Page 41 of Shadow Master
Hyde’s scream ripped through my soul.
“Stop! Stop it! Just take me instead.”
“Lift him up. Let the woman watch,” the wiry one said. “It’ll soften her for later.”
The guy with the bloody eye grunted in agreement, and together, they hauled a barely conscious Hyde to his feet.
My body quivered, and my eyes heated. “Stop it, you fucking bastards. Take me. Fight me.”
They ignored me, lifting Hyde so he stood braced between them, his head drooping.
“Hyde …” My voice cracked on a sob.
There was nothing I could do. I was powerless, trapped. The impotence clawed at my psyche.
Hyde raised his head and locked gazes with me. “Don’t look.” His voice was thready and weak.
The wiry guy produced a blade, flipped it in his hand, and then plunged it into Hyde’s gut.
My scream rocked the night, and the edges of my vision darkened. Rage, potent but helpless, flooded me. I gripped the bars and shook them, screaming again and again in time with the stabs. In time to the tear of Hyde’s flesh.
They were killing him. Killing him …
The wiry guy pulled back his arm, ready to stab once more, then froze. There was something protruding out of his head.
There was an arrow in the center of his head.
Fifteen
The man with the arrow in his head dropped like a stone.
His companion let out a cry of alarm that was cut off by an arrow through his mouth.
They fell, taking Hyde with them, and then the camp broke out in a cacophony of commotion.
Figures poured into the clearing. Arrows whizzed, and swords slashed. The fomorians of the camp were larger than their attackers, but they were also outnumbered. Taken by surprise, they fell within minutes.
The attackers milled about looking shell-shocked, as if they couldn’t believe their luck.
I rattled the bars. “Hey! Let me out. I have to … I have to help him.” My vision was blurred with tears, my voice choked from the phantom hands squeezing my throat.
Two of the newcomers crouched by Hyde’s body.
“Hey! Please!”
“Open the fucking cage!” Harmon shook the bars to his prison.
One of the newcomers rose and strode to my cage. His brown eyes were kind.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Please, let me out. Can you understand me?”
“I understand you. Unfortunately, you won’t understand me. Your friend is dead.”
“No, he isn’t, he can’t be.”
The man looked shocked by my response.
“Let me out.” I shook the bars. “I’ll explain, but you need to let me out.”
