Bound by Blood ch.6

Evie left Jain’s office and stared blankly as she walked down the corridor. 

Did that really just happen? She replayed the memory of Jain, again and again, waiting for the truth to come through the cracks. 

Finding the same recording every time she played it. 

After entering Jain’s office and standing in front of him she’d expected to be corrected for talking back to September. For causing trouble like she always did. 

The prickling along her skin had increased its intensity and had felt like a second-degree sunburn as he’d informed her it was time they’d had a little chat. Waiting for him to mete out his version of a punishment like he’d done two weeks ago. 

She’d never expected him to place a hand on her trembling shoulder. Never expected him to say the words, “I’m sorry”.  

The shock of it had made her brain stop working. Unable to compute what was actually happening. Telling her after his apology that so long as she was Hatchet’s companion it would never happen again. She replayed it over and over, like a dream she didn’t want to forget. Like a lie she wanted to believe with all her heart. 

Out of all the insanity that day it was Lord Jain’s apology that topped everything else. It was almost enough to erase the reminder there was still something coming. But only almost. 

Evie entered the main hall, so lost in her shock she didn’t hear or see Hatchet coming down the stairs. Not until he grabbed her shoulders and spun her to face him did she blink out of the daze she was still in. “Hatchet?” 

He lightly shook her as he reprimanded. “What are you doing outside of your room? Honestly... Do you ever do as you’re told?” 

His exasperation towards her didn’t have the same effect as it usually did. Not while she was lost in the memory of Lord Jain- a noble- apologizing to her. A human. 

Hatchet was still waiting for an answer. Evie looked up at him, her mind still hazy from the shock, and admitted. “Lord Jain wanted to see me.” 

Hatchet’s features sharpened with suspicion. “What did you say?” 

Her eyebrows creased. “He summoned me to his office,” she began slowly, trying to recollect what happened herself. “I just got out.” 

His eyes flashed red and his spidery fingers gripped her shoulders. “For what?” Before Evie could tell him the reason, he asked through gritted teeth, “was it about what happened with September?” 

She shook her head but he didn’t see it as he now looked up at the ceiling, shadows dancing over his austere face from the sunlight shimmering down from the glass ceiling above. 

“I will kill that little b*****d...!” 

Evie had forgotten about what had happened with her and September earlier. It didn’t matter anymore after what just happened. “That’s not why.” She waited until Hatchet looked at her to explain, “It might sound crazy... but he called me to his office to apologize for hitting me.” 

The red swirl in his glare lessened. “He what?” 

“I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it, too,” she said at his look of skepticism. “but that’s what happened.” 

For a moment Hatchet just stared at her. Then he released his hold and grabbed her arms, bringing them close to his face, his eyes narrowing. “Where did he do it,” he hissed, ignoring the curious gazes from other Nightrealm. Now that the sun was beginning to dip into the cool of night the marble hall started to fill with Nightrealm, their companions serving them wine glasses with a deep red liquid. Evie should leave as humans not serving weren’t allowed in the hall during this time, but because Hatchet was now with her no one would say anything to either of them. Even when he continued to spin her around and demand loudly to show him where Jain had bitten her. Even when her skin started to feel painful. 

After the third spin and catching the ambivalent stares aimed at her from the other Nightrealm she reached out and grabbed Hatchet’s hands, giving him a pleading look. “He didn't bite me, Hatchet, I swear. He really just wanted to apologize . . .” 

But Hatchet wasn’t listening to her. Evie fell off in a gasp as he ripped his hands out of hers and glared. “How naive are you?” he snapped, his pupils fully red now. She recoiled as he grabbed her arm firmly and locked his eyes on her. “He manipulated you to forget the real reason he wanted to see you.” 

Evie tensed at the accusation. “You think I wouldn’t remember him doing that?” 

Hatchet gave a harsh laugh. “Of course not, Evie. Don’t be this dumb.”

“I’m not dumb,” she repeated, stung. Then she added in a whisper as more Nightrealm entered the hall, sensing their disapproval at his outburst. Her skin felt like sharp nails clawed at her. “Why is it so hard to believe he said he was sorry to me?”

Narrowing his eyes he answered her like he was talking to a child. “Because what you want me to believe is impossible. No Nightrealm would ever stoop so low and apologize to an expendable human- damnit Evie, don’t look at me like that,” he muttered as his words slapped her harder than Jain had done. He ran a hand through his midnight hair and gave a sharp sigh. “You know what I mean.”

Evie lowered her eyes and took in a steeling breath against the pain tightening her chest, staring at the little see through buttons on his shirt as she did her best to keep the tears from entering her voice. Warning bells rang loudly in her head but she was too focused on what he’d said to care.  “You think I’m expendable...?” 

“To them, yes,” he said in irritation. “But to me, you are-”

“Your companion,” she finished for him, the burning behind her eyes blurring everything. She forced her watery gaze to meet his hardened stare. “Your food source.” 

His eyes widened as if he understood his mistake. Then he sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders again. “Please don’t be so dramatic. You know that’s not all you are to me.” 

Someone cleared their throat and the low murmurs of the Nightrealm hushed. It caught Hatchet’s attention, his head craning to the side, his expression becoming murderous. “Jain,” he growled. “This is your fault.” 

Evie didn’t need to turn to see Lord Jain’s smirk. She could sense it through the way he sauntered towards them, his steps slow and unhurried as he faced down the burning wrath of Hatchet. “My prince, have I done something to offend you?” 

Hatchet’s entire face contorted in rage.“You manipulated my companion.” 

Evie gasped and stared at Hatchet in horror. He wasn’t just confronting Lord Jain on what he thought happened. He was accusing his loyalty. In front of almost the entire Lamia clan. She wasn’t competent in Nightrealm politics but she did know what Hatchet just did was grounds for death. And everyone in the hall was now watching the conflict, waiting to see what Lord Jain would do against such an insult. “Hatchet...”

The entire hall watched Lord Jain’s reaction at the grave accusation. He merely sighed and shook his head slowly. “I'm offended, my prince, that you think so low of me. Not just in me,” he added,  “but in your chosen companion as well.” 

Hatchet’s fingers dug into Evie’s shoulders, making her wince, her stomach hurting. “You have no right to speak about her,” he snarled. 

Evie glanced at Jain who smiled, amused. “Perhaps when she was your companion, yes.” 

“What do you mean “was”?” 

Lord Jain continued on, amused. “You just accused her of breaking the contract, my prince, by doubting her loyalty.”

The crowd of Nightrealm hushed into excited whispers as Hatchet’s hands began to tremble. Although he wasn’t her favorite person right now his reaction worried her, the pain in her stomach building as she saw him clench his jaw. “H-hatchet? W-what’s going on?” 

What does it mean to doubt my loyalty? What’s going to happen? 

Lord Jain sounded apologetic as he finished with, “and we all know the price to pay for that, my prince...don’t we?” 

Hatchet tensed, his eyes narrowing. Evie felt herself shaking, terrified to find it coming from him, the darkening sense the storm was about to hit. “W-what does that mean?” she whispered. 

Since Lord Jain had entered the hall, Hatchet hadn’t looked at her. Now he did, and his gaze was filled with a mixture of anger and something else. Something she’d never seen in his eyes before. 

Something she recognized all too well. 

Fear. 

Her skin burned. Her heart stopped beating. All afternoon she’d thought getting slapped by Jain or attacked by September was the worst case scenario. How naive she’d been, just like Hatchet had said only a couple of minutes ago. 

There were only two outcomes for her that would make Hatchet look this scared. 

Death. Feeder. 

Evie stared at Hatchet until he blurred. Until he had to look away. He straightened and bared his teeth. Then swept a scathing look around the hall at the other members who indifferently returned to their conversations with each other, yet all still waited for the decision Hatchet had to make: 

betray his clan. Or betray her. 

Evie didn’t know which option for him was worse. What would happen if he did the former? 

She wished she’d paid better attention when Hatchet read to her about the policies of Nightrealm. Wished she’d have known this was going to happen to stop it. 

August’s words returned to her. Warning her too little, too late. 

Jain waited patiently for his decision, and Hatchet answered by releasing Evie to grab her hand, dragging her towards the corridor behind the stairs. Evie sucked in a trembling breath, waiting for him to denounce her in front of everyone. To take her to where the feeders were trapped. 

Instead, Hatchet surprised all of them. “We’re done here.” Then, to her, “let’s go, Evie.” 

Jain clicked his tongue again. “My, what an example you are setting, my prince, for those who will one day follow you. Choosing a mere human girl who you do not trust over your own clan. Your family” 

Evie winced when Hatchet spun them around to yell. “I did not question her loyalty, I questioned yours!” 

Gasps ran throughout the hall, and they were worse than the hushed whispers. Hatchet caught on faster to the sudden tension in the hall than she did, demanding. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” 

Behind Hatchet’s back Evie found Jain’s smile crook up. “One must be to survive these days.”  

Evie’s mouth went dry as she filled in the blanks of what hadn’t been spoken. 

Hatchet had just declared war on his father’s right hand man. Which was exactly what Jain looked like he wanted to happen.   

Jain smiled. “What shall you do now my prince? Still planning on running away?” 

Hatchet bared his teeth. Then took a threatening step forward.

Evie’s head thumped in agony and she grabbed it, letting out a whimper. 

No...The storm. It was there.

Hatchet stopped moving towards Jain and looked alarmed, grabbing her by arms when her legs buckled, the pain too much to keep standing. 

Hatchet peered into her face. “Evie...Evie-” 

A loud crash overhead interrupted his attention. Evie let out a sob. Because she now knew whatever was about to happen was what she’d been trying to warn herself about all day. 

She forced her gaze upwards to where Hatchet was now focused. Everyone in the hall did the same. 

The rounded dome was cracked, the fissures stretching across the glass like fingers. 

Then a shadow covered the hall, and someone let out a startled cry just as black boots slammed into the center of the glass, caving the dome inward, raining shards down over them. 

A man yelled, “It’s the GARD-” and everyone in the hall jumped to life. 

Evie had no idea what was happening before she was grabbed by Hatchet, his whole body covering hers from the glass raining down on them. 

She slammed her eyes shut just as the sharp pieces poured over them, the crash of glass mixed with the screams of people in the hall making her ears ring. 

As soon as it started it stopped. And silence deafened the great hall. 

Evie clung to him, her cheek wet. Lifting her head up she discovered it wasn’t tears that ran down her face. But blood. Hatchet’s blood.

“H-hatchet...” She unclenched her hold on him and lifted a trembling hand to wipe the blood away, but he grabbed it and placed it on his neck, covering hers. “Don’t look so scared....” he said with a tense smile. “I’m going to be just fine-”

“My prince- watch out!” 

The warning came too late. Black ropes fell through the opened ceiling and people in olive green suits cascaded down. They hit the marble floor and pulled out guns. 

Chaos broke out in the hall and screams ricocheted off the high ceiling. 

All of it happened so fast. And when the intruders lowered their weapons and stopped shooting they discovered Evie screaming in anguish. Cradling Hatchet in her arms.

A bullet pierced right through his heart.