Page 90 of Sundered By Fate

But he felt the words gathering in his throat, the terrible confession that could destroy everything he still held onto.

"I can't?—"

"You don't have to."

Malekith's voice was soft, and yet it cut through the rising tension, stilling Aric's racing heart. Malekith stepped forward, his eyes burning into Aric's, and for a brief moment, Aric let himself get lost in their depths.

"Enough." Malekith's voice cut through the air like a blade. "If you seek my surrender, you shall have it."

The crowd stilled, all eyes on Malekith, as he spoke with calculated precision. His presence was a force, a dark gravity that drew them all in.

"I offer my surrender to you now," Malekith continued, "along with information on the demon forces. But only if you guarantee the safety of the one who has sheltered me thus far."

He inclined his head toward Aric, and Aric's heart fluttered. For all that had happened between them, Malekith was still protecting him.

Valerian narrowed his eyes. "And what assurances do we have that you won't betray us, demon?"

Malekith's lips curled into a small, mocking smile. "You have none, my lord. But consider what I offer—a chance to learn from your enemy, to gain intelligence you would never otherwise possess."

Valerian's eyes moved to Aric, his expression inscrutable. "And you think this is worth the risk, Solarian?"

Aric hesitated, torn between the conflicting tugs of duty, loyalty, and love. "I—I don't know," he said finally, his voice small. "But I trust him more than the others of his kind."

I trust him more than you,Aric added silently.

The soldiers shifted, their armor clinking, as they weighed Malekith's words. The Pureblade knights spoke over one another, arguing over tactics. The Silver Tower mages exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with the prospect of new knowledge. Even the town guards, battle-hardened and weary, seemed to be considering the offer.

Aric's heart twisted. He didn't want to give Malekith up, to lose him to their interrogation. But he saw the way the soldiers were looking at him, the way their hands tightened on their weapons. He couldn't let them do this.

"It could be a trap," one of the guards said, his voice rough with exhaustion. "He could be trying to get inside our defenses."

Valerian nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I don't trust him, either. But we need to be strategic about this."

Aric clenched his fists, his magic sparking against his restraints. The golden flames that usually danced around him were cold and still, but he could feel the power inside him,itching to be released. He couldn't let them take Malekith away, not after everything they'd been through.

Malekith turned to him, his eyes solid onyx. Aric wanted to reach for him, to pull him close and protect him from the world. But the inhibitor cuffs were cold and unyielding, a cruel reminder of his own helplessness.

Malekith's smile was thin, blood trickling from the corner of his lips. Aric's soul tore at the sight, his flames sputtering and dying out. With a resigned nod, Aric allowed the Pureblades to haul him up, their gauntlet-clad hands clutching his arms like iron shackles.

"Yes," he said, his heart breaking. "I trust him."

Valerian's expression was unreadable as he gestured for the Pureblades to stand down. "Very well," he said. "Let us hear what this demon has to say."

Malekith's chains clinked as he stepped forward, the soldiers parting to let him pass. "As I said," he repeated, his voice a low rumble. "I offer my surrender. Along with the information you seek."

"And what is your condition?" Valerian asked, his tone sharp.

Malekith grinned, his teeth sharp and gleaming. "That I be granted a warden—an intermediary to ensure my good behavior." His eyes met Aric's, and Aric's heart stuttered as the world tilted on its axis. "I name Aric Solarian as my choice."

The crowd around them erupted into shocked murmurs, the air crackling with tension. Aric's mind raced, trying to process Malekith's impossible demand.

"You want me to serve as your warden," Aric said, his voice shaking.

Malekith's smile widened, and Aric saw a glint of the demon he had once known—the cunning, calculating predator that had ensnared him in his web.

Aric's heart was a vice, squeezing the breath from his lungs. He wanted to believe Malekith, to trust in the bond they had shared. But the weight of the soldiers' stares, the threat of the Pureblades and the Silver Tower, was too much.

What have they done to you?Aric thought once more.

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