Page 29 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

His eyes bulge with rage as he lets out an earth-shaking roar. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

My heart pounds against my ribs as I clasp my throat, hoping desperately that I'm right and he can't hurt me. I grip the medallion, feeling its energy coursing through my veins as I try to calm my ragged breathing. My voice is hoarse and broken as I respond, "Nothing that can’t be undone. You can't hurt me." With a renewed determination I rise to my feet and stand tall against him.

He reaches for the chain and yanks on it, nearly sending me back to the floor. He lassos it around me, wrenching me towards him.

"Unlock this fucking thing or I'll tear out your throat," he seethes, his sweet breath a cruel contrast to his sinister words.

"You can't," I hiss. I hold my ground as he stares me down, my chest rising and falling against his with rage. He can't attack me, not while I wear this necklace. And like the chain binding us, he can't take that off, either. Only I can do that.

Except, I swallowed the key.

His arms band around me and he hauls me outside, my feet dragging on the ground as I try to get out from his grip. His wings spread wide, giant, leathery things blotting out the moons. He shoots into the air with a burst of power, leaving the trees in his wake as tiny dots.

With a cruel snicker, he hurls me into the air, and I free fall into oblivion until the manacle cuff clamps down hard on my wrist, jolting me to a sudden stop. I cry out in pain as my bones scream in agony.

He soars above the clouds, taking his sweet time as I dangle helplessly beneath him. I begin swinging, causing him to teeter in the air as he struggles to keep control. He grunts before giving a feral growl, veering off course as his wings shift direction, so fast that I am swung around in a wide circle and go head over heels in the turbulence of his wake.

With a burst of adrenaline, I launch myself up the iron chain, each link beneath my fingers as if clenched in a vise-grip. He's oblivious to my presence until I'm within reach of his vital organs. I gather every ounce of strength within me and unleash a furious blow, aiming right for his groin with a power that can only be drawn from the depths of my soul.

I connect right with his balls.

He howls as his wings snap tight, and we plummet to the ground in a free fall. I release my wings, screaming from the strain it puts on my muscles to carry the two of us to a slower descent. We make an impact that shakes the forest floor, tumbling into a heap of limbs. He cries out as my fist connects again, this time with his face. I vault off the ground and gain my feet, running as fast as my legs will carry me. I hear him cursing behind me as we zig-zag through the underbrush, dodging branches and leaping over logs.

Suddenly, a figure appears in front of me, blocking my path. I skid to a stop and look up into the ice blue eyes of Caius, his body shimmering in the silver moonlight. My heart stumbles in my chest as he steps closer, and I recoil.

He holds up his hands in a sign of peace, eyes darting between Aggonid and I just as I'm tackled from behind. My mouth fills with dirt as the air jets out of my lungs.

Aggonid presses his body against mine, hands stretching to capture my wrists tightly between his.

Caius stands there silently, watching as Aggonid drags me backwards. He stalks after us, running to keep up beside the bastard.

"Good call chaining her to you. Now she can't get away from us." Caius smirks.

CHAPTER SEVEN

MORTE

Maybe I've made a mistake chaining myself to a monster.

My wrist protests in agony as Aggonid drags me across the unforgiving terrain of the forest floor. Each jagged rock digs into my flesh, and my bones grind against one another from the sheer force of the manacle's grip. A gasp of misery falls from my lips as I stumble forward and a stick jams into my shoulder.

Remember who you’re doing this for.

Caius pauses and turns back to me, worry etched across his face. "Perhaps, love, we should let her walk?" He tugs on Aggonid's sleeve. "I can smell her blood. Would be a pity to waste it."

Aggonid snarls, his steps faltering. His dark eyes survey me from where he stands, cataloging my every wound, a cruel smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as his malicious intent radiates from him.

He turns to Caius, tracing a finger along his cheekbone and leaning in to whisper. "Let the servants prepare another bed next to ours. I’ve got some stuff to discuss with Morte. You go on ahead."

"You want to sift back to the castle tonight? Or where do you want to stay?”

“Sorrow’s Manor, I think we could use a little quiet after today.”

Caius grins, pressing his mouth to the devils before nipping at his bottom lip, earning him a growl. "Just look at her." Caius's voice is low and husky as he grips Aggonid's chin and turns his face towards me. "She'll look so beautiful between us. Isn't it fitting that she sleeps with us tonight?"

But before Aggonid can respond, I cut in with a firm "No." Pulling myself to my knees, I wipe the dirt from my mouth and rip the stick out of my shoulder, sending an electric wave of pain through my veins. I’ll go with them—but only because they’re my greatest chance at finding a way home.

Caius's eyes find mine, and the startled expression on his face tells me he wasn't expecting me to say no. His mouth twitches like he's struggling to compose himself.

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