Page 29 of Claimed By Stone
I nodded, too anxious to lie. “For two weeks. He knows. We’ve been trying to figure out what I am, why I was a statue—why I was here in the first place.”
Khuldruk didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Just stared through me like he was waiting for the truth to fall out of my mouth on its own.
“I don’t remember all of it,” I whispered, words tumbling fast now. “Just flashes. I know I was sent here. I know this doesn't look good. But I didn’t know who I was until tonight. I didn’t know anything.”
“Then what changed?”
I looked down at my hands—flesh and blood. “I woke up real.”
He didn’t speak for a long moment. Then, finally, said, “Real or not, you’ve been hiding in my mountain. You’ve been alonewith my brother. And now you claim you were sent here, without knowing by whom or for what.”
“I know how it sounds,” I said desperately. “But I don’t want to hurt anyone. Please—just let me see him.”
“If Thavros knows anything about this,” Khuldruk said, stepping back, “we’ll see what he has to say.”
And then he turned and walked away, leaving me behind the bars, cold and shaking—unsure if I was more afraid of the truth or what came next.
I looked around the cell. It was an empty stone cell with nothing but the iron bars keeping me here. I was in a body, a body that until tonight had nothing but the tender touches of Thavros. Now I was battered and bleeding on the floor. Blood dripped down my arm from the scrape on my elbow, and I was pretty sure my knees and ankles were bleeding from being dragged here, but there wasn't enough light to properly see.
How did this happen? I needed Thavros. Where was he?
Suddenly, there was a bang as a door opened, followed by a shout and the scuffle of guards.
"Where is she?"
My heart leapt. Thavros. He had come for me.
"Brother, I have some questions for you," I heard Khuldruk say.
"Later," he ground out. "Where is she?" he nearly growled.
"Who is she?" his brother asked, his commanding voice tinged with concern.
"She ismine," Thavros growled.
The door burst open, and there he was, his chest heaving, eyes filled with rage until he saw me, and he sagged, dropping to his knees, sticking his hand through the bars to reach for me.
Chapter 14
Thavros
The sight of her behind the bars shattered my heart into pieces.
How did I allow this to happen? I fell to my knees and reached for her hand.
And praise Gods, she reached back. The feel of her hand in mine was the grounding force I needed to keep this rage at bay. Who that rage was aimed at right now is as much of a mystery as who this creature is before me, but I knew this with a deep-seated truth. She was mine.
"Thavros. I do have questions," I heard my brother ask behind me as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.
Then I saw it – a small stream of blood running down her arm.
"You're bleeding," I said, my voice filling with panic.
"I'm alright, really. I'm just scared."
I turn and glare at my brother. "Let her out. Now."
Khuldruk nodded to the guard standing next to the cell as he opened the door.
