“I’m waiting . . .” Balor moved the edge of the seax to the base of Vade’s throat.
Shit.She didn’t even know what to guess. “The king saw how good he was at killing and asked him to work for him.” A pathetic attempt, but it was all she could think to say.
“Nope.”
“Wait!”
Balor punched Vade in the face again. And again. And again.
On the fifth hit, pain lanced through her face. Orelia screamed, her legs giving out.
“What the hells is wrong with you, girl?” The man holding her asked.
She panted, not understanding what was happening.
Balor’s brows drew together. “Ain’t nobody touched you, so why do you have a bruise on your face?” He stalked forward, pointing his knife at her.
Vade laid on the ground, moaning, blood trickling from his brow down the center of his face. Both nostrils leaked crimson that disappeared into the shadows covering his mouth.
Orelia thrashed against the hands holding her as Balor approached, eyeing her cheek. “Fren, hit him for me,” he said without taking his eyes off Orelia’s.
Pain coursed through her face again and she turned away, like she’d taken the hit herself.
Balor’s grin turned vile. He turned and faced Vade. “So, you get hurt, she gets hurt. Gotta admit, I ain’t never seen that before, but it makes this game all the more interesting.” He sheathed his knife. Call it punishment, payback, whatever it was that Balor had against him, Orelia knew he was about to unleash the hells on Vade so she would suffer in the process.
“Don’t hurt him!” she screamed.
Balor raised his arms like he was conjuring a storm. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
Orelia panicked, her breaths quickening.
Vade’s eyes were wide as he awaited what was to come.
Balor turned and kicked her in the stomach with a mighty grunt. If not for the man at her back, Orelia would’ve fallen flat on her ass.
She tried to breathe, but the wind had been knocked out of her. Through her blurry eyes, she could see Vade folded over. He quickly tried to stand, thrashing feverishly as the other Myrker struggled to hold him down.
If not for the binding spell, if not for her foolish fucking mistake, he wouldn’t be suffering for her misdeeds. Orelia started sobbing,breathing in choked gasps. Vade was hurting because of her. She’d never forgive herself.
“Final question,” Balor said with a triumphant grin. “What tribe is he from?”
“Sharpe!” she threw out, exasperated.
Vade’s brows scrunched when he looked at her.
Balor sneered. He stalked toward her, and the fear for Vade turned into fear for herself.
“Just let us both go, and there won’t be any trouble,” Orelia said in a shaky voice, bracing for him to kick or punch or hurt her in some other way.
Laughter erupted. The other fae looked at one another mischievously.
When Balor stopped in front of her, Vade tried to stand again and failed.
Balor twirled a strand of her hair in his fingers. Orelia pulled her head away, but the hard chest at her back didn’t let her get far. She twisted, trying not to let him touch her.
He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. “I’ve imagined punishin’ him for disgracing his people for years, lass. Even a pretty lil’ whore like you won’t stop me from killin’ the bastard.”
Her heart pounded as brown eyes looked at her with unsettling interest. “What if I help you? Will you let him go then?”
