Hunted Queen

Chapter Twenty • Gone in the Night

-Jade- 

William's whole body went limp as one of the men had sneaked up behind him and struck him in the back of his head. Despite this, William's entire focus seemed to be on the boot pushing Jade to the ground. Even as he fell to his knees, his eyes were locked on her. With blood sprayed across his face, he seemed completely oblivious to the chaos around them. His chest rose and fell rapidly as his lungs were struggling to provide him with enough air. Although, now they were slowing down... to Jade's despair. What was even worse, was that she could do nothing but watch from where she was. 

The dark blue eyes flickered between her eyes, the boot on her back and the steel against her neck. Jade grimaced as some strands of her hair stung intensely as the man pulled whatever amount of her it he had caught a hold on. Some strands from the very base of her nape was stinging so much they made the corners of her eyes twitch. 

The man who had struck William nodded for one of his companions to rid him of his sword. Jade closed her eyes for a split second as a ruthless kick was dealt to William's right hand. She whimpered when she heard something break. When she opened her eyes again, the sword was no longer in William's hand and his index finger was broken. Pointing in an unnatural angle to his left. Another whimper made its way out of her. 

"This fucker doesn't want to go down, does he?" The man with his boot in her back grunted at her. He sounded annoyed, but behind it he was hiding a hint of concern. He had apparently known of William's hot temper beforehand since he had ordered someone to take him down before it got the best of him. Was he fearing that William would've gone into some sort of killing spree? In any case, the fact that her husband hadn't blacked out yet was clearly concerning the man above her. 

"He-" She began but the booth pressed her down. It forcefully pushed the air out of her lungs so she couldn't finish her sentence and her lips kissed the  dirt beneath it hard. 

"Mind your fucking steel, Ulf!" The man Jade had bit the finger off shouted as she felt the blade nick her skin. "You know you will be thrown to the dogs if she bleeds out!" 

Jade frowned. Who would throw him to the dogs? She looked at William, he didn't seem to have heard the conversation at all, so it couldn't be him the man was referring to. Her heart broke as she watched him blink repeatedly, fighting to stay awake. 

"She bit your finger off, wouldn't think you'd care if some of her blood gets spilled." The brute growled underneath his breath. Reluctantly and slowly, she felt his hand let go of her hair. It fell down while the sword against her neck moved slightly away from her skin. However, it didn't move all that much. He could still slice her open if the thought crossed his mind. "Looks like he could use a third one!" He called out. Jade glanced at him and was met by an ugly smirk. He then proceeded to nod in the direction of her husband. "He's been clonked on the thinker two times already - in case you missed it - and... You see ol' Gorm over there?" This Ulf whispered and bent down, grabbed her cheek and forced her to look at William - and the man behind him. Her eyes quickly found this Gorm. He smirked when he noticed terror filling eyes, showing brown ugly teeth with one of his canines missing. All the while his friend kept talking in her ear. "His right swing is a real mean one... wonder if your fellow over there can take another? I have seen men not waking up after a punch or two too many." 

"Or... we could give him a little trim?" Gorm suggested and played with a dagger in his right hand. His left index finger pressed the point of his dagger, almost breaking his own skin. Jade froze and coughed out a 'no'.

"Jade." A barely audible mumble came from her husband. She met his gaze, it looked drunken and he seemed on the brink of falling unconscious to the ground. How he hadn't done this yet, amazed her, but he was barely aware of what was happening.