Rael's heart still pounded in his chest, each beat echoing like a drum in his ears as he stood trapped in the Demon Queen's gaze. His mind spun, but he forced himself to keep his expression calm as her piercing crimson eyes bore into him. The reality of his new predicament settled heavily on his shoulders. He was bound to this cruel yet mesmerizing creature, held captive by her whims.
The Demon Queen turned her back on him, her midnight hair flowing like ink over her shoulders. With a wave of her hand, she gestured to the guards, who immediately released Rael's wrists, letting him slump to the ground. He instinctively rubbed his bruised wrists, his relief short-lived as he noticed her dark silhouette towering over him again.
"Get up," she commanded, her voice a merciless lash.
Rael scrambled to his feet, the ache in his limbs making him wince as he straightened. The Queen's gaze softened ever so slightly as she took him in—disheveled, but trying to appear defiant. Her lips curved, and he couldn't tell if it was from amusement or curiosity.
"Come," she ordered, turning towards a door hidden behind a tall tapestry of dark, twisted landscapes. Rael hesitated only a moment, then followed her, acutely aware of her silent guards falling into formation behind them.
They descended another corridor, this one dimly lit by blue flames flickering in iron sconces along the stone walls. Strange, shadowed figures writhed in the darkness beyond the reach of the light, making Rael's skin crawl. At last, they arrived at a smaller room, the entry adorned with more of those eerie, glowing runes. Inside, it was stark—just a small table and two dark velvet chairs, facing each other. The Demon Queen motioned to one, and Rael sat, swallowing hard as he did.
She took the opposite seat, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. For a long, silent moment, she simply observed him, her intense gaze stripping away any illusion of safety he might have clung to. Finally, she spoke.
"So, Rael," she murmured, her voice soft yet edged with authority. "Tell me. Why did you come to my realm?"
Rael hesitated, his mind racing for a convincing lie, but something told him deceit would not serve him here. He took a shaky breath, trying to calm the tremor in his voice.
"I… I was looking for someone," he confessed, dropping his gaze to avoid her penetrating stare.
"Oh?" Her brow arched slightly, a spark of interest in her eyes. "And who would that be, foolish human?"
"My… my sister," Rael replied, the painful truth of his mission spilling from him almost involuntarily. "She was… taken. Months ago. The trail led me here."
The Demon Queen's expression shifted, though her smile remained inscrutable. She leaned back, steepling her long, clawed fingers as she studied him with renewed interest.
"And you believed you could storm into my domain, retrieve her, and leave unscathed?" She chuckled, a sound that was equal parts cruel and fascinated. "How adorably naive."
Rael's face flushed, shame warring with anger in his chest. But he swallowed his pride, reminding himself that he was in no position to defy her.
"It… It was my only choice," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
The Queen tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she were sizing him up. After a moment, she rose to her feet and paced around him in a slow circle, her gown whispering across the floor like the rustling of shadows.
"So, you've pledged yourself to me to save your life," she mused aloud, her voice a low purr. "And in return, you seek your sister. Quite the audacious bargain."
Rael dared to look up, catching a glint of intrigue in her eyes that made his blood run cold. But beneath the fear, a tiny spark of hope ignited. Perhaps, if he could appeal to her curiosity, he might just survive long enough to find a way to escape—and maybe even save his sister.
"I'll serve you," he said, his voice stronger now, the desperation giving way to determination. "If you… if you can help me find her. That's my only condition."
The Demon Queen's laughter rang through the chamber, sharp and mocking.
"Condition?" she repeated, as if the very notion were absurd. She leaned close, her gaze intense and unwavering. "Do you think you're in a position to set conditions, Rael?"
He clenched his fists, fighting to keep his gaze steady. "I'm willing to do anything you ask. Just… please."
There was a flicker of something almost resembling pity in her eyes, and then it was gone, replaced by the cold glint of satisfaction.
"Perhaps you do amuse me enough to keep around," she finally said, her tone one of reluctant indulgence. "Very well, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself worthy of this request."
Rael's heart leapt. "Thank you," he said quickly, the relief in his voice undisguised.
"But don't think this generosity comes without a cost," she continued, her tone darkening. She raised a hand, and one of her clawed fingers traced a delicate pattern in the air. The blue flames on the walls flared, casting an unnatural glow over the room.
"I will bind you to me," she said softly, her eyes gleaming with a strange, almost predatory anticipation. "A bond that will ensure your loyalty… and prevent any thoughts of betrayal. Do you agree?"
Rael swallowed hard, but he knew he had no other choice. He nodded.
"Good." Her smile deepened, a dark satisfaction coloring her features. She lifted her hand, and suddenly Rael felt an invisible force seize him, pinning him in place.
"Repeat after me," she instructed, her voice a silken command. "By my blood and soul, I bind myself to your will, O Queen of Shadows."
Rael's throat tightened, his voice barely a whisper as he forced out the words. "By my blood and soul, I bind myself to your will, O Queen of Shadows."
The moment the words left his lips, a searing pain shot through his chest, as though something were being torn from him. He gasped, his vision blurring, but he could feel a strange warmth—a dark, foreign energy—settling deep within him, like the seeds of some dreadful power.
When he opened his eyes, the Demon Queen was watching him, her smile as victorious as it was terrifying.
"Welcome, Rael," she whispered, her voice wrapping around him like silk and shadows. "You are now mine, body and soul."
The gravity of her words sank in, and Rael felt the final remnants of his old life slip away, leaving only the chilling reality of his new bond.
"You shall serve me well," she purred, her gaze still fixed on him. "And who knows? If you prove useful… I might even help you find your sister."
The promise hung in the air, but Rael couldn't shake the feeling that she'd ensnared him far more completely than he'd ever anticipated.
And as the Demon Queen turned away, her laughter echoing through the stone chamber, he realized that his fate was now truly bound to the shadows.