Page 62 of Midnight of Ashes
“Càit a bheil a’ bhana-phrionnsa??” a deep voice bellowed behind me.
Terror shot through me. I knew the owner of the voice. Knew he was the one who had killed my mother.
I pushed myself harder, my lungs seizing. My foot caught on a root, and I hit the ground hard. I struggled to get up, but it was too late.
“There she is. My bana-phrionnsa,” the man growled.
I struggled to roll over, to ready myself for defense. And when I did, I saw the owner of the voice.
Dexter Corbett.
I jerked upright, breathing hard. My pajamas, damp with sweat, clung to my body.
Knox was sitting up in a flash. “Hayden. Are you okay?”
I shook my head. “It was another dream. Dexter again.”
Cáel hauled me against him. “You’re safe.”
I let the beat of his heart soothe my frayed nerves. “It was so real,” I whispered.
Knox rubbed a hand up and down my arm, sharing a look with Cáel.
Cáel brushed his lips across my hair. “They’ll fade with time. I promise.”
“How do you know?” I croaked.
He was quiet for a moment. “Because I used to have them.”
“More like night terrors,” Knox said softly.
I felt Cáel wince.
“They were bad,” he muttered.
I pulled back, twisting so that I could see Cáel’s face. “From what happened when you were younger?”
He nodded jerkily, swallowing hard. “I showed signs of being a strong shifter early. My alpha used to brag about what a great warrior I’d be. Word spread.”
My stomach knotted, dread seeping in.
“Another horde decided they wanted to use me for themselves. They kidnapped me when I was thirteen. Tortured me to try to break me so that they could get allegiance to their horde.”
Knox muttered a series of curses about the horde.
I pressed my face to Cáel’s neck, and for the first time, I felt the scars there. Mottled skin he’d covered with ink. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, tears clogging my throat, the wetness slipping out and dampening Cáel’s flesh. As if those tears could take it all away.
“Don’t cry, Little One.” Cáel stroked my face. “I got out.”
“How?”
“My dragon gave me the strength. He went feral inside me, and I broke the bindings. I killed the guards in the cabin, then slaughtered each and every one of those that had held me.”
I shivered in Cáel’s hold. “I’m glad.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m not a good man, Hayden.”
“Yes, you are. One of the best I’ve ever known,” I whispered.
