Fear of Fire and Shadow (The Fade #1) - Samantha Young Page 0,40
away. “Bird, show ’em what ye can do.”
His eyes laughing, Bird turned and looked at the Cael gypsy girl. She emitted a frightened yelp as we watched her hair float up into the air, strand by strand. She whimpered, and the two women beside her chortled and scooted away as first one arm popped up into the air and then the other. Finally, her entire body rose from the log as if held up by unseen hands. Panic suffused her, and she thrashed and screamed as she rose steadily higher.
“Stop!” she shrieked in terror. “Make it stop!”
None of the nomads seemed too distressed by the sight, although I noticed a few on the other side of the campfire glaring at Bird in disgust. I, too, was disgusted and was just about to reprimand Bird when Wolfe snarled, “You’ve had your fun. Let her go.”
Bird arched an eyebrow at Wolfe’s demand and then looked to his father. Tiger smirked at Wolfe. “The boy thinks he’s a hero.”
“Please,” I added, pleading with my eyes. Tiger frowned and then nodded at his son. He dropped the girl, and she fell with a hard thump onto the log and let go a howl of pain. “You bastard!” I yelled, forgetting myself.
“Now, now,” Tiger admonished and seemed to share a look with Vrik. “Ye’re right, son, perhaps she would do better for ye. I’m not sure Bird can handle her spirit.”
“Then give her to me.” Vrik reached and wrenched me to him.
“No!” Wolfe tried to come for me but was dragged back by the two Iavii. They held him fast and tight as he violently resisted.
Bird shrugged. “She’s not much to look at, Papa. I don’t care if ye give her to Vrik.”
I trembled in disbelief as these men casually decided among them which one would rape me.
Vrik trailed his fingers across my cheek. “I didn’t see the appeal at first either, but the more she snaps and snarls at ye, the prettier she seems to get.” He chuckled and then ran a hand down my waist and around my hip before he squeezed my bottom. “Plus, she’s luscious enough to bear healthy children.”
I winced at his manhandling, afraid to look at Wolfe who struggled and cursed at them all.
“I’ve changed my mind.” Bird turned to his father like a petulant little boy who had just discovered the boring toy he had given away did something interesting. “I want her.”
“Very well,” Tiger agreed. “We’ll do the handfasting on the morrow.”
Marriage!
I struggled in Vrik’s arms as he argued, “Papa, she clearly doesn’t want him—give her to me.”
“I don’t want any of you!” I screamed, fighting against him, but he wouldn’t yield. “You can’t do this to me!”
Tiger strode forward and pulled his hand back. I braced myself. His palm cracked across my cheek with a slap hard enough to roll my eyes back in my head. Harsh heat shot up the left side of my face and my eyes watered at the needles of pain. “You’ll be given to Bird. The Glava marries the Azyl.”
So that was Selena’s game, telling me I would marry one of the Glava.
Old, manipulative witch.
Suddenly, a shriek echoed around the campfire and I opened my eyes to see the fire in the center of camp roar high, high into the night as if it had been jerked awake from a deep slumber. The Iavii stumbled away from it, fleeing the site as the flames licked out at them like arms trying to snatch them back into the scorching death of its embrace.
Wide-eyed, I looked to Wolfe and found his eyes narrowed in concentration. Bird screamed and Vrik released me as a wall of fire encircled his father and adopted brother. Ignoring the blazing heat stroking my skin, I stared at Wolfe, feeling the crackling of his magic.
His magic?
His magic!
Wolfe was one of the Glava.
He reached for me, his arms encircling my waist as I was pulled into him, his chest to my back. Another fire shot up around Vrik and his men, another around the tents. Wolfe, still holding me, strode forward and grabbed the girl from the Caels who sat immobilized in shock. He dragged the child from the log and holding our hands, he began running, a wall of fire rearing up in our wake to block the Iavii from following us.
Wolfe headed to the house where two horses grazed. The girl seemed to come out of her frightened daze at the sight.