Ink

Chapter 12

As we merge onto the underground highway, my mind is running a mile a minute attempting to formulate a way to face Mephistor.

I knew that tonight was his coronation, and that meant that he would be the center of attention so avoiding him would be difficult, however, just because I saw him, didn't necessarily mean that he had to see me.

If I viewed the coronation and left swiftly afterwards after all were allowed, I could flee the castle before dealing with any unwanted interactions.

"I do think you should tell Klaus, Alliana." Mr. Burke begins."If Mephistor has marked you, there may not be much more time for you to speak with him before the bond that has been created causes him to shield you from more potential threats."

"Shield me? Is he that barbaric that he feels the need to keep me away from other men?"

"It's the bond Alliana. He can't help it."

"I can tell, in the dream, or, whatever it was, he could keep his hands off of me. It was almost as if he'd been planning-"

"Not planning Ms. Nixon, more like waiting. He, like myself, was made aware of your credentials before you first stepped a foot into the castle, and was impressed as the rest of us were. He must have got it in his mind that you were also gifted, and waited until he could get you alone to see for himself."

"What if I hadn't been gifted then? If he had still marked me, what would have happened?" I ask.

"Alliana, you would have died. A non gifted being can not handle a mark from a gifted one."

"H-he was willing to kill me to discover if I had a gift?" I say quietly. An uneasy feeling settling in my stomach.

"I believe so."Mr. Burke's voice is quiet as well."He must have been desperate at that point. Feeling like he had no one who understood. The mere sight of you must have been hope enough for him that you were more than met the eye."

I sink back into my seat as my mind desperately tried to process all of the information going into it.

"Is the mark permanent?" My voice is barely above a whisper.

"Thankfully, no." My eyes widen at this unexpected response and I exhale."In the past the mark was given to the female before the coronation, afterwards, the male and female would need to feed from one another to complete the process."

"So he's planning on having us feed on each other tonight?" I say. Mr. Burke nods. "How lovely."

"Such an extreme gesture I know. Fortunately, however, we are aware of his plan, and, therefore we can stop it before it is able to take root."

I turn my head towards him, waiting for him to continue.

"As soon as you get to the palace I want you to go to Klaus's office and make him aware of the current situation. Mephistor will undoubtably have guards waiting inside of the ceremony to monitor you and prevent potential escape before he can complete his plan." I nod."You have to attend the ceremony otherwise suspicion will rise, so I want you to enter with Klaus, and after the ceremony, you two need to leave as quickly as you can together."

"I don't understand. Where will we go? This entire kingdom will be under Mephistor's surveillance."

"You will take my car north. I will program the directions to your destination on my phone and relay them to you through the cars autopilot."

"You want me to just leave? I have a family-"

"Your family belongs to the prince now, and I doubt that you are that fond of your father now after he's attempted to erase your memories of your sister."