Fearless The King Series Book One - By Tawdra Kandle Page 0,122

can’t,” I was sobbing openly now. “I can’t move.” Blood was dripping down my neck, my hands were immobilized, and both my legs and my head were screaming in pain.

“Why, how rude of you,” Nell reproved us. “It’s very impolite to hold a private conversation when there are other people around. I think someone needs a lesson in manners.” She flipped the athame in her hand and with lightening speed, drew it across Michael’s face.

My scream filled the woods. I felt Michael’s pain as though it were my own skin that had been sliced, and more tears ran down my face to mingle with the blood. I struggled anew to free my feet and hands. Nell only laughed and raised the knife again.

A shout rose beyond the wall of trees. We all three froze, listening, and I heard the welcomed jumble of thoughts—many people’s minds, all talking at once and approaching us quickly.

Before Nell could react, Amber appeared next to me, and then Cara was there, along with a tall man I didn’t recognize. They all three took in the scene before them with varying degrees of horror and disbelief. Cara’s mouth dropped open, but it was Amber who moved first.

“Get away!” she yelled, running headlong into Nell and knocking her off Michael. The athame flew out of Nell’s hand and through the air, landing near the fire. Nell screeched and fought back against Amber, grabbing her hair and reaching for her eyes.

“You idiot!” she shrieked. “You’ve ruined it all again. I’ll kill you, I swear I will. I’ll never rest—”

The man standing next to Cara moved with admirable speed, considering the shock that was still running through his mind. He reached into the melee of arms and legs that was Nell and Amber and pulled Nell away.

“Enough!” he commanded her firmly. “Stop it.” Nell glowered at him, but she stopped talking. He held her by the arms, much as Michael had done the night we’d saved Amber. He nodded toward Cara. “Get the phone out of my pocket and call the police.”

Cara obeyed without hesitation, and I realized, hearing her mind as clearly as I was, that this man was her father. I had no idea how he had come to be here, but I was so grateful that I began to sob all over again.

Michael was by my side in an instant. He lifted my hands and began undoing the rope. “Tell them we need an ambulance, too—she cut Tasmyn. Let me see,” he said to me gently. “No, move your hands. I need to see.”

“She cut you, too. Are you all right?” As soon as my hands were free, I flung my arms around his neck and pressed my face to his chest, holding him so tightly that I could feel the beating of his heart against my cheek.

“I’m fine,” he murmured in my ear, pressing kisses along the side of my face. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner. I let her hurt you—”

I shook my head against him and noted vaguely that it was still hurting badly. “You saved me. If you hadn’t come, I’d be lying here bleeding into her stupid vessels—oh, she’s crazy, Michael. If you could have heard some of the things she was saying, or worse, that she was thinking…”

He pressed me more tightly to him and bent his head to whisper to me. “Shhh. It’s all right now.” More softly, he added, “Cara and her father are here.” I realized that he was still protecting my secret, even in the middle of the chaos.

“Tasmyn?” I heard the hesitation in Amber’s voice, and I pulled away slightly from Michael to look at her.

“Amber, I don’t know how you did it, but I can never thank you—you saved us both.”

Tears filled her eyes as she knelt beside us. “Then we’re almost even,” she said quietly. “But she cut you. The blood—you’re covered—”

“They’re not deep cuts,” I assured her. “I think they look worse than they are. But if someone could untie my feet, I’d really appreciate it.”

Amber scrambled down to wrestle with the ropes, as Michael pulled me close to him again.

“Ow,” I moaned.

“Where? Where else do you hurt?” he demanded, leaning back to look me over.

“My head. She knocked me out with the handle of athame. I think I’ve got a pretty good knot back there. And I’m kind of dizzy.”

“Concussion,” both Michael and Amber pronounced together. We heard sirens in the distance, and I felt Michael’s profound