CHAPTER THIRTY
BLOOD OATH ( ii. )

Calliope can't remember the last time she woke feeling so rested.

Not once during her peaceful slumber did a nightmare awake her. Instead, she found a serene stillness wrapped in the warm, silky sheets. She tries not to think too much about the other factor that could have contributed to her undisturbed night as said factor lays next to her, his bare chest pressed right against her back as it rises and falls gently.

The prince's strong arms create a safe haven around her. One is tucked neatly under her head while the other is strung lazily around her waist. She doesn't remember at which point in the night their bodies intertwined—or who had snuggled against who—but she doesn't push him away, even as rays of fresh sunshine trickle passed the cardinal curtains.

At first, when she woke, her body tensed due to a flash of not knowing where she was, but that faded almost immediately. Calliope has just been lying, unmoving with Arthur's embrace surrounding her, for thirty minutes now. She doesn't want this serenity to end, or to face what the rest of the day holds.

But, as Arthur stirs, she knows it's almost time for her to leave. From behind her, she can feel when he wakes, his arms stiffening as he realizes their position, unable to tell if the blonde is awake. She wonders if he'll make a move to remove his arms from around her. His hot breathe fans the back of her neck, causing an electrifying sensation to trickle through her body.

Eventually, Calliope clears her throat, and his arms retreat back, "Uh, sorry," he mutters as she sits up, her legs dangling off the bed. "Have you been awake long?"

"About a half hour." Her back is still turned to him, but she can almost hear the unspoken surprise on his face, and before he can ask why she didn't push him away, the answer being too complicated, she glances over her shoulder. "I didn't want to wake you."

As the prince sits up, his mouth opens, but closes again. Arthur rubs the back of his head, trying to figure out how to navigate these roaring waters, but then, a crashing sound jolts through both of them. Calliope nearly jumps up, searching for a weapon, until her eyes wander to the servant's entrance to see Merlin standing there—eyes wide with a scattered tray of breakfast food on the floor beneath him.

He looks to Calliope first, and then to Arthur, dumbfounded.

"Um..." He inhales awkwardly. "Good morning...Arthur and...Cal...?"

"Merlin," Arthur starts, irritation in his voice.

"Yes, Sire?"

"Get out."

"Right," he glances down at the food. "I'll just clean that up later." He moves faster than Calliope has ever seen to get out of the room.

Her head tilts to look back at the Prince, who is still shirtless. Last night, she was so tired that she didn't even notice when he had discarded his shirt, but now, in the glow of morning light, it's so hard to keep her eyes from wandering.

Stay focused, she reminds herself, before finally speaking again, "You'll need to excuse Merlin from his duties today. After he cleans up that mess, of course."

"What? Why?"

She spills out the bits of information she has prepared for him, "Gaius has reason to believe the Red Dragon is immortal, and he knows of a place not far from here that has a dagger with enough power to kill her."

The prince furrows his eyebrows, "Why am I only hearing of this now?"

"Well, last night..." Calliope trails off, and the vulnerable look in her eyes is enough of an answer for him. "Anyway, I'm going to retrieve it, and I need Merlin to come with me."

"I'll join as well—"

"No," Calliope cuts him off, eyes widening. "You have to stay here and protect the city in case the Red Dragon decides to strike. You should stay close to your father, as Morgana said, he's likely the target." Arthur doesn't look convinced. He never likes the idea of Calliope putting herself in a dangerous situation. "I'll be fine, Arthur. The dagger is less than a day's ride away. I'll be back before nightfall, and if anything does happen, I'll have Merlin with me."

A sigh escapes his lips, "Well that's reassuring."

There's no way Calliope would let Arthur come along. One, he would never let her go through with the plan. Two, his last memories of her would be seeing her as the Red Dragon—as a killer and a liar. She just can't endure that. She won't.

Calliope sends him a pointed stare, "Look, it's safe. Gaius wouldn't want me going if it were any different."

That bit of information seems to give him at least a small glimmer of solace, but she sees him chewing on his bottom lip, as if he is fighting to keep a roar of words from blurting out.

"Do you believe it?" He asks, his eyes drifting up from the tangled sheets where their bodies were previously laced together. "That this Red Dragon is...immortal?"

"Yes," she answers, her voice convoluted with echoes of the past. "I guess after staring death in the face for so long, you become part of it."

The prince tils his head in a small nod, "Then obtaining this dagger is of the utmost importance, and you have my absolute trust, Calliope," those words; she might as well have already put the dagger through her heart. "Camelot is truly a better place with you here."

Calliope swallows, her heart clenching, "I appreciate that," she is able to say with a ghost of a forced smile.

When she tries to stand from the bed, Arthur's hand wraps around her arm, bringing her stare back to his own, "Cal, about last night—"

"It was nothing, Arthur," her words tear through him, but she thinks they may hurt her even more. "Just a moment of weakness."

He tries to mask the hurt that washes over his face with a solemn nod, letting go of her arm, her skin still burning from the contact.

Whatever lurks between them, whether it be nothing more than desire and lust, or maybe a friendship with hints of something more— a deeper connection that could withstand raging battlefields and destructive  kingdoms and the haunting kiss of an assassin's blade, Calliope will never be certain. If anything, this ordeal with Sepharin has shown her exactly what happens when she lets her walls down for someone. They are thrown right in the middle of everything she wants to shield them from.

Sepharin knows how much she cares for the Prince of Camelot. Maybe he knew killing him would send her down a path with no return; that  she would never find light again, and maybe that's exactly what he wanted. He could care less about her mother and helping find her. Sepharin only wants power over Calliope.

And she will not let him have it.

So, the blonde stands from the prince's bed. She gathers all her strength as she turns to face him fully. Everything the two of them could have had, maybe if she had lived a different life—if she could have been a princess he would eventually marry for the good of the kingdom, or even the daughter of a noble, and they could have fell in love amongst wildflowers as she played with his hair— she has to let it fade away.

There are too many words she wants to say and not enough time for all of them. Calliope's eyes dance with that ocean blue gaze, one last time.

"Goodbye, Arthur," she finally says, almost letting her voice crack, but she stays strong.

A hint of confusion flickers through his eyes, wondering why she would be saying goodbye like this, but before he can respond, Calliope is heading for the servant's entrance to find Merlin.

When Calliope shuts the door behind her, she leans against it, biting back tears. Not now. You can't fall apart here.

She pushes herself off the door, shaking away the roaring emotions burning through her brain like a wildfire. The blonde starts walking, turning a corner to find Merlin standing there, trying to decide when he should go back into Arthur's room after seeing his friend in bed with the prince.

Merlin looks up at Calliope as she stops in front of him, and he immediately straightens his back.

"Bloody hell, Cal. You had Gaius and I worried that you went off to fight Sepharin all alone. Do you know that I looked through the forest all damn night, only to find out you were in Arthur's bed the entire time?"

Raising a hand to stop him from going any further, Calliope sighs, "First of all, I did go to find Sepharin and he tried to convince me to kill Arthur, but obviously it didn't work. Secondly, nothing happened between Arthur and me. I just wanted to say goodbye," The worry and frustration in the sorcerer's eyes fades as Calliope looks over her shoulder. "I've already convinced him to give you the day off, so finish up here, and be ready to leave in thirty minutes."

"Right. Was that before or after you went to bed with him?" Merlin realized his joke is not well received as Calliope elbows him in the gut. "Ow, okay, too soon, too soon."

Calliope leaves Merlin by the servant's entrance, but the smug look on his face doesn't go away as she enters the corridor. She only has time for one final goodbye, and she knows exactly who she has to tell it to. Gaius.

She has no idea if Merlin caved and told him of the true plan, but even if Gaius knew, there's nothing he could do to stop her. This is the only way to save the people she cares about and to make sure the blood wraiths are sent to the Underworld for good. They won't be able to ensnare anyone else's life within their grasp. The blood oath will finally be broken.

As she enters the physician's chambers, Calliope finds Gaius leaning over a magnifying glass as he mixes together the first few potions for the day. When he hears her enter the room, he sets down the small vials, turning to her with a mix of relief and worry.

Calliope steps further into the room, trying to decide where to even start with her goodbye to the man that saved her as a baby when she was alone in the forest and found the most loving home he could for her. The man who has been with her through the good and bad and did not forsaking her when she hurled herself into an assassin's lifestyle.

He speaks first, "You found him, didn't you?"

She nods, "Yes, and I know how to stop him...for good."

"Calliope," Gaius takes a step across the room, "I know whatever is powerful enough to kill an immortal assassin will call for a great price. Magic that old is cruel and unrelenting."

"I know the price," she answers strongly, clenching her jaw, "and I will pay it." The physician opens his mouth to protest, but she takes a strong step forward. "I can't go back and change what I've done. I can't bring any of the people I've killed in the name of revenge back from the grave. All that matters is what I can do now," she swallows as Gaius looks at her with utter sadness, but also, understanding. "I can get the dagger and break my blood oath and send the blood wraiths to hell for eternity. The souls they feed on will be free to find peace, and every assassin under their grip will become mortal. I feel like that's a good way to make up for everything I've done."

Tears well in the physicians eyes, "No matter what you may think, you deserve to find peace too. You've always had a good heart, Calliope, I knew it from the moment I found you," she can't stop her own tears from escaping at his words. "I am proud of you, and I want you to know that I've always considered you to be the daughter I never had."

Calliope steps across the floor, hugging Gaius tightly, "Thank you, Gaius. You've always been family to me, and I know my parents would be so grateful for everything you've done for me."

Pulling away from the hug, Calliope wipes the tears from her face, giving Gaius one final goodbye before she gathers her satchel and sword. She meets Merlin at the stables, and then, she rides away from the city of Camelot, taking one last glance over her shoulder at everything she's leaving behind, and will never see again.

♛ ♛ ♛

It takes a little over three hours for Calliope and Merlin to reach the vast expanse of caves under a field of towering mountains, and he tried to talk her out of this plan several times. She reminded him of all the times he was prepared to sacrifice himself for Camelot, and that this is her decision. He finally gave in, sadness flickering through his expression for most of their journey.

A small lake sits in the small valley before them with hills of flowers and old willow trees surrounding it. From the name—the Wailing Caves—she expected something dark and sinister. Not pretty scenery and a glistening lake sitting beside the entrance to the labyrinth-like system of caves.

Calliope dismounts her horse and ties the reins to a hanging branch. Then, she leans down behind a large bush with Merlin at her side. She scans the clearing that stands between them and the entrance to the caves, refusing to believe they will be able to just walk in and get the dagger. There's no way it will be that easy.

Just as she is about to tell Merlin that they should split up and scout the area, a low rustling reverberates through the air around them. Calliope offers Merlin a nervous glance before drawing her sword. Sepharin followed them. It had to be him stalking around.

Merlin raises his hand, ready to use his magic at whoever jumps out.

Then, a body clad in chainmail steps through the greenery. Calliope lowers her sword as Arthur appears, and she lets out a string of curses under her breath.

"Arthur?" Merlin asks in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

Before he can answer, Calliope steps forward, "You need to go back. Now!"

"Did you really think I'd let you two wander off on a top secret mission without me?" He asks, ignoring her words.

"Arthur, you don't understand—"

"Get down!" he says in a fast, hushed tone.

His hands are on her shoulders as the three of them lower their bodies so they are hidden behind the wide bush beside the clearing. Calliope shrugs his grip off her as her eyes return to the entrance of the caves.

Two figures stand, guarding the entrance. Neither one of them is Sepharin. They are two other men, and Calliope doesn't have to guess who they are. These men are other assassins of the blood wraiths; ones that have come before her. She immediately knows their names, as if they are connected by a string of magic. Lawren and Dantis. If Calliope is successful, that string of magic will snap when the blood wraiths are sent back to where they belong.

Each man holds a long, steel sword, and this just made getting to the dagger a whole lot more complicated.

The prince glances over at Calliope, "I thought you said this wasn't dangerous."

"Well, I lied," she fires back in a harsh whisper.

"Who are those guys?" Merlin asks in a quiet voice.

"Other assassins," she answers, her gaze returning to Lawren and Dantis.

Arthur's eyebrows furrow, "What do you mean?"

Sighing, she turns her head to Arthur, "We don't have time for me to explain everything to you."

"Well, try," he replies, his eyes fiery as he pierces her gaze.

Calliope mentally slaps herself in the face out of frustration, "The Red Dragon is part of a secret assassin's guild, and all of them have the power of immortality because they serve evil beings called blood wraiths that feed on the souls of their victims, and that is why we need the dagger. It can sever the blood wraith's ties to the world, making all the assassins killable. Got it?"

That was a lot to process, but the prince nods, mainly because he's not even sure what questions to ask, "So, if we can't kill those two guarding the cave, what do we do?"

Well, if Arthur wasn't there, Calliope would just get Merlin to use his magic to knock them out, but that part of the plan us suddenly a lot more complicated. As she looks to the sorcerer, he seems to be able to read what she's thinking.

"We'll just have to knock them out, and hope they stay unconscious long enough to get to the dagger."

Arthur takes a deep breath, "Alright. I'll take the one on the left. Cal, you get the one on the right."

"And what about me?" Merlin questions.

The prince shrugs, "Just try not to get killed."

As Arthur leans away from them for a moment, Calliope whispers under her breath just so the sorcerer can hear, "Use your magic to knock them out while Arthur is distracted. It's the only thing that will keep them down long enough."

The young sorcerer nods, and then, they move through the shrubbery as quietly as possible. The men in front of the cave scan the clearing, keeping a heavy grip on their swords, ready for anything.

Once Calliope and Arthur are close enough, they exchange a glance. With a quick breath, Calliope nods, and then, she jumps into the clearing with Arthur at her side. No hesitation is present as they lunge at their targets, steel meeting steel in a harsh ring that echoes through the surrounding trees.

As she fights Lawren, her movements are quick and coordinated, but it would never be enough without a strike of magic. She manages to parry all his strong attacks, ducking and dodging each blow until her forehead breaks out in sweat. She's on strict defense, and so is Arthur. Come on, Merlin, she thinks as Lawren's sword nicks her arm. Calliope hisses in pain, blood flowing onto her black tunic.

Lawren was trained just as Calliope. He fought in the final test and won against the other recruits Sepharin found however many years ago. He's older and stronger and more experienced.

Without sparring against Calliope so much, Arthur would probably already be dead, but Dantis fights with the same style as the other assassin, and Arthur holds his ground, seeming to notice the odd similarities, but he's too busy trying to keep his head on his shoulders to be too concerned.

Calliope gasps as Lawren manages to kick her so hard in the gut that she falls to the ground. He raises his sword, about to inflict a fatal blow, but then he stumbles back, his head banging against a rock as he falls on his face. Dantis soon meets the same fate, and of course, Arthur takes full credit, his ego spiking as he thinks he just knocked out an immortal assassin.

But the blonde knows the truth. She turns to Merlin, his yellow eyes fading back to their normal blue, and she offers him a quick nod of thanks.

"We have to keep moving," Calliope says. They can't waste one minute. She has no idea how long Merlin's spell will last.

And then, they descend into the darkness of the Wailing Caves.

It's an eerie feeling, almost as if the cave itself is alive—watching the intruders' every step. Around them, faint, red crystals illuminate the cave, creating an ominous hue of blood, like they know what Calliope is about to sacrifice.

The only sound is their own footsteps. They can no longer hear the faint wind or chirping birds. it is utter silence that chills Calliope's bones. Goosebumps rise on every inch of her skin. She grips her sword even tighter, her knuckles turning white. Then, she hears it—a whisper, like someone is leaning right into her ear.

We see you, Red Dragon.

Calliope shakes her head. Get out, get out, get out. Her heart pounds in an intense rhythm, spiraling out of control.

We see everything.

Don't listen to them. This cave can drive you mad if you listen.

You want to sacrifice yourself for them? Go ahead and join us in the darkness. It can get so lonely here. So, so lonely.

She looks over to Merlin and Arthur. Neither one of them seem to be as shaken as she is.

When you send us to the void, we will drag your soul with us. A fitting end for a traitor.

"No!" She finally cries out, whipping her head in every direction, but the three companions are alone in the cave.

Arthur steps forward, concern etching in his eyes as he sees her panicked state. He puts his hands on her shoulders, his eyes scanning her scattered gaze, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I heard..." Calliope trails off, finally regaining her senses. "This place is messing with my head."

"You hear it too?" Merlin asks.

Arthur, still confused, looks between them, "Hear what?"

"Screaming," Merlin says, terror in his eyes. "Below the Caves."

Maybe since he has magic, he can hear something Calliope and Arthur can't, "No, I heard voices, like they were right next to me," she answers, breathing deeply. Or maybe, the Caves make everyone hear different things—whatever would scare them the most.

Calliope keeps her mind sharp as they continue walking through the tunnels. After a few more paces, they come to a final turn, and then, they are faced with their destination.

All the tunnels lead here—this wide room with the ceilings overwhelmed in the blood-red crystals. A stone path leads to a long alter made of marble with markings of the old religion carved into the sides. Calliope and Merlin look at each other. This is it. This is where she will die.

And there, in the center of the alter...the dagger, like it's awaiting her touch. It calls to her, drawing her closer. She can feel the sheer power radiating off it, and Calliope can tell Merlin feels it too. Distorted, quiet voices call her name, the songs of the dead.

The dagger has a long, black blade as if it was made from the core of the earth itself. The handle is adorned with red rubies and golden thread-like spirals, and in the center, right where the long blade ends, sits a small silver gem. It's currently empty, but Calliope knows it will glow as soon as the blood wraiths are trapped inside.

Her eyes move back to the alter. Now that she's closer she can see identical gems on each of the four rectangular ends.

"Alright, grab the dagger, and let's get out of here," Arthur says from the other end of the stone path.

Calliope's heart breaks as she turns, and Merlin holds back his own tears from beside her, his lip quivering as he holds in his words of protest. He tried his best to convince her not to do this, but he's well aware nothing will stop her.

"Arthur..." her voice breaks.

The prince walks across the path, "What are you waiting for?"

Calliope moves in the middle of his path to the alter, and he glances between her and the dagger, "You weren't supposed to be here," she says, her gaze gleaming with tears. "I...I didn't tell you everything—I never wanted you to find out this way."

The words sting before they even come out of her mouth, and she can see his face already scrunching in denial. Like he's putting together every single hint he's been faced with. Like the puzzle finally has the last piece.

"It's—it's you isn't it?" Calliope bites back a wave of tears.

"Yes. I'm the Red Dragon," If betrayal had a face, it would be Arthur's as he backs away from her, hand close to his blade, and she can no longer stop the tears from falling. "And the only way to stop the blood wraiths and the other assassins is to put that dagger through my heart—the only way to break a blood oath is through death...My death."

"No, no I trusted you," he shakes his head, tears welling in his blue eyes. The realization; the betrayal, it slices through him like a steel blade. She might as well use the one on the alter to finish him off—it would hurt less than this. "How could you do this? How could you not tell me!"

She's not sure which part upsets him the most. "If you want to spend the rest of your days hating me for lying to you, I understand, but know this, " Calliope takes a gentle step closer, and he flinches. "I will always care for you, Arthur Pendragon, and I thank the universe every day for allowing me to know you, even if it was only for a few months."

Tears fall from his eyes, but he doesn't answer. A war wages in his mind as Calliope looks to Merlin, "And you, Merlin," Where to even start? "You'll always be my best friend."

He nods through a small cry, "Always."

The two boys watch her climb onto the alter. The dagger sits beside her leg as her arms keep her propped up. Calliope looks to the ceiling, tears falling down her cheeks. This is it. Her last few moments of life.

But, when she reaches for the dagger, someone is quicker. Before she realizes what has happened, Arthur has the blade in his hands, shaking his head.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know," he says. "You lied to me, and I shouldn't care what happens next, but I do. I care, and I won't let you die here. I won't. We'll find another way. We'll...we'll kill the other assassins with the dagger."

"I wish it were that simple," Calliope answers, "but they can't be killed until the blood wraiths are sent away from this world, and the only way to do that is for an assassin to be willing to break their blood oath."

Still refusing to believe she has to die, Arthur stands beside the alter, gripping the dagger, "Arthur," Merlin says, reluctantly. "I've tried to find another way too, but—"

"I'm not going to just stand here and watch her die!"

In the distance, they can hear echoing footsteps growing closer, signs that Merlin's spell over the two other assassins has worn off. Their time is ticking away. They won't be able to beat them without the bond being broken. Calliope refuses to let Merlin and Arthur die in this place. She knows what she has to do.

Reaching out, Calliope grabs his free hand. She is met with pleading eyes as she leans into him, "Please," he says, leaning closer, begging for there to be another solution. "We can find another way. Together."

Their eyes remain locked in a longing dance. Calliope brings her hands up to cup his face, "I wish we would've had more time," she brushes away a stray tear from his cheek, and then she pulls his face to her own, their lips meeting in a burst of color and songs of a tearful goodbye. He tastes of citrus and sweat and life.

The kiss is delicate. It sends tingles through every inch of her body, chasing away the darkness that tries to capture her. His own hands move to her waist, holding her as she sits on the alter. His hands grip her. He doesn't want to let her go.

And, as she gently pulls her lips away from Arthur's, she is given a small window of opportunity.

Her hand closes around the hilt of the dagger. Arthur's eyes widen he realizes what just happened.

"Calliope, no—!"

Her pained gasp echoes through the cave. Calliope falls back onto the alter, the dagger sticking out of her chest. Everything around her begins mixing and fading. She feels someone over her, calling her name and begging for her to stay—begging for her to hold on. Lips press against her forehead, blood flowing all over the alter.

The crystals' light grows dimmer and dimmer. Arthur's voice sounds like it's miles away.

And then, she takes her last breath.

♛ ♛ ♛

okay, so i might have shed a tear writing all of that. sorry for the cliffhanger, i will try to get the last part of blood oath published soon!
as always, remember to vote and leave your thoughts in the comments :)