Page 84 of The Sacred and the Tormented

Men. Women. Children. It didn’t matter.

A man stood on one of those platforms now, his shoulders sagging in defeat. He might have been in his mid thirties. Nothing protected his bare torso or head from the rain. He was cattle on display for potential buyers.

A female below him watched with equally numb eyes. A look Arianna had seen far too often. Something she’d experienced too.

It was better to be hollow, to be nobody and let your mind drift off somewhere else.

Her gaze traveled from one soul to another then a hand wrapped around her arm and gently pulled her back. She moved as if in a daze, letting the building block them from view once again.

How could she just leave them here? How could she face anyone if—

I have no intention of leaving anyone in chains.

Arianna glanced up at her mate and saw the sadness on his face. The ache down their bond mirrored her own. Rion had warned her. He’d asked if she wanted to stay behind because of this. He’d been in the field for decades. He’d seen the worst.

But if she chose to fight now. If she released these slaves and revealed them to Vairik, how many of the prisoners would die in their cold cells? How would her sister fare if she were never released?

Arianna clenched her jaw but she couldn’t stop the wave of tears as they burned down her cheeks. She knew what the right move was, even if she didn’t like it. They had a plan, one that would free everyone from Vairik’s control.

She was a queen. One who could make any move but was trapped into making only one. Go straight for the king and leave the pawns to their fate.

Her stomach twisted as she turned away from their plight.

Voices rose as numbers were called out, several bidding on the male standing on that platform. He’d be at someone’s mercy within the hour. Arianna used her other hand to finger the bracelet around her wrist. Less than twelve and he’d be free. She’d never be able to erase what he suffered today, but she might be able to prevent what might torment him tomorrow.

Arianna steeled herself and tried to block her resolve from flowing down the bond. If she encountered Vairik today, she wasn’t running, she’d fight and end it all today.

Arianna followed Talon and Rion as they wound their way toward the castle looming above them like a vulture on a perch. She was glad Conall planned to destroy it. Ridding the land of this foul monument would do it some good.

“You.” A deep male voice shot a pang of fear through her so fast there was no way to hide it.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Arianna

All three turned as a unit to find two males glaring at them with their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons. “Identify yourselves.”

Shit. Arianna resisted the urge to search for an escape route, remembering Conall’s instructions to remain calm and speak as if they belonged there. Had she just blown their cover? Even now she couldn’t get her heart to slow.

Had they scented them? Was it strange not to have someone from Pádraigín accompanying their patrol? Had they seen the way she’d acted around the slaves and chosen to follow?

Talon cocked his head and she wished she could summon as much bravado as he displayed with his next words. “And who are you that we need to identify anything?”

One of the males drew his sword. Arianna glanced around, happy to find them in one of the alleys with no one around. But that could change in a split second. If someone rounded the corner and raised the alarm—

“I don’t recognize any of you.” The male scented the air. “And I don’t recall the High Lord releasing the recent recruits for duty.”

Arianna cursed to herself again. Hadn’t Conall mentioned Vairik recruiting all the time? Apparently he wasn’t known for his patience, which resulted in many earning an early retirement.

Again, Talon shrugged. “Maybe you don’t have the required rank.”

The male smirked. “Maybe we’ll just take you to the general and find out.”

The two males advanced, their bodies swift and boots light on the broken cobblestone. Rion stepped to her front, then Talon launched himself forward and struck the first male in the throat. He gasped for breath, then Rion nearly vanished. In a blink, he was behind the other male, his arm wrapping around the male’s thick neck before a loud crack rang through the air.

Talon finished the other in a similar manner and the male’s limp bodies crumbled to the ground.

The rain picked up, pattering against their cloaks in the stillness. Talon jerked his chin at Rion and the two males dragged the corpses inside a nearby storehouse. Arianna stood by the door, doing her best to keep calm.

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