Chapter 3 Never call me your mate

The Prince grabs the iron rod like he would a sword. “Your highness!" Argos exclaims, Caramel eyes in shock. 

But the Prince straightens, ignoring the burn as if it's nothing. “Get your hands off her." He commands the guards holding me. 

And they immediately let go. 

Then the Demon Lord does something that no one expects. He crouches down in front of me and cleans away my tears.

His action is surprisingly gentle, though gloved, I can feel the warmth seeping through his palm.

“Your highness this-" 

“Return to your seat." 

“But-" a sharp glare silences him. “Yes, your highness." It's a wonder how he is able to defy the Prince without pissing his pants.

The Prince then picks me up like a new bride. “Let us begin." He tells the priest who if possible has turned into stone. 

When he doesn't move. 

The Demon lord raises a brow. “Well?" The priest jerks as if shocked, then he clears his throat.

I can only stare at him, my mate, his chest feels hot, too hot, but I don't feel less safe in his arms. 

“We have gathered here, to watch the matrimony between the Siren and Prince D... Roderick, the Demon lord-”

" Save the formalities.“ 

" O... Of course, your highness.“ He turns back and picks up a dagger. “You- your blood." Instead of stretching out his hand, the Prince takes the dagger from the priest. 

“Stretch forth your hand." He tells me, making me tremble. 

I quickly stretch out my right hand, he cuts my palm with the dagger, I wince. 

Not expecting the cold blade to hurt so much.

He skillfully cuts the palm of his other hand, on the place a burnt mark is supposed to be. “Squeeze your blood on it." I quickly do as he says, and squeeze my blood on the mark. 

My blood sizzles the moment it meets his and his eyes snaps to mine, glazing over as a low growl emitts from his throat. “Water magic." He states, his eyes lingers on the mark on my exposed skin, then my bloody palm.

His grip on me tightens,jaw clenched as he closes his eyes as if trying to regain control, once he does, he looks back at the priest. 

Who picks up a pair of scissors and hands it over. The Demon king chops off a little of his jet black hair, then a little of my own hair, which he locks together and hands over to me. 

I take it and place it in my pouch.

The ceremony is meant to be the other way round according to how Nyx had forced me to memorize. 

But since when did the Demon Lord follow the rules? 

“By the power vested in me, I pronounce you man and wife, You may now Kiss the-" 

" Skip.“

The priest nods, running his hand in his bald head." I present to you, Prince Roderick and his wife, the Siren -”

" Tell me, wife. What is your name?“ My eyes widen and it takes me a second to reply.

"Greta.“ 

"I am married to Greta, not a siren. “ 

"Y... Yes. I present to you, Prince Roderick and Princess Greta.“

The crowd is silent, no cheer, no happiness, but all I can think of is how my name sounds in his lips. 

He carries me down the altar. I notice that even his neck is covered by a leather neck. His loud footsteps echo as he carries me down the altar. 

He pauses at the steps.“Argos!" 

“Yes, your highness." Argos steps forward. 

“I want every guard who touched my wife beheaded." Murmurs fill the room, but he doesn't care. 

Argos doesn't look surprised, neither should I, but his actions only remind me of the cruel fate awaited for me. 

The Demon Lord can always kill me if I make the slightest mistake. “ it shall be done.“

Roderick doesn't give him a reply before walking out of the hall with me in his arms, leaving the chaos behind us. 

I don't dare breathe as he carries me through the palace halls, I once thought I had roamed everywhere in the Palace, until he takes me to the west Palace, the forbidden palace I now realize belongs to him. 

The place is dark and desolate, with not even a ghost present. Soon, he stops in front of a room and pushes the door open with a groan. 

The room is surprisingly bright. And it doesn't smell stale like the other part of the palace. He places me on the black bed after which he kneels by my side and gently picks up my hand making me flinch. 

“You must have been terrified." He says. Rubbing my hand softly. "It won't happen again. “ He promises.

I nod, biting my lips. 

After some measured silence, he stands up and heads to the cupboard, when he returns, there's a slave and a gauze in his hand. 

Then he picks up my hand again, and slowly applies the bandage to it, softly. 

My eyes water from his strangeness. 

Just what kind of man is Roderick Aloysius?

I keep my tears at bay and let him wrap the gauze around his hand. He stands up, returns the salve and gauze, then he heads for the door. 

“Wait!" I call, and he stops, not looking back at me. “What do you mean by I passed?" I have many other questions, but this is the one that comes out.

He turns to me. "That was a test, to know if you are a spy from my brother or not. And you passed.“ I feel a lump in my throat.

Swallowing, I question. “What would have happened if I didn't… pass?“

He looks me square in the eyes and replies. " Death.“ My stomach does a flop.

"But…” I pat down my gown. "I am your mate-” 

“Don't." His face twists into an angry expression and he storms over to me, before I know, his hand is wrapped around my throat. 

“Don't you ever tell anyone that you are my mate. understood?"

What?

'Why does he keep doing this?' Ena prompts me to ask him and that is exactly what I do.

A tear rolls down my cheek. “But… why?" I whisper.