32. She’s Mine
She’s Mine
Rumor Malefic
As I stepped backwards, my heel caught on a rock, and I fell. A jolt of pain shot through my wrist, and I cried out in pain.
Adder Viper stood above me and scoffed. “You thought sneaking into the Blackthorne grounds would save you from me? You really are the stupidest girl I’ve ever met.”
“Fuck you, Adder. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You are, though.” Thrusting a hateful fist into my hair, he pulled my weak body to stand.
A scream fled my throat as electric pain throbbed in my head.
Oh, no… no… not the spider on top of it all .
I made to shove him, but my arms were all but limp after the horrid hex that betrayed me and gave me exactly what I didn’t want.
“You’ve been bought and paid for. Your coven really couldn’t wait to get rid of you.
We’ll have our wedding rite, and you’ll be a fine addition to the farm.
I guess we missed out on having your sister be the farm wench, so you’ll have to do. ”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” With all my might, I brought my knee up and jabbed Adder right in the crotch.
With a grunt, he let go of my hair and doubled over, cursing in pain.
It was the lucky break I needed to run. Sending a silent thank you to my matri for teaching me how to fight, I mustered up every ounce of strength and sprinted toward the castle.
Footfalls and cursing sounded behind me as I stumbled up the stone steps.
The doors opened on their own for me, creaking as they went.
I shot a look over my shoulder, seeing Adder hesitate at the doorway, hesitant at what may lie inside.
It occurred to me that he hadn’t expected that I’d gotten inside—he thought I’d just been hiding out on the grounds.
My exhausted bones made me double over onto an entryway table, knocking over candlesticks.
A skeleton rounded the corner, carrying a tray and disappearing down the hall.
Adder’s eyes grew wide as he lingered in the door.
The moment of fear on his face gave me much satisfaction until he noted me and glowered, stomping inside.
“Shit,” I swore, pushing myself off the table and running down the hall. Every several steps I’d lose balance and knock into the wall.
A painting fell from its nails, crashing on the floor. I’d never been down this hall before—but I barreled toward two large double doors that looked important. At least maybe they’d offer me a place to hide while I regained my post-hex strength.
“Rumor running scared,” Adder taunted after me. His pace had slowed. He knew he had me in his grip and sensed I was depleted. “What would your mothers think? You lost your sister, then abandoned your beloved town and coven to hide out in enemy territory? You’re a bigger coward than I thought.”
Pulling open the big door, I called over my shoulder, “How’s Birch? Eaten any good hay lately?”
On the other side of the door, I frantically searched for a lock but came up empty.
Scanning the space, it was an expansive room with a dusty, marble tiled floor.
Grand and intricate paintings lined the walls, revealed by the moonlight shining in.
I stumbled forward, disappointed to see no furniture to hide behind save for the elevated dais at the end of the room.
Three black, twisted iron thrones sat side by side.
Thrones?
Was this some sort of old throne room? It didn’t appear to be in use—or hadn’t been used in many years. What was this for?
The doors groaned open behind me, and I ran forward.
My wobbly knees gave out, landing me in the center of an onyx star designed into the tiles.
Turning over, I tried to push myself backwards with my heels as the eldest Viper brother strode forward.
“Speaking of horses,” he hissed. “I’ll enjoy breaking you.
” He knelt over me, pulling my hair and forcing me to meet his hateful gaze.
I spat in his face.
Gritting his teeth together, he gripped my hair harder and I cried out, pain tensing into my temples again, like the spider was just waiting to pull me into agonizing oblivion.
If the spider appeared, debilitating me with pain, I would surely wake up in the Vipers’ barn.
The only place I could imagine that was worse than the Blackthorne Castle.
Adder hissed in my face, his foul breath hitting me like a slap.
“I cannot wait to steal the light from your eyes. I’ll ensure every bit of fight is gone from you.
You’ll work day and night to serve me and our homestead.
Actually, maybe I’ll breed a few sons from you first. A girl who fights, combined with me, could make for some strapping boys. ”
“I’d sooner offer myself to a wither than the likes of you,” I retorted, feeling the walls closing in.
Adder raised his palm, and I winced, waiting for the blow of knuckles across my cheek.
Suddenly, the room shook, and thunder rumbled around us.
Adder paused, hand still in the air, mid-strike. “What the hell…” His eyes grew wide. “Who the fuck are you?”
Spade’s low voice thrummed behind me. “I suggest you let go of her before I remove your hand from your body.”
Adder dropped me immediately, and I collapsed to the tile, rolling onto my side to see what was happening.
Spade entered from one side, dressed in black, shadows following him like humble servants of his dark magic.
Riot entered from the opposite side of the dais. Blinding white in the way the hot sun threatens to scorch everything in its path.
Their magic was palpable. I felt it in the air like an impending storm. The hair on my arms stood as their magics combined, caressing my skin with a heady mix of rose petals and thorns, soft and gentle, with a bite of harsh power barely contained.
Riot’s eyes flashed with panic as he assessed me, but he steeled his gaze before addressing Adder. “To answer your question. We are the Blackthorne Boys.”
“The—the Blackthornes?” Adder stammered, revealing his terror before straightening and squaring his shoulders. “I am here to collect my wife from your property.”
Spade growled, “Your wife? When was your wedding rite?”
“It will be performed as soon as I take her back to Willowspire.”
Riot sneered. “Like fuck it will.”
“She’s spoken for,” Spade said lowly, walking closer, his magic falling over me like a fur blanket.
I hadn’t realized I’d been shivering until his power warmed over me.
Why would he say that? Spade didn’t care about me…
right? Spade gave me a glance, his face falling in concern for a brief moment before anger took hold of his handsome features once more as he addressed the Viper boy.
“This will be your one and only opportunity to leave the way you came and never return.”
Adder puffed out his chest. “I’ll leave when I have collected my property. She’s been promised to me by the Willowspire Coven. Her crone has given her to me, she is mine.”
Riot snapped, “No, she is mine .”
Spade glanced at his brother. “Actually, she’s mine .”
“You’re both mad!” I argued. “You’re insane if you think I belong to either of you assholes.”
Riot lifted a finger to his lips. “Hush, love, let the grown-ups talk.”
“When I have the energy to punch you, I swear to goddess,” I grumbled, my arms weakening more by the moment.
Candles and torchlight sprung to life around the room, washing the three men in dark shades of shadow and crimson.
I made to sit up on my elbows, but Adder quickly pressed his boot on my chest, pushing me back to the floor and knocking the air from my lungs.
“What have you done to the Blackthornes, you little whore?” he hissed.
Something exploded, shaking the room. A burst of a black void expanded, crashing into a burst of white, as two ancient magics collided into Adder.
In horror and fascination, I gawked as Adder Viper’s feet lifted from the ground.
Strangled sounds gurgled from his throat as he hung, arms out, suspended in the air.
Swirls of black and white spun around him.
Only the whites of his eyes shown as his body tremored with the effects of the powers he’d trifled with.
“Are you killing him?” I asked, unable to peel my eyes away from what was happening. I’d never witnessed dark magic so profound… it was mesmerizing… and made me very thankful to be on the other Blackthornes’ ire.
Spade and Riot stood on either side of me. Spade’s jaw tensed. “How did he get in? How would he make it past the hex?”
“He’s not like Rumor. He’s not a part of us. I have no idea,” Riot responded.
The candles flickered, and a strange echo sounded, bouncing off the tiles.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick tock. The music of a clock reverberated through the space as Adder gurgled again. “It’s almost midnight,” Spade said, his breath sounding strained.
“How will we hold him?” Riot glanced down at me and worry pierced my heart. He looked… concerned. Nothing concerned Riot. Yet suddenly he was serious and contained like his brother. Something had them both worried.
I spoke up. “What happens at midnight? Where do you have to go each night?”
“We can’t leave and hold him.” Spade looked to Riot. Their breathing both turned shallow, as if they were weakening.
Just one tiny hex had me on the ground—I couldn’t imagine the power and effort involved in suspending a man in midair and… whatever they were doing to him. Riot’s head twitched, and he closed his eyes. “He came in like a snake… he’s… there’s power there. Magic.”
“What?” I asked. “The Vipers are magical?”
Spade answered, still disregarding me entirely. “Then I’ll just kill him.”
“Wait.” Riot held up a hand. “You can’t.”
“Why not?” Spade answered, indignant.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
The sound of the clock intensified.
Riot held his head, grimacing in pain. “We have… to go.”
“Fuck.” Spade wavered.
“What is happening?” I asked, staring up at them both from the floor. “We need help, don’t we? Maybe I can assist if you just tell me the spell.”
Clearly they needed help, they just didn’t want to admit it.
“No,” Spade grumbled, though I could see his will fading. “You belong to me. I care for you.”
Riot interjected. “No, she belongs to me.”
“What the hell are you two talking about?” I screeched, panicking at the sight of both men faltering on their feet.
Wherever they needed to go at midnight—they desperately needed to be there.
Adder dropped from the air with a loud thud.
Dark and light rippled through the room, flickering the lights once more.
Slowly, every flame extinguished, leaving only the moonlight as Adder moaned on the ground, unfortunately still alive.
“We aren’t going to make it.” Riot swayed on his feet.
Spade struggled to stay upright, holding his head. “I’m not leaving her—hex be damned.”
“Hex? What hex?” I asked.
“As much as I’d enjoy watching you both succumb to your afflictions…
go. Also, I’d like to throw my name into the ring and state unequivocally, Rumor is mine ,” a voice echoed into the room.
Suddenly, a burst of shimmering silver light illuminated the space, casting us all in shades of gray.
Riot and Spade looked up, eyes wide in shock, as Twenty Blackthorne sauntered across the tile and waved. “Hello, brothers.”