Bound in Blood (Broken Bloodlines Book 3)
Bound in Blood: Chapter 37

“Alexandros.” A familiar voice rouses me from my sleep, and I blink at the apparition of Enora Green standing at the foot of the bed. For that is what she is—an apparition. I have seen enough of them to know.

Enora surely possesses such magic, but I have never known her to use it to contact me before, and that knowledge is enough to have dread settling in my stomach. “Osiris told me of your whereabouts, but only because it was a matter of grave urgency.”

Ophelia has been in regular contact with Cadence and Enora whilst we have been here, and although I am still wary of most of witchkind, I am certain I can trust them. The boys and Ophelia remain sleeping, and I slip out of bed and keep my voice low, careful not wake them. “What brings you here to me, filis mou?”

She glances around her, her physical form still back at Silver Vale. “I must be quick in case Giorgios detects this spell.” My dread turns to white-hot anger in the blink of an eye. “He is here, Alexandros. He told everyone you are a traitor to House Drakos and has taken control of the Ruby Dragons.”

“And President Ollenshaw and Eugene simply allowed it?”

“You know they are both unaware of his gross misdeeds. He is being very persuasive. Charming and convincing in that soothing way he has about him. But he has an army of Skotádi with him, Alexandros. They camp just beyond the woods at the base of Montridge peak. Osiris and some of his pack discovered them last night while hunting.”

“How many?”

“Hundreds. Perhaps one thousand.”

Giorgios’s powers of deception are much greater than I realized. How long has he been planning this, and more concerningly, how did I not know any of it? “A Skotádi army? Of what? Vampires? Demons?”

“Yes. Osiris detected warlocks too.”

“Witches?” I growl.

“Warlocks, Alexandros,” she bites back. I have always considered them to be the same species, for they are simply witches who use dark magic, but witches who abhor dark magic vehemently disagree with my stance. “I am sure Giorgios suspects Osiris and I know the truth. He has requested entry to Silver Vale twice since his arrival not twelve hours ago. I have refused, but I am not sure how much longer I can put him off. I am worried for my girls’ safety, filis mou.”

I close my eyes and take a few seconds to process what this means for everyone at Montridge. How long before Giorgios unleashes his Skotádi army? How long before he tortures anyone he suspects may be helping us and discovers where we are? Any concern I have for our allies and the thousands of innocent people at Montridge pales in comparison to my fear for Ophelia.

“I am worried for Ophelia’s safety too,” Enora says. “For all of you.”

Before I can reply, a warm hand on my forearm forces my eyes open. “Enora?” Ophelia exclaims. “Is that you?” Her delight is quickly drowned out by anxiety. “Why are you here? What’s wrong? Is it Cadence?”

“Everyone is well for now, sweet child. But Giorgios is here at Montridge.”

Ophelia gasps. “Then we have to go back. He’s looking for me, right?” She turns and faces me, her eyes clouded with fear. “They’ll all be in danger, Alexandros. We have to go back.”

“I must go,” Enora says before I can tell Ophelia what a terrible idea her returning to Montridge is. “But know this, Alexandros—he is somehow in possession of dark magic. Some of the darkest I have ever felt. I sensed it as soon as he set foot outside Silver Vale, and he knows I did. But still, he did not care to mask it.”

“Go, Enora. I will update you with our intentions as soon as we have discussed my return.”

Enora offers a tight smile before her form disappears.

“Your return?” Ophelia asks, her voice low.

I am too tired for this argument, but there is no avoiding it. In fact, I have been anticipating it for days now. There have been many times when I considered simply running. Taking her and the boys and hiding, but every lesson I have learned in my long life tells me that plan is futile. “It is far too unsafe for you to return to Montridge and face him, little one. I will confront him alone.”

Her skin flushes pink and her hands ball into tiny fists. “The hell you will. We only just got you back.”

My frustration and anger boil over. Most of it is for my deceitful brother, but he is not here right now, thus Ophelia bears the brunt of it. “That is what will happen. I will replace you a safe place to hide, and you will stay there with Elpis and the boys whilst Anikêtos takes me back to Montridge so I can deal with Giorgios.”

“The fuck we will.” Xavier joins the conversation, and a second later, he is standing beside us.

Before I can blink, Axl is with us too. “We go everywhere together, or we don’t go at all.”

He is swiftly followed by Malachi. “Yeah. Because with all due respect, sir, fuck that.”

Baring my teeth, I pace away from them, enraged. This is like nothing else they have faced before. They have no idea what we are up against. I spin back around. “Giorgios is not alone. He has an army of vampires, demons, and warlocks with him. They are Skotádi, and they are far greater in number and infinitely more powerful than the army you encountered at his fortress.”

Xavier shrugs. “We have two dragons.”

“You do not understand. Giorgios is in possession of dark magic.” Dragons are powerful, but they are not immune to dark magic. “It is too great a risk for Ophelia to be anywhere near him.”

Axl shakes his head. “And what if it’s another trap? You go there, then he transports himself to wherever we are?”

“He will not discover your location because you will be leaving here. Only I will know your new location, and I would die before I gave any of you up.”

Malachi sighs. “But we’re stronger together, Alexandros. You know this. Look what happened last time he split us up. Are you going to risk that again?”

I roar, allowing my anger to spill out in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. Panting, I put my hands atop my head. My voice is thick. “I will not let my fear of losing her, of losing all of you, be the reason he gets his hands on Ophelia.”

Axl and Malachi blink, and Ophelia opens and closes her mouth, no doubt trying to think of a counterargument but replaceing none.

It is Xavier who speaks. “Let me get this straight—Giorgios has an army and some kind of dark magic abracadabra bullshit going on, and he’s gunning for you and he wants our girl. So your options are to go face him alone and leave us swinging in the wind.” He holds up his hands like he can feel the rage inside me building to a crescendo and knows I am not going to like what he is about to say. “Then he either kills you or he locks you in a cage again, and he comes for us anyway. Or …” He stares at me, and despite the lightness of his tone, he deep-blue eyes are pleading. “You go there with two dragons, three powerful and ragey-as-fuck vampires who want to tear off Giorgios’s head just as much as you do.” He takes a breath and jerks his head toward Ophelia. “And the most powerful being who ever lived—the woman who busted you out of a silver cage by simply thinking about it.”

She does have power beyond anything any of us can imagine. The child borne of fire and blood who will save us all. That is what I am most afraid of. I do not want her to save us. Those kinds of heroes do not get to live happily ever after once they have fulfilled their destiny. They save the world by making the ultimate sacrifice, and I cannot bear the idea of Ophelia being a martyr.

Ophelia places a hand on my cheek, her bright-blue eyes brimming with tears but her jaw tipped, defiant and strong. “I know you’re trying to protect me, but don’t you understand that I would rather die by your side than spend an eternity without you?”

I rest my forehead against hers, and for the first time, I do understand her. My instinct is to protect her, but she is more than capable of making her own choices. And if one of those choices is me, then I am not strong enough to deny her.