traders scooped up her pouch and threw it to her. Her hands still shook as she drew the strap over her head.
“Thank you,” Kalan said solemnly. “We couldn’t have escaped the Patrol without your help.”
Vash inclined his head and signaled them to move toward the village. Annika’s gaze traveled to Whitewater Crossing. Several people watched from the edge of the village. The idea of them helping escapees didn’t surprise her. The families made a living from ferrying the men, women, and children taken during border raids by the Na’Hord Patrols, saving the demons from having to man the crossing.
These humans had seen their kind abused and used as blood-slaves. And while her father traded with them, his Patrols also ransacked and plundered their homes and businesses whenever it struck their fancy. There was certainly no love lost between the two groups.
“Annika tells me you own the ferry. We need passage across the river.”
Vash’s pale blue eyes surveyed Kalan then her. “Does she go with you?”
“Yes.”
His lip curled. “What business do you have traveling with her?”
“What concern is that of yours?”
“If another Patrol learns that she was here, especially in your company, it becomes my concern.” Vash halted their trek to the village and folded his brawny arms. “I don’t want the wrath of the Na’Rei brought down on my family.”
Dread surged through Annika, gripping her heart in its iron fingers and squeezing. Lady of Mercy , she hadn’t anticipated this. She should have.
Frowning, Kalan glanced between her and Vash. “Why would the demon leader be troubled by her disappearance?”
“She’s his daughter.”
Annika’s insides shriveled with his damning words. Shock flitted across Kalan’s face. The muscles in his jaw flexed, hardened. The pupils of his eyes dilated then shrank as his gaze fixed on her. “You’re Savyr’s daughter ?”
She pressed a hand to her chest, hardly able to draw breath to answer him. “Yes.”
Kalan took a slow step toward her, his right hand flexing then fisting, every line in his body taut. Annika wanted to run but a sulfuric odor underscored by an earthen heaviness emanated from him. It possessed the same sharp intensity her father’s scent had seconds before he lashed out at her. She tensed, anticipating, expecting a blow from his fist but the physical strike never came.
Kalan’s emerald eyes glittered. “The half-blood daughter of the demon leader.” His clipped tone was as cold as the ice that lined the riverbank.
She flinched. Her pulse leapt with fear until she could hear it pounding in her ears. She should have told him earlier when Hesia had encouraged her to share her story with him back in the dungeon.
Would he give her a chance to explain?
Lip curling, Kalan moved away as if he couldn’t stand to be anywhere near her, his thunderous expression unforgiving. A hollow ache writhed in her chest. Any explanation now would be seen as an excuse. Too convenient, too late. What little trust they’d established was gone thanks to her stupidity.
After a quick glance around, she knew there’d be no escape. Goose bumps prickled her skin. The villagers surrounded her, their gazes as cold as Kalan’s boring into her back. Would they now kill her? Her mouth dried. She clutched her pouch closer to her chest, fragile protection against danger.
Fear urged her to run.
Chapter 7
K ALAN shook with raw fury even as a chill raced through him. Annika’s birth and survival to womanhood took on new meaning and her evasiveness back in the dungeon now made sense.
The demon leader had a Na’Chi child, one he’d kept alive. His reasons for doing so remained unknown but Kalan had no doubt that once her disappearance became known she would be hunted down like him, for different reasons, but hunted all the same. They were in greater danger than he’d ever suspected. His stomach twisted and knotted.
Why hadn’t she told him who she was?
“Thank you,” Kalan said solemnly. “We couldn’t have escaped the Patrol without your help.”
Vash inclined his head and signaled them to move toward the village. Annika’s gaze traveled to Whitewater Crossing. Several people watched from the edge of the village. The idea of them helping escapees didn’t surprise her. The families made a living from ferrying the men, women, and children taken during border raids by the Na’Hord Patrols, saving the demons from having to man the crossing.
These humans had seen their kind abused and used as blood-slaves. And while her father traded with them, his Patrols also ransacked and plundered their homes and businesses whenever it struck their fancy. There was certainly no love lost between the two groups.
“Annika tells me you own the ferry. We need passage across the river.”
Vash’s pale blue eyes surveyed Kalan then her. “Does she go with you?”
“Yes.”
His lip curled. “What business do you have traveling with her?”
“What concern is that of yours?”
“If another Patrol learns that she was here, especially in your company, it becomes my concern.” Vash halted their trek to the village and folded his brawny arms. “I don’t want the wrath of the Na’Rei brought down on my family.”
Dread surged through Annika, gripping her heart in its iron fingers and squeezing. Lady of Mercy , she hadn’t anticipated this. She should have.
Frowning, Kalan glanced between her and Vash. “Why would the demon leader be troubled by her disappearance?”
“She’s his daughter.”
Annika’s insides shriveled with his damning words. Shock flitted across Kalan’s face. The muscles in his jaw flexed, hardened. The pupils of his eyes dilated then shrank as his gaze fixed on her. “You’re Savyr’s daughter ?”
She pressed a hand to her chest, hardly able to draw breath to answer him. “Yes.”
Kalan took a slow step toward her, his right hand flexing then fisting, every line in his body taut. Annika wanted to run but a sulfuric odor underscored by an earthen heaviness emanated from him. It possessed the same sharp intensity her father’s scent had seconds before he lashed out at her. She tensed, anticipating, expecting a blow from his fist but the physical strike never came.
Kalan’s emerald eyes glittered. “The half-blood daughter of the demon leader.” His clipped tone was as cold as the ice that lined the riverbank.
She flinched. Her pulse leapt with fear until she could hear it pounding in her ears. She should have told him earlier when Hesia had encouraged her to share her story with him back in the dungeon.
Would he give her a chance to explain?
Lip curling, Kalan moved away as if he couldn’t stand to be anywhere near her, his thunderous expression unforgiving. A hollow ache writhed in her chest. Any explanation now would be seen as an excuse. Too convenient, too late. What little trust they’d established was gone thanks to her stupidity.
After a quick glance around, she knew there’d be no escape. Goose bumps prickled her skin. The villagers surrounded her, their gazes as cold as Kalan’s boring into her back. Would they now kill her? Her mouth dried. She clutched her pouch closer to her chest, fragile protection against danger.
Fear urged her to run.
Chapter 7
K ALAN shook with raw fury even as a chill raced through him. Annika’s birth and survival to womanhood took on new meaning and her evasiveness back in the dungeon now made sense.
The demon leader had a Na’Chi child, one he’d kept alive. His reasons for doing so remained unknown but Kalan had no doubt that once her disappearance became known she would be hunted down like him, for different reasons, but hunted all the same. They were in greater danger than he’d ever suspected. His stomach twisted and knotted.
Why hadn’t she told him who she was?
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