“Something’s going on.”
His voice was hushed and she frowned, then turned her attention to the commotion off to her left. Cyrcinus was pacing and looking more and more agitated with each pass. “I can’t believe he didn’t come,” she spat. “He really didn’t come.” She shook her head. “I thought for sure he would have been here by now, begging me for mercy. He really is a coward.” She snorted. “I don’t want a coward as a mate.” She snatched a knife from her belt and strode angrily towards Darien and Willow. “I don’t have time for these stupid games!” She cut Darien’s bonds, then yanked him up by the back of his shirt and flung him towards two of her guards.
Willow’s heart picked up its pace as Darien fought against the guards’ hold, but they held strong. Cyrcinus rolled up her sleeves and faced Darien. An evil smile slithered across her face as she pulled a small vial of liquid from a pouch at her hip. Willow gasped. “No!” she cried. “You can’t!”
Cyrcinus turned, narrowed her eyes at Willow, strode to her and struck her hard across the mouth. “Silence, slave!” She spat down at her. “You’re not a queen anymore.” She delivered a harsh kick to Willow’s stomach that robbed her of breath and made her double over.
“Do you know what I always hated about Alveda d’Kai?” she sneered as she pulled the stopper out of the bottle and waltzed back over to Darien. “They were always so fickle. One second they were loyal to the Supporo, the next they were loyal to the Avari. I see not much has changed. Your champion dragon warrior said he would protect you, did he not? Where is he now? He abandoned every single one of you to save his own sorry hide.” She took her dagger and drenched the blade in the liquid from the vial. “The world will be better when there is no Alveda d’Kai blood left at all. I mean to make sure that happens. Starting with you.” She snatched Darien’s arm and held it out wrist up, then stabbed the point of her dagger into his wrist and dragged an excruciating and deep path all the way up his forearm to his elbow.
“No!” Willow shouted in horror. Tears spilled down her cheeks and Darien’s scream pierced her heart. She fought against her bonds, but it was useless. “Darien!” she cried. His continued screaming confirmed her worst suspicions. The liquid Cyrcinus had poured all over her dagger had been the poison that had slaughtered all of the Alveda d’Kai and had almost killed Logan.
“Someone shut that wretched woman up!” Cyrcinus demanded. She stabbed her finger at two more of her guards. “You two, take her. Do whatever you like with her.”
The two men she pointed at were two particularly horrid guards who had been leering at her and making crude remarks. She gasped as they lumbered toward her with malicious smirks. All she could hear was Darien as he continued to scream. She thought of all of the time she’d spent with him at the camp over the years. He didn’t deserve to die like this. Not like this. Not at all. She thought of Logan and how much pain he’d been in when he’d been poisoned. Logan. Darien. Both had suffered because of her. All of this was her fault. She’d thought hiding was the best course of action for her people. She’d thought that fighting would only end up getting them killed. How wrong she had been. Because of her mistake, innocent people would die. People who didn’t even belong in her world. People who never should have been involved at all.
She should have been panic-stricken as the guards slashed her bonds and hauled her off of her feet, but strangely, she wasn’t. Her heart was hammering and she was more terrified than she ever had been in her life, but her body didn’t react to the feeling. It was like part of her just wouldn’t take it anymore. This evil woman was done hurting the people she loved. It was time to stop hiding, stop cowering.
It was time to fight!
Moving faster than she ever had, she managed to kick one of the guards between the legs and wriggle free from the hold of the other one. She grasped the sword of the man she’d kicked, pulling it free from its sheath and turning back to the other guard, meeting the blade he’d pulled free with a resounding crash.
“Seize her!” Cyrcinus shouted. “Seize her now! Take her down!”
Willow’s fingers tightened on the hilt as five more guards came towards her, blades drawn. She was going to die. There was no way out of it, but she certainly wasn’t going to go down like a coward. She was going to go down swinging, like a fighter, like a leader. Like…
Like the man you love.
His face flashed in front of her eyes. A trick of the mind, but she swore she’d seen him slip through the trees just beyond… A tear streaked down her cheek and she steeled her resolve. She raised her sword in preparation, ready to take them all on until she could fight no more.
Time seemed to slow and Willow wasn’t really sure what even happened. All she knew was that a great chorus of screams suddenly sounded through the courtyard and wolves seemed to come out of nowhere. Great, beautiful, and ferocious beasts bounded out of the trees, snarling and tearing with vicious teeth. The guards facing Willow turned to fend them off, but were taken down almost immediately.
Willow turned back to see Cyrcinus start to flee in terror, but her progress was halted by an enormous white wolf leaping on her from behind and pinning her to the ground. She registered fear in the woman’s eyes, but only took satisfaction in it for a second before she ran to where Darien was all but convulsing on the ground.
“Darien,” she murmured, pulling him into her arms. “Darien, I’m so sorry.”
“Darien!”
Her head snapped up at Lucy’s voice and her heart tripped over itself as her eyes landed on the vision of Logan running towards her. She drew in a shaky breath and felt a hundred things at once. Relief, confusion, elation, and so much more.
“Willow!” he shouted. “Are you hurt? What happened?” He knelt and took her face in his hands, his concern mirrored openly in his eyes.
She started to tremble at the feeling of his touch. “You came,” she whispered. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears spilled anew. “I knew you’d come.” But it was too late… Two minutes earlier and Darien…
“Darien!” Lucy screamed again. “Logan! His arm!”
Logan looked away from Willow and his face went ashen as his eyes fell on his brother. “Oh my gosh,” he whispered. “What happened? Darien!” He pulled Darien from Willow and brushed the hair back from his face. “Darien, it’s Logan and Lucy. Please, hang in there.” He looked up at Willow. “What did she do to him?”
Willow shook her head. “She sliced his arm open with a dagger after she poured poison all over it.”
He stared at her for a second of dumbstruck silence, then ripped his shirt off and wrapped it around Darien’s rapidly bleeding arm.
“Logan,” Darien croaked, his entire body shaking. “You’re alive. You came.”
“Of course I did, you idiot. Now just lie still.” Logan’s fingers trembled and his voice shook.
“Darien, it’s okay, I’m here,” Lucy whimpered, pillowing Darien’s head in her lap.
He forced a twisted smile and reached his good arm up to touch a lock of her flyaway hair before he let out another pain-laden scream and curled his body in agony.
Logan tangled his fingers in his hair as he stared at Darien helplessly. “I-I don’t know what to do,” he murmured.
Aki, Colt and Doug suddenly barreled up as well, then came to a screeching halt as they took in the scene that was unfolding before them.
“Darien,” Aki breathed. Her hands flew to her mouth and Colt immediately put his arm around her shoulders.
“Look at his arm,” Doug whispered.
Logan closed his eyes and Willow saw that his breathing was coming in shallow gasps. She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her. “I don’t know what to do.”
The pain on his face almost killed her.
He shook his head. “There has to be something I can do. Think, Logan. Get a grip.” He took a deep breath and looked down at Darien. “Somewhere inside of me there has to be one cell, one piece of DNA that can help.�
�� He spoke quietly, almost to himself, and he leaned over his brother, tenderly brushing back his hair. “I can’t let this happen. I won’t let this happen. Somewhere inside of me I have to have something that is not useless!” His tone changed from fearful to determined and he placed both of his hands over the wound on Darien’s arm. He closed his eyes and started to mutter quietly. “Close the wound; remove the poison. Close the wound; remove the poison.”
Lucy met Willow’s eyes in question and Willow felt herself holding her breath. Logan hadn’t demonstrated any Alveda d’Kai abilities. He, in all likelihood, would not be able to heal Darien, but part of her dared to hope.
“Come on,” Logan muttered. “Come on… Close the wound; remove the poison.”
Darien let out another horrific scream.
Logan matched it with one of his own. One of rage, one of torment. One that made the hair on the back of Willow’s neck stand up and all of the kids stare at him in bewildered fright.
“I am Alveda d’Kai!” he shouted. “I am not a useless human! I am not a useless person! I am not a useless man! I will not sit here and watch my brother die!” He grasped Darien behind the neck and forced him to look into his eyes. “I will save your life, Darien, or so help me, I will die trying! I did not go through all of this just to have you die! Do you understand me?” He placed his hands back over Darien’s wound and concentrated so hard that sweat broke out on his forehead. “Close the wound; remove the poison. Close the wound; remove the poison.”
He let out another roar that threatened to shake the very earth they sat on and Lucy gasped. “Look!”
Willow followed the point of Lucy’s finger to Logan’s lower back and all of the air left her lungs with force. The skin began to glow with a strange, golden light before a shape emerged in an orange, fiery color. The symbol of the Alveda d’Kai… She stared in utter shock. Logan, the man who could barely handle his human life, was changing the laws of his own genetic makeup with sheer power of will. He was more than a man, more than a warrior. He was a miracle.
“Live, Darien!” Logan cried. “You will live! I can’t lose you now…” The thundering power of his voice fell into a whisper as emotion took hold of him. He bent forward and rested his head against Darien’s chest. “I just found you. I never would have gotten through this without you. Please, don’t leave me now. Live. Be well… Please…”
Willow watched as the mark on his back burned like a hot coal and her gaze shifted to Darien’s arm when she heard the kids give a collective gasp. It was glowing with more white light than she had ever seen a healer use, engulfing the entire limb in brilliance. Darien drew in a deep breath and his body relaxed, causing Logan to look up in surprise.
Willow closed her eyes and sat back, relief causing tears to course down her cheeks like rivers. She put her hands over her mouth and shook her head. It was amazing. What she had just witnessed had been nothing short of magic.
“Darien?” Logan murmured. He sat back and looked down at his arm, which was now healed. Complete bafflement flashed across his features. “I-I did it?” He sounded lost and confused, like a child. It was such a contrast to the powerful, vicious presence he had been a moment ago.
Darien flinched and pushed himself into a sitting position. He heaved a weary sigh and Lucy let out a joyful cry, throwing her arms around him and holding on. Darien’s eyes met Logan’s and the two men just regarded one another silently for a moment with a look that said everything words could not. Finally, Darien leaned forward and rested his forehead against Logan’s shoulder.
Logan closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his brother. “I think I still owe you one,” he whispered in a choked voice, “but don’t collect the debt too soon, okay?”
Darien nodded, gave Logan another long, silent look, then turned his attention to his friends to assure them that he was all right.
Logan let out a ragged sigh and let his shoulders slump. Willow moved so that she was kneeling in front of him and she reached out to run her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and reached up to capture her hand, bringing her palm to his lips. The gesture unraveled any remaining barrier surrounding Willow’s heart and she slipped her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair and burying her face against his skin. “How have you done this?” she whispered. She opened her eyes and looked over his shoulder to where several Kaleydia men were leading her now freed people into the courtyard. More tears burned behind her eyes. “How have you done any of this?” She took his face gently in her hands and gazed into his beautiful eyes.
A very small smile touched his lips. “You are mine to protect,” he replied. “All of you are mine to protect. I did what I had to… I don’t give up easily.” He winced. “My back feels like it’s on fire.”
She raised her eyebrows. She had a feeling that he had no idea what he had actually accomplished. “Logan, the mark of your people appeared on you while you were healing Darien.”
His eyes went wide.
She smiled and nodded. “What you did was remarkable.”
He shook his head slowly. “I didn’t have any other choice.”
She feathered her thumb along his bottom lip. “It was remarkable all the same.”
“You can’t do this!” Cyrcinus’ shrill voice cried suddenly. “I demand a trial! I am a queen!”
Willow and Logan turned their attention over to where a menacing-looking man with white hair was pulling a bound Cyrcinus into the courtyard by a rope around her neck. Even though her words were vehement, Willow couldn’t mistake the tremor in her voice or the fear in her eyes.
Without even thinking, Willow stood and strode over to her, striking her hard across the face with the back of her hand. It was hard enough to split her lip and draw a startled cry from her. “You’re not a queen anymore,” she snarled. “You’ve tormented my people long enough.” She turned her gaze up to the man holding her captive. “You have my thanks, sir.”
He regarded her quietly for a moment with his pale eyes. “You are the queen of the Avari?”
She nodded.
“Remember what the Kaleydia have done for your people this day, madam.”
She nodded again. “I will, sir. We are, most assuredly, in your debt.”
He bowed his head regally. “I will rid you of this burden.” He indicated Cyrcinus. “I have my own business with her. Please allow my men and myself to rest here for the night.”
“Of course. You are welcome to whatever you like.”
He gave a courteous nod. “I thank you.” He gave a harsh yank on the rope and started to pull Cyrcinus after him towards the stables.
“Wait!” Logan exclaimed. “Fangborn, wait!”
He stopped and turned with question in his eyes.
“Allow me to…” He raked his eyes over Cyrcinus for a moment with cold hatred. “…Well, do you terribly mind a slave with a scar?”
Fangborn raised an eyebrow, but motioned for Logan to continue with whatever he was planning.
Logan met Cyrcinus’ eyes and his own narrowed in a threatening manner. He pulled out a dagger of his own and held it up in front of her face. “You seem to like this weapon,” he growled. He placed the point under her chin. “Does it make you feel powerful? To watch innocent people suffer? To hurt people who have done nothing to you and only wish to be left in peace?” He snorted. “You know something? I used to be just like you once. Only out for myself, for what I could gain out of others. Loved the thrill of power I got off of thinking I was all that.” He shook his head. “Know what I learned? The bigger you think you are, the harder you fall when someone knocks your pedestal out from under you.” He snatched her arm and sliced a gash similar to Darien’s from her wrist to her elbow, making her whimper and recoil. It wasn’t as deep as Darien’s had been, not life-threatening. It was just enough to cause pain and make a point. “Not so strong when the roles are reversed, are you? That’s for my brother.” He shoved her backwards, then flung the dagger away as if it disgust
ed him. He turned his attention back to Fangborn. “Keep her out of my sight or I can’t guarantee I’ll keep my end of our bargain.”
Fangborn nodded, then met Logan’s eyes with purpose. “We will rest here for the night. We leave in the morning.”
Logan dipped his head in a nod. “I understand.”
As Fangborn toted a mewling Cyrcinus away, Willow wrapped her arms around Logan’s waist from behind and rested her head against his strong shoulders. She felt him sigh and he turned toward her, enveloping her in his arms and holding her close.
“Thank you, Logan,” she whispered. “You have done everything I could not. Everything I didn’t know how to do.”
He took her face in his hands and looked down into her eyes. “You are a peaceful and kind Avari woman. I am a dominant, aggressive Alveda d’Kai warrior. We are complements now as our ancestors were generations ago. It is my duty and honor to protect you and your people.”
She ran her hands up his chest, studying the lines of sculpted muscle. “Then what is my duty, Logan?”
Something indiscernible flashed through his eyes. “Remember me,” he murmured.
She frowned.
He cleared his throat and offered a wobbly smile. “Remember me for the man I am… And not the man I was.”
She shook her head. “The man you were was not you.” She placed her palm over his heart. “This is the man you are.”
He covered her hand with his. “The man I am belongs to you.”
His velvety voice made a shiver run through her and she looked up into his eyes. They were stormy, turbulent, almost tormented and she couldn’t help herself. Despite the situation, and despite the fact that she needed to tend to her people, she raised herself on her toes to press her lips to his.
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