We were almost there. We almost arrived at the capital with the token that would seal Ryan and my relationship forever. I was so glad and relieved that we found my dad before the Prince. Now he was obligated to keep his promise. He had to. He promised.

But that wasn’t the only good thing about capturing the traitor. I will also get my wings back! Initially, I lost them because my dad wasn’t there to take responsibility, but now, everything will be like before. My mate will finally see me in my entirety. I will also be able to fly again. It has been too long. The nightmare was ending soon. Everything will go back to normal, and I’ll be able to visit Ryan’s Kingdom too!

After a few hours, we finally landed in front of the King's palace. We requested an audience with the King before patiently waiting for the guard to pass our message. When the ruler of the kingdom came out, I was surprised to see that the Prince was also here! Why was he already back? Didn’t he leave to search for Daniel Vanburen too?

"As promised. Here's the traitor," my mate said as Helena threw Daniel, my father, on the ground. "Now, my mate gets his wings back, and you abandon the idea of taking..."

"You guys really did it!” the Prince exclaimed surprisedly while interrupting my mate. “Honestly, I didn't think you would succeed. Yet you have done it in less than a week. I'm impressed,” he added while crouching down to see the bonded man’s face. "Keith will have his wings back as promised, but he's mine, not yours."

“Excuse me?” glared my mate with rage.

"You heard me clearly, I'll still claim what is rightfully mine."

"You can't! You promised! You said that if we get my father before you, you'll not only give my wings back, but you'll leave us alone!" I shouted distressedly as I gripped my mate's hand hard.

"They're the enemies and on our lands, nonetheless. In this Kingdom, the King’s words are law. Even for the King of the Ignis Kingdom," the Prince answered not fazed at all by my outburst. “If you must complain, feel free to do so. Who would you think the population will listen to? Our King or the enemy?"

I clenched my fists even harder. I couldn’t believe what was happening now. He never intended to keep his word from the first place. “If I knew this would happen, I would have been more than happy if my dad did succeed to kill the King!” I shouted loud enough, so people near us could clearly overhear me.

"How dare you talk to your King like that?!" shouted back the Prince before taking a deep breath. "I see. Spending so much time with filth made you turn against your own kind. Don't worry, I'll save you, Keith. I'll save you from their clutches."

“Don’t talk to me like you would to a child. I can perfectly take decisions by myself,” I tried to reason the man, but he wasn’t listening anymore. His was already blinded by his own greed.

"Seize him!" ordered the Prince while pointing at me as the guard came and took me away from my mate.

"Ryan! No, let me go! Ryan!" I shouted while giving the guards a hard time to get a good grip on me as I kicked and punched around.

"That's enough!" Ryan raised his voice as the Moon Dragons appeared behind him and Helena. "It seems like the deal is off, that means, we don't need to deliver this man to you anymore," added my mate as he cut the ropes that were binding my father hands and legs. My dad didn't waste a single second before running away and we all watched him do it. "Since you don't know how to keep the words you spoke off, there's no need of being civil anymore."

On the end of those words, the dragons started to growl loudly. The sound emanating from them was so deafening that it didn’t look like there were only three of them.

"This is my last warning. Give my mate and his wings back or we will be obligated to use violence," Ryan warned as he took a step forward while the Prince and the guards holding me took a step back.

This was bad. I could feel the tension building up in the air. A fight was unavoidable now, but it could and it will be worse. They may end up declaring war on each other. The Prince would definitely not hesitate to sacrifice thousands of innocent lives to get what he wants. But what about my mate?

I needed to do something. I couldn’t let this go on any further. But what could I possibly do?

When the Prince didn’t comply with my mate’s warning, four more Moon Dragons appeared out of nowhere. But these ones were even bigger than the other three. We were now surrounded by dragons. Dragons that looked very starved for fresh meat.

"You wouldn’t dare to attack a ground still populated by civilians?" shouted the King in disbelief.

"This can be prevented if your son would give my mate back," Ryan answered calmly while unleashing a sword that I didn't know the existence.

“Even if I let him go, he will come back. I have his family,” the Prince threatened while a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.

“I wonder how your people will react when their future King threatens them. You won’t even last a year before this Kingdom collapses or get overthrown. Your dear father would be a more conceited fool than yourself if he is really considerating this idea,” my mate taunted while the Prince’s face became red of anger and humiliation.

His eyes were hurling daggers at my mate. What was Ryan doing? He would never get me back like that. He will only start a fight. The Prince wasn’t a man that will easily back down. I needed to intervene. Think myself, think!

The first and only idea that came through my mind could work, but I didn’t like it at all. But what choice did I have? It had to work. I hoped it worked.

“Ryan, please… Stop,” I pleaded as I get both men’s attention. “I-I will go with the Prince. He is right... I can’t defy him when he can hurt my family. They are the only one that I have left. So, please?” I begged as tears started to fall down my cheeks.

I didn’t like lying to my mate, but he needed to believe it. If he did, the Prince will. But the confusion in his eyes really hurt my heart.

"Why?” his voice broke before adding, “You know there’s no coming back if you go with him. Our bond will be lost… Forever.”

“But you’ll be safe. I don’t want you dying for me. I can’t live without you knowing that I was the reason you died,” I answered back weakly not confident at all about my argument.

"I don't believe you."

“In that case, I’ll prove it.”

The words burned my mouth the second I pronounced it. I somehow got out of the guard’s hold before diminishing the distance between the Prince and I. He first looked at me with confusion, but when I jumped into his arms and held myself with my arms on his neck, he looked more than pleased.

With a shaky breath, I closed my eyes and kissed the Prince.

Please, forgive me, Ryan.