Adriana dipped her head some when Klassh's tone of voice indicated that she was wanting to be alone for romance. That wasnt the matter, and he knew it. However, his joking wasnt making the situation any better for her. She didnt like talking about how Vanthm had gotten the best of her. It made her feel helpless and vulnerable all over again.

"Do I have any choice in the matter?"

She raised her head, and let out a little pathetic laugh. “I guess you dont.” Unclasping her hands from behind her back she sat at the edge of the bed, but gave him room. She still couldnt believe that she had allowed herself to fall asleep in his bed. Was he mad at her? Or was his frowning face just a reaction to his aching wounds?

“Vanthm captured me successfully before, and when he did...he revelled in the thought of it.” This was when she averted her eyes, unable to look at Halt's face. It was so shameful. “He beat me, tortured me...and kept me somewhere between death and barely living for two months. He even...” No, she couldnt say it...at least not out loud.

rra...uh, has his way with me. Her voice, now in his mind only, sounded strained and close to tears. Her face reflected the tone in her mental voice, and for a moment it looked as if she were about to burst out in tears. However, as a dragon rider, she forced herself to stay strong.

“And when he was sure that I was completely broken to his will...he marked me.” Adriana reached out, and with a surprising grip she grabbed his wrist. Closing her meadow-green eyes she focused a memory into Halt's mind.

A flash of red, and then the setting settled to show a man dressed completely black and a girl with flaming hair lying chained to a sofa-type furnature. Across her back was the beginning outline of what would become a very elaborate tattoo of a 'V' on her back. Then, the red returned and the picture of the girl and the man vanished.

Adriana let go of his wrist, and sat back from him even more. She could have just turned around and showed him the tattoo on her back, but she figured that it wasnt the best thing to do after waking up in his bed and telling him about Vanthm. Now that she had everything out and off of her chest, she felt worse. There was no way for her to tell how Halt would react, and besides Klassh and Draken demanding that she told him...she wasnt even sure why she had spoken up about it in the first place. Was it even relevant?

“Eventually I got away,” To that day she wasnt even sure how she had found the strength to escape. Perhaps it was from her knowing that Draken had been out there, waiting and fighting for her safety and freedom.

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