Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 1369 - 124 : Heartbroken Elation

“Are you ready, my dear?”

I continued to stare up in terror at Malphas. I had to remind myself violently that this was just a vision, showing me my past self.

Even knowing this was a glimpse into my previous life, I still tried to scream no at him. Of course, I didn’t. I nodded glumly but kept my head high as I started to walk beside him, out of my bed chamber and down a long, intricate hallway decorated in dark red velvet and gold.

It was only when we walked by an expansive mirror with a golden frame that I realized that I had been wrong initially. I wasn’t seeing through the eyes of my past self at all.

I was currently remembering and reliving the desperate story of my biological mother, Amara.

I stared at my mother’s face in the mirror. She was absolutely gorgeous with long, wavy locks the color of the sun. Her cheeks were rose-colored, and her emerald-green eyes were bright. They were wide and frightened now as she walked beside her groom.

I was inside my mother’s mind, seeing the events play out from safely within her. Since this was true, I also had access to a plethora of memories. As we continued down the long hallway and toward what had to be some kind of wedding chapel, my mother started to play the events leading up to this awful union in her mind.

She wondered how a young, gifted priestess of light magic could end up in this kind of predicament. How had she been so unfortunate? She was pregnant with me when my father passed away in a tragic accident. Before she could even grieve him properly, the ambitious demon Malphas arranged an advantageous marriage alliance with her influential family.

Fury along with fear rushed through me. She hadn’t wanted this. She never wanted to marry Malphas, which wasn’t at all shocking to me. He wasn’t doing this out of love or kindness.

I could do nothing but watch as the two entered the chapel. There were a plethora of distinguished guests, clearly powerful and wealthy. They stood from the marble pews as the two entered.

Amara kept her head down, her heart hammering as she tried to keep the tears at bay. Panic seemed to grow exponentially within her with each step toward the altar. Even as she turned to face Malphas, she kept her eyes downcast.

The priest began the ceremony, sweeping the hem of his white robes behind him as he read from a huge golden book the size of a dictionary. My mother wasn’t listening to any word he was saying, keeping her eyes down and hoping to block out the nightmare.

Malphas bent toward her very low and put his lips right at her ear so that even the priest couldn’t hear what he was saying. “You’d best make the most of our union,” he hissed at my mother, his sinister voice low. “If you want your child to live peacefully and without pain, you will be an obedient little bride and do everything I say.”

My mother shivered, staring up at him in fear. She bit her lip, knowing she didn’t have a choice, so she nodded her head submissively.

I felt my blood boil, but there was nothing I could do except watch the ceremony from the eyes of the reluctant bride. It seemed as if everyone except my mother was celebrating the occasion. The guests seemed blissfully unaware of the inner turmoil Amara was going through. I had a sinking feeling that they didn’t care.

There was a lavish reception immediately following the ceremony with dancing and a feast fit for royalty. It was so gorgeous inside the grand ballroom that even I forgot this was a forced marriage to an evil sorcerer. My mother moved in a trance all night, forcing a polite smile on her face when Malphas introduced her to various guests of high standing.

Amara was the perfect wife, standing by Malphas’ side and only speaking when spoken to. Even though she was falling apart inside, she was poised and distinguished, keeping her head high.

She didn’t falter even slightly until the party ended, and Malphas dragged her to his bedroom at the end of the night. As soon as the bedroom door shut with an ominous clack, my mother backed away from her new husband.

“Please, Malphas,” she begged, her wide eyes rounding further. “Could we please retire for the night? That was an exhausting party, and I would really like to go to sleep.”

Malphas’ black, almost soulless eyes narrowed dangerously, and he silenced my mother by taking her chin roughly in his hands. “Listen, wife,” he spat. “It is my right as your husband to take you to bed whenever I deem it necessary. You will do well not to resist whenever my desires arise.”

With fear and loathing, my mother completed her wifely duties. Thankfully, Amara was left alone for the next several nights. She was happy at first, relieved to be able to spend her nights alone, but then an uneasy feeling spread through her insides.

Well, she was mostly alone. She spent hours stroking her pregnant tummy lovingly. Despite her unhappy marriage, Amara was still excited about the birth of her child. She was confident the baby would bring her much happiness. The baby would be a little light to lead her through dark times.

One night, Amara was restless and decided to wander through the expansive mansion she now lived in. She stroked her pregnant belly lovingly as she walked the halls. She happened upon a staircase leading down into a dark chamber. Curious, she descended the stairs, hearing the stern voice of her husband.

Amara stopped at the bottom of the stone steps, her eyes widening with horror at what she saw. The hidden room appeared seemed to be some kind of torture chamber. Shelves filled with dark liquid adjourned the walls. A raised platform stood in the center. It looked like a shrine with mysterious symbols etched into it. They glowed ominously.

Malphas stood in front of the platform, his back to her.

My mother started to back up but froze when Malphas suddenly turned to face her. He grinned evilly when he saw her standing at the bottom of the stairs. “Hello, wife,” he practically cooed. “Can I help you? Did you need me to help you to bed?”

Amara shook her head quickly, but her curiosity peaked. She swallowed hard. “What is all this?”

Malphas looked pleased by her question and then turned to gesture at the glowing platform. “This is for the baby,” he boasted. “As soon as it is born, I will conduct a soul-binding ritual that will combine your offspring’s power with my own upon its entrance into the world.”

Amara’s heart froze as she took in the horrifying plan. “No,” she murmured in her heart. Malphas wanted to put her precious baby through a hellish soul-binding ritual. No, she couldn’t let that happen.

She forced a smile onto her face, trying to look excited at the disturbing prospect. “What a splendid idea, my love,” she said. “Our child will thrive as a powerful sorcerer just like their father.”

Malphas might have sensed the lie, but he was much too preoccupied with his ingenious plan to look at his bride too closely. Amara was able to excuse herself and hurry back up the steps from which she came.

She could hardly breathe when she returned to the bedroom she shared with the demon sorcerer. Horrified, she started to devise a plan of escape as the selflessness of motherhood started to stir fiercely in my mother’s heart.

Days passed by. Amara did her best to remain scarce as she plotted her escape to spare her innocent baby from being shackled in darkness to a merciless monster. As a priestess of light, Amara was able to speak to light spirits. They were cute little star-shaped creatures.

Amara had the voice of an angel and sang to the magical creatures. They danced around her as she sang. Soon, she had befriended quite a few of them. They agreed to help her. When the baby was born, they would help her get them to safety.

Malphas was thankfully busy with various evil ventures, one of them readying the dark underground chamber for the soul-binding ritual. He spent little time with his new wife, which allowed Amara to prepare for the baby’s arrival.

However, Amara wasn’t able to put her escape plan into action before the baby arrived. I was born two months premature on the night of a booming thunderstorm. The nursemaids helped my mother deliver me in the safety of the servant’s quarters. It allowed them to birth me in secret from Malphas.

As she lay one of the servant’s thin mattresses and while painful contractions shook her body, my mother was able to tap into the last of her power to create a temporary one-way portal. The gorgeous portal lit up the room right as I came into the world.

“Niva,” my mother gasped as she cuddled her baby to her chest.

A young servant girl with curly black hair and warm hazel eyes stepped forward.

“Niva,” my mother said to her. “You have been like a dear sister to me since I arrived. It would be a great honor if you were the one to take my precious newborn to safety through this portal. It will take you both into the Light Realm. Please do this for me, no matter what the cost.”

Niva nodded seriously, her large eyes brimming with tears. “Yes, my lady. It would be a great honor to do so for you. I will take care of the baby and protect her with my life.”

Amara smiled gratefully at her before focusing her attention down on infant me. Her face became tender as she hovered a hand above my tiny head and began to chant softly. Intricate blessing runes with swirling symbols floated above my head, surrounding me in a pale celestial light.

“I gift to you all of my knowledge, mystical gifts, and loving soul memories to you, my sweet little Zara,” my mother cooed as I glowed briefly. She swallowed hard before placing the fragile infant into loyal Niva’s devoted arms.

I watched the exchange with a heavy heart. My mother looked heartbroken to be separated from me, but she also looked relieved, knowing that I would be as far away from Malphas as possible this way. She pressed a light kiss to the top of my head before hugging Niva fiercely.

A single tear slid down Niva’s cheek. She brushed it away and looked down at the baby in her arms as a fierce determination colored her features. “I swear to protect baby Zara unto death,” she swore, straightening and looking my mother in the eye.

My mother smiled but appeared to be holding back tears as well. “I never doubted it,” she told the girl fondly, but then her expression faltered and she frowned, her large hazel eyes urgent. “Now, go. It is only a matter of time before my husband comes down here searching for me. You must get through the portal and into the Light Realm at once.”

Amara caressed her daughter’s cheek again, hugged the servant girl, and then firmly shoved both toward the portal. She watched as Niva stepped through the unstable portal with me cradled in her arms.

The warring emotions going through my mother at that moment were overwhelming. She felt relief that her child was escaping, but she also felt a deep pain as she was separated from her only child. Her child had literally just entered this world, and she already had to say goodbye.

She was elated but also extremely heartbroken.

She wiped a hand across her cheek, pushing away the single droplet there and finding solace knowing that her enduring sacrifice and bond with her infant daughter would shield the baby from the demon, for a time at least.