Loyalty Or Honour (Book 3)

Chapter Forty Three

WARNING The following content may cause distress, manic laughter, anxiety and a mix of hate and love for the author. Read ahead with caution.

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Ari spends a few more hours with them all as they share stories that although still painful are bitter sweet. The light starts to fade outside when she rises and the conversation abruptly stops. Several sets of eyes land on her and she laughs hollowly. "I should be going home. My mother will be worrying about me if I have not returned when the light has leached from the sky."

Orion walks her to the door. She turns on the doorstep and studies his expression. "Please do not do anything foolish before the next time I see you. You remind of him and I cannot bear to lose him twice." Orion inhales deeply then nods, affirming that he will not do anything rash. Ari holds her hand out and he shakes it firmly. She smiles softly and looks out into the street. "There is something so peaceful about these hours."

Ari skips down the street, hurrying a little as the light is quickly fading. Orion watches her go then shuts the door and walks back into the room where now only his friends remain. His family has gone off to their separate rooms upstairs. Ross nods at him and gestures for him to take a seat. Not one of them is willing for this crime against them to go unpunished. Orion smiles darkly and takes his seat.

Meanwhile someone watches Ari from the shadows in-between two of the houses. He watches as she gets closer and closer. His skin is pale and dark bags hang beneath his eyes. He uses the wall beside him to give him strength where he has little. His hair is much too long and hangs down over his eyes in a dark curtain. A beard covers his features hiding fresh silver scars. She passes hair breaths away from him. She is massively unaware of his watchful gaze. He slinks out from his hiding place and follows directly in her footprints. His gaze flits to the next tiny alley just ahead.

He sees her shoulders suddenly tighten and he makes his breaths and footfalls even quieter. She has sensed danger but she has not yet figured out from where. He sees her head turn from side to side as she scans the area ahead. She speeds up slightly but despite his depleted energy reserves he keeps up. The alley looms ahead to the side. With quick, practised agility he attacks. His arm wraps around her waist, trapping her arms and gripping the wrists sharply to her stomach. His other hand secures over her mouth as she readies to scream.

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A day before

"You put me in there with him and I promise you I will kill him." He warns the two men at his sides. The two men behind him, to provide backup, share a loaded look with one another. At the last moment they push him to the unoccupied cell rather than the one with the man who survived the attack. His name is Roshi. Roshi looks with regret at the man shoved into the adjoined cell. No matter what he does though the man refuses to look at him.

The man has been through the wars clearly. He winces as he moves, his wounds not fully healed. They were too deep to have knitted together completely yet. He sits down with his back against the wall, watching everything. The enemy men stride away and the two of them are left in their cells in the corner of a great big room. Most would keep their prisoners in rooms below ground out of sight. These rebels however believe it is better to see and keep an eye on their captives. No matter what there will always be people travelling through the hall at regularly intervals.

Roshi clears his throat and dark black eyes spring to him, white teeth bared surrounded by pure black hair. Roshi holds his hands up in submission. "We were given orders. Not one of us wanted to kill you." He tries to convince him.

"You attacked me! You tried to drive a sword through my back. Next time at least have the guts to do it in front of me. That was not an honourable death you were planning." He corrects in a growl.