Cassiel had given up his life—and the secrecy of Celestials. For her. How could that be right? It wasn’t. Her life wasn’t worth that sacrifice.
“Dyna,” Keena whimpered from her satchel.
The iron was killing the princess. Dyna searched her pockets for the key she had stolen from Draven. Blinded by her tears, she rammed into a person in front of her. A man grunted, and firm hands steadied her.
“Your pardon,” she said, wiping her eyes.
“It’s all right, Dyna.”
She jolted at the sound of that voice.
Looking up, she met a pair of sea-green eyes. Chestnut brown hair brushed back from his rugged face, curling at the base of his neck. He was dressed in all black with crossed bandoliers on his chest strapped with his many knives.
Von.
“Hello, lass.”
They stood still in the crowded pier, oblivious bystanders continuing about their day, merchants hawking wares, peddlers pulling along carts, seagulls crying overhead. No one noticed them, and no one could help. Instinct told her to run, but she had no control over her rigid limbs anymore. This time she wasn’t alone. She was in the middle of the busy pier—surrounded by witnesses.
Dyna inhaled a deep breath and screamed.
Chapter 47
Dynalya
Everyone within the vicinity turned, startled by Dyna’s screams. Von let her go, and she sprinted away. People quickly parted to let her pass. Once she got far enough in the crowd, she ducked into a dark alley set between two fish shops. Her running steps echoed in the cold, narrow passageway, but it ended in a brick wall. Dyna spun around, and her heart sank at the sight of Von’s silhouette at the entrance of the alley.
She was trapped.
Dyna walked backwards until she hit a stack of broken crates. There had to be something she could use to fight back.
“Dyna,” Keena rasped. “I can’t stay here much longer.”
Dyna quickly removed the cage from her satchel. Her shaking fingers fumbled with the small key as she jammed it into the keyhole. The lock gave a soft click, and she yanked the door open. Keena stumbled out, falling in a heap on Dyna’s lap. Her tiny chest heaved with shallow breaths. She carefully gathered the fairy in her hands, trying not to touch the burns on her arms. The fairy was cold and frail, her wings drooping like limp leaves.
“Please don’t make this difficult,” Von said as he approached. “I don’t wish to harm you, lass.”
A fractured piece of wood had split from an old crate beside her. Dyna broke it off and braced her stance, holding the long piece of wood like a knife. It wasn’t a real weapon, but it was sharp. She would make sure to stab some part of his body this time. Her grip tightened around the rough edge as she cupped Keena close to her chest.
“Come any closer, and I will harmyou.”
The edges of Von’s mouth slightly curved. “You think you can stop me with that?”
The confident way in which he stood put her on edge. This man was someone who could switch between the actions of a gentle smile to slitting a throat.
“Probably not,” she said. “Regardless, I plan to be very difficult.”
“We both know what resulted when you didn’t comply last time.” He glanced at her ankle casually, reminding her of her embarrassing tumble. “How is your ankle?”
Dyna narrowed her eyes, ignoring her flush. “I’m not the same girl from Corron, Von.”
And she wasn’t. Inside she was shaking, her heart racing, but on the outside, she’d fortified her will with determination to save her bonded.
Fear could wait.
Von’s slight smile faded at whatever he read on her face. “Fight if you wish, but in the end, you’re coming with me.”
A deep male voice chuckled above her. “She’s not going anywhere with you, mate.”
