Page 213 of Upon Buried Embers
“Alara!” Tofa squeals, dragging me to them and we form our own little circle as we spin around, dancing.
I’m dancing!
I copy Tofa as she throws her hands up, spinning on my toes. When Beau grabs my hand and twirls me, I hear a growl I know all too well and peek over at Rohan.
He rests his elbows on his knees, head low but his eyes are solely focused on me, flickering where they reflect the flames.
He raises a challenging brow, and with the drink flowing through me, I spin again in Beau’s arms, tempting the beast. It’s playful, rewarding, because I have an idea of what is to come from me testing him.
“Why do I feel like I’m going to die tonight?” Beau groans, and I laugh, spinning with Tofa as she giggles.
“You won’t.”
“The Dragonbond looks like he’ll set me on fire.”
Tofa hugs me from behind as we rock side to side. “Just hide with the horses, Alara will keep him busy.”
“Tofa!” My cheeks blaze and she cackles.
“I feel dizzy,” I groan, slouching against Rohan as he holds me close.
“Ready for bed?” I nod, breathing in his scent. “Up you go.”
He lifts me easily, and I wrap my legs around him, leaning into his shoulder, my lips at his neck.
I hum, squeezing him tightly and he chuckles at my neediness. I’m not even ashamed.
I have felt his eyes on me all night. Searing. Burning, and I can’t wait to finally taste him. Will he let me?
My body rocks gently, the laughter and music fading as Rohan takes us back to his cabin.
“I enjoyed tonight,” I say. “It was fun,” I hiccup.
“You did, hmm?” he rumbles, squeezing my ass and I giggle, rubbing my nose against his throat.
“I did. The Masters held parties, I guess you could call them that. But they were full of cruel laughter and ended in screams.”
I sigh, and I feel him stiffen, but I’m too dizzy to mind it.
“The screams would go on behind curtains or closed doors, but you couldalwayshear them. Some male, some female. At first I used to wonder why. I was so stupid.” I laugh at myself. “So, so stupid because I thought it was a game they were playing. But then I found out.”
I feel him looking down at me.
“They brought a woman to the center of the room and they just… took turns with her,” I slur, ignoring his growl. “How can...” I hiccup. “How can someone do that to another? I was so scared, Rohan. The threat that I was going to be like her was always hanging over my head. I remember her begging, crying and then she laid there when they were done. Lifeless, eyes blank.”
“Alara…”
“Buuut,” I yawn. “I managed to evade that and just get beat a lot. Broke a little. I should be thankful, right? That I onlygot smacked about, or tied up in the barn and left for days. Or even caned. That was a favorite of Master’s, or breaking my bones. He broke my leg once and left me dangling there until my shoulders dislocated.” He tenses. “I don’t remember him putting them back. I blacked out but woke up to him kicking me in my stomach as Effy put a wooden plank on my leg to keep it straight. He used to punch me every day because I couldn’t walk with my broken leg and it was my fault for angering him. But, why should I be sad about that when I wasn’t raped? How can I be sad or scared when others went through that?”
“Abuse is abuse. They’re all painful,” he says gently.
“But they went through so much worse. I can’t imagine anyone doing that to me, Rohan. I only ever want you.”
“That doesn’t take away your own pain of what you went through.”
“Do I deserve to laugh like I did tonight?”
“Everyone deserves to laugh, Little Whisperer.”
