Shadow bound

LUANA’S POV

“Let me go!”

I struggled hard to free myself from the chains that now bound my hands. Great. Just great.

I was so close to completing my mission and becoming a Senior Witch among the “Sisters”—the highest rank a witch could get. It came with immense power and social status.

My job was to stealthily invade the Vacuità Kingdom, cause as much damage as I could, and burn the Imperial Demon Castle where the King lived. Piece of cake.

I had already gotten away with the damage-causing part. The villages and towns were already blazing.

Fire spreads fast and is time-conserving. I only had fifteen minutes, after all. After that, the test was over.

I had already set the castle on fire, making sure that every inch was covered, and was about to make my escape through the garden, but as I ran through, I noticed the flowers suddenly growing thorns and vines sprouting out of the ground until they formed a wall-like barrier, preventing me from leaving.

This was bad.

I raised my hand and unleashed fire on the vines, but as quickly as they burned, they regenerated just as quickly.

“Fuck.”

My only way out of here was to teleport.

But as I tried to summon my magic, nothing happened.

I couldn’t teleport.

“Seriously?!”

It was no use. Demons had the advantage of speed, so before I could even think of trying something else, I was surrounded and pinned to the ground.

The guards then took me to a room after binding my hands with chains. They must have been chains meant to hold witches because my powers weren’t working.

I tried everything—freezing, burning, twisting, invisible cutting. Nothing.

Just then, the door opened, and a tall figure entered. He had deep sky-blue eyes and long, beautiful lashes. His hair was a combination of silver and black—silver on his left, black on the right. The length of his hair would make any woman jealous, for it was waist-length. Red, crimson lips that stood firm and a sharp jawline were the finishing touches to his beauty.

He was beautiful. Majestic…

“She almost burned my castle?”

I immediately snapped out of my reverie. It was almost like his aura had cast some kind of spell on me.

“Yes, sire. We caught her just in time and were also able to quench the fire,” one of the guards answered.

So this was King Riccardo—the heartless Demon King.

He walked toward me, taking gentle strides. Each step carried authority and radiated kingliness. He stopped in front of me and gave me a very displeasing look, like I’d just vomited on his shoes.

“How do you want to die?”

“What?” I was taken aback. He didn’t repeat himself.

“Since you’re female, the King asks how you want to die out of generosity,” the guard who had answered earlier spoke.

I scoffed. I knew that since I was caught and couldn’t use my magic, it would mean death. But I wouldn’t succumb to these evil demons. Generosity? They should kill me however they wanted. I didn’t need their pity.

“You won’t speak?”

I raised my head and looked the King straight in the eye. The message was clear.

No.

“Very well. Feed her to the wolves.”

I was already outside the castle when a horse came running toward us at full speed.

“Wait! Hold on!” the man on the horse shouted.

He stopped in front of us and got down from his horse. Blonde hair. Brown eyes. Spectacles. Probably six feet tall. He was tall—but the King was taller.

“What is it, Harry?” the King asked. I didn’t even know he had followed us outside. He probably wanted to watch me get torn apart—ruthless, as they say.

“She’s a Golden Witch. They only appear once every hundred years. She’s able to wake your mother.”

Golden Witch? What was he talking about?

The King’s eyes widened.

“Are you sure about this?”

“My sources never lie, sire.”

The King then looked in my direction and smiled. It was so devilish it sent chills down my spine.

“Anthony.”

“Yes, sire.”

“Get me my spell book.”

“As you wish, my King.”

Spell book? What was he trying to do?

Anthony returned in no time with the spell book.

“Your Highness, are you sure about this?”

“If what you say is correct about her being the Golden Witch, then she’s a very valuable asset.

I’ve read about them, and I know her magic is powerful—powerful enough to rival mine, or even surpass it.

We need that kind of power in Vacuità, and the only way to make sure she doesn’t try to escape and only uses her power for the kingdom is this way.”

“Alright, sire.”

Harry gave a curt nod to the guards holding me, and they dragged me toward the King. I struggled, but it was to no avail.

The King opened the book and pulled out a knife that was placed between its pages. He began to chant incantations.

When he was done, he brought out the knife and proceeded to carve into my inner arm.

He drew a circle, then a vertical line from top to bottom through the middle. He did the same thing to his own arm.

“Sigillato. Che non possa mai scappare.”

At those words, our marks glowed a whitish hue. The guards finally let me go.

I stared at the mark carved into my arm.

“What... what did you do to me?”

Enraged, I drew my dagger and lunged at him, but something suddenly yanked me backward.

It felt as though an invisible chain had wrapped itself around me, keeping me from reaching him.

What was happening?

“You can’t harm him,” the blonde man said, walking toward me. “You’ll only harm yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

The King turned his cold gaze toward me.

“It means you cannot use your magic against me. You can only use it to help me.”

My blood ran cold.

“No…”

I dropped to the ground, realization dawning over me.

It was all over now.

I was bound to him—cursed to use my power to help the kingdom I hated.

The kingdom that treated my ancestors like trash.

I looked up at the man before me and felt nothing but pure hatred.

“Tell her what she needs to know.”

He turned to look at me one more time before leaving.

I tried to run away.

But no matter how hard I tried to escape, something kept drawing me back.

Even my teleportation wasn't still working.

"I...can't go home can I?"

“No. Harry said giving me a pitiful smile.

"Let's get to work".

It took me a moment to get myself before I finally followed Harry.

I had to think of a plan to escape. There had to be some way.

---

I was taken to the Queen’s room, where she lay on the bed.

“What happened to her?”

“We don’t know. She just slept and didn’t wake up the next day.”

“We can’t seem to find the problem. Even the doctors,” he continued.

“And you think I can?” I asked.

“Yes. You are a Golden Witch. Wait... you weren’t told?” He looked surprised.

“Because I’m not one.”

“No, you are.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“You don’t need to know that.” He forced a smile.

I sighed. “I’m not a Golden Witch. I’m just a witch.”

“I know you can cure the Queen...Just believe in your power.”

This guy really had faith in me.

I sighed.

Then composed myself and raised my hand into the air.

I needed something that could help me look into the Queen’s memories.

Let’s get this over with.

“Situare.”

All of a sudden, the furniture in the room began to levitate, flying around in a circular motion.

A small white napkin finally landed in my palm, and I stopped the objects from floating.

I covered my palm and closed my eyes—and was shocked at what I saw next.