The blast came from a distance and Rolfe became tense as hell. He looked at his team and asked them all to stay low. Slowly, they scrambled to the corners and stood near the wall in order to stay safe in case a blast happened on this side. He squinted his eyes to see the last of his team members. There was panic and helplessness and fear in his demeanor. He looked at Iona and shook his head. How could he put her through this trouble? He failed to protect her. He failed her. 

Iona placed her palm on his cheek and her lips quirked up in a wry grin as she craned her neck to gaze in those emerald green eyes. "Don't feel bad about it, Rolfy. I told you that we are together in it." 

He leaned in her palm and kissed it. He tugged her towards his chest and wrapped his arms around her tightly.. Closing his eyes, he waited for the moment to pass. The blast was followed by a loud crash of large boulders and debris and then everything became silent. He waited for a long time with sweat beads appearing on the brows and upper lip. All at once the tug from Caleb felt stronger. It was a warning for all of them to recede. Fear and tension were thick in the air. Everyone wanted to get out of there and yet remain with their prince. After what seemed like eternity, Rolfe asked them all to slowly get out of there. Very quietly, one by one they started to walk towards the chamber where Caleb was. It was a long walk but they had to. As he walked, Rolfe carried hope that this was nothing related to their work. His friends and allies had worked with him for a better world. So many of his loyalist demons had sacrificed themselves for his cause. 

--- 

General Yion and his team were laying the last line of the bricks, when he heard the blast. It shook dust from the stones above. "Run!" he shouted, hoping that everyone heard him over the blast. As they all started retreating, right where they were laying the last of the bricks, a hole formed and a large chunk of stones and debris fell through it. And chaos in the form of demon soldiers descended inside the tunnel. Immediately, they sat in rows with their arrows and bows taut towards them and iron tipped spears angled at them. 

The fae soldiers started to run wondering why haven't the demon soldiers had not fired the weapons as yet. They came to a sudden stop when yet another blast rocked above them. They started screaming and running helter-skelter, stepping over each other, panicky as hell. One more pit developed in the tunnel and more demons jumped in. 

General Yion's group was captured. All of them were forced to climb up the pit. 

--- 

Ileus had already instructed his soldiers to get out of the tunnels as soon as possible. Just as they started, they halted because an earth shattering blast right above them sounded and they all scurried to find the corners. "What the fuck is happening?" shouted Kaizan as he dove to save Ileus. People around him screamed. 

"It seems Edyrm has finally found us," replied Ileus, his eyes burning with fury. 

In less than a minute, the demon soldiers surrounded them and forced them to climb up. 

--- 

As Rolfe walked towards Caleb's chamber, he heard another blast and suddenly he realized that it was a trap. One which father had laid for him. The tunnel was being laid so quietly that Rolfe wanted to applaud himself and his team. But he realized that it was all too soon. The trap was to draw out his mate. The realization hit him like a blast he just heard. The emotional intensity matched. He should have known his father, should have known his plans… Didn't Ileus know about it? After all, Edyrm was the man who supported Etaya with all the money. Rolfe narrowed his eyes as realization dawned upon him. Ileus knew it right from the beginning. And he walked right into the trap of King Edyrm, so that Anastasia could escape—to get the allied army of all and attack Galahar. He chuckled. Someone had to get out. Even it meant killing the rest. 

He stopped Iona in her tracks. When she looked at him, his eyes were blazing. He picked her up from her waist and said, "I love you!" 

Iona tilted and frowned but he crashed his lips on her. When he pulled away, he said, "We are about to be ambushed." He set her on her feet. "Run as fast as you can and try to escape. Go to Anastasia and tell her all about it!" 

"No!" Iona's body shuddered. "This can't be!" She refused to believe it. She held his hand and the two began to run as fast as possible. When they reached Caleb's chamber, they halted suddenly, stumbling a little. 

The demons had surrounded Caleb with iron tipped, poison dipped spears. The guards clapped shackles around his wrists. The last fiber of the magic thread that he tied himself with everyone, snapped. Their masks crumbled. The soldiers surrounded the prince and his mate and nudged them to climb up. 

--- 

In the throne room of the palace, Kaizan glanced at every exit and item that could be used as a weapon if needed when he would escape. They had shackled his neck and wrists and ankles, just like Ileus', General Yion's and Arel's. He saw soldiers poking Caleb with their spears to move forward. Did he see fear in their eyes? A thin smile came on his lips. Yes, they feared Caleb because he could match their king's magic. 

And then, he noticed that the soldiers had brought Rolfe and Iona too. While he was heavily shackled from top to bottom, Iona's wrists were manacled and a soldier was pulling her mercilessly. Panic exploded in his chest. 

King Edyrm Aramaer watched all of them from his throne, his pointy ears twitching. "This has become such an interesting day," he said coldly. Sitting on his throne, the high back of which was adorned with rubies and diamonds and emeralds, he looked… imposing and dangerous. There was a murderous cold aura around him. His horns had straightened and his green eyes flickered a black. His body was massive, muscles bulging abnormally. The pointy black claws scraped against the throne's black stone. He was wearing black sleeveless tunic and trousers with a black cloak, with gold vambraces on his biceps. The man was too handsome, with lines on his bronze face that showed his age. The silver hair on his head added to the fact that he was ancient. Dark magic swirled around him. 

"My spy has done such wonderful work," he said, looking from Ileus to Kaizan to Rolfe and his mate. "My youngest son, who so wants to modernize his people, was trying to create tunnels even though he knew that I was against it. And despite eons of animosity between demons and faes, he has somehow grown close to the trashy woman whose family I hate." The king's eyes went to Ileus and a smile appeared. 

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