By Force Read Online Free PDF

told me to believe him, and his words offered me a small amount of comfort. Knowing my sister could go home unharmed overshadowed any fears I felt for myself.
    I could think of no reasonable explanation for the savages’ pursuit, only that we had managed to offend these complete strangers in some manner or other. He had indicated they were uninterested in Lilley, so I replayed my brief interaction with them over in my mind, searching for a reason. Then, I did the only thing I could think of.
    “I’m so sorry. Whatever I did, I never meant to offend. Please,” I begged. I propped myself up on my elbows and then scurried backward until meeting a tree, the bark scratching at my exposed skin.
    He furrowed his brow, and seeing his reaction caused me to mirror it.
    “What do you want with me?” I asked in a small voice.
    He rose to his feet, then bent at the waist to offer me a hand, which I refused. I scowled up at him instead. I was perfectly capable of getting to my feet on my own, thank you. Blood continued to drip over my eye and when I tried to look up I winced as my forehead crinkled. Bruises had already begun on my arms, and my neck felt warm and slick—probably bleeding as well.
    He grinned at my refusal, showing neither concern nor remorse for my injuries. I wasn’t looking for pity, but if he were any kind of man he would have felt some measure of guilt for picking on someone half his size. What did I expect? He was a savage and not a gentleman.
    Expressionless, he withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket and extended his long arm out to offer it to me. I snatched it reluctantly and held it to my head.
    Bushes rustled nearby and another savage shot out from behind them to stand in the waist-high grass; it was the blond who had drawn his sword threateningly when I had seen them approaching in the distance. I remembered he’d said his name was Nole. He was taller than I had first thought, perhaps seven feet.
    “Well done, Remmie,” Nole said to the dark-haired one with an air of authority. “Now let’s get off this wretched island already.”
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    Had these men come for me? Impossible. The savages had told Lilley that they came to Copaxa in search of something for their king, and now the blond wanted to leave the island after confirming my capture? It didn’t make a lick of sense to me. Who was I to them? No. They searched for something else. But what did they want with me?
    The savage named Remmie wrapped his massive fingers around my arm and guided me through the wood, his ironclad grip adding more discomfort to my already tender flesh. I struggled to match his pace and attempted to shake out of his clutches without success. It only made him grip me harder. Although he was shorter than the blond, he had a good ten inches on my five feet and five inches, so his stride was considerably larger. I stumbled across the forest floor and each time I fell, Remmie stopped, not to help me but to allow me a moment to right myself. Remmie all but jogged back to the path, dragging me behind him.
    A barrage of thoughts zoomed through my mind though, surprisingly, very few of them concerned my survival. I was less preoccupied with what was happening than I was interested in why it was happening.
    As we neared the others, my survival instincts kicked in. I feverishly tried to free myself, slapping at Remmie’s arms and face. I stood little chance against one, let alone five. I dug my heels into the ground and clawed at the massive hand circling my forearm. He sighed and tightened his fingers around my arm, making me scream out in pain.
    The other savages, who I could faintly see in the impending darkness, sat high on their magnificent horses and said nothing when we arrived. One of them yawned while another calmly sat braiding his sandy-brown hair down the length of his back.
    Remmie grabbed me by the waist and raised me up onto the blond’s horse. I screamed and flailed my arms. My only advantage