power, always have. This is117Please respect copyright.PENANADR8bYKMbhk
the only way I can get it. Now, take those two to the courtyard.” He pointed117Please respect copyright.PENANAXDtKbY38Nq
towards Vander and Eliza. “They have the shards we need.”
“What117Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5pizwXjgi
about the Queen?”
“Once117Please respect copyright.PENANA23T91KCuSa
the ceremony is complete, I don’t care what you do to her.” Peyton shrugged.117Please respect copyright.PENANANNo0cnqnm3
“But for now, we need them alive to assure their compliance.”
“Understood.”117Please respect copyright.PENANAZgROpgNwye
Batiste grinned. He instructed his men to open the door. Pairs of hands grabbed117Please respect copyright.PENANAsPdh1LRzN2
Vander, making sure he couldn’t move, while Eve grabbed hold of Eliza. Eliza117Please respect copyright.PENANADuWtytgp8o
tried to fight back, but Eve held a knife under her throat.
“Actually,117Please respect copyright.PENANAlK02oHGAOL
bring the Queen with us.” Eve said. “If they try to fight us, we start chopping117Please respect copyright.PENANAMf3UHdH14b
off pieces of her body.”
“Do117Please respect copyright.PENANA4LJtSpvxRI
it.” Batiste ordered. Kiara didn’t even fight back when two more Serpents117Please respect copyright.PENANAkBA010slD8
grabbed her pulling her to her feet. The three of them were hauled from their117Please respect copyright.PENANA51O2KcjDRg
cells, out of the Inn, and into the square.
Serpents117Please respect copyright.PENANAKHbL5XtBNp
were stationed all along the space not giving any of them room to try and117Please respect copyright.PENANA7NFnfeRkXD
escape. Kiara was dragged to the side while a Serpent held a knife to her117Please respect copyright.PENANADuS0ZBhnmD
throat. Vander and Eliza were dragged to the center then their shirts were117Please respect copyright.PENANAGYXhTKAqQa
forcibly removed from their bodies. The night air was cold, but warmth emanated117Please respect copyright.PENANAF0JVxCOYFH
from Eliza calming him down. They were forced to kneel afterwards. A strange117Please respect copyright.PENANAia74oW2uco
man wearing a long black walked over to them holding a knife.
“Welcome117Please respect copyright.PENANAnE9kjZUXTy
to the ritual.” Peyton grinned. He walked into the circle also without his117Please respect copyright.PENANAwSh0rvlj0Q
shirt. “We will be taking the shards from you and taking the next step in my117Please respect copyright.PENANAhLuztbchAE
master’s plan.”
The117Please respect copyright.PENANAtMjVvxQd9W
black robbed person began to chant as he cut into his arms. He allowed the117Please respect copyright.PENANAuSoZ6z2fiL
blood to flow towards the end of his fingertips. He walked towards Peyton117Please respect copyright.PENANAUqTVc0eHoo
allowing the blood to drip onto the ground. He started to draw strange symbols117Please respect copyright.PENANAy7CE5gZHIC
onto Peyton’s arms, back, and chest. Even from where he kneels, Vander could117Please respect copyright.PENANAnrAjCronUD
feel the power emanating from the runes, but it gave him a bad vibe from it.
Once117Please respect copyright.PENANAK6vHDfGTWQ
they were done covering Peyton, the man walked over to where Vander knelt. “We117Please respect copyright.PENANABCBpYiXWak
will be taking your power now.” The voice whispered. Then he began to paint117Please respect copyright.PENANA3KgGT97LYc
blood runes on Vander’s body. As soon as the final rune was painted on, his117Please respect copyright.PENANAuxqdwDr6aC
body was racked with pain. He fell to the ground violently convulsing while117Please respect copyright.PENANAzbXF12DifZ
blue smoke enveloped his body. The smoke traveled from his body towards117Please respect copyright.PENANAbh7NJs46oB
Peyton’s then it started snaking up his leg.
“Yes,117Please respect copyright.PENANAxSSK9CMilg
yes!” Peyton cheered. As the smoke reached Peyton’s mouth, Vander felt a very117Please respect copyright.PENANAAnh52hJQ8d
terrifying presence surrounding them. A void appeared between Vander and117Please respect copyright.PENANAaUkWm5sStu
Peyton, just above where the transferring was occurring. A familiar woman117Please respect copyright.PENANARI6mr9cS7i
stepped out from between the dimensions followed by a large white wolf. Unna117Please respect copyright.PENANAFqHOEAdPyn
had come.
“I117Please respect copyright.PENANAgkuuz36evA
was wondering what has happening here.” Unna smiled a blood red smile. Her117Please respect copyright.PENANAKiGEFKlR2O
presence caused the Serpents to collectively hold their breath, not a single117Please respect copyright.PENANAqA64jBTW3I
person dared to draw attention to themselves. Everyone except for Peyton.
“Unna!”117Please respect copyright.PENANAVaKXZhEuHQ
He laughed. “Have you come to bear witness to your new chosen?” She smiled and117Please respect copyright.PENANAR0WIFBKfSk
started walking towards him.
“Do117Please respect copyright.PENANArgVpaIFBER
you think you can handle my power sweetie?” she smiled. “Stronger men than you117Please respect copyright.PENANAr2hznJj3GM
have tried and failed, are so certain you can do it?”
“I117Please respect copyright.PENANAd5ZJEN8g1z
can handle anything.”
“We117Please respect copyright.PENANAnxdf7dW6VE
will see.” She pressed a finger into his forehead. Black energy traveled from117Please respect copyright.PENANAp60kYfPmq9
her body towards his. Peyton started screaming. The energy transfer started117Please respect copyright.PENANAFv4f5kweu4
reversing as Peyton started convulsing. He bent over in half as thick fur117Please respect copyright.PENANA1iKBEQPIKT
started sprouting on his body. His arms snapped in half as his leg buckled. His117Please respect copyright.PENANA9T2xCXD58G
teeth began to fall around him as his jaw snapped and elongated.
“This117Please respect copyright.PENANAep9zFI8G5Y
wasn’t supposed to happen.” The black robed mage took a step backwards. Ritoru,117Please respect copyright.PENANABUrCbskWEF
spotting his chance, lunged forward, grabbing the man in his jaws then biting117Please respect copyright.PENANAMpyYlPH2WM
down sending blood spraying all over the courtyard.
“I117Please respect copyright.PENANAjl4YQYYzYY
thought you could handle my power?” Unna asked as Peyton still screamed in117Please respect copyright.PENANAYwg1pktooN
pain. “Unlike the others, you messed with something that wasn’t yours to117Please respect copyright.PENANAejYLX2BKZi
control.” She took a step back towards Vander. “Vander, sweetie, this will be117Please respect copyright.PENANAPkSuacRDaM
the last time I save you. Next time, you’re on your own.” She brought her117Please respect copyright.PENANAcSKEPNSCSn
fingers up to whistle. Another portal opened. She and Ritoru stepped inside.117Please respect copyright.PENANATytboD7Xgh
“Good luck!”
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Vander117Please respect copyright.PENANAYvlgz5wOHf
may have kept a hold of his powers, but now he was staring down at one of117Please respect copyright.PENANAO4Stuz0m81
Unna’s beasts. He had to figure out how to get out of here while keeping Eliza117Please respect copyright.PENANARdJ9vglhe0
and Kiara safe. There was only one way he knew how: it was time to make a deal117Please respect copyright.PENANAmkUxGvWnkI
with the devil.