“This is the punishment ritual for traitors.”
“What kind of punishment requires a helicopter?”
But Caelan didn’t answer. His fingers tightened around mine.
Thunder rolled across the darkening sky above us. The storm was moving in fast, bringing with it an oppressive weight that made breathing difficult.
I watched in growing horror as the soldiers produced specialized silver chains. The metal gleamed with an unnatural sheen that made my wolf Esme whimper in sympathy,
They hoisted Blair’s arms high above her head, securing the chains to the helicopter’s landing gear. Her feet barely touched the ground, forcing her into a half-suspended position that put agonizing strain on her shoulders.
“These are silver chains, Caelan explained, his voice devoid of emotion. They suppress a werewolf’s healing abilities and strength.”
Blair let out a keening whimper that cut through the air like a blade. But even through her obvious pain, she managed to clench her jaw in defiance.
Caelan stepped forward, positioning himself directly in front of the suspended traitor. When he spoke, his voice carried across the training grounds with the absolute authority of a king addressing his subjects.
“Today, we execute punishment upon the traitor Blair Sterling. She has betrayed the Blackwood family. She has betrayed our trust. She has attempted to harm our future queen.”
The soldiers around us released low, threatening growls. Their loyalty to their king was absolute, their anger toward Blair palpable.
“For such crimes, according to our ancient traditions, she will suffer the ‘Sky Punishment before being permanently exiled to the northern wasteland.”
Sky Punishment? The words sent ice through my veins.
I stared at Caelan. His eyes held no warmth, no mercy.
“Caelan…” I whispered.
He didn’t seem to hear me.
The helicopter’s engine roared to life. The rotors spun faster, whipping Blair’s hair around her face as the aircraft began its slow ascent.
“Now,” Caelan raised his arm, “let the Sky Punishment begin!”
Lightning split the sky above us in a brilliant fork of white fire.
Blair’s POV
The helicopter lifted off, and my body stretched like a torture victim on a rack. Every muscle screamed as the chains took my full weight. My shoulder joints felt ready to separate.
“Ahhhh! Caelan! You bastard! And Sable! I will curse you forever. I hate you! I hate all of you!”
The words tore from my throat in a raw scream that was immediately swallowed by the roar of engines and rotors.
Rain began falling in heavy drops. Each one struck my exposed skin like a tiny bullet. Within seconds, the drops became a torrential downpour that turned the world into a gray, watery hell.
Through the chaos, I saw Edward approaching with an umbrella. He handed it to Caelan, who immediately angled it to protect Sable from the downpour. Half of his own shoulder was getting soaked, but he didn’t seem to care.
Even now, even during my punishment, she’s all he thinks about.
The helicopter began its circuit around the training grounds. My body became a human pendulum, swinging wildly through the air as rain lashed my skin like whips.
I couldn’t see clearly anymore. Water streamed into my eyes, blinding me. But I could feel every obstacle as the pilot deliberately flew me through the obstacle course.
Stone barriers. Training equipment. Tree branches.
“Crash! My hip slammed into a wooden post with bone-jarring force. The impact sent shockwaves through my suspended body.
“Thud! My legs hit a low stone wall, the rough surface scraping away skin and fabric.
“You animals! You monsters! I screamed, but my voice was lost in the storm.
Lightning illuminated the hellish scene for split seconds-my body being dragged through the mud and debris, the faces of soldiers watching with grim satisfaction, Caelan standing motionless under his umbrella like a judge pronouncing sentence.
The rain had turned the training ground into a muddy swamp. Each time my body struck something solid, I was coated in more filth. Blood mixed with rainwater, creating pink streams that ran down my skin.
My right leg twisted at an unnatural angle after a particularly brutal collision with a granite training stone. The bone had definitely snapped. White-hot agony shot through my nervous system.
The helicopter descended lower, bringing me within range of the ground-based soldiers. As if choreographed, they raised long whips and began striking my suspended form with methodical precision.
“Crack!” The first lash caught me across the back.
“Crack!” The second struck my already-injured leg.
“Crack! Crack! Crack! More lashes fell like rain, each one expertly placed to cause maximum pain without killing me outright.
My skin split open under the assault. The silver chains prevented any healing, so every wound remained raw and bleeding. The rain washing into the cuts intensified the agony beyond anything I’d ever imagined.
My screams grew weaker, more ragged. Consciousness wavered at the edges of my vision.
The helicopter suddenly changed course, heading toward the lake at the edge of the property.
No. No, no, no…
The aircraft positioned itself over the churning black water. Rain had turned the normally calm lake into a frothing cauldron of waves and foam…
Then they dropped me.
The cold water hit like a thousand needles. I went under completely, silver chains dragging me down as my lungs filled with lake water. Just as my vision started to tunnel from oxygen deprivation, the chains jerked upward, hauling me back to the surface.
“Cough! Cough! Cough!” I expelled water violently, gasping for air that burned my raw throat.
But they didn’t give me time to recover. Down I went again. And again.
Each submersion lasted longer. Each time I thought I might finally drown and escape this torment, they pulled me back up just in time.
“Please… The word came out as barely a whisper between choking fits. “Kill me… just kill me…”
Water filled my lungs faster now. My body had no strength left to fight. The cold was seeping into my bones, making everything numb except the silver burns around my wrists.
“Please… I’m begging you…”
But the torture continued. Dunk. Gasp. Dunk. Gasp. An endless cycle of near-drowning that pushed my sanity to its breaking point.
Sable’s POV
I stood frozen in place, my legs refusing to move. Horror paralyzed every muscle as I watched the primitive brutality unfolding before me.
My hands had moved unconsciously to cover my mouth, as if I could somehow block out the sounds of Blair’s screams. But nothing could shut out the wet crack of whips against flesh, or the splash of her body hitting the lake water again and again.
My stomach churned violently. Bile rose in my throat, and I had to fight the urge to vomit right there in the mud.
This is barbaric. This is medieval torture disguised as justice.
But what terrified me more than the punishment itself was Caelan’s reaction to it. He watched the proceedings with the detached interest of someone observing a mildly interesting training exercise.
Is this really the man I’m going to marry? The man who claims to love me?
I remembered Blair’s crimes. The betrayal, the attempts on my life, the conspiracy with Lucian. She deserved punishment-1 understood that. But this level of cruelty made my skin crawl.
If this is how he treats family members who betray him, what would he do to me if I ever crossed him?
The thought hit me like a lightning bolt. I turned to look at Caelan, really look at him, and saw a complete stranger.
Gone was the gentle man who read me bedtime stories. Gone was the protective fianc? who worried about my smallest injuries. In his place stood a king whose capacity for cold-blooded vengeance knew no bounds.
“This is too cruel,” I whispered, not really meaning for him to hear.
But werewolf hearing picked up even my softest words. Several nearby soldiers turned to stare at me with expressions of surprise and disapproval.
Oh God. Did I just criticize the Lycan King’s justice in front of his own warriors?
Fear crept up my throat. But Caelan seemed completely absorbed in supervising the punishment and didn’t react to my comment.
I looked around at the other faces watching this spectacle. Guards, servants, pack members-all of them observed Blair’s torture with the same calm acceptance they might show for a routine training drill.
This is normal to them. This is just another day in their world.
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