Chapter Ninety-seven

CONTENT ADVISORY / TRIGGER WARNING

THIS NOVEL CONTAINS DEPICTIONS/STRONG IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOLLOWING THAT SOME READERS MAY FIND OFFENSIVE OR DISTURBING:

~ VIOLENCE

Libelle fought to contain her tears, her uneven breathing and her shaking. Eskil was hurt, but he was alive...he was coming for her, and that was all that mattered. She bit her lower lip, the sharp pinch giving her a taste of her own blood. She felt Gaalin grabbing her already sore and bruised ankles as he spun her around onto her back. His cold eyes searched for hers, except hers were squeezed shut.

He groaned and slumped forward until his chest was resting against hers and his lips were touching her neck.

"Libelle," he murmured. "You're wonderful. My beautiful, sexy Libelle. You're mine."

I'll never be yours, you vile, deceitful, and cruel—

"I am going to go downstairs. I'll gather supplies and ready the carriage. I want to leave with you and start a new life with you as my wife." He attempted to kiss her cheek, but she turned her head away from him.

He chuckled. "You'll understand why I did this one day. You'll grow to love me in return."

Gaalin stood up beside the bed, pulling his pants back on and redoing his belt buckle. He retrieved his shirt from the floor and walked towards the door, pausing as he opened it. Looking back over his shoulder, he smiled brightly at her.

"I love you, Libelle."

When the door shut behind him, Libelle felt a wave of emotion rushing through her all at once and she couldn't contain it anymore, she felt completely crushed. Rolling onto her side, she raised her knees up to her chest. Eskil, she silently whispered.

"I'm coming!" he roared into her mind, the sensation of his struggles rolling through her. She could feel the bones cracking in his wrists, his shoulder dislocating, and his skin tearing against the abrasive rope. His rage was seeping from him, as was the determination to break free from his bonds. He was going to get to her.

Eskil, he's done. He left.

"Beloved, I'm coming. I'll be there soon, please wait for me."

Through the pounding rain on the roof and the howling of the wind, she could hear the solid structure of the manor groaning loudly. Another loud groan echoed through the house before she heard a crack of splintering wood along with a beastly roar. She glanced at the doorway, pleading with the divines that Eskil would be the one to open it. The fear that Gaalin would come back before Eskil sent another shiver down her spine.

Thundering feet pounded up the stairs and along the hallway towards her room, and she felt herself tense up as she began to pull at her restraints. It was Gaalin, wasn't it?

The door flew open, and she flinched as she pushed herself up onto her elbows and prepared to fight Gaalin off with everything she had. She relaxed and her shoulders slumped as a relieved smile spread faintly across her lips.

She whispered his name, the noise muffled through her gag.

He stood panting in the doorway, beaten and bloodied all over. His hands rested above his knees as he slumped forward and coughed, spraying spit and blood onto the floor. He had wounds all over his body, and his skin had been ripped apart from Gaalin's assault and from escaping his bonds. His blazing red eyes locked onto her, and as quickly as his battered body was able to, he crossed the room to reach her.

Libelle tried to sit up for him, but she was pulled right back down to the mattress by her restraints. His clawed fingers twisted into the material and shredded it, then he ripped the gag from her mouth and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her firmly against his chest.

"Libelle," he said quietly, his voice breaking. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. I'm so sorry."

Her blue eyes widened, once again filling with tears before she broke down in the arms of her lifemate. She twisted her arms around his neck, burrowed her face against his collarbone and cried. She just cried. Eskil knew he couldn't take away her pain, not right now. The only thing he could do for her was scoop her up and get her out of there.

"Can you walk?" he asked. She nodded, and he lifted her off the bed to set her on the floor. Her feet flattened out and she stifled her cry as pain shot all the way up through the joints in her legs. Eskil immediately lifted her back up and sat her on the edge of the bed to examine her ankles. They were incredibly swollen, probably sprained, and handprints bruised all the skin on both her lower legs. He sighed and grabbed the grey wool blanket that was neatly folded over the chair by her desk. He wrapped it around her body and lifted her up in his arms, cradling her against his chest. She pulled the rough material against herself as she stared up at him. Despite the pain radiating through his entire body and the blood pooling from his wounds, he still managed to smile so gently at her.

"I'm getting you out of here. I'll take you somewhere safe."

She nodded at him, wrapping one arm around his neck as he headed towards the door. He carried her out of her room and down the stairs, stepping lightly as he crept towards the main door. He glanced out of the window, taking note that the rain had slowed to a trickle and the sky was changing from black to a navy blue; the sun was coming up.

He grabbed the doorknob, twisted it to open the door, and then stopped dead in his tracks. Gaalin stood on the other side of the door with a loaded crossbow pointed directly at Eskil's chest. His lips were curled into an evil snarl and sheer madness glistened in his eyes.

"I thought I heard a rat," he snapped as he released his fingers from the drawn bowstring. The notched arrow was instantly let loose and pierced through the center of Eskil's chest.