Page 58 of The Lost Child

“You’re a whore, ain’t you?” he growled back.

She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded frantically.

“My man here has deserved a reward. Clean him up and make him feel good.”

I glared at the maid, who was acting like she’d been sentenced to death. Because of that I missed the movement as my father grabbed me, his grip on my upper arm a steel vice. I could see why the maid had squealed. I grit my teeth, and gave away nothing of my pain.

I met my father’s icy, blue gaze. His eyes were like two glacier tips; cold, hard, and unmoving.

“You’re coming to meet your husband.”

He tugged me away from my room. Away from Canavar and the maid, who didn’t bother to wipe her tears as she slowly turned to face Canavar. I’d slit her throat if she touched him.

My mind told me to be brave. I didn’t want to show any fear to my father as he forced me to my fate, but being taken away like this as Canavar crouched in the corner cracked something inside me.

“Canavar! Do something!” My voice broke at the end, his green eyes trained to the woman standing terrified in front of him. Would he take her as easily as he’d taken me? The thought enraged me just as much as it hurt. Surely he was too sick to do anything with anyone!

My father pushed me through the door and I fell to my knees, hands scraping against the rough wood of the planks as I caught myself. Damn dress. Splinters dug into my flesh, but I ignored them, already being hauled to my feet by my father. I twisted in his arms, desperately trying to look back at Canavar.

“Give it up, girl. I gave him something fresh.”

I managed to free an elbow and smashed it into my father’s nose, grinning viciously at the satisfying crack of cartilage.

“You vicious little—”

Men were peeking their heads out from doors and hallways, seeing what the commotion was about. Already a few were walking toward us, determined to help. I had only seconds before I would be overwhelmed.

“CANAVAR!” I screamed back at him.

The draken’s eyes lifted to mine, and he started crawling forward. The maid panicked and slammed the door. The sound of the lock turning made my stomach turn.

“HELP ME! CANAVAR! CANAVAR HELP ME!”

Pain radiated from my head.

It was so hard to keep fighting as my father tugged me down towards the end of the hall. Maybe that’s what Canavar had figured out that I hadn’t.

I couldn’t stop fighting, though. Father was going to give me away as a bed slave, because that’s what a wife was. He was passing me off. I was no longer of any use to him. Canavar wouldn’t fare any better, if my father didn’t kill him. Canavar certainly was too sick to fight back. Or help me. I was on my own.

Father shoved me into a side room, and slammed the door behind us.

Twenty

CANAVAR

The woman was terrified of me. Her entire body shook from her head to her toes. But I didn’t care so much about her. The bath was made of clear water, and I dove headfirst into it, hoping it would soothe the nausea and the pain in my head.

I couldn’t remember ever bathing. When I did, it was in the cold sea and only to get the caked blood out of my hair or off my skin.

I glanced up at the door, but the Master was gone, and Nerissa with him.

CANAVAR! HELP ME!

I couldn’t help her though. I drank down as much water as I could from the bath, praying it would make a difference. I couldn’t help her this weak and sick.

She cried out to you. She mated with you. She is important. You cannot do this.

My instincts had spent years buried underneath the master’s orders, only coming out to play when it was time to fight and kill. They’d been happy to do so, and left me alone otherwise. But now? They were screaming at me.

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