Bloodbound to the Beastly King

Adina stood by the balcony, a light shawl wrapped around her shoulders as she stared at the landscape.

It had only been three months, and yet Crystal Moon seemed much different than it did when Roman was in charge. She sighed, shivering slightly from the cold air. She had left Thessara to tend to Kora and Mason. She needed space, and that was her only way of taking it.

They had begun to talk about Carter and everything he had done. The more they spoke, the more Adina remembered what the man had done. Out of everything he did, there was one thing that stuck in her mind. When he had forced her to her knees and made her watch the beasts touch Kora.

That moment sealed it all for her, and no matter how much she tried to remember that moment, it was forever stuck in her mind.

She exhaled, clutching the balcony rails tighter. This period of her life was the most terrifying one she had gone through. It wasn't like her life had always been calming, but this... She had discovered so many things it felt like her life was some drama.

Finding out she was a sage was one thing. Finding out that Lord Carter was a righteous disciple of Khaos was another.

But to find out that her father was the very man who took the lives of millions over the realm, the man who had single-handedly betrayed the realm, murdered the sages.

That was one thing Adina had never seen coming.

Was this why Vireyla had refused to tell her who her father was? Did this mean Thessara also knew?

Her mind was befuddled with so many questions, it made her head hurt. Adina sighed heavily, staring blankly into the sky.

Was this really the end? After now, would she begin to have peace? She knew the truth deep down...

"Here you are." Thorne's deep voice had her flinching in fright. She turned around to see him standing a few feet away from her, staring.

"How did you know to find me here?" she asked.

Thorne said nothing as he stepped closer, invading her space. "Thessara said you looked like you needed air," he replied, and she hummed, turning around.

Thorne caged her from behind, hands wrapped around her waist. He said nothing, though, and that confused her even more.

"Aren't you going to ask me what's running through my mind?" she asked.

"I intend to," he paused, brushing her hair to the side. "Tell me, Adina. What runs through your mind?"

"A lot," she admitted quietly. "A lot of things happened, Thorne." She paused for a beat then turned to face him.

The moonlight illuminated her face, her hair blowing softly in the breeze. She licked her lips as she tucked her hair behind her ears.

"I—what I did at our mating ceremony and I—" she couldn't get those words out.

"Adina..." Thorne called, but she shook her head. "I have to speak... please."

He nodded again, and she continued. "Carter... he..." she swallowed again, taking a deep breath and looked him right in the eye. "I'm a sage," she confessed, her eyes filled with fear.

Thorne stayed still, like he had been before, while she waited for his reaction. She blinked, waiting for it.

"T-Thorne," she croaked out.

"I know, Adina. Thessara told me. I know you are a sage," he replied.

She stared at him in disbelief, blinking so hard. He knew? "Y-you're not angry? That I didn't tell you when I found out? That I hid it from you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Gods, no. I would never be angry with you, Adina. You wanted to take your time. You had all rights to do that. I'm not angry, or disappointed, or upset about anything at all."

The more he spoke, the more she teared up. Perhaps after all that's happened with Carter and Radek. It had shaken her faith in him learning that she was a sage.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry that I hid it from you. I swear I didn't know until a while ago. I didn't—" her words were stuck in her throat as she spoke.

Thorne pulled her into his arms as she sobbed, it was almost like everything was now dawning on her. She kept apologizing.

"Adina, please stop..."

She nodded, wiping her tears. "Carter—he found out I am a sage, and he is currently planning on reawakening Khaos. He and the witch. They are behind the people who have been going missing all through the realm. They're taking them and turning them into beasts. Radek was one too. Carter controls these beasts. He needed my body to contain Khaos's powers once he has been reawakened."

"And that's why he did that," Thorne completed, and she nodded against his shoulder.

"Carter— You can't let him succeed. He can't bring Khaos back to the world. He'll ruin us. Ruin everything! You just catch him—" her voice had begun to grow weak with each word.

"Adina!" Thorne called.

"Carter cannot win. He must not bring Khaos back. He—"

"Hey! Adina," Thorne called, drawing back to look at her face. She had grown pale over the past few minutes, she swayed slightly in his hands.

"I—"

"Thessara! Caelum!" Thorne called as he swooped her into his arms, kicking the balcony doors open.

He burst into the room she'd been kept in initially and placed her on the bed. She wasn't unconscious but was clearly weak. It scared him more because it happened all of a sudden.

The door flew open behind him, Thessara, Caelum, Mason, and Kora came in.

"What happened?" Thessara asked, pushing her sleeves up and made her way to the bed where Adina was.

"She was talking and suddenly she her waka and went pale," Thorne replied. He was right by Adina's side, not moving an inch.

"She should've been resting more. I left her with you, Thessara! You were supposed to make her stay!" he growled.

"She wanted to check on Mason and Kora. What could I have done? She's as stubborn as a mule," Thessara gritted out.

"Hey! I can hear you," Adina muttered weakly.

"Well good. You can also hear me say. I told you so," the woman spat out.

She folded Adina's shirt up, revealing her bare stomach.

"Leave!" Thorne growled at Caelum and Mason, who looked shocked and embarrassed at the same time.

"Just turn around," Thessara said, glaring at Thorne.

"I'm okay. You all have to stop acting so—" Adina's words were cut off as Thessara placed her cold hands against her stomach, shutting her eyes.

Thessara did what she wanted to before Adina got the idea to go check on Mason and Kora. She connected her energy with hers, shifting her hands to her lower abdomen. She could feel it all. Adina's energy, the core she swallowed, and something else… Something new…

Thessara's eyes flew open, wide with shock and disbelief. She stumbled back, her hands trembling.

Adina jolted upright at once, panic flaring in her chest at Thessara's expression. "What? What is it—what's wrong with me?"

"Speak, Thessara!" Thorne growled. His hand was already at Adina's back, steadying her, but his gaze was locked on the woman.

Thessara's lips parted, soundless at first. Her face crumpled, tears rushing to her eyes as she dropped into a full bow.

"You're…" Her voice cracked. She tried again, louder. "You're pregnant… with His Majesty's pup."