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I yelped when someone grabbed my hair and pulled me back, slapping my face. My ears started ringing when my head hit the table, warm blood trickling out of my pained nose. It hurt so much.
“Shut up, no one’s going to save you.”
I cowered back, trying to find something to hold on to. I had lost my cane. I didn’t know what to do.
“What is wrong with her? Is she blind?”
I slapped and kicked when the man tried to come near me. I grabbed the spine of a book from the bookshelf behind me and threw it blindly at him.
The book fell with athump, people laughing at me as I held the books like a weapon.
“Yes, she’s blind,” Tamara replied.
“W-why are y-you doing this, Tamara?” I pleaded.
“A-and she s-stutters!” They all laughed, my anxiety growing and growing.
If there were guards around here, I needed to get out of the library and call someone for help. Or… no. I was not a weak sixteen-year-old anymore.
When a cold hand held my arm, I yanked away, kicking on his leg as he fell down on the floor. “Help! Someone help me!” I screamed, my throat aching as warm tears burned my eyes when someone grabbed my hair.
I bit the hand when he tried to shut my mouth, twisting out of his hold.
“Shut up, you slu—” I heard Tamara come towards me and I backed away, wincing.
But the hit never came. I jumped when I heard Tamara scream loudly before it stopped, her body falling on the floor with athump. I held my breath when I felt someone else near me.
“Now, now, that’s no way to talk or treat a woman,” a woman with a husky voice said in a mocking tone.
I stayed back on the wall when people charged towards someone who had just saved me. I was armed with books as I heard the woman huff and breathe sharply, men groaning and falling on the floor. If someone came close to me, I was ready to slam a hardbound, heavy book at them.
“It’s okay,” the woman panted, lightly touching my arm. “You are okay. You are safe. Let’s get you out of here, I think there are more—yep, there they are.”
I stayed still, not in the right position to trust someone. “Who are you?”
“I am Elena.”
I closed my hand around her as she dragged me out of the library, my steps failing to meet hers. Khalid and Zara had told me they were friends, but I didn’t know he had an assassin as a friend.
Before we could reach far, I heard the loud chatter of the people coming towards us. The thumping of the feet running together.
“Don’t worry, they are our guards. A little late but they are here,” Elena explained as they rushed past us, in the direction of the library.
Even though we were safe, she held my hand as if she knew how scared I was. I wanted to thank her for that.
“Valeria!” I heard Khalid, his arms closing around me as I sighed in relief, melting into his embrace. Tears streamed down my face when he cupped my cheeks.
“I swear I will kill everyone who dared to hurt you, my sweet one,” he whispered, his arms wrapping around me once more. I didn’t care what he said or if he meant it. I wanted to be in his arms.
I wanted to feel safe.
Khalid
I had meant every word I had said. I was going to behead anyone who had laid a hand on my Valeria and impale their head on a spike in front of the palace gates, daring anyone to try to even think about hurting my sweet.
“Tamara was there,” Valeria said, squeezing my hand. “S-she took me to the library. She wanted Zara but I…”
“Sh, sweetheart,” I hushed her, keeping her close as more guards went past us. “It’s okay. I will take care of everything. I will make sure you are safe. Stay with me, okay?”