Page 101 of Spirit Trials
It’s his turn to groan low in his chest. He doesn’t pull away but kisses my neck as I catch my breath. “I want you always saying my name like that,” he says in a low, husky voice that sends a thrill through me. “But with far fewer pieces of clothing between us.”
I pull back slightly and arch a brow at him. “That sounds highly inappropriate, Prince.” My voice is sultry, and I barely recognize it.
“The thoughts I’m having of you are not even close to appropriate; trust me.”
Another thrill races through me. “Oh yeah? Tell me,” I say, meeting his eyes without an ounce of fear or distrust.
His eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen them. He stares down at me with a look I’ve never seen before. “This dress, for starters, should be outlawed.” His words are little more than a growl, and I throw my head back and laugh at his words. His fingers graze my sides, and I run a hand over his chest.
“Tell me more.”
A voice clears behind Rysden. “Your Highness.” Rysden stiffens but doesn’t pull back. “Your presence is requested by the King.”
“Tell him I’m busy,” Rysden grounds out.
There’s a pause. “It’s urgent.”
Rysden takes a breath, and I can see the frustration in his eyes. Wanting to make it easier for him, I drop my hands. “I’ll be right here when you get back.”
He stares into my eyes a moment. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Stay close to Lox.”
I nod. “I will.” He bends and kisses me again. It’s not long, but it’s still enough to muddle my brain.Again. He turns around and searches the crowd, and I put my hand on his arm. “Just go, so you can come back. I’ll find Lox,” I watch as all emotion leaves his face, and he turns to follow the palace guard. I watch him stride away and marvel at the fact thatthatman was just kissing me.
After he’s out of sight, I walk back towards the food table, intent on filling a plate of food to keep me busy until he comes back. “Champion,” a man says, startling me. “Would you honor me with a dance?”
I pause and look around the room, but I don’t see any way to get out of it graciously. If I wasn’t the Champion and nobodyknew who I was, I would totally turn him down. But I’m trying to be a good little Champion. So, with a reluctant nod, I take the man’s hand and join him on the dance floor. Thankfully, the dance is similar to the one Rysden just led me in; so, I don’t embarrass myself. Another man cuts in after a little bit, and I dance with him as well. The song finally ends, and I’m ready to head over to the table for a drink and some food. But another man steps into my path, and I have to do it all over again. I’m not sure how many times I’ve danced, but I finally decide I’ve had enough. I need a drink and a trip to the bathroom and then some food. I stride to the food table and nearly groan when somebody cuts me off. But I breathe a sigh of relief when I realize it’s Lox. He pushes a cup of water into my hand, and I down it. “Thank you. I needed that.”
“You better be glad Rysden’s not here to see you dancing with all these men,” Lox says without looking at me. His gaze is on the room.
“Yeah, well, Rysden left me to fend for myself.” I’m hot and irritated and hungry and just over dancing with every male in the room. “I just—” Something explodes around us, and I fall to the ground. I hear a crashing sound that seems to last forever. There’s a weight on my chest, and I blink trying to understand what’s happening. The weight moves off my chest, and Lox is suddenly in my face. He yanks me to my feet and shouts something at me, but I can’t hear him past the ringing in my ears. He shoves a knife in my hand before whirling around. I shake my head and look around the room, trying to comprehend what is happening. When I do, my stomach drops. The windows all along the ceiling are shattered, and men are propelling in through ropes and jumping to the ground. My breathing speeds up when I take in the strips of black over their eyes and noses. And just like that, I’m taken back to the day my village was attacked, just hours after the fire from the Guivre.It’s them—themercenaries that attacked and destroyed my village.I feel like I can’t catch my breath.
Guards in crimson come streaming in, and I watch as Captain Corwin shouts orders. But I can’t really hear his words. “Farrah! Farrah!” I hear my name above a cacophony of noise. “Fight!” Lox yells at me without facing me. His back is to me, and he’s fighting several mercenaries at once. Suddenly, there’s a masked man in front of me. I raise my knife in reflex when he lashes out at me. I meet his next thrust with another block and force everything else from my mind except this moment. Something in me settles as I block every hit. Hours of training with Rysden come flooding back, and my body responds easily. And when I knock his knife from his hand, I see the opening and take it. I slice his neck but don’t even see him fall before there are three more. Solace launches at one of my attackers and takes him to the ground. Lox takes another one, and I’m left with the third. I yank a throwing star from my pocket but don’t get a chance to throw it before he’s on top of me. A knife arcs towards me, and I bend backwards and kick high, kicking the knife from the mercenary's hand and managing to rip my dress at the same time. His eyes widen in surprise for just a moment before he reaches for another knife. I throw my knife before he can grab it. He drops to his knees, but I’m already turning around, moving easier now in my dress. I yank my own knife from the sheath in my leg and whirl around. More men in masks fill my vision, and I reach for one of my throwing stars. It meets its mark. I don’t take the time to retrieve it; there’s no time.
Chapter 51
A hand grabs my wrist, and I spin around. The hold is tight, and I can’t release myself. I turn towards my captor and knee him hard. He sputters and lessens his grip but only for a second before he tightens his grip again. I wield my knife, but he kicks it out of my hand. He pulls me to his chest, and I feel the blade of his knife at my throat. Everything around me slows down, and I go still. I wait a moment, letting him think he’s got me; and then I explode into action. I reach up and grab his arm, the one holding the knife at my throat. And in the move Rysden’s made me practice hundreds of times, I pull it away from my throat and duck under his arm and pin his arm behind his back. I kick the knife out of his hand and kick his knees forward, driving him to the floor. Before I can grab the knife, Solace launches at his face. I whirl around, not wanting to see what happens next.I race for my knife and snatch it off the ground just as I'm grabbed from behind again. I duck and stab the person in the thigh before they can get ahold of me. Whirling around, I throw my blade up; but it’s no match for the long sword arcing towards my head. The sword hits my knife with a clang so hard it reverberates up my arm and forces me to take a step back. Another swing sends my knife flying from my hand. I take a step back, keeping my eyes on his sword hand and I’m grabbed from behind. I fight against the hold on my waist. A knife enters the heart of the man in front of me, and he falls to the ground. Lox appears in front of me, and my captor has to let go of me to defend himself against Lox. But he never stood a chance; Lox buries a knife in his chest before the man can blink.
More mercenaries come at me. I throw one of my stars and take down one, but there are too many of them. A guard in crimson steps in front of me and is cut down immediately. I take a step back and raise my knife, but there are too many of them. Then the biggest one I’ve seen yet steps forward; he’s got a scar extending down from his eye mask all the way to his neck. Somebody grabs my arms from behind. I try to free myself, but the hold is too strong. Panic claws at me. I’ve lost sight of Lox, and there are far too many crimson uniforms on the ground. The big one with the scar steps towards me. Suddenly, Captain Corwin is in front of me. He engages the big man with the scar. I watch in horror as the man in black swings his broadsword and severs the captain’s head from his body in a vicious move. Captain Corwin never stood a chance. Horror floods my body, and I think I’m going to throw up. The man steps towards me, and I can’t calm the panic racing through my entire body. He reaches out and grabs the front of my tunic and yanks me forward. He takes a step closer, close enough that I can see the darkness in his eyes. I can’t breathe; my panic threatens to overwhelm me.
I’m suddenly knocked to the side. It takes me a moment to realize what’s happening. Lox engages with the big man. I search frantically for a knife to be able to help. I see one on a downed guard a mere foot from me. I run and grab it and turn back in time to see the big man gut Lox like an animal. There’s a piercing scream that cuts off when somebody grabs me. I can’t even fight back. A sob lodges in my throat as I’m dragged away from a bleeding-out Lox. A barrage of arrows hit the men in masks around me. Three of them fall, and then it’s just the one with the scar left.Again. I spin and launch my knife at him. It lands, and I try to breathe. He looks down at the knife embedded in his chest and stares at it a moment before he reaches up and pulls it out. I stare in horror as he lifts his eyes and meets mine. I turn andrun. I don’t look where I’m going; I just run. Something grazes my arm, but I don’t even glance at it. Then something tangles in my hair, and I’m yanked backward. A cry is tugged from my lips as I’m dragged across the floor. I scrape and claw at the floor but can’t get free. The man with the scar pulls me to my feet. “That wasn’t nice,” he growls in my face. Then he lifts his sword, and fear wraps itself around me.This is it; this is how it ends. I survived the trials, only to be taken out here.He puts his sword to my heart, and I don’t dare breathe. His body jerks suddenly, and his surprised eyes meet mine before they drop to where the knife had been embedded in his heart. He drops to his knees and then to the floor. There’s a new presence in the room, and I don’t have to look to see who it is.Rysden.I search for a knife and grab one, turning so I can help him. What I see takes my breath away. Rysden is a force of nature. He moves through the room like a hurricane, a lethal deadly one, cutting down anyone standing in his way. The crimson guards join him, and the men in masks that are still alive retreat and run for the doors. Rysden doesn’t let a single one make it. He’s ruthless. Only when there’s not a single masked man standing does he look across the room and meet my gaze. I swallow at the darkness on his face, the rage. And yet, it doesn’t stop me. I run for him, and he catches me. I suck in a half sob, trying to keep what’s left of my heart in my chest. “Lox,” I manage to gasp out.
He grasps both sides of my face, his hold not painful but not gentle either. “Are you injured?” His words are fierce and dangerous.
“N-no, but Lox,” I try to turn to point to Lox, but Rysden turns my face back to him.
“You’re sure?”
"Lox is dead!” I scream at him.
He doesn’t even blink. “I know.”
I stare at him, speechless. Suddenly, everything in my stomach launches upward. I throw up all over his boots, and then my legs just give out on me. He holds me up somehow.Lox is gone. I can’t breathe.“Look at me.”There’s not enough oxygen.My heart seems to collapse in on itself, and grief overwhelms me.It’s too much; it’s all too much.“Farrah! Breathe! Come on!” There’s a pressure on my lips, and my air is restricted even more. It only lasts a moment, and then I suck in a breath. “There you go. Breathe with me.” I take in another breath and feel the oxygen reach my starved lungs. And then Rysden’s dark eyes are in front of my own. “Let's get you out of here.”
The next few minutes are a blur. As soon as we step outside, and it no longer smells like blood, I take a deep breath and then promptly throw up again. Rysden lifts me and places me on top his horse. “Guard her with your life. If anything happens to her,anything, I will gut you and let Shade feast on your bodies.”
“Wait,” I call out and turn towards the castle. “Solace.”
Rysden turns his dark gaze on me. “She’s with Shade.”
