Instant death would be far too kind of a way out for someone as sinister as Malrik Veyth.

And considering how so many beings had suffered far more cruel tortures and deaths under his hands, how could Riley grant this son of a bitch a peaceful and swift exit?

Not only would he be unable to face the beings who’d been wronged if they ever met in the afterlife, but he didn’t think he’d be able to sleep properly if he didn’t get to vent!

So, to hell with humanitarian treatments for criminals.

They weren’t human in the first place!

With them being magical beings, the law of the land would call for death anyway.

And Riley?

He’d already moved past the point of hesitation.

While the past him, as a human, would’ve wanted to retch from just being in the same vicinity, the Riley of today was different.

Having witnessed and even experienced a stupid amount of cruelty from this guy and his cronies, he was entirely open to filleting this monster ever so slowly.

Riley would even take his sweet time with this.

Now, he sounded particularly villain-like. And some would probably warn him about the psychological ramifications of taking a life.

See, people tend to assume that killing is easy—until the first body breaks them. By then, they’re left hollow, unable to come to terms with the life they’ve taken.

And maybe that was true.

After all, taking lives wasn’t something to be proud of. It wasn’t something one should be teaching children or something to be spoken about during dinner.

But thankfully, this wasn’t Riley’s first.

And judging by the rate they were going, it likely wouldn’t be his last.

So given the karmic coincidences that’d lined up in their favor, he might as well accept this gift: the chance to get even on everyone’s behalf.

The black dragon watched as panic and desperation set in across the Chancellor’s face.

Then again, who wouldn’t panic upon seeing their own blood weaponized against them?

Worse, who wouldn’t pale in distress upon seeing unidentified runes being scribbled on him as he watched helplessly?

Well, if Malrik had complaints, he was free to voice them.

Maybe he should ask for the opinions of all those people he’d controlled and marked against their will.

Or better yet—

Maybe he could ask the helpless children he’d preyed on for his own selfish designs.

Pheeeew!

Just thinking about it got Riley’s blood boiling. The speed at which he was manipulating Malrik’s blood turned into angry sloshes as he kept drawing more out in annoyance.

Honestly, it was the first time he was doing something like this on such a scale.

No wonder the black dragon could feel his mate’s anxiety through their bond as he continued with something he hadn’t really practiced on someone else.

Kael stood behind him, patient and unyielding, allowing him to do as he wished. To others, he must have looked particularly intimidating, especially since they assumed he was the one dealing with Malrik. Only Riley knew how his husband truly felt about any of it.

Worried. Extremely so.

Frankly, it was understandable.

While Riley had been controlling his own blood to pre-cast runic spells on his body, this was the first time he’d done it using someone else’s blood—someone he hadn’t even touched.

But after feeling a certain level of certainty that it wasn’t impossible, Riley simply attempted it.

And what do you know?

Much to his shock, his mana being in contact with the blood was enough to assert control.

Hah!

And how fitting of an end was getting betrayed by Malrik’s own blood, especially for someone who had so much blood on his hands!

But Riley was getting ahead of himself. Before disappearing for good, the bastard deserved a taste of his own medicine.

__

Malrik’s eyes bulged as his throat suddenly seized.

He couldn’t breathe.

No sound came out, not even a broken gasp, but his body said enough. He hung there in full view, a silent, gasping spectacle for everyone to see.

Riley leaned in as if whispering, letting his murmurs be carried straight into the Chancellor’s all too-free ears.

"Haven’t you always been a big fan of crowds and fanfare?"

At the same time, the black dragon kept himself hidden behind Kael’s larger frame, ensuring that while the crowd saw Malrik’s agony, all they could perceive beyond it was the dragon lord’s intimidating presence.

But Malrik heard everything.

"With how you orchestrated all those confrontations, I would’ve thought you’d appreciate this one?" Riley’s voice was a low, dangerous silk. "But why do you look so..."

He paused, as if trying to look for the word like it was on the tip of his tongue before fixing his expression into a deadly, accusatory glare.

"...ungrateful."

"Ah. Yes!"

"That’s the word I was looking for. Right now you look particularly ungrateful when all we wanted was to diligently return your gifts."

His gaze dipped for a brief moment.

"Like that stab that landed on the little one."

Malrik’s eyes widened in fresh terror.

The fear came back sharper this time. His body reacted as if the attack had just happened again, the memory hitting him harder than before.

The dragon lord’s aide made a face, looking almost apologetic.

"Oops. I couldn’t help but be generous for old time’s sake." His tone stayed light. "Also, I figured you didn’t only do something similar once. So I thought it would be good to add a little extra."

"!!!"

"At least just until this is done..." Riley dragged out his muttered words, talking as if he were describing a masterpiece that was finally about to be finished.

A short pause.

"And... there! Ta-da!"

He held the bright, almost cheerful expression for a moment longer, like he was waiting for a reaction.

Then it disappeared.

"Oi," Riley said flatly. "I said Ta-da. Shouldn’t you be showing more enthusiasm, Chancellor?"

His gaze turned cold.

"After all, you’re about to experience a once-in-a-lifetime thing today. You should be eternally grateful."

Malrik wasn’t sure what this lunatic was talking about, but he was gripped with a fear so overpowering it completely eclipsed the pain in his legs.

"Fine," Riley continued, quieter now, as if he were humoring himself. "Even I’m aware it doesn’t look that impressive. Or even remotely neat."

A faint curve returned to his lips.

"But you should be grateful I even added a doodle of a wing. A little something to remind you what having wings would feel like."

He tilted his head slightly.

"Though, I’m not sure you’ll have the presence of mind to appreciate it."

Riley looked at him like this was a genuine concern.

The Chancellor’s mouth twitched.

For the first time, something actually moved.

His heart seized violently, like a hand had clenched around it from the inside. He wanted to scream, to demand answers, to ask what was being done to him.

But despite his efforts, nothing came out.

"You graciously sealed your draconic side," Riley muttered, his smile widening into something horrifyingly bright. "So I figured I’d help you fulfill your wish."

His voice dropped.

"By making it permanent."

The meaning hit instantly.

He was being sealed!

Malrik tried to thrash, but the moment he did, the runes circling him tightened. They constricted sharply, compressing his body with brutal force that his chest felt like it were caving in.

PAH!

His face began to distort.

Scales erupted unevenly along his skin, and the shape of his nose shifted into something wrong, something incomplete. His body tried to change, to stabilize, but failed midway.

Inside, Malrik screamed.

No.

NOOOOO!

This couldn’t be happening!

Something like this?!

To him?!

HA! Impossible?!

Not even Kael would be able to do this without a circle!

He scrambled for his last shred of hope, his expression shifting into something eerily peaceful as he tried to delude himself.

It would be fine.

All seals could be broken one way or the other.

There was always a way.

Moreover, since when had the heavens even failed him?

Riley, seeing this sudden shift in expression, scoffed.

He moved his hand to reach for Kael’s. Not because he needed to invoke his strength, but more so because the black dragon was ultimately pissed.

If they had been in an enclosed room away from prying eyes, he would have thrown hands. But then, that wouldn’t be as effective as this. After all, he wasn’t dealing with a punching bag, but a delusional narcissist.

So yes, he didn’t necessarily need the help to finish this, but with his moral support right there, why wouldn’t he take it?

Gripping Kael’s hand, Riley leaned in one last time.

His voice softened again, turning almost sweet.

"Oh, and don’t bother thinking about undoing this," he murmured, light and sing-song. "My ancestors would say it’s impossible."

Then, as if explaining what he meant by such words, the aide’s eyes flashed.

Bright.

Slitted.

Emerald.

This time, instead of vanishing in a split second, those eyes stayed that way.

"!"

But if Malrik had momentarily thought about making excuses for what his eyes were seeing, he couldn’t do so the moment it hit.

Dragon fear.

It slammed down without warning, heavier than anything Malrik had ever felt.

Ack!

It was the final, crushing reminder of the hierarchy.

A reminder of what he had just lost.

Riley stood there, unmoving.

A dragon in every sense that mattered.

And Malrik—

Malrik was ceasing to be one forever.