Page 198 of The Fae Girl 1

As the robed arseholes realised they were under attack they started fighting back. I hacked, I cut, I butchered my way to the fire before me.

The heat was oppressive. The scorching inferno before me was enough to push me back.

Only she was there, half burning in the flames. I threw myself into them, not caring if I burnt too and hacked at the ropes holding her.

Someone yanked me off. I turned, punching some red robed man and he fell before Ridley gutted him from behind.

I spun back around, freeing the last bit of binding and she fell into my arms. Her skin burnt black. Her body naked, showing that they’d stripped her bare.

I snarled with fury, wrapping my cloak around her, pulling out the fabric they’d rammed into her mouth.

“Is she…?” Ridley began but he fell silent.

“She’s alive.” I murmured seeing the tiniest of movement in her chest. Feeling it through our bond too. “We have to get her back.”

I scooped her up, held her tight to me, and carried her out. I didn’t wait for my men. I didn’t look to see if every Agnai was even dead. I left them behind, jumping on my horse and began galloping back.

It had taken a good hour to get from Montefore. A good hour of trekking. From the way she felt through our bond it didn’t feel like she had that long. It didn’t feel like she’d survive.

“Come on.” I called to her. “Stay with me. Stay with me Alice.”

I kicked the poor horse faster, setting a punishing pace. It could rest the entire year after if it got us there quicker. Hell it could retire for the rest of its life.

The wind started to pick up, the rain started to pour. It felt like the very earth was protesting her treatment. That a storm was raging for all that had been done to her.

When I spotted the castle in the distance I didn’t feel relief. Her spirit felt like it was fading. It felt like I was losing her.

I snarled louder, pushing harder.

We raced over the drawbridge, I jumped from the horse before it even properly stopped and I shouted for Jelric, shouted for healers.

In truth, I shouted for anyone who could help.

The healer took her from me despite my protests. Jelric held me back and it was all I could do not to lash out at him.

Only it wasn’t his fault. It was mine. All of this was.

I stood uselessly watching as they laid her out on the infirmary bed. Neither of them commented on her lack of clothes but I narrowed my eyes, wanting to cover her, wanting to give her some dignity, only I knew the healer needed to see the wounds to treat them.

Jelric hissed as he stared.

“Will she live?” I asked.

“Yes.” The healer replied. “But there will be scarring. A lot of it.”

I didn’t care about that. I didn’t care about anything except that she was alive, that she would live.

The healer set about making some sort of poultice. I clenched my fists waiting for him to do something to take the pain.

After he placed a small crystal on her forehead he frowned before examining her more closely. He lifted her wrist showing the blackened wound around a band of metal to the Magi.

Jelric cut it off before tossing it into the fire.

“What was that?” I asked.

“They cut off her powers using iron.” Jelric spat.

“Will she get them back?” Uther asked.

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