Page 44 of Chains of Nightshade

"How do I know this isn't another trick?" My voice cracks. "Another manipulation?"

"It's not." He reaches out, then lets his hand fall back to his side. "I've never been more honest in my life."

The magic surges through me again, responding to my turmoil. I could end this now. One blast of power and it would all be over. But the thought of losing him forever makes my heart constrict painfully.

"I want to believe you," I whisper, tears sliding down my cheeks.

Aurel slithers forward on his knees, his massive form somehow making the gesture more striking. His serpentine lower body coils beneath him, and blood still trickles down his temple from my earlier attack. The sight of him - this proud, ancient creature - prostrating himself before me sends a shiver down my spine.

"I swear to you, Vera. I will never leave you again. I'll be your slave." His voice drops lower, taking on a dangerous edgethat makes my breath catch. "I'll destroy everything that stands in your way. I'll gut them dead. I'll drain their blood and deliver their heads at your feet."

My magic pulses in response to his words, and suddenly, visions flood my mind - crystal clear images of my enemies falling one by one. I see the dark elves who tormented me, who called me worthless, crumpling to the ground. Blood pools beneath their bodies, their eyes wide with terror as Aurel's massive form looms over them. Their heads roll at my feet, a grotesque offering of devotion.

I gasp, stumbling back a step. The visions are so vivid, so real, that for a moment I can almost smell the copper tang of blood in the air. My newfound power thrums beneath my skin, responding to the violent promise in his words.

"You would do that?" I whisper, my voice trembling. "Kill for me?"

His eyes meet mine, and there's something ancient and predatory in his gaze. "I would tear apart anyone who dares harm you. Anyone who ever made you feel worthless."

The power of his words, combined with the intensity of his stare, makes me shiver. This is no empty promise - this is the vow of an ancient being who has killed countless times before. And he's offering this power, this devotion, to me.

Without speaking another word, Aurel closes his eyes and bows his head. Strange words flow from his lips, each syllable thrumming with ancient power. The language is foreign to my ears, yet something deep within me - perhaps my newly awakened magic - understands their weight. Their meaning.

"I bind myself to you," he translates, his voice raw and desperate. "My life, my death, my very soul - they're yours to command."

The air between us hums with invisible energy. My magic responds to his oath, surging beneath my skin like lightningseeking ground. The curse I placed on him earlier pulses, intertwining with his words, creating something deeper, more permanent.

"What are you doing?" I whisper, watching as golden threads of magic materialize around us, weaving intricate patterns in the air.

"Making sure you know this isn't another deception." His eyes meet mine, fierce and determined. "I can never leave you again, Vera. Not by choice, not by force. Your magic, your curse - they've bound us together. But this..." He gestures to the shimmering threads surrounding us. "This is my choice. My oath."

The magic settles into our skin, burning like brands but leaving no marks. I gasp at the sensation, at the sudden awareness of him in my mind - not thoughts, but presence. Connection.

"Even if you walk away," he continues, "even if you never forgive me, I'll remain bound to you. Your servant. Your protector. Your weapon."

The ancient words still echo in the air, carrying power that makes my newfound abilities sing in response. I don't understand the language, but my soul recognizes their truth. Their finality.

Aurel has given himself to me completely, irrevocably. The choice is now mine alone - to accept or reject, to forgive or condemn.

I look down at Aurel, my heart pounding against my ribs. The magic still crackles beneath my skin, ready to strike, but something holds me back. His blood trickles down his temple where I struck him earlier, yet he makes no move to wipe it away.

My fingers twitch at my sides. "You'll do it for me alone?" The words come out barely above a whisper, thick with disbelief.

His serpentine body shifts slightly, but he doesn't rise from his position. Blood drips onto his bare chest, creating crimson trails that make my stomach clench. His eyes - those ancient, powerful eyes that once commanded my dreams - never leave mine.

"I will." His voice carries the weight of his oath, deep and resolute. "For as long as you want me." A dangerous smile curves his lips, sending a shiver down my spine. "I'll burn the world if you want me to."

The raw honesty in his voice makes my chest tight. The golden threads of his oath still shimmer around us, pulsing in time with my heartbeat. My newfound power responds to his words, to the violence and devotion threaded through them.

I reach out, my fingers hovering inches from his face, not quite touching. "The mighty Aurel," I whisper, "offering to burn the world for a former slave."

"For you," he corrects, his eyes darkening. "Only you."

"Then prove it." The words slip from my lips, heavy with challenge. My magic crackles around my fingertips, responding to the tension in the air.

Aurel's eyes darken, and his serpentine body uncoils slowly. Blood still trickles down his temple, but there's a dangerous grace to his movements as he rises. "How?"

"Show me." My voice trembles slightly, but I force myself to stand taller. "Show me that you mean what you say. That this isn't another manipulation."

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