Humanity at Stake (Completed)

Chapter 17

"God damn right, you should be scared of me
Who is in control?" -"Control" by Halsey

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"We all know why we are gathered for this meeting." Many of the gathered council members turned to glare at Quintavius, who sat regally, choosing to ignore the stares. "Is it true, Quintavius, that your thrall managed to break free of your bond?" the Queen asked. The incident flashed back through Quintavius' mind.

He leaped to the roof, leaving his thrall below with the severed head of her comrade. He managed to make it a few building over before her screams started.  His heart cracked at the noise, but he continued to the next building.

Mid jump, his chest felt the pain of being ripped in half. He crashed shoulder first onto the rough, vegetated roof. That pain compared nothing to the tidal waves of agony that burned his insides.

He writhed, slowly turning himself onto his back as he panted. His eyes stayed clenched shut, his teeth sharing into fangs as the ground against each other. A sharp holler left his mouth with the next racking pain. He instinctually curled in on himself, his claws digging deeply into his chest in attempts to ease the internally suffering.

She managed to break the bond.

The vampire looked up at the ceiling, inhaling deeply as he recalled the sensation before nodding his head in confirmation. A roar broke out over the council. Questions and disbelieving statements were thrown about in terror.

"How could a human manage to do that?"

"How are we supposed to get any information now?"

"She's a threat to us!" 

"We need to terminate her!"

"Everyone, silence!" the Queen yelled, instantly silencing the room. "Quintavius, do you have any idea how she managed to break the bond?" He shook his head.

"The bond had been growing weak, but it was still there. The compulsion was still in place wh-" he started, but he was cut off by Zalia.

"You mean you had her under compulsion?" she asked incredulously. Quintavius stiffened, glancing towards the adviser.

"Yes, I figured it would allow her to gain trust more easily if she wasn't aware of her true intent. She wouldn't be prying for information and making them suspicious, yet she still manages to gain it," Quintavius defended his reasoning. Xerxes smirked from his position to the right of him.

"Looks like that idea back fired, Quin. Now you lost your little lover." Quintavius hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously. Xerxes smiled, tsking the agitated vampire.

"Xerxes, don't antagonize Quintavius. One of these times you're going to dig your own grave a little too deeply," Yvonne scolded, recrossing her legs. Her blonde hair was pulled back into an elegant bun, showing off her shapely cheekbones. Quintavius side-glanced at the vampire coming to his defense. She winked, puckering her lips in an air kiss.

"Everyone!" the Queen growled. All heads turned towards her. She breathed in heavily before sighing deeply, composing herself as she met Quintavius' gaze.

"You're compulsion plan could have potentially worked, but why did you think it was a good idea to send in a servant that was disloyal?"

"My Queen, with all due respect, Nova was a perfectly loyal thrall. She had been raised from birth to be submissive and obedient. I didn't expect her to defy my order. I thought she was the best candidate for the job," Quintavius explained. Thalia went to interject another one of her opinions, when she was beat to by a loud, cackling laughter. All eyes landed on High Overseer Harlow, as she threw her head back. A few shared uneasy looks between each other, their postures going rigid as they prepared for the worst. The Queen raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, please excuse my rudeness," Harlow uttered as she calmed down, a few giggles slipped out before she focused again. He eyes swept her counterparts before landing on Quintavius. "Aristocrat Quintavius, that couldn't possibly be your mentality, could it?" she challenged. The aristocrat narrowed his eyes.

"It would be, do you have a problem with it, Harlow?" he asked, his voice dangerously low. Her hand flew to her mouth as a few more chuckles escaped. She nodded.

"You see, a person who had been raised exposed to only one life, can easily change their loyalties, especially when compelled to forget. Now, a person who has been conditioned into their loyalty, and not compelled otherwise, now that's a person worth using as a spy."

"Are you trying to say that you have a person that has been conditioned into loyalty, High Overseer Harlow?" Zalia asked her subordinate. A secretive smile spread across Harlow's lips as she glanced over to the queen.

"I do in fact. He has already infiltrated the resistance." Her gaze switched over to Quintavius. "and this one won't break alliance."