Chapter 7 - THE LOVE THAT WAS PLANNEDRen could not breathe.

Draven stared at the stranger.

“What did you do?”

The man smiled.

“I moved pieces.”

“You followed her.”

“Yes.”

“You manipulated Baron Silas.”

“Yes.”

“You sent the hunters.”

“Yes.”

Ren stepped forward.

“Why?”

The stranger looked at her.

“Because you would never have come to Blackwood willingly.”

Draven's voice became deadly.

“You used her.”

“I needed her beside you.”

“Why?”

The stranger smiled.

“Because the blood bond only activates through attachment.”

Ren's heart sank.

“You needed us to fall in love.”

The stranger nodded.

“That was the purpose.”

Draven turned toward Ren.

His expression was unreadable.

Ren whispered,

“Do you believe him?”

Draven didn't answer.

The silence hurt more than anything.

The stranger laughed.

“Look at him.”

He spoke to Ren.

“He was trained to distrust everyone.”

Then he looked at Draven.

“And yet she was able to make you trust her in less than a week.”

Draven's jaw tightened.

“Get out of my mind.”

“You are not immune to me.”

Draven suddenly grabbed his chest.

Pain struck.

Ren caught him.

“Draven!”

The stranger watched.

“Your bond is already deep.”

Ren looked up.

“What happens if we break it?”

The man's smile vanished.

“You die.”

Draven slowly raised his head.

“Both of us?”

“No.”

A pause.

“Only him.”

Ren froze.

The stranger continued.

“The guardian must sacrifice himself.”

Draven's eyes darkened.

“So that's the plan.”

“Yes.”

“You wanted me to love her.”

“Yes.”

“You wanted me to die protecting her.”

“Yes.”

Draven smiled.

Not with happiness.

With cold understanding.

“Then you made one mistake.”

The stranger frowned.

Draven stood.

“You assumed I would follow your rules.”

Power exploded through the room.

The stranger staggered.

Draven's silver eyes burned brighter.

Ren grabbed his hand.

The bond between them flashed.

A wall of light erupted.

Alaric stepped forward.

“Draven!”

Draven turned.

“Why did you let this happen?”

His father lowered his gaze.

“I was trying to protect you.”

“By disappearing?”

“Yes.”

“By letting me grow up believing you were dead?”

“Yes.”

“You failed.”

Alaric's eyes filled with regret.

“I know.”

Draven stepped closer.

“Then help me fix it.”

Alaric looked at Ren.

“She is the key.”

Ren frowned.

“To what?”

“The Heart.”

Draven stiffened.

“The crystal?”

“The real one.”

Alaric pointed toward the floor.

“The crystal you destroyed was only a shell.”

Ren's stomach dropped.

“Then where is the real Heart?”

Alaric answered,

“Inside you.”

Silence.

Ren shook her head.

“No.”

“Your mother placed it there when she hid your bloodline.”

Draven stared.

“That means…”

“You are carrying the thing that the ancient king needs.”

Vesper emerged from the shadows.

“And now…”

He smiled.

“We simply have to cut it out.”

Ren screamed as chains of black magic wrapped around her wrists.

Draven lunged.

Vesper raised one hand.

The floor exploded.

Draven was thrown across the room.

“DRAVEN!”

He hit the stone wall.

Ren struggled.

Vesper approached her.

“You were always going to belong to us.”

Ren's eyes filled with tears.

“No.”

Vesper reached toward her.

Then Draven stood.

Blood ran from his mouth.

His voice was quiet.

“Touch her.”

Vesper stopped.

“Go ahead.”

Draven's eyes turned completely silver.

“Try.”

Every candle in the throne room blew out.

A pulse of power spread across the kingdom.

The soldiers outside dropped to their knees.

The wolves howled.

Vesper stepped backward.

“What are you?”

Draven smiled.

For the first time, he no longer looked like the Weapon of Blackwood.

He looked like something older.

Something terrifying.

“I am the reason your master spent twenty years hiding.”

Then a voice echoed through the palace.

The ancient king screamed.

“GUARDIAN.”

Draven answered.

“COME.”

The entire kingdom shook.

And beneath the palace, the ground split open.

A staircase descended into darkness.

Draven looked at Ren.

“Stay behind me.”

She shook her head.

“No.”

“Ren.”

“I started this with you.”

She tightened her grip on his hand.

“I finish it with you.”

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Their bond flared.

And somewhere below them, something began climbing the stairs.