by Ella Frank
“No. You were unconscious,” Audra said. “And then he knocked Fiona out and tied her hands up.”
“Hmm,” Siobhan murmured, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear. “Then we need to get a sword.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Fiona demanded under her breath. “We don’t know what to do with a sword.”
“No, we don’t. But how hard can it be? At least, that way, it’ll even the playing field.”
Fiona shook her head as though she thought the idea crazy. But if she was going to run into this Ry’Ker guy—or worse, the other one—it wouldn’t hurt to have a weapon for defense.
“Okay, it looks like the guy down between those buildings is drinking pretty heavily. I bet I can sneak up behind him if you”—she gestured to Audra—“step out in front and shock the shit out of him.”
“Why me?” she protested weakly.
“Because Fiona said everyone seems to be getting tongue-tied around you. You look just like Mom, and that magic guy said he knew her, right? Where is he, by the way? Typical. When he’s needed, he’s nowhere in sight.”
“They did something to him,” Fiona said softly. “I don’t know what. The last time we saw him, he was on the ground and chained up like some kind of animal.”
God, Siobhan thought. None of this makes any sense at all. Out loud, she said, “Okay. The sooner we get the hell out of here the better. Right?”
“Right,” her sisters agreed.
Siobhan took another quick look around the corner. “On the count of three, we go. One. Two. Three.”
* * *
Naeve turned her head on the pillow and watched Kai as he lay beside her. She was facedown on the mattress, and the lethargy in her arms and legs was a welcome relief.
Ever since Kai had first touched her in the dining room, her body had felt tense, consumed with cravings she didn’t understand. She knew desire, had known the sweet pull of it before. But this ache she felt for Kai—it was unlike anything she’d ever known.
He was stretched out on his side with his back to her, and she found herself reaching for the scar she’d touched earlier. How had he gotten it? It looked painful, the scar tissue a light pink compared to the coffee tone of the rest of his skin, and as she drew her finger along the raised flesh, she felt his muscles shift.
Snatching her hand back, she pulled it under herself as he rolled over to face her. When his grey eyes found hers, Naeve’s heart sped up.
“How are you still awake? Are you not tired?”
“I am,” she said. “I just have so much going on in my head. I can’t seem to turn it off.”
He ran a gentle hand down the hair touching her cheek. “Is there anything I can do to help ease your mind?”
The one thing she wanted was something he wouldn’t allow, so she didn’t even bother voicing it—for now. Instead, she changed the subject.
“How did you get the scar on your back?”
His features turned stony, and Naeve was reminded of how harsh he could look when he wanted to. The combination of the dark hair, stubble, and rigid, high cheekbones all came together to make him look like a fearsome warrior. Yet he was the one person here she no longer feared at all.
“It happened a long time ago.” He rolled to his back, appearing to be deep in thought. “The year that I should have been training for the Guard.”
“The Guard?” she asked, moving to sit up in the bed.
He turned his head to face her, and she crossed her legs, holding the covers over her.
“Yes. The Imperial Guard. My brother and I were recruited as youngins and knew we would one day serve under the Commander, Li’Am. Your uncle.”
“Wait,” she said and thought back to the day before. “The same man you were fighting with at the castle? The one who hurt Si’Bastian?”
“Yes,” he agreed. “The one who granted your release to me. That is Li’Am. He is your uncle and Bastian’s father.”
“His father?”
“Yes, his father.”
Naeve knew she sounded disgusted, but she couldn’t help it. What she’d seen that day… For a father to do that to his son… She didn’t understand.
“But he hurt him. Si’Bastian was unconscious.”
“Yes. You have to understand, Naeve. Bastian is different. Many fear him because of it.”
“Even his own father?”
“Especially his father.”
It seemed as if Kai didn’t want to say anything more about it, but she was curious.
“Did Li’Am give you that scar?”
Kai looked away from her to stare at the canopy above the bed. “No. My brother did.”
She clutched the fur at her chest and sucked in a shocked breath. Kai must’ve heard though, because his eyes found hers and his lips were stretched in a grim line.
“Your brother. He was the other man at the Castle, wasn’t he?”
The side of his mouth quirked but there was no humor there. It was more mocking than anything else.
“Yes. He was the one holding a sword to my back.”
Naeve remembered the soldier who’d looked like— “The knight?”
Kai frowned at her as if he didn’t understand.
“The one wearing all the armor,” she clarified.
“Yes,” he nodded. “Ry’Ker is Li’Am’s Head Guard.”
She frowned when she realized those were the two men Kai had left her sisters with and felt an uncontrollable rage sweep over her.
“Then why did you leave my sisters with them?” she yelled. “If he did that to you and Li’Am will hurt his own son, who knows what they’re going to do to them.”
Kai sat up and cupped her chin, angling her face so they were eye to eye. “Do you trust me?”
She could feel her agitation growing at his avoidance of the question, but it was clear he wasn’t going to move forward without an answer, so she reluctantly gave in.
“Yes.” This close, she saw his eyes dilate, and knew her answer pleased him.
“Li’Am needs you all alive. This I know, so nothing is going to happen to your sisters. Ry’Ker’s job is to watch them, to protect them. And if anyone is capable of that, it is him. As for him harming them as he did me, he won’t do that.”
“How can you be sure? Look what he did to his own brother.”
“I know,” Kai agreed gravely. “But he did it only after much provocation on my behalf.”
“What could possibly justify the scar you have along your back?”
His jaw bunched as he swallowed, and the words he spoke next weren’t ones she could have ever predicted.
“I killed our mother.”
* * *
Siobhan crept down the side of the building and picked a rock up off the ground. She could feel her heart racing and wondered if she had the fortitude to go through with this.
Yes, she could do it. She had to. Her sisters were depending on her.
With a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t being followed, she dashed between the two buildings and made her way along the inside wall.
The light that had been shining through the clouds disappeared, and the darkness, which replaced it, now cloaked the courtyard in shadows. All that lit the way were the torches perched inside barrels and some that hung on the walls.
She’d told Fiona and Audra to wait until they saw her behind the man who was lounging against a cart. As she came to the opening, she bit her lip between her teeth and reminded herself that this was the only choice they had.
She spotted Fiona, and when their eyes met, she jerked her head in a signal for them to go. Crouching down behind the cart, she watched as Audra stepped into view. Then Audra waited for the man to spot her, and when he did, it was more than obvious.
He sat up, swayed forward, and the words that fell from his mouth were jumbled. “Ohhh…oh my. I’m dead. No…I must be…infected, ill… Why else would I see such a vision?”
Siobhan could tell by the look on Audra�
�s face that she was extremely uncomfortable with what was happening, and as the man stumbled towards her, Audra’s eyes flicked up to find hers with a look that screamed, Hurry!
Siobhan moved out from her hiding spot, and as he reached for Audra, she came up behind him and raised her hand with the rock. Before she could think better of it, she brought it down hard against his head.
The man fell between her and Audra like a sack of potatoes, and as they looked at one another, Siobhan turned the rock over and saw blood on the stone.
Instead of the remorse she thought she would feel, a dark thrill of victory coursed through her veins.
* * *
Ry’Ker barged through the door of the East tower without stopping to knock. Ai’Den, who was sitting on the table inside, got to his feet but said nothing. That was a smart move on his behalf because Ry’Ker wasn’t sure he wouldn’t lose it on the next person who spoke.
He marched across the room without a word, and when he reached the man seated on the floor, he looked down and demanded, “Get up.”
When Si’Bastian merely glared at him, he felt his temper snap. He bent down, gripped the sensualeer’s shirt and arm, and hauled him to his feet. With no food in him and being chained to the wall, Si’Bastian was at a distinct disadvantage, but Ry’Ker was beyond caring.
The women had escaped, and his evening had just gotten thoroughly cocked up. He’d sent his guards out to find them, and his next plan, although risky, was one he couldn’t avoid. Especially if it meant not having to report back to Li’Am that they’d failed.
“Ry’Ker…”
His name came as a low warning from the man behind him, but the one in front of him continued to look at him with insolence.
“The women,” he barked out. “Can you get inside their heads?”
Si’Bastian’s eyes darkened, and instead of answering, he lowered his gaze to the hand Ry’Ker had on his arm.
“Answer me,” Ry’Ker demanded, and when Si’Bastian’s eyes came back to his, they narrowed slightly.
“Why? Did you lose something important, Guard?”
Refusing to reply, he asked again, “Can you get inside their heads? Yes or no?”
Closing his eyes, Si’Bastian let his head fall back as he took in a deep breath, and Ry’Ker felt his body vibrate between his hands. When he realized what was happening, he instantly released the sensualeer and backed away.
The laugh that emerged from Si’Bastian was low and enticing, and as it filled the room, Ry’Ker saw Ai’Den step beside him, drawn to the sensualeer’s pull. He reached out and grabbed the healer’s arm, stopping him from continuing towards the man chained to the wall.
In his moment of anger, Ry’Ker had forgotten the rules. He’d forgotten that, even though Si’Bastian was drugged, his being was fueled by touch, not food, and when he’d put his hands on him, he’d revived the starving side—the sensual side that had been repressed.
“Well, I guess you won’t know what I can do until you unchain me.”
And even though that had been the plan all along, it now seemed to Ry’Ker like the worst idea imaginable.
Siobhan crouched down over the man at her feet and reached across his body for the sword. Then she wrapped her fingers around the cool, iron handle and jerked it out of its holder before sliding it free.
Damn, it’s heavy, was her first thought as she straightened, lowering it down by her side. The second was, How the hell do I use it?
“God, Siobhan,” Fiona muttered, marching over to them. “You didn’t have to hit him so hard. He’s bleeding everywhere.”
The gash on the man’s head was bleeding profusely.
When they had first discussed the plan, she’d mentioned knocking him out, but as she’d moved forward on tiptoes and seen the worry on Audra’s face, something else had taken over—a dark urge to hurt him for having put that look in her sister’s eyes.
“I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t sure how much force to use, and it’s not like I would have gotten a second chance.”
Audra was twisting her fingers and worrying. “Do you think he’ll die?”
“No,” Siobhan snapped. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Well, we can’t just leave him here,” she pointed out.
With a put-out sigh, Siobhan looked at the cart the man had been leaning up against and saw a flask. Making her way over to it, she picked it up and took a sniff.
Shit smells like gas fumes.
“Here. We’ll make sure we’re out of sight and then throw this into the courtyard. That way, someone will come looking for him. Will that ease your mind?”
“Don’t be a smartass, Siobhan. She’s just worried,” Fiona defended.
“I know she is. So am I, but we need to leave without anyone seeing us. We don’t have time to worry about this guy.”
Fiona reluctantly agreed and took Audra by the elbow, leading them to the end of the two buildings. They’d spotted an opening in the wall when they’d been looking out the window above the kitchen.
That was their goal—to get out of the main castle grounds—and that opening was their best option.
* * *
Bastian kept his eyes on the guard and wondered what was about to occur. He could tell that Ry’Ker was aware of what had happened and why, but he was curious as to what kind of response that would prompt.
The healer was being held in place by the guard’s firm grip, and Bastian realized just how much pleasure he was taking from having his father’s minion off course. And that’s exactly what Ry’Ker was—way off course.
“Leave.” Ry’Ker commanded to Ai’Den and pushed him towards the door. “Go and help find the women. I will be out shortly. Speak of this to no one.”
Ai’Den silently walked to the door, and Bastian wondered if Ry’Ker meant ‘do not speak of the women’ or ‘do not speak of him.’
As the door to his chambers opened and then closed again, he returned his attention to the only other occupant in the room—Ry’Ker.
“So, you did lose the women.”
“I lost no one.”
The amount of pride and arrogance in those four words spoke volumes on Ry’Ker’s character, and Bastian found it interesting that he’d been accused of exactly the same traits earlier.
“I think you’re lying.”
“And I think you should shut your mouth.”
Bastian leaned back against the wall and absently scratched at his shoulder. He caught Ry’Ker’s eyes shift there, wary and intense, before they came back up to lock with his own.
“You know, for someone who just asked if I could help him, you are not being very persuasive, Guard.”
“You lost your usefulness when you stated you didn’t know how helpful you could be.”
He pretended to mull that over and then shook his head. “You’re still lying. You’re afraid to release me.”
When Ry’Ker’s eyes turned to slits, Bastian knew he’d struck a nerve.
“When did you first feel it?” he asked, letting his eyes wander down Ry’Ker’s white shirt and black leather jerkin, which was laced to the middle of his chest and matched his pants. “When did you feel your energy feeding mine?”
Ry’Ker clenched his fists by his sides, leading Bastian to believe he was still feeling the effects from the contact.
“I’ll not let you play me, sensualeer. You think I’m not aware of what your kind does, what feeds your power?”
Bastian could tell he was trying to appear undisturbed by what had taken place, but Ry’Ker’s entire demeanor had changed.
“Unchain my arms.” He gave the demand in a voice he didn’t recognize. Not since having been locked away. Not ever.
“That was never an option and you know it.”
“Then unchain the one hand just as you said you would.”
Ry’Ker sized him up, and Bastian wanted to know what he was thinking. The disgust etched into his features made it clear that it was not something particularly pleasant.
“And then what? I’m to bring you someone for you to whore all over until you are fully functioning?”
Bastian took immense pleasure in the guard taking a full step back as he stepped forward. Ahh, the first sign of weakness is showing your fear.
“If you want me to find the missing women, then yes, your best option is what you suggest. However, it is perhaps not as crude as you would imagine. I merely need contact, as in a brief touch. Really, your mind is quite dark, Ry’Ker. Is that why you keep it locked away?”
He knew he was getting under the other man’s skin, because the anger coursing through his veins was evident in the reddish tinge now hitting his cheeks.
“Eat something,” the guard demanded, “and I’ll bring you what you need.”
Ry’Ker turned and walked towards the door, and as he reached for the handle, Bastian couldn’t help himself.
“The healer would do nicely. He’s so malleable.”
Ry’Ker didn’t bother with an answer. He merely pulled open the door as though he wanted to rip it from its hinges and then stormed outside.
* * *
Stomping down the stairs away from the East tower, Ry’Ker made his way outside to the courtyard. Night had descended, and as he passed by the men who lounged against the walls while they drank, he made sure to glare at them so they each scurried off into the shadows.
Little pissants.
He was fuming mad. Not only was he irritated with the guards who’d let the women escape, he was also mad at himself for having inadvertently given the sensualeer the upper hand.
He let his eyes adjust to the darkness as they scanned over the men milling about. This was the time of day they were usually settling in. Locking the gates, eating a warm meal, and making sure no threat breached the walls.
And what was he doing? Chasing down three puny women who were trying to escape these very walls. Stupid women.
Didn’t they realize the dangers beyond the castle? Not only were they risking his wrath, but they also risked their virtue from the men beyond the Commander’s reach. Oh well. What could he do if they wanted to be reckless?