Page 29 of A Promise so Bold and Broken (Compelling Fates Saga #2)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“T ell me again why we couldn’t just have stolen those horses?” Raine groaned as he pulsed through the wet snow ahead of her, and Lessia had to slap a hand over her mouth when he let out a tirade of curses as snow tumbled from one of the pine trees towering over them and drenched him.

Once the ship had docked by a small beach, they’d quickly disembarked and made their way into the woods to stay out of sight.

Ardow and Venko had bid goodbye soon after that, but since they’d agreed they would return to the castle with those who wanted to join the fight, it hadn’t been too tear-filled.

The thought of hugging Amalise—of hugging Kalia, who Lessia was sure wouldn’t hesitate to come—had kept Lessia warm the entire time they trekked through the forest, heading directly toward the capital.

As night had fallen, they’d passed the small farm where Loche had left his stallion last time she’d been in these parts, but even though the house was dark, Lessia wasn’t able to convince herself that “borrowing” their horses was fair.

What if that was all they had?

Instead, they’d continued by foot in the soggy whiteness, and as darkness had continued to fall—the light that would come in the spring not yet breaking through the lingering winter—Lessia’s breathing had become increasingly shallow.

She tried to blame it on the challenging journey, but every time one of the Fae walked into her line of sight, she couldn’t help but shudder, remembering another darkness—another Fae—and the hurt and fear that had come with them.

Still, she hadn’t shut down.

Hadn’t given in to the tightness in her chest, nor the sounds that echoed softly in her ears.

As she pushed through another bank of snow, her muscles screamed, and Lessia let out a hissed gasp through her teeth when she stumbled, throwing out her hands to catch herself.

But she didn’t have to.

Merrick, who’d been walking behind her, caught her at the last moment, pulling her back against his warm body.

Glancing up at him, she expected a snarled Watch where you’re going! but instead Merrick searched her face, then ordered, “We’re stopping for today.”

Guiding her toward a copse of trees that stood more snugly than the rest, the ground beneath them not as wet—although it was still covered with snow—Merrick pulled out a blanket from his satchel and gestured for her to sit down.

Raine slumped next to her, and if she hadn’t learned her lesson last time, she would have taken a sip to feel some ounce of warmth when he offered her the flask.

But she couldn’t risk it.

Not out here.

And… if she was truthful with herself, she had no idea what was happening between her and Merrick, and she didn’t want to confuse it further by drinking from Raine’s never-ending supply of liquor and doing something stupid.

So after shaking her head, she rested her eyes on Merrick as he made quick work of finding any dry branch there was and lit a small fire.

“Is that the best idea?” Kerym asked as he sat down with his back against a tree. “Seems like a risk.”

“It is.” Merrick shot her a look. “But so is freezing to death.”

“I’m not complaining.” Raine pulled out another blanket, laying it on the other side of the fire and curling up. “This is why I hate war. It’s so damn uncomfortable. People think it’s all glory and fighting, but it’s mostly freezing your ass off and eating stale bread.”

“You’ve lost your edge, Raine.” Kerym closed his eyes as he pulled his jacket tighter around him. “Thissian and I have seen far worse than this on our travels. Seems like all Fae realms are struggling—not just the one planning on taking over Havlands.”

“Whatever,” Raine muttered. “My life was fine before all of you came to destroy it.”

Opening an eye, Kerym stared at him. “Was it fine? Doesn’t seem like it, given how you hold on to that flask as if it were your newborn babe.”

“Are you one to talk? You’ve thrown yourself into any fight you can since they died. And what about Thissian? Where is he, Kerym? Is he so badly gone you had to leave him?”

A growl left Kerym, the sound traveling across the snow—way too loud for Lessia’s liking.

“Keep your mouths shut,” Merrick snarled as he joined Lessia on the blanket. “Your petty argument is worse than the fire. They’d both be ashamed of you.”

“They’d be ashamed of you as well,” Raine snarled. “I know exactly what they’d say if they were here right now.”

Merrick flew to his feet at the same time as the two others.

And for the first time since meeting Raine and Kerym, Lessia could see why they’d all been the mightiest warriors ever to live in Havlands.

The air around Merrick shone, the darkness within his eyes seemingly seeping from him in harried whispers, and as he glared at the others, he was every bit the lethal predator she’d seen those first few years he watched over her.

Raine’s massive body vibrated from restrained anger, his hazel eyes so sharp within his furious face that Lessia would have backed up if she hadn’t been sitting down.

Kerym—though smaller than the other two—shifted his weight from foot to foot, his hardened face snapping between them, anticipating or perhaps planning an attack.

A storm of fury built within Lessia as well, and she balled her hands into fists as she sprang to her feet.

Stalking into the middle of the death glares—ignoring the warning blaring within her, telling her not to get in the way of these males—Lessia met each pair of raging eyes.

“Stop. This. Right. Now,” she got out through tight lips. “I swear, I will go on alone if you continue. We do not have time for dumb arguments.”

She focused her stare on Merrick, whose jaw twitched as he met her eyes.

But as she lifted her chin, a harsh breath left him, and his taut shoulders lowered a fraction.

Then, his hands flexed.

And finally, he rolled his neck.

“You’re right.” Merrick threw a glance at the others. “We need to stick together. One final time.”

“It’s definitely the last,” Raine mumbled as he sheathed the sword he’d pulled from his back and dropped to the ground with a thud.

“It is,” Kerym confirmed as he slumped back down against the white-peppered stem.

Lessia rolled her eyes as she started back toward the blanket again, the cold from earlier sweeping through her, making her teeth chatter.

Stupid broody Fae males.

If Rioner, Meyah, or Loche wouldn’t be the death of her… she suspected the three of them might be before this was over.

She turned to the side, an urge to complain to Frelina coming over her.

An urge to shoot her an eye roll like she’d done every time one of these males growled or snarled when they talked amongst each other or to either of them on the ship.

But the space was empty.

A consuming ache spread through her veins, shortening her breaths once more.

She’d only had her sister back a few days, but she’d already gotten used to it.

Lessia stared so deep into the fire that the orange-and-red flames were the only thing filling her vision.

She’d get her back.

And…

She’d get her revenge on Meyah.

And Rioner, should she need to.

Not for herself…

No, while she hated him with a vicious intensity, she didn’t care about what he’d done to her.

But if he harmed her sister?

The taste of iron filled her mouth, and she realized she’d bitten her cheek so hard, blood pooled within it.

“You all right?” Merrick eyed her as he finally sat down, his nostrils flaring, probably picking up the scent of blood.

Lessia swallowed.

Swallowed the blood.

Swallowed the hurt.

Swallowed the small ember of helplessness that fought within her.

Lifting her eyes to Merrick’s, she stated, “I want to kill them.”

Merrick remained quiet as her eyes burned into his.

Lessia nodded. “I… I want to. But I know I shouldn’t.”

Merrick kept her gaze, and for some reason, her vision blurred with tears.

Pulling her to him, Merrick wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she couldn’t help but curl into him, tucking in her legs so her knees rested over his.

“You’ll get your revenge,” Merrick said hoarsely. “I promise.”

Lessia nodded as she stared into the fire while Merrick’s hand drew circles on her back.

“Tell me something,” Lessia whispered when Raine’s and Kerym’s soft breathing betrayed that sleep had taken them, and the world around her seemed to become too quiet—too gentle to keep her spinning mind distracted.

“What do you want me to tell you?”

Peeking up at him, she met his eyes, and one of those jolts—the ones that seemed to run through her more often when her eyes collided with his—hit her like a spark of electricity.

As she shivered in response, Merrick held her closer, a slight wrinkle appearing between his brows when she placed her hands on his chest.

“Tell… tell me what changed between us?”

He hesitated for a moment, and despite the cold night, Lessia’s cheeks warmed.

But then one of Merrick’s hands landed over her own.

“Everything,” he said.

Her eyes followed his hand as it moved to her face, a finger gently trailing from her temple to her chin.

Cupping it, he brushed his thumb over her heated skin. “I see you, Elessia Rantzier. I see how you fight to live through each day. I see how you fight to better yourself—whether it’s through training or understanding of others. I see how you fight to love so freely and so deeply. I see how you fight for a world that’s only mistreated you, because you believe it’s the right thing to do.”

Lessia’s pulse quickened as Merrick’s hand drew down to her neck.

Gently cradling the back of it, he pressed his thumb against the vein thrumming on the side, and her breath caught in her throat when his voice lowered, the words coming out gruff. “You wouldn’t have to fight for me. I… I can’t say it would be easy, given what we’re facing, but I’d make sure this—us—would be the one place you can rest, where you’re always safe, where you never have to put on a mask to conceal your true feelings.”

He makes you happy.

Merrick’s words slammed into her heart, and as his other hand came up to cup her face, she leaned into his touch.

His eyes asked her a question, and while thickness clogged her throat…

It wasn’t from sorrow.

He already felt like… home.

Dipping her chin, she waited.

And she wasn’t disappointed.

A smile softened his hard features.

And then… he leaned in.

Lessia closed her eyes, her body humming from the nearness, and a low moan fell from her lips when Merrick’s hot breath hit her mouth.

Then a branch snapped, and Lessia’s eyes flew open.

Merrick was already on his feet, his eyes wild as he whipped his head from side to side.

“Get up,” he hissed at Raine and Kerym. “We’re surrounded.”

Something whistled by Lessia’s ear.

As her gaze snapped toward it, she realized it was an arrow that lodged itself in the tree beside her, and vigilance had her fly to her feet at the same time as Raine and Kerym, the two males’ gazes frantic as they stared into the darkness.

“Behind me. Now!” Merrick ordered, and when she didn’t move swiftly enough, he grabbed her so forcefully she had to hold on to his jacket not to fall.

Spinning around, Merrick steadied her, and her hands gripped for her daggers when he jerked.

Her eyes shot to his, and fear struck her heart when what shone there mirrored what she’d seen when he drank the Vincere.

Merrick jolted again, his face scrunching before he caught himself, and the sound that left her throat was like nothing she’d heard before—the growl so wild and untamed she wasn’t entirely certain it was actually her own.

Ripping her gaze from his, she started overtaking him, her mind only able to focus on hurting whoever caused him pain, when a whirlwind of snow wove its way through the small clearing, its meandering path raising the hairs on Lessia’s neck even before Merrick screamed, “Get away from it!”

But it was too late.

The twirling heap of white that moved against the wind whipping across the ground surrounded her, and she screamed when white-hot pain exploded within her mind.

“Merrick, no!” Raine bellowed somewhere in the distance—somewhere far, far away from the world of torture Lessia now lived in.

Blinded, she dropped to her knees, and Lessia barely understood what happened when arms wrapped around her, shielding her from something that made the shape groan as it pressed her against the cold ground.

More screams floated somewhere outside the ringing in her ears.

Still, as she felt her consciousness slip, they weakened until only a low crooning broke through the haze of agony, and when the world pressed against her—pressed everywhere until it all went silent—she let it swallow her, praying that that might somehow end the torment.