“I am here!” Then, seeing as she still couldn’t seem to catch her breath, I took her in my arms and spoke to her in a soothing way that I made sure masked my concern.
“Breathe, Amelia…just breathe now…calm, calm for me.” I then encouraged her to follow my rhythm and breathe with me as I held her to my chest, making sure to keep relaxed myself. Something that wasn’t easy considering my fear and concern, now wanting nothing more than to give in to impulse by crushing her to me and taking flight.
“That’s it…deep breaths, just in and out again,” I told her before snarling a warning at Vern when he asked in clear astonishment,
“Whit th fck wis that?!”
“Silence!” I snapped before I asked her if she was alright, recognising that her breathing was now steadier. Yet despite this she only nodded as if too afraid to speak.
“Ah thought she wis mortal?” This came from the next brother who wisely hadn’t yet approached, and it was from one whose head I still wanted to see severed from the rest of his big, bastard of a body!
“She is mortal,” I snapped back whilst holding her tighter to me. But it was when the last and biggest member of the McBain clan stepped forward did the truth really come out,
“Aye and she’s also yer Chosen One.” I closed my eyes in frustration, ignoring the clear shock from the other two and gritting out another threat,
“Yes, she is and if a word of this is—” He quickly cut me off,
“We wull nae speak a word o' this, we care fur th' lassie.” I would have added more, like ‘make sure that you don’t, or it will be on your life,’ when a hand cupping my cheek stopped me. I looked down at her beseeching wide eyes as she pleaded their case,
“Lucius, please don’t be angry at…” She stopped mid-sentence and frowned in confusion before adding,
“I…I…feel…”
“Amelia?” I said her name to prompt more from her, just as that same slice of fear cut through me. Because something was clearly wrong as all the colour started to drain from her face and her eyes lost all focus.
“Whit's wrong wi' her?” I ignored the Wyvern or the appearance of his brother when Amelia’s legs suddenly gave way and she collapsed in my arms.
“Amelia?!”
“Turn her aroond.” Trice barked an order down at me, his accent heavy with his own concern. This was also said after I had lowered her to the ground and if she hadn’t been in my arms, I would have embedded my fist inside his chest cavity and ripped out his heart. However, unable to do that I was left with no other option than to demand he explain himself,
“Why?!”
“Just dae it!” he snapped back, and before telling him to fuck off, I bit back the threat when I took note of his features…
He knew what this was.
So instead of taking control of the situation, I gritted my teeth and did as he asked. But the moment I moved her, the sound of her screaming in agony tore through my heart the second it pierced the air. This was because Trice had ripped open the material concealing her back before I could demand what the fuck he was doing. However, the second I saw the problem for myself those words were ones I nearly fucking choked on!
Gods, but it looked excruciating!
I started cooing down at her as her screams turned to small whimpers of pain. Trice dragged air through his teeth as his face said it all whilst grimacing down at the Hex that looked to be burning deeper into her flesh.
“What is it?!” I snapped using a free hand to drag him closer by the leather strap across his chest, one that held small daggers to his frame. But that was when I started to realise the full extent of what had been cast upon her soul. As the witch was far from through with her and I was soon to learn the full price of underestimating my enemy.
Trice included.
Because as it turned out, I couldn’t kill the bastard yet and from the looks of things, well…he was my only hope of saving her. This was made clear after first glancing back at me with his expression tight and his jaw locked. This before his grave tone only added to his anxious reply,
“The Hex...tis…”
“What? The Hex is what, fucking tell me!?” I snapped just as Amelia started