Grounded By Love (The Giant Wars #2)(15)

Fight them the whole way to the stake or go down in dignity? It was a hard debate for her, but she decided she would go down screaming. She twisted in the man's grasp and stepped on his foot with force.

He gave out a curse and backhanded her across the face. She gasped from the shooting pain that coursed through her skull.

She wasn't about to win this fight. Instead, she’d just end up getting herself beat, before she was burned, and being burned was enough for her. She didn't need to add any more pain to her last hour.

A few tears built up in the corners of her eyes, as she thought about her impending death. She might be a strong woman, but she was terrified about being burned alive. She knew enough about life and death to know hers was going to be appalling.

As they tied her to the stake, she kept her head held high and her gaze strong. Any wetness that built up in her eyes was quickly blinked away. She wouldn’t give any of them the satisfaction of seeing her cry, especially the mayor.

Taking a glance at the kindling below the platform she was relieved to see the amount of timber. At least the fire would be burning hot below her feet. She might not have to endure it for long, before she died. Then again the smoke might be the part that killed her.

The mayor stepped forward. “Unfortunately, Claira has been caught aiding a rock giant and now…”

Claira’s attention drifted off at the sound of approaching hooves. Looking up from the mayor she saw the rock giant riding towards the villagers, and he appeared to be coming straight for her.

His sword was out, and he looked ferocious, but she knew the wound had to be causing him a lot of agony, but he held his sword with a steady arm and showed no sign of discomfort. He must’ve been trained to endure on or die.

She wondered if he was crazed or delusional. There was no way he was going to win a fight, when he was this outnumbered. Why had she bothered saving his life in the first place, if he was just going to turn around and waste it?

The mayor noticed the approach of the rock giant first. “Quick men, grab something to defend yourself with. We mustn’t let him go alive.”

The women scattered, dragging their children behind them, to safety. The men came to attention and grabbed whatever they could brandish as a weapon. The village men stepped forward to block the rock giant's path, forcing him to pull up on the reins or skewer the horse’s chest.

Her jade eyes clashed with the giant’s onyx ones. He was here to save her. She could feel it in her gut, and she hoped he’d be successful.

“Hand over the female.” The rock giant demanded, his voice deep and sturdy, as he spoke their language.

“We will never hand her over. She must be an example for the village. We’re at war, and she’s been deemed a traitor to our land and people.”

If she’d been the mayor, she would’ve handed herself over. The rock giant didn't look like he was in the mood for a negative answer.

Another man piped in from her side. “Let him have her. It's what she deserves, if she wants to go around healing rock giants. He might do a better job of teaching her a lesson!”

She glared at the man. She should’ve let him die of small pox, two years ago. She turned her gaze back to the rock giant. Why had he returned for her? Maybe he knew he might need a healer to make it back to his people alive.

The mayor shook his head. “She is wicked, and she must be burned! We mustn’t let her go free to spread her wickedness elsewhere!” Of course, the mayor would be so adamant about having her torched. He’d been waiting for her to slip up for a few years now.

The mayor had been worried about his popularity, when she’d come to town. He’d been afraid her healing would win over the villagers. As soon as he could, he ostracized her. Since no one had known her at the time, they’d followed his lead. He’d decided to condemn an innocent woman from the moment she came to the village. That was not the quality of a leader, but the villagers were blinded by their love and trust for him. They were just a pack of animals following their leader blindly.

She’d never felt such a burning hatred for anyone, but the mayor was the exception.

With a shrug the rock giant stated, “As you will then.” He lifted his sword and charged the group of men standing in his way.

Claira would’ve expected the townsmen to scatter like street rats, and some of them did, but quite a large group of them stayed their ground.

Instead of fearing for the lives of the villagers, she was concerned for the life of the rock giant. She worried he wouldn’t be able to stand up to the village men with his wound, but, of course, he surprised her.

The rock giant rode into the middle of their group, and the horse reared almost hitting a couple of the men in the head, but they managed to dodge the deadly hooves.

A few men grabbed at the rock giant's legs, but with a few quick slashes of his sword he had the men backing up. They cried out, as their arms dripped blood from the sharp cuts of the rock giant's sword.

More men rushed in trying to take their place. All Claira could do was stare in horror, as the rock giant lifted his large sword and brought it down, slicing a man's head clean from his body.

Claira averted her eyes. She didn't want to watch him cut his way through the villagers, yet she dearly hoped he’d be able to save her. She’d rather try her luck with him, then to stay at this stake and try her luck with a burning platform.