I laugh at him and shake my head, ignoring the piercing of that stupid blade at my neck. “Aw, did you just call me Sweetheart?” In a swift move, I grab my knife with my hand I finally worked free and place the tip of it over the thigh of the guy that’s holding me captive. “I suggest you don’t call me Sweetheart again, and I think it’s high time you let me go. It’s your choice, but if you don’t, let’s just say things aren’t going to go very well for this guy.” I quickly do a head count.Four. Four to one.My odds aren’t great, but I’ve dealt with worse.
Chapter 24
When nobody moves, I stab the guy’s leg. He yells in pain and throws me forward. I whirl away from the other guy that called me sweetheart, holding my knife in front of me. I wish it was my dagger in my boot; I like that one better. But it’s better than nothing. “Don’t touch me,” I warn him. The first guy comes at me, and I evade him, slicing his arm in the process. He curses and grabs my arm. “I told you not to touch me.” Somebody grabs me from behind, but I felt them coming. I’m not about to let them take me unawares a second time. I whirl around and kick out, catching him in the stomach and sending him backwards. Before I realize what’s happening, a blow from my left snaps my head to the side. I see stars and can’t tell up from down for a moment. I blink heavily, trying to get my eyes to focus. Something wet drips into my eyes, and I blink trying to clear them. One of them grabs my arm, and I yank it away; but they grab it again and pull it behind me painfully and get the knife from my hand. I'm pulled to my feet. “That’s enough from you, you spy.” He jerksme hard, and I stumble and try to get my feet under me again. I jerk my body hard trying to get free, but he doesn’t release his iron grip on my arm, and it only further pulls on my arm. But with the adrenaline coursing through me, I don’t feel anything. “You’re coming with us.”
“No, I’m. Not.” I fight him every step of the way.
Redara is suddenly in my head.What’s happening? I can feel your panic.I don’t get a chance to respond.
Somebody yanks my arms behind my back, and I fight back but they do something to bind my wrists behind me. With my arms restrained it’s almost impossible to do anything to fight back. But I don’t let that stop me. “You really have to have two of you to restrain a single female?” I ask the guys on either side of me.
“Move,” the one says, shaking me harshly.
I’m coming to you,Redara sends through our link.
No,I send back quickly.I’m fine. Don’t risk coming. I don’t want the guys I’m with to see you.
What guys?She demands.And why not?
I don’t know who they are and—I stumble forward.
Are you hurt?She demands.
I’m fine. Stay there.
Not going to happen.
Just wait,I tell her.
“Move,” my captor shouts and pushes me forward. “If you keep slowing down, I will—”
The grip on my arm tightens painfully, and they suddenly go very still. Two men step out from the trees. I go still as well; Iknow danger when I see it. The men I was just dealing with are nothing compared to these newcomers. Their faces are covered in black paint with three strips of white on their cheeks. They’re wearing dark furs, and they look ominous. Nobody moves for a moment, and I hardly dare to breathe. And the newcomers move. They simultaneously throw axes, cutting down the men around me. Before I realize what they’re doing, they do the same to the guard from the Dragon Kingdom. I don’t dare look down at the bodies around me. I can’t breathe. I’ve known fear in my life, but it’s nothing compared to the fear that’s coursing through me right now. My hands are tied behind my back, and there is literally nothing I can do to defend myself. Suddenly, both of their heads jerk up; and my stomach plummets.
No! Redara!One of them looks over at me, and I feel exposed.He knows. Somehow, he knows she’s mine.Suddenly, they lift their weapons, and I stumble backwards. And then Rauk and Thorne appear out of nowhere. I stumble again, trying to get out of their way. It's a brutal fight, but I can’t bring myself to look away. Rauk’s an unstoppable force, spinning his long halberd as he fights. When he skewers the man, I look away. Thorne’s man is down as well. I swallow hard and force the contents of my stomach down. These aren't the first harsh deaths I’ve seen, and they surely won’t be the last. I compartmentalize my feelings and push them deep into the box that contains the other dark, painful things in my life.
Are you okay?Red asks. I don’t really even know how to answer that.
“Harper!” I turn to see Rauk striding towards me. I doeverything except meet Rauk’s eyes. I simply stare at somewhere around the vicinity of his stomach; it seems the safest place to look right now. “Why areyouhere?” I finally lift my head and turn towards him, meeting his gaze. I notice the moment he sees what I’m sure is blood on my face. He goes still, and his gaze drops to scan the rest of me. I sort of just feel numb to the whole thing. He strides closer, and I hold my ground, not looking away from him. “What happened?” he demands.
“Rauk,” I hear Thorne say in a quiet voice. Rauk scowls and then walks over to Thorne. He kneels next to his guard and checks for a pulse. I force myself to watch. When Rauk stands to his feet, he walks back over to me. There’s anger in his eyes, and I tense.
“It wasn’t me,” I manage to get out. He's still staring at me, and I don’t know why. “I didn’t do it.”
He takes a step towards me, and I lift my chin. My hands are still restrained, so I can’t fight against him. But I won’t be his whipping post. He pulls out a knife and shows me. “I’m just going to cut your restraints.” His voice is much more subdued than it was a moment ago. He takes another slow step towards me. “Okay?” I realize he’s waiting for me. I finally manage to nod. He takes the few remaining steps between us before he steps behind me. The binding tightens for a moment before he cuts it free. The moment my wrists are free, I let them drop and shake them out. I look up and realize he’s watching me. The look unnerves me, and I take a step back. “What happened?” he asks again. I rub at my wrists and decide to just get this over with. It’s not going to end well. Everything that happened out here is myfault. I know he’s aware that Nox and Red are flying overhead, unable to land in this thick part of the forest. This is bad, really bad. I should have just had those men with black paint end me, because Rauk’s going to soon anyway.
“I came looking for you,” I start. “The first guys are the ones that actually knocked your guard out and gave me the restraints.” I pause and take a breath because here it gets pretty rough. “Then those two men with the black paint showed up and killed everybody.”
“Except you,” Rauk says in a low voice.
“Yes, except me.” I don’t want to tell him the next part, but I know I have to. “Red came to my aid.” I take a deep breath. “They saw her.”
“I know. That's why they’re dead,” he bites out. “Why would you leave the city? We protect the secret of our dragons.”
“I know. I,” I pause, knowing there is nothing I can say to make this right. “I messed up. I’m sorry.”
“You need to get back to the castle.” Rauk doesn’t look at me as he says the words. I stand there a moment longer before I walk over to Redara.
Will you take me back?She finally managed to find a place to land not too far from us.
