Page 62 of In Death's Hands
And the look on Nathan’s face makes me blush.Hebroke his own rules to help me out. And he kissed me. Thoroughly. I hadn’t realised, hadn’t wondered, what consequences it would have for him. He seemed to enjoy himself whenever we ate together, or I explained something new about humanity to him. I still remember the look of wonder on his face when he tasted the chocolate cake I ordered after our quiet dinner in his loft. But I guess he could enjoy himself and still resent me for taking him away from his duties. From what he clearly considers sacred.
That’s another reason to solve our common issues as fast as possible. I’m loath to think of myself as weak, as needing helpwhen I survived on my own for so long. Just the thought of having to be saved by Nathan so many times is irksome. I trained to be strong and independent, but I am no match for secret magical brotherhoods.
I take a deep breath, letting my anger—and embarrassment—slowly ebb away. I decide that I don’t know enough about them to truly mete out judgement. What Icando, however, is use my newly rational brain to focus on the plan that will get me back to my life. I ignore the pang of sadness at that thought to take in where I stand.
No one seems to have heard us, or they’re just too lost in their own partners and lust to care about anything else. Atys has brought us to an alcove in the farthest corner of the property, one where the green grass slowly turns to sand. I take a steadying breath and grab their hands, blocking off images and sparks of whatever it is that I felt while wrapped in this place’s magic. I cross the invisible frontier between Thalnus’ mansion and the beach, removing the painful heels to dip my toes in the fresh, smooth sand. The moon is bright and lights our way as I take us away from the party. The moans and soft laughs are replaced by the soft ebb and flow of the water. The men at my sides stay quiet, either knowing why I’m taking us away from safety or not daring to tell me no after my own will was so violently ripped from me.
We are alone here, and it is… peaceful. So much so that it’s an effort to stay focused on my task instead of falling into the awe that being here brings out in me.
But I will not falter.
Their plan to have us move about in hopes that a member of the Novensiles will try to get to me once more has, so far, been a bust.
I press my hands on their shoulders, making them sit in the sand, facing the water. I’m not stupid enough to think that my touch alone brought them to their asses. But they are generous enough to follow my lead. My heart jumps to an uneven rhythm as I wonder if I’ll have the guts to follow my newly formed plan to its end.
I will not falter, I repeat to myself.
I am strong. I know my own mind, my own body. I know that men too often see vulnerability when a woman bares herself, when in fact it is the purest form of strength and resilience. Of defiance. And I will use it to my advantage.
I let the negligee drop from my shoulder and loosen the lace at my back, ignoring Nathan’s sharp intake of breath.
To my surprise, they both stay silent.
I unclasp a few hooks holding the corset in place, and soon, the whole thing pools at my feet.
I am wholly bare in front of them.
And I do. Not. Blush.
I refuse to. Not when this is me taking charge of my life. Finding a way to fight for myself. Atys, I notice distractedly, is looking at my hair. He doesn’t focus on the strands I feel tickling my breasts or falling to my waist. No, his eyes are completely locked to the top of my head, as if giving me his quiet support without taking anything from me.
Nathan, however, is looking. Correction. Nathan isdevouringme with his dark eyes. I see a war in them. His tight jaw gives a punch that his quickened breath deflects. There is no winning side. Only his eyes following the dips and curves of my body. Lingering on the shadows cast by the moon as if he wants to send his own shadow to play with them.
When he meets my stare, he lookswrecked. And I can’t help but give him a devious little smile as I turn around to walk to the water. His loud exhale gives me life.
When the water touches my skin, I don’t even try to swallow the moan. The fresh caress is heavenly after such an intense day. I keep walking into the water’s soothing embrace and take a second to marvel at where I am, at my own brazenness.
I’m glad I did because that second is all I get.
A loud splash has my heart jumping in my chest. I was right, but the thought doesn’t bring me satisfaction as Nathan’s and Atys’ screams can be heard close by.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see a hand rushing to my face and duck. Moving in the water is so much harder, slower, than on dry land. But I’ll have to make do.
I hear a grunt as my foot connects with someone’s shin. It buys me enough time to turn and assess the situation. Two men are in the water with me, three others, one of them fully cloaked in a familiar robe, on the beach.
Nathan won’t be able to get to me right away, which is probably why they attacked now. Which is definitely why I chose to enter.
The two men leer at me, but I feel nothing as I hiss at them. So predictable. They won’t see me coming.
The first one lunges, arms open, but before he can wrap them around me I hammer the palm of my hand up his nose. I ignore his curse as I whirl back on the other, who I could feel getting closer thanks to the swishing water against my skin. The man draws a dagger from his side, and I steel my focus, refusing to let panic overwhelm me, make me sloppy. He jabs once in my direction but I move out of the way. The second man is over his broken nose and coming back for me, if his curse is anyindication. I try to use it to my advantage. I purposefully take a step back, the man in front of me smiling at my retreat, at the fear I let shine in my eyes. His glance behind me tells me that his partner is closing in, and when he pushes forward with his blade again, I dip to the left, hoping he’ll make a hole in the other man instead.
But I miscalculated. The man behind me catches me too soon and the knife shining bright under the moonlight digs into my shoulder. I cry out and a roar sounds from the shore.
The pain takes my breath away, but I tighten my jaw. Better the shoulder than the heart he was aiming at. I shout as I force my uninjured arm to send my elbow into the man’s guts. It does nothing to lessen his hold on me.
I truly panic as the other one comes back with fury in his eyes. He aims again for the heart beating so fast in my chest. One of my arms is useless, the other pinned against my side. I can do nothing as the blade comes. I refuse to shut my eyes against my inevitable end, which is why I catch the wannabe murderer’s wild shock when the knife barrelling towards me stops mid-air.
A ghostly hand is wrapped around the man’s wrist. Nathan’s unmistakable shadow surges to action. It grasps the weapon by the glinting blade, and I take a sharp breath as illogical fear tightens my heart. The blade cannot hurt a shadow. No, it tugs it out of the man’s hold and chucks it far out into the water. And then punches the man once, twice.
