Bride Of The Night

Chapter 22

### **Chapter 22: The Price of Freedom**

Lana stood alone in the heart of the darkness, her breath ragged, her body aching. The shadows still whispered around her, as if they were alive, lingering in the corners of her consciousness. She had done it—she had severed the bond, shattered the connection between herself and Morpheus. But now, in the silence that followed, there was a hollow weight pressing down on her chest, as if the very act of breaking free had left something missing.

The dark king's voice lingered in her mind, echoing like a distant memory. *You will always return to me, Lana. You cannot escape what you are.*

She shook her head, forcing the thoughts away. No. She *would* escape him. She was free now. Free.

But the freedom felt heavy, like a sword dangling over her head. The magic that had once tied her to Morpheus was gone, but it had left behind scars—deep, unseen wounds. Her body still hummed with the aftermath of the severing, like an open nerve, exposed and raw. But her mind was clearer than it had ever been.

And yet, as she looked around, the void still clung to her like an oppressive mist. She was still in the place she had entered when the bond was ripped apart—the cold, dark chamber where Morpheus had held sway. But now it felt different. Now it felt like her own, no longer a prison, but a space she had conquered.

A low, disembodied voice filled the air, pulling her from her thoughts.

"You think you have won, but freedom comes at a price."

Lana spun around, her eyes scanning the empty chamber. Morpheus's voice seemed to come from all directions, filling the void, and though she couldn't see him, she felt his presence. It pressed in on her like a suffocating wave.

"I don't need your lies anymore," she muttered, her voice shaking, but not with fear—something else, something far darker. "I am free. I have broken the bond."

There was a pause, a flicker of silence, before Morpheus's voice responded again, colder than before. "You think that by severing our bond, you have freed yourself. But the magic of the bloodline—of *us*—is never truly severed. It lingers, like a shadow, like a thread tied to your soul. And you *will* feel its pull."

The shadows thickened, swirling like a storm about to break. Lana's heart pounded as she took a step back, the oppressive weight of Morpheus's words sinking in. The emptiness she felt now wasn't just from the bond; it was something deeper, something unspoken.

"Don't you see?" Morpheus's voice softened, as if he were standing right beside her. "You cannot escape who you are. You are part of me. Always have been. You can try to deny it, but you are my creation. I gave you life. You owe me."

A wave of panic rose within her, threatening to overwhelm her, but she shoved it down. No. She had broken the bond. She had taken back control of her own soul. She wasn't his anymore.

*I am not his.*

"I owe you nothing," she growled, clenching her fists as the shadows seemed to curl around her legs like chains. "I've severed our tie. I am no longer your puppet."

For a long moment, the darkness stood still, the air thick with tension. Then, Morpheus spoke again, his voice like a dagger cutting through the air.

"If only it were that simple, Lana," he said. "You think you've severed the bond, but you've only freed yourself from one prison. There are others—far worse. You've made a mistake you cannot undo. You will feel the consequences. And when they come, you will regret this moment."

The shadows twisted violently, like living things, and for a fleeting second, Lana saw flashes of something—images, memories, none of them her own. Visions of death. Visions of destruction. She saw herself—her future self—twisted, bound, shackled once more, this time by a force even greater than the blood bond.

And in the center of it all—there was Morpheus, watching her with cold, unwavering eyes.

"*You can never escape me.*"

Lana's breath caught in her throat. The visions were so real, so vivid, it felt like they were happening in the present. She staggered back, her hands shaking, but then she forced herself to stop. To stand her ground.

"No." She gritted her teeth, pushing the visions away, trying to regain control. "You have no power over me anymore."

Morpheus's voice seemed to come from the depths of the abyss. "We shall see. The future is not set in stone. But remember this, Lana—no matter where you go, no matter how far you run, you are always mine. And I will find you."

The shadows swirled, growing darker, more intense. Lana felt them closing in, but she stood tall, her heart steadying, her mind clearing. She had broken the bond. Morpheus could threaten her all he wanted, but she would never go back.

"*I* choose my future," she said, her voice firm, powerful. "Not you."

For a moment, there was only silence, the air thick with tension. And then, like the fading echo of a long-forgotten memory, Morpheus's presence began to recede.

"You are foolish, Lana," his voice whispered from the shadows. "But you will learn. And when you do, I will be waiting."

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Lana awoke with a sharp intake of breath, her hands clenched tightly around the cold stone beneath her. Her heart pounded, racing in her chest like it had been moments from tearing free. Her body trembled from the strain, from the power it had taken to sever the bond.

She sat up slowly, looking around the familiar room—the hidden chamber deep within Seraphine's sanctuary. She was back, safe. For now.

But her mind was racing, and the words of Morpheus still echoed in her head.

*You will regret this moment.*

She pushed herself to her feet, her legs unsteady, but she couldn't stop the unease from spreading. The darkness had felt so real, the threat of the visions so undeniable. What had happened in the depths of the bond wasn't just a struggle for control—it was a warning.

Lana's fingers twitched at her sides, her new vampire senses acutely aware of everything around her. The room was silent, except for the soft rustle of her breath. She could feel the weight of everything on her shoulders now—the bond had been broken, yes, but the price had only just begun.

The door to the chamber creaked open, and Seraphine stepped inside. She took one look at Lana and her eyes softened.

"You did it," she said quietly. "You freed yourself."

Lana nodded, but there was little satisfaction in the gesture. Her mind was too clouded, too burdened with what had happened—what Morpheus had said. "I don't feel free," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Seraphine stepped closer, her gaze steady and filled with understanding. "Freedom never comes without a price. And now, you'll have to face that price."

Lana swallowed hard, the words hanging in the air between them. *I will find you.*

The king's voice echoed in her mind, a constant, haunting presence.

"I'm not afraid of him," Lana said, her voice stronger now. "I won't let him control me. Not ever again."

Seraphine gave her a faint smile, though it was touched with sorrow. "Then be prepared, Lana. Morpheus is not a king who lets go easily. And you'll soon see—he will come for you."

Lana's heart skipped a beat, but she held her ground. She was free now. She had taken her power back. And no matter what came next, she wouldn't let anyone—*not even him*—take that from her.

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