Flame Thrower (2 page)

Ryan continued. “Whoever did this is going to be punished severely. Look at her, she’s caught in some demented dream that is holding her hostage to the memory of torture they inflicted upon her body. Just my touch alone sent her into a panic.” Ryan could feel that his anger simmered just under the surface. He took a calming breath to leash it.

“Sir, we don’t know who she is. She could be dangerous for all you know and here you sit with her on your lap. I’m not comfortable with this situation, my liege. The more logical approach would be to post guards and let them watch her.”

A dark scowl shaped King Ryan’s features when he heard Wallace’s words. “Absolutely not. One look at this woman and you can easily see she is not dangerous. I’ll not permit her to be guarded like some vile criminal,” he growled. “I won’t be the cause of more anguish.”

In resignation, Wallace leaned against the door frame. He’d seen his liege like this before and knew there was no way to reason logic with him in this situation. “Very well, Sir.”

“Wallace?” King Ryan halted his Captain just as he turned to leave. “Send a rider to the nearest village and bring a healer.”

That got his Captain’s attention. King Ryan was renowned for his healing abilities, so the fact he asked for a village healer was odd. “Sir?”

“She doesn’t appear to be from Yorath, or Lysban for that matter. That leaves Folkyn. I don’t know how she’ll react to my magic, so it’s safer and more considerate to bring a less threatening healer from the village. Not to mention, I know Edda and she’s more capable to be dealing with the situation once she wakes. I’m not sure she’ll take kindly to a man treating her wounds.”

Wallace nodded his head but didn’t cease his severe scrutiny of the situation. He watched Ryan look back to the creature in his arms, finally pinpointing the cause of his concern. Ryan oozed with emotions he’d not seen on his liege’s face in uncounted years–compassion, tenderness…love. All dangerous when they didn’t know who she was.

What he saw matched the depth of emotion that he heard layered in Ryan’s voice. “Aye, Sir. I’ll send someone immediately.” Wallace delivered a half bow and slipped from the cabin, leaving his liege alone holding the broken woman who slept cradled in the security of his arms. In his heart he knew this was wrong, but King Ryan claimed her and there wasn’t anything Wallace could do about it.

Once more alone, Ryan looked back down and a sad smile curved his lips. She looked so gentle, so tiny laying there. How could she be anything other than a scared woman who was pushed well beyond her limits? She wasn’t a vile criminal and Ryan would not treat her so. She slowly crept into his heart and he knew the longer he held her, the more she claimed of his soul.

Ryan realized that from the moment he laid eyes on her, he was infatuated. As time crept by, he knew that it was turning to obsession. She bewitched him with each breath she took and each beat of her heart. His sight traced the long strands of her hair that were in a wild array around her face. With a gentle touch, he swept them aside, reveling in the sensation of his fingers caressing her cheek in comfort.

After a moment of such contact, he felt her body stiffen and all breathing ceased as if she held her breath. She held perfectly still and the only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the fire next to him. Ryan knew she woke up and didn’t move other than to whisper, “You are safe, Milady. No one will bring you harm.”

His only reply was the strangled sound of her crying, but she said nothing. He didn’t move, fearing he’d wake her more, thus breaking the peaceful moment. Within a few heartbeats, he heard her rhythmic breathing indicating she was asleep once more, generating a release of pressure off his heart. Relieved, Ryan relaxed against the stone hearth and let the warmth of the fire keep them for the time being. He’d wait this out and decided to remain where he was for the time being. At least for now, she had peace.

* * * *

Tillian awoke in a panic. The first thing she registered was the smell of wood smoke from a fire. The next was the warmth of those flames against her skin. She felt something warm and soft underneath her and knew she was in someone’s arms. That at first reassured her, but then she remembered where she was and a panic infused her being. Terror instilled her mind when she realized she had no idea where she was or who the man who held her was. It wasn’t her brother Gareth and it wasn’t her captors. They were not this gentle with her. They kept her naked and only allowed her to sleep without a blanket on a mattress away from the fire. No, this gentleness couldn’t be from them. Her brother would also never hold her like this, which raised the question of who it was.

Tillian froze, holding her breath, trying to keep from giving into the panic. She feared they had found her after having second thoughts about dumping her where they had. It wasn’t until this new man spoke, and she heard the tenderness in his voice, that she was able to release the air in her lungs. It was most wonderful sound because the strong voice didn’t match any of her assailants, and reminded her of the man she vaguely recalled coming to her rescue along the road. The sound soothed her and made her feel safe. It immediately calmed her enough to accept he would not bring her harm.

Tillian let the soothing sounds of the wind outside and the crackling of the fire lull her to the oblivion of sleep. Under her cheek, she felt and began to count the strong heart beat that thudded in the chest of whoever held her. The sound pulled her deeper into her much needed slumber.

Flashes of her dream danced across her mind while it descended into the darkness of sleep. Each time Tillian slept, she relived her torment again and again. She feared to close her eyes for she knew what awaited. Tillian didn’t want to go back to sleep, but couldn’t resist the exhaustion. On some conscious level, she knew she faced having to endure reliving their attentions and there wasn’t anything she could do to avoid it. She was tired of the memories, tired of the pain.

For too long she’d been held in their custody while they repeatedly used her, sometimes all three at the same time. That in combination with the drugs they put in her water, caused her to experience a new level of arousal that brought on great shame. Tillian hated what she became but there was a small part of her, a very small part that craved the glorious feelings they generated. Obviously, she’d been freed from that, however. For whatever reason, they’d discarded her at long last once they tired of her sport and escaped back to Folkyn without her.

Tillian’s last thoughts before sleep claimed her were of her brother Gareth. He should have come for her; he should have been there to make sure she wasn’t harmed.
So, where was Gareth in all this? Why was he not here?

Ryan looked down in worry when she mumbled something like a moan. Her face pinched briefly before she once more settled into a heavy weight on his chest. Content she was well and good caught in sleep, he decided to follow and closed his eyes. He drifted off to the howling sounds and the even rhythm of her breathing.

* * * *

Pain was the first thing she registered before Tillian felt the warmth and comfort of a well made wool cloak. Her memory was foggy and she couldn’t explain where she was or how she came to be wrapped in strange clothing that carried a rich scent. Her mind tried to place it, like it belonged to someone with enough money to spend on spiced cologne.

Slowly, snippets of a wonderful man came to mind and of lying in his arms near a fire. He must have moved her back to the floor because she was no longer in his arms. Tillian moved in a motion to rise, but felt a strong hand on her shoulder hold her down.

“Please don’t move,” Ryan said. He gently restrained her, concerned it would aggravate her injuries. With her gashes on her body that still bled if she moved too quickly to her pale complexion, she looked frail. He was afraid she’d bring herself more harm by rushing, so detained her.

Tillian’s eyes sprang open and she looked around wildly before centering on his face. “Where am I?” Confusion caused her voice to shake with a violent lurch. What she couldn’t see was the slight pinch of his brows when he heard her question. Her hand came to her head, massaging her temples from the throbbing pain that made it very difficult to think clearly. For a moment, she honestly couldn’t recall why she was in so much pain. Nothing at all came to mind and a panic grew within her stomach because she never experienced such memory loss before.

In the next instant the light from the room blinded her and she cried out, pinching her eyes shut. The throbbing in her head intensified, bringing with it a new level of agony. “Ow!” She clutched at her head when the headache began to pound more violently with each beat of her heart. “What happened to me?”

Ryan leaned forward curiously. “That, I was hoping you could tell me.”

Tillian slowly opened her eyes again to look at the handsome man who squatted before her. The moment she did, her heart lurched in recognition. This was the man who found her…found her alongside the road
.
Tillian closed her eyes in humiliation.
Oh God, I was discarded after being used
. Her memory flashed back to the three men who abused her for the past month and she shuddered.

When she paled, the man before her flinched from her reaction and frowned before he reluctantly moved away.

She watched his reaction and felt a moment of regret. “I’m sorry, it’s not you.” Chancing another glance, she saw her words caused a ghost of a smile to flirt across his face. That struck some chord within her soul and she relaxed. Maybe he had meant it that he wouldn’t hurt her like the others. Maybe she was safe. She evaluated her savior from across the room with a new appreciation. He was in his late thirties, handsome with deep laugh lines around his eyes and mouth, and very regal. After a moment, she returned his comforting look with a weak smile of her own, which seemed to pacify him.

“Who are you?” she asked without breaking eye contact. It took all her courage to appear confident, which was the farthest from the truth. All she wanted to do was curl back into a ball under the thick warm cloak she was wrapped in.

“I’m King Ryan.” His voice was rich and deep, and matched the one she recalled whispering to her that she was safe. Tillian paled and then felt her embarrassment color her cheeks. The realization of who her savior was shattered whatever confidence she held in reserve.

Ryan misunderstood her reaction and he continued talking without pause. “While we were hunting yesterday, I found you unconscious well within my hunting grounds. I have no idea how you came to be there or where you came from.” Ryan noticed she was trying to sit up and offered his arm in support. “Who are you?”

“Tillian.” She froze because she should have lied. Her name was unique and definitely foreign. It screamed she was from the neighboring lands of Folkyn. There was no hiding her accent either, which was another dead give-away anyway. Tillian swallowed loudly before she looked back, accepting she’d have to face this one way or another.

King Ryan flinched as if struck. He exhaled loudly before standing up and moving to the other side of the room. He appeared to be debating something internally before he turned back to her in shock. “Tillian, as in Princess Tillian? It can’t be,” he said in disbelief. “You’ve been missing for two weeks from Folkyn.” He returned slowly as if advancing on a skittish animal and squatted down before her once more. “Are you Princess Tillian of Folkyn?” Ryan couldn’t believe it. Had he found the missing Princess?

She pulled away from his warm gaze and closed her eyes before she answered. She hung her head in shame, nodding once in the king’s direction. He probably knew the reason for her disappearance by now; especially if a message had gone out. Shame burned her face a deeper red and she missed how it caused Ryan to frown more in confusion.

She remembered snippets of the past few months, for she’d been gone a lot longer than two weeks. Realizing the difference from reality to the announcement, it made her heart sink, for it meant her family was covering this up. Like a flash her mind flew through the memories and none of it was proper and definitely not respectful for a young Princess. Three men removed her from her Father’s castle and stolen her from underneath the protection of her guards. Tillian remembered now who they were and they were not kind. They kept her drugged with a substance, ensuring she enjoyed their attention when they repeatedly ravaged her body to new heights again and again.

At the sight of her tearing up, Ryan proceeded with a little more care. “Princess, where have you been?” King Ryan reached out to help her sit up completely. His touch was tender, but strong enough to hold her in place and offer comfort. “King Irfan has been searching for you for quite some time. He feared for your wellbeing and asked for your safe harbor if you were located.” Ryan paused for the woman had not answered his question. “Princess, who brought you onto my land?”

With ultimate disgrace, she met his searing eyes. “I don’t know.” She lied smoothly with a convincing amount of emotion that made her words sound true. She knew Ryan could see she hid something and was grateful he decided not to push her too far at the moment. She felt a fresh wave of tears and her sight blurred when the moisture flooded her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t know.”

Ryan smiled in reassurance. “Well, you’re safe now. That is all that matters, is it not? You’re a long way from home, but I’ll see to it that you are returned unharmed.” Ryan’s brow furrowed when she flinched in response. It was a strange reaction and Ryan decided to leave the topic alone for the time being.