Drag him through the desert until his skin is torn upon the sand.
Drown him in the depths of the sea and leave him at the Moon Goddess’s mercy.
I was still, every muscle taut as I looked up to meet his snarl, my voice soft and slow. "I've heard that in the desert if a man touches a woman without her consent, he loses his hand. Would you like to find out if it's true?"
He leaned in closer, his breath reeking of alcohol and something rotten. “She's but a girl, not a woman."
Before I could speak a low voice interrupted, "Which makes the assault all the worse. Perhaps you should cut off his prick instead, little menace."
My focus didn't leave the man, but I knew who had approached. Before he had even spoken, I knew, as if his presence itself was something that demanded my attention. He sat diagonally from me, next to the father of the girl. I watched as the disgusting eyes of the man I held at the edge of my blade shifted to take in the newcomer, saw them widening as unbridled fear filled his expression. A predatory part deep within, an almost instinctual piece of myself preened at that fear. Atwhowas the cause of it.
Did they recognize him?
"Perhaps they'd like to go outside," my voice a purr. “It seems as though they fear you more than me, Captain."
"A miscalculation on their parts, surely."
I nearly laughed at that, chest warming with delight as I finally lowered the knife, my gaze never leaving that of the man.
I saw it before he even moved, the way his eyes fixated, his muscles shifting. So when his hand flew out to slap across my face I was ducking, my shoulder driving into his gut. The crashing of his large frame had silence enveloping the Inn, but I didn't care. The rage was too consuming, vengeance singing through my veins. Let them watch. Let them see.
How many of our people has he hurt?
The shadows were wrath and darkness in my mind.
How many of our women have these hands touched?
How many of our men has he slain?
The dagger was still clenched in my grasp and when his hulking frame tried to buck me off, I slammed it into his hand. The roar he let loose shuddered through my body—fueling the bloodlust that rained upon me. Yanking it free, I wiped it down his shirt, slowly, methodically, before I brought it up to his neck.
Leaning in close to his ear I whispered, "Leave and know that if you ever touch a Luanthian girl, oranygirl for that matter, without their permission again, I will hear of it. I will hear of it and I will hunt you down and string you up by your innards to be a lesson for all.You do not touch a woman who doesn't wish to be touched." My voice dropped lower, tone bordering on seductive as I jerked my head towards Roan. He was standing, blades drawn, the tip of each one pointed at the man’s companions. “And he will help me. He could drown you on land without so much as a thought in his mind, but do not be fooled. It'smywrath you should fear."
I pressed the blade deeper into the tender part of his neck before I released him with a snarl, standing with ease I leaned back against the table, dagger twirling as he stumbled to his feet. Silence still reigned, all eyes fixed on the confrontation.
He looked at me with utter loathing. I simply watched, a brow raised, a smirk upon my lips as I waited. If they wished to fight then I would.
"Out!" A shrill voice cried and I glanced to see a woman well into middle age bustling towards us, a wooden spoon in hand. “We will have no fighting in this establishment.Out, the lot of you!"
Despite Gianni's charm and claiming that the men had goaded me into defending myself, the Innkeeper would have none of it. I was not welcome to stay the night there, so Gianni instead made separate accommodations.
"You've got to be kidding me," I grumbled, rubbing tiredly at my face.
We stood outside the stables the Tolokok currently resided in.
Gianni shrugged, gesturing at the entrance. “After the stunt you pulled it's either you sleep in the hay or out in the sand for the night, your pick."
I sniffed indignantly. “What else should I have done? He wouldn't leave them alone—"
Gianni held up a hand, his dark eyes glimmering with amusement. "I take no issue with your blade piercing his hand, it's the least he deserved. However, Miriam will be the one washing the blood from her floors tonight, so she has a right to be cross with you."
“Roan pulled his blades too.” I was being petulant, I knew it. I’d been so looking forward to a warm bed.
“Roandidn’t stab a man.”
Sighing my acceptance, I slipped past him and into the stables. The soft huffs of sleeping Tolokoks greeted my ears as I found Aziza’s stall. Her scaled head lifted as her forked tongue flicked out, licking the sleep from her dry eyes. I grimaced.
“Mind if I bunk with you tonight, sweet girl?” I crooned, the words filled with the promise of extra dried berries. An angry snort and lashing of her massive tail had me stumbling back, quickly righting myself, my pride stinging. “Well fine then, be that way you cold-blooded beast."
