Page 46 of Flameborne: Fury (Emberquell Academy #2)
~ brEN ~
The hallway around me disappeared—even the Queen’s shadow.
I was sucked back to that moment in Ruin’s arms when he’d—
With a gasp of pain and fear, I flinched away from the memory, dropping my bag and snapping forward at the waist as my body heaved.
If I’d eaten recently, I would have made a mess. One hand planted on the wall to keep my steady, I gagged and wretched, my heart pounding against my ribs and thudding in my skull, pulse throbbing in my ears.
Patronizing smiles, even when it hurt.
The other woman, so fine and pretty, in his arms.
I needed to flee and instinctively dove for Donavyn’s door, but tripped on the bag I’d dropped, caught myself on the wall and braced, sucking in a breath as my head spun as furiously as my heart.
Moments later the door opened and alongside deep, muttered curses and queries, thick, warm arms circled me and pulled me aside.
Darkness and shadows, flickering light, masculine breath on my neck—
I flinched and struggled, clawing at that arm, demanding release, sobbing and swearing in the same breath until I found myself pinned back against another wall, both hands up to fend off a gaping Donavyn, half-crouched, palms towards me, eyes wide and worried.
“Bren? Bren it’s me. What’s wrong? What happened? I felt you—”
For a moment, the sound of his voice soothed my fear and made my shoulders sag with relief—until I blinked and took in the sight of him.
He was naked. Nothing but a towel around his waist.
She’d left him moments ago.
“She told you, didn’t she? Dammit—I swear, Bren. I had to tell her the truth. I made it absolutely clear what you are to me. And she assures me she’ll keep it quiet until we’re ready to share—”
“Y-you told her?” My last hope—that she’d been lying—shattered under the final blow. I’d prayed, hoped, begged God to tell me she’d lied. That she’d found out another way.
Donavyn stood, his face pained, raking a hand through his hair that fell in wet strands around his face. “I had to, Bren. It was the only way—”
He kept talking, but I couldn’t hear. His lips moved, his body moved, he reached for me, his eyes were kind, but I heard nothing but those words.
His heart will only ever be on loan to you, dear.
Enjoy it while you can.
Something brushed my arm and I flinched. Then arms circled me and hot breath rushed against my cheek and neck. I shuddered, felt my body go cold, and I wept. I almost gave in. Went still and frigid, my head screaming as loudly as the bond.
But then he shifted his weight and the reflexes I’d learned here—how to fight, how to win—kicked in.
One hand appeared, fingers on my jaw to turn my head. But in the same movement, the arm circling mine loosened a touch as he forced me to turn my head, to meet his eyes.
“R-ruefl-flower!” I gasped.
Donavyn froze, blinking in shock that I’d used the word they gave me.
He stared, stunned, but I struggled. “Rueflower!” I hissed, struggling. “Fucking let me go!”
His arms sprang apart and I staggered back, turning circles, unable to see, or think beyond, I can’t go through this again. Can’t be another man’s garbage. Won’t let him discard me—
But the bond… the bond. The tangible, glowing, shrieking cord that had slung a noose around my heart and now tightened, sending my heartrate through the roof and my skin thrumming with the pressure of the blood in my veins.
Donavyn spoke. I swore I could feel him behind me, his breath thick and hot, fluttering in my hair as I struggled to walk away.
But the pulse and glow of that cord between us, the power of it, tugged me back to him, inexorably closer, and I wanted to go.
To my horror, losing his touch wasn’t enough.
His voice, his breath, his body, the bond urged me to stop fighting, to rest, to take what he gave.
Lies echoed in my head and I wanted so badly to believe them.
He has to be kind to the Queen because of her power. He needs someone with more strength than me. I can share…
It was everything I’d ever feared.
My heart wanted to be weak to him. Wanted to hear those disgusting lies and nod my head. My soul surged towards them, urging me not to fight.
I closed my eyes and sobbed as visions of Ruin overwhelmed me, his face over me, smiling, eyes bright like the Queen’s had been.
That’s it… that’s it… Look at you… so beautiful, Brenny. And you thought you couldn’t? Look at you… So hot. I’ve never loved you more—
Jaws wide, I hacked a cough, then sucked in a breath to inflate my lungs for a scream.
Male breath on my neck. Male hands on my body. Laughter. Grunts.
I love you, Brenny. You’re my girl. The best girl—
“Bren! What happened? Tell me! I’m here to help you, please—”
The bond surged again. Blind with panic I slapped away the hand that reached for me as my heart expanded too big for my ribs and I couldn’t breathe again.
The bond pulled at me, sang to me, pleaded with me to give in, to stay quiet, to remain.
You’re my girl. The best girl—
That whispered, heated secret was the last straw. I struck with the only weapon I had—my will—slicing through that golden, glowing rope that tangled my heart with his and made my head weak.
I struck, put a blade to that tie, and the two, newly sheared ends of the bond snapped apart like elastic under tension, half flying back to him, the other half back to me, snapping through my ribs, my heart, all the way to my soul.
And in the same moment, his arms went slack, then dropped away, leaving me free to flee, to stagger out of his reach and…
Donavyn.
Stumbling, half-blind, weeping, I fell back against the wall with a cry as Donavyn gave an agonized howl and crumpled to his knees, clutching his chest.