Page 89 of You Will Obey

“Son?”

Ara’s voice penetrated my thoughts and I turned to look at him. “I’m sorry. What did you ask me?” I’d forgotten that quickly. So lost in my own mind.

“I asked you how you were feeling. I expect you to pay attention when I’m speaking. You know how I detest having to repeat myself,” Ara said.

I nodded. “I apologize, Sire. I’m in pain, the memories of my sons… they hurt,” I said, thinking about the sons I’d lost, Tyler more than Wyatt, but the pain was there for both.

Ara nodded. “It never really goes away. That is how deeply rooted the bond between Sire and child is, Théoden. It is why so many Sires have a hard time letting their children move on to start their own Houses. Combine the natural instinct vampires have to protect their children with your dragon nature to horde…” Ara paused to chuckle. “I had to force your hand, or you’d never let them go.”

“Tyler might be alive today if he were still with me,” I said.

“Maybe, maybe not. Ryu was in the same room with you when you lost him,” Ara stated and the sting of his death was like silver to my heart.

“You… didn’t have to say that, Sire.”

“Oh?” Ara cocked a dark eyebrow. “It is the truth. You couldn’t protect all of your sons, Théoden. They had to protect themselves. Our lives are eternal, so when we lose someone we love, it doesn’t make sense on some level,” Ara said.

“The son you lost, you took his life yourself, Father. I’ve managed to avoid huge wars and loss of life for so long. Even when challenged by Josef and Kendrick,” I said.

“Your tongue has grown bold, Théoden. Perhaps I’ve been too lenient with you.”

My muscles tensed, because I realized my error. “I–I’m sorry, Sire.”

“You think because I killed Raphael that my pain was less than yours?”

“I didn’t–”

“Pray that you’ll never have to take the life of one of your sons, Théoden. Consider yourself fortunate that the deaths you’ve had to suffer were at the hands of another,” Ara snapped.

I climbed off the lounge chair and dropped to one knee, my head bowed. “Forgive me, my King. My emotions got the better of me, made me forget myself.”

Ara nodded. “Mind yourself, child. I know what you’ve sacrificed, but you are strong. You are a Prince, not because you bested Nolan that night. I’d already chosen you to take over, because of your cunning, and I knew you could back it up with your combat skills. You’ve turned threats into assets, and fortified a powerful alliance with a hostile dragon King.” He lifted my face with one finger so our eyes met. “I see you, my child. However, you could not prevent this war, Théoden. Alexander had achieved something no vampire had ever thought was possible. With that new power, he did what any of the Royals would have done, trust me. I was just the first one he wanted to take out. He wanted every Royal’s territories.”

“You have close to his power. Will you? Will you challenge the other Royals?” I asked, then sat back down on the lounge chair.

Ara smiled and nodded. “I think we all need time to heal, rebuild, and enjoy what we’ve all gained. I am almost as powerful as Alexander was, which means, I am truly the most powerful of all vampire Royals, Théoden. My vampires gained abilities, but I also gained speed and strength. Silver… it can’t kill me, like it didn’t kill Alexander.”

“Do you think you’re like me now? Where only a dragon weapon can kill you?” I asked, then something he said clicked. “What do you mean silver can’t kill you, Sire?”

“It burns, but cannot kill me. And you’re right, a dragon weapon might be the only thing that can.”

I frowned. “How did you discover this about yourself?”

He smirked. “I took a chance.”

I scoffed. “And risked all of our lives? After what we’ve been through?” I snapped. The backhand that came from Ara was so painful, it broke my jaw and was powerful enough to flip me out of my chair and into the middle of the pool. The heated water jarred me back into reality and I realized that I’d stepped out of line worse than the first time I'd misspoken today. I popped my head out of the water and looked at Ara. He was sitting composed on the lounge chair as if he hadn’t just knocked me around as if I weighed nothing. He had already been powerful and stronger than I was, but with that one blow, I felt the increase of his strength. My bones healed quickly, a mercy considering how much it’d hurt when it was a fresh break. I could smell my own blood mixed with salt water and chlorine of the pool, a new scent to me. I swam to the edge and climbed out, my hair, skin, and clothes dripping with water.

I bowed. “Forgive my insolence, Father.”

“That’s twice now and in such a short period of time. What gave you the notion that you should question my actions?” Ara asked in his deep voice that was as sharp as a razor’s edge. He really didn’t appreciate me questioning him and I had no right.

I kept my head bowed, then dropped to both knees. “I apologize, please forgive me, it will not happen again, Sire.”

“If it does, I will remind you of your place. You’re Prince of the City and answer to no one… but me. It’s never the other way around. Are we clear?”

I nodded. “Crystal, Father.”

“As I was saying, I conducted tests prior to taking the plunge, so to speak. I saw and felt that silver, though still painful, didn’t seem to do as much harm to me as it once did. I had to know what we were vulnerable to, Théoden. I had a human from the prisonEmbraced for the sole purpose of testing him. Silver is still deadly to vampires of my line, like it was to those of Alexander’s, unfortunately. At least I am immune to death by silver as are you,” Ara stated.

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