The Rogue Rider (An Inheritance Fanfiction)

Chapter 32: Broken Bonds

Ragin watched the girl in front of him carefully, judging her reaction to the words. It seemed for a moment she hadn't taken them in, and was staring at him blankly. The first emotion was shock, then anger, then disbelief, each one passing across her face like a wave in the ocean. When she settled, he didn't know which one she had chosen.

"Ragin..." she said, a little hesitantly, "It's not cool to joke about that."

He sighed softly, and said in the ancient language, "I'm not joking."

It was like he had hit her physically. She staggered, and was forced to lean against the door for support. Her face had gone a deathly white, and her breaths began to go faster. Ragin watched her, part of him a little worried, part of him in sorrowful regret. Either way, he made no move to help her. He doubted she would want him to.

It was almost a minute later she spoke, "You know, it makes sense now. You always seemed to be... a little wary of me. Always hesitant to get close."

He was surprised at how calm her voice sounded. Though when she looked at him with a deep burning hatred in her eyes he felt a shimmer run down his back. He forced himself to remain passive. Whatever she did to him, he deserved.

"Stop that," she hissed, "Stop just sitting there! Like some arrogant, 'I'm too good for you'... you murdering bastard."

He turned away from her, fighting down that well of guilt that flooded him every time he thought about that time, and with bile in his mouth he said, "How do you want me to react?"

"Like a bloody human being!" she cried out, the sound of her sword being drawn ringing through Ragin's room, "Though I guess that's expecting a bit much from you, isn't it? Because you're heartless! You're soulless!"

He was forced to look her way again as she placed her sword against his neck, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Her pale face had turned red and her eyes were full of murderous intent. He kept his face passive as he looked her in the eye. He hated doing this, hated why he was doing this. But there was no other way.

"You know," she said, her voice beginning to calm down, though tears had begun to stream down her cheeks even as she kept her sword pressed against his throat, "I was falling in love with you. I was bloody falling for you. Like an idiot I was. But you knew that didn't you? You knew that and you still let it happen!"

He nodded his head slightly, as much as he could without impaling himself on the blade.

She gritted her teeth, the tears flowing freely now like rain down her cheeks, "I used about dream about this. About holding a sword to the throat of the man that killed my parents and slowly pushing it forward, watching his life drain from his eyes. Like he did with my mum and dad."

"So why don't you?" he asked softly.

"Because Akaysha doesn't deserve it," Freya pulled her sword away, the grip on the hilt turning her knuckles white, "She doesn't know, does she?"

Ragin shook his head, "No."

The girl scoffed, "Some rider you are. When she learns what you've done, I hope she disowns you. I hope she agrees to have the riders bond broken, and then I'll be the one that takes your head off. I really do hope that."

Those words hurt him far more than anything she had said thus far. Part of him wanted to lash out at her, tell her she was wrong. But he held the words at bay, words he knew would destroy her. Instead, he kept his face passive, even letting a slight smirk cross his mouth.

"I suppose that means you no longer wish me here, hah?" he said softly.

"Wish you here?" she growled between her teeth, "The only place I wish for you is the deepest darkest part of the worst hell, under the worst gods. That is all you deserve, murderer. I wish you never gave me the chance to make the mistake of falling for you."