Page 70 of Heart of the Cursed
Chapter 28
The plan was simple, but all the best ones were. He was going to get his brother outside where they would fight while Dain snuck inside to release the females. Arun hoped Selene was with the females when Dain reached them, but knowing his brother, he would bring her outside with him, which was where Taredd would come in.
Agnarr was many things, but he wasn’t stupid. He would be prepared for Arun not to be alone, so he wouldn’t come out to face him alone, either. Arun guessed he would bring several guards with him, not that it would do him any good. As soon as the shield was in place around the battlefield, nobody would be able to intervene. It also meant that neither of them was walking away until there was a winner.
Once the shield was in place and the fighting had begun, Arun planned on putting on a good show so that the guards were watching him and not Taredd, who would be slowly making his way around to them and Selene.
But first, he had to get Agnarr’s attention, and the best way to do that, was by throwing magic at his home and watching it explode like a mini grenade. He made sure they were strong enough to make an impact without bringing down the building with Selene, Dain, and the females inside.
Arun threw a ball of magic at the building in front of him, setting off yet another explosion in the hopes of luring his brother outside. He knew where Agnarr kept his harem, so he made sure to keep any damage away from that area. He didn’t want Selene or any of the other females to get hurt because of him, but he was still doing enough damage to get his brother’s attention.
Agnarr took pride in his home. He kept the place immaculate for when company visited. He liked people to know that he was wealthy. He wanted to be a male others feared and worshiped, but he was far from either. Most people put up with him because of their parents, and even then, it was only in small doses.
Arun grinned, knowing his brother would be pissed that he was slowly destroying the outside of the building. His perfectly manicured garden was an absolute mess. The only thing Arun hadn’t destroyed yet was the lawn, but that was because he planned to use it when Agnarr finally came out to face him.
“I think you have his attention now,” Taredd said from beside him. “You don’t need to keep throwing them.”
“I’ll stop when he comes out here to face me,” Arun said.
He didn’t care how long it took; he wasn’t stopping until Agnarr showed himself.
“Do you really think he’s going to come out here while you are continuously throwing balls of magic at his home?” Taredd nodded towards the ball of magic in Arun’s hand.
“We’ll find out soon enough,” Arun smirked as he threw it at the building.
“Stop it!” he heard his brother shout from inside.
Arun grinned at Taredd. “See?”
“Not until you come out here and face me!” he shouted back.
A moment later, the front door creaked open, and Selene stuck her head out. Arun instantly released the magic he had been gathering in preparation for throwing another ball. He knew the second she spotted him. The relief on her face was palpable, even from a distance.
What was also noticeable were the cuts and bruises on her face. Arun knew they wouldn’t be the only injuries she’d sustained from his brother, but it was all he could see at the moment.
“I’m going to kill him,” he said between gritted teeth.
“Patience,” Taredd cautioned. “Don’t forget the plan.”
“Fuck the plan,” Arun growled. “I’m going to kill the bastard for what he’s done to her.”
“I feel your pain, my brother,” Taredd said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “We will get her away from him, but you need to stick with the plan. There are more lives at risk than just hers.”
Arun didn’t care about the other females in Agnarr’s harem, but he knew the others did, including Selene. So, he reigned in his temper and concentrated on the task at hand.
Selene tripped as she was pushed the rest of the way outside. Agnarr was right on her heels, but Arun paid him no attention. His eyes were glued to Selene. She was completely naked, so he could see all the damage Agnarr had done to her. The cuts and bruises on her face were nothing compared to the rest of her body.
Agnarr had made a big mistake by dragging Selene outside with no clothes on. Not only was he prolonging her torture by making her stand outside in the freezing cold, but he had also shown Arun exactly what he’d done to her.
Through it all, Selene held her head up high, showing just how strong and defiant she was.
That’s my mate,he thought proudly.
He hoped she had given him hell, but knowing Agnarr, he wouldn’t have given her a chance to. From the look of the chains around her wrists, he was right. Even from a distance, he could see the binding spell etched into the metal, preventing her from using her magic.
His fist clenched at his sides as his blood boiled with rage over her mistreatment. He wanted to put his fist through his brother’s face.
“Patience,” Taredd whispered when he growled.
