Frey (The Frey Saga, #1)(38)

There was a sound behind me and I realized it had been completely quiet as we all watched the unanimated brawl. Instantly, Steed and Chevelle broke their stare and turned to the noise, dogs I thought, looking past me. I started to turn as well and noticed Ruby was gone from beside me, though I’d not seen her move. And then I was whisked from my seat as I glimpsed Steed and Chevelle dart past me. But they hadn’t touched me.

Less than a second ago, I'd been watching a contest and now I was standing behind Ruby, facing the other direction, her red curls blocking my view as she shielded me, her arms outstretched in ready. Steed and Chevelle were at opposite angles in front of us, both tensed, even more so than they had been in their bout, and I leaned my head around Ruby’s hair to see what they were seeing.

In front of our triangle, directly ahead of Ruby, stood a councilman in the indicative long white robe and tassels. I sickened as I absorbed the idea that a council member… was he a tracker… was behind me… directly behind me… as we were all engrossed in a trivial match. He was frozen, unmistakable agony distorted his features. I didn’t know which of the group were restraining him, Anvil and Grey flanked him, Rhys and Rider were posted a good distance behind him with their dogs, watching. Maybe all of them held him.

He seemed to be attempting to speak but couldn’t get the words out. I noticed his blond hair and became vaguely aware I had grown accustomed to the dark features of my new companions. Chevelle mumbled something but my ears began to buzz, not the all-out siren that had crippled me before, more like interference, and I couldn't understand him. I could see his lips moving as he then spoke to Anvil but wasn't able to catch the words.

And then Anvil approached the captive, dwarfing him with his mass. He exhibited remarkable menace when he addressed the motionless councilman, whose mouth appeared to be working again as he replied. Through ringing ears I couldn’t hear their words clearly, but I did hear the breaking bones. A grotesque crunch sounded as the councilman's thigh bone snapped, dropping him halfway to the ground. Anvil was leaning over him, somehow even more intimidating than my first, moonlit sight of him, while he spoke directly to the man as if they were the only two here, as if he hadn’t just suffered a traumatic injury. And, evidently, Anvil didn’t like the answers he received, because the councilman's other leg snapped, dropping him to stand on the stumps of his broken, mangled thighs.

I couldn’t keep from wondering how it was possible he remained upright. Anvil bent down to keep his stare close, threatening. The broken man looked at me then, his glare accusing, and suddenly his mouth was moving heatedly, but my ears only rang louder, engulfing all other sound. I cringed away from his gaze but couldn’t stop myself from watching the scene play out, even as my head turned down, wanting to look away. Why was he fixed on me? What were they saying?

Ruby remained protectively in front of me, her posture lowered, arms tensed tighter since he’d turned his eyes on me. His face twisted in agony as his right arm was torn from its socket, leaving the limb hanging limply at the shoulder, and part of me was glad I couldn’t hear that sound. He turned back to his questioner, his mouth a grimace as the words came out, unmistakably a curse, and his other arm was wrenched from its socket. He winced, apparently not yet numb from the damages, and then his face went hard, his lips pressed together, jaw clenched tight. He wasn’t going to scream? Or talk. His back twisted and he fell, a motionless heap on the ground. His body was bent out of recognition.

It was over.

My ears had stopped ringing the moment he'd hit the ground. Ruby relaxed and stepped away from me. I wanted to catch up with what had happened but no one was talking, the mountain was silent. Rhys and Rider were gone from sight again.

“Aren’t you going to perform the death ceremony?” I worried as the other elves began walking away.

Anvil spat on the mangled body. The corpse. “It’s done.”

I stood staring at the crumpled mass as the others gathered, arguing.

A council member.

“It’s time to move,” I heard someone say.

Came for me.

“No, not yet.” Someone else.

They killed him.

And I was glad.

“There could be more,” Grey insisted.

That brought me back. “More?” Chevelle looked irritated again and then gave the bickering group an admonishing glare as he approached me. “There are more council members coming for me?” I could hear the alarm in my own voice.

He tried to calm me. “Frey–”

I cut him off. “I won’t let you all pay for my crimes.” Confusion passed over each face, except Chevelle.

“We aren’t. You don’t understand…” Something flickered in his eyes. “Besides, they are pursuing me.” The group appeared even more puzzled. “For choking the tracker.” Grey shook his head.

“Because of me,” I argued. “And now, well, now you’ve killed one.” But I didn’t know who, Anvil had stood before him but any one of them could have snapped his spine.

“Frey.” His tone was solemn. “You know what they did to your mother.” And I could hear what he didn’t say, and you know what they’ll do to you.

I didn’t have a counter for that and he knew it. He took advantage of the silence, giving orders to Ruby. “Take her to the house.”