CHAPTER FIVE

ADELE’s POV.

The loud bang of the bell makes me yawn lightly before pulling my body to a sitting position. After choosing a group yesterday, we were assigned to our rooms which consist of five other ladies. Three of them came here two years ago while the rest of us are just getting in. I don’t even know how Bastian and the others are faring because I haven’t seen or heard from them since.

My attention shifts to the door that has just opened and two soldiers file into the room, coming towards my bed. For the love of Odin, what have I done now?

“Cadet MacAlister” one of them call my name, “come with us”

I can’t help but be more confused than I already am.

“Why, sir?”

“You do not have the right to ask questions, come with us”

Letting out a heavy sigh, I pull my body out of bed. Luckily I am still in my leather pants and shirt. I just grab my shoes from underneath the bed before slipping into them.

“At least let me wash my face”

None of them say anything and I hastily grab a pail of water from under the bed before making my way towards the restroom. Only one person can pull a stunt such as this..the general. I wonder what he wants now. Did I get myself in his bad books?

After I am done, they lead me out of the room and towards his own wing of the barracks. I still can’t understand how a general has this kind of structure built for him? Doesn’t he have a house in Drakesworth? Doesn’t he have a family? Does he always stay here, always ready to go to the frontlines?

Shoving his thoughts to the back of my head, I focus on the task ahead. It is actually none of my business whatever he chooses to do with his time and life.

“General” one of the soldiers say as soon as we come to a halt in front of the door, “she has arrived”

Immediately the iron doors open up and they gesture at me to enter. I look around, not a single soul in sight except the patrolling soldiers. That general could choose to kill me if I enter his fort and no one would be able to find out.

My skin crawl at the thought of that, maybe I should make a run for it right?

“Help me gods” I mutter under my breath before stepping into the door and it closes behind me immediately.

This is grandeur in its finest form. From outside the fort looks a bit small but seeing how spacious and beautiful it looks, my jaw drops.

A huge staircase leads to the top of the house with paintings on the wall. This could be his house? How would someone build a house at the barracks?

“Come this way” a voice says and I turn to my right, two female soldiers are standing there. Not being able to enjoy the magnificence of the house, I walk towards them and they lead me towards the right wing of the house. We walk for a while until we enter another large hall and there I see the general seated on a throne like chair, his gaze on me. I suddenly feel inferior to be in this kind of place, why did he call me here?

“She is here, general” one of them says and he nods, gesturing for them to leave.

As soon as the huge door closes behind me, he stands up and starts walking towards me, each stride more heavy and more pronounced than the last. He looks like a hunter about to pounce on his prey.

“You called for me” I can feel my own voice quivering and it makes me hate him the more, how dare he make me feel so scared in front of him?

“Yes, I did”

He comes to a halt in front of me, his eyes scrutinizing me like I have done something.

“I am here now..

He doesn’t say anything as he starts to circle me until he stops behind me. Before I can understand what’s happening, he pulls my hair away revealing my bare back. I immediately jump away from him, worry etched on my face. What the heck is he thinking of doing? Is this his character? He acted like I was Hades and now….

“What….

A whistling sound reaches my ears and I raise my eyes to the roof which makes me gasp. There, the biggest dragon I have ever seen is circling around and I can see it because the glass roof somewhat opens up to let me see it.

“A dragon” I mutter under my breath. I heard that he owned and bonded a dragon but I didn’t expect it to be this big nor did I expect to see it as soon as I got here.

“That mark on your neck” the general starts to speak, “how did you get it?”

“I have had it since I was a child, I was born with it”

For a brief moment, his gaze continues to linger on me but he doesn’t say anything. The huge doors open up again and two soldiers walk in.

“Everything has been prepared, general”

“Good”

He walks up to me again but before I can say anything, he grabs a hold of my hand and pulls me out of the room. I have never been more surprised in my entire life, he didn’t even say anything until he brings me to a totally different hall. Much smaller than the last but also sophisticated.

There is a fire in the middle and an old priest is seated beside it. I didn’t know we had priests at the barracks.

“Sit” he orders and I find myself doing as he has said, he also lowers himself beside me before turning to the old man.

“Get this over with”

“Wait! What?”

But instead of answering, he glares at me and I clamp my mouth shut.

“Unto you, a bride is given” the old man starts to speak, “unto you a bride is born”

What the heck is happening? What’s the priest muttering?

“In the name of Ra, the gods of all gods, the ruler of the earth, I hereby declare that this alliance is one that has been formed since the beginning of time and has been approved by all the gods presiding over Drakesworth”

“What?” I immediately spring up from the chair, what does he mean by marriage? When did I agree to this alliance? What is even going on?

“Sit down” Cahir orders, his tone curt and he sounds upset but I won’t let him walk over me like I do not have a say in this matter. How can he wake me up in the middle of the night and want to marry me?

“What is going on here?”

“The mark on your neck legally binds you to him” the priest says, “it isn’t something we can change”

First of all, no one told me anything about the mark meaning something and even if it did, am I supposed to find out like this?

“I don’t….

“What are you doing?” He angrily stands up, his huge frame towering above me.

“You can not just….

He grabs a hold of my hand and pulls me closer, his face only a few inches from me.

I feel intimidated, it feels like he is peering deep into my soul. The hair at the back of my neck stands on edge, why?

“You have your whole life to figure out why you have been bonded to me, Adele Macalister but right now I do not have the time to explain anything to you”

“How can you just….

“Get this over with” he ignores and turns to the priest.

“I am not going to marry you”

The general grits his teeth together and angrily grabs my hand, making me fall into his embrace.

“Do not flatter yourself, MacAlister” he whispers over my ear, “I am not joyful about getting married to you either but just so you know, the life of your family and your friends depend on this. If you want them to die, you are free to walk out through that door but if you cherish them, you will sit down and we will get this over with”

My friends, my family? What is even going on? A lump forms in my throat. Is he going to kill them if I refuse to get married to him? At this point, I wish Bastian was here.

“Yes or no?” He asks impatiently.

“Can you at least tell me why you are doing this?”

He glares at me before turning away,“Because it is part of the prophecy”

“What….

“Continue priest” he cuts me off as the priest continues with the ceremony, never have I been so torn in my life.

I sit there in a daze as the ceremony continues. I never expected to get married in such a way and to the man I hate the most in the world. How could he even….

My thoughts are interrupted when he grabs my hand and I swerve my head to him.

He is holding a little dagger and before I can ask what he is doing, he nicks me a little and blood spurt out of the small wound. He gently brings my finger to his lips and has a taste of my blood, my whole body heats up at that moment.

“With your blood, I make you mine” he says, letting go of me.

Using the same dagger, he nicks his finger before pushing it towards me.

Tears sting my eyes as I take it and gently suck on it.

“With your blood, I make you mine”

The ceremony is now complete” the priest announces and he immediately stands up, pulling me with him. Where is he taking me to? What is he going to do to me?

As soon as we get to the door, Cahir halts before turning his full attention to me.

“You are free to go back” he says, “not a word of this to anyone. To the world, you are just a cadet but you are my wife now”

“You don’t….

“Like I said, not a word of this to anyone, MacAlister”

With that, he disappears behind the door and I just stand there, transfixed by what has just happened. Like I am married to the ruthless general Cahir without my permission and I am not allowed to say a word to anyone?

I start to laugh as tears sip out of my eyes, this must be a fucking dream right?