Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) Read Online Free PDF

leaving an angry red welt in its wake before stopping just below his navel. “Do as I say and I won’t rip your balls from your body.” The hook slid lower to his groin.
    Closing his eyes, Evan tried to breathe, but his lungs wouldn’t work. Fuck!
    “When I pull the stone from your skin, you’re going to call your sister to you.”
    Holding himself as still as he could, Evan struggled not to react.
    “You have ten seconds to call her.” The blade sliced deeper.
    He would not give them the satisfaction of hearing him scream. Sick fucking bastards .
    One filthy claw came out to pull the twine away from his chest, lifting the stone from his skin. An invisible albatross lifted from his chest. He dragged the foul air into his lungs, coughing through the pain exploding in his body. His power trickled in, making the phoenix snap its beak, eager for battle.
    “Ten seconds. Call her to you now.”
    A loud crash somewhere outside had the ground shaking beneath his feet and debris hitting the exterior tin walls. The two Erritrols tormenting his fellow prisoner took off running for the door, while the one with the hook embedded in Evan’s upper thigh snarled and shoved the point in deeper. His face contorted into a sinister smile just before he tore it from Evan’s leg, spraying blood across the room, and then stormed out of the shack.
    Evan finally let out the air burning in his lungs. He’d gotten lucky. His thigh burned and throbbed, but as far as he could tell, everything else was intact. They would be back and the torture would resume, but it didn’t matter. For now, he was whole. He would die a million times over. Take any punishment they could think of, even fucking castration, but he’d never put his sister in the hands of these creatures.
    The ever-silent beast across from him raised its head, instantly alert, and began a series of coughs and grunts.
    The walls shook with blasts all around them. Behind him, the door crashed open again. A ferocious roar rattled his bones, followed by utter silence. Heart pounding, he braced himself. He only prayed death would be swift and merciful. He wasn’t usually so lucky.
    Grunts and growls erupted behind him as heavy feet pounded on the ground. “Argram.”
    Eyes fixed to the beast rushing toward it, his beaten companion sagged on the hook for a moment. More guttural coughs exchanged between the two before the intruder swung its head and looked straight at him. He didn’t understand the Erritrol language, but the vicious glares and snarls they sent his way spoke louder than any words could.
    No energy forewarned him of another’s approach, yet a small sob sounded from the behind the crates. A familiar figure rushed to the hanging beast, and he had to blink twice to convince himself he wasn’t hallucinating.
    A long, thick braid hung down her back, her auburn hair secured with a leather thong. He didn’t need to see her face to know who she was. Her utilitarian dark green pants were standard Coalition issue and blended well with the foliage in the Dark Lands, as did the T-shirt she wore.
    What the hell was she doing there? He had put himself in harm’s way to allow her to get away. The only thing getting him through each pain-filled moment was the thought that she was safe, yet here she was at the center of the enemy camp—again. To Evan’s complete horror, rather than cloaking herself or running from the beasts, she threw herself at the wounded animal, hugging him fiercely.
    “Argram, we thought you were dead.” Her softly spoken words drifted to his ears. Tears flowed down her flushed cheeks as she gave the beast a wobbly smile. “We don’t have much time.”
    Evan did not utter a word. The pain of treachery cut him deeper than any of his wounds. His own mate conspired against the people of Avalore—against him.
    The creature slumped to the floor as his bindings loosened, allowing him to slip his wrists free. Brienne lifted a necklace from her neck and handed it