To be Claimed by Her

Chapter 114

Silas's POV

We had been dragged from our cells, bound, and lined up on our knees in front of the throne. Rion entered the room dragging Seirína with him. Her face was red, eyes were swollen from crying. She whimpered when her eyes landed on us and then the woman sitting blankly in a small chair near the throne. "Mother," she gasped, trying to break free of Rion's grip. The woman did not respond, but stared ahead blankly. She looked so much like Seirína, but her eyes were a pale shade of blue that seemed to be dulled as if she wasn't really aware of anything. Her long brown hair was braided and wrapped around a crown of berries.

"Take that thing off of her," Seirína hissed at Rion.

Letting her go, he laughed at her defiance. "And why would I do that, daughter? She has worn that crown for almost twenty years. Taking it off now would be crueler than leaving it in place. Her mind wouldn't be able to comprehend all the changes. To her, you are still a small child, simply playing with your nursemaid somewhere." Seirína sobbed as she dropped to her knees in front of the woman. She leaned against her knees and grasped her mother's hands, singing softly to her.

I wanted to comfort her, to wrap her in my arms and tell her it would be okay, but I couldn't move from my spot. Somehow, her father had managed to suppress all our powers, even North couldn't fully shift.

"Why have you kept her this way? Why not release her to the Summerlands like Zura? At least there she would be at peace," she demanded of him, standing to her feet. I gaped, what did she mean like Zura, and what are the Summerlands?

Rion hesitated before answering her. "That isn't your concern," he said angrily. "Now, shall we break the news to your consorts, Eveleen? I think it is time to let everyone, including you, fully understand your roles in Fairie." She shook her head as silent tears began to fall. When she tried to step closer to us, a guard grabbed her, making most of us growl warnings and threats at him. The King began to laugh loudly, "How cocky you all are, or should I say foolish? You bluster about protecting her, yet you cannot even free yourselves. Let me make this clear, you are not free, nor will you ever be free again. I have arranged for most of you to be sold as breeding stock or pets, the remaining will be auctioned at the slave markets." He stood in front of Owen and gave an eerie grin, "You, human, will remain here. My mages have assured me that with a few spells, we can easily splice your DNA with demon DNA. I look forward to seeing your progress." He nodded and a guard grabbed Owen, dragging him closer to the Queen and Seirína. "Behave and I'll even let you keep your lover as a pet. Of course, he may live to regret that kindness." Rion smirked, "Demons do have quite the perverse sexual appetites." With a nod of his head, a second guard dragged Sean across the floor, throwing him at Owen's knees.

Seirína looked like she was about to faint. "Star, breathe," Sean said softly, trying to soothe her. She looked at him and Owen, nodding her head slightly.

"I'm so sorry," she whimpered.

"Would you like to know your fate, dear daughter?" Rion asked, gripping her chin in his hand tightly. She tried to move, but he held her tight. "You will provide me with an heir."

She gasped, "What, but I'm your daughter! You can't expect me to...to do that with you."

He laughed, "Daughter in biology only. We feel no familial bonds and your permission is neither required nor requested. All that matters is that Fairie accepts the bond." He stepped forward to grab her when she stumbled backward. "Besides, I don't even require your body, just this." He plunged his hand into her chest and ripped the stone from her.

For a brief moment, her eyes met ours, then seemed to focus on Corey. She mouthed - 'I'm sorry', then her body turned to flowers and fell to the floor just as he had described to us in London.

Rion held the stone gently as he stepped towards the Queen. "Now dear, this is why I kept your mother. Her soul has been suppressed for decades, but with yours inside of her, I can have my heir." As his hand neared the Queen's chest, his eyes went wide as Owen quickly stepped between them, making a thrusting motion towards the King's chest as he sputtered and stumbled backward. "You fool," Rion muttered as he crushed the stone, blood dripping from his mouth and the wound in his chest. Owen had stabbed him with the iron letter opener Sean had given him last Christmas. Making a final gurgling sound, Rion's body turned into flowers and fell to the ground just as Seirína's had. The moment he disappeared, we all were able to move.

"No!" We all heard Sean scream.

Owen was laying on his lap with a gaping wound in his chest as he struggled to breathe. "You can't leave me, Owen, please, not now," Sean sobbed.

"It's okay, my love," he tried to give him a weak smile. "Thank you for loving me so well." Owen began to choke on blood as Sean tried to heal his wounds. Owen reached for his hands, shook his head slightly, and gave a soft gasp. We all watched in stunned silence as his body also turned to flowers and he vanished.

Sean let out a shattering scream as a halo of light burst from all around him and he sobbed.

"They are together in the Summerlands," a weak voice said. The Queen placed her hand on Sean's shoulder as he clung to a single flower.

I looked down at my arm and began to sob. Her silver swirl was now just an unmoving tattoo.

Author's Notes:  ...