Vicious Bonds: A Dark Romantic Fantasy (The Tether Trilogy Book 1)

Council Castle isn’t a place welcoming to visitors. Their dark walls, thin windows, and sharp corners create an atmosphere that screams, “We’re better and stronger than you, now bow to us or get the fuck out.”

I’ll be damned if I bow to these people–silver little terrors who hide behind their powers and their walls. Calista leads the way through the castle, Arie and Vassilis walking at mine and Killian’s side.

“You think we’re gonna run?” Killian eyes Vassilis.

“You’d be wise not to, lest you want your brains splattered all over our walls.”

“Ha. Good luck with that, you Mythic bitch.”

Vassilis’ jaw ticks. He hates Blackwater people, I’d say with a very strong passion. He hates that we don’t fear The Council the way other territories do. In his mind, because they’re in charge, everyone should cater to them, run at their beck and call, and fear them.

They have a constant need for respect, yet they hardly do shit for anyone but themselves. That’s why there’s so much chaos in Vakeeli. They let us all run rampant while they pick and choose which crimes matter most, and which will be least problematic.

I suppose I shouldn’t take away all their credit. They are the most powerful beings of Vakeeli right now, but with powers like theirs comes massive responsibility. Their actions can’t stem from cruel or unjust intentions, courtesy of the Regals. My mother informed me of this when I was a child, back when she had me studying Vakeeli hierarchy. Which is probably why Vassilis hasn’t blasted us to smithereens quite yet, but I’m sure he’s looking for a solid enough reason to.

Due to his honor of protecting those in Vakeeli, he can’t be as ruthless as he desires or he’ll be stripped of his powers, and the thought of it makes me want to laugh in his face.

Calista rounds a corner, entering a large room with an intricately designed ceiling. Sharp icicles run up the black columns, threaded with twinkling lights and silver flowers. A table that can seat at least twenty people is in the middle, an iron chandelier with dagger-like jewels glinting above. A decanter of wine, a tray of fruit, and a roasted lump of meat (boar, most likely) is on the table. Calista points a hand in the direction of the fireplace and a large flame appears, instantly warming the room.

“Please, sit,” she insists, already taking the throne-like chair at one end of the table. Her brothers sit on either side of her, and Killian and I take several seats down.

With a snap of her fingers, three servants dressed in silver with scarves covering their hair appear.

“Wine,” Calista commands, and they hurry to the table, pouring wine into each crystal. One of them, a girl who can’t be any older than fifteen, sets a glass in front of me then bows. She takes off, rounding a corner with the others.

“We have an idea of what caused your attack on Rami,” Calista starts, diving right into it.

“My attack?” I shake my head. She’s fucking with me, I know it. “He started it. I just finished it.”

“You defied the rules,” Vassilis snarls. Love of Vakeeli, I would really love to punch him in the fucking face, just once to make him stop all that unnecessary snarling and growling.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, Rami attacked me while I was seeing a Mythic, took two people from my clan, made them fight in his bloody caves, and then assaulted someone I was meant to protect.”

“You mean your mate,” Calista says, smiling and I expected one of them to bring Willow up, but hearing her say it with that vicious smirk doesn’t calm my nerves. I clench a fist on the table, and Killian adjusts in his chair. I eye him, and there’s a warning in his eyes–one we pass to each other often when dealing with others. Remain calm. Don’t let them get a reaction out of you.

“I’ve just discovered she’s my mate, yes,” I state.

“And you killed another Monarch because he was about to assault her?” Arie asks.

“He would have raped her.”

Arie looks at Calista, and then Vassilis. “Can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same–not that I know what it’s like having a mate. But if I did, I’d do what I have to do to honor and protect her. I personally think Rami crossed the line there.”

This is why I like Arie most. Though naive at times, he thinks sensibly and with understanding.

“Despite what Rami has done, he was still Ripple Hills’ appointed Monarch,” Calista goes on. “And now that territory is up in metaphorical flames because he is dead.”

“You knew the law of killing a Monarch. It’s a cause for death,” Vassilis adds with snark. “You’ve been trouble since becoming a monarch yourself. Tell us why we shouldn’t kill you right here, right now.”

“Because you need me.”

Vassilis scoffs, glancing at Calista, who watches me carefully, eyes narrowed, her head in a slight tilt.

“You are very wise, Monarch Harlow. I can appreciate that. As you stated before, Rami was becoming a nuisance. You are not the first territory he’s tried inciting wars with.” She sighs, then sips her wine, as if bored. “But we cannot let what happened go unpunished. Many of the Rippies saw you and your clan in his club, and they’re angry. They’re ready to start their own war—create an act of vengeance for their fallen monarch.”

“I understand.” I sit forward, pushing my wine glass away from me and folding my hands on the table. Calista’s eyes flicker to my glass before lifting back up again to mine. “So, what will the punishment be?”

She leans back in her chair, bringing her glass to her crimson lips again. “There is a boy of Rami’s. He’s next in line to become Monarch there and now that Rami is dead, he’ll be sworn in within a year.” She swirls her wine. “We don’t want another Rami taking over Ripple Hills. We’d prefer to keep the peace, and though you can be a pain in the ass yourself, well…you’re a better alternative than Rami or any Rippie and the boy will need proper guidance.”

I frown. “You want me to guide Rami’s son?”

“We want you to train him, look after him, show him the ropes of being a monarch. Someone will have to be in charge there. He’ll need to plant his roots, get things in order. Consider this an opportunity for you to create a treaty with them.”

Killian shifts in his chair, grunting. I know what he’s thinking. A treaty with the Rippies is impossible. It’s never been done.

“And as we all know,” Arie chips in, “Rippies love rubies. They’ll do anything for them. To ease their concerns and kill those metaphorical fires my sister speaks of, you will give reparations to their guards. We’re thinking about five million rubies. That should be enough to pay them all off and shut them up. And if it isn’t, we will see to it ourselves that they have more reason to hate Rami than to grieve for him.”

“Five million rubies?” Killian blurts. “Are you out of your fucking minds? Our men will have to mine for those rubies day and night. Some of them may even die in the ruby caves.”

Calista shrugs as her wine magically refills. “A small price to pay for the murder of a king.”

“Rami was far from a king,” I grumble.

“You’re right. He was a piece of shit, scum on our shoe. Listen, this will be done. There is no negotiating it. You’ll look after the boy, take him under your broken wings, and you’ll pay the Rippies, so everyone forgets Rami and all of the mess it’s created.”

“Fine,” I mutter, but it doesn’t sit well with me. I care for my people, unlike Rami, and having them dig in the caves for rubies, it’ll be endless. They’ll grow to hate me, and the men’s families will wish me dead. It’s no better than sending them off to war. I’ll have to come up with a solution that doesn’t put my people in danger but still gets those bloody Rippies paid.

“Very good,” says Calista, and Vassilis puts on a shit-eating grin. My fingers ache for my gun.

“Anything else?” I ask.

“Yes, actually, there is one more thing.” Calista plucks an iceberry from the tray, a gray fruit I’m not fond of. “We know you’ve been trying to shield your thoughts about your Tether. You want to keep that part of your life sacred, but you forget we know everything that goes on in Vakeeli, whether we interfere or not.”

“What does my Tether have to do with this?”

“Your Tether, believe it or not, is our link to setting Selah free.”

“Elaborate.”

“Your kind–the ones who carry the Cold Tether–are constantly recreated. Every couple of years, there is a new version of you that is born, most times through different parents, and there has not been a version quite like you. You have the combination of a Monarch, a hybrid Mythic, and the Cold Tether from the Regals, and what a rare mixture that is.”

I sit back in my seat, waiting for her to elaborate further.

“With your gifts–your blood–it can help us find Selah. However, there’s something out there trying to stop that from happening.”

A chill runs down my spine. “You’re talking about Mournwrath.”

“Decius, yes.”

“Why can’t you defeat him yourselves?”

“Unfortunately, we were created only to defend the commoners and the gilded. Decius is a being created before our time. He can’t harm us, and we can’t harm him. In fact, it’s impossible for us to even be in the same room as him.”

“Why?”

“It weakens our energy,” Vassilis states. “And his, so he purposely avoids us. We can thank Selah for that.”

“Some Council you are,” Killian huffs.

“Anyway, we’ve had the location of Selah for a very long time, and she can only be awakened with your blood. You, I’m afraid, are the cure to her awakening. Right now, she rests in the tombs of an island, far off the Vanorian coast, Inferno Isle. We believe Decius has put a spell on her that weakened her, caused her to fall into a sleep that lasts forever, and took her there to hide the body. We’ve tried everything in our power to wake her from where we are, nothing has worked, and after doing our studies, we realized it was never us who could do it. She can only be awakened with the blood of the three most powerful individuals of Vakeeli. And that’s where you come in.”

“Every man knows if you even make it through the treacherous waters, it’s impossible to survive Inferno Isle. You can forget it,” I tell her. “It’ll kill me.”

“Death is a possibility.” Calista examines her silver nails. “But we are willing to do everything we can to protect you. We’ll give you fireproof armor and other things to withstand the heat and flames. And to get there, we’ll have a boat built, made with the finest Vakeeli iron and Vanorian gold.”

“And if it still sinks?”

Calista smirks. “Then we hope another version like you is born with the blood you have now in the near future.”

“Highly unlikely,” Arie mutters.

“’Tis true,” Calista sighs. “We’ve waited centuries for you.”

“And why come to me now? Mournwrath has attacked us more than once. Who’s to say he won’t kill us the next time?”

“Well, you had to mate first. The Tether had to be in full effect, which is why we opened the portal for your tether and brought her here.”

“You did that?” I grimace. “You put her whole life in jeopardy, and for what? To get me to bond with her so you can awake Selah?”

“Exactly. It took a while, actually. We couldn’t get it right the first time—Arie was too drunk and stupid to stay awake.” Calista side eyes her brother just as he takes a sip of wine. “We managed, though. And don’t be so glum about it. You can’t deny that she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you. You should be thanking us.”

Fucking bitch.

“We knew you’d look after her,” Calista goes on. “It’s what you do. You protect the ones you love and eliminate anyone who comes after them, and that’s why we’re glad you are the chosen one. You should be elated! This is an honor. Not even we can awake a Regal. Now that you’ve mated, it’s all come full circle. Your blood is charged.”

“You must be forgetting about Decius,” I counter. “If he kills me before your boat is built, I can’t help you with Selah.”

“That’s why you must go immediately–before he can capture you,” Vassilis says. “We’ll find the strongest men in Vakeeli and have them build the boat within three days. That’s more than enough time for you to prepare for the trip. And while you go, your mate can come here, where she’ll be better protected from Decius.”

“Like I’d let you get anywhere near her.” I glare him down a moment before clasping my fingers in my lap. “What if I don’t want to do this? What if I fail?”

“Wouldn’t be wise to reject,” Arie says, twirling the stem of his wine glass between his fingers. “As for failing, just stop it, alright? You’ve survived some crazy shit. If anyone in Vakeeli can do it, it’s you.” He sets the glass down a little too roughly and leans forward. “Now can we be done with this? I need to drain my fucking balls and this meeting is incredibly boring.”

“Disgustingly vulgar,” Vassilis hisses, side-eying his brother, who grins and waves a middle finger at him.

“You will do this, Caspian,” Calista says, voice firm. “You have no choice. Remember, we saved you from Magnus. And if you awake Selah, this favors all of Vakeeli, not just us. There will be restoration, retribution. She will kill Decius like she’s always had planned and you and your mate will be freed from his shackles of the Cold Tether. You can live your life as normal people, doing normal things without worrying about a billion-year-old monster sucking the life out of you.”

“Enticing, but I can’t help feeling like there’s a catch with this whole Selah thing–other than me boarding a boat and navigating waters that are likely to kill me.” As I survey each of them, I know they aren’t telling me the whole truth. There’s something being left off the table, I can sense it.

“No catch,” Calista says, her voice light. “You’re the only one who can complete this mission right now. You, the tormented, damaged, cold, but brilliant Monarch Harlow. You’ve been through and have done so much. You’ll be able to get to her. We need our Regal back for a more fruitful life. For more gifts from the Regals, and to truly limit the violence of Vakeeli. With Selah thriving and awake, the world will be as it was. It will be a place where we all can live without threats, or wars, or hostility. We’ll be able to mind our own and sing our praises to her for creating us, and in return she’ll bestow her gifts and blessings upon us. Tell me that doesn’t sound promising?”

“Not really, but if that’s what you want…”

Her eyes flash, clearly agitated by my response. “It is. And in three days, you will board the boat and go to her. Now do we have your word?”

“Fine. You have my word, but if Decius gets to me before that boat is built, you’re out of luck.”

“We’ll do what we can to hold him off,” Vassilis declares.

“Sure,” I mutter.

“I will see to it that you and your mate are covered by our eyes, just as we’ve been doing since your mate returned,” Calista says. “That means Decius will not attack while we need you.”

“How so?”

“Consider it a bubble of sorts, an invisible one that surrounds you and keeps you safe. Nothing can breakthrough this bubble of our energy unless you allow it.”

“This covers Willow as well?”

“Yes.” Calista rises, her cloak swimming down to her ankles. “Please enjoy your stay at the Luxor Inn,” she says as Arie hops out of his chair and scatters out of the room. “Our driver will take you back down to the town. We have rooms ready for you and your guest and any food or drink you want is on the house. And no, Caz, the food and drinks are not poisoned. The last thing we want is a roll of bread ending a chosen man’s life. We’ve waited far too long to let that ruin it.”

“I feel I should be honored.” I stand, fixing my coat. “We’ll be going now.”

A smile from Calista. “Of course.”

Killian is already across the room, making his way to the closed doors.

As I walk his way, Vassilis says, “There’s one thing you should consider, Harlow.” I turn to look at him. “If you don’t keep your promise, or you pull back on your word, there will be consequences. And I’m certain one of them will involve that pretty little mate of yours.”

I look him in the eye and my jaw ticks as he sits there, reveling in his threat. The urge to pull my gun out is intense and as badly as I’d love to pop a bullet in his skull and be done with him, I keep my hands at my side and draw in a breath, exhaling.

“I am a man of my word,” I inform him. “But let me be clear about something. If you ever use my mate as a threat again, I’ll rip those shiny eyes out of your fucking head and shove them down your throat.”

Vassilis smirks, his eyes glowing, a stark silver in the dimly lit room.

“Caz. Let’s go.” Killian grips my shoulder, urging me to move. I stare Vassilis in the eyes a moment longer, envisioning what it would be like to wrap my hands around his throat to strangle him. It would satisfy the hell out of me, but now isn’t the time, so I turn away, leaving.