Page 29 of The Sacred and the Tormented

And he’d die before he let that male lay a single finger on her again.

The Dark Fae were attacking the other Fae as well, which gave Rion a minor advantage as he waited for them to close the distance. He wouldn’t separate himself from Arianna, not when so much could go wrong.

Closer and closer they approached through the thinning creatures. Another small group of Fae emerged from his other side.

Rion rolled his neck and stored the pain in the back of his mind.

Just another battle.

Just another war.

And he’d always won.

Rion stopped thinking and let his exhausted body move. His magic burned in his veins, as if trying to sputter out. He shifted to a halfhearted sprint and grabbed the nearest Fae by the throat, snapping his neck with his bare hands.

He could fight Fae with just a blade and his own strength. He’d save his magic for the dark creatures that could mangle a limb with a single bite.

The Fae’s eyes widened as he let the male fall to the ground. They took note of his injury and Rion cursed again, letting the foul words fall from his lips like venom. He should have been praying, yet the gods had never seen fit to answer him before.

The Fae closed in, but kept their eyes on him as if he were a wild animal they didn’t quite know how to tame. He scented their fear, something he was far too accustomed to. It fueled his rage. Good, let them be afraid, let them see the monster that’d been sleeping in his veins these last few months.

Four turned their attention to him, their magic around their bodies and blades coated with blood. Their comrades continued the fight with the Dark Fae, circling around him until none could break through their line.

They thought isolating him would make him an easier target.

They were about to find out how wrong they were.

Three more shifted their focus to him. Three wielded fire, he could still see it sparking at their fingertips. One controlled water and at least one other was able to bend the plants to their will. That left two unknowns.

Until three more turned to face him as well.

One of the Fae stepped and Rion was already moving. Those surrounding him fell back a step as Rion used his magic to wrench the Fae’s arm out of its socket. He sank his fangs into the male’s neck, tearing the artery wide open. The male screamed and Rion shoved him toward his companions. Two caught him and the others were backing further away with—their hands were up.

Arianna’s heart skipped and his did the same, fear consuming him as he relived the nightmare of listening to it stop over and over again.

When she was strangled. When she’d been beheaded. When his own magic had wrapped around her neck…

A growl tore from him and he launched at another male.

The sword fell from the male’s grasp and he tried to hit his knees, but Rion had his fingers around his throat before his body could fall.

“Please, My Lord—” then his words were cut off.

Another ran forward and hit his knees. “We can help her.” He turned his wrists up and desperately looked between Rion and the male suspended in his grasp.

One twist of Rion’s arm, and the male would die. He didn’t have time for words. He needed to move.

“Please,” the Fae shouted again. “We came to help.” His words were quick, voice shaking. “We’re followers of The Divine, please My Lord, we’re not here to cause you or your mate any harm.”

Rion’s eyes flashed toward the male on the ground then he took a fraction of a second to register that none had turned their magic against him. At least not yet.

His heart pounded with a tendril of hope.

“She’s hurt,” the male said. “I can smell her blood. We can help her.”

“How?” Rion growled again.

“We have a settlement nearby with medicine and healers.”

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