Page 12 of Throne of Ice and Blood
Draven casts a lazy glance over his shoulder at the shattered light holder. Then he slides his gaze back to me and cocks his head. “That… was an antique.”
“Don’t touch me,” I snarl. But the fury in my voice barely manages to mask how it trembles. “I swear to Mabona, if you touch me, I will?—”
He flies across the room.
With one powerful beat of his massive wings, he has closed the distance between us. I dive sideways, trying to get out of reach. But his arms wrap around my waist, and we crash down on the floor.
I kick my heel back, aiming for his shin. But dull pain only pulses through my own foot when my heel hits his dragon scale armor. Flailing and wiggling, I try to break his grip on me before he can pin me completely.
A grunt and a low curse escape his throat as he struggles to keep hold of me. I kick and ram my elbows at him again while trying to crawl away.
Then his hands wrap tightly around my wrists at the same time as he rolls over, taking me with him. My back is pressed flat against the floor as Draven settles his weight on my hips.
Panic pulses through me, and I yank furiously against his grip on my wrists as he begins moving my hands towards his knees. A frustrated cry rips from my lungs. But it’s useless.Draven simply moves my hands until he can pin them to the floor with his knees.
Once his knees are pressing down on my palms, he releases my wrists.
My heart is beating so fast that I can barely hear anything over the pounding in my ears. I think Draven is saying something, but I can’t hear past the panic.
He reaches towards my throat again.
I squirm desperately underneath him while fear and anger rip at my soul. He’s going to drain my magic again, and then I will be left lying helpless on the floor. I will never be able to escape. Because as long as he keeps draining my magic, I won’t be able to recover enough strength to fight or run. Or to resist in any way. I won’t be able to do anything to stop him. To save myself.
His hands reach my throat.
Panic blares inside my skull and my heart hammers against my ribs as I fight against his overwhelming strength.
“I will kill you for this!” I scream at him, and my voice almost cracks. “I swear I will fucking kill you for?—”
The iron pressing against my throat disappears.
I gasp as my connection to my magic is restored. Strength starts trickling back into my limbs again as my energy begins building back up to normal levels as well.
Lying there on the floor, I stare up at Draven in utter shock.
He is still straddling my hips and pinning my hands under his knees. But he didn’t drain my magic. Instead…
I shift my gaze to his hand, staring uncomprehendingly at the item dangling from his fingers.
An iron collar.
Theiron collar.
Myiron collar.
Draven’s eyes are serious as he holds my gaze.
My heart thumps in my chest.
For a few seconds, it’s as if time isn’t moving at all.
Then reality comes crashing back down over me as Draven eases his knees off my palms and gets to his feet in one fluid motion.
With my hands now free, I move one up to my throat and draw my fingers over my neck. My eyes have already confirmed that Draven has removed the iron collar, but my mind is still trying to process it, so I need the extra touch to confirm it too.
When my fingers only meet the smooth skin of my throat, a small sob of profound relief escapes my lips.
At the sound, Draven’s grip on the iron collar tightens until he is squeezing it so hard that his knuckles turn white.
