Page 25 of Kept By Her Obsessed Minotaurs

I need to end this quickly, before more of them arrive. Before Mara or I end up dead.

With a roar that reverberates off the stone walls around us, I charge the dark elf leader, my axe raised high. His eyes widen in surprise.

I bring my axe down with all my strength, a savage, unstoppable force. The dark elf leader raises his sword to block, but my blow shatters his guard, and the blade of my axe bites deep into his flesh.

He crumples to the ground, his lifeblood seeping into the dirt. The remaining dark elves hesitate, their resolve wavering as they gaze upon their fallen leader.

Suddenly,an arrow whistles through the air, narrowly missing my head. I curse, my eyes scanning the shadows for the cowardly archer. Another arrow flies, this one burying itself in my knee. Pain explodes up my leg, and I drop to one knee, my teeth grinding together to suppress a roar. I wrench the arrow free, blood pouring from the wound, soaking my trousers. A third arrow strikes my shoulder, the shaft burying itself deep. My arm goes numb, the paralyzing agent working quickly.

"Damn it," I growl, my vision swimming with the effects of the toxin. I glance over my shoulder, expecting to see Mara cowering against the wall. But she's gone. Figures. She'd only slow me down.

The sound of another arrow snapping through the air pulls my attention back. My pupils dilate as I see it coming, the tip aimed directly at my heart. Time seems to slow as my body refuses to react, the paralyzing agent locking my muscles in place. I brace for the impact?—

But it never comes. A blur of movement catches my eye. Mara throws herself in front of me, her arms outstretched likesome kind of shield. The arrow sinks into her side with a sickening thud.

"No!" My roar of fury echoes off the stone walls around us, raw and primal. I struggle against the paralysis, willing my body to move, to go to her. But I'm rooted to the spot, helpless as I watch her crumple to the ground.

Rage boils my blood, and I channel every ounce of it into fighting off the effects of the toxin. My vision clears, and I feel the sensation returning to my limbs. I rip the arrow from my shoulder with a snarl, tossing it aside. The pain is a distant annoyance, overshadowed by the feral need to protect what's mine.

I lunge toward Mara, scooping her up into my arms. Her breathing is shallow, her face deathly pale. The arrow protrudes from her side, blood seeping around the wound.

"Stay with me," I command, my voice gruff with concern. She blinks up at me, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words come out.

The dark elves are smart;they keep their distance, watching as I cradle Mara against my chest. I glare at them over the top of her head, my message clear: come any closer, and I'll tear you limb from limb.

I can't believe she did this—threw herself into harm's way to save me. It doesn't make sense. She's a human, a slave, a manipulator. She should be looking out for herself, not risking her life for a minotaur who's been nothing but harsh to her.

"Why?" The word slips out before I can stop it.

Mara's hand flutters against my arm, her grip weak. "You're not… as bad as you pretend to be," she rasps, her breaths coming in short, pained gasps.

Her words slice through me, cutting deeper than any arrow ever could. I've been a fool, blinded by my past, by my distrust of humans. But Mara... she's different. She's proven herself, not just with this selfless act, but with her courage and determination every step of the way.

"Hold on," I tell her, my voice firm. "I'm getting us out of here."

I rise to my feet, still cradling her in my arms. The dark elves tense, their fingers twitching on the strings of their bows. But they don't shoot. They must see the resolve in my eyes, the promise of death should they dare to attack.

I step over the bodies of the fallen, my gaze fixed on the mouth of the alley. I can hear the sounds of a commotion in the distance—shouts and the clash of steel. Lazir and Calo. They're here.

22

LAZIR

The sound of Mara's scream rips through the night, piercing the noisiness of the lowtown's nightlife. My gut clenches, and without a second thought, I'm sprinting toward the sound, my heart pounding in my chest.

Calo's beside me, his youthful face etched with worry. "Lazir, we need to hurry!" he urges, his breath coming in short gasps as we race through the winding alleyways.

The sight that greets us outside the warehouse makes my blood run cold. Garron is on his knees, cradling Mara's limp form in his arms. Blood—her blood—pools around them, a dark, glistening stain on the cobblestones.

Something primal roars to life within me, a protective fury that blackens my vision and fuels my every move. My twin blades feel light in my hand as I charge forward. My first dark elf victim barely registers my presence before I cleave through him.

The scene around me is chaotic, but my focus narrows to the remaining dark elves that dare to threaten what's mine. I move with lethal precision, my body operating on pure instinct as I cut down one attacker after another.

Calo kneels beside Mara, his hands trembling as he assesses her wounds. "She's breathing," he calls out, his voice laced with desperation. "We can still save her."

I spare a glance at Garron, his face a mask of anguish and fury. "Get up, Garron!" I bark, my voice echoing off the walls of the surrounding buildings. "We're not done yet!"

The clang of steel on steel rings in my ears as I parry an incoming blade, my twin blades singing with each precise movement. The dark elves regroup, their weapons gleaming as they prepare to strike again. I exchange a brief nod with Garron, a silent communication passing between us. We're surrounded, outnumbered, but not outmatched.

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