DAMIEN

"You know, I could get used to this," Camille tells me after moments of comfortable silence. Having her as my mate isn't a surprise and I know she's still trying to wrap her head around it. We've been engaging in physical intimacy and that will keep her mind occupied until she's ready to think about it again.

We're both laying on her bed after exhausting our energy burning calories while exploring each other. The huge fur blanket is covering our naked bodies because anyone can walk in on us and I don't want anyone but me seeing her naked.

"Get used what?" I look down at her to see her staring at me with her big, beautiful blue eyes, half of her body is laying on mine and her head is resting on my chest.

She moves her shoulder in a shrug but doesn't get it because my arms are wrapped around her. "This? You and me."

"There's no getting used to it. This is us now, the best thing about the bond we both share is that you get to feel what I feel, so you know we're one," I tell her.

She smiles and moves up to press a quick kiss on my jaw. "I think that's the only thing I love about our situation, that way I know when you're lying and keeping secrets from me."

What?

I chuckle and shake my head. "I choose not to share things with you because I'm trying to protect you, I don't keep secrets, I just don't tell you stuff."

She rolls her eyes and opens her mouth to speak but she doesn't get the chance as the royal army marches inside the room without announcement. These aren't the guards, they are the army. The army.

What are they doing here?

Camille jumps at the sound of their heavy footsteps. I never get caught off guard but this shit right here is way off. Twenty of them makes a straight line and turns around when they see the state we're in.

"Mis dun gie?" I ask what's the meaning of this as Camille sinks inside the blanket, hiding from them even though they aren't looking.

"Misia Dam-El, El kio Plato fu restindo sha goon pie ala Camille." The leader of the squad speaks, answering for the other. El wants to see Camille.

"What's going on Damian? What the fuck are they doing in here?" She sounds angry.

"El wants to see you," I tell her as I push the cover off my body and get off the bed.

Camille rips the cover off her face and glares. "And she couldn't wait until we're done. Nonsense. What the fuck does she wants?!" She's screaming now.

I bend down and pick our discard clothes. I pass Camille her own and put on mine as she struggles to figure out how to keep the cover on her and still wear her clothes at the same time. I try not to laugh and approach her, I grab the cover and hold it so it's shielding her from prying eyes. She mouths thanks and wear as clothes.

When we're done, I offer her my hand and she takes it. I want El and everyone else to know I've claimed her. We follow the army to the palace where El and father are waiting for us. I watch father's reaction when he sees us walk in together, his eyes glued on Camille's hand in mine. His expression darkens. I know he doesn't want me to be with her but she's my mate and claiming her in front of the realm is a way to show that she's my one and he should just accept it.

El is sitting on her throne with father, Camille's parents and the high priestess standing behind her like bodyguards.

"Hello once again, Blood of my blood." She addresses Camille with a smile but there's nothing but darkness dancing in her eyes.

I wonder what this meeting is all about and the need to include the army.

"My name is Cami, you can just call me that," Camille replies like she's exhausted and she is but she's also annoyed.

"I'm sorry for pulling you out of bed," she doesn't sound sorry, in fact I think she's glad. "And I hear congratulations are in order, you are Dam-El's one."

"I am," Camille says it with pride and brings out conjoined hands up for her to see clearly.

She hums and looks at me. We are not allowed to look into her eyes but Camille is staring right at her and I'm watching her through Camille's eyes and that's how I know she's looking at me right now. "I'm sorry, Dam-El, for what I'm about to say and do." In all the time I've known her, she never apologize because she does what she wants and for her to actually say sorry and make it genuine is something. She's about to say something I'm not going to like and I have feeling I won't be able to control myself.

"Which is?" I ask and if anyone is listening, they'll hear the fear in my tone.

"I saved your friend's life, you owe me a life," she tells Camille.

This better not be what I think it is.

"So you plan on taking mine?" Camille fires back, the anger is evident in her tone.

"No, something else actually. You see The Golden Water has been taking from me for so long and I have nothing left to give. You owe me a life but I'll take your body instead."

I freeze.

"What?" Camille says with a chuckle. "Excuse me, I don't think I understand the fuck you just said."

"I need your body. I've had my eyes on you for a while now, you have spirit, you have strength. It's why I gave you the Elsword in the first place. I'm the only one worthy of the sword but somehow you were too, so your body is a perfect host for my soul."

Then everything clicks. This whole time. How could I have been so stupid and blind to all this?

For the first time in my life, I raise my head and look at El and take back to her.

"After all this time, I knew something was going on. I knew you and my father were testing her, I thought you saw her as your heir, your successor but that's not it. Your body is going weak, it's dying, you needed a new host but didn't know how to approach her, so when you found out Azra was visiting her in her dreams, you got angry because Azra binded with her. He chose her over you and that's why you always let the Elsword out whenever she woke up with no recollection of the dream. You set all of this in motion, you and father. You knew we were coming. The only reason you gave her the Elsword is because you know you're the only one that can bring someone back from the dead, you knew she was bound to hurt a loved one or two.

"El-Gar-El is knower of all, he sees everything. He knew her parents were alive and all those time when she was captured, you knew but chose not to do anything because you wanted to see her handle the situation. All because you want her body."

I can't believe I'm hearing this. Camille have been through so much in her life and the last thing she needs is dying when she hasn't even began to live. I will not accept it, not on my fucking watch.

"You're quite right, Dam-El. I don't care for you Camille. I only need her body."

"You can't be serious?" Camille asks with a laugh, she thinks this a joke. "Are you fucking serious? You want to take my body. You want to kill me?"

"I am. I am. Yes. Yes." She answers her questions.

Camille tightens her hold and takes a step back but the army are already drawing their weapons. She stops and look around, she shakes her head. "I won't let you. Dean! You can't let her do this, Mom? Dad?..."

They all look away.

"I wasn't asking, and don't do anything stupid Dam-El."

"You're talking about taking over her body, you want to kill her."

"So?" She shrugs. "It's just another body."

"How can you–"

"Seize Dam-El and throw him into the deepest and darkest part of the dungeon and take Camille to the temple."

"Like hell." I pull Camille behind me as the army surround me, I move forward and punch the one in front of and take his sword. I tighten my hold on her hand and fight off the army. They are good but not as good as me. She trained me herself.

Already defeating the army, I feel a hand on my head, I freeze because I know who's hand it is. "Stop this madness, Dam-El or I will kill you, you know I will." Camille screams but doesn't let go."Oh shut up, he'll come back, now let's go."

"You're insane to think I'll–"

"I wasn't asking." She says and feel her second hand on my jaw, my head snapping to the side and Camille screaming is the last thing I hear before everything goes dark.

****

My eyes opens and I groan from the pain throbbing in my neck. My body feels weak and heavy.

I close my eyes to recollect my last memories, it all goes dark when I come back from the dark, so what happened?

I remember the Knife festival, Camille being my mate, us mating and–

"Camille!" I snap my eyes open and make a move to stand but can't I'm chained to a wall.

I sniff and search for her through the bond we share and I feel it, she's in pain. She's screaming. I try to look through her eyes but I can't see anything. All I hear is her scream and feel her pain.

"Camille!" I scream and try to pull out of these chains but I can't.

I struggle to get free but I know I'm just wasting my time especially when I don't feel her anymore.

The last thing I feel of my other half in pain.

***

I don't know how much time or days I spend wallowing in my pain when the door of the dark dungeon open, I see Camille walk in, smiling.

"Hello, Damian. Did you miss me?"

I might just recently bonded with Camille but I know her better than anyone else. The person standing in front of me isn't Camille.

"You just stole body. You killed her." My voice manage to break out.

She shrugs. "I know I've wronged you but you don't need her, you don't need a mate or a partner. You need power and I'm here to make you a deal."