Page 43 of Her Silent Knight

Chapter Twelve

SHE COULDN’T BREATHE.

Dread stabbed her in the heart as she stared into the red eyes of her attacker. Snarling, the creature lifted her from her feet and held her up in the air, bringing her eye level with it. She saw death in its gaze.

Blood dripped down her neck from the puncture wounds in her throat where the shredder had a tight grip on her. Its poisonous claws dug deep into her flesh. Her vision blurred. Its tongue flicked against her skin, licking away the blood.

Its entire body shook and it emitted a high-pitched sound meant to alert others of its kind. It was letting them know it had found food. Fuck that. She wouldn’t be its meal. Not today.

The creature’s venom was causing her body to go numb. Sin called on her fire. It didn’t come right away. The venom was numbing not only her body but her magic too. She had to work quickly if she wanted her fire to burn away the poison.

With her eyes drifting shut, she fought to remain conscious. Sin begged her fire to erupt. A spark ignited inside of her. Yet, that was it. No fire. To make matters worse, she could no longer feel her legs.

The fire in her wasn’t working. Sin stared to the corner of the room. Her Christmas tree. She could absorb that fire and its magic to burn away the venom flowing through her veins.

She struggled to raise her hand just as the screech of other shredders filled the air. They like to eat in packs. A pack was coming for her. Sin called to the flames burning brightly in the corner of the room.

The tree-shaped blaze flickered but didn’t obey her order. Her hand dropped to her side. She tried raising it again. Fuck. Her entire body was numb now. The screeches were closer.

The scent of rotting flesh filled her nostrils. Shredders smelled viler and looked even worse. Its long boney fingers tightened their grip around her throat. Sin gasped for air. There was none.

Her chest burned. The creature peered into her face. Though her vision was fading in and out, she could make out its dagger-sharp teeth and red eyes. There was no way she could hold on for much longer.

This wasn’t the way she’d thought she would die. For two years, she held on to the hope that one day she would return home to her family. Even when times had gotten hard and it seemed like she wouldn’t survive another day, she found the strength to persevere.

She learned to survive on this plane. She fought to survive on this plane. She learned to make deals and forge bonds that would benefit her. Though she’d yet to kill, she learned how to fight ruthlessly and protect herself.

All of that hard work, all of that planning and struggling, only to die like this. Only to die because she’d been passed out and hadn’t had a chance to reactivate her wards. Which was something she’d done religiously since being here.

She was going to die today, all because she’d brought home a dragon. A motherfucking dragon. Anger fueled her magic. She felt another spark inside her. But it was too late. The venom had spread. Darkness had come.

Sinclair Rose was dying.

***

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SHE’D LIED TO HIM.

Kaede took three steps back, lowered his shoulders and then rushed the bedroom door again. It shook but didn’t budge. Fucking magic.

She lied to us,his beast roared.

Fucking witch! Not only had she lied, she’d done it with a straight face. A beautiful face. An innocent face. A face that made him believe she was telling the truth. This was the second time he’d been fooled by her.

The first had been when he underestimated her and botched his plan to capture her. The second had been when he’d let his guard down around her, physically and mentally. She’d even seemed okay with the fact that she was his mate.

Kaede rush the door again. This time, he heard a cracking sound. Progress. Her magic was no match for him and his beast. Kaede rushed the door again. Damn her. She even moaned when he kissed her in her sweetest place.

She said she wanted to put her hands on us.

And like a fool in love, he believed her. Kaede rushed the door again. Finally, it splintered. Pieces of wood dropped to the floor. Her magic was still holding it upright. A few more hits and he’d send it crashing to the fucking floor.

Fuck love. He wasn’t in love with her. It was the mating pull. He’d be better off calling himself a fool in lust. There was no way he could be in love with a witch he’d just met.

No way he could be in love with a witch who’d tried to torture him and set him on fire. Twice. He would teach her to play around with him.

We cannot harm our mate.