Page 39 of Oaths & Vengeance
She lifted a mocking brow. “You don’t look fine. Your cheek is swelling, and there are cuts all over you.”
“What does it matter?” I asked, angry they’d put me in this situation.
“Koen was supposed to guard you, not hurt you. We would never allow that.”
Darrow finished punching the soldier and hovered over him. “Do not ever lay a hand on Aella again. She is my wife, and you will treat her accordingly.”
“She’s the damn enemy,” he said, cupping his nose where it bled profusely. “I caught her checking out the Unseelie ring and talking to Bogdan.”
Darrow bared his teeth. “That doesn’t give you the right to hurt her.”
“She cut me with a knife, so of course I defended myself.”
“No.” I shook my head. I might take a lot of abuse from my family, but I refused to take it from anyone here. “You were dragging me through the woods into the brush and over fallen logs, not caring that you were hurting me, and refusing to let go when I asked. I had no choice except to fight back.”
“It’s not my fault you were too weak to keep up,” he said, glaring at me through two swollen eyes. “But what should I expect from a Therressian whore!”
Darrow let out a growl. In the next instant, a blade glinted in his hand. He stabbed Koen straight into the heart, burying the knife to the hilt. The soldier slumped to the ground as all the color drained from his face. Everyone exchanged shocked looks.
He was…dead.
Did my enemy husband kill one of his own men because of me? I stared at the scene with incomprehension. Sure, the asshole had said some horrible things and hurt me, but I didn’t think he’d get punished for it when they were probably all thinking the same way as him.
“Leave Koen here. The forest animals can consume his body for all I care,” Darrow said, cold fury all over his face. “If anyone else hurts Aella or speaks about her the way he did, they die. Understood?”
The rest of the group nodded their head, gazes still stunned.
Then, he moved toward me with a determined stride, stopping less than two feet away as he ran his gaze up and down my body. “Are you okay?”
I stared at him, noting the anger still lining his features. “I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry he hurt you.” He brushed his fingers across my swollen cheek, and I flinched.
“Here,” Faina said, handing him a clean cloth.
Darrow accepted it, gaze softening as he began dabbing at my cuts. He was gentle, but I was at my wits’ end with all that had happened. The pure hatred I’d seen in Koen’s eyes haunted me. My uncle and Ulmar might be vicious and cruel, but even they didn’t look at me with such revulsion and venom. I hadn’t even met that elf before tonight.
“What does it matter?” I asked, shaking as I tried to hold myself together.
He dabbed at a deeper cut on my neck. “I vow none of my people will lay a hand on you again.”
“Please don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I said, pulling away.
He sighed. “Koen should have known better than to do what he did, but it was my fault for not making your status with me clearer.”
“Then make sure the others understand because that…” I pointed at the dead soldier’s body, “…was not part of our deal.” I spun away from him, unwilling to hear his reply.
Where was my knife? I was not leaving it in this gods’ forsaken place. My gaze ran over the tousled brush and broken branches, searching frantically. A glint caught my eye. I snatched it up and quickly sheathed it. Everyone was watching me as I marched toward the portal. I ignored the pain in my cheek, the sting of my cuts, and my sore shoulder as I began channeling. This time, it wasn’t as hard since the island’s protections didn’t stop people from leaving. I had it open in seconds.
Standing aside, I waved my arm for the group to enter. Though I felt their gazes linger on me, I refused to look at any of them. One by one, they passed until I was the last one left—not counting the dead elf.
With one last look at the gloomy island, I walked through the portal, allowing it to close behind me. Twenty seconds later, I stepped out the other side. Most of the others were already riding away. Only Darrow remained, dismounting from his horse. He pulled a wrapped bundle from his saddlebag and opened it. Inside, there was a metal container with bread, cheese, and dried meat.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
He must have anticipated the massive amount of power I would use tonight would draw out my appetite, but it also felt like a peace offering. “I’ll take some bread.”
“You should eat more than that,” he said, frowning.
