President's Daughter's Bodyguard-Chapter 120: The Price Of Freedom

Chapter 120: The Price Of Freedom

Danielle’s heart hammered in a frantic rhythm as she launched herself from the corridor’s edge. The drop was short but the landing was rough.

She stumbled hitting the stone floor hard but she kept her footing and held onto the small blade.

The sudden loud arrival instantly silenced the chanting in the massive chamber.

Argash who had been circling Theo paused and slowly turned. His smile was predatory and sickeningly serene.

Theo’s head lifted one last time his eyes clouded with pain and exhaustion locking onto hers. He tried to speak but only a ragged cough escaped.

"B-bhu..."

Before Danielle could take another step three Helena women walked and caught her.

"Shit! Let me go! Let me go!"

They grabbed her arms and shoulders, their grip was surprisingly strong and relentless.

Her struggle was useless. The silver knife clattered from one of Helena’s grasp skittering across the smooth rock floor toward the fire pit.

Argash noticed her and walked toward, ignoring the struggle.

He retrieved the bronze ceremonial dagger from the floor near Theo’s neck where he had previously mocked the strike.

He nodded to the women and they dragged Danielle closer to the central fire, the intense heat immediately scorched her skin.

"Welcome Vessel...You should have waited. Running complicates things."

Danielle writhed against her captors’ holding her hot blood overriding her fear. "Let go of me you animals. You will not touch him."

She strained her neck to look at Theo. He was slumped forward completely unconscious his body seemed like it was giving out after the torture.

"He is irrelevant now" Argash stated dismissively. "He served his purpose. A loyal distraction."

"He is my bodyguard, you monkey!!!!" Danielle yelled. "He thinks I am dead...You told him I died in the plane crash that his father arranged? You motherfucking piece of shit! I’ll end your life right here! Let go of me!"

"His father’s performance was masterful I admit. The deception needed to be absolute for the final ritual. Only true despair gives the offering the necessary power."

Danielle strained against the Helena women. "You call this power? This is murder! You are twisted sick old relics."

"Quiet" one of the Helena women snapped, tightening her hold.

Danielle spat the words out. "You are all just pathetic women who worship a man who feeds you lies and takes what he wants. Do you hear me? You are pathetic!"

Argash’s smile vanished and was immediately replaced by a chilling calm. He stepped closer forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Your life, soul and destiny were my Lord’s claim not mine" Argash stated with cold authority. "You never belonged to yourself Helena. You were designated. You were chosen. Your resistance is tiresome."

"I choose my own destiny" Danielle cried shaking her head violently. "I choose life. I choose him." She glanced toward Theo desperate to see any sign of moving.

Argash followed her gaze and chuckled dryly. "Love. Such a temporary distraction. Such a simple foolish emotion that your mother also fell victim to. It led her to break her oath and run."

He gripped the bronze dagger tightly, its tip pointed at the floor near her feet.

"I have no reason to forgive a sacrifice so long overdue" he continued. "You are Helena and by my hand your unholy debt is paid."

The intensity of his conviction was terrifying. This was not a man driven by greed but by absolute insane devotion.

"Let me fix my breathing, and I’ll be the one ending your life here..."

"I would carve out my own throat for my Lord before I ever let Helena take another breath" Argash yelled as the firelight reflected madness in his eyes. "Your freedom is an insult I will gladly die to erase."

As he spoke Argash gestured wildly with the dagger. In his zeal he momentarily relaxed his stance leaning in too close to Danielle.

Danielle saw her opportunity. The bronze knife was his focus.

With a sudden explosive twist she stamped her heel down hard onto the foot of the Helena woman holding her right arm.

"Aagh!" The woman gasped in pain and her grip loosened instantly.

Danielle wrenched her arm free and threw her elbow back into the face of the second captor. She was free for the barest fraction of a second but it was enough.

She moved not toward the exit but toward Argash. He was too focused on his monologue and too confident in her defeat.

As Argash raised his arm for emphasis the bronze dagger still gripped in his hand Danielle slammed her shoulder into his side throwing him off balance.

He stumbled and let out a surprised cry.

The moment his arm dropped Danielle grabbed his wrist with both hands.

She exerted all her strength twisting his wrist sharply and redirecting the knife toward him. It was something that Theo taught her...

The bronze dagger meant for sacrifice was plunged deep into Argash’s thigh.

"Assrrgghh! You bitch!" A high pitched animalistic scream tore from Argash’s throat.

"Bitch! Slut! I will end your life here!"

He collapsed to his knees grabbing the hilt of the embedded knife. Blood immediately began to bloom rapidly, soaking into his trousers.

The Helena women seemed to be stuck in time, and shocked disbelief covered their faces at the sight of their leader wounded by the vessel.

Danielle stood over him, her chest heaved like a lion’s.

She had only seconds. She saw the silver knife on the floor near the fire. She made a dash for it ignoring the rising screams of Argash. She had to arm herself.

Danielle had to get to Theo...

The women finally broke their stunned silence and moved to surround her. They were closing in.

And so, Danielle scooped up her silver blade and crouched ready to fight them off. She had injured the head of the serpent but the coils were still tight around her. She was trapped...

"Damn it!"

The fight had just begun.