Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,14
even finished wrapping it and ran outside. I rushed around the corner and put the basket on the ground, and leaned over, my hands on my knees as I tried to focus on breathing. I pulled my hood down and after a few deep breaths. I felt better, but a shadow fell over me, and a dark aura made me terrified.
I stood up.
“I knew I recognized you.” Tobias held the butcher’s knife in front of him. “You and your red-haired sister killed Armon. You’re one of the Eville girls.”
“I didn’t kill anyone,” I snapped. “What happened was an accident, but if you don’t leave me alone, I can’t guarantee your safety.”
Tobias’ face turned ugly. “I’m not afraid of you. I remember that you were a coward, a crybaby. But now, there’s no one to protect you.” He grabbed my braid and yanked me down an alley between his shop and the next.
I screamed as he pulled on my braid. “Let go!”
“Not until I get revenge for Armon,” he breathed into my neck. His breath smelled of death and rot.
He slammed me into the wall. My head cracked against the stucco, and piercing pain radiated out of my skull. The knife appeared at my throat and the edge pushed against my jugular. Dèjá vu all over again. Tobias reached for my skirt, and I heard a tear as he ripped it away.
Fear paralyzed me, and all the spells and attacks I knew rushed out of my mind. I became helpless against the numbing fear.
“I will teach you what it means to bow down to a man. When I’m done, you’ll be screaming my name.”
Tears filled my eyes, and my vision was blurry as mother’s words came back. “You need to protect your mind.” This was a lesson I didn’t want to learn.
No one would come for me. Meri couldn’t save me now. I was alone.
No. I wasn’t alone because I was enough.
I tampered my fear, dug deep into the pit of my soul, and turned to look into Tobias’ lust-filled eyes. “You’re wrong, Tobias,” I whispered, feeling the blade nick my throat. “When I’m done with you, you’ll be screaming my name.”
I reached out and prepared to cast a spell.
A shadow fell over us. Tobias was flung backward and knocked into the ground, a flash of steel, and Liam had his sword pointed at Tobias’ throat.
“You piece of trash,” Liam growled. He carefully used his sword and drew a line of blood that matched the one Tobias gave me. A bloody red necklace. “How dare you lay a hand on a lady?”
“I won’t touch her again,” he cried out. His fat, blubbering face produced fake tears.
“I didn’t need your help,” I said sourly. “I was fine.”
Liam grabbed Tobias by his collar and held him up to the wall while he addressed me. “You were about to be accosted.”
“I had a handle on it,” I said, putting my fists on my hips. My foot tapped angrily, showing my displeasure.
Tobias had other plans. I will teach this jerk a lesson, he thought.
“He won’t stop.” I pointed toward Tobias.
Tobias ducked and tried to get away. Liam punched Tobias in the face. Blood spurted from his lip, but the man glared wickedly. He went limp.
As soon as he turns his back, I’ll kill him.
Liam thought Tobias had learned his lesson, dropped him on the ground, and turned his back to face me.
I sighed. “Don’t turn your back.”
Tobias grabbed the hidden knife out of his boot pocket and charged. Liam spun to defend himself, but he didn’t have to. I stepped between the two men and reached for Tobias’ head. I brushed my fingers across his brow as he ran past.
“Compassio.”
I released all of my fear and emotion from the day of the attack months ago—back into him. I let him feel what I felt. Let him have a taste of my empathy magic and then some.
“What’s going on?” Tobias stumbled backward. The knife fell from his hands. A milky film covered his eyes as I took him back to each person he ever beat up or abused. He relived every moment, but from the victim’s perspective.
“Stop!” Tobias cried out. “Don’t touch me.” He backed into a corner and covered his head. Cowering on his knees, he sobbed and ran his hands along the ground. He would be blind until the vision wore off, and hopefully by then, he would know what it was like to be the victim, and therefore no longer be a predator.