My palm slams against his cheek, and I suck in a startled gasp as his head snaps to the side.
“Oh gods, Riven. I’m so sorry. I didn’t…”
His neck turns torturously slow back to face me.
“Do it again, little burden. I liked it.”
Thayla
9
A whoosh of relief slips from my lips, and I throw my arms around him. The sweat from his forehead drips down my neck, beneath my armor, and I force myself to pull away.
“I’m going to get you out of these chains. Hold on for me, then we’re getting the fuck out of here.”
He nods as he draws in ragged breaths. My fingers tremble as I pick Creed’s sword back up with both hands.
Come on, my sweet little weapon of death. Don’t let me down now.
“Get ready.”
His gaze meets mine, and I gulp.
Everything vibrates as I really look at him.
The bags under his eyes are deep, but the guilt, shame, fury lingering in the blue staring at me are even deeper.
His curly, multicolored hair is weighed down with sweat. The usual spirals are more like exhausted waves plastered to his scalp.
Did that bitch have him in this spot, this position, this entire time?
My soul shudders, and the pressure of my power pushing against my skin intensifies.
He tears his eyes from mine with a minuscule grunt, and I raise the weapon over my head.
With a bellow that comes from the depths of my soul, I swing it down.
The chains shatter on impact, crumbling to absolutely nothing as the links rain down to the floor. The momentum and sudden loss of tension jerk Riven forward, and I race to his other side.
Again, Creed’s sword slashes through the metal, killing every fiber in its wake.
Riven—none of them—will ever be put in restraints like this again.
So help me, Valories, I’ll kill all seven of your precious little fucking spawns.
I lower the sword to my side as I struggle to regulate my breathing. The more he shakes his head and rotates his wrist, the hotter my blood boils.
The swooshing in my stomach makes me want to puke.
The things he’s had to witness over the last two days…I can’t fucking imagine. Not to mention whatever she’s made him do.
Working…that’s the word that girl used.
He bellowed so much clipped nonsense between the repeated choruses of his song, I couldn’t make out any of it, but I’m not dumb.
Whatever he’s been through hasn’t been good.
“Riven.”
