by Alta Hensley
"Yes," Briar whispered. "I see that now. But I just can't leave them. How can we be sure?"
Nico opened his mouth to speak, but paused for a few seconds. "I've seen worse. I've seen things and experienced stuff I would never wish on you. I'll protect you, Briar. I'll make sure you are safe from it all. I gave you my word that I would. But you have to let me lead. You have to trust in what I say and never question me again. I promise you I'll die trying. But I ask you to never fight me again."
Briar simply nodded.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"No."
"I'm sorry you had to see that." Nico reached for her hand and pulled her into an embrace.
He held her as she cried, stroking her hair softly. He stepped backwards away from her, swiping at the tears streaming down Briar's face. Unable to stand any longer, Briar dropped to her knees and sobbed out his name. "Donte. Please help me find Donte."
Nico held her tight and stroked her hair. "Who's Donte?"
"The man I love. He's alive. I know he's alive. Please, Nico. Please!" The sobs choked her, causing her words to come out in gasps. "He told me to find the nearest commune and wait. I tried. I tried so hard."
Nico nodded against her hair. "Okay, Briar. Okay. Just calm down."
"I was supposed to be in charge. He put me in charge of the harem's safety." She sobbed even louder. "I failed him. I failed them."
"Shh, calm down. You haven't failed anyone."
Then she heard the words. The words that changed everything.
"Don't move! Don't fucking move! You two stay where you are."
Briar looked at Nico in panic. She saw the look in Nico's eyes. The look of a man about to die.
Chapter Sixteen
Briar shook her head to erase the horror of her memories, the terror of the present. She was captive. Bound and gagged as the men carried her up to the house, she offered no resistance. How many days and nights since she had been kidnapped, she had no idea. Everything since the attack was a blur. She remembered the flash of silver as the knife was held against her throat, the dark menacing eyes of the men who threatened to kill her. She would never be able to forget the fear as she fought with frantic effort to break free from their grasp. If only she could have fought harder and faster, she wouldn't be here, a prisoner. She remembered Nico. She remembered watching him fight. Fight for her life.
She struggled against the restraints on her wrists and ankles. "Please, tell me what you want," she tried to say, hindered by the gag.
Her heart stopped as they approached the doorway. Briar tried to piece together her thoughts and take in her surroundings the best that she could. She was so tired and beaten down, she could barely keep her mind in reality. She stared at the large wooden door before her and panicked. Was death waiting on the other side?
As they walked into the house, they were met by a powerful figure looming in the shadows. He glowered at the men carrying her into the room. "What in the hell are you doing? Why is she tied up? What did you assholes do to her?" His thick accent reminded her of Donte.
"She put up a fight, you should see the marks we both have," the man holding her responded.
"The orders were to rescue her, not to hurt her!"
"We killed the men that did this to her. A few minutes later and she would have been dead."
"Why did you tie her up?" The man demanded.
"We did not have a choice! She didn't believe we were there to help. They traumatized her."
"Untie her now," the man commanded. "Then leave."
Briar drew in a shaky breath, trying to gather her thoughts. Her heart continued to hammer against her chest as she scanned the room for an escape, a weapon, anything to help her situation. The house would have been warm and inviting in its better days, but now suffered from years of neglect from standing vacant for so long. Dust and cobwebs coated all the surfaces and corners of the house. Dirt layered the rugs, furniture, and even the wallpaper. Candles and lanterns sat on the table, reminding Briar that electricity had been turned off a long time ago. A cold breeze swept through the room, adding to the shivers that already rocked her body.
The men removed the ropes and gag as her body shook uncontrollably. Mumbling obscenities under their breath, they stormed out of the house. She stood motionless as a wave of dread washed over her. She was alone with the man.
He grabbed her hand and led her over to the couch. "Sit."
She did as he ordered and pressed her bruised and battered body against the plush cushions of the couch. "I don't know what you want, but I—"
"Quiet," he commanded. He walked over to the kitchen, which was still in sight of the living room and couch. Any chance of running would be foolish, so Briar remained where she sat.
The sound of water being poured into a glass from a pitcher made her already dry mouth ache with need. The man's head craned as he looked back to stare in her direction. The intensity of his gaze sent tremors over her beaten skin. Briar quickly looked down at her hands to avoid his stare.
"Are you Briar?" the man asked as he approached her with a glass of water.
She nodded and took the glass. There was something about this man that made her feel he wouldn't hurt her, but after what she had been through, trusting him would be crazy.
"Where am I? Why am I here?" she asked, her voice hoarse from thirst and exhaustion.
The man stood up and made his way to the fireplace. Briar blinked away the haze of confusion that still consumed her mind. She was traumatized from the attack, and disorientated from being blindfolded during the long journey to the house. From what she could make out, when they removed the blindfold, she was out in the middle of the desert with nothing in sight, except the house.
"I'll start a fire to get the chill out of the air. I can see you are cold."
"Why have I been kidnapped?" she asked wearily. "Please, let me go. I won't say anything." Saying the words seemed comical. Who would she say anything to? "I won't do anything or fight you. I promise."
The man didn't even glance in her direction as he began tossing wood into the fireplace. He picked up the iron poker and stabbed at the fire until the flames caught and begin to build. The flames cast his shadow in several directions, making her feel outnumbered. Briar wrapped her arms around her chest as she stared at her captor. His tall frame squatted in front of the fire, his muscled back looking hard and unforgiving. His black hair hung along the top of his ears, uncombed and wild. Days' worth of growth on his face left him rugged and manly. His eyes were dark, secretive and dangerous.
"This should warm you up pretty soon." He looked over his shoulder at her and frowned. "It looks like they hurt you."
The memory brought fresh tears to Briar's eyes. She swiped at them, angry that she was showing vulnerability. She didn't want to give him that power. She was scared, hurt, but she didn't want him to think she was weak.
"Did you kill Nico?" Tears blinded her.
"Who is Nico?"
"The man I was with."
"We did not kill anyone except the men beating you. We saved you from them." Anger darkened the man's expression. "I should beat the..." He stood up and sat down next to her on the couch. "I am sorry they did that. I am not going to do what those men did, if that is what you think."
"I was with a man, a friend. What happened to him?"
Malachi shook his head. "I do not know."
"Is he dead? Did the attackers kill him?"
Malachi shook his head again. "I do not know the answer to that. All I know is my men rescued you and brought you here."
"Who are you? Why did you bring me here?" Briar's lip trembled. Controlling her emotions almost became impossible.
"Malachi." He leaned over her for a brief moment, grabbing the quilted blanket behind her. He unfolded the fabric and wrapped it around her drooping shoulders. "Lay back and rest right now. I will try to answer any questions you have when you awake."
She struggled to stand. Her muscles weak, and her head s
pinning, she had no choice but to stay sitting. She didn't want to sleep. She was terrified of what could happen, and yet... instinctively she knew the man wasn't going to do anything to her as she slept. Exhaustion took hold and conquered over all. Wrapping the blanket tighter around her, she closed her eyes for a brief moment. She shook her head. "Where am I? Why was I brought here?
Malachi stood up straight. His broad shoulders blocking the light coming through the windows. "We are helping Donte. He has been looking for you."
"Donte..." Consciousness faded.
Chapter Seventeen
Staring in the mirror of the small bathroom, Briar's body tensed, then froze solid. Her eyes widened at the woman looking back at her. Her hair clung in snarled knots around her head. Blood smudges covered her face, hiding her sunburned skin, and her eyes were so dark with sadness. She looked beaten, broken, yet at the same time she stared at a woman who survived. Spirit held her shoulders up, even as the blood-drenched shirt she wore cast the presence of death around her. Tears pouring from her eyes, she took a deep breath, summoning whatever strength she had left to continue on. In the reflection of the mirror, she saw the door open behind her. As if she were lost in a dream, she saw Donte on the other side.
He took a few steps toward her. "Briar? Are you all right?"
One step at a time, he made his way to her motionless body. He approached her cautiously as if she were a caged animal. She saw the large gash on his forehead. Her heart pumped wildly, fearing the unknown. What happened? Was he okay? The thought of the Palace of Lazar falling under Jaden almost suffocated her.
Turning sideways, she stared over her shoulder at the man she feared she'd never see again. Did he know she failed him? Did he know she allowed Maysa to be killed?
Despite his cautious tone, his familiar voice eased some of the panic tormenting her soul. Other than the cut, he appeared to be all right, and thank God... alive! She reached for his extended hand.
"What happened, Briar? Can you tell me what happened to you?"
Tears exploded from Briar's eyes, streaking the dried blood on her cheeks. "Maysa's dead. I held her in my arms as she struggled in pain for her last breath." A tortured sob escaped her pursed lips, forcing her to crumble to her knees.
Like a wary wolf, he slowly placed a hand on Briar's shoulder. Was he expecting her to bolt at any moment? She continued to sob into her dirty hands. "What happened? Who did this?" Donte knelt down and wiped her hair away from her eyes, appearing careful not to come on too strong.
"They came. They killed."
"Who?" Unable to keep from comforting her any longer, he lifted her shivering body into his embrace. The scent of his own blood seared into her nostrils. More blood. "Please, Briar. You need to tell me what happened."
She tensed, but didn't pull away. Taking a deep breath to control her cry, Briar answered, "A bunch of men. They came in with knifes and swords. There was no warning… and no mercy. They killed Maysa first. I had to watch her die in my lap. But they didn't stop with her. It took four men to hold Nico down, but when they did… I think they killed him too." Briar began to cry again, pressing her tear soaked face into his shoulder. "I watched Maysa take her last breath. She was in so much pain! And then I watched the men come back and try to kill me. Nico fought them, he was trying to protect me. Then everything went black."
Her misery mixed with fury. She couldn't stop the rage. She wanted revenge. She wanted to take them all on. She wanted to scream! But right now, her weakened body could only cry.
Cupping her jaw, he lifted her face and kissed her lightly. His lips were cold and dry, but his attempt to comfort her at least eased her sobs. Her shaking body warned of shock, and she was wise enough to see the signs of an upcoming breakdown. How much could she be expected to endure before the darkness reclaimed her?
Donte tightened his grip around her and whispered, "It is going to be okay. You are going to be just fine."
"How could you say that? How dare you coddle me and act like I just had a bad dream!" Briar pushed abruptly away from him, her breath coming in serrated gasps. "Look around you, Donte! This place is Hell on earth. The beasts out there kill for no reason. Maysa is dead! I think Nico's dead. Maysa and Nico died because of me. No, it is not going to be okay!"
Not bothered by her rage, he asked, "Who was Nico?"
"My friend. He was my friend. He saved my life... twice."
"Listen to me." He stroked the blood soaked hair on her head. "We will find out about Nico, but right now I need to focus on you. You are hurt."
Briar shook her head. "I'm fine."
Donte tilted her head so she had no choice but to look into his eyes. "Are you? Are you really fine?"
Tears continued to spill. She shook her head and whispered, "No."
"I am so sorry you had to go through that." He kissed her forehead. "But I am here now, and I am not going to let anything happen to you ever again." He kissed her lips again, tenderly, tightening his grip around her body. "I am so proud of the fighter you are. But you do not have to be strong any longer. Let me be your strength."
Briar sobbed. She couldn't do much else. She cried in his arms until she couldn't cry any longer. She mourned her friend. She mourned the life of a woman she'd grown to love. She cried for a man she barely knew, and prayed he somehow got out with his life. She wiped at her nose and took a deep breath. She needed to regain herself. She had no choice but to.
"I missed you so much. I have never been so scared in my life," Donte whispered into her ear as his arms wrapped around her tighter. His lips traced the curves of Briar's neck and shoulders. Hearing his declaration of emotion surprised her. Donte's heart revealed itself. "When I sent you away, I only thought about when I could get you back."
"I missed you, too," she said. Safe in his arms and snuggled up against his chest, his touch helped extinguish all the misery that had tortured her while he was away. She was worried to ask her next question, but knew she had to. "Did Jaden seize the palace?"
He inhaled deeply. "Yes. For now."
"The brothers? The staff? The rest of the harem?"
"Some are safe. Some are not." He paused. "We are relocating to another commune. We have been building one for quite some time. Not for these reasons, but we had hoped to expand in the near future."
She looked at him, confused. "With what resources? Where is there another commune with the resources needed?"
"Hot springs. We have figured out a way to convert the sulphuric water to fresh. It is a project that has been our focus for a while." He kissed her forehead again. "We will rebuild. We will heal. We will rebound from the attack. I promise you this."
Clinging to his warm chest, the world seemed right again. He pulled her hair away from her face. His smile disappeared and the light in his eyes shadowed and faded. His fingers grazed over the dark marks along her neck, face and chest.
"Briar, I need to look at these bruises."
Briar stared in silence as he examined her condition. He examined the bandaged gash on her ribs.
"Are you in a lot of pain?"
She shook her head.
His nose flared with his deep breaths. "Did they rape you?" he asked calmly, but his expression revealed a hint of anger.
She shook her head. Briar's heart pounded in her chest, lacking the strength and courage to relive the awful attack. He wasn't listening anyway. His head needed to be calm, not hot with anger.
"Donte, please forget about the bruises."
"Tell me what happened, now." The order was firm and unwavering.
"They lunged at me, grabbed me by my neck, and threw me to the ground. I tried to run away from them, but they caught me and hit me repeatedly. I struggled to fight them. Nico did his best to protect me, but there were too many of them and they overpowered us. They choked me, punched me several times, and then things got blurry. I tried to fight as hard as I could, but things went black and…" Tears burned her eyes. "Then more men came..."
Donte lifted
the shirt from the rest of Briar's body, his fingers tracing along the bruises across her neck, chest, and ribcage. The pain in his eyes broke her heart.
"I should have been there."
"Donte, you couldn't have stopped them, and you couldn't have saved Nico. Just get me out of here."
"I could kill them for what they did to you."
"But you won't." Briar's tone became firm and for a reason. She wanted out of this house and back in the safety of Donte's protective arms. She was done fighting.
Briar looked at Donte for the first time with tears cascading. "I'm so scared, Donte. I'm terrified of what's to come. What happens now?" Briar pointed to the distance behind him. "Jaden's army is out there, and they'll keep killing until they take over all the communes. They are ruthless, and the desert is making them worse."
"We will figure it out," Donte whispered. "I am sorry, Briar. I had no idea this would happen. I would have never allowed this if I had felt your life would be in danger. I thought you and the rest of the harem would be safe."
"You had no way of knowing," she mumbled against his chest.
"I should have been here to protect you." Guilt flooded his expression. "To fight alongside Nico."
Briar shook her head. "No. I'm glad you weren't there. There were too many of them, and you would have died, just like Nico." She pulled away and stood up, wrapping her arms around her still shaking torso. "But everything happens for a reason, Donte. You are here now. And right now I need you." She made her way to the bathroom door, feeling a renewed sense of strength. "There's Malachi and his men who saved me. I need to thank them."
Donte opened his mouth to speak when Briar cut him off. "I'm bruised, I hurt, but I am alive." She gave a warm smile for the first time and added, "Please let me thank the men who made that possible."
Walking so he stood in front of her, he brushed a strand of hair from her face and sighed. "Quickly, and then you are to rest for the remainder of the evening. I would like us to leave for the commune tomorrow, and you will need your strength."
