Page 40 of A Dance With Fire
Her hands trembled as she set her hair over them again. Out of habit, or because she didn’t want them to see the scars?
It made him smirk cruelly at her. He knew when he smiled, the scars twisted on his cheeks and made him look grotesque. It was why he’d grown out his beard, because it made him look somewhat normal. He was glad for the insanity of his features right then, though.
“I’ve heard of Fae like you,” he sneered. “You go to surgeons so they can alter your true nature, distort your features so you look more human. That’s what you did, isn’t it? Because you are ashamed of what you are?”
He heard the hitch in her breath, heard her heart pounding, faster and faster.
“Yes,” she hissed. “Yes, I altered my ears. I did it to survive, because I was alone.” There was such heartbreak in her voice, but it failed to touch Ryker. Because all he could see was the shame that burned inside her, brighter than any fire, brighter than any star.
“You won’t be alone here,” Clay cut in. His voice was soft and gentle. Caring.
It made Ryker want to scoff.
“Regardless of what you did in the past, we protect our own.” Valerio stepped forward. There was finality in the gesture as well in the expression he wore. “The Brotherhood wants you. Theemperorwants you, and so we will not let him have you. We will protect you now.”
“So you’re going to keep me prisoner here?”
Valerio shrugged. “Call it what you will, Shula Azzarh. But we will not let you go.”
“You can’t keep me here against my will!”
“If it means protecting the race of the Fae, then I will do whatever it fucking takes.”
“No.” The word was but a breath leaving her lips, and yet he could feel the heat, the vehemence in it clearly.
Clay shifted uncomfortably. It was unwise to deny the Prince of Seelie. No Fae would dream of it, and yet she did.Because she’s more human than Fae, Ryker thought bitterly. That was the only reason she defied him.
Valerio’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Then I will keep you here by force.” He blinked.
And the air around them was consumed with the prince’s magic.
It wasn’t something that Ryker could see, but he could feel its intensity like a blow to the chest. He sucked in a breath and watched as Valerio used his magic against the Fire Dancer.
Her body tensed, pulling as taut as a bow string. She gasped, her head darting around the clearing, looking at things that weren’t really there. Because that’s what his magic was. It was glamor and illusions.
It was temporary insanity.
The Fire Dancer began to scream. “No! You aren’t real! You can’t get me! No!” The panicked sound of her voice built an ache in his chest that he forced himself to ignore because it was an ache that didn’t make sense.
Perhaps they were not real, whatever it was she was seeing, but it always felt like it was. She swatted at the air and cringed back so far and so fast, she hit Ryker’s chest.
He wanted to push her away, but something seared straight through his chest, so he didn’t. It was her scent, all warm campfires and confections. Her nails reached back blindly, digging into the skin of his arm.
His heart pounded against her back but he doubted she could feel it. But he could taste her fear. It was sharp in the air and coated along his taste buds.
It made Ryker wonder what Valerio was making her see? Her worst nightmare? The Brotherhood?
She gripped Ryker tightly and whimpered.
Just like Ryker felt the power of Valerio’s magic, he felt it slipping away as well until nothing of it was left. He cast a glance at his prince wondering how soon the toll would fall upon him.
The moment the magic dissipated, the Fire Dancer extricated her nails from his arms. He felt the abrasions give off the slightest burn and he knew that if he looked down, he’d find her markings against him like a claim. A brand.
The Fire Dancer stumbled forward a step; she tripped and promptly vomited all over the forest floor.
The putrid stench hit Ryker’s nose, but he’d smelt worse in healing rooms. Vomit, piss and shit, burnt flesh, festered wounds, puss, infections… He recognized it all.
Clay was suddenly there, his palm rubbing gentle circles around her back, but she jerked away from him, falling into a pile of leaves.
