Leroy pulled an unwilling Katie to a side along with another guard, tying the rope around her body to the chair. She felt the rope dig into her skin, to prick her uncomfortably. She felt her open her mouth, her eyes anxiously looking at Alexander while his gaze had shifted to look at the wall in front of him.

When the council members had left, saying they would be back tomorrow again, the Lady spoke,

“Aren’t you happy dear, to finally be united with the man you love?” She asked with a hint of mock in it.

Neither Katie nor did Lord Alexander uttered a word, choosing to stay quiet. They heard footsteps heading towards the room and Lord Norman appeared at the door.

“Lord Alexander,” Lord Norman greeted him cheerfully, “I hope you will find our services to your taste. I have asked my people to take special care of you,” a smile quirked upon Lord Alexander’s lips.

“Thank you, Lord Norman. I appreciate your hospitality but you don’t have to trouble yourself. I’ll be fine without it.”

“I feel like I can finally have a good night sleep after seeing you in this state. You seem to be in an oddly good spirit for a person who is going to undergo a trial before execution,” Lord Norman commented.

“He must have inherited them from his mother. She was an odd one too. To smile while she was being burnt,” Hearing Lady Ester mention his mother Lord Alexander’s eyes faltered for a mere second.

“What can I say, my mother had a strong spirit unlike other witches I have come across,” Lord Alexander’s eyes fixed his eyes on the woman.

“Your mother was selfish and prude, thinking she was better than us and see what she got herself into. May be if she listened to us, she would still be here alive but see what happened. And here you are walking the same path as her,” Ester shook her head in disappointment, “Ready to be executed…”

Lord Norman signaled Leroy, to which the guardsman who was standing next to her came to stand in front of her. Raising his hand he punched Katie’s face, making her eyesight go white for a second before feeling the pain spread over her cheek and jaw.

Seeing that the man didn’t react and rather stayed composed in his seat Lord Norman spoke,

“Do you know what’s so special about Mythweald’s punishments?” he asked smugly picking a hammer like object from the side and handing it over to the guard.

“I don’t think I would be interested,” Lord Alexander replied calmly as though the Lord of south had asked him his preference in the flavors of tea.

“I insist,” Seeing the guard walk towards Lord Alexander, Katie felt her palms sweat at the thought of what Lord Norman was going to do. The south Lord picked the sharp long nails in his hand from the table, “You will love it.”

The guardsman placed the tip of the nail on Lord Alexander’s arm which was tied on the arms rest before he brought the hammer right on it, pushing the nail into the flesh making Alexander groan in pain. One went after another, from the end of his forearm to the back of his palm which was pierced with nails. The guard then went to kneel down and place another two nails on Lord Alexander’s feet.

“How does it feel? These are specially made for vampires. Dipped and made with the help of holy water. They have special property that will disintegrate and diffuse itself slowly into your flesh. Soon the pain of agony will take over as time passes dulling your vampire powers. It’s a feeling you won’t forget.”

“Why, did you have them dug in your flesh too?” Lord Alexander laughed. Lord Norman clutched his hand next to his side furiously, “Keep talking like that and you-”

“That’s enough dear,” Ester placed her arm on her husband’s shoulder, pulling him back from being aggressive, “Being convicted as a murderer who killed a council you sure are courageous and full of words. I will make sure your death is excruciatingly slow but before that she will die right before your eyes,” she said turning towards Katie.

“You need to stop dragging people whom you have no business with,” Lord Alexander stated making the witch laugh.

“Are you referring to your engagement to the lady? Or should I call it a setup engagement?” Listening to this Katie’s head snapped at the witch standing before her, “You must have forgotten that Silas is my child. Did you think he would betray me? To think he would betray me is a folly. The mother who showed him love and affection. Don’t underestimate the bond of a mother and her child whom she had raised. As he is my child, I might overlook what he’s done but it does not apply the same for others. You have quite some nerve trying to ruin something I have been working for years. I don’t think you understood why your mother died. Soon our goal since centuries will be completed and there will be no one to stop us.”

“Lady Ester.”

It was Judith who had visited them, her eyes strangely different than the last time she had seen it. It didn’t take her much time to realize that the girl was one of them. She wondered how many more witches lived in the mansion itself.

“What is it?”

“The sister’s have arrived and are waiting for your presence to discuss about the ceremony.”

“Tell them I’ll be there,” she dismissed the girl and gave one last look to the people tied in the chair before leaving the room with her husband.

Lord Alexander and Katie were locked in the same room, guardsmen standing outside the room. The building was made extra secure with the guards waiting at every corridor and ends of the floors as the person who was held in the underground was none other than the Valerian Lord. Katie looked at Lord Alexander, his eyes closed and his brows furrowed as though in pain. Blood dripped down his fingers due to the number of nails hammered into his arms and legs, one red drop falling after another on the plain ground.

Alex, Katie called out his name in her mind unable to bring out her voice with the sight that presented in front of her. With what Lady Ester had to say it seemed like Silas had changed sides. She wished she could get them out of there somehow. Her hands and legs were bound like him but in less stressful condition than him.

“Are you alright?” asked Alexander concerned, his eyes open and looking at her.

She nodded, “I am alright. How about you?” she asked him worried. Now that she had spoken, she felt the metallic taste of blood in her mouth.

“Never been better,” he gave her an assuring smile even with the dire situation they were in.