The Second Bite

"King Sigmar lied to you,'' a faint voice greeted Mireila's mind. The girl saw a wide fog. Her field of vision was short, she couldn't even see her own hands. It was as if she was swimming in a cool thick cloud.

"Who's talking to me?"

"It's ironic when they tried to annihilate the Phoenix clan with fire, when a Phoenix can be reborn from the ashes of its body," the voice grew clearer, as if she was whispering directly into Mireila's ear.

Mireila noticed that tears were starting to well up in her eyes. She found hope, as if everything that had clouded her heart over the past few days had turned bright. She realized that maybe this was just a dream. Maybe she had gone mad from the great trauma that had befallen her and started hallucinating. But whatever it was, she smiled for the first time.

"What do you mean? uncle, Brianna and the others are still alive?" She burst into tears, she was both afraid and curious about the answer. Even though Mireila didn't know who was talking to her. But her feelings told her that she could trust her.

"No, Mireila. They're not coming back to this world. That's not what I meant by being reborn from the ashes," said the voice in a concerned tone.

Mireila was grieving again. She knew that shouldn't be possible. They're dead. She saw for herself when the executioner's knight swung his sword into Brianna's stomach and cut off her uncle's right thigh. Mireila shouldn't expect any myths about the Phoenix to be true.

"But their deaths have re-purified the power of the phoenix clan. Therefore I can speak to you, my daughter. I am Isolde, your ancestor," said the female voice again.

"Isolde?" She spelled her name.

"The fear, grudge and despair that engulfed your family's souls in their final moments have summoned me from the spirit realm. The true power of the Phoenix clan is now reborn after thousands of years of being sealed by the Allandur kingdom,"

"Sealed?" Mireila asked.

"Yes, my daughter, they sealed the power of the Phoenix clan. Allandur forced you to live like country bumpkins and restricted you. Yet they are only afraid of our strength. They want us to remain weak and helpless," Isolde's voice explained.

"Then what do you mean that king Sigmar was lying to me?"

"He won't really be looking for your family's killer. He needs you alive and doesn't want anyone to harm you. Only you can do that, my daughter."

"You're asking me to find the perpetrators of the massacre myself? But I don't know anything. I'm weak and have no one," Miraila complained.

"You have to find a way so that you have power in the palace of Allandur. Slowly, the power of the Phoenix will be possessed by you, then not only revenge. You may be able to resurrect the Phoenix clan again. This time, don't repeat the mistakes of your ancestors, Mireila," Isolde said again.

"What kind of power? Please tell me,"

"Unfortunately, I cannot continue to be present in your thoughts. I am not strong enough yet. Therefore you must help me. Find Phoenix tears, and let Allandur's King continue to drink your blood."

Mireila opened her eyes. What she had just experienced felt like a very real dream. Mireila could remember everything. About Isolde, about Phoenix's awakening and Isolde's desire for her to find the killer of her clan members.

She now saw a dark room with a dome-shaped ceiling. In the corner by the window were several pairs of lit beeswax candles emitting a sweet honey smell. The ceiling of her room was also painted by the famous Allandur artist which she could only see in the city museum. She herself rarely went to the city, because the palace knights always escorted all members of the Phoenix Clan when they left Acheron. That's why every time she went there—she wouldn't miss a single moment.

But now, Mireila was in one of the most luxurious rooms of Allandur's palace. Even though she had only been there a few days. She had been able to find many works of art and luxury that she could only imagine before.

"Already awake?" Sigmar called her. Miraila turned to her right and saw the tyrant king sitting on the sofa with a serious looking thick book in his hands. It seemed he was reading while waiting for her to wake up.

After lunch, Miraila was ushered into her room by the King. Somehow she was very sleepy. Maybe it was because she had cried too much that she became tired. She thought the king was gone after escorted her.

"The Phoenix clan only sends old women for me to drink their blood. I want to protest, but I understand why. It's a shame that women as beautiful as you throw away their future to stay by their king's side for life. But have you guys ever thought that they could actually send people alternately? How about changing people every month?" King Sigmar asked. He immediately discussed something that made the girl think.

"I don't know, your majesty. I've only just found out about this now."

"I won't blame you, Apart from the king himself who first exposed it, anyone else who knows this secret will never be able to discuss it with anyone, because there is an ancient silencing magic like the one you experienced earlier." King Sigmar scratched his chin and showed a serious expression.

Mireila couldn't digest his words clearly. The king really didn't look guilty even though he entered her bedroom? Indeed, Sigmar told everyone that she was his concubine. But wouldn't it still be inappropriate for a king to openly touch a woman without marriage ties?

Although rumors say he often changes women. He was not married yet. Generally the nobles would urge him to find the queen. But he was a Tyrant. No one would dare to force him.

"So when are you going to drink my blood again?" asked the girl quietly.

"Hmm? I was just about to do it,"

"How does Lady Brigitta usually do?"

"By sticking a hollow sterile needle into her vein and dripping it into a glass," he explained.

"Oh, that sounds painful," Mireila scratched the skin of her hand anxiously.

"I asked for that, it's weird if I touch an old woman like that. But you're still young, I'll do it the same as my other prey,"

"Are you going to drink it straight?" The girl gulped nervously.

"Like this,"

The king threw her on the bed. Mireila shrieked and panicked when the king also went up and locked her under his body. He smirked. Showed his charming smile and fangs. Mireila turned pale. The king tugged at her dress, parting the cloth and revealing her beautiful long neck.

Sigmar could see her pulse throbbing, the blood rushing through it and he bit it. A low moan came from Mireila's mouth that she couldn't control. This was the most intimate thing she had ever done with the opposite sex. Mireila held her breath, trying not to scream. Even though it didn't hurt, she knew that her blood was being eaten.

When he was done, Sigmar rubbed her cheek as if to comfort her. Then she lay down by his side.

"You have delicious blood, lady Mireila. I will protect you and look after you. But you must remember that you live only to be my prey, do you understand?" Mireila woke up. Even though he looks like an angel. Sigmar was a selfish and tyrannical king. She also remembered her dream earlier. Isolde said Allandur had sealed the power of the Phoenix clan.

Mireila didn't have anyone, but as Isolde said, she had to do something for her clan. Mireila thought that the king would not seriously find out who the perpetrators of the massacre were, because he was worried that someone would find Mireila. Besides, hasn't the Allandur kingdom also been unfair to the Phoenix clan all this time?

They made various rules for their Clan. All of that restrained and they seemed isolated from the world. Until the end of their lives, many Acheron residents had to bury their dreams of not working and developing themselves outside of Acheron. They even had to part with their loved ones because they couldn't marry someone outside the clan.

All for the sake of maintaining the purity of their blood. All to keep the King of Allandur alive.

Then, as the only remaining Phoenix clan, was Mireila willing to be restrained again? Would she be able to do what Isolde suggested? That was trying to gain power in this palace?

"No, Your Majesty," said Mireila.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to live as your mere prey," Mireila said again.

"So what do you want?" His eyes turned sharp. But Mireila didn't budge. She knew that King Allandur needed her more than anyone. She didn't want the Phoenix clan to be buried by history. She didn't want to disappoint Brianna by giving up so easily.

"Make me your queen, or I'll kill myself," Mireila said again with her eyes fixated on Sigmar. Showed that she was not joking.