Chapter 24 Azahara #2
“Y-Yeah, after what felt like forever, hah—” the Ossodian stuttered, his green skin turning brown at the cheeks, clearly flustered.
“How did you stop them, if you do not mind me asking?” Her voice was that of fine silk.
Zhal stepped from before her, allowing her to come into full view for them. The Vaeragi knew what she was doing and wouldn’t be a hindrance.
All three of them, without hesitation, took her in. Their eyes devoured her as though she were their last meal.
One of her eyebrows raised. “Strong men like yourself; I imagine it wasn’t difficult.”
One of them swallowed so loudly that even she heard it. “We—the General actually diplomatically resolved the issue.” Doing her best to keep interested without shifting to anger, she expressed a sense of awe.
“That is amazing. Just in time for us not to run into them last night.” She was ready to leave it at that.
“Oh, well, this was a few days ago.”
A knife to her throat would have been better than hearing the human spew those words from its mouth. “Days…?” A mere whisper.
“I think, four if I’m not mistaken. The days blend. We were to stay only to confirm they left after their deal.”
“Deal?” She felt her lip twitch as the forced smile across her lips began to dissolve.
“Hey, hey—come on, guys, we can’t discuss this with them. These are Order official matters,” the third male admonished his comrades.
“You’re safe here with us, gorgeous. Come, have a fun night, enjoy some drinks,” he said, reaching out and taking her wrist with a misguided sense of familiarity.
He completely disregarded his well-being.
Zhal had already made it abundantly clear that they should stay away.
Sh e assumed he was under the influence of alcohol, impairing his judgment, or just consumed by lust.
However, it wasn’t Zhal who delivered a powerful punch to the male’s jaw. The impact resulted in a resounding crack that sent a shiver down her spine.
Kaed clenched and unclenched his fist as he stepped in front of her. “Don’t ever put your hands on her, or by the gods, I’ll end you.” Zhal stepped beside him, vibrating the same energy as he did.
Illyan came up beside her, their hand wrapping around her shoulder. “You okay, Ladybug?”
“I’m fine. Can we leave?” Her voice ached; her chest strained behind a cage. She felt trapped, even outside in the open.
“Yes, we can explain what happened on our way.” Illyan began guiding her, but Kaed quickly took their place. He placed one arm around the small of her back as they walked toward their horses.
In Azahara’s mind, they couldn’t have left the camp fast enough. The last glimpse of Olaniyan stepping out of the command tent ignited anger within her. Her only solace was the mental image of the ground opening up and swallowing him whole.
After they put a solid distance between themselves and the camp, they all seemed to collectively breathe a sigh of relief. The clearing ahead of them rolled over hills upon hills. Nothing but the sky and green meadows greeted them, with no more forest to contend with, providing a welcome reprieve.
It would only be a few hours until they reached a small village, where they could spend the night and begin their next leg in the morning.
Kaed enveloped her in his arms, pressing his forehead against hers and inhaling deeply, taking in her scent. “I’m sorry,” he murmured softly, his words tinged with sorrow.
She dropped her head. “What are you apologizing for?” There were so many things, none of which were his fault, to be sorry for.
“All of it. I never realized just how bad it was.” He was referring to how Olaniyan and the men had treated her. While he had faced his fair share of prejudice for being a half-breed, it paled in comparison to how they treated women. “That, and for allowing him to shut you out.”
She shook her head. “Neither of those is your fault, Kaed.”
“General Olaniyan also told us about their deal with the Vaeragi,” he continued, causing Azahara to stiffen. “They promised only a single life and would not harm any others, just the one they were seeking. The General allowed for the hunt to continue, and they wouldn’t be a hindrance.”
A single life wasn’t worth saving to them… lazy pieces of shits… Her chest felt the weight of a thousand boulders in that moment.
“It took everything for Kaed and me not to lash out at him right there,” Illyan groaned loudly, the sound echoing. “The idiot didn’t realize Kaed was the one they were hunting.”
“Did you say anything?” Azahara asked softly.
“No,” Kaed answered, quickly stepping in before Illyan could respond. “It would have raised too many questions. I didn’t want to expose you to any of that.” His hand tightened its grip on her shirt.
She nodded and leaned back against him. “Thank you.” Feeling him kiss her neck sent a shiver down her spine.
“I love you,” he sighed, his voice filled with anguish. Leaning to the side, she turned to look into his eyes. Pain, remorse, and the fear she sensed swirled around him.
“I love you too. It’s okay, really,” she reassured him, her hands caressing his cheek. He bent forward to kiss her.
“Did they send word to the king?” Zhal asked dryly.
Kaed placed his forehead against hers and nodded. “Yes, they sent a carrier almost immediately. He will expect us in four days.”
With their path cleared ahead, their next target was the Kingdom of Naverra, the marble city of ice.