Rejected

Chapter 25

Damian took a decisive step forward. At the same time his cousin took a cautionary step backwards with his fingers digging into Delilah's flesh in a bruising hold. She could feel her captor fiddling with his free hand and remained oblivious to the mounting threat until a small, sharp dagger pressed against her throat. The steel was cold against her warm flesh and she exhaled sharply as she felt the man testing how far her throat would accept the pressure without piercing skin.

"I thought maybe a little finesse would help," Ferdinand uttered casually as he removed the dagger to examine it in the orange firelight, "Slitting throats is so precise. One snip at the jugular and it shall be over."

"You shall do no such thing," Damian hissed, eyes glinting dangerously.

"And why is that little boy?"

"Rootlover, duck," Damian growled and sensing her captor's confusion Delilah followed the command. She shoved her elbow into the Prince's cousin making him flail backwards and flung herself on the ground.

Enraged, Ferdinand lunged for her but his focus was broken by Damian's attack. To the villain's credit he pulled out his sword before the second blow could strike his shoulder.

Delilah rolled away from the fight feeling horrified that she had attempted something so dangerous. She watched the two men clang their swords together in the near darkness. Damian clearly believed in prevailing powers of brute force while Ferdinand was more tactical in his approach. The man showered Damian with blows alternating between the left and the right and finally caught him off guard with one from above. The Prince struggled to keep the pace as he was forced to back up against a wall.

"Get off of him," Delilah was on her feet and hoped to be worthwhile distraction but Ferdinand brushed aside her attempts at pulling him away from the Prince and she was sent flying halfway across the cave.

The girl braced herself as she fell on the table while her mind still searched for another way to end the fight. She did not know whether her efforts would be to her advantage but she knew it was worth a try. The only light source in the room was the candle burning on the desk. Delilah promptly knocked the wrought iron candle stand letting it roll on the other side.

The cave was now darker and the shadows more pronounced. She pushed herself upwards to see two figures grappling with each other as one sword was discarded and then the other. There were grunts, shouts and muffled words she could not decipher along with which of the shadowy figures was her Prince and which was her captor.

For a moment the deadlock seemed unwinnable. The two men were thrashing against each other with arms around each other's throats when suddenly one of the figures stumbled. The other person took advantage and promptly used his fists to subdue his opponent.

Delilah stepped forward and nearly tripped on an abandoned sword. To her relief it was Damian and not his cousin who was standing victoriously, bathed in the weak candle light.

"I tripped him, I think," A small voice moaned weakly.

"Cecilia!" Delilah moved towards her injured cousin.

"I am not quite as unconscious as I look. I just haven't had the energy to move. That lout drugged me, again," Cecilia whispered and tried to sit up.

"What did he give you?" Delilah fingers convulsed around the frail shoulders while helping Cecilia use the smooth rock wall to balance herself.

"I do not know. I think I might have called him some filthy names before he placed a cloth on my mouth. I know you've wanted to do that for the longest time," Cecilia smile was weary but sincere. Behind them Damian continued to drag the heavy weight of his cousin.