Page 16 of Nocturn

My heart fell to my feet at the utter distaste curling his lips.

I backed away from the bed as far as I could, the chain rattling with my retreat. He approached with measured strides. I hunched my shoulders, trying to make myself smaller. I backed away to the extent the chain allowed, but still, he neared. To look up at him, I had to crane my neck.

My pulse thundered madly in my ears, the thrum close to deafening. He reached for my arm with a flash of speed too fast for my eye, and he extended my arm up as high as it could stretch.

“Wh-what are you doing?” I breathed, and even those few words were difficult to push out.

His thumb dug into my skin a bit below my wrist. I tugged, immediately shying from the discomfort. But he didn’t release me, and he kept pressing. The dull throb was becoming too much.

He angled his thumb down more, and I felt the pop of my skin. I gasped, tears flooding my eyes at the same speed blood surfaced.

A droplet of blood trickled down my arm to my elbow, the crimson color stark against my bronze skin.

His eyes widened, and where the gold and red of his irises met, the color pulsed. He squeezed my arm. With a quick jerk, he broke the chain and wrapped it around his fist.

CHAPTER SIX

Redblood

He pulled and iron cinched around my throat, giving me no other choice than to follow as he dragged me out of the chamber. I lost my balance in the middle of the hall, but he didn’t slow. My knee slammed into the stone, which sent sharp, stabbing pains up and down my leg.

I choked on my shout, struggling to drag in a breath.

He hissed out a breath full of frustration and grabbed my arm. I struggled to get on my feet. When he reached the stairs, he was half dragging me off the ground.

My joints screamed from the pain.

So terrifyingly strong.

“Drusilla!” he bellowed. I flinched at the volume.

My ankle smacked into the second-to-last-stair before we reached the foyer. He tossed me, and I rolled until I stopped on my side. I lay still for a second, taking stock of the aches and pains in my limbs.

“Drusilla!” he boomed again.

“Yes, my lord?” The light click of heels approached at a rapid pace. I forced my head to lift when it was close.

Lady Drusilla caught my gaze, and she quickly masked the confusion on her face. “My lord.” She folded her hands together, staring at him expectantly.

“Send a missive to the House of Lords for a meeting in the Grand Hall. Immediately.” He whipped around. “You.” He addressed an officer near the entrance. “Bring me Abrax,” he ordered.

The officer did not need more orders; he broke into a sprint.

The Warlord turned back to Lady Drusilla. “Why are you still here?”

His silky tone made my skin shrivel. Lady Drusilla turned pale and inclined her head.

“I will have an officer deliver the missive directly.” She hurried off, her echoing steps rapid.

The Warlord’s lips flattened, and he looked at me. I yanked my eyes down. The cut on my arm sluggishly leaked blood.

“Stand up.” With that, he strode past me.

I ignored the pinch in my knee and shot to my feet to follow him, worried about what he would do to me if I didn’t. Each step down the marble steps exiting the Citadel sent stabs of pain to my toes, but I couldn’t afford to slow. His wide stride had him well ahead of me.

He slowed at the base of the stairs, cutting an imposing figure in the dawnlight.

The clopping of hooves approached, and around the bend came a man leading a horse. The same giant horse I’d seen in the stable. His onyx coat almost glimmered from how smooth it was. The beast was massive. As it trotted closer, he surpassed the man holding his lead, forcing him to run.