Page 121 of An Empress of Earth & Darkness

Torin straddled the knight, holding him in place as gore spilled onto his arms and hands. Before he could even register the satisfaction of its death, he reached out and grabbed the sword he had lost during the scuffle. Spinning on his knees again, he sliced his blade through the legs of the second knight. Torin stood and took its head clean off its shoulders.

As his attention turned to Emara, he realised that she hadn’t been knocked out for long. The knight’s huge hand had wound around her throat and his other gripped her waist. The wicked shine in its eyes said that the monster loved every single second it could force Torin to witness someone else touching her.

“Remove your hands from her neck and I will let you live long enough to go through the portal to tell your king that he is a fucking coward.”

A slight grin appeared on the knight’s face as its grip tightened around Emara’s throat. She didn’t have the air in her lungs to even scream, but her eyes went wide with panic.

Torin raised his sword.

“Dooon’t,” its ancient voice poured like poison from its mouth, stabbing into his head. “Don’t take another steeeep.”

The sounds of the battle ending around him meant that his men were either victorious or dead, but. he couldn’t take his eyes from Emara’s long enough to see which it was. She was terrified, her irises almost black.

“It’s going to be okay, angel,” he whispered to her. “It’s okay. I am here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“She is no angel.” The otherworldly voice of the demon pierced into his skull, making it hard to remain standing. “She has demon blood. She is one of usssss.”

Seeing his fingers dig into Emara’s hip and drag her into his chest further sent a flare of absolute undiluted fury through every part of him. Torin struggled to remain calm, to even see clearly through his blistering rage. “Look at me when I say this, you worthless demon fuck. I am going to be your end. Take. Your. Fucking. Hands. Off. Of. Her.”

The knight did not react to his threat. Instead, he said, “Take the ssstone from your binding and put it through the portal.” He placed his mouth to Emara’s skin, kissing her neck. “Or I take herrrr with me to the underworld.”

His blood boiled, threatening to erupt. A silver wolf had stalked to his side, her teeth gnashing, ready to rip the demon’s throat out. Blood dripped from her mouth, and the fierceness of her face was something terrifying.

“If anyone attackssss, you will kill her too, for she shields my vessellll.” The knight’s eyes slid from Torin to the wolf and then to anyone who had gathered behind him. “You know you can’t get to me without going through her firsssst, Torin Blacksteelllllll.”

He hated the sharp pain his voice caused. He hated his hands on her body, his mouth at her neck. He hated that the demon was right. He couldn’t get to her with the way he had shielded his own body with hers.

Scum.

Coward.

Bastard.

“Stand down,” was the only warning shot he sent to his clan.

The demon seemed to smile at that, knowing that he had gotten an advantage. “Drop the pretty sssstone in the portal.”

“Don’t do it, Torin,” Emara rasped, the fear in her eyes making him want to ruin the world. “They won’t kill me.I will find my way back to you.”

A growl left Breighly and a cry could be heard from Sybil.

“Over my fucking dead body will I let you go to the underworld.”

“Trust me,” Emara rasped again.

She would sacrifice herself for everyone here. She couldn’t trust them, regardless of her bloodline.

He wasn’t going to lose her. They had just begun their life together; they were just finding happiness.

“That…is not an option.” A rumble broke through the sky again, and a flash of lightning struck over Torin as he spoke.

“You are not going to the underworld.” His brother’s voice sounded strangled, but Torin was relieved when he agreed with him. “We would rather die than watch that happen.”

“That could be arranged, Hunter,” the knight cooed, his hand tightening around Emara’s neck enough to make her choke.

“I will fucking end you and everything you stand for.” Torin went to move toward him, but someone caught his arm. He guessed it was Sybil, as a calming energy wrapped around his blinding rage.

“Drop the Stone in the portal, Torin,” Kellen said. “Give them the stone. There are others, and we are on track to find them. But there are no other witches like her in the kingdom. She will be the new Supreme, I am certain of it. I can see her power in my visions. You can all feel it now. If they only came here for the Stone, then let them prove it. Give them the Protection Stone.”

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