Page 12 of The Avowed
Treno sets me down on the bed like the delicate flower he clearly thinks I am. I open my mouth to yell at him, but I’m momentarily distracted by the bed cover. Nope, not velvet, it’s somethingwaysofter.My rubby cat instincts are immediately activated, and I have to stop myself from moaning and rolling around on the soft fabric like a fucking loon. Treno reaches down and rips my shirt down the middle with his hands.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I shriek at him as I clamp the fabric ends together and spring up off the bed.
He tries to push me back in place, and I open the floodgates on my rage so it can drown out my fear. I’ve had enough of this shit with Zeph and Ryn. I am not going to meekly stand by while it happens again.
“If you so much as come near me with a hard-on, I swear to fuck I will bite it off. I don’t need my gryphon to fight you. I have no problem with dying, and you better believe I will take you down with me,” I growl at him.
He looks at me confused as I scramble away from him.
“Flower, you are in danger,” he tells me, taking a step closer and then immediately freezing when I panic and almost trip on my feet to back away and maintain distance between us.
“No shit,” I snap back.
“Not from me, flower,” he reassures, surprise lighting up his eyes. “Your gryphon is hurt; if it’s bad enough, it will kill you both. I’ve called for a healer. They will be here any second now.”
I reel, not sure how to process what he just said.We could die?
“Can you reach your gryphon at all?” he asks, worry coating every syllable.
“No,” I admit on a whisper. “I haven’t been able to since we crashed into the lake.”
“Thais piss!” Treno curses, and he reaches for me again.
I flinch, and he immediately pulls back.
“Flower, I won’t hurt you. You’re safe here. You’ll always be cared for here.”
The doors slam open, interrupting any response I might have. An elderly looking woman hobbles in, and Treno rounds on her.
“What took so long?” he barks, and I immediately feel bad for the woman.
“Hush, Altern, I have not kept you waiting long,” she replies calmly, and I hold my breath, fully expecting Treno to lose his shit on her.
I’m shocked when he simply releases a deep breath and nods apologetically to the woman.
Well, shit.
“All is well, child, now tell me what has you so out of sorts.” She runs her gaze over Treno like she’s looking for an injury.
“It’s not me, it’s my…”
He doesn’t finish the sentence but steps to the side to reveal...me. The woman’s eyes widen with surprise. She looks me over, her aubergine gaze settling on the white-knuckled fists holding my top together. Her eyes narrow.
“What do we have here?” she asks, turning to Treno, her tone laced with venom and judgment.
“Her gryphon was damaged when we captured her. They haven’t touched for at least three days,” he explains, and the woman’s features grow even harder with the wordcapture.
Three days? How the hell did Ryn put me out for three days?
Anger works its way through my body, and I make a mental note to stab him again the next time I see him. The elderly woman huffs and gestures toward the bed.
“Come, child, time is of the essence here.”
I hesitate, looking from her to the bed to Treno.
“Yes, yes, I will sort that for you,” she assures me, and her dark purple eyes turn from me to the giant male just standing off to my right. “I see no answer, which means you have no rights here, Altern. Leave. I will come to you when I am done.”
Once again, I expect Treno to tell the frail looking woman to fuck off, but he just huffs and then promptly leaves. I watch the heavy iron doors close behind him, and I’m momentarily taken aback. What kind of sorcery was that, and how the fuck can I learn how to wield it? I look back to the woman, who nods and takes me in again, her gaze somewhat softer.
