WHISPERED SINS

17- "Congratulations, you're pregnant."

"Oh God, I feel so dirty." Her voice broke, and her bloodied hands shook.

Boro wrapped his arms around her, his jaw ticking in anger as he rubbed her back.

"I didn't know what to do. He held me down, and..." Hazel shuddered, unable to banish his touch from her skin.

"I stabbed him and portaled back home," she said, her lips turning white as she recounted her ordeal.

"I think I might have killed him. I stabbed him in the femoral artery."

Boro was trying to master his breathing; he didn't want to lose his cool, nor did he want to go hunting for this piece of shit who had dared to touch her.

"Don't worry about that bastard. He got what he deserved."

He exhaled sharply, "Why didn't he come? Ethan, I mean," he asked, making an effort to keep his voice steady.

Hazel's expression clouded with uncertainty as she replied, "I don't know, Boro, but I'm really worried about him."

"You did what you could; please let it go now. I've been telling you since forever that he is bad news." He consoled her softly.

"No! He is not! And I should've done better. I'll go back and..."

"NO!" Boro snarled at her, and she recoiled away from him in shock.

Her eyes widened in terror as she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shield herself from his sudden outburst. Boro was taken aback by her fear, never having seen her so visibly shaken.

"No, Hazel, look at the sight of you, and you want to go back?" He said, bringing his voice down a notch, his eyes softening.

"Those people are dangerous. Please listen to me, please. How can you be certain it wasn't Ethan's intention all along to deliver you into the hands of the Dark Army?"

"No," she whispered, horrified. "He would never do that to me."

"Are you sure?" He pressed, his eyebrows shooting up towards his hairline.

Her lips quivered as she grappled with what Boro was implying. Then her eyes hardened with resolve.

"Yes, I'm sure," she said.

It was true that she didn't know a lot about Ethan, but one thing she knew with certainty was that he was a man of honour, and he would sooner face death than betray her to the dark forces.

"I'm heading back to Kaatim, first thing this morning," she declared.

"I said no, Hazel. Can you, for once in your life, listen to me?"

She could feel the anger flooding his eyes again, and she flinched before snapping at him.

"What if the roles were reversed? Would you abandon me?"

He looked into her eyes, trying to hide years of longing, feeling torn.

"It's not the same thing," he snapped.