Laws and Loyalty

XXI. Faux Bond

Angela couldn't help the scoff.

"You really are a fool if you think I believe you."

"I would be, yes," Isaac agreed. His hand was starting to brush her arm, sending ice through her veins. She shivered, trying to tear her arm away. Isaac smiled.

"The man who puts everyone under the magic is very skilled. He's done it to all of you girls."

"And why would that be?" Angela snorted. "This story is lunacy."

"That's what they tried to make you believe," Isaac said. "They're trying to take you away from me."

She scoffed. "You lost me at the 'it's all about you' part. How's that supposed to work?"

His hand began to pat the top of her head, almost like soothing a wild animal. Angela was revolted at his actions, but he still had her trapped on his lap.

Where the hell are you, Ryder?

"The rulers of Astana are threatened by me," Isaac began. "They know that if they kidnap all of you, that I will be helpless to stop them."

"You're saying the Starlings kidnapped me and brainwashed me?" Angela wanted to laugh in his face.

He nodded seriously. "You and the others."

"Others?"

Now, he smiled. "My other Soulmates."

The words sunk in, and Angela actually laughed in his face. A split second later, her hand cracked across his cheek and he winced.

"You're such a fool," Angela hissed. "You are not my Soulmate, only an insane boy with ego problems."

Isaac rubbed his cheek slightly, where a red-hand mark was becoming evident.

"You deny the bond?" He then brushed her bare arm, and ice shot through her skin. It prickled and was unpleasant. Angela sucked in a breath, wrenching her arm away.

He smirked. "Going to deny that, Angel?"

"Watch me," she snarled. "And my name is Angela."

"Deny it all you want, Angel," he replied. "You are one of my Soulmates."

"My Soulmate," Angela spat in his face. "Is not you. He is looking for me as you speak."

"Ryder Moore?" Isaac raised his eyebrow.

Angela went stiff.

"Oh yes, I know the name. You speak in your sleep, you know."

Angela knew that was a lie. Jasmine would have told her if she talked in her sleep, as the woman was a light sleeper.

"You lie," she hissed.

He shook his head. "Maybe. One of my girls was able to tell what illusion they had cast on you, this time. You were Angela Smith, a patrol Guard of Jythera, Astana. You lived in a barrack with Jasmine Lucke, who was a light sleeper and a happy woman. Then you met Ryder Moore because he was arrested by another patrol and learned he was your Soulmate." He tilted his head. "I have to admit, the Starlings wove quite a complicated web this time."

Angela was incredibly disturbed that he knew all of that about her.

"Stalker," she spat. 

He shook his head again. "No. Magic and illusion. Jasmine Luck and Ryder Moore don't exist, and neither does Angela Smith. You are Angel Aja, my Soulmate."

"No I am not!" Angela hissed. "Ryder Moore is my Soulmate, not you!"

Isaac spoke snidely. "In your illusion, didn't I kidnap you from Ryder Moore? Weren't you hurt? Where are your wounds?"

Angela snapped her mouth closed, realizing that in fact, her nose was not broken and neither were her ribs. Hadn't he punched her in both places? She had felt both her nose and ribs break from his blows.

But she felt fine. Just a bit sore.

Her mind spun in confusion, and she glanced at his arm. The gash she had used her sword to cut was absent. In fact, all of the wounds she had given him were gone.

Her mouth felt dry as she worked to speak, taken aback.

He smiled faintly. "There it is. If I kidnapped you from the street, wouldn't you be hurt?"

She swallowed thickly. "How long was I unconscious for?"

Isaac laughed, "Only half a day, Angel. Not nearly long enough for your bones to heal."

"You're lying," she muttered. "You have to be."

Maybe someone healed her? He had spoken like he had more people helping him kidnap her.

But she had seen his magic - it was influencing people. Hadn't he nearly made her drop her sword with a spoken word and frozen Ryder in place with a single command?

He seemed to see her track of thinking. "Fox said you thought my magic was influence. It is not."

Her eyes snapped up. "Are you a mind reader?" She snapped.

"No. I can only sense emotions." His hand lifted to brush her cheek, and she winced, feeling the cold. "Which is how I know you are starting to doubt your memories. Good. Maybe I can break the illusion quicker than I originally thought."

"You're a liar," Angela gritted through her teeth.

"Hardly. You would know if I was lying, Angel. We're bonded." He said softly.

"No, we're not!" Angela snarled. "For the last time, we are not Soulmates!"

His eyes narrowed. "I suppose I will have to show you." His hand picked up her left arm, peeled off the bandage, and held it up for her to see.

Angela went completely still at the sight of a cut on her flesh. It had scabbed over, but that wasn't what terrified her.

It was the vein it had cut into. It was pitch black, seeping up her arm. The area where the black vein was was freezing to the touch and prickling with pain.

There was a slice on Isaac's wrist, one of a few. Angela suddenly remembered that when she woke up, she had torn her arm away from his.

He had mixed their blood. 

A broken sob, mixed with horror, grief, and rage, tore through Angela's throat.

The man holding her hostage, the one trying to convince her that everything she knew was a lie, had completed a bond between them. He had forged a fake Soulbond, in effect, making Angela his Soulmate.

And the realization broke her heart, and she cried a name for help, feeling so much guilt that it tore at her. She sobbed an apology, wanting to claw the black vein out of her arm.

"Ryder!"