Page 150 of Bound By Darkness

I was in chains.

I was in chains.

Air filled my lungs rapidly, but it refused to circulate as I struggled to breathe in the tent. My body slammed into the table as I wrestled with the cuffs behind me, but they wouldn’t budge. A cry left my mouth as I yanked with every ounce of strength I had, but it wasn’t enough.

“Get me out of these, Kaydn!” I roared, a mixture of fear and anger coaxing my heart.

He stepped to the left, the glow of the oil lamp igniting further as I turned in his direction, but it wasn’t him standing there.

No, it was a hooded figure. The same person I had seen leaving his tent in Laias, the black hood unmistakable.

The figure stood in front of me, gloves covering their hands as they lifted them in greeting.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Thalia Carr,” a feminine voice said. Her voice was like icy daggers to my chest. “Now Kaydn, be a dear and make our guest comfortable.”

Chapter 44

Friends

MORIA

“Thank you so much,”a young boy said as he bounded down the dirt mound to the underground passage.

He was the last person in the camp. At least, the half I had cleared.

Running back to the stones at the front of the Hideaway, I surveyed the area below. Here, I had an excellent aerial view of the camp and the flickering ward. It was already breaking a few stones in front of me as rebels poured in through the slight rip.

Swords gleamed in the winter air, their cries of joy at funneling into the camp burning a hole through my heart.

My hands clenched at my sides as I watched one after another push their way through.

I knew I needed to leave. I knew I needed to find Thalia, but a part of me wanted to prove I wasn’t a coward anymore. That I could fight, even if my legs were shaking beneath me.

A few rebels swiveled their heads to me, a frightening gleam in their eyes as they turned in one massive form. They were heading right toward me.

I wasn’t a coward.

I wasn’t a coward.

I wasn’t?—

A strong hand wrapped around my arm, tugging me from my stance as my legs kicked up dirt. My head drifted up to meet Fin.

“Were you trying to get yourself killed?” He asked, his hands rough around my wrist.

My hand yanked from his like jam.

A bit of surprise etched onto his face as I ran beside him, rubbing the feeling away from my wrist. “Do not touch me,” I snapped, my heart beating rapidly against my chest.

I knew he was Thalia’s friend, but not one male had ever shown me pure kindness in my life. I hated all their touches.

Whether he knew it or not, his face softened as he sent me a nod. “Noted,” was all he said as he fell in line beside me.

“Have you seen Thalia?” I asked, glancing between the rows of tents. I couldn’t leave without her.

Rebels poured from the opening in waves as they headed toward us.

“No.” He said, a bit of desperation on his tongue. “She was right beside me and then vanished.”

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