Page 14 of Ember and Eclipse
Grabbing the front of her tunic, he rolled them over again. The curl of his lip almost appeared like a smile, but his dark regard was humorless. “Then I wouldn’t fulfill the requirements of the bounty. And at this point, taking you back alive seems far more suitable than killing you,” he sneered.
His unbothered confidence of putting her back in the dominant position, though sans knife, made her see red. Since no weapons were in reach, not even a substantial stone, she lunged toward his face with her nails. She’d claw his flesh to get rid of that smug look.
Sitting up just as quickly, he hit her arms away, his hand finding its way into her hair and yanking back, exposing her neck to him once again. She dug her nails into his biceps, the only thing she could reach now. The wound at her neck cracked open, and blood leaked from it.
“Enough,” he commanded.
And though she hated her body for it, she felt the fight die out of her.
“You don’t know when to stop, do you? I might have indulged you in a fight at any other time, but as it is, you have already taken up too much of my night.”
Releasing her hair, he placed his hands on her hips, lifting her up before shoving her off. She landed in the dirt, panting, and the hot prickle of shame rushed over her.
Defeated.
“Before this is all over,” she said, struggling to her feet, “Iwillkill you.”
If her magic ever showed itself again, she would simply destroy him. Without another look at him, she walked back to her sleeping mat.
“I have no doubt that you’ll try. I look forward to it.”
Rel didn’t sleep again.
Chapter X
“Gavenportwillbecrowdedthis time of year with merchants coming from abroad for Romulan’s winter festivities. Anywhere there are vendors who need to travel through Heigar’s Pass, there will also be mercenaries for hire. Since the city lies outside of Romulan territory and offers a free port, it has a reputation for collecting discarded, displaced, or exiled people. My point is that it isn’t a place where you’ll want to announce what we are. I assure you, if you do, there will be those who will want to take you for themselves. For the bounty they could receive. With that being said, it’ll require a bit of deception. I’ll be a merchant, and you will be my wife.”
“I would rather die,” she said through gritted teeth.
He made an amused sound. “I thought you may feel that way. The other option is we don’t hide who we are, and I instead gag and restrain you, and throw you over Friend here. I’ll parade you through the city as the criminal you are. Which do you prefer?”
She didn’t say anything else, though her jaw hurt from holding in the sheer amount of obscenities she wanted to throw at him. Instead, she turned her mind to the possibility of escape once they were in Gavenport. Though killing him in his sleep had proven unlikely, it could be much easier to get lost in a crowd or find passage on someone’s ship or carriage—anything that would get her as far as possible from the hunter and give her a fighting chance.
When she’d fled Romul, she’d been sure to avoid Gavenport. Now the city rose before them, jaggedly built into a mountain’s rocky landings, gray buildings rising and falling like a frozen wave. The roofs were dome-capped with a shiny cobalt color that the weak sun shimmered off of, making it appear as if there were jewels set into the horizon.
But just as she was mesmerized by the sight, the ever-growing and shifting dark cloud moved toward them. Squinting, she could see the rain already streaking the gray clouds downward. There was nothing else for them to do. They’d have to gothroughit to get to the city.
The hunter wrapped an arm around her midsection, pulling her into him while leaning forward and forcing her to do the same. She clawed at his hand, but he pushed Friend harder, heading straight for the downpour in a full-out charge. Without him holding her, she’d be more likely to fall from the horse and break her neck than anything. She was forced to cling to his muscled arm instead.
Rel braced herself as they entered the storm. Though he took the brunt of the pelting downpour, the drops fell heavily on them both. The rain was so cold that she released an involuntary gasp as it hit her. It soaked through her tresses and clothes in a matter of seconds. Strands of her hair stuck to her flesh as torrents of water ran down her face and neck.
When the city finally loomed before them, and they were but minutes away from entering, the hunter forced Friend to a slower gait. The moment he leaned back, she pulled away from him again.
Over the pelting rain, he asked, “Have you decided which option you’ll be taking?”
His voice may as well have been the thunder rumbling above. She inhaled deeply, swallowing her pride to say, “I’ll act as your wife.”
“You don’t sound so enthusiastic. I assure you any wife of mine would be ecstatic.”
It sounded like he was smiling. Like he was having the time of his life. She snorted derisively. “Yes, because you aresocharming. And who doesn’t want someone who chases after them?”
He didn’t say anything else until they veered off toward the entrance of the city. There was a carriage before them, and the two merchants were speaking with a city guard, gesticulating wildly.
“Lean against me,” he murmured, and she could barely hear him over the downpour. “A wife wouldn’t sit in such an uncomfortable way.”
Conflicted, she debated with herself, but when another guard approached them, looking at them with hardly concealed suspicion, she did. She relaxed her body, pressing into him. The ache of her constantly tensed muscles lessened minutely.
“Where from?” the guard asked, his accent thick. He wiped a large hand down his face, ridding it momentarily of rain.
