CHAPTER 22
K aelyn raised her whistle to her lips and blew. The soft melodic tone eased from the carved wood, informing Theron she was ready. Sensing a better location, she stalked closer to the rear of the cottage and hid behind a large pine. At the edge of the forest, the moon’s glow reflected off the bedroom window. Behind the thin curtain, shadows tracked back and forth.
Saar hadn’t yelled or screamed, and a measure of respect built in her chest. He was a formidable warrior, one that wouldn’t crack under Mauree’s torment. A tension headache formed behind her eyes. Hurry, Theron.
Insistent footsteps on the cottage’s wooden entryway reverberated against the trees. The door banged as it slammed against the frame. Muffled voices from within the cottage grew more agitated. Mauree let out a loud shriek. More shouts followed. Footsteps pounded on the front porch.
Mauree’s shrill voice pierced the air. “Farrell, stay here.”
“Yes, my lady.” A male’s low reply.
“Eldon, join me and Theron.” Mauree cursed. “Where did you say you saw Zedron?”
“In the kitchen. As soon as I saw the blue mist, I came for you. It’s possible…” Theron’s voice faded along with the trio’s footsteps.
Kaelyn’s pulse picked up. Now was her best shot.
She drew her mace from its sleeve, the weight heavy and familiar. With a quick push, she bolted from her hiding spot and ran toward the cottage. Dew coated the short grass, and the damp tips slapped against her ankle.
She crept toward the window and peered between the curtains. The tips of Saar’s boots and the manacles that surrounded his ankles came into view. He was motionless, but he still lived. A tendril of hope sprouted in her chest, tiny roots searching for more.
Even with a firm tug, the window remained closed. Locked. Damn. “All right, then.”
She stepped away and tightened her grip on her mace. Swinging the weapon, she drew it over her head, the force of the heavy ball straining her muscles. The familiar tension bolstered her determination. With a final burst of energy, she smashed the spiked tips against the window.
Glass shattered.
Her pulse quickened as she landed on the windowsill. Careful not to touch any of the sharp glass with her bare hands, she drew herself through and dropped to the wooden floor.
Saar lifted his head. Red welts marred his cheek, his chin, his neck—Gossum stings.
“Kaelyn?” Saar’s ragged voice travelled inside, settling into her chest.
She scanned his body for signs of injury. Blood trickled from numerous cuts and scratches over his arms. A large purple bruise bloomed across his chest. Shredded at his calf, his pants clung to his legs.
Blood soaked through the cloth. A red stain marred the wooden floor.
Heat swept up her chest and into her face. She ground her teeth. Using the anger, she swung her mace, around and around, then brought it down on one of the chains at his left ankle. The metal shattered, the small pieces scattering over the smooth floor like marbles.
The door to the bedroom slammed against the wall.
A Gossum stood at the door—Farrell. The hairless skin over his eyes furrowed. “Kaelyn? What are you—”
She didn’t wait for him to finish. With a quick flick of her wrist, she yanked a dagger from her belt and launched it at him.
He caught her movement and dodged at the last moment. The blade embedded in his shoulder.
“Watch out!” Saar’s voice boomed in the room. The rattling of his chains competed with the Gossum’s hiss.
Farrell grabbed the dagger’s handle, yanked it from his shoulder then tossed it onto the ground. The tip of his barbed tongue snaked from between his teeth, coming dangerously close to her face.
Kaelyn recoiled and took a step back. Spittle, hot and nasty, landed on her cheek.
She swung her mace at him. The sharp blades left rips in Farrell’s shirt but didn’t connect with flesh.
Breaking metal pierced the air. She dared not turn her attention away from her opponent.
Farrell’s long, pointy claws emerged from his fingertips.
For a brief moment she considered morphing into her bear, but in the confined space, her alter-ego would be more hindrance than help. She doubled down on her determination and held her ground.
A ripping noise, as if something heavy was torn from its foundation, filled the room.
Farrell slashed out with his claws, again and again. She blocked his moves with her mace.
Blood dripped from the wound on Farrell’s left shoulder. He favored the limb, protecting it. Using the information to her advantage, Kaelyn struck.
Her ball connected with Farrell’s shoulder.
He cried out, but twisted around. His claw grazed down her arm.
Pain raced to her shoulder, fueling her anger.
One last rip, like a boulder crashing against the rocky shore, echoed around the room.
“Get away from her.” Saar’s voice filled the void.
He stepped forward, dragging his right leg behind him. A shudder wracked his body, and he wavered, but his blue eyes swirled with a beautiful amber, resolve reflecting in their depths.
Her breath bottled up in her throat even as her chest expanded.
They weren’t out of trouble yet.
Farrell hissed. “Are you ready to die now?”
“You are mistaken. It is you that shall perish tonight,” Saar roared with surprising strength.
Farrell’s forearm dangled at an odd angle, motionless against his side, so he raised his good arm, extended his claws, and bolted toward Saar.
Kaelyn swung her mace.
Tongue extended, Farrell launched into the air.
Saar gripped the slippery appendage and yanked the creature toward him.
Kaelyn’s mace connected with Farrell’s back. The crunch of bone reverberated around the room.
With a quick twist, Saar wrapped the creature’s tongue around its own neck and squeezed until the decapitated head slipped from the body. It landed on the floor with a loud thud.
The Gossum’s torso disintegrated in Saar’s grasp, slipping into a pile of sludge.
“You’re alive…” Kaelyn’s voice cracked with relief.
Saar wrapped his arms around her. Despite his injuries, he held her with a strength she’d only encountered among her own kind. They didn’t have time for this, but she clung to him for a moment, breathing in his scent.
At last, she pulled away. “We should leave, before the others return.”
His brow furrowed. “Where is there to go?”
She trailed a finger over the puffy sting mark on his cheek, the one that tracked along his scar.
He flinched at her touch.
With a heavy heart, she drew her hand away, but he stopped her, wrapping his fingers around hers. “I’m sorry. I like the feel of your skin against mine, but no one touches me…there.”
His words burrowed deep into her heart, sliding in between the cracks he’d made. This male would be her undoing, of that, she had no doubt.
He’s my mate.
The thought struck home. There was no further doubt in her mind. She belonged to him, and he belonged to her.
She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. “Trust me. I have the perfect hiding place.”
He studied her, his blue eyes searching deep into her soul. “I will follow you wherever you lead.”
On a level deep inside, she understood he meant every word. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, and a chunk of concrete dangled from the end of the chain. Her gaze tore to his other hand, where another block swung back and forth. At his leg, only a few links of chain remained.
Her stomach twisted. What had they done to him? “Let me remove these. You’ll be able to move faster without the added weight.”
She picked up her mace.
After kneeling down, he scooted the blocks as far away as he could, stretching the chains taut.
Three dark lines marked the back of his left shoulder blade. A tattoo? She didn’t have time to dwell on the unusual marks. With one swift move, she launched her mace and crashed the spiked ball onto his bindings.
The links shattered. Shards of broken chain recoiled across the floor as if eager to escape.
A smile tugged at his lip, pulling his scar tight, and a slight dimple formed. She had the urge to kiss the small hollow, but they needed to leave.
She headed for the window, their fastest escape route, but stopped. “Oh, your sword. It’s in the other room.”
“I’ll get it.” He disappeared through the doorway, a slight limp to his gait and returned a moment later. With a quick wink, one that made her insides quiver, he sheathed his sword and nodded toward the window. “After you.”
She stepped on the sill and hovered on the brink. The drop to the grass was a short distance, but, in so many ways, it was the biggest leap of her life. Without a second thought, she jumped.
Landing on the soft earth, her boots squished into the damp soil. Water pooled along the sole. Saar followed close behind, his movements jilted and slow due to his injuries. Her chest ached for him.
“This way.” She gripped his hand and drew him toward the forest. The more distance they put between them and Mauree’s minions the better. Funny how she’d come full circle, abandoning her Tribe, her uncle, everything she’d ever known for this male. A twinge tugged at her insides.
“They’re gone? Who’s responsible for this?” Mauree’s shrill voice echoed from the front of the cottage.
A burst of adrenaline urged Kaelyn to run faster over the wet grass. The tree line was only a few feet away. “Hurry, Saar.”
“I’m right behind you.”
Kaelyn bolted past the trees at the edge of the property, eager for cover.
“Theron! You lied to me. B…betrayed me!” There was no mistaking the anger in Mauree’s tone.
From Kaelyn and Saar’s vantage point behind the large rhododendrons, the wooden steps leading to the cottage’s front porch were bathed in the moon’s soft glow.
Shoulders back, head held high, Theron stood in front of Mauree. “…and I’d do so again to help Kaelyn.”
Fast as a bullet, Mauree’s open palm connected with Theron’s face. The skin on skin contact ricocheted through the air. His head whipped to the side. With a quick flick of her wrist, she drew a dagger from a satchel on her thigh. The blade glinted in the moonlight.
Theron gripped his chin, sliding his jaw back and forth. His attention drew to the knife.
Mauree buried the sharp steel in his gut. “No one betrays me and lives. Not even you.”
Kaelyn’s muscles tensed. No, no, no. “Noooo…” The soft wail burst from her lips.
Even as Theron’s face reddened, pain etched in the lines around his eyes, he smiled. “Thank you…for freeing me.” He slipped to the ground, his body turning to sand.
White spots of rage clouded Kaelyn’s vision. She palmed her mace. “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you,” she whispered roughly.
Saar wrapped his arms around her waist. She strained against him, rage boiling her blood, fueling her need for retribution. Her nails elongated, and she dug them into Saar’s arm, leaving a long, bloody scratch. “He’s my uncle! Let me go!”
He whipped her around and crushed her against him. With a firm grip, he caught her chin between his fingers. He leaned in and whispered, “Stop, Kaelyn. He gave his life for you. Honor him by living.”
She stilled. The glimmer of understanding, acceptance, and love in his beautiful eyes calmed her racing heart. Even though she ached to go after Mauree, he was right. She wouldn’t let Theron’s sacrifice be in vain.
“Okay, okay,” she said, quietly. “But I will get my revenge.”
Amber flashed through his eyes. “Good. I hope you do. Now, let’s go before they see us.”
She gripped his hand, and they disappeared into the safety of the forest.
Mauree stared at the pile of sand at her feet. She raised her foot and plowed the pointed end of her high-heeled pump through Theron’s remains, scattering the fine grains into the air. A howl of pure rage accompanied her efforts, but neither brought her any satisfaction. Muscles quivering, she lowered her dagger and wiped what remained of his drying blood on the wet grass.
“My lady, how may I assist you?” Eldon stood on the steps to the small cottage. Shoulders tense, he waited for her response.
“Eldon, you’ve just earned yourself a promotion. Return to the main house and round up a search party. I want Saar and that traitorous bitch found. Now!” Awareness that she was on the edge of madness crept into the back of Mauree’s mind, but she didn’t care. Not one iota.
“Yes, my lady.” Eldon scurried off, his shoes pounding down the path.
Mauree sheathed her dagger and rubbed at her chest, trying to force the building ache to ease. As much as she wanted to love, she was no longer capable, not that she’d ever been, but a sliver of hope had lived in her heart. Not anymore. Theron’s betrayal had cut too deep. I should’ve known better than to trust him.
All she’d ever wanted was to be loved by Noeh and to become his queen. Her determination to kill him and win this war for Zedron flared to life like a bonfire, and she used the energy to banish any further thoughts of her traitorous lover from her mind. In its place flowed the bittersweet taste of revenge. “Kaelyn, disloyal little bitch, you can’t escape me. I’ll find you, and when I do, I look forward to hearing you scream.”