Chapter 10
10 Chapter 10 A Legend That
Bleeds
Faye’s POVR
1
“How is she p>
“Like I said,” I whispered, the metallic taste still coating my tongue, “I’m perfectly fine.” My eyes drifted to the maid’s lifeless form sprawled across the floor. “We need to figure out who sent her. She made me believe you wanted me killed p>
Hardy remained silent. He wouldn’t even look at me.
Instead, he focused on the physician crouched beside me, an older man with silver hair and a weathered medical bag. His experienced eyes moved between my face and the blood-soaked stone beneath us. His hands examined my arm and ribs with practiced precision, searching for injuries that simply weren’t there.
Those eyes had witnessed countless horrors, too many to be shocked by spilled blood anymore. He wore the
same black and crimson uniform that marked Hardy’s followers, but something about his demeanor felt distant, as though he’d long ago exchanged compassion for cold professionalism. His fingers probed my ribs and arm with clinical detachment, treating me like another casualty on a battlefield.
Hardy’s continued silence weighed on me more heavily than the corpse nearby.
My gaze dropped as embarrassment heated my cheeks and uncertainty churned in my stomach. Had I crossed a line? Been too forward? Too reckless? The questions repeated in my mind, and suddenly I couldn’t decide whether to apologize or remain quiet. Each second of his silence made breathing more difficult.
What if he considered me a liability now? What if he
discovered someone wanted me eliminated and
decided I wasn’t worth the danger? Would he abandon
me?
The possibility wrapped around my chest like iron bands. I didn’t understand the rules of this world. I didn’t understand him. And here, one mistake could destroy everything.
Finally, the physician exhaled heavily and stood. “She bears no wounds,” he announced with the kind of disbelief that only years of medical practice could produce. “Her clothing is shredded and blood covers everything, but her skin remains unmarked p>
Hardy’s stare never wavered from me. “Tell everyone,” he commanded, his voice low and threatening, “that my bride suffered mortal wounds. Say she’s unconscious. Dying. I don’t care how you explain it. Just ensure no one suspects she lived.
“What?” I jumped to my feet, my heart racing. “Why would you do that? Hardy, what’s happening?” I wasn’t even hurt! Why did he want everyone believing I was dying?
He ignored my questions. Instead, he addressed the guards stationed at the entrance, who hadn’t moved since arriving. “No one enters,” he ordered. “Not until I give permission. Tell them we’ve done everything possible to save her, and summon Ethan immediately p>
“Hardy!” I stepped forward as his men began departing. “I’m unharmed. The Raven Deons are attacking, we don’t have time for deception. Why are
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you pretending like I’m wounded p>
“Stupid girl,” he interrupted harshly, his tone cutting through my words like steel. “Do you believe I care about the Raven Deons or your pack?” He laughed bitterly.
I recoiled, my words dying instantly. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ.net
He moved toward me, not hurried but with controlled intensity that made me instinctively retreat.
Heat radiated from him now, but not the comforting kind. His fury wasn’t explosive, but it was
unmistakable, like standing too close to molten metal. It poured from him in waves, and my feet stepped backward before I could stop myself.
“I apologize,” I stuttered. My fingers twisted in my torn dress. “I didn’t mean to challenge you. I didn’t mean to disrespect you p>
He said nothing but continued advancing until the space between us became so narrow I had to crane my neck to meet his eyes. I tried to speak more, to break the oppressive silence surrounding us, but my voice failed.
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“I didn’t mean to speak at all,” I whispered instead, the words spilling out. “I promise I won’t question you
again p>
His hand rose, and I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing for a blow, but he didn’t hit me. Instead, his fingers slipped beneath my chin and lifted my face upward.
“Look at me,” he demanded, and I immediately obeyed. His gray eyes now blazed with something more dangerous as they locked onto mine. Rage, certainly, but also desperation.
“Someone wants you eliminated,” he said. His voice rumbled like a growl against my skin, as though speaking louder would shatter the fragile control he maintained. “You killed an assassin. And you healed like something supernatural. Wounds closing when they should have gaped. Blood returning to your veins as if it answered your call p>
“You are not fine,” he snarled. “You revealed yourself. You’re marked. Someone wanted everyone to assume that once again, I murdered my bride on our wedding night p>
What did that mean? Hadn’t he killed his previous
bride? I attempted to pull away. He wouldn’t allow it.
“Someone intended to use you, but you survived,” he continued grimly. “If anyone discovers how you lived through an attack from someone stronger than you, they’ll imprison you and exploit you. They’ll tear you apart piece by piece until nothing remains but agony and experimentation. They’ll transform you into a
specimen, perhaps a weapon. Or a legend that bleeds on command p>
I trembled, my breath catching. But he wasn’t finished.
“I won’t permit that p>
His eyes darkened, shadows dancing like flames behind gray steel. “You belong to me now, Faye. You surrendered your life the moment you bled for that contract. Your identity, your body, your suffering. You are mine. And no one touches my property. No one uses my property. No one even stares unless I permit it p>
He stepped closer. I moved backward, but he followed like a predator certain of his prey.
“The only way to protect you is making them believe you’re dying,” he explained. “Because if they think you’re powerful, they’ll come. They always do. Strength attracts scavengers p>
I swallowed hard, my throat parched. My legs felt unsteady, not from terror but from how effortlessly he made everything else disappear.
“So perform the role, little bride,” he murmured, his thumb tracing my lower lip like he couldn’t decide whether to kiss it or tear it open. “Appear fragile, appear shattered, let them drop their defenses p>
He leaned closer, eyes gleaming with something
wicked.
“But when the moment arrives, you fight. You scratch, you bleed, you kill. Because no one’s coming to rescue you, not me, not destiny. In this world, the only thing keeping you alive is your determination to destroy everything first p>
His hand curved beneath my jaw, forcing my face toward his. “Let them believe you’re helpless. Then show them that monsters don’t need rescuing p>
Suddenly, urgent knocking echoed from the window. I startled. A man crashed through the frame moments later, wearing the same crimson and black uniform as the others. His boots struck the floor heavily.
“My lord,” he gasped. “The Raven Deons are using poison now. It contains silver and wolfsbane p>
His voice broke. “Our soldiers are falling p>
Morh Lucia
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.