The Lions and the Lamb: A Tamlin x Rhysand x OC Story

Chapter 14: The Ritual

Nightfall had come, midnight being only minutes away. Rhys had laid out the black silk robe that I was to wear for the ritual. I eyed it, trying not to cause myself stress about what was about to happen. I felt a large hand on the small of my back.
"Alanna darling, it will be okay. These priestesses have been with us for centuries. Tamlin and I will come to get you when what's done is done." He pressed a chaste kiss to my temple.
"I'm ready." I stood my ground, trying to ignore the way my words nervously shook. Rhysand took my hand and led me out.
Tamlin was at my door in an instant, taking my other hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
I was winnowed with my mates, coming across an altar in the thick wood. The trees opened just enough to see the sliver of the moon, it's golden light shining onto the stone altar. Around it stood 6 high priestesses, all clad in robes much like mine with beautiful hair running down their back like a stream.
Tamlin picked me up and laid me down on that cold stone altar, kissing my lips once. The priestess with long golden hair spoke.
"We will alert you when it is finished." Her tone was flat; rather formal. My mates both nodded, smiling at me softly before turning and leaving me alone with the females.
One put their hands over my eyes, signaling me to close them. I felt cold hands open my robe, leaving my front side exposed to the elements. My soft peaks hardened at the cool breeze and goose bumps traveled down every inch of my flesh.
They began chanting around me, foreign vowels that were almost musical to my ear. I smelled the magic in the air, only it wasn't that metal tinge as before. It was sweet, flower like. I fell into a state of euphoria, no longer feeling the support of the stone underneath me. It was like I was floating on a cloud of cotton, everything around me fading into nothing.
I heard the scrape of metal, then endured it as it swiftly cut into my left arm. The blood was loud as it dripped into what sounded like a glass chalice.
What I endured next was unlike anything I've ever felt. It was as if every mundane cell in my body was caught on fire and replaced with something magic, something strong and powerful. I felt the tears slip down my burning cheeks as the fiery sensation grew stronger. I distantly heard myself scream—then it stopped.
My eyes seemed to open automatically. I looked down at my hands to find my whole body glowing as if embers themself were beneath my pale skin. It disappeared gradually, leaving me alone on the altar. The high priestesses were gone. I closed my eyes, the exhaustion pulling at my consciousness.
I heard a pair of fast footsteps, opening my eyes to see my mates staring down at me worriedly. Rhysand covered my nude body back up with the robe, pulling me to sit up.
"Alanna?" He asked, peering at me.
"M'fine...just sleepy." I mumbled, leaning into Tamlin's chest. He picked me up, winnowing all three of us back to Tamlin's room in the manor.
My males set me on the plush bed. I heard Rhys scrambling for a nightgown as Tam undressed me from the robe.
"Arms up." Rhys cooed, slipping the soft gown over me. It seemed to muster up all of my strength to even do that simple motion, as I practically fell down onto my pillow. I heard him chuckle, turning to Tamlin.
"It's taken a toll on her body, but she should be renewed by morning." He explained, crawling into bed next to me as Tamlin mirrored him.
I was far off into the dream world, yet still felt that peaceful calm energy wash over me when my mates snuggled up next to me.
I found myself being pulled by the hair, wrists bound into a set of magical cuffs. They were heated it seemed, scorching my wrists ever so slowly, leaving red burns.
"Please! Rhysand! Tamlin!" I was begging, trying my hardest to not let them pull me away. "Please don't let them take me..."
My mates were held by two soldiers each, being forced to watch with daggers pressed into their exposed necks. I'd never seen someone look so torn apart on the inside. Let alone two high lords watching their shared mate be taken from them.
"This is what you've done to her." The same rogue soldier of Hybern from before gripped my hair tighter, stinging my scalp. "If you'd just given her up like we asked, she wouldn't have to suffer so bad. But now—" He slapped me across the face. "She's going to suffer more than you could possibly imagine. She'll be my whore to do with as I please."
They snarled, trying to do something—anything to prevent me from being stolen away from them.
"No! Please, please don't do this—"
"Alanna? Alanna! Wake up, wake up." I awoke from my nightmare, my mates trying to soothe my shaking form.
"It was just a dream. You're okay, you're safe." They calmed me, Rhysand rubbing the tears away from underneath my eyes. Tamlin's eyes darted to my wrists, taking hold of them. I flinched, feeling hot pain.
"Rhys...her wrists. They look like they've been burned."