Page 126 of To Scale the Emerald Mountain

He ignores me, chest puffing and nostrils flaring hungrily at the sight of blood before he clicks his tongue disapprovingly.

“Oh dear, it appears as if I will have to take care of the other one myself.” Alec unsheathes a dagger as he casually strides to the man. He tosses it once by the handle, the sharp metal zinging with the flick of his wrist.

He swiftly pins the man’s right hand to the table and brings the blade down, cutting off his other hand.

The man gives a strangled gasp followed by a high-pitched cry as he looks down at both bloody stumps.

Alec’s eyes are filled with cold fire when he brings them to me. “You may attempt to find a Healer to cauterize your wounds before you bleed out,” he tells the man, his gaze staying fixed on mine.

The man gets to unsteady feet and walks a few zig zagged steps before falling unconscious in the doorway. My eyes are saucers, watching the man bleeding out on the floor while Alec stares down at the pitiful heap with boredom.

“I realize I promised you entrails. It can still be arranged, if it would please you. I admit, I got caught up in the moment.”

I stare at Alec in outraged horror. “Why did you do that?”

“Spare me, Ellya. You have killed for far less offenses.” Alec stalks towards me now, radiating fury. “What was it like?”

Another menacing step forward.

“What?” I splutter.

“Tell me what it felt like to have his hands on your body. How did it feel to have his mouth against your skin?” Alec grits through clenched teeth. I gape at him as he throws my words back at me. “Did you like it? Did it feel good?”

Alec closes the distance between us with another slow, deliberate step. He pauses, and then pushes me against the wall roughly, grabbing each of my wrists and pinning them on the wall next to my head.

“You said I wasn’t your prisoner!” I scream.

“And I meant it.”

“You told me you’d let me go willingly!”

Alec’s face leans closer to mine, and I’m blasted with the consuming scent of his leather and salt. “I fucking lied.”

Our bodies are now flush; the warmth of his skin over tight muscles leaches through his clothes.

“You can try to find a life without me all you want, my clove. I will not stop you from running. Just know, every time you run, I will follow you, I will find you, and I will fight for you. I will fight for you until you accept me, or until the bitter fucking end. Whichever comes first.”

Alec watches me, eyes blazing. “You made Cescily a promise today,” he says, breaking me out of the trance of his intensity.

“Fuck you!” I scream.

He pushes me against the wall harder. “Yes, Elly. Fuck me,” he says quickly, spitting the words with a sneer. “But you will fulfill that promise. You will come home—“

I cut him off abruptly. “Your palace is not my home!” I bring my knee up, attempting to connect with his balls. But Alec movesquickly, putting one of his knees between my thighs and wrapping his leg around the back of mine to hold it in place.

I screech in frustration.

“Fine,” he hisses. “Then go back to Brhadir.” The words have no right to sting, but they cut deep into my soul. “Either way, you will not continue to isolate and harm yourself.”

“I’m not hurting myself,” I say shamefully.

Alec releases one of my wrists and in a blink has sunk a blade into the wall next to my head. “Do not lie to me,” he hisses.

Glancing over, I find his white knuckles wrapped around the handle of my dagger kept in my vanity.

My eyes close as hot drops begin to fall, wrenching my anguish from my body.

“You will take a step towards healing if I have to carry you over my shoulder and deposit you directly in front of someone to speak to.” Tears continue to stream down my face, and Alec brushes them gently with his thumb. “Cry all the tears you need, Ellya. I will always be here to help you dry them.”