The deal

Damien’s POV.
I was restless all through the night. Unable to sleep, unable to speak. All I did was wander deeply in thoughts and the imagination of where I was at and my position presently in the kingdom.
I wondered if I had lost the fear and authority I once had in the castle and if I was still dreaded by maids and servants, I could hear all the maids and servants taking about how I was challenged by the council some had negative things to say and some were saying positive things but that didn't solve anything. I stood from my bed and walked to and fro until I was motionless.

But I didn’t have the luxury of waiting. The kingdom was crumbling before me, piece by piece, and the elders were sharpening their sword. I could feel their eyes on me, every step I took, every decision I made, scrutinized under their cold, calculating gazes. Balen, especially, was pushing harder than ever.
I was losing control, and if I didn’t act soon, I’d lose everything.
That’s why I found myself standing in front of Isabella’s coven, a place that reeked of old magic and secrets that could destroy you if you weren’t careful. The air was thick with the scent of burning herbs and something darker, more potent. I could feel it pressing against my skin, as though it was trying to seep into my soul.

Isabella’s voice sliced through the silence as I stepped inside. “You must be desperate, Damien,” she said, her tone dripping with amusement.

I didn’t deny it. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. Isabella wasn't someone I was a fan of”

She was seated on a throne of twisted roots, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall of midnight. Her eyes were sharp, calculating, like she was weighing my very soul. “And what exactly do you want from me?”

“Help,” I said, the word tasting bitter on my tongue, I can't believe I'm meeting Isabella of all Witches to meet I'm meeting her “The elders are preparing to challenge my rule. I need an alliance with your coven.”

Isabella smiled, a slow, dangerous curve of her lips. “And what makes you think I’d be willing to help a king who can’t even control his own council?”

My fists clenched at my sides, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Because you know what’s at stake if they overthrow me. The kingdom will fall into chaos. The balance between humans and the supernatural world will shatter, and the bloodshed will be unimaginable.”

She leaned back in her throne, her fingers drumming against the armrests. “And what’s in it for me?”

“I’ll owe you a favor,” I said, the words heavy with the weight of what I was offering. “Anything you ask, when the time comes.”

Isabella’s eyes glinted with interest. “Anything?”

I nodded, even though the promise felt like a chain tightening around my neck. “Anything.”

She considered me for a long moment, the silence stretching thin between us. Then, finally, she stood, her movements fluid, almost like she was made of smoke. “Very well,” she said. “I’ll help you. But remember, Damien, when the time comes to repay this favor, there will be no turning back.”

“I understand,” I replied, though the truth was, I had no idea what she would ask of me. And that terrified me more than anything the elders could throw at me.

As I left the coven, the weight of what I’d just done settled heavily on my shoulders. I’d made a deal with a witc one that could very well cost me everything. But I couldn’t afford to think about that now. I had to focus on holding my kingdom together.

Freda. The thought of her sent a jolt of both fear and anticipation through me. She’d been gone for weeks, training with Sylas, and I had no idea what to expect when she came back. Would she still be the same person? Or would she be something... more? Something that even I couldn’t control? Freda didn't know I knew about her training she tried hard to cover it but I had ears and eyes all around her. The moment I heard she was training with Sylas to be a better and stronger queen I was happy but that didn't stop me from making my research on who Sylas is.
Just as I was entering the castle one of the guards came to deliver a message to me.
“Sire,” he said, bowing quickly. “There’s... there’s a word from Josh." Josh was the servant I had send to secretly monitor whatever training Freda was doing.

My heart skipped a beat. “Freda?”

“Yes, sire. She’s completed her training. She’s on her way back to the castle.”

Relief and dread warred within me. She was coming back. But what would she be like now? Had Sylas twisted her into something I wouldn’t recognize? Or worse, something that wouldn’t recognize me?

I dismissed the guard, walking into the castle, my mind racing. I needed to prepare, but for what, I wasn’t sure. Freda’s power was already growing before she left now, I had no idea what to expect. Would she even want to stay with me? Or would she see me as another obstacle in her path?

Hours passed like seconds. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t think about anything else but her. I paced the halls, trying to keep my thoughts from spiraling out of control. But it was no use. All I could see was Freda’s face, the way she looked at me before she left.

And then, as dawn began to break, casting a cold, pale light over the castle, I felt it a presence, familiar yet different. Stronger.

I turned toward the entrance, my heart pounding in my chest. She was here.

The doors creaked open, and there she stood, framed by the early morning light. Freda.

But this wasn’t the Freda I remembered. This was someone else, someone who had walked through fire and come out the other side stronger, sharper, more powerful than I ever imagined. Her eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop.

“Freda,” I breathed, taking a step toward her.

But she didn’t move, didn’t smile. She just stood there, watching me with those intense, unreadable eyes. “Damien,” she finally said, her voice like a blade, cutting through the silence.

Something was wrong. I could feel it in the way she looked at me, the way she held herself, like she was ready for a fight.

And then, she spoke the words that sent ice racing through my veins.

“Sylas wasn’t the only one who trained me,” she said, her voice steady, calm. “Isabella was there too. And she told me everything about your deal with her, about what you promised.”

I froze. How could she know that? I hadn’t even had time to process the deal myself, let alone tell anyone.

“What are you saying, Freda?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She took a step closer, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’m saying that things have changed, Damien. You’ve made a deal with a witch, and now, we’re both bound by it.”

Her words hung in the air between us, heavy with the weight of what they meant. My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at her, the realization hitting me like a physical blow. I wasn’t just fighting for my kingdom anymore I was fighting for her. For us.

But the way she looked at me, so cold, so distant, made me wonder if I’d already lost her. If, in trying to save everything else, I’d doomed the one thing that mattered most.

“I had no choice,” I said, my voice raw with emotion. “I did it to protect you, to protect us.”

But Freda’s expression didn’t soften. “Is that what you tell yourself?” she asked quietly. “Or are you just trying to protect your throne?”

I reached out, but she stepped back, her eyes hard. “We’re in this together now,” she said, her voice a whisper of steel. “Whether we like it or not.”

And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, alone, with the crushing weight of what I’d done pressing down on me.