Read Online Twin Flames by Elizabeth Winters - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Winters
Ads: Link
problem was, she didn’t recognize anything. Corridor after corridor looked identical. The décor never changed, and the lack of windows kept her from viewing the outside and plotting her way toward it.
Eventually, she entered a long narrow hallway, different from all the rest. She let out a deep breath, convinced she had made some progress. Then she saw the light. A large stone door stood to her left, candlelight from the inside of the room casting a shadow through the hinges. The sound of raised voices echoed in the hall.
Knowing it was unwise, yet unable to resist, she crept forward.
“You will damn well choose and choose by the week hence.”
She jerked back at the hate in the voice. What were they talking about?
“My brother’s duty is here. If that means he must mate with someone other than his woman, he will do so, but you must not force the issue. The decision must be made without rush.”
“Unacceptable.”
A loud gasp followed the declaration. Who were they talking about?
“If I can not have her, you must find a way to send her home. We owe her a great debt.”
Devlin. Holy hell, they were talking about her. Raven backed up until she hit the wall.
“We owe her nothing. She should be grateful we do not kill her for bearing the blood of our enemy.”
It was too much. Tears streamed down Raven’s face as she raced back down the corridor. They hated her. She had been ripped from her home and trapped in a place where the rulers wanted her dead. And, Devlin… She didn’t understand it completely, but it sure sounded like he was going to toss her aside and choose another. What was she to be? His whore?
She had to find the exit. Had to get back to the gateway. Had to go home.
Blinded by tears, she pushed through the castle until she found it. A nearly invisible doorway that led into the darkness of the village. Without thought, relief flooding her senses like wine, she pushed her way through. The dirty underground air tickled her lungs. She was free.
She raced through the village, sparing no time to study the inhabitants or take in their fearful looks. The path they had taken was easy to find. She climbed the ladder that led to the surface, the torches blazing beside her. Now, how did she open the ground?
Devlin had used blood.
She slipped her dagger from her belt and sliced it across her palm, hissing at the pain. She pressed her palm against the dirt above her and prayed for the first time in years.
Her prayers were answered.
The ground shifted. She pushed it forward toward the light until there was just enough room to squeeze through. She had just reached the surface when she heard the alarm. Bells screamed beneath her in warning. She didn’t have much time. Why did they want her? Why wouldn’t they let her go?
She raced across the desert, her feet sinking in the soft dirt. Where was the gate? She circled the barren landscape until she found the spot she was looking for.
It had been right here. But where was it?
Panic threatened to consume her common sense. Where the hell was it?
What was she going to do now?
She fell to her knees in the dirt, tears streaming down her face. It was hopeless. Her life was over.
It was dark when Raven slipped out of her stupor. She jerked to her feet only to fall again. The ground was vibrating with a strong pounding rhythm.
The enemy.
She frantically searched for a place hide, but there was nothing. Nothing but dead trees and dirt.
The sound came closer, the pounding harder beneath her.
Terrified, she raced back to the entrance to Devlin’s village. She saw it from a distance. It had not closed completely and she could still slip inside. She squeezed her body through then moved to close the portal.
Something stopped her. The desire to see these people that were so feared overwhelmed her.
She watched as they marched past. Men, women and children, their hair so dark it disappeared in the night leaving only their pale ghostly faces visible. Their skin
Eventually, she entered a long narrow hallway, different from all the rest. She let out a deep breath, convinced she had made some progress. Then she saw the light. A large stone door stood to her left, candlelight from the inside of the room casting a shadow through the hinges. The sound of raised voices echoed in the hall.
Knowing it was unwise, yet unable to resist, she crept forward.
“You will damn well choose and choose by the week hence.”
She jerked back at the hate in the voice. What were they talking about?
“My brother’s duty is here. If that means he must mate with someone other than his woman, he will do so, but you must not force the issue. The decision must be made without rush.”
“Unacceptable.”
A loud gasp followed the declaration. Who were they talking about?
“If I can not have her, you must find a way to send her home. We owe her a great debt.”
Devlin. Holy hell, they were talking about her. Raven backed up until she hit the wall.
“We owe her nothing. She should be grateful we do not kill her for bearing the blood of our enemy.”
It was too much. Tears streamed down Raven’s face as she raced back down the corridor. They hated her. She had been ripped from her home and trapped in a place where the rulers wanted her dead. And, Devlin… She didn’t understand it completely, but it sure sounded like he was going to toss her aside and choose another. What was she to be? His whore?
She had to find the exit. Had to get back to the gateway. Had to go home.
Blinded by tears, she pushed through the castle until she found it. A nearly invisible doorway that led into the darkness of the village. Without thought, relief flooding her senses like wine, she pushed her way through. The dirty underground air tickled her lungs. She was free.
She raced through the village, sparing no time to study the inhabitants or take in their fearful looks. The path they had taken was easy to find. She climbed the ladder that led to the surface, the torches blazing beside her. Now, how did she open the ground?
Devlin had used blood.
She slipped her dagger from her belt and sliced it across her palm, hissing at the pain. She pressed her palm against the dirt above her and prayed for the first time in years.
Her prayers were answered.
The ground shifted. She pushed it forward toward the light until there was just enough room to squeeze through. She had just reached the surface when she heard the alarm. Bells screamed beneath her in warning. She didn’t have much time. Why did they want her? Why wouldn’t they let her go?
She raced across the desert, her feet sinking in the soft dirt. Where was the gate? She circled the barren landscape until she found the spot she was looking for.
It had been right here. But where was it?
Panic threatened to consume her common sense. Where the hell was it?
What was she going to do now?
She fell to her knees in the dirt, tears streaming down her face. It was hopeless. Her life was over.
It was dark when Raven slipped out of her stupor. She jerked to her feet only to fall again. The ground was vibrating with a strong pounding rhythm.
The enemy.
She frantically searched for a place hide, but there was nothing. Nothing but dead trees and dirt.
The sound came closer, the pounding harder beneath her.
Terrified, she raced back to the entrance to Devlin’s village. She saw it from a distance. It had not closed completely and she could still slip inside. She squeezed her body through then moved to close the portal.
Something stopped her. The desire to see these people that were so feared overwhelmed her.
She watched as they marched past. Men, women and children, their hair so dark it disappeared in the night leaving only their pale ghostly faces visible. Their skin
Similar Books
