Page 45 of Trapped By Vengeance

Finally, all is still in the camp, and only Konrad, the storm, and the element of death remain.

Konrad’s form shrinks, and then he falls onto his hands and knees in the mud. Blood soaks his arms. Some is his. Most isn’t.

Then everything goes black.

I startle back to my spirit form where it clings to Konrad’s neck.

Quickly disengaging, I step back, hoping the moonlight won’t give away the glimmer of my form.

But Konrad doesn’t seem to be in any state to notice me. He glances toward Eloise’s sleeping form and then my collapsed one. Then, as if in a daze, he continues to row. His shoulders rise and fall dramatically with each pull.

Frowning, I move to the side slightly to better see his face.

The moonlight I hid from glimmers off the tears streaming down Konrad’s cheeks.

“I had to avenge them,” he whispers to himself. “I am the kinsman avenger. It had to be done . . . So they couldn’t hurt Eloise . . . so Eloise didn’t have to hurt them.”

Inhaling deeply, Konrad continues to row. Unfortunately, he also continues to cry.

And, uselessly confined to my spirit form, there isn’t a single thing I can do for him.

Chapter Twenty-One

Konrad

As I speculated, dawn is just beginning to gleam as our raft approaches Trotzdem.Already, I see the confused stances of early morning fishermen taking in our craft. I nod toward them, playing it casual while I alternate rowing and trying to clean the last of the dried blood from my skin.

What I did to those pirates will haunt me even if I didn’t take a single life— at least not directly. Will any die of their injuries?

Grabbing the oars again, I try to lose myself in manual labor. I did it to protect Valda and likely Eloise.

Yet, none of us would have been in that situation if I hadn’t parted with precious coin and hired them to help me abduct someone. I can say it is for honorable vengeance all I like, but it goes directly against the Creator’s creed given to the Elder.

How far will I continue to fall out of His favor?

I force my eyes open, because no matter how much I want to lose myself to horror, I cannot afford to. I need to direct the raft and ensure our surroundings remain safe. My passengers depend on me.

Eloise stirs but doesn’t awaken. Sir Pigeon circles us like a vulture for some reason. And Lady Valda . . .

Hands grasp my shoulders, gripping tightly as if to drive out the tension residing there. “Good morning.”

I try not to shiver from the way Valda’s cool breath dances across my skin— worse, the way her low tone with those words makes my body warm despite her icy touch. Unfortunately, I do not think I am successful, because Valda’s sultry laugh rings out behind me. Why must every single thing about this woman be desirable?

“Good morning,” I greet cooly. I mentally applaud myself for keeping my voice at the very least. It helps I can focus on my itching neck to distract me from her beauty. “Did you sleep well?”

Valda’s fingers slide from my shoulders and trail down my arms, still braced for rowing. “Better than I ought. You should’ve woken me to take a turn at the oars.”

I snort. “What kind of host would I be to make the damsel I abducted do hard manual labor?”

“Obviously not a well-rested one.” Valda’s gloved hands grasp mine where they still clutch the oars, though I am not moving them at this moment.

I’ll never move them again if Valda wishes to stay in this position forever.

She leans closer so that I feel her breath on my neck. “If you want to rest awhile, I’ll keep watch.”

“And escape?” I turn to face her and accidentally brush her cold no with my lips. As clammy as her skin is, the touch heats my entire body. It nearly banishes the sensations the nightmarish memory left me with.

“After all we’ve been through, you don’t trust me?” She pretends to pout.

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