MATURE FANTASY** He is a predator who thought he captured an ordinary girl... but her mind is sharper than any of his claws.
Ariana lives in the shadow of her monstrous father in a world barely held together by a treaty. Until her lands are invad...
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My back stung with every movement. It was incredible, almost unbearable. I twitched the big toe on my left foot and my back burned from the effort. Gingerly, I laid down on my stomach, not wanting to infect the open wounds with the wet dungeon stone.
I thoroughly completed my part in the scheme without the Bavadrin's knowledge. All that was left to do was to wait. With the ancient treaty finally broken, I had the freedom to take any Bavadrin life I pleased, without fear of the spirit's wrath. It would have been simple to destroy them from within, but that was not my goal. I wanted to use them, and for that, most of them needed to survive. It would all be easier with the Lysian army at my side. A lone Lysian against the Bavadrins would have been formidable, but an army? That forced them to acknowledge their defeat and bend to my will much easier.
I tried to close my eyes, to find some respite from the pain and the relentless dripping of water, but the sound of footsteps kept me from drifting into sleep.
"You have got to be kidding me, Ariana," the guard's voice growled, revealing a lack of formality that hinted at their closeness. I wondered if it was friendship or something m
"Open it," she instructed, and I turned from the wall to see her standing at the door of my cell, a large bowl in her arms. The scent of herbs wafted from the bowl, reminiscent of the healing mixtures used by the Lysians. Had she come to tend to my wounds?
"Ariana," the guard, Landin, barked, his tanned arms folded across his chest, a hard look on his face.
She turned to him. "Landin."
"He's an animal," Landin said lowly, as if to warn her without my hearing. Senseless guard, I could hear things they could not even conceive. Lowering his voice was useless.
"Would you ever treat Willis's wolves like this?" she countered, comparing me to domesticated wolves. That was cute.
He paused. "That's not the same."
"Open the door. I will be fine," she said, her tone demanding.
I couldn't believe it when Landin walked to the cell door and unlocked it, a foolish move on his part. It was even more surprising when she entered without hesitation, devoid of fear. The cell door closed gently behind her, leaving Landin standing on the other side, his heart racing.
