Chapter 8
Nothing filled me with more satisfaction than marching toward the entrance to the sprawling grounds of the self-proclaimed King of Merchants. And not only that, but apprehension was spiking higher and higher the closer we came to Feroy’s headquarters.
Every few steps, I growled at the human soldiers in our company, motivating the uninspired men to pick up their pace.
In the past few days, I’d been forced to hold out, wait, be patient for too long, and now, finally so close to saving Nayana from torture or worse, I had no composure left.
My comrades threw glances at me whenever they assumed I wouldn’t notice, and even if I were a less intelligent male, I would have detected them doubting my ability to keep myself in check around Feroy.
For once, I didn’t mind them being skeptical because the answer to that question was a resounding no—I had not a single illusion about how hot the urge to avenge my tiny human ran and how all reason was burning down on the pyre of my wrath.
So, safe to say, my nerves were a little bit frayed.
On top of that, the herald trotting next to me irritated me to no end, for no matter how much I snarled at him, he refused to hand over the king’s missive.
Gritting my teeth, I considered unveiling my status to the human who held himself in too high regard or, even better, disposing of the puny man, but I pulled every thread of mental fortitude together—I couldn’t allow myself to act in any way that might jeopardize the mission, not so close to the goal.
When we reached the area housing the merchant’s headquarters and stopped at the gate, I was taut as a bowstring, my body vibrating visibly as I balled my fists with all the suppressed urges to raise unimaginable torment on the entire compound.
Instead, I remained rooted to the spot as the herald addressed the guards in front of the high iron gates and demanded to speak to Perran Feroy on behalf of King Pritatus this very instant.
Feroy’s staff hesitated a second too long for my taste, and I bared my teeth to one of them, which—lucky for him—impressed him enough to scuttle away.
His colleague stayed behind, and his eyes darted around, his gaze landing everywhere but on us.
Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t stop my chest from rumbling as seconds of waiting for the despicable human to appear turned into minutes.
Once again, a dizzy spell attacked me, and I briefly swayed as the world spun around and around. Masking the weakness by shifting my weight from one leg to the other, I glared at everyone in my vicinity.
By now, I’d reached a state where I couldn’t distinguish between friend and foe anymore—every living soul was a potential obstacle on my quest to find her.
My throat constricted all of a sudden when I got distracted from my brooding by something entirely else. My magic rose to the surface, reaching out to the very faint and far-away sensation, and I knew without a doubt that what I felt was her.
Nayana.
She was so close I could sense her Potential. Thank fuck, I wasn’t too late.
Could she also tell that I was near? That I was coming for her?
“What’s the meaning behind this ruckus?”
My skin grew too small to contain all my rage as an unpleasant voice boomed through the area.
And then he appeared.
Kill.
The despicable merchant waddled to the gate, face deep red and marred by a thick vein pulsing on his forehead.
My growls picked up in volume, and after I’d pushed a guard out of the way, I rushed past the gate. Even Antas and Fig couldn’t hold me back as I descended on Feroy like fury personified. Without hesitation, I grabbed him by the lapels, shaking him so hard that his skeleton audibly rattled.
“Where—is—she?” I snarled and showed him my teeth.
Kill. Human weakling.
He was. Obliterating this fucking bag of bones wouldn’t pose a challenge, yet a quick death was much too merciful, and I was just enough in control to lock the voice in my head away. Soon, I’d rain down untold horrors upon Perran Feroy.
Also, if I disposed of him now, I’d technically break the diplomatic protocol, and although I didn’t give two shits about the human royals, they were the ones providing shelter during the upcoming days.
As if he knew I was all bark and no bite for the time being, the merchant ignored me and settled his attention on the herald. Safe to say, this behavior riled me up even more.
Maybe he assumed I’d miss the moment when something akin to triumph stood in his beady eyes, but I spotted the expression—I just wasn’t in the right headspace to analyze its meaning.
Feroy observed the royal guards and paid heed to the herald, who proclaimed the missive, totally unfazed by the tension reaching a boiling point around him.
“Perran Feroy, on behalf of His Royal Majesty, King Pritatus the Mighty, All-King of Ivreia, you’re hereby ordered to hand over Nayana Garnet Ortha of Credenta.
Failure to comply will result in your temporary arrest and a thorough search of your premises until the matter is resolved.
Also, for the potential abduction, imprisonment, and torture of said woman, you’re hereby mandated to present yourself to the Royal Tribunal for interrogation in a fortnight.
Until then, you’re forbidden to leave Ivreiana. ”
Feroy’s head wobbled as I shook him again. “You heard the man. Bring me to her this instant.”
“I have no idea of whom you’re speaking of. Yes, Miss Ortha murdered my son in cold blood, and I have a bounty on her head, but I’d never take the law into my own hands.”
Enough. I was over listening to his yapping—the pitiful remnants of my patience evaporated into nothingness.
Nayana was near and so weak, as if she were fading away. So I snapped my teeth at Feroy, and if he hadn’t reacted as fast as he had, I would have bitten a chunk out of his nose. “Lead the way. Now.”
My hands abandoned his lapels. Instead, I gripped him around the neck, not choking him—yet—but my fingernails dug into his skin, leaving bloody marks in his wake.
“Mr. Feroy, this is the last warning. If investigations conclude that you have been lying about not keeping this woman unlawfully and against her will on your premises, such an act will have dire consequences for you.”
Pure hatred blazed out of Perran’s eyes as they moved from the herald over the royal guard soldiers who had their weapons drawn a while ago until his gaze landed on my face. “Well. Let me go, and I’ll bring you.”
There was no sanity left in me, so instead of dwelling on why the merchant was so calm and collected, I shook him once more and dug my nails deeper into his flesh before I reluctantly released him. “Hurry up, before I forget myself.”
“Merchant, believe me when I say you don’t want that.” Thain sounded too cheerful for this shit show of a situation, and under any other circumstances, I would have ripped his head off for disregarding his own advice.
The deep abyss inside me expanded, and the redhead’s voice, combined with the presence of Nayana’s torturer, pushed me closer to the edge. “Shut up, Thain. And you, fucking merchant, move.”
I was slipping in and out of consciousness, and every time oblivion dragged me under, I feared I wouldn’t wake up anymore.
At some point during the past few hours, my muscles had started cramping.
My head was bursting as my vision blurred more and more, and since my throat was as dry as the Restless Desert, I’d given up on trying to swallow the little remaining moisture my body was still producing.
How long ago had the friendly guard snuck into my cell and granted me the few sips of water?
Or—and the possibility became more and more likely—had I only dreamed of our interaction?
Every ragged breath was a fight, one I was going to lose soon.
There was at least a plus side, namely that I wasn’t hungry anymore. But on the downside, apart from all the above, I was freezing as if I were lying naked in the snow. My prison had never been warm, but lately, the low temperature had become oppressive.
“Gods, let go of me.”
“Then hurry the fuck up.”
Confusion flooded my mind, and slowly, I managed to pry my eyes open at least a fraction of an inch as I strained my ears in hopes of hearing more. This voice, the growling and snarling, was so familiar.
Was I hallucinating? Was this wishful thinking created by my body shutting down?
That had to be the explanation.
Surely he couldn’t…wouldn’t be here—not after everything I’d done, after all the promises I’d broken.
Sudden light blinded my vision as a thundering bang followed by deafening scraping noises shot through the heavy silence. Had the door flown off the hinges?
Only shadows moved in my perception, and seconds later, I was engulfed in a cloud of petrichor and evergreens, just as something warm and secure enveloped my body—powerful arms, a firm chest. Tendrils curled around me, attaching themselves to each limb, my midriff, and my head, but they felt weaker than usual.
Yet, their inner vibration was more restless and agitated than I’d ever experienced before.
Although I didn’t trust my senses, every fiber of my being told me I was coming home. And if this were an apparition conjured by my dying brain, I’d be thankful that peace had been the last emotion I’d perceived before departing to Udiona.
“Nayana.”
“Di—”
“Your voice—”
“You—”
“I’m here. And I’m taking you with me. Don’t give up on me, do you understand?”
At this moment, I couldn’t care less that this male had lied to me worse than anyone else ever before. He had come for me, and I was safe.
He had come for me.
I was safe.
He had come for me.
I was safe.
Dion—my dark rainstorm in the forest.
For the first time in gods-know-how-long, a deep sense of safety settled over me. In my friend’s arms and wrapped up in his magic, I wanted to cling to the certainty that I was sheltered, but the more I fought against drowning in oblivion, the more the unconsciousness threatened to conquer me.
Before the darkness could claim me completely, Dion’s voice brushed my ears like phantom caresses, but I had no clue if his words were real or imagined.
“Don’t you dare to die, Nayana. I forbid you to.
And if you don’t obey me, I’ll find you in Udiona and destroy everything until Noelk has no other choice but to return you to me.
Surely, you don’t want that on your conscience, right?
Still, I’ll do so and much worse if you force my hand.
I need you way too much. Nayana—you’re my salvation. ”