Why doesn't he fight back? Tear them apart? How did they capture him to begin with?
"At least the raiders did their part," says Cliff. "Brought him to us like a present."
So the whole thing was just a trap to capture Fen. But why? Why not just come after me directly if that's what they were going for?
Doesn't matter. We have to save him. I've got a sword and a very angry wolf. That will have to be enough. Now I just need a plan.
I'm still trying to think of something when Lester summons Cliff, who groans but comes to stand beside him, holding out his wrist. Lester slashes Cliff's skin with a knife and sticks the bloody arm over Fen's mouth. Why are they feeding him blood? Wouldn't that make him stronger? I feel like I'm in one of those nightmares where you have no idea what's going on, but everyone expects you to know what to do.
Fen tries to pull away from the blood, to refuse it, but Lester holds his head and shoves the blood into his mouth, forcing it on him. When Cliff pulls away, Fen's eyes are heavy, and his head lulls to the side, his body slumped in his chains.
"The ultimate irony, isn't it?" Lester taunts with a cruel smile. "Your kind coming to our world, only to find we are poison to you. But it's a sweet poison, isn't it? One you want more of."
Cliff holds his arm up, and Fen looks up, his nostrils sniffing at the blood, his eyes crazed with desire. This time when Cliff offers Fen his wrist, Fen doesn't resist. Not at first, but then a spark returns to his eyes, and he jerks his head away, spitting the blood out.
Lester paces in front of him. "You are stronger than most of your kind. Even of the first, you are something special, aren't you? But I'll find a way to break you. In fact, I think I've already found it."
The other man. The big one with orange hair is gone.
I was too focused on Fen, on figuring out a way to stop his torture to notice.
I spin around. The big man is there, a few feet away, sword in hand. Baron jumps forward. The man kicks him away.
I clutch the hilt of my sword, but before I can draw Spero, the man grabs my arm. With his other hand he grabs my hair and yanks me toward his group.
A gust of wind rips through the sky. The snow is thick. It's hard to see in front me.
Cliff tucks his hands into his coat, his wrist now bandaged. "We need to wrap this up, or we'll die out here."
"Be silent, Cliff. We have the bitch we came for, but I need one more thing from our prince before we kill him." Lester motions me closer. I fight, but the giant man twists my hands behind my back and pushed me forward. Lester holds a knife to my throat.
Fen struggles against his chains, his rage feral. "Let her go, or you will know pain you cannot imagine."
"Tell me what I need to know and I will not hurt her. Fail to tell me, and she dies." Lester pushes the knife against my throat hard enough to break skin. I feel the blood drip onto my collarbone. He turns back to the prince.
"I'm sorry, Fen," I say. "I should have acted sooner."
His eyes are frantic. His body rages against the restraints. But he cannot break free. He cannot save me.
This time, I must save us both.
I twist, pulling the giant man off balance. He crashes to the ground. I draw Spero and plunge the blade into his back. It goes in smoothly. Quietly.
A part of me knows I have taken a life. It whispers to me of guilt and shame. But right now, I cannot listen. My mind thunders with rage. And there are more lives to take.
I charge at Cliff. Blade forward. His sword is up in defense. I feign a strike from above, but attack from below, slicing his knees. He falls, screaming and staining the snow red.
Baron jumps forward from behind me, landing on Cliff's chest, slashing at the man's throat until he screams no more.
Fen roars, fighting against his restraints, but he isn't strong enough to break free. Lester's eyes widen, glancing between his fallen comrades and me. He holds a knife in one hand, a hot poker in the other.
I strike at his feet.
He blocks low, crouching. And that is when I have him. There is more to a sword than just the blade. That I learned from Kayla.
I rush my hand up.
And slam my pommel into Lester's face.
He falls backwards, his nose broken and red.
Baron stalks forward.
The man pleads for his life. He looks to me. "Stop him. Stop him, please."
My mind is cold. My heart quiet. "You harmed Fenris Vane, Prince of War. Perhaps I would spare you, but he will not."
Baron leaps forward.
And the man pleads no more.
I run over to his body and grab a key from his belt. I find a lock on the chains and open it. The metal falls.
I rush to Fen and drop to my knees before him, tears streaming down my face. "Are you okay?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "I've been poisoned. It's working its way through my body right now. It will take too long to leave my system. We need to find shelter before this storm buries us. I'd survive, but you... " He takes my hand and pulls me closer to him. "You wouldn't make it out here."