Betrayals of Spring (Forever Fae #2)(53)

That explains why they sound alike...they’re brothers. “Aye, she is a beautiful fae woman. Her face is by far the most beautiful I have ever seen. I found her after she crossed the bridge into our territory with her two warriors,” Bastian replies.

The group of Tyvar hollers out their victory of my capture and hearing it makes me cringe in fear. I don’t want to imagine what it would be like to be taken by so many men day and night. Bastian releases my hand and passes me along to the leader, Bayleon. He moves closer and I can feel his breath against my face. If Bastian wasn’t behind me I would have moved back. “Open your eyes, my lady,” he urges.

“No!” Ashur and Finn both scream simultaneously. I hear a struggle going on behind me and it kills me that I can’t help them. I worry for their safety and it sounds like something bad is happening to both of them.

“What’s going on, Ashur?” I demand.

“Finn tried to get to you, but they knocked him out cold. He seems to be coming around as we speak. Don’t worry about us, Princess. Whatever they threaten you with you better not open your eyes. They never physically force women to open their eyes, but they will threaten you to do it. Stay strong, do you understand?”

“Yes,” I reply shakily.

I shake my head at the leader and with a strong voice I say the one word they are not going to want to hear.

“No.”

Bayleon releases a sigh and if I could see him I’m sure he would be shaking his head. “I see we are going to have to do this the hard way,” he suggests. “If you do not open your eyes I will have one of your men brutally tortured and killed. I can promise you that. I’ll even let you pick which one lives if you would like.”

I gasp in shock and my knees go weak. I knew they would go to any lengths to get me to open my eyes, but I didn’t think they would go to this level. The fae have to keep their promises, and Bayleon promised to kill one of my men if I did not look at him. I have no choice. I have to open my eyes or one of my men will be killed.

Before I have the chance to answer, I hear Ashur’s voice in my mind. His desperation makes the tears build up behind my eyes.

“Don’t you dare open your eyes, Meliantha. I will gladly offer myself for your safety.”

I can’t see him, but I shake my head in response.

“He promised to kill one of you, Ashur. I can’t lose you or Finn, I just can’t.”

“Time is wasting, my lady,” Bayleon taunts.

I take a deep breath and answer as calm as I can, “I will give you what you want, but in return, all I ask is that you let my friends go. I will give myself to you for their freedom.”

Finn must have woken up because his screams pierce the air. “NO, MELIANTHA! I refuse to let you do this!” I clench my teeth hard to keep from crying out as I hear another struggle taking place.

“Very well,” Bayleon agrees.

“They will be let free and escorted from our territory. That was a wise choice, my lady. What of your wolf? Do you want him freed as well?”

I can feel Aki rubbing against my legs and I can sense that he wants to stay with me. I don’t want him trapped here so I say, “My wolf has a mind of his own so let him come and go as he chooses. He won’t be a bother to anyone.”

I can hear Ashur and Finn struggling against the Tyvar as their voices drift farther away. I can’t believe I will never see them again, and what’s worse is that I didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye. There is a way I can at least tell one of them.

“Please forgive me, Ashur, but I have to do what I can to keep you both safe.”

“Please don’t do this, Meliantha?”

I have never told either one of them how I felt because admitting what was in my heart made me feel vulnerable. Being with Kalen and experiencing love again has opened my soul to a whole new world — a world I had once known. If this is my last chance to tell them how I feel, I am going to do it.

“I love you both so much, Ashur. I know I have never told you before, but I do. Please make sure you tell Finn that I love him too, and that I am so sorry. Goodbye, my Guardian.”

“No!” was all I heard before I put my shields in place with an unbreakable wall. The absence of my guardian feels like a hole in my chest, but soon I won’t even remember him when the Tyvar’s power takes hold of my body. The only thing that will be in my mind is lust and sex.

“Let us go to some place more private, my lady,” Bayleon suggests. He takes a hold of my right arm while Bastian takes up with my left. I can barely walk for being nervous, but they keep a tight grip on me leading the way. If I knew I could escape without looking at any of them I would be out of here in a second. I gave the Tyvar a quick glance when I crossed over the bridge, but it was only for a few seconds before Ashur yelled at me to close my eyes. I guess that glance wasn’t enough to take me under.

I don’t know where I’m going but I can tell we have entered inside one of their dwellings. It’s a drastic change from the outside. This part of the Mystical Forest is warm and humid, but inside where we are is cool and dry. It feels better in here, but I would rather be out in the blistering heat than in here about to be taken.

My left arm is freed from Bastian’s grip and Bayleon gently picks me up and sets me on what I assume is the bed. It’s soft and fluffy beneath me, but nothing feels comfortable to me right now. He removes my bow and arrows that I have strapped to my back, and he also takes my armor off one piece at a time. He lightly touches my skin each time he removes an article of my armor, and he also seems to be enjoying taking his time with it. After the tormenting is over I’m left with nothing on but my undergarments. I might as well be naked.