There was no empathy in Conlan’s unflinching glare. “You need to understand that your actions have far-reaching consequences – and his death will be one of them. I give orders for a reason, and I expect them to be followed. I need to know I can trust you to do as I say. I’m ordering you to get out of the way so I can clean up your mistake.” He spat the words out, clearly not used to having to explain himself.
Eleanor glared back. “I won’t mindlessly obey,” she yelled. “But this isn’t about trust, is it? You need to know you can control me. If that’s what you want, someone to follow you around obeying your every command, then please, push that sword into me because I’d rather be dead than someone’s lapdog. This human being doesn’t deserve to die just because you think I made a mistake.” For the longest moment Conlan just stared at her. Amelia walked up to his side.
“You wanted a stronger Earth, Boss. Be careful what you wish for,” she said, a small smile on her face. Conlan nodded irritably and said something to the terrified Protector, who began to babble again. The kid took Eleanor’s hand, depositing several wet kisses on her brand, getting her blood on his lips in the process and not seeming to care. He muttered something at her, smiled and then ran out of the canyon and into the night. Eleanor watched him go, before returning her gaze back to Conlan’s hard face.
“What did you tell him?” she asked.
“I told him an abomination had just risked her life to save his, and that he should reassess his opinion of you,” Conlan said in the same lethally cold tone.
“Is that what all the kissing was about?” She wanted to rub her wet wrist against her clothes, wanted to cradle her throbbing arm that was still slowly dripping, a crimson puddle growing in the snow, but she was too afraid to move.
“Indeed – he called you Talukki.” Conlan sounded grimly amused.
“What’s that?”
“ She was one of the ancient goddesses.”
“So I’m a goddess now?”
“That young Protector certainly seems to think so,” Conlan said, not taking his eyes from Eleanor’s.
“Great. Well, this goddess would really appreciate it if you’d remove your sword.”
Conlan did not respond but just continued to glare at her. With just the tiniest movement, he slowly dragged the blade down, tearing the rough fabric of her shirt. Eleanor felt the tip of the blade run, feather-light, down her flesh. Terrified, she trembled slightly, aware of the skill it must take to rip her clothes yet not mark her now coldly sweating skin; but she was not going to back down. They stared at each other for what seemed to Eleanor like an eternity, before Conlan pulled the blade back and handed it back to Freddie. Giving her one last disgusted look he turned and walked slowly to where Will was holding Rand. Eleanor felt her legs start to collapse under her. An arm caught her before she hit the ground. It was Amelia, and she was grinning from ear to ear.
“What are you smiling about?” Eleanor asked.
“He likes you.”
Eleanor shuddered. “I’d hate to see what he does to people he doesn’t like.”
The Five
The snow continued to fall as they moved higher into the mountains. Conlan sat astride Rand, hunched under a thick blanket, while Will and Freddie walked on either side of him, to steady him over uneven ground. It was cold and getting colder, but as Eleanor walked side-by-side with Amelia, following Rand up the path, she barely felt it. This had little to do with the blanket she had wrapped around her shoulders, internally she felt energised, excited and safe all at the same time. The exhaustion was still under the surface and the knife wound ached miserably under the bandage Will had carefully applied while Amelia and Freddie had removed the evidence of the fight, yet nothing could destroy the out-of-place joy she felt.
“Amelia, the others… The ones who killed
Similar Books
