Page 43 of Mastering their Maiden

But the words filtered into my ears, then out of them. Meaningless sounds I couldn’t discern over the sound of my pounding heart. The pace of the beat quickened with every passing second, fear racing through my veins making it pump harder than it ever had in my whole life. Makan detailed how Rober ordered the soldiers to ready for departure, telling them to grab the women Ryne wanted brought back to the city.

I didn’t wait for him to describe who they were or say their names. I shoved around Kaiden and past Dex to grab Makan’s tunic, fear lancing through me like an icy dagger.

“Where is Aria?” I demanded, the terror inside me intensifying when Zander appeared at my shoulder. He was breathing hard, his expression flushed, and body so tense I could feel heat rolling off him. Kaiden had gone pale, and Dex looked terrified, but I could tell we were all sharing a collective hope that Rober wouldn’t be able to catch Aria. She’d have run. She’d have fought. She’d have left the village and raced to Frayne’s. Or here…

They didn’t have her. They couldn’t have her. We’d told her she’d be safe. We promised…

Makan stilled, and when Zander growled in anguished rage he flinched, speaking my worst fears to life. “I saw her being dragged into the sept along with another, dark-haired girl, and my—the boy’s mother was with—”

Kaiden moved so fast it nearly knocked Zander and me over as he bowled past Makan to where our horses were tied. Dex passed the child into the arms of one of our soldiers, and Zander ran to his own horse while Kaiden began barking orders.

“No one leaves!” He didn’t bother putting a saddle on his horse. “Draven’s men! Secure the gates and the safety of those here and send a rider to the southern village with the same order. The rest of you, with me!”

My mind felt split in two as I rushed forward and climbed onto my horse. Half of my thoughts were focused on stopping Rober or anyone else from making it back to Magilin. Months—almost a year—of planning was about to be destroyed. The fate of our mission to wrest our home from the hands of a violent, power-hungry man was about to be ruined. My people—my tribe…

We wouldn’t survive another crisis. Ryne’s greed and lust for control would tear us apart if we let it. I knew that. I understood the urgency to stop this from happening.

But underneath that knowledge lay nothing but fear. Fear that Aria was in danger. That she was hurt. That her strength had been stolen and she was in need of help. Our help.

After we’d sworn she wouldn’t need it.

CHAPTER 15

Aria

The gray stone walls had a smell. I could pick each one out since my face was practically pressed to it. Mildew and rock. Steel chains and sweat. Musky earth and salty tears. The floor was probably coated with them after years of punishments happening in this room.

But none belonged to me.

No, I wasn’t crying. The terror and despair in my chest had faded some, and I was left with a far more comforting feeling.

Rage.

It suited me. It fueled my thoughts of revenge and power. Of bravery and fearlessness that would get me out of this situation.

The other girl, Medora, was chained to the wall behind me, huddled in the corner, black hair hiding her tear-soaked face. Rober made her watch as he disciplined me, and I’d almost wanted to laugh and tell her not to worry. His strikes stung, but they were weak. He was using all his might, swinging a leather strap with ferocious intent. My ass was sore, but it was nothing. This punishment was a performance. There was no point behind it other than to cause fear. Not at all like when—

No.

I wasn’t going to say any of their names. I wasn’t going to think their names.

“Captain.”

The soldier’s voice was timid as he stood in the doorway, and I knew already what he was going to say. They’d been searching for hours for two people. A Kavari soldier named Makan, and Summer’s little boy.

So far, there was no sign of them in the forest or on the road toward the Kavari city. Summer was distraught. Crying and screaming in her cage outside the sept. Her fear tore at my heart and gnawed at my stomach, but all I could think was maybe that Kavari bastard had the good sense to get the boy out of here. Maybe he’d taken him somewhere safe until he could stage a rescue.

I didn’t know if there were any gods listening, but I prayed that if they were, that was the case.

“Don’t say it, Teraad.” Rober slapped the belt against my skin, painting my ass, thighs, and lower back with swipes so intense that I had to grit my teeth. But I made no noise. No cry of despair, no shriek of agony. The pain from this wouldn’t cow me; it would only fuel my revenge.

“There’s still no sign of—”

Rober’s roar of anger made Medora whimper, and I heard the belt clatter on the stone floor by my legs. “Send the riders out again! Don’t allow them back in the village until that conniving bastard and that boy are found.”

“He could have ridden to warn Kaiden and—”

I turned my head just enough to see Teraad clamp his jaw shut before Rober swung and backhanded him across the face. “He wouldn’t be that stupid to throw himself in with those traitors. The king is going to have them all hanged when he finds out what his son has been planning.”

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