Page 9 of The Sacred and the Tormented

Gavin visibly paled as the Avalon closed the distance. He was only a few feet away when he demanded in a menacing tone. “Where is my daughter?”

Chapter Four

Arianna

Arianna healed the cuts and bruises across Gavin’s body, then reset a broken arm and put three fractured ribs back in one piece.

She’d given all three males a harsh look when they’d half dragged Gavin through the gate, bloody and screaming as if the trio still had plans to put an end to him. None bothered to mention they were bringing him to her.

He’d nearly sighed in relief, even after Rion had clamped an iron bracelet around his wrist. She knew if it weren’t for her past, it would have been a shackle instead.

Arianna reset his nose and he yelped. It wasn’t that she was being particularly cruel, but Arianna wasn’t making an extra effort to be gentle either.

Rion, her father, and Talon had informed her of everything. Gavin hadn’t betrayed them and Niall didn’t have her little sister. The High Lord did.

Her blood ran cold at the thought. Ellie was deep in enemy territory with only Kirian as her ally. Gavin claimed the half-breed had still been alive when he’d left. Given that Gavin was wearing iron, Arianna supposed she didn’t have to wonder if was lying.

But Ellie was hurting and that made her heart ache even more.

“You’ll help us break in?” Talon repeated for the third time.

Gavin let out an exasperated sigh. “For the last time, yes. I want her out of there just as much as you do.” Arianna couldn’t tell if the reasons were purely selfish or if he actually cared abouther little sister. The two barely knew one another and Ellie had called him a pompous ass.

Avalon studied the map hanging on the wall. “If what you claim is true, then we don’t even have an accurate map to know how to navigate the terrain.”

“I know the map. I can point out the landmarks.”

Avalon raised a brow at him and Gavin swallowed. Apparently her father had been the one to break his bones, which surprised her considering Rion had gotten a hold of him first.

“I’m Niall’s nephew, remember? Do you really think he’d let me anywhere near him if I were uneducated?”

“I’m wondering why he’d trust you with a true map of Ashling’s location at all.”

“Everyone in Ashling knows the truth. It’s part of the pride they carry as a city, but it’s also the reason so many aren’t allowed to leave.”

“Meaning many aren’t allowed in either.”

Gavin’s lips stretched into a thin line and her heart sped.

It wasn’t just that Ellie was in the middle of enemy territory. According to Gavin, everything they knew about Pádraigín’s main city was a lie—another fabrication from the High Lord.

Instead of a small port city that traded with the humans for their own kind, an abomination Arianna still couldn’t comprehend, Ashling was actually a large, thriving city full of guards that wielded iron weapons.

Arianna glanced at her mate. He and Eimear had suffered in the hands of Niall. A seven hundred-year-old male with powers beyond anything she’d ever seen. But his father was far older and as a result, more powerful. He was a male who’d manipulated their entire history and he was willing to tearthe land apart to get what he wanted. He’d killed countless innocents.

And he had her sister.

“What now?” she asked the question everyone seemed to be sitting on.

“We organize a team to infiltrate and Gavin will be our guide,” Rion said. She noted the spark in his gaze. An anger she knew all too well.

“I’ll join you,” Talon said. To her surprise, Rion nodded in agreement. The two had been spending a lot of time together since Ruádhan. She hadn’t been privy to their conversations, but their relationship had definitely taken a positive shift.

“As reluctant as I am to do it, I’ll remain here and see to the village’s care.” Avalon turned to Rion. “And I’ll make sure your mother gets back to Nàdair safely. We might have to move her to Levea first, given her condition, but she’ll be well cared for. As will Saoirse.”

“Thank you.” Silence fell over the space as the two males stared at one another. Two who might have been allies had their worlds not been turned upside down.

“I’m going with you.” They all knew she wasn’t speaking to her father.

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