Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 1214 - 125 : Living Marionette

Chapter 1214: Chapter 125 : Living Marionette

*Daphne*

It was like watching a movie. I could see myself doing these things, feel my body moving, but I had no way to stop it. I was a puppet on Varge’s strings, and no matter what he said, I obeyed.

My body no longer took commands from my own mind, but from Varge.

My heart trembled as I stared at Rion, unconscious on the floor. He squinted his eyes closed tightly but he didn’t move otherwise.

I urged myself to drop down on my knees beside him, but my body refused to obey.

“Take him to the basement!” Varge ordered.

His voice was so loud and booming, but it was the only sound I could really hear. I looked around the hallway and saw Varge’s puppets pick Rion up and carry him down the stairs. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, the sounds muffled.

Maybe that was to prevent me from getting distracted and only being responsive to Varge’s voice.

I watched Rion’s head nearly hit a stair and I almost cried out. Or, I would have cried out if I wasn’t helplessly standing there like a doll. I couldn’t go to him. I couldn’t check to see if he was alright. It felt like my heart was shattering into a million pieces.

“Now, then, there is one more thing I need to take care of.”

Varge winked at me and motioned for me to follow down the hall. My feet reacted before I could respond and my whole body lurched forward. My legs and body felt disjointed, like a marionette with bent, floppy limbs on strings—strings that Varge was pulling.

Just as we reached the end of the hall, Eva came around the corner.

She collided with Varge’s chest and jumped back like he was made of electricity.

I could barely hear anything she said, but my heart rate ticked up and I waited for her to unleash some magical attack on Varge. If she killed him, she could probably free me and all the others under Varge’s mind control.

Eva squared off with Varge, but I didn’t see any fireworks. She just stood there, her eyes filled with murderous rage.

In the back of my mind, I felt a familiar tug.

It was Eva! She was trying to reach me through the mind-link. I hadn’t thought to try that. Apparently, Varge’s mind control was making me stupid. I tried to reach back to her, but I couldn’t connect. It was like we were on two different frequencies. I could sense her there, but I couldn’t hear anything, just static.

My heart sank again. Why wasn’t she doing anything? It didn’t look like she was under Varge’s control.

“You shouldn’t be here, Varge,” Eva said. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

No, she definitely wasn’t under his mind control.

Her voice sounded soft and far away, like she was whispering. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was pissed and definitely not whispering. The spell kept me so dulled.

Varge threw his head back and laughed. “Why would I leave, my little Eva?”

“If you don’t, I will end you. I won’t hold anything back.” She thrust her hand out to the side.

Yeah, go Eva. If I could move, I would have cheered for her.

“Oh, that’s cute.” Varge chuckled, the sound loud and booming, making my skull rattle. “I already know you can’t defeat me with what power you have.”

Eva’s eyes widened for a moment, but she didn’t break her stance. “That’s what you think.”

“Hmph. That wasn’t very convincing, dear. If you’re going to bluff, always have a plan when someone calls you on it.” Varge grinned, showing off all his teeth.

I saw Eva wince, but she still stared at him unyielding.

“Here’s the deal. You are family, after all, so I’m willing to make special arrangements on your account.” Varge reached out and ran a hand down Eva’s cheek.

She just stood there and let him touch her. I couldn’t believe it. Everything in me told me to yell at her to run, but I couldn’t move, and I couldn’t speak. I didn’t want Varge to put a spell on her too.

“Don’t do me any favors,” Eva snarled, but she didn’t pull away.

“This is more of a mutually beneficial arrangement. You can either join with me and help my plan, or you can join Rion in the basement.”

Eva sighed heavily and bowed her head. She couldn’t seriously be considering giving into this maniac, could she?

“If I’m going to help you, then I should know what your grand plan is, shouldn’t I?” she asked.

I couldn’t see her face or eyes with how she kept them bowed, but I refused to believe Eva would join Varge and betray our family. There was no way. This had to be some kind of ruse.

“Nice try, girlie. You’ll learn the plan in due time, once I think you are worthy of it.”

Eva glared at Varge, but she didn’t protest. “Fine.”

“As for right now, I need to see how special the twins are.”

My blood boiled under my skin, and I tried to throw myself at Varge, but I was rooted to the spot like a lifeless statue.

Eva’s eyes narrowed even more, and I saw the surge of anger in them. My hope was renewed. It looked like protective anger. Eva wouldn’t let Varge lay a finger on my daughters, not after what he’d done to her sons.

At least, that was the hope.

A sickening thought occurred to me, and I didn’t even want to think it. What if Eva’s sons somehow convinced her to join Varge? They were the only ones she’d betray this family for.

“Daphne.” Varge snapped his fingers at me. “Take us to your darling twins, please. I’m ready to see the fruits of that experiment.”

Completely possessed, I turned around and led Varge and Eva to the daycare center, where my girls were supposed to be playing with some other kids.

We went down to the first floor and all the way across the mansion. When we arrived, Oliver and his men were trying to break down the door.

Oliver turned to Varge. “Some of the daycare staff have barricaded themselves in. Should we break down the door?”

“No. If they aren’t under my control, they’ll just make a mess. I have a different idea.” Varge looked at me and grinned. “Daphne, why don’t you tell the daycare people you’re here to pick up your daughters? They’ll listen to you.”

I walked through Oliver’s men and knocked on the daycare door.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Who is it? We know you’re possessed! Get out of here!” The voice was desperate and scared.

My stomach flipped, knowing I had to trick them, but I couldn’t stop.

“It’s Daphne. I’m here to pick up my daughters.”

“Are you nuts? There are Lycaonians all over the place. People are acting crazy.”

“I know. I’m helping get the situation under control, but I want to see that my daughters are safe.” I had no idea where the thoughts or words were coming from, but they flowed from me so easily.

There was a long pause and then the daycare door opened.

I went in first. Ayla and Serena ran right up to me.

“Mommy!” They hugged me but I just stood there. I couldn’t even bend down to hug them back.

Real tears prickled my eyes.

“Take them,” Varge ordered.

I grabbed my daughters’ hands, one in each of mine, and pulled them out of the way as Oliver and his men rush in. Soon, the daycare workers who were free of the mind control were locked in another room.

They even rounded up the other kids, stomping all over the colorful play mats and smashing toys as they went. None of them were aware of their bodies, just like me.

I looked around as best I could without being able to move much on my own. There was a window to the left and a back door to the daycare.

I wanted to run and take my daughters with me, but I couldn’t. I wanted to fight Varge, but I couldn’t. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t do anything but stand there and hold my girls’ hands.

My tears broke loose and spilled down my cheeks. I felt them hang from my chin and drip onto the play mats with plunking sounds.

“Ah, what beauties.” Varge stepped closer to me and the girls.

He knelt in front of them and leaned in close, examining them with his bright eyes.

Ayla and Serena clung to my legs. I could feel them trembling. They were wide eyed and so terrified. I just wanted to hug them, hold them, and tell them it was alright.

But none of this was alright. I was powerless as Varge assessed them, powerless to protect them or to comfort them.

“Varge, now is not the right time.” Eva stepped between Varge and the girls.

He glowered and rose to his feet. “Getting in my way?” He raised a hand like he was going to smack her.

Eva held her arms out to the sides, creating a protective barrier between us. I was so grateful to her at that moment.

“They are terrified. Do you really think they’ll be able to show you their powers?”

Varge scoffed. “They better show me what they are capable of, or I might think they are useless!” he spat the last word.

“Why don’t you give them time to get used to you? They are young and if you’re nice to them, it won’t take long.”

What was Eva saying!? Wasn’t that what had happened to her own sons? Why would she suggest it all over again? My mind reeled in so many directions. I kept telling myself she was stalling, but with how helpless I was, I didn’t think I could take that chance.

“We don’t have time!” Varge barked. He put a hand on Eva’s shoulder and pushed her aside. “I want to see what they can do now!”

Eva sighed and came up to me. “Okay. But they have dampening charms on. I’ll need to remove them.”

“Oh, dampening charms? They must be powerful indeed.” Varge’s eyes glittered and he smirked, rubbing his belly with glee.

“I’ll take them off.” Eva knelt in front of Ayla and Serena.

They knew her. She was their aunt, and they stopped shaking while she spoke to them. I stayed still and motionless, nothing more than an observer of these horrific events.

“Alright, Ayla, Serena, I’m going to take your dampening charms off. When I do, can you show me some of the magic tricks you learned?”

“Okay,” the twins chorused. They obediently held out their wrists.

Eva quickly removed the bracelets and tucked them into her pocket.

I still held each of them by the hand. The moment the bracelets were gone, a tremor went through me. It felt like a veil lifted and I could see the world in full color again, hear everything too.

The constant presence of Varge in the back of my mind was gone. I felt in control again, but I had to be sure. Slowly, I urged myself to squeeze Ayla and Serena’s hands. My own hands obeyed.

I bit back the gasp that rose on my lips.

‘Daphne.’

Eva’s voice came to me through the mind-link.

I tensed. ‘Eva! I hear you.’

‘I thought that might happen. Pretend like you’re still under Varge’s command.’