THE DESERT ROSE | ONGOING

Protect You With My Life

Alina screamed at the sight of the auctioneer's henchmen surrounding them from all sides. She was going to die, moreover, the Shahzadi was going to die along with her. There was no doubt about it. No one will come to know, no one will ever come to help them. It's all my fault. I could have at least informed the shadow guards about the Shahzadi's outing. I... I just can't let her die like that.

Tears flooded inside Alina's hazel orbs as she gripped the princess's shoulder tight, "Shah... I mean Inara, I... I'll think of some way to distract these men... I'll steer them away somehow, by the time please run away from this place..."

Inara sucked in a deep breath, her heart was racing like a wild beast set free from its captivity, but she had to pull up a tough upfront to hide her fear from those malicious men surrounding her, to assure Alina that they'd survive. 

Alina is too naive for this world, she doesn't know how vicious these men can get, the princess gritted her teeth. Did she think that they'd let me go if she offered her life to them on the silver platter? Just by looking at their heinous faces, I can tell that they have no place for any mercy in their hearts. Perhaps, I'd have thought like Alina myself, if  I were the Inara in my previous life. But not now, I've seen enough cruelty in my previous life to identify demons like them. Who knows how many felonies those hands had committed before picking up the axes to kill me and Alina? But one thing is sure, they won't hesitate before slicing my head with that treacherous blade of their axes.

Inara's eyes cautiously moved towards the beast for whom she risked everything. She knew that the chances for her survival were minimal now but there was no harm in trying either. It was better to die trying than to die without giving a shot, so she opened her mouth to shout at him,

"You're mine now. I've risked my life, my everything to get you out of that cage. Now it's your turn to repay me. Save me, save me from these men. It's your duty now!" 

The men hovering around her laughed at her words as if she was trying to communicate with some inanimate object, but Inara's gaze didn't budge from the beast's mountainous body. Come on, do something, any response, anything. The beast, however, to the princess's greatest disappointment didn't show any kind of movement. The sparks of hope died down as fast as they erupted. 

The auctioneer motioned one of his men to move nearer to Inara. "Hand over the ring and your maid to us, girl and we'll let you go. We don't want any blood to shed now, do we?"

Inara's blood boiled inside her brain, she knew he wouldn't let her go either. How dare this bastard demand for my maid? May his soul rot in hell. Her palms clenched into fists, "We both go away with the beast or you won't get the ring. The deal is deal."

The auctioneer threw his head cackling before speaking once again, "then don't mind me for being cruel sweetheart," and with the flick of his hand, he gestured his henchman to slaughter both the girls standing in front of him.

Inara closed her eyes, the dagger clenched tightly in her one hand, and held Alina's hand tightly in another. She will not die without leaving her killer unharmed. Her hand swung the dagger blindly in the air, aiming to harm any part of the henchman's body in front of her but at the same time, she waited for the pain to pierce through her body. Just like it did when she died in her past life.

She waited and waited but nothing happened. What's going on? Inara opened her eyes slowly to take a look. It was the beast. The beast saved her from the henchman's attack. She blinked twice at his muscular back that was large enough to shade her petite form from the henchman's predatory blade. 

The henchman had a strong built himself but it looked nothing in comparison to the man protecting her now. The beast lifted the henchman with his single arm, the henchman coughed vigorously as his body hauled up in the air. The beast's grip around his neck strong enough to suffocate him and yet keep him alive at the same time.