The Ties That Bind

Chapter Thirty

Eirlys felt the blood drain from her face at Thorin's words, and her gut twisted into one large and painful knot. Her mouth dry, she shook her head. "Absolutely not, Thorin," she called down, although she wasn't at all certain he could hear her. He was easily six stories below her, with the wind howling as it picked up. Gray clouds rolled overhead, gathering to block out the sun as if they were on Rildu's side.

"I do not think I heard you, runt!"

Eirlys pressed her lips together as Thorin shouted, "You heard me. I willingly trade my life for hers, but you release her first. I want to see with my own eyes that she is unharmed."

"Thorin, don't be stupid," she muttered.

The fingers about her arm tightened, biting into her flesh with such ferocity she gritted her teeth to hold back her reaction. The wind picked up, whipping hard into the turret, hard enough that it pushed her back into Rildu. She stiffened at the contact, fighting back a wince at the feel of his decaying skin against her.

"Your king wishes to see you," Rildu growled, his fingers tightening about her so he could tug her from the shadows out onto the turret's balcony.

The wind up that whipped the turret from that height had yet to realize it was spring, for it was icy cold, stinging her cheeks, tearing her hair from its plait to send it in all directions. Eirlys swallowed hard as she squinted against that icy wind to see Thorin so far down below her. She felt strangely calm, almost reassured at the sight of him, even though he appeared to be alone.

"Eirlys?" His voice carried perfectly on the wind, so he sounded as if he stood only a few feet from her, instead of nearly sixty feet down.

"It's me," she called back, her mouth dry despite her strange sense of calm.

"Have they mistreated you?"

She shook her head, then silently chided herself. He couldn't have seen that. She was far too high above him. Her eyes darted about of their own, searching for any sign that he hadn't been foolish enough to try to face Rildu alone. He had to know better, after so many years of being hunted by these beasts. Her heart then beat a little faster when she failed to see anyone else from Erebor down at the base of the tower.

"Eirlys?"

"I've not been mistreated," she managed to shout, wincing as her voice cracked. She swallowed hard as the image of Madris being beheaded flashed unexpectedly through her mind and without warning, her eyes stung. Squeezing them shut, she added, "I'm fine, Thorin."

"Let her go," Thorin repeated, his voice harder now, "and as I said, you can have me."

"Thorin, don't be a fool—"

The breath left her in a rush as Rildu grabbed a handful of her tunic and jerked, yanking her back and off her feet. She stumbled, slamming into the rough stone behind them when he let go of her as suddenly as he'd grabbed her, hard enough to knock the wind from her.

Without meaning to, she went to her knees, her head swimming and her lungs refusing to do their one job. In what seemed an endless moment, she couldn't draw breath, no matter how hard she fought. A hint of panic set in, one that was only received by the sudden breath she sucked in. Her eyes closed, and she savored each deeply drawn breath that helped to clear her head.

"I'll make no such exchange," Rildu shouted, "unless you wish me to simply toss her from this ledge."

He twisted, his arm coming back as if he made to grab her. She instinctively recoiled, although she was nowhere near close enough to him for him to reach her.

"Be reasonable," Thorin returned. "I am the one you hunt, not some weak girl."

Weak girl? Eirlys bristled at those words. He knew full well she was anything but a weak girl. He might have been trying to convince the orc she meant nothing to him, but he'd still hear about his words when this was all over.