I held my breath, hoping they wouldn’t sense my nerves. My hands ached for violence, but something on the wind whispered to have patience. A large, burly man in the center turned around slowly. His lips curled up, revealing a row of half-rotted teeth. He stepped forward, grasping the woman by her hair and jerking her forward. She tumbled to her knees, a cry falling from her lips.
He pointed in my direction with a large knife, the type designed to bring down massive creatures three times a hunter’s size. “And who are ya?” he asked in a harsh accent.
“It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that the woman asked you to leave her alone, and you aren’t listening. Release her to my care, and I will leave you and yourfriends—” I looked around at the group of people inching closer “—alone.”
The crowd began laughing, the brute nearly doubling over as he wiped tears from his eyes. “That’s temptin’, but I don’t think I’ll be givin’ up our entertainment anytime soon. So why don’t ya take your own advice and get out of here before we start havin’ fun with ya instead?” His grip on the woman tightened, the white of his knuckles standing out through the blood on his hands. She winced, but remained silent, her pleading eyes locked on mine.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Let her go.”
“Or what?” he asked, spreading his arms wide. “What are ya gonna do? It’s one man against fifty. Are ya gonna fight us all? Do ya think you’rethatgood?”
I looked over his shoulder, watching as Trystan’s head popped up from behind the edge of a tent. He gave me a quick nod before disappearing behind the fabric. It was done—the other two women were safe. Now all that remained was to ensure the one in front of me did as well.
The power shifted inside of me before they could register what happened. Shadows unfurled from my rapidly blackening fingertips, the veins in my arm running up to my neck like spilled ink under my skin. Their eyes grew wide, terror seeping into their very senses.
I surged forward, a tendril of darkness slipping past their crumbling line to grip the man by his neck and hoist him into the air. He struggled against my hold, his hands clawing at the invisible talons digging into his throat and cutting off his air supply. None of his men moved, each of them rooted in place by fear.
“How does it feel,” I whispered, eyes shifting black as I tilted my head to look up at him, “to be utterly helpless? To have no one coming to your aid while you fight for your life?”
“Lemme go,” he rasped, his words hardly audible over the choking gasps of air he tried to take.
I stepped forward, shaking my head. Rage flooded my being, pounded through my blood. Lachlan didn’t simply cause destruction, he was a force of evil that wouldn’t stop until his malice poured through the world. This was only the beginning, and it would be our end if we did not stop him in time. “You do not get to live another day after what you’ve done here,” I sneered. “You do not get to inhale another lungful of air when you have robbed others of theirs!”
A scream rang out in the afternoon air as my shadows surged further into the sky before I withdrew my hold from him. His arms flailed, attempting to grab anything for purchase, but found nothing. His men below scrambled, not to help, but to move out of the way. I met the young woman’s gaze and nodded, reaching out my hand for her to take. She pushed to her feet with one last burst of effort and ran like hell until I felt her calloused skin against mine.
“I’ve got you,” I whispered, crushing her to me. A large sob wracked her body as she clutched my chest with wide eyes. “I’ve got—”
The man’s body hit the ground with a satisfying, sickening thud. A scream died on his lips as he gaped up at the clear blue sky to take his dying breath.
“Oh gods,” the woman whispered, looking away from the sight. “Oh,gods.” Her panic was palpable, the frantic beat of her heart near audible.
“We have to move,” I said quickly, trying to pick her up in my arms, but she fought in my grip.
“No! I have to get my sisters. I have to—”
“We’ve already got them. They’re safe, but we have to move now or else we risk their lives and the lives of my men,” I said, a touch gentler. “I know it is a lot to ask you to trust me. I promise it won’t be in vain.”
I felt the press of a blade against my side before I heard a voice whisper, “Not so fast, shadow-bringer.”
Chapter32
Kalen
The world was dark as I opened my eyes, a scratchy material catching on the stubble along my chin as I tilted my head back.Where was I?I couldn’t remember anything that happened before I walked into the room to check on Illara. There was a fog over my memories, one that refused to lift no matter how much I searched for answers.
Faint chatter reached my ears, though I was still disoriented enough that I couldn’t make out what they were saying.Was it one voice or multiple?At least one was female, that much I knew.
There were no chains on my wrist, though my hands were bound behind my back by a thick rope. It’d be easy enough to get out of. At least, it would be in theory. I was a tad rusty with great escapes—I was much better at facing an enemy head on in a battle of strength. Smokescreen tactics were more in Ren’s area of expertise.
I had limited movement in my arms, but it was enough to find a small rock no larger than the size of my palm. I seized it, lining it up the best I could without my vision and began a half-assed attempt at escape. “Come on, come on, come on,” I whispered furiously to myself. The chatter stopped, just for a moment, before picking back up again. For all I knew, my captor could be watching me struggle with a smile on their face.
I felt the rope slacken, just enough to slip one of my hands through and remove the rest from my wrists. I lifted my hands to my face, ripping the bag off of my head and taking in a deep breath. The air was warm and rich, filled with spices and delicious smells that made my mouth water. I realized I had nothing to eat since the evening before, and given all the alcohol I’d consumed, I was famished.
I squinted against the low light, watching a small figure bustle about in a tiny kitchen. I glanced around my surroundings, realizing we were in a small cabin. Thick trees stood outside the window, obscuring much of the view from where I sat. There was no way to tell where we were.
Despite being a hostage, the room I was in was homey. Colorful pillows took up space on the sofa, though some were worn in places as if they were frequently used. A thick wool blanket was draped over the back of an armchair, one corner fraying. There was something familiar about that blanket, something I couldn’t place. And then there was the simple ease with which the mysterious figure moved about. They acted on instinct, opening a cupboard and reaching for a couple of empty plates and mugs while they hummed a soft tune.
Their wild hair was barely contained in a tight braid, the image sending bits and pieces of information through my mind.Illara. I’d gone to see Illara after everything had happened with Ren and Ciena. Her room, it’d been destroyed, and instead of seeing Illara, I’d seen—
