Sold to the devil

Freda’s POV.

Lost in thought, I sat on the brink of the bed running my fingertips over the silk cover. Although my body had recovered, the memories of the battle—of the blood and fear—remain fresh in my head. Closing my eyes, I could see the faces of people we had lost and hear the calls of the injured. Still, it was not only the fight that tormented me.

It was Damien, and the sight in his eyes when he held me last night seemed as though he was attempting to shield me from something even he was powerless against. More than anything, I could sense from his anxiety and desperation was terror. I was lost in ideas until a gentle knock on the door.
I watched as Christie entered the room, her countenance soothing me, "Lady Freda,"She spoke her voice low, "we need to talk." I nodded and pointed her towards a seat next to me. She grasped my hand, her kind touch comforting as she sat down. "What's wrong?" I asked With a thumping heart.

I felt something terrible was on its way, something that would fundamentally alter everything. Christie inhaled deeply before launching her speech. "Damien has an ultimatum from the council. They have insisted that he either break off his relationship with you or undergo an official challenge to his authority. Her comments seemed to me like a stomach-punch. The air left my lungs, and for a moment I couldn breathe. "What?," I shouted with a shaky voice. "They want him to pick between me and his kingdom?” Christie nodded, her eyes full of sympathy. Surely.

The council thinks your bond with Damien compromises the vampire world. They consider you as a threat, someone who might upset the equilibrium keeping our kingdom under cover from their enemies. Rising and pacing the room, I drew my hand away from hers.

My head was whirling, attempting to organize everything. But that is untrue, I exclaimed, raising my voice. "I want no one to suffer. I only want to be with Damien so he may help to create peace between our realms. Standing up and resting a hand on my shoulder, Christie replied, "I know, Freda. The council does not view it that way, though. They worry about the change you could bring as well as about what you symbolize. Stuck in their old routines, they will do anything to keep themselves safe. Fear wide-open, I turned to face her.


"What are we going to do, Christie? I refuse to let Damien lose his throne because of me. I am unable to... I cannot leave him to suffer. Christie started to soften her eyes and gave me a quick grin. " Freda, there is a way. It is perilous, though, and I would not advise lightly. "what is it?" My voice just whispered, I asked. "You have someone you have to meet," Christie continued, her voice grave.

"He goes by Sylas. Living outside our civilization for millennia, he is a renegade vampire. He is aware of old ceremonies meant to boost your abilities so you might grow strong enough to be at Damien's side as queen." I scowled; the name Sylas shivered down my spine. But can we believe him if he is a rogue? Why would he come to our aid? Christie hesitated, then looked towards the window. "Sylas has motives he hasn't told me for aiding us. But like Damien, I think he wants to see our world change. And Freda, I think you are that change. "

I bit my lip, the weight of the choice firmly down on me. "So, if I visit him and let him train me, I might get strong enough to guard Damien? Make sure the council does not harm him?"
"Indeed," Christie responded, her voice firm. But Freda, it will not be simple. One should not treat Sylas lightly. His approaches are unusual, hence you have to be careful. He might be working on a different agenda than ours. I inhaled deeply, seeking to calm my nerves. "Christie, I'm not bothered about how hard it is. I will do all it takes to guard Damien and ensure he doesn't lose his kingdom because of me. "

Christie nodded, her proud eyes shining. "You would say that, I know. Freda, you are stronger than you know. And I think you can get even more robust with Sylas's aid. " "When can we leave??" I asked, a sensation of resolve building inside me. "I can help Damien sooner the earlier I start."

Christie continued, "We can leave now, Sylas lives far from here in the highlands. Though it will be a lengthy trip, I will be beside you at every stage. " I nodded, the resolve settling over me. "Then let us leave. I'm eager. Christie smiled reassuringly at me and walked me down the long, meandering castle hallways out of the room. I kept thinking of Damien as we strolled—of the suffering and anxiety I had seen in his eyes. I knew this road would be tough and I would encounter obstacles I couldn't even picture. I realized, though, that I couldn't let Damien bear this menace on his own. For him, for us, I had to grow more robust.

Christie walked me to the door, her face austere. She said gently, "This is it." "Sylas resides within." The door then cracked open gently to expose a tall, dark man standing in the corridor. His eyes shone in the low light, and I could feel the dark, old energy radiating from him making my skin prickly. "Welcome, Freda," Sylas replied, his voice velvet-like in depth and clarity. "I expected you." My heart was beating, I tried hard to swallow. Something about him made me want to turn and flee. It was disturbing. Still, I kept my ground and stared back with as much force as I could. "I'm here to learn," I responded, my voice firm despite the terror chewing at me. "I want to defend Damien so he might keep his kingdom." Sylas grinned slowly, a predatory look that chilled my spine. Of course, you do. Freda, however, should be cautioned; the road you are going to travel is not a straight one. It will challenge you and stretch you to your capacity. And when it ends, you might not know yourself. I stopped his comments from settling in. But then I considered Damien, of the love I had for him, and the risk he was running. Not when so much was at stake, I could turn back now. With a forceful voice, "I'm ready." Sylas's smile grew wider, then he moved aside to signal for me inside. "Then let us start." The door slammed behind me with a hefty thud as soon as I entered the cabin.