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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The Lysian looked like he was part man, part yellow bear. His shaggy blond hair was unkempt, appear incredibly wild. His arms and chest were enormous, in a terrifyingly brutal way. A scar carved the side of his face, spanning from eyebrow to jaw. Ice-blue eyes which were chilling and predator-like pinned me. He looked everything that the Bavadrin stories warned Lysians to have been like.
Edda was preparing to leave when he opened the door. We ran out of time. As soon as the monster of a Lysian stood on the threshold, I halted in my tracks, all my focus going to him. Like a deer who had caught the sight of a predator, I froze, waiting for him to make his move before I acted in response.
He must have seen the alarm written all over my face for when he spoke, his voice was gentle, not harsh as I would have expected coming from someone who looked like him.
"I won't hurt you," he assured, sheathing his blade and opening his hands out before him as if to show he was unarmed. "But it will be easier if you come with me willingly."
Armed or not, he was a threat. Every muscle in his gigantic body was primed to kill, and that was not even considering his teeth. Someone like him needed no weapons to be deadly.
I did not move or make a sound in reply.
"I have come here to escort you to the Lysian territory under strict orders to protect you. No harm will come to you." There was a kindness to him whenever he spoke, which seemed effortless. A stark contrast to the way he looked.
When I still did not move, Edda acted. She came over and hugged me, wrapping her thin yet powerful arms around me.
"Be brave. You will return to me," she whispered before releasing me with a small push towards the massive Lysian who was surprisingly patient as he waited. I expected him to drag me away for taking too long, yet he did no such thing.
I did not reply to Edda as I took a small step towards the stranger. As I did, he moved into the hall, keeping the space between us from closing too quickly.
My ears felt as if the pressure surrounding me filled them with cotton. All sounds became muffled except for the pulsing of my heart, sending blood rushing to my head. My legs were wobbly and unsteady beneath me. Nausea rose in my throat and my skin turned clammy.
