“Guarantee? I gave you my word that your daughter will marry my son. Isn’t that enough?”
“Ah, no. You see, I’ve paid a mighty steep price for Sakura’s services. She’s a blood witch, Connor. She’s been paid in souls. And not just any spirits, either. I had to round up every last member of her house for a nasty blood sacrifice. Grisly business, I assure you. After all that trouble, I can’t take a chance that you’ll change your mind.”
“I’ll never waver.”
“Come now.” He claps his arm around Connor’s shoulder. “An additional guarantee is not an unreasonable thing to ask.”
“And what kind of guarantee do you want, exactly?”
“I want blood rights to our first-born grandchild.”
Connor steps away, stunned. “You want me to hand over the body and soul of my grandchild to you?”
Panic charges my nervous system. Don’t do this, Connor. No, no, no.
“Think about it. You’ll never have another child with Octavia. This bargain with Sakura will give you one son. And you’ve already promised that your boy will marry my daughter. So it’s not your grandchild, it’s our grandchild, right?”
Connor’s voice comes out very small. “I suppose that’s true.”
“And for all my monstrous qualities, do you really think I’d ever hurt a hair on my own grandchild’s head?” The evil gleam in his eye says he’d roast his own mother if it suited him.
Connor pauses for a long minute. “I suppose not.”
My mouth curls with disgust. I’ve seen Connor do this a million times. Promise him the moon and he’ll believe you, as long as it’s the moon he wants. If Octavia were here, there’s no way she’d allow him to make this crap bargain.
Aldred chuckles. “Quite right. Even I’m not a baby killer.”
Connor frowns. “We’re not talking about death, Aldred.”
“No, we’re discussing life. A new one for you and Octavia as parents, am I right?”
“Yes,” says Connor in a low voice. “You are.”
Sliding my arms around Lincoln’s waist, I bury my head in his shoulder. His body is warm and trembling.
“So this is how it happened,” I whisper.
Lincoln nods. “Father sold Maxon’s soul to Aldred in exchange for me. Then, when Aldred reached Hell, he traded Maxon again, this time for Armageddon’s mercy, which turned out to be no mercy at all.” His voice turns low and sad. “I never imagined this was Father’s secret.”
Sakura steps toward Aldred, a grim smile on her mouth. “Let’s seal the deal.” She pulls a long knife from the sleeve of her robes. “You first.”
Aldred takes Sakura’s dagger and slices his palm open. He hands the blade to Connor who does the same. Aldred and Connor grip their bloodied palms together as Sakura whispers a spell over their joined flesh. “Be it known that in exchange for a strong son and future high prince for King Connor, the first child from that high prince’s bloodline shall belong to Earl Aldred, body and soul. This shall be sealed this day along with a compulsion to never speak of it again. Do you so agree?”
Connor and Aldred reply in unison. “We agree.”
A flash of red light erupts from where their palms touch. The young Sakura nods. “It is done.” She bows to them both. “I shall now take my leave.” With that, she disappears.
Aldred steps away from Connor and laughs. “Odd little minx, isn’t she?”
“Not the words I’d use, but the sentiment is true enough.”
“Octavia will have good news for you in a month, I swear.”
Connor smiles. “A son, yes. She’ll be thrilled.” He shifts his weight awkwardly from foot to foot. “I should return. Goodbye, Aldred.” Connor starts to march away.
“Goodbye, friend.” Aldred watches Connor march away through the underbrush. “Oh, and one more thing?”
Connor pauses and turns around, a wide smile on his face. “Yes?”
“When we’re in court next time, make sure I’m the first to make my requests known. You haven’t been giving me any chance to speak as of late.”
A long silence follows as Connor’s smile disappears. The color visibly drains from his face. “And what if I don’t?”
“Your future grandchild will die.”
Connor’s face reddens with rage. “I thought you would never touch a hair on our child’s head?”
“You wanted to believe that to take the deal, so I fed it to you. But I’ll do anything I want to our spawn if you displease me. Anything.”
“Damn you, Aldred!” Connor bellows. “I will make you pay for this. Octavia and I aren’t through with you.” He wraps his thick arm about Aldred’s throat and drags him toward the cliff’s edge.
“Do it, I dare you,” gasps Aldred. “My soul still holds the power over your grandchild. I’ll drag the little whelp straight to Hell the moment it’s born.”
Connor pauses at the edge of the cliff, Aldred’s body half-hanging over the edge. “You won’t.” Still, his grip on Aldred’s throat loosens.