Thorne sat still, already in his office. Caelum sat before him while Thessara stood next to Thorne, fingers placed on his arm as she applied the paste. It was the final part of the soul binding.

Thorne's gaze was locked on the process, but his mind was far from there.

"Your majesty…" Caelum's voice rang out, drawing him back to reality.

He blinked, "What did you say?"

Caelum sighed, standing up. "You haven't been listening to anything I've said so far." He paused then smiled. "Should I bring Adina in here? Would that help your concentration?"

It was meant to be a joke, to tease him, and yet… Thorne didn't crack a smile. He looked just stoic.

Caelum shared a look with Thessara, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Your majesty—"

"You shouldn't have bound her to me."

Caelum blinked slowly as if he were assimilating what he just said. "What?"

Thorne sighed, dragging his hand over his face. "Adina… You shouldn't have bound her to me. Or me to her. It's a recipe for disaster. It's dangerous. What were you thinking doing that, Thessara?" He said, but one could hear the bite in his words.

Thessara stilled, "I don't follow. What's dangerous? The procedure has been done. Adina is okay, and you're out of danger. What is the matter here?" She asked.

"Okay? Danger?" Thorne scoffed, "The real danger hasn't even begun. I'm a king, Thessara. Situations like these will always occur. I go to war, my life is always threatened. What if I'm hurt again? She feels everything. Every. Single. Thing."

His fists clenched on the desk. "She's barely lived, Thessara. She hasn't had it easy, not at all. She shouldn't have to be in constant pain just from being bonded to me. She deserves better… more."

Thessara raised a brow, voice flat. "Adina went through all that she has, for you. We all knew she'd never poison you. Hell, even the ones who accused her knew and yet… she stood on the execution platform and would have given her life." She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "That girl would walk into fire for you, Thorne. Hell, she has. She bonded herself to you because she wanted you to live. She had a choice and she chose this. So stop acting like she's some poor little girl you tricked into loving you. You didn't. She chose you."

Caelum watched silently but nodded. "She made her choice. You don't get to unmake it for her."

Thorne let out a shaky breath and leaned back into the chair. "I just… This is going to be a lot on her. How would she cope?"

Thessara shook her head, "Like I told Caelum earlier. Adina's stronger than you think. She's the strongest of us all here. Stop underestimating her."

Thorne's throat worked as he swallowed. A beat passed. Then he stood up, walking towards the window, his gaze flickered out over the vast land.

Adina went through hell for him, and it was time he made those who made her suffer pay. Each and every one of them had to pay for their crimes.

He turned to face Caelum and Thessara. "Send word out. Tomorrow at dusk. Elara's execution will take place."

Caelum stilled for a brief second then nodded curtly. "As you command, your majesty."

Thessara's smile dimmed slightly at the news, but she shook her head. Elara laid her bed, and now she'll lie on it.

_________

The news of Elara's execution had traveled like fire, reaching the deepest parts of the kingdom and even the realm. After all, Elara was known as the general of Obsidian, and this was shocking news.

The cell gates groaned open, and Elara looked up lazily from where she lay.

"Is it time?" She asked calmly, almost like she didn't care.

The three warriors shared a look. The deposed general was odd.

They didn't speak as they stepped into her cell and hauled her up to her feet. Elara giggled the whole time.

"It's time that you answer for your crimes," one of the warriors said.

"Crimes? Now, what crimes have I committed?" She asked gleefully.

The warriors didn't reply; instead, they tied her arms and chained her feet like a wild animal. Well, she had to be one, seeing how unusual she was behaving.

As they led her out, Elara's eyes lit up. "Tell me," she purred. "Will the king be there? Will he watch as I'm put to death?" Her tone was too delighted, too dreamy, too creepy.

"Shut it," one of them snarled. "You've lost all our respect as the general," he continued.

Elara tilted her head, her smile dropping from her face like she tasted something awful. "Find someone who cares about your respect. I don't care about you pathetic losers anyway. The only person I care about is him. My Thorne." She smiled, eyes dreamy when she mentioned his name.

The warriors shared a look again, one of them subtly tapped his temple, 'She's mental," he mouthed, and the others nodded like it made sense.

She was escorted by three guards, her wrists bound, her dress filthy and ragged from her time in the cell. Still, Elara held her head high, smiling like she was on a runway. Like the ropes around her wrists were bracelets made of gold.

Her eyes scanned the crowd, looking at each and every noble she locked up, now free and waiting to see her dead. Looking at the man who was probably the most excited about her death, Lord Carter. Looking past Thessara, Mason, Levi only to pause when it landed on a rather familiar face.

Her aunt Jocelyn. She wasn't bound in chains nor did she look a quarter as bad as Elara. She looked… normal.

Elara's smile dropped. Jocelyn smiled as she made eye contact with Elara, and this time… Elara couldn't find it in herself to smile back. This time, Elara knew it was a smile of betrayal.

Her aunt Jocelyn had sold her out to save her skin. How pathetic.

The chains tugged, and she fell forward, moving in sync with the warriors.

Finally, her eyes landed on the bane of her existence, the very one standing next to the love of her life. Her gaze fell to her hand in his.

Elara saw red… yet she kept it at bay.

Her gaze shifted to Thorne, and she smiled, innocent and calm. "Your majesty," she said loudly, bowing so low and majestically, like she knew to.

"I'm here."

Thorne stepped forward, and the crowd went silent. "People of Obsidian," he began, his voice carrying across the courtyard, deep and resolute,

"We have all gathered here today to witness justice. Elara, former General of Obsidian, former Regent, has committed crimes against this realm—against its people, its council, its future…"

He turned to face her fully, eyes hard. "And against my mate."

Adina flinched where she stood, but Thorne didn't look at her. His eyes were locked on Elara.

"You used forbidden black magic. You cursed me with a disease meant to end my life. You manipulated the council, silenced and imprisoned the nobles, and attempted to execute the woman the gods fated to me. You do not deserve mercy."

Elara's smile never dropped. If anything… it widened.

"I suppose, I don't."

Thorne didn't respond; he stared at her for a second longer. "Your punishment is death."

Elara's smile cracked a little at this. She knew it was coming, but hearing it from his lips… it was painful.

She bowed again, just as deeply. "As your majesty orders."

She straightened up, her gaze falling on Adina then shifted to Thorne. "I accept my punishment, but I have my last words to say." The frown began to mumble at this…

Elara quickly cut in. "It is the right of every criminal to leave their last words. Will you deny me of mine?"

Thorne looked at her for a second more then gave a curt nod. "One minute."

Elara smiled and looked at Adina straight in the eye. "You took everything from me, and I despise you with everything in me." Her gaze shifted to Thorne, and she smiled. "Did he tell you? How he used to fuck me? There was a time when he wanted me. Would touch me. Needed me."

"Enough," Thorne growled, voice cold.

But Elara kept going.

"He was mine! Until you came and made him yours. So I hate you. I hate your very existence, and today I curse you. This thing you call a bond between you and Thorne. I'll be your downfall." She spat out.

And in the blink of an eye, she reached into her sleeve even with her tied hands and pulled out a small bottle, crystal clear, filled with a blue-green liquid that seemed to hiss the moment it touched the air.

Thessara's eyes widened the second she realized what it was. Virela. "Get away!" She screamed, lunging towards Adina.

"Elara!" Thorne growled.

The crowd screamed. The guards lunged.

But none of it was enough to stop it. Elara threw the liquid right at Adina, just as Thessara pushed her out of the way. She raised her hand up, the liquid burning a part of her flesh hot.

The liquid hissed louder like it was the one hurt, and in a second, it moved backward.

Elara could only let out a fracture of a scream before. The liquid splashed right across her face.

A blood-curdling scream tore from Elara's throat.

The crowd shrieked and stumbled back as the liquid hissed violently against her skin, burning her flesh.

Elara staggered forward but only made it two steps in. She gasped loudly, stopping dead in her tracks when a steel blade pierced right through her chest.

The screams, the melting of her skin, the burning, the blade… none of it compared to the pain when she felt who stabbed her.

Thorne stood before her, his blade sunk deep into her chest.

Elara froze, mouth still ajar as a choked sound rasped in her throat. Her body trembled… then she fell forward.