Chapter 2 The Law of Binding

Darian's hand was cold against mine, but not lifeless. There was power humming beneath his skin—ancient and frightening. He led me through the ruins of the cathedral with unnerving familiarity, as if he had walked these halls a thousand times before.

"This was once a temple to my kind," he said without looking back at me. "Before your people tore it down and built their church atop our sacred ground."

I stumbled over a fallen beam, and he caught me with inhuman speed. His face was inches from mine, those blood-red eyes studying me with a mixture of contempt and curiosity.

"You're remarkably clumsy for someone who's managed to bind an ancient blood prince," he remarked dryly, setting me upright.

"I didn't mean to bind anyone," I protested, pulling my hand from his grip. "I was trying to help someone who was hurt. This is all some kind of mistake."

Darian's laugh was sharp and without humor. "The ancient laws do not make mistakes, little human. Your blood activated the binding circle—a circle designed for one purpose only."

We had reached a section of wall that appeared solid at first glance. Darian pressed his palm against the stone, and it melted away, revealing a hidden passage.

"After you," he said with a mocking bow.

I hesitated. "Where are we going?"

"To my world." His expression darkened. "Where you will learn the full weight of what you've done."

The passage led to a spiraling staircase that descended deep into the earth. As we went lower, the air grew colder, yet somehow fresher than the musty cathedral above. The walls were smooth obsidian, carved with the same intricate symbols that had appeared on my skin.

"These markings," I said, tracing one with my finger. "What do they mean?"

"They are the terms of our contract," Darian replied. "Written in the oldest language of power—blood script."

"And what exactly are these terms?"

He stopped so abruptly I nearly crashed into his back. When he turned, his eyes were glowing more intensely in the darkness.

"You are now my master," he said, each word precise and filled with loathing. "I am bound to obey your direct commands. I cannot harm you. I must protect you with my life if necessary." His jaw tightened. "In return, your life force sustains mine. Your blood is now... special. Powerful."

"That's insane," I whispered. "I don't want any of this."

"Neither do I," he snapped. "But what we want matters little. The contract has been sealed."

We continued downward in tense silence. Finally, the staircase opened into a vast underground chamber. The ceiling arched high above us, supported by columns of black marble. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, filled not with candles but with some kind of luminescent blue substance that cast everything in an ethereal light.

"Welcome to the Night Court," Darian said, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. "What remains of it, at least."

As my eyes adjusted, I realized we weren't alone. Figures emerged from the shadows—all impossibly beautiful, all watching me with the same red eyes as Darian. Some looked curious, others hostile. All of them dangerous.

"My prince," a woman stepped forward, her dark hair cascading to her waist. "You've returned to us."

"Not by choice, Mira," Darian replied grimly. "The binding has been reactivated."

Mira's gaze shifted to me, her expression changing from joy to shock. "A human? After all this time?" She moved closer, studying the markings on my skin. "How is this possible?"

"I was hoping you might tell me," Darian said. "You're our historian. Has this happened before?"

Before Mira could answer, another figure pushed through the gathering crowd—a man nearly as tall as Darian, with the same golden hair but eyes of piercing silver.

"Brother," he said, his voice rich with false warmth. "What an unexpected pleasure."

"Ashryn." Darian's posture stiffened. "I see you've managed not to destroy everything in my absence."

Ashryn's smile didn't reach his eyes. "I've merely been keeping your throne warm." His gaze fell on me, and something predatory flickered across his features. "And who is this delightful creature?"

"My name is Elira," I said before Darian could answer, surprising myself with my steadiness.

"She is the new contract holder," Darian added, his tone warning.

A murmur rippled through the gathered crowd. Ashryn's smile faltered momentarily before returning, wider than before.

"How fascinating," he purred, taking my hand and bringing it to his lips. "Welcome to our humble court, Lady Elira."

I pulled my hand back, unsettled by the hunger in his eyes. "I don't understand any of this. I just want to go home."

"Home?" Ashryn laughed. "My dear, you are bound to the Night King now. Your old life ceased to exist the moment your blood touched the circle."

"Enough, Ashryn," Darian cut in. "She needs time to understand."

"What she needs," a new voice interrupted, "is to prove her worth as a contract holder."

An elderly man stepped forward—though "elderly" seemed an odd term for someone with such power in his bearing. His eyes were deep crimson, almost black, and he carried a staff topped with a crystal that matched the chandeliers overhead.

"Elder Thorne," Darian acknowledged with a slight nod. "I had hoped you might have passed to the final death by now."

The old vampire chuckled dryly. "Your charm remains intact, I see." He turned to me. "A human contract holder is unprecedented in our modern age. The Council will want proof of the binding's legitimacy."

"What kind of proof?" I asked, not liking where this was heading.

"A demonstration," Elder Thorne replied simply. "The contract gives you power over our prince. Show us."

All eyes turned to me. I looked at Darian, who was watching me with barely contained rage.

"I'm not going to order him around like some pet," I said firmly.

"Then perhaps you are not truly bound," Ashryn suggested, stepping closer. "In which case, you are merely a human who knows too much about our world. And we have rules about such humans."

The threat hung in the air. I felt the markings on my skin begin to warm, pulsing in time with my accelerating heartbeat.

"Fine," I said at last. "What am I supposed to do?"

Elder Thorne gestured to Darian. "Command him to kneel before you. A simple test."

I looked at Darian, seeing the fury and humiliation blazing in his eyes. "I can't—"

"Do it," Darian said through gritted teeth. "Or Ashryn will have the excuse he needs."

Taking a deep breath, I straightened my spine and looked directly into Darian's eyes. "Kneel," I said, the word tasting bitter on my tongue.

Nothing happened. Ashryn's smile widened, and I could sense the tension rising in the room.

"You must mean it," Mira whispered to me. "The contract responds to true intent."

I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them with renewed determination. "Darian," I said, my voice stronger. "Kneel before me."

The effect was instantaneous and shocking. The markings on my skin flared with crimson light, and corresponding symbols appeared on Darian's exposed neck and hands. His body went rigid, fighting against the command for one terrible moment—then he dropped to one knee before me, his head bowed.

A collective gasp went through the assembly. Elder Thorne nodded in satisfaction.

"The binding is true," he announced. "The human girl is indeed the contract holder."

I rushed to Darian's side, horrified by what I'd been forced to do. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't want to—"

He looked up at me, and the raw emotion in his eyes made me step back. Hatred, yes—but also a deep, ancient pain.

"You are my master," he said quietly, every syllable laced with bitterness. "As the contract demands." Then, so softly only I could hear: "This cursed fate follows me even through centuries of sleep."

He rose with fluid grace, turning to address the gathered court. "The binding is complete. Elira Hamilton holds the contract of the Night King. By our ancient laws, she is to be protected and obeyed."

Ashryn's face had hardened into a mask of cold fury. "This changes nothing about succession, brother. A human cannot rule our people."

"We shall see," Darian replied coolly. Then he took my arm, his grip firm but not painful. "Come. You need rest, and we have much to discuss."

As he led me away from the whispering crowd, I could feel the weight of their stares—some curious, some hostile, all dangerous. But it was the weight of the contract between us that pressed most heavily on my shoulders, a bond I never wanted but now couldn't escape.

"What happens now?" I asked once we were alone in a corridor.

Darian's expression was unreadable. "Now, little human, you learn what it means to hold the leash of a monster."