1 - Unbreakable Vow

Lana

Air won't reach my lungs. My heart hammers an erratic rhythm against my ribs, aching. On the other side of the doors, the Nobility of Illure wait to watch me marry a monster.

‘You should be excited, Lana!’ My mother squeezes my fingers as I bend double, gasping.

‘I'm not going to do it.’ I fight to keep my voice even, but the world is tilting. ‘I can't marry Thade.’

‘Lana!’ My father's voice is a whiplash. He doesn't shout, but the threat is clear. Beyond the carved entrance, the quartet plays on, oblivious to the rebellion brewing in the shadows. It's just us: my parents, my ally Rune, and my impending doom.

‘He's not the man you think he is!’ I protest, straightening as panic threatens to drown me. I thought I'd have time to run, but my parents have kept me under guard since we left home to travel here. I look at Rune, but her eyes are full of apology. There is no escape.

‘He is the King,’ my father stares at me, his gaze cold. I clench my hands, the distance between us widening into a chasm.

‘Believe me,’ I shake my head, ‘I've seen what he does—‘

‘He is the KING!’ The word shatters the air. Duke Nix steps into my space, his shadow engulfing me.

He’s a werewolf! I open my mouth to argue, but he lunges, his grip tightening on my arm like a manacle. The words get stuck in my throat.

‘Any word against him now is treason, Lana,’ he whispers, his eyes boring into mine. ‘You will destroy this house if you don't walk down that aisle.’

‘Then -’ I'm ready to embrace treason. I'm ready to burn it all down.

‘Vow,’ he interrupts my defiance and I blink. Vow? My mind is racing, he wants me to make a promise? If I make a promise, can I still escape?

‘I can’t marry him!’ I beg, knees weak, threatening to disgrace me. I’m not a fighter, not like Rune. I am a scholar, a creature of logic and puzzles, not a Queen meant for a court of vipers. Why is Thade doing this to me?

‘Believe me,’ I fight to keep my voice even once more. I can see my Mother approaching from the side. She gently touches my Father’s shoulder but he doesn’t release me. Tears burn the backs of my eyes, it hurts. It hurts my soul more than my arm, all through my body I feel torn in two.

‘Please…’ I whisper. He has to listen to reason, to evidence. I can’t marry him.’

"You will vow on the Otherworld," he insists, his voice unyielding. "Vow now to marry him, or I will drag you to the altar myself."

A vow is unbreakable. A tether to the soul. I don’t want to do it.

‘Nix,’ my Mother is firmer this time, pulling at her husband's arm, ‘she can’t have bruises walking down the aisle - not in front of the entire country.’ Her voice sounds strange to me, tinny, distant. But it works, and when I drag my arm away, my father releases me. I stumble, rubbing the skin. My mother was too late, his cruel grip left red lines against my pale skin.

‘Darling,’ My Mother interjects, laying a hand on his arm but he shakes his head again. ‘Lana, it won’t be so bad. You don’t have to be afraid.’ I want to laugh at her, I have every reason to be afraid. Thade already destroyed me. He tore my heart to shreds without a second thought. I was so young and foolish. So stupid to believe in him.

I can’t win this argument. I’m trapped between my parents, and the guards beyond the door. The only way is forward, into the chapel and towards my destined husband.

‘I vow.’ I reach out, my hand trembling as it meets my father's. "On the Otherworld, I vow. I will marry the King."

A faint white light pulses around our joined hands. The Otherworld has accepted the promise. My father steps back, a chilling smile touching his lips.

‘I’ll see you in a moment, my Queen,’ he smiles, proud of himself. My Mother moves closer, touching her hand to my arm, vanishing the marks that he left behind. It would be unacceptable for me to appear as anything less than perfect.

‘I’m so proud of you,’ she whispers, ‘you’ll be a wonderful Queen,’ she leans forward, kissing me on the cheek before she too, slips through the wooden door and into the chapel beyond. There’s a whisper of excitement as my parents saunter into the room to take up their places.

Rune steps beside me. ‘There's no way out now.’

‘No,’ I murmur, the weight of the magic settling into my bones. ‘I have to marry him.’

I can’t remember a time when Rune and I weren’t friends. We were both born into noble families, but Rune’s family no longer holds their hereditary lands. We grew up together, with Rune living in Castle Nix whilst her parents maintained their business interests in the city. She knows me better than anyone, and almost all of my secrets.

‘I made the vow,’ I reply softly. She knows that a promise on the Otherworld is unbreakable.

‘But I don’t like that look in your eye, Lana.’

I made the vow. I'll stand in the chapel and make the promises. And then, whenever the opportunity comes, I will kill him. They didn’t take my knife from me.

Harsh light fractures through the stained glass, casting blood-red shadows across the floor. I once loved the ruby-scaled dragon in that window; now, it just looks like a warning.

The King stands waiting, a silhouette against the sun. Dressed more for a funeral than a wedding. My enemy. My lover. The man I am bound to. I wonder if he can see the murder in my eyes.

I take every reluctant step towards him and the crowd murmurs and coos, excited. They’re fools. They don’t know Thade Madder the way that I do. I didn’t think it was possible to feel so much. My body is tighter than a bow string with my head held high. My every breath is caught, held and carefully released. At least I can be in control of myself.

I hate him with a white hot fury. If I had any useful magic powers, I could strike him down from here. I fantasise about blasting him with a bolt of lightning. But there is only me. A girl who likes puzzles and books and learnt to run away from adventure. No one is coming to save me. I'll have to save myself. I have to save my Kingdom. I have to kill the King.