Bonded by Jacks Sadie

Author:Jacks, Sadie [Jacks, Sadie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-09-10T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 19 – Tagan

I clenched my teeth to keep from yanking the light of my life out of her grandmother’s arms. The whole idea that this woman who looked at the same age as my Sweetcheeks was her grandmother was throwing me for a loop. But with everything else that was going on in our lives at the moment, I had a feeling adaptability was going to be a precious attribute.

Ari patted her hands over Sweetcheeks’ back, her face serene as she held the sobbing younger woman. “My sweet child, you did not kill her. You would have been unable to do so. She gifted you her power as a last defense against the evil that lurks under the surface of Alder Valley. She sacrificed herself to keep you safe.”

I snorted. “Being raped on multiple occasions isn’t really what I would consider safe.”

Ari’s eyes fired until they looked like sapphires drenched in flames. “What?”

Sweetcheeks shrank back, put a hand over my mouth. Shook her head as she looked up at me, pleading in her eyes.

I nipped her fingers. When she pulled them away, I kissed her forehead. “Someone needs to pay for what happened to you, Hollyn. They don’t get to get away with abusing you for years on end and not suffer.”

She leaned her forehead against my chin. Her breaths were slow and warm as they washed over my neck. “It’s not your story to tell, Grumpy.”

I winced. Damn it. “Then you can tell her the rest. But she’s not going to look at you with pity. Look at her now.” I lifted her head, turned her to look at the other woman. “She’s furious. On your behalf, not at you.”

Ari shook her head. “Never at you. Never for that. And you don’t have to tell me now. Or ever. But if you ever wish to unburden yourself, I’ll be there to listen. Knowing this has happened to you, under the watch of the gods and goddesses who call me sister, is enough to earn them my vengeance.” She brushed her hand down Hollyn’s hair. “Little goddess, you honor them with your strength by standing champion when they have not earned it.”

Ari pulled her hand back. From somewhere in her skirts, she pulled a sharp, lethal dagger. She scored the palm of her opposite hand. No expression showed on her face as she sliced her skin to allow a shallow pool of blood to form in her palm.

Ari wiped the blade clean on the heel of her hand before putting it away again. With her free hand, she dipped her fingers in the puddle of blood. She brought her hand up to her own forehead. She made two horizontal marks. Another dip of her fingers in the blood and she drew a line bisecting the other two.

She turned and made the same marks on Sweetcheeks’ forehead. “By the blood of the stars that fire my heart and yours, I vow to protect you. What I have is yours. Mo shaol duitse.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.