Page 30 of Broken Fate
The Beta pulled back a lip, sneering at me when I refused to answer. His eyes looked my body up and down in an overtly sexual manner. Nudity was beyond common in our society, but only because people didn’t treat it as sexual unless itwas. Now, as he ogled my naked form, I was overcome with the sudden urge to cover up. I didn’t want his eyes on me.
“Pathetic,” he spat, a globule of spit hitting my left breast. “It’s a good thing you didn’t end up mated. The poor fool that would have been stuck with you for a mate would have been beyond disappointed in what he got. Tiny breasts, no waist. No curves. Not a real woman.”
I fumed impotently in the guards' grip, wishing for a moment I was free to teach Andracis a lesson on what arealwoman could do … with my fists and his face as teaching aids. It wasn’t his comments about my body and its lack that angered me. I was used to that.
What infuriated me was his attitude that, as a woman, I was only as good as my “child-bearing” body. The insinuation that a mate bond was somehow meant for a man to have “proper” woman went against everything I believed in. Women weren’t subservient to men!
Even my parents, whose mating had been frowned upon, given it was my father’s second but my mother’s first, had been relatively equal. It wasn’t the same as everyone else's, but my mother was not lesser. My father never once acted like he owned her, and I had been raised to see that.
Andracis didn’t see it that way, and I was certain others felt the same. At least one of the guards grinned at his master's words.
“Bring them,” the Beta said, snapping his fingers, leaving Clive’s ear in one piece. For now. “Let us see how they enjoy experiencing the palace’sfullhospitality. It won’t take long for them to reveal all they know about the man who helped them escape.”
“Bet a lot on that,” I muttered to the guards as we pushed through the tall grass. “I don’t know a damn thing. Nor did I do anything. I just came to see my parents.”
Andracis looked over his shoulder. “Well, you saw them,” he said with a chuckle that stabbed deep into my stomach with fresh pain. “How did they look?”
“Calli take you!”I shrieked, flailing like mad to try to get free. “I’ll pluck your eyeballs out and shove them up your ass, you sadistic piece of shit!”
My struggles were met with laughter, the strongest coming from a guard beside me. With a snarl, I twisted violently away from him. He stumbled, and I brought my elbow up and into his face. The guard stiffened and stood upright, eyes glossy as blood poured from his flattened nose.
Then he promptly fell over and didn’t move.
“B-b-but …” I spluttered, staring down at him. “I didn’t hit him that hard!”
One of the other guards came rushing over, feeling his pulse. “He’s dead, sir,” he reported.
Turning his cold gaze on me, Andracis looked ready to order my death then and there. “Roll him over.”
The guard did as ordered, which was when I saw the glitter of a steel blade buried in his ribcage.
Where hadthatcome from? I certainly hadn’t been hiding it anywhere.
“A knife!” the guard called.
The grass around us erupted with commotion as guards were pulled down left and right. Screams of surprise turned to shrieks of agony, followed swiftly by ringing silence as Andracis was swiftly and efficiently robbed of his guards by … something.
He didn’t bother to stick around and find out. Escorted by the five remaining guards, they took off, disappearing into the grass.
Several moments later, Kiel appeared, blood covering his right side, though I didn’t see any wounds.
It must be from the guards.
“Thank you,” I said as he stalked toward me.
“What were you thinking?” he snarled, looming over me, a towering inferno of rage and anger that could kill me in an instant. “Do you have any idea what sort of danger you put us all in with your little stunt?”
My mouth opened, but Clive beat me to it.
“It’s my fault, Kiel,” he said. “I mentioned her parents, and—”
“Silence,” Kiel snarled, leveling a finger. “You’re in enough trouble as is. I’ll deal with you later.”
Clive glared at his leader. Was he going to challenge Kiel? But the standoff only lasted a few seconds before the younger male backed down.
Kiel was still in charge.
“I—”
