CHAPTER 78: BLOOD OATH?

Ian slumped down on his back, panting heavily as if he had run a mile in a few seconds. He closed his eyes, wincing as the headache faded, granting him some relief. The memories were, however, ingrained, granted to be a part of him.

Thinking back, he thought,

’I wish I could go back and smack some sense into my past self. Why would you do that, Ian?’ He did not even have to research to know what he had done. He still remembered the feeling of a force being drawn from him and into her. It was discomforting, but at the same time, it soothed his soul as if he had found a long-lost thing. Something that should have been a part of him for a long time.

’How can I lose something and feel like I have found a precious thing instead?’

He placed one arm on his forehead, casting a slight shadow and successfully shielding his eyes from the overhead blinding lights.

Ian raised the other arm up and took a hard look at the permanent ring glow on his finger.

"I did this myself, but why? What made me do something so silly, and most importantly, how did I manage to do it?"

Ian could not understand what he had seen but could not doubt his memories. The potion from the red vial he had taken was one that could clear one their mind and help revisit their innate memories.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Currey was his usual ’invisible’ self. He had watched on from when Ian had brought up the details on the screen. He had been a little surprised, though. Even though he had been gifted with memories and resources because of his lineage, that particular information that had driven Ian to take the red vial had shaken him to the core.

For even with Ian’s roots and special lineage, he should not have been able to do that. So when Ian asked, the how? He was speechless as well, for he also did not know.

"When have I never been not okay?"

Curry smiled wryly and nodded.

’Nothing can ever affect his majesty, but then...’

When he thought these, Currey realized something. ’If nothing could ever affect his majesty, then what had been happening over the past few months?’ His eyes narrowed, and all the playfulness disappeared.

"How? Currey? And don’t give me the nonsense that I have to find out myself!"

Ian sat up, his eyes showing a rare emotion of anger.

"I apologize, Your Majesty!"

Currey went on his knees at once and bowed his head.

"It must be because of your unique blood from your father-"

"Father? Are you going to bring up all that race and special bloodline nonsense again?" The veins in his neck and arms stood up as the anger surged to unbelievable heights.

Despite this, Currey was unusually calm, choosing to keep his cool because he knew of the turmoil that may be going on in his master after coming to the realization on his own. Hard truths must be said, and there was no way around them. He started by choosing his words carefully.

"Your majesty, I don’t know why you are still in denial about this when you have seen and experienced all these yourself.... I would never lie to you as I know the punishment for that is certain death!"

Ian massaged his temples and sat, leaning against the nearest wall, as he felt his anger abate almost as suddenly as it had risen. He could also feel his strength start to return.

Ian knew it was unfair to take his anger out on Currey, knowing full well that even though he sought answers, Ian knew fully who or what he himself was. However, knowing and accepting were very different scenarios.

He had searched and searched on this ´different beings’ thing that Currey had informed him about some many years ago. That was when he had started becoming fully aware of other existences around him. The fact was that at 6ft 4, and with his very muscular build, he looked nothing like Currey who was tiny and he also looked nothing like a creature with wings nor fangs!

On the flip side, Ian knew he couldn’t be considered fully human either!

’Let’s dwell on this some other time. I have already spent countless times looking into this and many things do not make sense! Craziness is now my new normal.’

Apart from these, Ian also knew certainly of the price he had to pay for taking in the contents of the red vial. But at that moment, he knew deep within him that it was worth it.

"Even with your bloodline, there is no way you should have been able to invoke the blood oath. No one from our lands has ever successfully done this, so I do not know of the repercussions that await you on your chosen road.

Despite this, I saw the act myself, and I have spent the past few years from that night trying to find out the answers or anything that would point to how you managed the unthinkable, but unfortunately, I have not been able to find out anything... I’m sorry, your Majesty, I really deserve death!"

"Do you have to always talk about death? Does that make you feel better than you are closer to your grave at each turn of the clock hand?"

"Huh?" Currey’s eyes opened as wide as saucers.

"I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I deserve d-"

"Here we go again..." Ian said tiredly and waved his hands to dismiss his loyal servant.

Currey raised his head and sat cross-legged on the floor instead of leaving.

He knew Ian like the back of his hand and knew exactly when Ian wanted him gone and this time was not one of those times.

"Many things now make a lot of sense. Her presence soothes me in ways unimaginable. It’s like a missing piece of myself has been returned. I don’t know how to explain."

Currey’s eyes widened in surprise once more, his whole being captivated by the unexpected turn of events.

’Is he explaining himself to me? Master Ian? I never thought that I would live to see such a day!’

"She makes me want to...."

Ian stopped speaking and let out a loud, frustrated grunt, running his hands through his hair as the frustration built up. Deep down, that conflict with himself was still there and it was literally tearing him apart!

"Will I never view Aliya that way again? Because of this?"

"Your Highness, I know that you loved Aliya..."

’More of an obsession if you ask me,’ Currey thought but continued speaking, choosing his words even more carefully,

"She is gone forever, to the land of the dead. The dead should remain dead."

"Do you think that I do not know that? You think that you are a smart ass to explain what death means to me?"

Currey held his lips between his fingers to prevent himself from talking again. Sitting straight with his eyes looking everywhere than at Ian. However, barely thirty seconds passed before he was talking again. Ian shook his head in a helpless manner.

"Your majesty, ... If I may, .... this is the blood oath witnessed by the three; two beings, flora and fauna, under the clear starless skies, on the brink of death by the tranced! All the conditions were fulfilled. There is no going back on this! From now on, I think you should brace yourself for what is to come because your own actions will surprise you! You sealed it that night, and this can never be undone in this life, as far as I know. But most importantly she....."

"I know Currey. She shouldn’t have had it any easier since then. How has she been?" Ian’s eyes creased with worry and a melancholy settled on him.

’How could I have made her suffer like that all alone!’

"I think you should talk to her yourself, but whatever happened that night five years ago was a blessing in disguise for her, considering..."

Ian was up, and was off the floor the moment he heard this. He was even surprised at himself as he found himself at the door.

His destination was obvious, but the only thing that made him pause was the last part of Currey’s statement.

He clenched his fists and jaw, turning around with a fiery anger in his gaze at the thought of anyone else even ogling her in her past. He gritted his teeth, his words, coming out slowly as he tried to curb his thoughts and minimize the anger he felt.

"Do you mean that there were more men who tried to molest her than my stupid brother?"

Currey dared not speak but only nodded.

"Who... else... touched .... her!"

Currey’s mouth dropped open as if to say, ’Who could even touch her when the best of the best has been assigned to her?’

But, looking at Ian’s bubbling anger, he knew that he had to say something... anything to make Ian think rationally before all hell broke loose!

Unknowingly, he had been thinking for more than thirty seconds which seemed like a lifetime to Ian, considering his angry and impatient state.

He strode to Currey and picked him up by the neck, squeezing the life out of him.

"Who DARED!"

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