Page 151 of To Touch A Silent Fury

Banrillen waved his arm towards the door. “Yes, go.”

The evening light stretched long and gaunt shadows from the window panes and war table, and the silence stretched longer still. I stared between them, taking a hesitant step up to Lang. Neither brother moved.

I stepped past Lang, his outstretched hand brushing my arm as I moved past, and I felt his fear. Even from the briefest touch, I knew the fear was entirely for me. Yvon’s words once again swirled in my head, from her warnings about the wolves. Move steadily, keep breathing, do not look them in the eyes.

It was this last piece of advice I clung to the most as I edged past the Wragg. I was close enough to feel the warmth of him as I stepped past his hulking muscular frame. A breath fell through my lips as I took the step which would move me outof his reach.

Then, snakelike and faster than I would have believed, he grabbed my upper arm. “Oh wait, I’ve changed my mind.”

I stifled my cry as he pulled me towards him in an iron grip. My arm screamed as he twisted me so my back was against his chest, my arm clawing up towards my neck. It wouldn’t take much for the man to break my arm.

“Ban.” Lang’s warning rang out, the syllable somehow forming a threat.

Banrillen touched my cheek, and I shuddered. “It’s the night before our wedding, and I haven’t kissed my bride-to-be goodnight.”

The Wragg turned me to him, releasing my arm only to hold my shoulders. He stared down at me with a smile that might have looked friendly but for the hideous envy circling his entire mind. I glared at him.

“Take your hands off her.” Lang sounded closer, but I didn’t dare look.

Banrillen’s smile turned smug. “So it seems thisdoesinvolve her.”

Before he could move, I spat on his shoe. “Unhand me.”

My voice was stronger than I had hoped, and I straightened, staring him directly in the eye.

He did not flinch. “She speaks.”

“She hits too, if you won’t stop holding me like a weapon.” I was done being the silent object in their fraternal war. He had stolen my fucking dragon.

“Is that so? I think I liked it better when you didn’t speak.”

“Likewise.”

His face reddened.

I held none of my rage back. “Where ismydragon?”

The Wragg raised his hand and smacked me so soundly across the cheek I saw stars. I stumbled backwards, hitting my hipagainst the table’s edge before falling onto my behind just under the table, still dazed.

I was still blinking when I heard the movement.

“You bastard.”

My vision swirled back as Lang leapt at Banrillen, soaring a punch straight at his face. Banrillen swerved at the last moment, the blow glancing his cheek as he grabbed Lang around the middle. Lang broke his grip and spun, digging his elbow deep into Banrillen’s gut and then jumping away.

My cheek was red hot, and I held my hand to it as my neck ached. If I stood now, I would lose my balance.

The men faced each other, Banrillen looking more startled than hurt, an expression which quickly changed to satisfaction. This is exactly what he wanted, to goad Lang into a fight.

Lang’s shadow cast greater than his true height, putting Banrillen in darkness as he glared at him, and for once, they were mirrored in their hatred and malice.

Lang moved, hopping forwards to deliver a strong hit to Banrillen’s gut once more. As he danced back, Banrillen followed and moved true, feinting to the right before delivering a swing to Lang’s side with crippling force. Lang’s knees buckled, but Banrillen wasn’t done, delivering a knee to his face.

My heart jumped, and I pushed myself to my knees as Lang fell back, holding his nose as he groaned. Banrillen stood over him, leaning down. He readied his fist to send another blow directly at his brother’s face as I scrambled forwards.

The dragontooth sank deep into the flesh at the back of Banrillen’s calf, piercing his trousers like butter and his skin like tender meat. His back arched as he cried out a huge bellow, and swung his tree-like arms around, catching me handily as if I were nothing more than a leaf, and throwing me across the room.

For a moment, I just flew, my eyes wide. Then I clattered hard against the wall, my shoulder blade slamming into the panelling before I hit the floor, my knee smacking against the marble.