AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It prevents us from moving the cage around.” She watched awareness sink into his face as he peered down at the boiling water near the cage’s floor. Already, she could feel the heat of it on her feet and had to tiptoe. “Or kicking it open.”
For the first time, Rick didn’t have a comeback to that. But he scrutinized the door and swung from the cage ceiling, kicking it a few times to no avail. When that didn’t work, he body slammed it until she glimpsed flickers of pain in his features.
“Stop,” she called out, then pulled his shoulder when he didn’t listen. “Stop.”
“I have to get us out.”
A hiss came from his lips, riddled with pain. This time, she inserted herself as a shield and caught the Fae as he abruptly stopped charging—another confirmation that he wouldn’t hurt her. But the momentum flattened them on the bars and he growled.
“I hurt you. Em, I’m hurting you.”
She shook her head. Quietly, she climbed up when her feet couldn’t take the heat from the floor and waited until he did the same. They hung with their hands, hers straining from the weight.
“Come here,” he said.
More smoothly than she had ever moved, he locked his legs on the iron bars and locked his body in place. Emerald prolonged her hanging until her arms couldn’t take it anymore and she was left with no choice but to carefully lower herself to where he was. Wordlessly, he urged her body to lower to his, her feet to rest on top of his locked feet, and one of her hands to wrap around his neck. The unwavering support staggered her.
“I got you,” he whispered, soothing.
“We’re still going to be slow roasted to death.”
“Me first.”
She gasped when he rolled them until his back was completely below and she was on top, effectively shielding her from most of the heat. She desperately clutched at her magic, but whatever prevented her from breaking the cage or attacking the giant earlier also prevented her from accessing it now.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, voice shaky. “You will kill yourself.”
“I will die for you.”
She glowered, then hissed. “Stop being chivalrous.”
“You’re smart. You might find a way out. I’m giving you that fighting chance.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“I do.” Magenta eyes swept over her, torn between sincerity and the first stirrings of discomfort as steam rose from the cage floor. “You like to close yourself off and build your walls, but I do know you. You cared for Yu. You even cared for Lily. You looked at me like I was someone worthwhile when I was performing those silly tricks.”
“Not silly. Not silly at all.” Her breath hitched. “You’re amazing.”
“So are you, Emerald, sweetheart.”
An emotion so sharp tightened her chest and squeezed her belly. The selfless action of a creature believed to be so selfish and manipulative shook her to the core, and Emerald made another sound before she hugged him tighter. Awareness glided on his face as he took in her expression, understanding what she wanted even when she couldn’t understand it herself.
Her lips parted, lowering to his…brushing against his once, twice, enough times to feel the softness that kickstarted a terrible craving. Not a kiss, because this was enough to have before death knocked on their door.
Then there was an actual knock on their door before the cage was ripped from its chains.
Chapter 6
It took Rick a moment to comprehend that his mouth was no longer near hers and that his body was no longer pressed against hers—then, that his back was no longer simmering with a heat that made him want to scream and curse his fate. He blinked as the cage moved with a speed that turned his stomach, his hands reaching out until he felt the familiar body shaken around, too, and hugged her to him. Then the iron bars were ripped open and they were abruptly staring at the open window and the long drop below.
“Go,” Lily gritted out, rubbing her scarred cheek and spitting out blood. She had lost a few teeth, her gums exposed and still bleeding. “Hurry before he comes back. There are rough bricks for a climb to our Northern towers where no one goes. Stay in one. Leave in the morning when most of our kind are done hunting for the night.”
“Thank you,” Emerald said, extending a hand to gently tug Lily’s hair. The giant’s eyes softened, then flicked toward him.
“Go now.”
He nodded once, wordlessly conveying his gratitude. Then he shifted Emerald to ride his back and heaved them out of the cage, grabbing for the first stone brick he could reach and pulling them out of the window. They hung for a few seconds, watching Lily stagger back into the room. Then they were making their way up.
