AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His right eyes shifted to stare at her with deep sorrow. Yet there was also love. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized that he was using the last of his strength to tell her—however silently—that he loved her. She mouthed the words back to him and he smiled just as his eyes closed. His weakened body sagged between his captors, and the huntsmen dropped him to the ground, chortling as they did so.
From among the cluster of dark-blue capes, a familiar man stepped into the cave, pushing his way through them, an unpleasant smirk on his lips as he looked down at Kyx. The insignias of his accomplishments were embroidered near the neckline of his cape, but it was the cruelty stamped into his face by which she recognized Huntsman Merik.
Arie renewed her struggles, but he didn’t offer her so much as a glance. Instead, he clasped the man nearest to him on the shoulder. It was one who had been holding Kyx’s chains, the youth no doubt earning Merik’s favor.
“Should we end the beast?” he asked Merik, his voice nearly trembling with his lust for the Ragoru’s death. Merik shook his head, his smile widening.
“No, I think not. A quick end would be far too merciful. Let it die painfully and alone and serve as a warning to the other males to steer far from humans if they do not wish to receive the same end to their miserable lives.”
His cold eyes settled on Arie, and she felt her breath lock up in her lungs for a terrible moment as he walked toward her. He pinched her chin with his index finger and thumb and forced her to look into his eyes. She stared at him with all the hate she could muster. He chuckled and released her chin to pat her condescendingly on the head.
“And you, my dear girl. You have been quite the trouble for the Order. Your village contracted me to find you and recover anything of value you may have absconded with. I was to return with you to the village to mete their justice, which I would have been all too happy to help them, all things considered. I don’t look kindly on those who would… cavort… with Ragoru. It is unnatural and against the will of the Divine Mother.”
“The Order and the horrors you commit are against the will of the Mother,” Arie bit out. “Whatever you do to us will be revisited upon you for your injustice. My death…and his… won’t be vain.”
Merik frowned and nodded to the huntsman at her side. The butt of a rifle jabbed her in the gut, making her wheeze painfully.
His brow wrinkled with regret, and he turned away with a flick of his wrist. “Like I said I would have been inclined to deliver you to the village, except upon receiving my report, my orders have changed. Word travels quickly within the Order, and apparently your dear grandmother is very well-connected. She has specifically requested your return, which means I have my orders to bring you to the Citadel. However, since there are still my clients to satisfy, I will be taking this,” he laughed as he ripped her pack, and her last memories of her mother, away from her, “and returning it to them myself after we see to your… safety.”
Merik stepped away from her, wiping his gloved hands off as if touching her had contaminated him. His smile chilled her to the marrow of her bones. “Bring her to the camp.”
Arie’s head dropped, her eyes instinctively seeking out the prone form of her mate as they dragged her past him. The entire side of his face had been savaged and appeared to be a bloody mess. He was dying, if not already dead, and Arie could do nothing more than weep bitter tears as she was carried away to her fate.
The Huntsman
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
The tent Arie was thrown into lacked any sort of comforts. The tan canvas was soiled in many places by sweat and substances she preferred remained identified, some of which she suspected may have been blood. It had a foul and musty smell to it that made her dry heave. The smell clung to the sleeping pad onto which she was thrown with zero consideration for possible injuries that could occur. She cracked open one of her eyes that was swollen from weeping and watched as her “escorts” filed out of the tent, leaving her to her isolation.
At least, she thought she was alone. Movement at the back of the tent had her stifling a shriek as she scrabbled. The lump on a far pallet rose up from its furs and hobbled toward her, its body battered and bruised. Dried blood caked its fur and the long locks of hair. As it neared, Arie squinted. There was something vaguely familiar about the wretched creature.
“Red-hair? Yes, it is you. They found you. Now they will let me go home, yes?” The female’s voice grew more excited as she spoke.
Arie’s mouth dropped open in horror. It was the feral woman who aided Warol when he’d recovered Arie from the ehurmu village. Essi. That was her name. But that was months ago! How did the huntsmen capture her? And why?
“What happened to you?” Arie whispered, her hands reaching out to comfort the larger woman, but she shied away from her touch.
Essi shambled to the side, her head lolling a little as her heavy brow drew down over her eyes in a scowl. Her three breasts were scarred over as if someone had attempted to amputate them, her body bare of fur where the red scars stretched over her.
“The flat-face men came to Ehurmuvale saying they are looking for the red-haired woman.” Her eyes narrowed with hatred. “They were looking for you. They killed all of the ehurmu, one at a time. They would have killed me, but I traded for my life. I told them that the beast-men were with you. I say I can find you—ehurmu are good trackers. They hurt me bad, but now they have you. I will be free!” she laughed, her voice rising with giddy laughter.
Essi barreled past, pushing Arie out of her way as she rushed to the side of the tent, her hands slapping against the canvas.
“Let me out!” she shrieked. “You have the ugly red-hair. Let me out. I want to go home.”
Arie recoiled as the flap of the tent was suddenly flung open and Merik stepped in, his face devoid of any expression as he stared down at the pitiful creature. Arie could not detect an ounce of compassion in him as she watched him arch an eyebrow at the female.
“What is all this noise, Essi?” he inquired in a polite, even voice.
He spoke as if he was merely inquiring about the welfare of an inconsequential guest rather than a captured and tormented prisoner. Filled with a sudden dread, Arie slinked back, hoping to remain unnoticed as Essi ran toward him eagerly. Her fingers plucked at his cape as she bleated at him.
“You have the red-hair. You promised to set me free. Please do it now. I want to go home.” Her voice breaking down into a long wail as she clung to the fabric.
Merik’s face distorted with distaste as he pulled his cape free of her grip as his left hand tucked down against his hip as he reached forward with the other to grip her shoulder.
“Essi, you have done well,” he crooned. “You are right. You deserve to be free and with your brethren again. It is remiss of me to have delayed your reunion. Am I right?”
