Captured (The Captive #1)(42)
Jack’s eyes widened, shock radiated from him as his gaze darted wildly over them again. “What are you saying?” he inquired softly.
“I am saying that you will not be leaving this room until we figure something out, but it will not involve you taking her, and it will not involve you telling them who she is.”
Aria rested her fingers lightly on Braith’s back, too stunned to move for a moment. Slowly, hesitatingly, she peered around his back to look at Jack. “Braith…”
“You may be mature now, but I can still take you,” Braith growled.
Aria gasped softly, Jack’s mouth parted slightly as his dark eyebrows shot into his hairline. “Braith,” she breathed. Her fingers curled into the shirt he wore, she was awed by the fact that he was willing to protect her.
“She can’t stay here Braith,” Jack said softly.
“You’re not giving her to them!” he snarled, taking a small step forward.
Aria jerked on his shirt, trying to pull him back. His body quivered in rage, his muscles fairly vibrated with it. She did not want to die, she did not want to be handed over to be tortured and used against her family, but she also did not want to watch two brothers fight because of her. She did not want to see Braith hurt because of her.
“I never intended to,” Jack told him.
Both Aria and Braith started at his soft words. “Excuse me?” Braith grated.
Jack rocked back on his heels. “Apparently we have a lot to discuss, but you can rest assured that I am not here to turn Aria over to our father.”
“Then what are you here for?” Aria whispered.
Jack turned to her, his eyes hard. “To bring you home.”
Aria’s mouth dropped, her fingers dug tighter into Braith’s clothes as she trembled against him, stunned and thrilled at Jack’s words. Home! To be home in her forest, with her friends, and her family! To be free, running wild, back in the world that she knew and loved so much. To be amongst the animals and trees, to breathe fresh air and not have to be leashed in order to do so. It was all so wonderful, and she wanted it so badly that she could nearly taste it, nearly feel it.
And then she felt Braith as he turned slightly toward her. She felt the heat of his gaze behind his glasses, the shock that held him as she tilted her head back. She knew she could not keep the hope from her gaze, but there was a new sense of longing swirling rapidly within her. She would have her freedom, but she would not have him. She clung tighter to him, unable to let go, unable to stop the fierce surge of terror that shot through her.
What was wrong with her? She should be embracing this, should be halfway out the door with Jack right now, not standing here feeling rattled, confused, and a surprisingly fierce ache in the region of her heart. Her head dropped against his chest, she could hardly breathe through the shocking pain swamping her. She barely knew him, yet the idea of parting from him was almost unbearable. He remained unmoving for a moment before his hand entwined slowly in her hair and he cradled her gently against him.
“Yes,” Braith said softly. “Apparently we do have a lot to discuss.”
CHAPTER 12
Braith did not move away from the door, he did not let her step away from him. He wasn’t going to let her anywhere near Jericho, or Jericho anywhere near the door, until he truly felt he could trust his brother, which might never happen. “What has happened here?” Jericho asked softly.
“I might ask you the same question,” Braith retorted sharply.
Jericho’s grey eyes shone with merriment for a moment before they grew serious and hard once more. Braith had been right, his brother had matured. Jericho’s demeanor had always been carefree and lively. It was not now; in fact he looked highly perplexed and more than a little upset. He was thinner in the face, and in his build, most likely from not having access to sustenance whenever he wanted it. However, though he was thinner, there were muscles cording his entire body that had never been there before. A jagged scar marred his cheek, it was fresh though, and with time it would probably disappear. Just as, in another fifty years, he would not be able to see the scars around his eyes anymore. It was only the severe amount of damage that had been done to his eyes that had caused the scars to remain this long. And it was still uncertain if he would ever fully regain his eyesight when he wasn’t in Arianna’s presence.
“What are you doing Braith? If they discover this they’ll kill her. Father might even kill you.”
Arianna bristled over this, her fingers tightened in his shirt, her jaw clenched tighter. “And you plan on what, just walking out of here with her? Do you believe father would allow that? And if someone else had claimed her, then what Jericho, were you going to kill them in order to free her?”
“I have a plan.”
“And it doesn’t risk her life at all?” Braith growled.
Jericho shifted slightly, his gaze drifted toward Arianna. “There is always risk, in everything we do. However, we felt that the risk far outweighed the danger if it meant getting Aria back.”
“You followed me up here after Caleb told you she was a redhead, were you going to kill me?”
Jericho shifted uneasily. “No. I was sent here to assess the situation, to find out if Aria was even still alive, and if I could get her safely out without jeopardizing either of our lives.”