Page 66 of Gilded Curses

Sahira didn’t understand. Zeth still clearly had two hands, while Orin was missing one of his. “Then why…?”

“He took his hand instead.”

Sahira gasped as her eyes flew to the man draped between them. Orin was many things—selfish, callous, stubborn, exasperating, and more than a little fucked in the head, but she’d also learned he had a big heart, was more caring than he knew, and could be selfless, smart, strong, tender, and fiercely protective of those he loved.

Despite all those good things, she never would have believed that he would choose to mutilate himself instead of Zeth.

Would he do it for her?

Yes, she believed he would just as he would do it for his brothers, but not Zeth.

They started this journey as enemies. Along the way, they’d become reluctant allies, and now she would consider them friends. They’d helped each other to survive, but while Orin stopped to rescue Zeth from the spiders, he wasn’t about to maim himself for him. Yet, he had.

None of it made any sense.

Zeth met her eyes over the top of Orin’s head. “I don’t understand it either, but it’s done. He’s lost a lot of blood. They were too stunned and then pissed to cauterize his injury right away. I had to do it.”

Sahira didn’t say anything as she helped Zeth carry Orin up the stairs and into the hallway with their rooms. Before they made it to Orin’s room, Desmond joined them with two dozen more guards. He ordered the men to remain outside their rooms.

“Put him in his room,” he commanded Zeth, “and then leave.”

Zeth’s jaw clenched, and he looked at Sahira, but she didn’t know what to say or do. If they tried to separate her from Orin, she’d fight worse than a cat about to get a bath.

Zeth helped her get Orin settled on his bed before stepping back. Orin lay with his head turned away from them and his handless arm draped across his belly.

Zeth looked helplessly from Orin to Sahira. “What can I do to help?”

“Nothing,” Desmond spat. “Get out of the room, demon.”

When Zeth didn’t immediately obey the command, some guards slipped past Desmond and entered the room.

“It’s okay,” Sahira assured Zeth. The last thing they needed was a fight here when Orin couldn’t defend himself. “Go on. I’ll take care of him.”

Zeth glanced helplessly at her again. “I’ll be right across the hall.”

After Zeth left the room, the door slammed shut, and a key turned in the lock. Sahira had no idea why they hadn’t been taken to the dungeons, especially since all pretenses of them being welcome guests were gone, but she suspected these things had their reasons.

They’d made it clear no one was leaving their rooms tonight… just like no one was leaving this forsaken realm.

She turned her attention back to Orin and nearly fell off the bed when she discovered him sitting ramrod straight on it with his head up and his eyes burning with fury.

“We’re getting out of here tonight,” he growled.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

The blood drained from her face as she gawked at him. “What?”

“We’re getting out of here tonight.”

Her eyes fell on his hand… or at least what used to be his hand. He wasn’t about to let the loss of his appendage hinder him.

“Cast a silencing spell,” he commanded.

Shaking her head, Sahira’s shoulders went back as she got over her shock at seeing him more alert than he’d pretended to be. She quickly created a spell that would conceal any noise they made.

“You looked half dead,” she said when she finished.

“I’m a good actor, better than these fuckers.”