Hadrain stood tied to the cold, unyielding pillar at the center of the square, the raucous mob surrounding him as their anger seethed like a boiling pot. The jeers were deafening, their hatred palpable. Stones, filth, and even human excrement flew through the air, pelting his once-pristine face. Blood trickled down from the fresh wounds, staining his torn shirt. His eyes, though full of terror, betrayed a flicker of resolve.
He had always believed himself untouchable, the predator in a world full of prey. Yet now, as the weight of his sins pressed down on him, he couldn't help but reflect on his past cruelty. He had bullied weaker students, mocked their misfortunes, and abused his power. This retribution, though brutal, felt almost deserved. But what stung more than the physical pain was the absence of Lamia.
Hadrain's throat tightened as his thoughts spiraled. Lamia, the one destined for him, had left him to face this torment alone. The rumors he'd heard—that Lady Catherine had been found—meant nothing now. Lamia didn't care enough to come for him. The realization hit harder than the stones. No one cared. Not his parents. Not his supposed mate. Only Jayden had shown him kindness, but even that wasn't enough to save him from the pyre he now faced.
The judge's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"This man," the judge spat, his voice dripping with venom, "is a great evil! People like him have no place in our kingdom. Magic is an abomination, a blight on this earth! What shall we do with him, my people?"
The crowd roared back, their voices merging into a cacophony of rage.
"Burn him! Burn the wizard!"
"Send him back to hell where he belongs!"
"Kill the devil's spawn!"
Hadrain sighed deeply, his chest heaving. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe death would bring the peace he'd never known. The judge's decree sealed his fate.
"By the will of the people, you are sentenced to be burned alive for the crime of sorcery. Let this purging rid our land of evil!"
A flurry of activity followed. Old tires were piled around him, their acrid rubber scent filling the air. Buckets of gasoline were splashed over his trembling body, the liquid seeping into his wounds and igniting a searing pain. The crowd cheered as a heavy iron studded with nails was swung into his chest, sending him crashing to the ground. Blood pooled beneath him as his vision blurred.
The fire was lit. The flames licked at the tires, and the heat surged, engulfing him in agonizing waves. Hadrain's screams echoed across the square, each cry a desperate plea to the heavens, each note filled with regret, pain, and longing.
---
Lamia sat in his chambers, staring blankly out of the window as the physician's words played in his mind.
"She's fine, Your Highness. It's almost miraculous—no physical injuries remain."
Catherine lay peacefully on his bed, her chest rising and falling with even breaths. Queen Fiona had rushed in earlier, her worry melting into relief at the sight of her unharmed future daughter-in-law. Yet something nagged at Lamia.
"She was gravely injured," Fiona said, frowning. "This recovery… it's unnatural."
Lamia nodded absently, his mind far from Catherine's miraculous healing. His thoughts lingered on Hadrain. The memory of Hadrain's proposal burned in his mind. Lamia had rejected him, blaming him for Catherine's disappearance. His anger had been misplaced, he now realized. Hadrain didn't deserve his wrath, at least not entirely.
The unsettling thought gnawed at him until he stood abruptly. "I need to find Hadrain," he muttered.
When he reached Hadrain's chambers, they were eerily empty. Malcolm, the butler, confirmed his fears. "He hasn't returned, Your Highness."
Panic set in. Where could he be?
"Your Highness!" Angus burst in, his face pale. "It's Hadrain! He's… he's at the town square. They're burning him alive!"
The words struck Lamia like a physical blow. His heart plummeted as a chill ran down his spine. "No… no, no, no!" he whispered, his voice trembling. Without waiting for further explanation, he dashed out of the castle, Angus struggling to keep up.
Lamia ran through the streets, his royal robes billowing behind him. His chest burned, his legs ached, but he didn't care. All that mattered was reaching Hadrain before it was too late.
---
The sight that greeted Lamia at the square stopped him in his tracks. His knees buckled as he saw the charred remains of what had once been Hadrain. Smoke rose from the lifeless body, the stench of burnt flesh choking him. His heart shattered into a million pieces as he fell to his knees.
"No…" His voice was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of his anguish. "Hadrain… I'm so sorry. This is my fault. I abandoned you. I… I left you."
The crowd fell silent, realizing who stood before them. Whispers spread like wildfire. The crown prince. They had killed someone dear to him. They were doomed.
Lamia's sobs broke through the silence. "You promised not to leave me. I was ready to answer you. I was ready to tell you my heart. Please… don't leave me now. Don't…"
Anger surged through him, cold and all-consuming. He rose slowly, his eyes blazing with fury. The crowd trembled as his voice rang out, sharp as a blade.
"If you were involved in this… step forward and offer the part of your body you value least. If not, I will choose for you."
The villagers quaked in fear, their knees buckling under the weight of his wrath. The judge, who had orchestrated the execution, attempted to slip away unnoticed, but Lamia's voice stopped him cold.
"I will Start with him," Lamia commanded.
The crowd parted, revealing the trembling judge. Lamia flicked his wrist, and the man's bones began to break one by one, his screams piercing the air. The crowd watched in horror as the prince's fury unfolded before them.
"How dare you," Lamia hissed, his voice colder than ice. "How dare you take him from me."
The judge's body crumpled to the ground, a broken, pitiful heap. Lamia turned to the rest of the crowd, his gaze sweeping over them like a storm.
"You all killed my man," he said, his voice trembling with rage. "And now you all will pay."
---