Chapter 5

His voice, when he finally spoke, was cold and demanding. "What exactly do you need my help with, pet?"

I swallowed hard, trying to gather my thoughts, trying to remember why I'd gone through with this reckless plan in the first place. "My pack... they suspect that I might be a Shade."

His expression didn't change, but I could feel his impatience. "And?"

"And," I continued, forcing myself to keep my voice steady, "the Red Moon is tomorrow. If I shift—when I shift—they'll know for sure. And then they'll kill me."

Kaius tilted his head slightly, considering me with an unreadable gaze. "So you wish for me to wipe them out? Erase the problem at its source?"

No!" I said quickly, shaking my head. "I don't want them dead. I just need you to protect me from them when the time comes. Maybe... give them a stern talking-to since you're a Fate and all."

Kaius stared at me for a long moment, and then, to my surprise, he laughed. It wasn't a pleasant sound—it was low, cold, and carried a note of ingenuine amusement. "I'm starting to think maybe your pack was onto something."

I glared at him, my fists clenching at my sides. "I'm not evil. I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to survive. I want your protection."

"And why should I care about your petty mortal problems?"

I snapped. "Because it's your fault I'm in this fucking mess in the first place," I shot back, surprising myself with the force of my words. "It's your fault that demons entered our world during the Great War. It's your fault that I'm a halfling. If you hadn't been fighting with the other Fates, the veil wouldn't have torn, and my mother wouldn't have been cursed to bear a child like me."

For a moment, Kaius looked genuinely taken aback, as if no one had ever dared to accuse him of anything before. Then his expression twisted into something dark and dangerous. "Watch your tongue, pet," he hissed, taking a step toward me. "You may have bound me, but that doesn't mean I can't make you suffer."

I squared my shoulders. "If I don't die by your hands, I'll die tomorrow by my pack's. So your threats don't scare me."

I could tell he wasn't used to being spoken to this way, especially not by a mortal. But the truth was, I wasn't scared of him anymore. My fear had burned away, replaced by frustration, anger, and a weariness that had settled deep in my bones. I was tired—tired of running, tired of being afraid, tired of a life that was never mine to live.

"So would you help me or not?"

Kaius was silent for a long moment, his gaze never leaving mine. Then, slowly, his smile returned, more predatory than before. "And what do I get in return exactly?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate in the air.

"I'll help you break the bond and release you from the spell that's keeping you trapped here."

"No," he said, almost lazily. "That won't be enough."

"What?" I sputtered, caught off guard. "What do you mean, it's not enough? You'll be free!"

Kaius's lips curled into a smirk, and he took a slow, deliberate step toward me. "True. But my side of the bargain feels a little... light." He gestured to himself, as if his very presence should explain everything. "You summoned me with your poor excuse of a spell, and bound me to your concerningly malnourished body," he added, his eyes glinting with a mocking light. "Do you really think releasing me is adequate compensation for such an inconvenience?"

"Malnourished?" I muttered under my breath.

He ignored me. "I want more," I swore his eyes sparked.

"Fine." I gritted out. "What exactly do you want?"

His smirk widened, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "A year of servitude," he announced as if it were the most reasonable demand in the world.

I stared at him, my mouth falling open in shock. "A year?" I repeated, incredulous. "In your service? I'd rather die!"

"Don't let me stop you," Kaius replied smoothly, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched me with that same infuriating amusement. He was enjoying this, I realized with a sinking feeling. He was toying with me.

The anger bubbled up inside me, mixing with the fear and desperation until it felt like I might explode. "You—" I started, but he cut me off.

"So what's it going to be, pet?" he asked, the term of endearment laced with mockery. "The way I see it, your life is forfeit either way."

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I tried to think. I didn't have any good options. If I refused him, I'd die. If I accepted... well, I didn't know what that meant, exactly, but it couldn't be good. Still, what choice did I have?

"Six months."

He laughed. "How quaint. The pup is trying to negotiate. One year," he said, drawing out the last words to get on my nerves.

"So do we have a deal?" Kaius asked, his tone almost bored, as if he were asking me to pass the salt at dinner.

I hesitated, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on me. A year of servitude to a Fate... it could mean anything. It could be horrible, or it could be worse than horrible. But what choice did I have?

"Yes," I said finally, the word slipping out before I could change my mind.

Kaius's smile was slow and satisfied, like a cat who'd just caught a mouse. "Good."

As soon as he spoke, I felt a burning sensation on my wrist. I looked down to see a mark appearing on my skin—a triangle with a three-eyed crow at its centre, shimmering in gold. It glowed for a moment before fading slightly, leaving the mark etched into my skin like a brand.

"The mark of the Fates," Kaius said, his voice low and dangerous. "It will remain until our bargain is fulfilled. When it disappears, you'll know our deal is complete."

I nodded, still staring at the mark, trying to process everything that had just happened. I had struck a bargain with a Fate, and now there was no turning back. "So... what now?" 

"Now," Kaius said, his tone turning cold again, "you will release me from the spell."

I looked up at him, confused and more than a little embarrassed. "Um...How do I do that?"

He rolled his eyes and muttered something about fucking mortals under his breath. "Break the runes, girl."

"Oh," I said, feeling stupid for not realizing that sooner. "Right. Duh."

I moved quickly to the edge of the circle, where the runes were etched into the stone floor. Without hesitation, I rubbed the toe of my sneaker over one of the runes, smudging the delicate lines. As soon as the rune was broken, I felt a rush of cold air sweep through the cave, and the spell shattered with a sound like breaking glass.

Kaius let out a low, satisfied growl, the air around him shimmering with the release of power. For a moment, he stood still, simply relishing his newfound freedom. Then, slowly, he turned his gaze back to me, and I felt my heart skip a beat. The look in his eyes was dangerous, filled with a dark curiosity that made my stomach churn with fear.

For a terrifying moment, I thought he might kill me then and there, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. He took a step towards me, and it took everything in me to hold my ground.

He stood mere inches away from me, so close I could feel his power boring down on me like a thick, suffocating blanket.  

I gulped. "You won't hurt me." He can't. Can he? No, we had a deal.

"No?" His head titled. "Such conviction."

Then he threw me off the cliff.