4. A Bride Meant For Another

The carriage rattled as the horses neighed, and I closed my eyes in an attempt to ignore what I was hearing.

We were being attacked, and the sound of swords clanging was enough to tell me that the group I travelled with was suffering. The yelling continued, and I clutched at my sides, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The fight outside grew louder, more desperate, until a loud bang rattled the carriage.

The door clattered against the hinges, and I stepped back as far away as possible. My eyes latched onto the handle of the door and it rattled, shaking. The fear in the pit of my stomach spiked, souring into an ache.

There was nothing in here that I could use as a weapon, only a solitary pillow in the corner of the seat. I hoped that they would give up and walk away. And when the rattling stopped, I thought that’s what had happened.

Until the door was wrenched open with a force that nearly tore it from its hinges.

I screamed, pressing myself against the back of the carriage. A man with a mean, scarred face stood at the door, and he cocked his head as he smiled.

The carriage swayed with his weight as he stepped inside, and I shook my head.

“Please,” I begged.

Blood soaked his chest and arms and spattered across his face. A dragon tattoo snaked up his neck, and it became more visible when he scratched his chin with a sneer.

“Pretty little bride.”

My heart pounded in my chest. His eyes, cold and devoid of mercy, raked all over me, gleaming with hunger as he took me in.

“All alone,” he grunted, shoving me into the seat with his hand around my neck.

I strained against his hold, and my voice trembled. “Stop, please.”

He laughed, a harsh, grating sound that sent chills down my spine. “Stop? But look at you.”

He tore away the veil that covered my face, tore away the cloak that covered my chest. It fell over my waist in tatters. I scrambled to cover myself, but he wrapped his other hand around my wrists.

“Please,” I whispered.

An eerie smile stretched across his lips, and he removed his hand from my neck, gripping my thigh instead. I cried as he spread my legs apart, settling himself between them.

“Tell me, princess, were you kept intact for the pleasure of your future husband?”

His breath was hot and rancid against my skin and I sobbed as he ground himself against me. He brought his nose to my neck, where he inhaled, groaning deep in his throat.

He yanked me out from beneath him, his grip unforgiving as he dragged me out of the carriage and across the rough ground. The cold air bit through the sheer cloak and I scrambled for the tattered pieces, trying to cover myself.

He threw me to the ground, pulling my hair, to get me to lift my head. Cries broke through me as I spotted the dead guards, the dead pillar from the Southern Kingdom, and…

“No!” I screamed, sobbing when I caught sight of Elysande’s maids, dead.

Their blood pooled beneath them, their eyes glazed over and lifeless. Was I next? Would they kill me like that, too?

Men in the same colors as the man with the dragon tattoo closed in around me, their eyes lighting up with cruel amusement. They smiled and taunted, grunting as they stuck their tongues out at me.

“Look at the little princess.”

“Pretty thing, isn’t she?”

“Bet she’s never had a cock in her before.”

My guards lay defeated on the ground, their bodies motionless, their blood staining the earth.

“Please,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over their taunts. “Just let me go.”

The man with the dragon tattoo let go of my hair, letting my head fall forward as he grabbed my wrists. They laughed, howled as they took me in, some of them kneeling before me to get a better look. I looked away, hoping they did not see the tears rolling down my cheeks.

I had to be strong, even if every fiber of my being screamed with terror. Aeliana could still find me, she could still get to me. I had to hold it together.

Their taunts grew louder, their laughs rung in my ear and just when I thought they would get rid of me too, a deep, commanding voice cut through the chaos.

“Enough.”

The men fell silent, parting like a tide to reveal the man who had spoken.

My breath caught in my throat as he stepped forward. He stood above them all, his shoulders slanting with every step he took so he could fit between the men. His long black hair fell down to his waist, blowing in the subtle breeze.

But the one thing that caught my attention were his striking gold, glowing eyes. Even in the darkness, they stood out. They were on me, taking me in like they would devour me.

He drove his sword into the ground with such force that it sank halfway into the earth before he continued toward me. His gaze never wavered, pinning me in place. As he drew closer, the air seemed to thicken around me.

I could feel anger radiating off him in waves, and yet there was something else in his eyes.

Hunger.

Not the kind that sought to harm, but a deeper, more unsettling need. It sent a shiver down my spine. I wanted to look away from him. The intensity was eating away at me, but something about him drew me in.

“What do we have here?” His voice was low, almost a purr, as he looked me over.

He stopped just a breath away, his eyes boring into mine. His leather boots crunched against the ground as he kneeled, his fingers digging into my chin.

I fought against him, but eventually I let him move my face.

Whatever adrenaline was keeping me together disappeared. I trembled beneath his stare. The fur cloak on his shoulder drew my attention, and how I wished for its warmth.

His eyes raked down to the marks on my legs. “A bride meant for another, I see.”

I couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. His proximity was overwhelming, his scent filling my senses. I was painfully aware of how exposed I was, of how little I could do to protect myself.

Then something changed.

His gold eyes ignited, the warmth in them vanishing as fury swept across his face. I could almost taste it in the air, thick and bitter like smoke.

His finger remained beneath my chin as he forced me to stand with him. My skin burned beneath his gaze, every inch of me suddenly aware of the anger rolling off him. His jaw clenched, his lips curling into a sneer.

“Who?” He snarled, making me flinch.