Desire Untamed (Feral Warriors #1)(72)

"Then you're going to do this for me. You owe me this, Lyon. After the hell I went through in that house, I can finally find out why. I want to know. For you, for me, for all the Ferals. We need to know."

"She's right, Chief." Paenther's mouth was grim as his gaze met Lyon's. "I swear to you, I searched that place top to bottom when I was looking for the dark charm, and found nothing. Without more to go on, we could be wasting our time."

Lyon's grip tightened on Kara's shoulders as he turned back to her. "It's going to hurt."

She shrugged, her eyes filled with a determination as strong as any warrior's. And he realized it was his own pain he was trying to avoid. The pain of watching her suffer yet again.

But she was right. As was Paenther. He'd be a fool to go into battle blindfolded when sight was but a short, heart-ripping procedure away.

"Let's do it, then." He looked to the Shaman. "Are you up for it?"

"Yes." The man looked at him with weary humor. "I don't suppose you're willing to wait for me to clear this magic?"

"I'm not."

"I didn't think so."

As Tighe helped the Shaman to his feet, Lyon turned to Hawke. "Get yourself laid while we do this. We'll fill you in on the way to Feral House."

Hawke nodded, his eyes grave.

Marina, standing nearby smiled at Hawke and held out her hand. "Come, Warrior."

Lyon gripped Kara's hand as they followed the Shaman to one of the offices off the main living area, lending her strength. And stealing it back again.

The Shaman stood at the door and held up his hand. "The Radiant and one other only. I won't have an audience."

But the Ferals ignored him, brushing past the Shaman's outstretched hand with a rumble of low growls.

"We stay." Lyon spoke for all of them.

The Shaman frowned and looked at Kara. "You may not want them to see this."

But Kara only shrugged. "From what I've pieced together about the scene in the dungeon, they've seen just about all there is to see of me. They stay."

The Shaman shrugged. "All right, then. Sit in the chair." His gaze turned to Lyon. "I have to be standing behind her, but you'll need to keep her in the chair."

Lyon's muscles tensed. He wasn't going to like this. He wasn't going to like it at all.

He led Kara to the chair and knelt in front of her, holding one of her hands as he placed the other on her shoulder.

"I'm here, little one." He looked her in the eye. "Whatever happens, I'm here."

She gave him a small, rueful smile. "If you're trying to reassure me, a nice lie might work better. Something like, it's not going to hurt a bit?"

"I'm not going to lie to you."

Her expression turned serious, her gaze softening. "I'm glad." A soft emotion sifted out of her to wrap around him, dulling the edges of the apprehension they shared.

"I learned this trick from a Mage a long, long time ago and haven't practiced it much. It may not be pretty."

"Do it."

The Shaman began to chant in a language even Lyon couldn't identify. A language probably long gone from the Earth.

Kara's hand clenched his as the first wave of her pain hit him. A moment later, a second, stronger wave hit, making her gasp. As the third ripped through her, she cried out.

He wasn't going to survive this.

"How much more?" he snarled.

"Not much, but the worst is yet to come. Hold her down."

Lyon had barely tightened his grip on her shoulder when the scream rose from her throat, her pain so sharp, so excruciating as it pierced his own flesh, an answering yell escaped his own.

He felt strong hands on his shoulders and knew Paenther was at his back. Through a haze of white-hot pain, he saw Tighe reach for Kara as she fell forward.

"Kara."

Her pain flew at him like daggers, ripping apart his organs, clawing out the chambers of his heart.

He felt a hand go around his wrist.

"Let go of her, Chief," Paenther said.

"No."

"You're not going to do her any good if you pass out, too."

"No." He could take it from her. Take the pain. Or at least help her carry it. He wasn't letting go of her. Ever. Ever.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he was finally able to start breathing again.

Kara stirred with a heart-wrenching moan.

His vision cleared enough for him to realize his men were tight around them, having pushed the Shaman out of the way. Tighe was standing beside her and had her head lying on his arm. Jag was kneeling on her other side, her free hand tight in his. Paenther remained at his back.

Lyon struggled to his feet, glaring at the Therian who'd caused such pain. "Can I move her?"

The Shaman lifted his hand, then dropped it again as if he didn't have the strength to hold it up. "Yes. You're not going to cause her any additional pain by moving her."

His men stepped back as Lyon lifted her into his arms, then settled onto the deep leather chair with her on his lap. Kara's pain blanketed him in raw agony, but he wouldn't leave her to fight it alone.

Her head lolled on his shoulder, then jerked, her entire body going tense as a high wire.