Bound By Honour (Book 1)

Chapter 32

Vote ~ Comment ~ Enjoy

She blinks and the knife is at his throat. His throat; not hers. She hasn't moved; she is still stood exactly where she was when he entered. Gavriel tilts his chin up, the metal cold against his skin. Hunter holds still, the muscles in his arm tense and controlled. She has never seen anyone look quite so deadly before. The blue in his eyes has gone, consumed by the darkness that is always hovering. His jaw is hard and she senses his impatience.

Ra steps in to the room, to the left behind Hunter. His eyebrows raise and he looks to Sparrow. Of course the brothers would still be under guard. She imagines that Leo and Jag must be tailing Jasiel and Gethin. Gavriel slowly gulps, the blade tickling his neck as his Adam's apple bobs.

"What are you doing here?" She hisses, trying to copy the deadly vibe coming from Hunter. A slight twitch of the lips tells her what Hunter thought to her effort. He quickly reverts back to stone.

Gavriel's dark grey eyes glare at her. "I came to discuss business with an Iceni." He speaks. He tries to step back away from the blade but feels Hunter's hand on his back keeping him in place. He withdraws his hand from his pocket, empty. "Call off your dog." Hunter growls and presses the blade closer but his eyes go to Sparrow. He is waiting for her to make a choice.

"He does not take orders from me, so maybe you should be a little more polite." Gavriel's hand hovers again over his coat. Sparrow steps forward. "Ra, if you do not mind, secure his hands." She orders. Ra obeys without question.

"Your agreement with my brother is broken if you told others." Gavriel tries to rile her up. Sparrow raises one eyebrow as she steps even closer to him.

"I promised your brother there would be no war. I never promised him that I wouldn't speak of it to my friends." She smiles at him and he glares back at her. "Anyway they know little, but what they did see was you enter a room and go straight for something hidden within your coat." His eyes flicker to Hunter. Chills run down his spine. "May I?"

She pulls open his coat and searches his pockets. Her hands fasten around a smooth object and she pulls it out. A frown takes over her face as she inspects it. It has curved smooth edges and is shaped very similarly to an egg and it is made of a beautiful red wood. Her eyes flicker upwards and she opens her mouth to ask what on earth it is, what it could possibly be used for.

"Call him off." Gavriel mutters. A low growl from Hunter pushes him to add the word, "Please." Sparrow nods and both men protecting her step back. The knife remains in Hunter's hand though and he doesn't step back too far. "I wish to discuss this in private."

"No." Hunter refuses.

"Never." Ra stresses.

She would be foolish to agree. He can overpower her; he is willing to kill her. Yet, her curiosity is strong. He wants to speak with her. He knows if he tries anything, he would most certainly be killed. The temptation is strong and Hunter sees when the thought to agree crosses her mind.

"Why?" Hunter questions, calmness entering into his voice. Gavriel shakes his head and coughs.

"It is a private matter." Is his only answer and Hunter coils his muscles, his temptation to put his knife back on his neck. Ra lays a hand on his arm to redirect his anger. Sparrow watches and works out how this situation will unfurl. An argument will break out; Gavriel will refuse to speak, Hunter will get angry, Ra will not be able to defuse it. They will fight, the tenuous peace will be broken and the two lands will go to war. Iceni will be caught in the middle and Sparrow will be fully responsible for every single death.

"Leave." The glares are broken and Hunter sighs, his hand running through his hair with exasperation. "I said leave." She repeats. Ra nods and exits the room but Hunter hovers, unwilling to obey.