Page 71 of Flameborne: Chosen (Emberquell Academy #1)

~ DONAVYN ~

I was woken from a deep sleep by the warning rumble of my dragon and his body shifting.

I scrambled to my feet as he rose to his, but I was bleary-eyed and disoriented.

It had been a long time since I’d slept with Kgosi without being on a mission.

It took me a moment of blinking toremember where I was—that Akhane was there too, but pacing and shaking her head, making the small vocalizations of agitation and concern.

“What’s going on? Where’s Bren?” I asked, glancing at the open door to the little room which was wide open and no sign of light or movement.

‘She needs you,’ Kgosi said darkly.

My heart stopped. “What do you m—”

The feminine scream that rose to echo through the stable was a curse, but also broken in distress.

I launched into a run, powering out of the stable and down the aisle as two voices rose—a male and a female—while the disturbed dragons in the stables raised their calls and rumbles.

Seconds later, to my horror, I found Bren backed up against the wall, clawing at a man’s hand which was planted on her chest and pinning her to the wall.

“A real Furyknight could fight me,” Faren sneered. “A real Furyknight wouldn’t scratch like a cat. He’d put me on my ass and—”

“I’m glad you understand that,” I growled. It was the last conscious thought I had before I plowed my fist right into the joint of his jaw where it sent him sprawling and hopefully caused a great deal of pain and swelling .

With a surprised shout, he staggered down the aisle, arms flying as he tried to catch his balance, but I’d rung his head like a bell, and I went after him.

“Laying hands on a woman? And you call yourself a man of honor?” I snarled as he straightened, whirling.

There was a split second before I caught him that he saw me and registered who I was.

The fight went out of him immediately. “Sir! I wasn’t—”

“Oh, yes you were, you little fucker!”

Then I was on him.

The stupid kid put his hands to his face and screamed, pleading as I grabbed him by his lapels and turned him to face me.

“Sir! Please! I won’t—”

“That’s right you wont,” I snarled. “You’ll never again touch her or any woman without her permission or I will slit your throat myself.” My voice was ragged and rage turned my vision red.

I barely registered his cries and pleas as I threw another fist, this time straight into his gut. His breath rushed out of him in a whoosh and he snapped forward—and I caught him again.

‘Excellent shot,’ Kgosi rumbled in my head. Usually my dragon’s approval would raise my spirits, but I was drowning in rage. I kept hearing that scream echoing in the stable, seeing the way her fingers clawed at his grip on her.

“You want to beat up women?” I rasped. “Is that what makes you feel strong, Faren?”

“NO! Sir, I d-didn’t hit her, I was making a point—”

“Me too,” I muttered and punched him again. And again.

The third hit threw him off his feet to the stone where he gasped and bled and tried to crawl away.

“No, you fucking don’t. You want to flatten people, humiliate them. Let’s see how you like it,” I rasped, leaping on him, shoving him flat on his back and straddling him, one hand planted right on his chest as he flailed.

‘Donavyn, take care.’

‘Care? You want me to go softly on a boy who thinks shoving a woman around makes him a man?!’

Faren coughed and pleaded, arms over his face, trying to protect himself.

“I’m a Furyknight, Faren, and I know how to fight. Let’s see how long you last, shall we?”

“No, Sir! Please. I would never—”

I hit him again and his nose spurted blood as he struggled to fend me off. Yet, he didn’t throw a punch.

“You don’t have a blow for me, a real Furyknight?” I taunted him.

‘Donavyn.’ The warning in Kgosi’s tone should have been enough, but with every swing, as I told myself it would be the last, I heard that scream in my head again, or saw the way he stood over her, pinning her there, and the rage bloomed again.

‘Donavyn—take a breath.’

I was about to snarl back at my dragon when I heard another voice. “Oh, shit!”

Several pairs of pounding feet rushed towards us. Someone tackled me just as I was about to take another swing. I was thrown to the stone floor with a grunt, but rolled immediately, trying to get back to my feet, back to that smug little fucker who thought he could touch her like that—

“Sir! Sir, we’ve got it. She’s safe. Sir. Sir, please.”

I got my feet under me, but then I was hit by walls on both sides. Walls that locked my arms behind me and refused to move when I struggled with every ounce of strength available to me, almost dislocating my shoulder fighting their grips before I stopped.

But finally, my body’s screams and Kgosi’s warnings broke through.

I found myself on the other side of the stable aisle, Oros on one arm, and Gil on the other, Ronen in front of me, slapping a hand to my jaw and trying to snap me out of my rage.

And it was only then, when my head cleared enough to register that one of my men was doing his damnedest to break through to me, that I realized what I’d done.

I stopped struggling and looked past Ronen to the other side of the aisle where Faren sat, his legs splayed out in front of him, hands on his face, and blood everywhere.

“General… General, are you back, Sir?” Ronen said firmly and slapped my cheek with his cupped palm again.

I blinked and sucked in a breath. “Yes. Yes, I’m…”

Oh, shit was right.

I stopped leaning forward like I’d go for him again and stepped back instead. Oros and Gil still held my arms, but I let them go slack. My hands hurt and I knew they’d be swollen in the morning. But I couldn’t feel the pain because my head spun.

I searched the crowd—there were now some stableboys, two dragons, all of Bren’s squad, plus Faren of course. Yet…

“Where is she?” I growled.

“The brothers have her so she wouldn’t get tangled up—she was coming after you, ready to pull you off of him,” Ronen said quietly

I met his eyes. “She was trying to pull me off?”

He held my gaze grimly, nodding. “They took her over there so she doesn’t get hurt,” he said, tipping his head.

Sure enough, near the intersection of aisles she stood, staring, horrified, hands on her mouth. Three of her brothers—one each side, and one behind—guarding her like dogs.

One of them glanced at me, then looked away quickly. Then Bren turned, as if she felt me staring, hands still on her mouth, her eyes round. And when our gazes caught, something in hers shifted .

Fear.

I suddenly felt sick.

“I’m fine,” I muttered to the men, taking a deep breath. “I won’t fight. You can let me go.”

Ronen stared at me for a second.

I gritted my teeth. “I’m fine. I’m clear.”

A moment later, with a warning in his eyes, he nodded and the other two let me go.

I rolled my shoulders, which were sore, then clawed a hand through my hair, trying to release the tension still tying up my body. My movement caught Bren’s attention, or maybe she never looked away. But our eyes caught again and hers were so wide and round and… God, I could drown in them.

Ignoring that whining little fuck on the floor, I held my palms up, trying as I marched over to where she stood with her brothers so she knew she didn’t need to be afraid.

“Are you hurt?” I asked her the moment we were face to face.

She grimaced, but shook her head. “No, he just scared me.”

“He had hands on you, Bren. Are you sure? You’ve had a shock—”

“I’m certain. I didn’t mean to create a scene. He just surprised me, and—”

With a growl of frustration and another spear of rage—I wanted to run back to that little bastard and break his nose properly this time—I looked past her to a cluster of stableboys near the base of the ladder from their loft.

They were curious and whispering to each other, grinning as they enjoyed the drama.

It wasn’t every day they watched the Commander bust a Furyknight’s face.

Shit.

I cleared my throat and like kittens in a basket, they all snapped their heads to me, their eyes going almost as wide as Bren’s.

I was about to ask their names when I saw Benji at the back, looking more worried than excited. I tipped my chin and beckoned him closer, the others watching him, awed, as he pushed through them then trotted to me.

“Yes, sir?”

“I want you to run straight to the medic center and ask for Terra. Tell her it’s my instruction that she come immediately to Kgosi’s stable. And bring her bag. From the General. You tell her that.”

“Yes, Sir!” He took off running and I turned back to Bren who was watching, her eyes still wide and fearful, though she’d dropped her hands to her sides.

“You go straight to your room. Akhane and Kgosi will guard you. Terra will come to check you—”

“I don’t need it. I’m not hurt—”

“You’re being checked. That’s an order,” I snapped, then grimaced when she flinched. “I’m sorry, Bren. I’m asking you—I’m directing you, to return to your quarters with your dragon and mine. I’ll handle this, and Terra will check in with you as soon as she arrives.”

To my relief, she nodded and turned away immediately, her brothers walking with her, which soothed my fear a little.

Then I sighed because I was going to turn and face that little fucker and not plow another fist into his angry mug. But thankfully, he was still hunched over on the floor, and now Oros and Gil had gone to join Einar, squatting next to him, checking for broken bones.

I wanted to tell them to check his nose, but I was pretty certain no one would miss the swelling that was already beginning to turn purple under Faren’s eyes.

He caught me staring at him and shrank when I marched over to stand over the others, who closed in around him.

Unnecessary. But good men.

I folded my arms and stared down at the bastard. “What do you have to say for yourself?” I growled at Faren.

“I was only here to get my dragon’s gear,” he said thickly, his eyes still watering. “She was here and taunted me.”

‘Kgosi? Is there any truth in that?’

‘None.’

My rage bubbled again. I was grateful that Ronen stood just to the side, watching me warily. I chose to speak to him because if Faren talked back I might attack him again.

“Get him to the medics. Carry him if you have to.”

“Yes, Sir.” Ronen turned like he’d help them, but I caught his elbow. “No, not you. Organize your squad. They should take him. I need you with me.”

Ronen blinked, but jumped to do as I asked. Within moments, two of the squad were supporting Faren, helping him walk—slowly—to the exit, and ultimately the healers building.

I should have felt bad. I knew that. I’d hurt him, and he was little more than a child. But every time I felt the pinch of guilt, I remembered the way he’d held Bren against her will, and my remorse drowned in the tidal wave of righteous rage.

Once they were on the move, I waited until they were out of earshot, then turned to Ronen.

“You follow me,” I muttered, then started down the aisle in the opposite direction.

Ronen didn’t question until I stopped at the tack room in the middle of the wing.

Then he frowned, but he followed me in silence as I lit a lamp, then set it on a corner ledge up high where it would cast the most light.

“Sir?” Ronen asked. “Did you want to speak to me privately? We could go to the—”

“No,” I said bluntly. “I want a witness that I’m not trying to set up that little prick. You watch everything I do so you can report to whoever is necessary. Honestly.”

“Yes, of course. Only, what are you looking for? ”

“I’m looking for the reason that Faren waited until the middle of the night to come for his Dragon’s gear,” I said darkly, walking towards the racks of harnesses on the far wall.

“I have a funny feeling I’m going to find Bren’s missing banner.

And if I do, you’re here to witness the fact that I didn’t plant it. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”