Chapter 47: A Mother’s Wrath

••{RHIANNON’S POV}••

Seraphine’s eyes widen as her brows furrow.

"No?" she repeats, her voice full of disbelief.

My lips part, but before a single word can leave my mouth, a loud voice echoes from outside Azræl’s chambers.

"Let me in this instant! I wish to see the Emperor!"

Everyone’s gaze immediately snaps toward the closed doors.

"Lady Delilah, we can’t let you enter the Emperor’s chambers," says one of the guards.

"Turn around and leave," says the other.

"I will not!" Delilah shouts. "Move!"

A loud scuffle breaks out.

"Lady Delilah, stop!"

"Get your hands off me!"

The doors burst open and Delilah stumbles through them, nearly falling on her face before she catches herself. Her hair is disheveled, her chest heaving while her eyes blaze with anger.

Two guards rush in after her and immediately bow their heads.

"Your Majesties," one says quickly. "We apologize for the intrusion."

Delilah scoffs before flipping her hair over her shoulder. She then crosses her arms and lifts her chin.

"I demand to see the Emperor," she says. "I have every right to be—"

"NO," Seraphine, Azeria, Nayeesha and I say in unison.

Delilah blinks frantically as she recoils. "Excuse me?"

"Guards," Seraphine says coldly. "Remove this nuisance before I count to three."

"One."

The guards immediately grab Delilah by the arms.

"Get your hands off me!" she shrieks, thrashing wildly as they drag her away. "You can’t do this to me!"

They haul her out of Azræl’s chambers before slamming the doors shut.

Seraphine exhales sharply.

"Her presence never fails to irritate me," she murmurs.

Then she turns back to me. "What do you mean, no?"

My heart begins to race.

Something tells me this might turn ugly really quickly, so I stand up from the bed and take a step back, slowly putting some distance between us.

"I’m sorry," I say firmly. "But I can’t give Azræl my blood."

Her eyes sharpen into a glare and her upper lip curls with anger.

"You selfish, ungrateful bitch!" she snaps. "After everything my son has done for you, you can’t even give him a single drop of your blood to save his life?! The only reason he’s lying unconscious is because he was trying to save yours!"

"I know what he did," I say gently, taking another small step back. "And I am beyond grateful to him. But Azræl wouldn’t want this."

"You’ve only been here for how long? A month?!" she lashes out, her voice rising with each word. "How dare you act as if you know what my son wants!"

"He warned me," I reply, raising my own voice. "He told me how dangerous my blood can be to a vampire’s mind. How it starts small. First, a taste before it becomes a craving, then it turns into an obsession before leading to madness."

"Now you’re just being unreasonable," she says through clenched teeth. "A single drop is not enough to make Azræl go mad."

"I still won’t do it," I reply without hesitation.

Panic flashes across Azeria’s face as her eyes dart between us. And Nayeesha slowly begins to rise from her chair.

"On the night I married Azræl, and the entire castle lost control because of my blood," I say quietly. "He looked me in the eyes and told me that if he ever lost himself, if he ever became a threat to my life.... he wanted me to kill him."

Seraphine’s eyes narrow into a cold, murderous glare, her jaw clenched so tightly that a muscle twitches.

"Fine," she says quietly. "If you won’t give it to me, then I’ll take it myself."

She thrusts one hand toward me and curls her fingers.

"NO!" Nayeesha shouts.

"MOTHER, STOP!" Azeria screams.

My heart hammers against my ribs the second I realize what she’s about to do. I immediately squeeze my eyes shut, throwing my arms to shield my head.

For a few moments, I can’t hear a thing except the sound of my pulse roaring in my ears. Then slowly, my eyes drift open as I lower my arms.

My brows furrow when I don’t see any blood leaving my body and rising into air.

I lift my head to find Seraphine looking at me with wide eyes, her expression filled with disbelief.

"How is that... how is that possible?" she whispers.

I glance at Azeria and Nayeesha to find them staring at me with the same stunned look.

Before any of us can say a word, Seraphine storms toward me and grabs my wrist.

"Let go of me!" I scream, struggling to free myself.

"No!" she lashes out. "Whether you like it or not, you must give my son your blood!"

I grind my teeth together, fighting harder to wrench my arm from her grip. But she doesn’t even move an inch.

"Mother, stop!" Azeria shouts as she rushes to my side. "Let her go!" she yells, grabbing Seraphine’s hand and trying to pry her fingers off me.

My heart pounds frantically as the three of us struggle. But the moment Seraphine’s nails start digging into my skin, I go completely still.

If I bleed...

It’s over.

"ENOUGH!" Nayeesha screams.

A gust of wind explodes from her, slamming into the three of us.

It knocks me off my feet, Azeria crashes to the floor beside me, and Seraphine is sent flying a few feet away.

Azeria immediately pushes herself to her feet before helping me up. Then Nayeesha steps in front of me, shielding me with her body as she looks down at Seraphine.

"I swore to Azræl to protect Rhiannon if he fails," Nayeesha says, her voice shaking with anger. "So no one lays a finger on her. Not even you."

Seraphine rises to her feet in the blink of an eye, closes the distance between us and wraps her hand around Nayeesha’s throat.

"How dare you," she hisses. "Do you really think that being my son’s confidant gives you the right to speak to me this way?" Her eyes narrow as she tilts her head. "It seems you have forgotten your place, so let me remind you, Nayeesha Shadhari."

Seraphine slowly lifts Nayeesha into the air.

Nayeesha’s eyes widen as she chokes, clawing at Seraphine’s hand while her feet kick helplessly in the air.

"You were nothing but a dirty little slave girl when Azræl saved your wretched life and brought you into this palace," Seraphine spits. "That is all you are, and all you ever will be."

Azeria steps forward and grabs Seraphine’s wrist.

"Mother," she says sharply. "Let her g—"

Seraphine flicks her hand and Azeria is ripped off the floor and hurled across the room by an invisible force. Then she slams into the wall with a sickening crack that makes my stomach drop.

"Stop this madness!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "Let her go!"

Nayeesha’s fingers slip from Seraphine’s wrist, her movements becoming weaker with every passing second.

Seraphine holds on for one more terrifying second before releasing her.

Nayeesha collapses to the floor, clutching her throat while she coughs violently and gasps for air.

I rush to her side and drop to my knees.

"Come on," I whisper as I help her upright. "Let’s go."

She leans heavily on me as we slowly walk toward the door.

Once I open it, I pause and glance back at Seraphine.

"There is something deeply wrong with you," I say through clenched teeth.

Then I leave, slamming the door shut behind me.