72 Chapter 72: Bonds

A loud chuckle rumbled into her ear, and Yuliah turned to find the Liege face down - two broad shoulders shook when a peal of mad laughter exploded into the night.

The orange flames that flickered above her head allowed just enough light for their eyes to meet. Yuliah gave him the angriest glare. She had aimed for the heart, missed and struck him in the chest instead. Pain and hurt, that's what Yuliah wanted for him after the way he treated her, but now they were both stuck. "Used the wrong head again, huh," she said. "Now look at you." A breath came out too hard and sent strands of long black hair blowing sideways. They landed across the Liege's cheek.

He chuckled.

Great! Nothing worked out for her. Yuliah gave the Liege another nasty look to assure she meant nothing else.

"You talk about my other head often. Do you wish to see it, Princess?" He shot an inviting grin back. "I don't want to boast but its... Impressive." An arrogant grin stretched wide and revealed a perfect set of teeth. "Then you'll realize why I enjoy using it so much." Two cheeks puffed out and a hefty breath of hot air expelled from his mouth.

Wisps of hair settled back on her face. "Oh, please," Yuliah turned away, with both cheeks red and hot. "What hangs between your legs - I have no interest. You dog." Then withdrew back to her worries.

"That's what you say now, but give it time. Soon you'll plead for me to mount you like a dog." He growled and snapped his mouth at Yuliah.

Shock and disgust froze her face. "Don't count on it."

Oh, she was so wrong because two hours later, the bond he imposed on her reared its nasty head and brought a vengeful desire. Attacked by lewd visions of the Liege, Yuliah kept her sanity with thoughts of Ryas and their child. She dreamed of the life they would have down to the details of their home.

It appeared not to work very well because a scorching heat, one that brewed inside, dragged her attention back to the Liege.

His eyes were closed, but there was something about him, powerful and rugged, that intrigued her. Yuliah laid there covered in sweat, watching the Liege, and with his hand-thrown over her breast, it only made the heat worse.

"It's getting tough, isn't it?" His eyes opened, and an impish grin surprised her.

"Not at all," Yuliah stared back until she lost herself in his eyes. It's the bond. She knew it.

"I don't believe you," the Liege scoffed.

Red-faced and flustered, she forced herself to turn away. A moment afterward, her need for him reached its peaked and diffused.

Yuliah exhaled quietly so he wouldn't find out. So the bond comes and goes. That's how it must work... She just needed to control herself long enough for it to dispersed.

Soon, thoughts of Ryas came rushing back. Where was he? Four days passed by, with no trace of him. Would he even come for her anymore? A weight pushed down on her chest.

No... Ryas would not forsake her or his child. He's not that kind of man. There's a reason he's not here yet then shook off her fears.

Two more hours until she could break free. She would release the mark and then flee. Her only chance to get back to Ryas. She missed Ryas too much. A longing soon replaced her burning desire for the Liege.

The night brought on a cold that turned the glowing embers from the fire to ash. When darkness encroached on them, sleep tugged at Yuliah's lids, and the forest sounds mixed with a warmth from the Liege's body made her eyes shut entirely.

She dozed for a while before the loud crack of branches yanked her from a half-asleep mind. What's that? Both eyes snapped opened.

The bustling chirps of bugs and birds that sung her to sleep earlier disappeared. Only the heavy steps of something large as it pushed through the forest came from out in the dark and headed their way.

"What's causing that commotion?" Yuliah asked. The intent was not to talk to him, but what came from the forest worried her.

"Yes," he said.

"Your dumb beast?" Fear gnawed at her weary mind. If the beast returned, fleeing him would be hopeless.

"No. Too many steps."

"Other Nomens?" Yuliah asked.

"I didn't pick up their scent."

"What might it be?" Her heart stuttered. If they weren't with the Liege, it must be some new creature. A man's steps did not snap branches from trees.

No answer came, just the expelling of breaths blew quietly in her ear. Nomens have a strong sense of smell, she guessed he must have tried to pick up a scent.

"Ahkongsa," he answered.

Fear shot through her body, and if she wasn't already lying down, Yuliah might have fallen over. She ran into the Ahkongsa before. They were dangerous, and gigantic men like creatures with extraordinary strength. She almost died at the hands of one if Ryas hadn't rescued her in time. A tightness in her chest sent tears down the sides of both cheeks. Yuliah didn't know how to keep the baby or herself safe.

"Scared, Princess." The Liege's taunting voice penetrated through her worries.

"No." Yuliah lied and turned away, but inside it terrified her, the thought of death. Of never seeing Ryas again. She didn't want that. Air passed up through her nose and out both lips. Whatever happened next, she would do whatever it took to return to Ryas, even if she lacked the courage.

"The Nomen Kings have never sired a coward, don't tell me you'll be the first."

She met the Liege's insult with a curt reply. "Who said they scared me." She lied and beat back the worry in her tone.

"Be still," his voice went mute.

Four Ahkongsa slugged through the grassy field - a few feet away. With light-colored eyes they shuffled about blindly in the night and guessed where to go.

"This ain't no shortcut." The biggest Ahkongsa pushed a smaller one back. "If we don't make it to the city by tomorrow. Cog will have us beat."

"Why the human city?"

"One of King Baasa's bastards we need ta' catch."

"How we gonna know what that little prick looks like?"

"Like his bastard brother who escaped?"

"Nomens march on the human city right now. The humans will need him to stop them. We just sit and watch till they bring him out. That's how we'll know."

Her brother's still alive? Relief and guilt wrenched in the pit of Yuliah's belly. She'd been too greedy and forgot about her missing brother, she vowed to find. The only good thing was that Aleric searched for a male.

Yuliah listened to the exchange between the Ahkongsa, in hopes to discover more information, but stopped breathing when a giant foot stomped down and missed her head by a few inches. Oh, good Gods! She rolled her eyes shut in relief. The Ahkongsa continued on and did not see her beneath his feet. They passed by and continued to talk.

"What does he want with the Nomen King's bastard?"

Before an answer came, a big breeze sent the lush field swaying back and forth.

"Stop..." The Ahkongsa paused partway across the field.

The smallest one raised his nose to the air and inhaled. "What's that stink?"

They all snorted through black nostrils the size of a man's eyeball.

"Nomens!" All four of them tore a spiked club from the pelts on their backs and sniffed the air. "A woman too." Boisterous laughs carried through the air.

Oh, good Gods! She needed to break loose of the poison now. Yuliah's neck swelled and strained when she tried to curl her fingers to move, but nothing happened.

She struggled again to move... Every muscle in her body strained until she bolted up, and the Liege's hand flopped aside.

"You can't leave me."

Yuliah ignored his plea. Yes, she can, especially after what he did to her earlier.

In the dark, she felt for his body; being naked made her more vulnerable, and she carried enough insecurities already. Yuliah would take his robes. They were the easiest to remove, and with both feet pushed against his side, she pressed against him hard. After several tries, he flipped over. She tore the robe from his body.

"Princess, listen to me." Drex turned but lazily.

The whirling of clubs beating against grass and how close the Ahkongsa's deep voices sent Yuliah's heart into a frenzy.

"Why should I?" She bound the robe around her frame, glad she had clothes again. Then shrieked in a hushed tone so the Ahkongsa would not hear. "You molested me."

"I just wanted to scare you." His tone suggested a lack of care. "If I die, the Nomens will fall. I protect your Royal Family along with all Nomens in the Ethereal Forest," he said.

"I don't trust you." He would only try to save himself. Yuliah peeked above the grass. The Ahkongsa were blinder than men, and she watched four large shadows go through the field with no real direction. Murai would be behind the Ahkongsa. Convinced she could make it, Yuliah figured she would have to slip around them.

Drex's whispers stopped Yuliah in mid-walk. "I have no reason to deceive you. Trust me... Nomen lives are at risk! You're too small to fight if they catch you. You'll need me. I know how to fight," he tried to persuade her.

"You can't even move. What help will you be?"

"I can move but not completely."

A large hand seized hold of the robes she wore. "Let Go of me!" The palm of Yuliah's hand smacked onto his face, and he let out a yelp. Great! She meant to strike him on the shoulder, but missed again.

"Over there!" One of the Ahkongsa sprung forward. "It's a male." The panic of feet ponded onto the earth.

Shit! Yuliah dove for the grass but crashed into a hard body. "Move." She pushed the Liege aside.

"Get over here." He grabbed Yuliah's robes and dragged her sideways along with him quickly into the grass.

Unbelievable the gut of this Liege. Yuliah scrambled behind him. She hated how he just did what he wanted.

He hadn't regained his full strength and moved slower and came to a halt. "We have to make a run for the forest."

She stuck her head out and glimpsed where the Ahkongsa had gone. Yuliah made out four large shadows on the other side, where they both were a moment ago.

She prepared to bolt for the tree lines now that they were close enough. Forget the Liege. Yuliah sprung up and leaped, but catapulted backward into his arms.

"I can't stand yet. If you don't help me, I'll make it so the Ahkongsa will catch us both," he threatened.

Yuliah's head shook in disbelief. "You fucken coward," she spat at him when he whisked her around to face him.

"No. There's nothing cowardly about using any means to survive."

"Quiet. Or the Ahkongsa will spot us." She scowled back so intensively her eyes could burn a hole in him.

Behind them, the ground rumbled, and more feet pounded against the dirt. The Ahkongsa were desperately searching for them.

She was certain the Liege would make good on his threat and left with no choice Yuliah grabbed hold of the Liege's waist. "Fine!" Yuliah dragged him forward.

The weight of his body weighed down Yuliah, making it hard to carry him. She half squat and pulled him away - spending all of her energy.

By the time they passed the tree line and made it deep into the forest. The night sky changed to shades of gray. Exhausted, her limbs gave out. They both tumbled and Yuliah landed on top of him. The sharp features of his face were clearer now. Even after being dragged through the dirt, he still looked immaculate.

"Give me your name, Princess," he noticed Yuliah staring and grinned.

A hot breath swept across the surface of her face, and desire burned through Yuliah's body. She didn't want to tell him, but being in this position with him repeatedly, induced the bond, and the name, "Yuliah," slipped from her lips.

"Yuliah," her name rolled off his tongue. "I'm better than your General."

Thin lips grazed across her collar and for a moment, she thought about tasting his lips, and a heat stirred from deep inside. The pull towards him brought her mouth right up to his - where she hesitated for a moment. "I - I can't.." Yuliah seized her desire just in time to push his face away and swerved back. That's close any later and who knows what she would have done. She scurried away, but the Liege caught her by the foot.

"Let's talk, Princess."

With one pull, she laid wedged in between soft dirt, ferns, and his body.

"I want you Yuliah. Why don't we come to an arrangement?" He gave her a pleasing smirk.

Yuliah stared right into those brown eyes of his, and they gleamed like a shiny copper flame, pulling her in closer.

RYAS, her mind screamed, and she broke from the stupor. She whacked the Liege across his face.

He scowled away. "Fine, forget talking." His disappointed gaze fell back on her. "Force it will be again."

Yuliah felt her stomach flip when the Liege attacked. He moved between her legs and had both her wrists in one hand. With a free hand, he fumbled around struggling to loosen his belt.

"NOOOO," she writhed under his giant frame. "We can talk about this Drex. That's what they call you, right?"

"Now you want to talk?" Wet lips suckled at her neck. "I gave you a chance."

"You don't have to do this!" Yuliah gasped when sharp teeth gently bit down where the kisses had been.

"Yes, I do. I have to ensure the survival of Nomens." The top of his slacks slipped down, and hot flesh slapped onto her thigh.

Good Gods! He wasn't joking when he spoke of his other head. The length of him ran up half of her thigh. Aggression only caused him to be more savage, and she needed to soothe him. "You don't have to force me, Drex." Yuliah sweetened her tone, making him stop.

He stared long and hard at her, then loosened the hold on her wrists. "How do you plan to do that?"

Yuliah kept each eye engaged with his, but pulled both hands from his grasp. One hand settled on Drex's face and the other on his hip. Her touch sent his chest puffing up and down gently against hers.

With the tip of a finger, she traced over the scar that stretched across his eye and gave a curious expression. "I wish our bond to be more than just a brief lay here in this dirt..." She hesitated when her heart raced. The bond made it race. "I'm the daughter of a King; my Liege, I deserve more consideration than this?" Beautiful brown eyes twinkled back at Drex.

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On the other side of the forest, headed straight for Yuliah, came Ward.

Sunlight poured through gnarled branches in the thick forest, and a sour stink filled their noses.

Death... Ward's hand reached for the hilt of his blade.

The mangled bodies of hundreds of soldiers lay scattered across the forest floor.

"Stay alert," he slowed his horse down to a walk when he came across the biggest heap of bodies. Ward recognized the black Fenrir welded into the breastplate of one of the killed soldiers. "It's the Kreato," he announced.

"Who could do this to the Kreato?" Ox moved his horse closer.

"Someone strong," Ward examined the area for movement. "Whoever did this to the Kreato, were no ordinary man." He inspected the bodies. "I don't see any sword wounds. Only broken bodies smashed to bits." Men could not do this. There's only one place that had creatures strong enough to kill the Kreato without swords, and that was the Ethereal Forest. Ward shook his head. More shit to deal with.

"NOOOO," a shriek reverberated through the woods and he immediately scanned around. He saw nobody but thick green timbers and shrubs.

Fear rushed over him. He knew that cry. "It's the girl!" Ward yanked on the reins, sending the horse galloping ahead.