Bound to the vampire I must kill-Chapter 32: Betrayal

Chapter 32

Seraphina didn’t wait for Rhydian to move. Her instincts took over, and flames burst from her palms, spreading around her like a wildfire.The ice along the ground melted instantly, steam rising in thick, swirling clouds.

The scream—weak but unmistakably Irene’s—echoed through the trees again.

Rhydian shot her a sharp look, crimson eyes narrowing. "Seraphina—"

But she was already gone, fire propelling her forward with unnatural speed. The ground seemed to crackle under her feet, frost seeping into the earth as her magic battled to balance the fire in her veins.

Branches whipped past her face, and her heart thundered, each beat a scream of urgency. Irene. Was she hurt? Had they taken her?

She broke through the treeline into a small clearing, and there—

Irene.

The girl was on the ground, her dress torn, bruises already forming on her pale skin. One of the attackers had her pinned down, his knife pressed against her throat.

Without thinking, Seraphina raised her hand, and an arc of fire shot out, wrapping around the man’s neck. He barely had time to gasp before the flames seared through his flesh, his body collapsing in a charred heap. This was the first time she had used her flames without being afraid of hurting anyone.

"Irene!" Seraphina rushed over, falling to her knees beside her. She reached out, but Irene flinched away, eyes wide with fear.

"your highness," Irene whispered, tears streaking her dirt-smudged face. "You—y-you saved me..."

Relief washed over her, and Seraphina gently touched Irene’s shoulder. "Are you hurt? Did they—"

But before she could finish, something sharp pierced her side. Pain erupted through her body, and she looked down to see Irene’s hand wrapped around the hilt of a dagger, buried deep in Seraphina’s side.

Her mind went blank, confusion blurring her thoughts. "Irene...?"

Irene’s face twisted with guilt, but she didn’t pull the dagger out. Her hands trembled, but her voice was steady, almost numb. "I’m sorry... I had to. They threatened my mother..." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Seraphina gritted her teeth, fighting the pain. "What are you talking about? Who threatened her?"

"The Dragon Empire," Irene whispered, her voice breaking. "They found us... They knew where we’d be. They said... if I didn’t kill you, they’d kill my mother."

The betrayal burned hotter than the fire in her veins. "Why? Why would they want me dead?"

Irene swallowed, tears pouring down her cheeks. "To break the alliance... between the vampires and witches. Your sister—the queen—she’d think Rhydian killed you. She already hates him. If you die, she’ll be certain of his guilt. No alliance. No union. It’s the only way the Dragon Empire can gain her trust..."

Seraphina’s blood ran cold. Her sister would never forgive Rhydian if she believed he’d killed her. The treaty between the witches and vampires would collapse, and that would mean absolute war between the three kingdoms.

"You betrayed me," Seraphina whispered, her heart cracking as she looked at the the one maid she had trusted with all her heart. "You led them to us..."

Irene sobbed, finally yanking the dagger out, blood spilling onto the ground. "I didn’t want to... I never wanted to hurt you. But they... they said it would be easy if Rhydian wasn’t here. They never planned for him to be with us. He ruined everything."

A shadow loomed over them, and Rhydian appeared, eyes blazing with fury. He took in the scene—Seraphina bleeding, Irene shaking—and his expression hardened into something murderous.

He didn’t say a word to Irene. Instead, he dropped to one knee beside Seraphina, his hand gently pressing over her wound to slow the bleeding. His gaze softened only slightly as he looked at her.

"Idiot," he muttered, though his voice was low and tense. "You should have let me handle it."

Seraphina tried to manage a smirk, but it came out as more of a grimace. "Didn’t think you’d want all the fun."

He huffed, a hint of amusement flickering through his rage. Then his gaze shot to Irene, and his eyes darkened again. "You’re lucky she’s still alive," he snarled. "If you’d killed her..."

Irene flinched, her whole body trembling. "Please... they have my mother... I didn’t have a choice..."

Rhydian didn’t reply. He simply lifted Seraphina into his arms, cradling her as if she were made of glass. "We’ll deal with her later," he muttered, his voice deadly calm.

Seraphina barely managed to stay conscious as he carried her back through the trees. The pain throbbed with every step, but she forced herself to focus on his face—the hard line of his jaw, the way his crimson eyes flicked down to her with something almost like concern.

Before darkness claimed her, she whispered, "Don’t kill her... not yet..."

Rhydian just gave a low, resigned sigh. "Stubborn witch," he muttered.

And then everything faded to black.

-----

.The first thing Seraphina noticed was the lingering warmth spreading through her body, followed by the faint metallic taste on her lips. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she found herself lying on a rough patch of grass, Rhydian’s face looming over her, his crimson eyes focused and intense.

She blinked, trying to push herself up, but his hand pressed gently against her shoulder, keeping her down. "Don’t move yet," he said, his voice softer than usual, but still carrying that commanding edge.

"What... happened?" she whispered, frowning as her fingers brushed her lips, smearing a hint of blood. Her eyes widened, and she shot him a look. "Did you—"

"I healed you," he cut in, not bothering to hide his irritation. "You nearly died. Again."

Seraphina sat up despite his warning, her head spinning. She couldn’t help but notice how close he was, the faint scent of iron and something distinctly him lingering in the air. "You... used your blood?"

Rhydian scoffed, wiping his wrist on his shirt, though the cut had already healed. "It’s not like I enjoyed it."

A strange warmth spread through her cheeks, and she clenched her jaw, glaring at him. "Well, I didn’t ask for it."

"No, but you’re alive because of it," he shot back, leaning in until their faces were almost touching. "Maybe a thank you is in order, princess."

She froze, her pulse hammering as his gaze dropped to her lips for just a second before meeting her eyes again. The air felt thicker, and Seraphina hated how her stomach fluttered. "I... didn’t know vampires were so desperate for gratitude," she bit out, trying to mask her own embarrassment.

His lips curved into a sly grin. "Desperate? You looked half-dead, love. If you’d died, I would’ve been stuck avenging you. Figured saving you was less of a hassle."

"Love?" she muttered, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at him, speechless. Rhydian seemed to notice that his words had an effect on her, his grin softening just a fraction.

"What? You’re my wife, aren’t you?" he replied softly, his fingers brushing a stray hair away from her face. The casual touch sent a jolt through her, and she quickly turned her head to hide her blush.

Before either of them could say more, a muffled sound caught their attention. They both looked over to see Irene, tied up and glaring at them with red-rimmed eyes. The reality of what happened slammed into Seraphina’s chest, and she pushed to her feet, wobbling only slightly before finding her balance.