13. Esther
ESTHER
Atipsy buzz runs through my veins, and suddenly the offensive storm and cold night don’t seem so bad as we walk out of the tavern. The ale certainly makes my steps lighter as I admire the mountains in the distance, thunder streaking across the sky.
I pocket my hands into the trousers, still perplexed by my captor. He’s harsh and still intends on selling me, yet there’s glimmers of a man who possibly has a heart. I’ve met cruel men before, but his complexities don’t make him likable either.
We walk toward the small barn where Reene waits patiently. “She really follows you anywhere, huh?”
“Yes. She’s been my companion for many years,” he says, and when we walk into the barn, he turns, encroaching on my space. “Now, show me your skill, little thief.”
I can’t help but smirk. “Maybe you can give me something sharper than a hairpin in exchange?”
“Were you not the one wanting to show off your skills?” he says, slapping his hand beside my head and peering down at me.
He’s doing it intentionally, trying to unnerve me, but it always evokes a challenge in me instead.
It’s strange the way he looks with his twisted mask.
It’s horrific, actually, but I’ve become accustomed to it.
In fact, all I really see are his strong features that I know hide behind the mask.
The marking at my throat burns hot, and Grimace materializes between us and comes to sit on my shoulder. He hocks once and then twice. Items fall to the hay-littered barn, and I swear I can almost see the twinkle of amusement in Regent’s eyes as he looks down.
Between our feet, among other items, is the old man’s talisman. Fruit that has spilled from the straw basket rolls loose around the barn until it falls to the side. And the boar head.
“I’ve never met a beast that can defy physical limitations,” Regent says as he crouches and inspects the boar head. His fingers thread through what appears to be a necklace sprinkled with small rubies.
Grimace seems proud of himself as he jumps onto the barn wall and runs along the railing to meet with Regent’s mare.
Regent looks up at me, and my heart pounds as his thumb rolls over the necklace thoughtfully.
Maybe it’s the ale, but a warmth floods my core as I look down on him, my back still pressed against the wall. His mask shifts to reveal his sharp features.
Beautiful.
He’s as stunning as he is vexing.
He stands, his body heat radiating against mine as he towers over me. “It looks like your little beast got you a present. Turn.”
My breath rattles as I’m pulled into his whim, turning to face the wooden wall.
His hand pushes down my hood, and my hair spills over my shoulders, a cool breeze eliciting goosebumps.
His fingers slide around my throat, and my hand comes to touch the cold necklace, but it’s not what I’m focusing on.
His breath is hot down my neck as his callused fingers fasten the stolen necklace. I can feel his body behind mine, and maybe it’s the ale tempting me, or something else entirely, but I feel pulled into him like an enchantment.
I lean back slowly, his firm chest pressing against me. My heart skips a beat as a guttural noise escapes him, and his hand moves from the back of my neck to trail over my shoulder.
“You don’t know what you’re messing with, Denva,” he whispers into my ear, his tone course like gravel. There’s that name again. His hand trails down my side, and every inch he touches burns with flames that spark my body to life.
His hand wraps around my waist, and he pulls me closer, my breath erratic as I feel the hard press of his cock against my ass. My heart’s racing, temptation and resistance calling me back and forth.
Yet my body turns of its own accord, and I look up at him, drinking in every feature.
Beautiful.
Ethereal.
Unworldly.
Those are words I never thought to describe my captor, yet I want him.
Whatever this living thing between us is right now—I need it.
One hand rests on my waist, the other slowly coming toward my face, then his thumb rolls over my lips as if he’s bewitched.
My throat erupts with a warning from Grimace, my invisible chains slow to catch on to the threat as Regent throws me to the side. I’m shoved into the hay, adrenaline coursing through my veins as a shadowy figure drops from the high arch of the barn and Regent is flung back.
He grunts as he yanks the attacker’s blade from his shoulder, blood immediately beginning to soak through his shirt. My heart stammers as recognition dawns on me when our attacker steps out from the shadows. “Blaze?”
His face is concealed by his leather hood, and the mask covers the bottom half of his face, but those blazing blue eyes shift between Regent and me. We never would have sensed Blaze until he showed himself. His enchanted suits and weapons were designed specifically against greers.
Regent unsheathes one of his swords from his back.
“Don’t!” I scream, hand outstretched as I come to stand. The moment I do, Blaze’s head whips in my direction, and he lunges for me. I’m stunned as Regent blocks his path, his sword scraping alongside one of Blaze’s twin knives.
Regent flings him off, but just as quickly, Blaze throws three small darts, all sinking into Regent’s torso, and my eyes grow wide. I’m all too familiar with his tactics.
“Blaze!” I scream, and pick up the twin knife Regent had taken to the shoulder.
Why can’t he see me?
Why is he attacking us?
“Don’t move,” I instruct Regent. “His blades and those darts are poisoned. Movement will only increase your blood flow.”
Regent hisses as he starts yanking them out from his torso, sniffing the tip of one.
“Blaze,” I say, holding my hand out to him as one might a wild animal. It’s him, but when I look into his eyes, I don’t see the Blaze I know. Horror grips me as I realize with startling clarity that he’s under some kind of enchantment. “What has she done to you?” my voice breaks.
He explodes back into action, but before I can make my move, Regent is already blocking his path toward me as they go blow for blow.
Regent is bigger in size, but Blaze has always been dependent on his speed and lean build, wearing down his opponent until the poison takes effect.
His leather coat whips around as he dodges pieces of timber and rocks shooting for him.
All the while, sweat breaks out across Regent’s forehead, and his speed noticeably slows.
I run for his mare, and she squeals amid the ordeal. “I don’t have time for this,” I berate Reene as I yank her by the reins. Grimace clings to her mane as I open the stable door.
When I turn, I don’t know where to go or how to involve myself as Blaze runs along the side of the barn, dodging Regent’s now-slowing attacks.
The problem with the poison he uses is that it’s specific against greers, as it temporarily limits the flow of magic in their veins until he kills them.
Regent grabs Blaze by the shoulder and throws him across the barn, but as he does, Blaze’s short blade runs down his arm, cutting open his leather coat and spilling red.
Blaze is quick on his feet, diving back for an opening. I jump in front of Regent, clashing the twin blade against Blaze’s. His blue eyes are intent to kill as we careen to the side together and into the hay.
I kick at his stomach, but he grabs my leg and throws me across the barn. It knocks the wind out of me, but I immediately roll to the side when he brings his blade down where I was lying. I stagger and grab the back of his head, kneeing him in the face and kicking him away.
I bring up the blade once again in a defensive maneuver as I glance in Regent’s direction. He’s still trying to stand as his mare comes to his side, and he uses her to help him up.
I lick my lips, tasting blood as I focus on my childhood friend. “Blaze, you have to snap out of it,” my voice trembles, and my chains inevitably seek out Regent’s magic. A tremor runs through me, and I hesitate. What if it’s like last time I linked to Regent’s magic?
What if I lose control?
What if I hurt Blaze?
I retract my chains as Blaze runs for me again. His blade slices down my chest, and I pull back fast enough for it to only graze the material of my coat. He comes at me, strike after lethal strike. I deflect, but barely. “Please, Blaze,” my voice comes out as a pleading squeak.
Regent storms the barn, unsheathing his sword.
The other lies on the barn floor where it was knocked out of his hand.
I offer an internal nudge to Grimace to collect it, and he swallows it whole.
Blaze kicks me in the stomach, and I break through a stable door and fall into an empty pen.
The horses around us grow wild from the commotion as I collect myself from the ground.
Regent and Blaze go blow for blow again, but it’s evident in the way Regent moves and bleeds that the poison is already doing its job.
Blaze is going to kill him.
It makes no sense to turn against my childhood friend and defend my captor, yet my invisible chains rattle around Regent as I’m drawn to him instinctively. “Link.”
The heavy binding grows in my legs as I cling to the scripted text, imploring its assistance as I grab onto random enchantments.
My magic rips one of the barn posts out and throws it through the room.
In a flash, it knocks Blaze across the barn, and he rolls with it.
I move to Regent’s side, catching him in time as he weakly falls into me. For once, his mare comes willingly.
“You’re going to have to get yourself up.” I curse as I flop half of him over Reene’s back. Blaze runs for me, but I gather my hands, calling to the living earth outside the barn for its aid. My chains work with a grace I’ve never acquired quickly when playing with different elements.
It’s as if ancestral chants come to the surface, revealing themselves. He dodges the pieces that come his way, and then mud begins to pile on him, hardening his feet into place.