Page 5 of The Spark that Ignites
His words triggered a memory: a young man chained to a flaming pyre; his mouth rounded in a silent scream. His scars, shamefully displayed, signified another demon purged from this earth. It had been over two decades, but she recalled it as if it were yesterday. The stench of burnt hair, skin, bone, tendons ...
Emmery’s stomach churned, her mind racing, spinning, and heart battering her ribcage.
If that was the King’s choice, that would soon be her. Maybe he would resort to drowning or get creative and chop her slowly into pieces. Years had passed since their last public execution, so maybe he would opt for a more theatrical death to remind the people how truly vile her kind were.
Her lip curled back over her teeth. “Go fuck yourself.”
“I was thinking”—Fallon’s gaze meandered her body—“you would do me the pleasure.”
Bile crawled up Emmery’s throat. “I’dratherfuck a cactus.”
“My intention was to bring you straight to King Silas, but now that we’ve been so nicely acquainted”—the guard’s chuckle skittered over her skin—“it would be a waste to send a pretty thing like you to your death without first having a taste. After all, you owe me for that drink.”
He released her waist and held her against the wall with his hips. Emmery’s ribs squeezed and each breath slivered.
Grasping her chin like he was inspecting livestock for purchase, he added, “Shame about your face. Though I won’t be looking at it much.”
“I’ll kill you,” she rasped, her voice a deadly threat as she wrenched her face from his hold. The unwelcome hands, crushing body weight, and hips pinning hers stirred memories and that familiar crippling panic resurfaced.
But she’d promised herself, never again. Not while her heart still beat.
Ripping her leg free, she threw her knee into his groin, but he easily blocked it with his thigh. Fallon grabbed her by the neck and squeezed, pain cutting into her windpipe and a whimper slipped free.
A man cleared his throat, his voice stemming from the shadows. “I hate when people can’t keep their hands to themselves. Don't you?”
They both startled.
The words were smooth, unhurried, like the speaker had all the time in the world, meanwhile Emmery gasped around Fallon’s hold as the seconds raced by. She tried to turn her head but couldn’t see who spoke, the edges of her vision blurring.
“Buzz off,” Fallon snapped. “Unless you aren’t fond of your head attached to your body.”
“I don’t think the lady likes that, sir,” the man drawled. “If you would release her, we can all walk away with our heads. If not, other arrangements will need to be made.”
Fallon glowered into the darkness. “You dare threaten a man of King Silas’s guard?”
A rumbling chuckle filled the air. “With pleasure.”
Whoever this was had a death wish if they dared intercept a guard and whatever foolishness occupied them. Unfortunately, tonightshewas the foolishness. But the distraction eased his grip on her throat and sweet air trickled in.
Fallon scoffed. “Since I’m preoccupied, if you leave now, we won’t have any trouble.”
“You misunderstand.” Dark delight simmered in the stranger’s words. “I adore trouble.”
As the guard stiffened, Emmery took advantage and spat in his eye. Fallon reared back with a sound of disgust and as her feet hit the ground, Emmery doubled over, her throat raw, lungs burning, and vision hazy. She needed to run but her body convulsed with the unnegotiable need for air.
“Youbitch!” Fallon roared.
Stumbling a step, she managed to stand, but his broad hand slapped across her cheek and Emmery’s head snapped to the side. Stars danced across her vision and her world tilted as white-hot pain radiated through her skull.
Gods help her, thathurt.
The guard searched the alley for the stranger but only the shadows answered as Emmery grasped for clarity around the searing pain. Rage burned through her veins, hot and untethered.
She was going to roast this bastard. With her dagger gone, she had no choice and besides, Fallon already knew.
She had nothing left to lose.
Her magic drummed with each pump of her heart and like a feral beast, she lunged, teeth bared, as she conjured her sparks into his face. The reek of sizzled flesh saturated the air as her hand sank into the soft skin of his cheek. The guard howled and shoved her with enough force Emmery tipped backward and crumpled to the ground.
