Chained to six ruthless kings

Selena's POV

The first time my family called me valuable, they were preparing to sell me.

I discovered this while standing outside my father's study, holding a tray of untouched drinks and listening to him negotiate my future.

"She is twenty-four. Healthy, unmarried, and from the bloodline you requested. That's all that matters."

I stopped breathing.

A man's unfamiliar voice answered from inside. "The kings won't accept an ordinary offering. Are you certain she is suitable?"

My father's reply came without hesitation.

"She will be delivered before the next moonrise. You have my word."

The tray trembled in my hands.

For years, I had endured being the unwanted daughter. My mother's relatives mocked my weight, my father rarely acknowledged me, and my younger sister, Clara, had learned that humiliating me was an easy way to earn their approval.

I had never expected affection from them.

However, I hadn't imagined they would bargain with my life.

I pushed the study door open.

"Who are you giving away?"

My father turned sharply. His visitor, a tall man dressed in a black coat, looked me over with unsettling interest.

"Selena, leave us."

"No. I heard everything."

My father's expression hardened. "Then you should understand that this arrangement is necessary."

"Necessary for whom?"

He placed a sealed document on his desk. A red symbol had been stamped beneath his signature, shaped like a crescent surrounded by six sharp points.

I recognized it from the history books.

The Crimson Covenant.

An ancient agreement between six supernatural kingdoms. Every generation, their rulers renewed the pact through a blood offering. Most people believed the tradition had ended centuries ago, but the strange disappearances near royal territory suggested otherwise.

I stared at the document.

"You promised them a sacrifice?"

"I promised them what our family owes."

"Then give them your own blood."

His hand struck the desk.

"Watch your mouth!"

The stranger chuckled softly.

My father immediately lowered his voice, embarrassed by the interruption.

I placed the tray down before my shaking hands betrayed me.

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Your grandmother's family made an agreement with the royal courts. The debt has remained unpaid."

"Grandmother died before I was born."

"Her obligations did not die with her."

I looked at the document again. My name appeared beneath the red seal, written in ink that seemed darker than the rest.

Selena Elarian.

My grandmother had always forbidden anyone from using our ancestral surname. She said it attracted unwanted attention. I had assumed it was an old superstition.

Apparently, there was more to it.

"Why me?" I asked.

My father avoided my eyes.

The stranger answered instead. "Because your blood is required."

I stepped away from the desk.

"I'm not going anywhere."

My father moved around it, blocking the door.

"You don't have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice."

"Not when their existence has already been promised."

His words struck harder than his hand ever could.

I glanced at the visitor. "Who are you?"

He adjusted his gloves.

"Someone making sure your delivery happens on time."

Before I could demand an explanation, Clara entered the room wearing a silk dress I recognized from my wardrobe.

She had taken it without asking.

"Father, the carriage is ready."

I stared at her. "You knew?"

Her eyes briefly met mine before sliding away.

"Don't make this difficult, Selena."

A bitter laugh escaped me.

"Of course. It would be inconvenient if I refused to disappear quietly."

Nobody answered.

That silence told me everything.

---

By sunset, my belongings had been packed into a single travelling case.

My father refused to explain where I was going. He only instructed me to behave, obey the kings, and avoid embarrassing the family.

As if I were attending a royal dinner rather than being handed over like payment.

My mother stood near the staircase while servants carried my luggage outside. She had barely spoken since learning about the arrangement.

When I approached her, she adjusted the necklace around her throat.

"Please tell me you didn't agree to this."

Her fingers paused.

"Your father made the decision."

"You're my mother."

Pain crossed her face, but it disappeared before I could understand it.

"Sometimes families must make difficult sacrifices."

I searched her expression for the woman who had once held my hand during thunderstorms.

I found a stranger.

"Then I hope the sacrifice was worth it."

I walked away before she could respond.

Outside, a black carriage waited beside the gates. Its horses were enormous, their dark coats shining beneath the fading light. Strange silver markings covered their harnesses.

The driver wore a metal badge bearing six crowns.

I hesitated before climbing inside.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the northern palace."

"Which kingdom?"

He looked down at me.

"All six."

My stomach tightened.

There were six kings, each ruling a separate territory. They rarely gathered under one roof, and their meetings usually ended with political threats or bloodshed.

Why would they want me?

The carriage door closed before I could ask another question.

As we travelled beyond the city, familiar buildings disappeared behind thick forests. My phone lost its signal, and the road became increasingly narrow.

I pressed my forehead against the window.

Something moved between the trees.

At first, I thought it was a deer. Then two glowing eyes appeared beside the road, followed by another pair farther ahead.

The driver didn't slow down.

"Are those wolves?"

"Don't look at them."

"Why?"

"Because they already know you're here."

I turned toward him.

"What does that mean?"

He ignored me.

A sharp pain suddenly spread across my wrist. I pulled back my sleeve and found a faint red mark beneath my skin.

It resembled the symbol stamped on my father's document.

Before I could examine it, the carriage entered a vast stone courtyard.

A palace rose beyond the iron gates, its black towers disappearing into the evening clouds. Guards stood along the entrance, some with silver eyes, others with unnaturally pale faces.

Werewolves and vampires.

Together.

The gates opened.

I stepped out, clutching my travelling case.

A woman in a dark uniform approached and examined the paper in her hands.

"Selena Elarian?"

"Yes."

She glanced at the mark on my wrist.

Her expression changed.

"Take her inside. The kings are waiting."

I swallowed.

"All six of them?"

She nodded.

Then she leaned closer, lowering her voice.

"Whatever happens tonight, don't offer any of them your blood willingly."

Before I could ask why, enormous doors opened at the top of the staircase.

Six men stood beyond them.

Their presence filled the entrance hall, and every guard lowered his head.

The tallest stepped forward. His dark eyes settled on me with unmistakable authority.

"Is this the offering?"

The woman bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

He studied my face, then the mark on my wrist.

For a moment, something resembling recognition crossed his expression.

"Bring her to the altar."

My fingers tightened around the handle of my case.

I had been promised to six kings.

But as the doors closed behind me, I realized nobody had bothered to explain what would happen if the sacrifice refused to die.

Selena's POV

The six kings were waiting inside the throne room.

I stood between two guards, looking at the men seated before me. They were all different, but each carried the same air of authority.

The man in the middle stood up.

"Bring her forward."

The guards pushed me towards the centre of the room.

"Can I at least know what you intend to do with me?" I asked.

Nobody answered.

The man on the largest throne looked at me.

"I am Rowan. You have been brought here because your family owes a debt to the six kingdoms."

"That's what my father said. But he refused to explain the debt."

"Your blood is required to renew the Crimson Covenant."

I looked at the other kings.

"So you brought me here to kill me?"

"We brought you here to fulfil an agreement," Rowan replied.

"An agreement I never made."

Knox, the king sitting beside him, leaned forward.

"She doesn't seem afraid of us."

"I'm terrified," I answered. "I'm just not interested in pretending otherwise."

Mason laughed quietly.

Lyon wasn't amused.

"Stop wasting our time. Begin the ceremony."

An elderly man approached me. He wore long black robes and carried a small silver knife.

"Place your hand on the altar," he instructed.

I looked at the large stone table in front of me.

"What happens when I do?"

"Your blood will complete the agreement."

"And if I refuse?"

Rowan answered without hesitation.

"You will be forced."

I stepped backwards, but the guards held my arms.

"Get your hands off me!"

One of them tightened his grip while the priest took my hand.

I struggled, but it was useless.

The priest made a small cut across my palm. Blood fell onto the stone altar.

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then the carvings on its surface began to glow red.

The guards immediately released me.

I stepped away, staring at the strange light spreading across the altar.

Suddenly, all six kings reacted.

A red mark appeared on Rowan's palm. Another appeared on Knox's wrist. Similar marks formed on Lyon, Selene, Mason, and Riggs.

They all looked at their hands.

"What is happening?" Mason asked.

The priest stepped backwards.

"This cannot be."

Selene approached the altar and examined the markings.

"The ritual has connected her to all six kings."

"That's impossible," the priest whispered.

Knox looked at me.

"Who are you really?"

"How should I know? I'm the person your guards dragged inside."

Lyon stood up.

"Watch your mouth."

"Then stop asking me questions you expect me to answer when nobody has explained anything."

Before he could respond, a strange pain spread through my chest.

I fell to my knees.

At the same moment, Rowan grabbed his chest. The other kings also struggled with the sudden pain.

I pressed my hand against the floor.

Something was happening between us.

Then I heard a voice.

It wasn't coming from anyone in the room.

The six have awakened. The seventh has returned.

I looked around, but nobody seemed to have heard it.

A loud crack came from the altar.

Everyone turned.

A large crack had appeared across its surface, revealing a symbol underneath the stone. It looked like a crown with seven points.

Riggs stood up.

His expression changed as soon as he saw it.

"Close the doors," he ordered.

The guards rushed to obey.

Rowan turned towards him.

"Do you know what that symbol means?"

Riggs ignored the question and looked at the priest.

"Who prepared this ritual?"

The old man began trembling.

"It was prepared according to the ancient instructions."

"That wasn't my question."

Before the priest could answer, he suddenly collapsed.

Blood ran from his nose.

"The offering was supposed to die," he whispered.

I stared at him.

"Why?"

Nobody answered.

Rowan approached me.

"Take her to the east chambers."

Two guards moved forward.

I stepped away from them.

"I'm not going anywhere until someone explains what happened."

Rowan's expression hardened.

"You are in my kingdom. You will follow my orders."

"Your kingdom? Then perhaps you should learn how to treat your guests."

Knox shook his head.

"This is not the time for arguments. Something went wrong with the ritual."

"Then fix it and let me go."

He looked at the mark on his wrist.

"I don't think it's that simple."

Riggs finally approached me.

Unlike the others, he wasn't looking at my face. His attention remained on the mark beneath my skin.

"Your family told you nothing, did they?"

I shook my head.

"They said I was settling an old debt."

He looked towards the broken altar.

"That was a lie."

My stomach tightened.

"What do you mean?"

"Your family didn't bring you here because of a debt. They brought you here because of what you carry in your blood."

I stared at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Before he could answer, the red mark on my wrist began glowing again.

The six kings' marks responded at the same time.

Then a loud sound came from somewhere beneath the palace.

Everyone turned towards the floor.

Riggs's expression darkened.

"Something has awakened."

And judging by the fear on his face, it was something none of them wanted to meet.

Selena's POV

The sound came again.

This time, the floor shook beneath my feet.

Several guards rushed towards the throne room doors while the priest was carried away. Nobody seemed interested in explaining what was happening.

I looked at the six kings.

"What's beneath this palace?"

"Something that should have remained asleep," Riggs answered.

Rowan turned towards him.

"Enough. Take her to the east chambers."

I stepped backwards.

"I'm not going anywhere with your guards."

Rowan approached me.

"You have already caused enough trouble for one night."

"Me? Your priest cut my hand, your altar broke, and now something is making your palace shake. How is that my fault?"

Knox gave a quiet laugh.

"She has a point."

Rowan shot him a warning look.

"Not now, Knox."

Two guards approached me again. This time, I didn't resist. I needed answers, and arguing with six powerful men wasn't going to get me anywhere.

They escorted me through a long corridor and stopped before a pair of wooden doors.

A female guard unlocked them.

"Your room."

I entered and immediately looked around.

The room was large, with a comfortable bed, a wardrobe, and a private bathroom. A balcony overlooked the palace gardens, but the doors had metal locks on the outside.

I turned towards the guard.

"Am I allowed to leave?"

"No."

"Can I speak to the kings?"

"Only when they request your presence."

She closed the door.

A lock clicked.

I stood still for several seconds before walking towards the window.

So this was my new life.

My family had traded me, six kings had marked me, and now I was locked inside a room like a criminal.

I examined the mark on my wrist.

It had stopped glowing, but the skin around it felt warm.

I tried rubbing it away.

Nothing happened.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in."

The woman who entered was carrying a tray of food.

She looked around twenty-six, with dark hair tied neatly behind her head.

"I'm Claire," she introduced herself. "I've been assigned to attend to you."

"Does that mean you're my servant or my guard?"

She placed the tray on the table.

"Both, apparently."

I almost smiled.

"At least someone here can answer a question."

Claire glanced towards the door.

"Be careful what you say. The walls in this palace have ears."

I sat down.

"Then tell me something useful. Why were the kings so frightened when the altar broke?"

She hesitated.

"Because the symbol beneath it hasn't appeared in centuries."

"The seven-pointed crown?"

Her eyes widened.

"You saw it?"

"Everyone saw it."

Claire lowered her voice.

"That symbol belongs to the Elarian bloodline. Your ancestors were once powerful enough to challenge all six kingdoms."

I stared at her.

"My family told me we were ordinary people."

"They lied."

"Why?"

"I don't know everything. But I know the kings have spent generations searching for the last surviving member of your bloodline."

My fingers tightened around the spoon.

"Then why did they accept me as a sacrifice?"

Claire looked uncomfortable.

"Perhaps they didn't know who you were until the ritual began."

Before I could ask another question, the door opened.

Rowan entered.

Claire immediately stood.

"Your Majesty."

"Leave us."

She glanced at me before walking out.

Rowan closed the door.

I remained seated.

"If you're here to threaten me again, save your time."

He ignored my comment and placed a small piece of paper on the table.

It contained a drawing of the mark on my wrist.

"Do you recognize this symbol?"

I examined it.

"It's the same mark."

"Have you ever seen it before?"

"No."

"Think carefully."

I pushed the paper away.

"I have spent the entire evening answering questions. You keep asking me about things I know nothing about. Perhaps you should start telling me what you know."

His jaw tightened.

"Your blood has created a connection between you and the six kings."

"You already told me that."

"The connection cannot be broken by ordinary means."

My stomach dropped.

"Meaning I'm stuck here?"

"For now."

I stood.

"You cannot keep me against my will."

"You are not leaving this palace."

"Then what exactly do you want from me?"

He looked at the mark on my wrist.

"Answers."

A bitter laugh escaped me.

"That's unfortunate. I don't have any."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then Rowan moved towards the door.

"Food will be brought to you. Do not attempt to leave this room."

He opened it.

"One more thing," I called.

He stopped.

"Did my father know what would happen?"

Rowan looked at me.

"Your father knew exactly where he was sending you."

The words settled heavily in my chest.

I nodded slowly.

"Then I hope he enjoyed the money."

Rowan left without answering.

I waited until the door closed before sitting on the edge of the bed.

I wanted to cry, but I refused to give my family another reason to consider me weak.

Instead, I examined the room again.

The balcony doors were locked. The windows were too high to climb through, and the main entrance had guards outside.

There had to be another way.

I walked towards the wardrobe and noticed a narrow opening behind it. Moving the furniture revealed a small door hidden in the wall.

My heart lifted.

I pulled the handle.

It opened.

But before I could step inside, someone caught my wrist.

I turned sharply.

Riggs stood behind me.

His eyes dropped to the hidden door.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I pulled my hand away.

"Somewhere I don't need permission to breathe."

He didn't smile.

"You shouldn't have opened that."

"Why?"

His gaze shifted towards the dark passage.

"Because that corridor leads to the place where the original Covenant was sealed."

A cold feeling settled in my stomach.

"What's down there?"

Riggs looked at my wrist.

"Your answers."

Then he looked back at me.

"And possibly your death."