The Bride He Hates-Chapter 76: Maker VS Wife

This time, they weren’t going to repeat the Council’s mistakes. Azrael gathered a large security force of two hundred elite Thornfield warriors led by Adrian.

King Damien sent fifty of his most experienced warriors, vampires who had fought infinite battles and knew how to survive in hostile territories.

Lord Richard provided enchanted amulets for every member of the delegation and defensive spells that would activate automatically if attacked.

The journey to Covenant territory took weeks.

Lyanna and Azrael shared a tent each night, living as partners instead of king and queen. They planned strategies together while exploring different scenarios and responses.

They also spent some private moments together after ages. They shared memories from before they met, and spoke of their dreams for the future. Lyanna was becoming his true equal in judgment and strategic thinking. She noticed the points he missed and offered perspectives that came from being new to vampire society.

One night, two weeks into the journey, they lay together in their tent listening to the sounds coming from the camp outside.

"Are you scared?" Lyanna asked.

"Terrified." Azrael admitted without hesitation. "Ravenna knows me better than anyone alive. Fighting her is like fighting someone who knows my every move before I even make it."

"Then we won’t fight her the way she expects." Lyanna said. "We’ll surprise her. We’ll do things she won’t be able to predict."

Azrael smiled.

"You’re saying that as if I’ve learned new tricks in those few hundred years."

"You have." Lyanna said confidently. "You learned to love, to trust, to build relationships instead of just accumulating power. Those aren’t the things she taught you. That’s your advantage."

"My advantage is that I’m not alone anymore." Azrael said, pulling her closer. "Whatever happens at the Covenant, I have you, and that’s more than enough."

Lyanna smiled and kissed him passionately.

The Covenant territory was visible from miles away. It was an ancient castle on a mountain peak. It was huge, far larger than Thornfield.

The Covenant representatives greeted them with fake courtesy.

"King Azrael of Thornfield." The lead representative said. "The Covenant acknowledges your presence. You will be escorted to your chambers before the formal presentation. Your security force will be housed separately."

"My security force will stay close to me." Azrael was in no mood for negotiation.

The representative’s expression soured, but he nodded.

"As you wish. Though I assure you, you are safe here."

"As we were assured of safety by the Council of Light." Lyanna said coldly. "Forgive us if we prefer to verify rather than trust."

They were then taken inside the castle. Unlike the Council, there was no pretense of warmth or diplomatic welcome. Their chambers were luxurious but clearly monitored. Magic was buzzing in the walls, and Lyanna noticed observation points in the chambers that would allow watchers to see and hear everything.

The night, before the formal presentation scheduled for the next evening, Lyanna asked the question that had been bothering her since Azrael had told her about maker-progeny law.

"What exactly can Ravenna demand from you under maker-progeny law?"

Azreal sighed before answering.

"She can ask me to give up Thornfield and transfer control to her." Azrael replied. "She can ask me to dissolve my marriage to you, can ask me to return to her and spend centuries as her subordinate, making up for my betrayal of attempting to kill her. She can demand basically anything,"

"That’ slavery." Lyanna was furious.

"That’s traditional vampire culture," Azrael replied grimly.

"What if you refuse her demands?"

"Then the Covenant would declare me a rogue vampire. They’d try to destroy Thornfield, kill me and everyone loyal to me, use it as an example of what happens when progeny rebel against their makers." He locked his fingers with hers. "Either way, it determines our future."

Lyanna wanted to comfort him, but she herself wasn’t sure anymore. These traditional vampire laws were too alien for her to understand properly. So she just hugged him tightly, choosing to comfort him with her warmth and love instead of words she wasn’t sure of.

The presentation before the Covenant took place the next evening in the castle’s great hall. Ancient vampires filled the hall immediately. At the centre, elevated on a throne, sat Ravenna.

It was the first time Lyanna had seen Azrael’s maker, and she immediately understood why he had once been drawn to her, why her abandonment had hurt him so deeply.

She had otherworldly beauty. She was pale as marble, with flawless skin that seemed to glow. Her white-blonde hair fell to her waist like silk, and her eyes were like frozen silver.

She looked perhaps thirty by human standards, yet radiated power that made even the other ancient vampires obey her. She smiled when she saw Azrael. Her smile was both possessive and intimate.

"My progeny. How you’ve grown. It’s been centuries since I last saw you, and you’re finally impressive enough to be worth reclaiming. Look at you, a king with territories, power and influence."

Her tone suggested she owned him, like a craftsman admiring a tool they had forged centuries ago and were now retrieving.

Lyanna felt immense hatred for the vampire who had made and abandoned Azrael, who had treated him as disposable and now wanted to reclaim him as if he were a lost possession.

"Ravenna, you requested my presence. I’m here." Azrael’s tone was calm and neutral.

"Requested?" Ravenna repeated with amusement. "So polite. I summoned you, progeny. You’ve been misbehaving in my absence, so we need to discuss your future."

Ravenna stood up from her throne and formally began listing her charges.

"Azrael Thornfield is accused of betraying vampire traditions by cooperating with humans, and treating them as equals. He has corrupted our species by suggesting we should control our power instead of unleashing it properly. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

He has violated maker-progeny bonds by attempting to kill me. A progeny who raises a hand against their maker is a threat to the entire vampire society."

She then looked at Lyanna with disgust.

"He has further corrupted himself beyond redemption by marrying a human."

Each accusation was aimed to show Azrael as unfit to rule and to establish her authority over him through the ancient maker-progeny laws.

When she finished, Azrael was allowed to respond.

"The accusations are based on outdated beliefs and selfish interpretations of tradition." Azrael replied. "Vampire traditions that demand human subjugation are what truly weaken vampire society. Humans outnumber us thousands to one. If we try to rule them openly, as Ravenna suggests, they will unite against us and will destroy us easily.

As for maker-progeny bonds, Ravenna was the first to abandon me. The bond between us ended by her choice long before I attempted to kill her. She has no legal claim on me.

And my marriage is none of her business. I chose my wife, bonded with her according to current vampire law, and built a relationship based on mutual respect. Ravenna’s opinion of my choices is irrelevant."

The Covenant listened, but their expressions suggested they were on Ravenna’s side. This wasn’t a fair trial. After thirty minutes of discussion, the council reached a decision.

But before they could announce it, Ravenna stood up and addressed the assembly with a new proposal.

"The Covenant has heard both sides but debates about law and tradition can continue indefinitely. I propose a more traditional resolution." She smiled.

"As is my right under ancient law, I challenge my progeny to ritualized combat. A single combat witnessed by the Covenant and bound by blood oath. If he wins, all charges will be dismissed." She moved closer to Azrael.

"If I win, he’ll have to return to my service for one century to make amends for his assassination attempt. Thornfield will become Covenant territory, and his human wife will be executed for corrupting my progeny. She is an insult to us vampires, and her death would cleanse the taint she has spread."

The hall erupted in murmurs. It was a perfect trap. Ravenna was more powerful than Azrael. She knew she would win without a doubt. Azrael had no choice but to accept, and everyone in the hall knew it.

He opened his mouth to speak, to accept the challenge despite knowing it was suicide.

But before he could say anything, Lyanna stepped forward.

"I invoke the right of substitution."

Every vampire in the hall turned to stare at her. The right of substitution was an ancient law that was rarely used. Most modern vampires didn’t even know it existed. But Lyanna had studied vampire law during their journey here, preparing for exactly this situation.

"As Queen of Thornfield and Azrael’s bonded mate, I claim the right to fight this challenge in his place. Ancient law allows substitution in ritual combat when the challenged party has a bonded mate willing to stand for them. I am half of Thornfield’s royal authority. Therefore, I have the right to defend it."