But Izzy didn’t giggle this time. She still smiled a lot, but there was a question in her eyes, and I think it was a good one.
“Iz—”
“Sorry to interrupt—”
Grandfather’s voice had the edge in it, and something inside me snapped.
I roared and leaped off the bed, throwing the sheets back over Istral who was really afraid. She flinched, and she threw her arms over her breasts and between her legs, and looked like she might cry.
“What the fuck are you doing?!”I screamed at him, whirling around to put myself between him and the bed.
Grandfather stood in a corner of the room that was empty a minute ago. He leaned on the wall, examining his nails—but when I roared so hard I spit, his eyes snapped up to mine, and his whole body got the warning signs.
I knew those signs. Papa taught me what a man looks like when he’s ready to attack.
But I didn’t care! She was my mate—mine!—and he just showed up when she was naked and—
“Touch me, and you will lose the offending limb slowly and painfully.” He didn’t smile. He didn’t move. His eyes were fixed on mine. Something in my chest went cold, but my skin burned hot.
We were both naked. It wasn’t right for him to be here!
“You can’t just appear like that—she’s my mate!”
“She’s your queen, and the female to bearmyheir.”
“But… but, she’s my mate! And you’re—”
“She is abroodmare,Gall.”
I never saw him move, but suddenly he stood in front of me, inches taller, his eyes black, and he leaned in, one finger pointed, my skin burning where he stabbed it at my chest.
“Be careful what words you let out of that thick mouth, Gall. Be very,verycareful.”
I blinked and tried to breathe right, the way Papa showed me when there was going to be a fight. I tried to clear my head, and grab the right thought. I needed the words to—
Grandfather pushed me with that finger with every word. “Back… the fuck…off.”
I overbalanced and had to take a step back to catch myself, which made my cheeks go hot again because that was embarrassing. “But you said—”
“I said you should take no shit from anyone who is not me. But me? I am your grandfather. I am your power. I’m the only one who can make this world make sense for you, Gall.” Hisvoice was quiet, but it sounded the way his body looked when he might attack. “Sit down and shut up, or I will remind you where thetruestrength lies.”
My hands shook and my head screamed.
We stared at each other and I knew I had to choose. Everything in me wanted to attack him and push him away from Istral. But he was immortal. I couldn’t kill him. And if I tried, he’d just kill me, then Istral would be alone.
I think he knew what I thought, because he smiled. But not the nice smile.
I looked over my shoulder and wanted to swear. Izzy had curled up in the bed, the covers pulled over her, her face hidden under the blankets. She twitched. I hoped she wasn’t crying!
I looked at Grandfather again, and my hands closed to fists. He couldn’t be here. He couldn’t touch her. It wasn’t right!
“Think it through, Gall,” he whispered.
But there was another warning, deep inside too.
He was dangerous. He had power. And he didn’t lie about hurting people. If he wanted to hurt me, he could. I knew it. I’d seen him do it. He could make me scream without even touching me.
My hands jerked. I stood in the middle of the floor between him and the bed. I couldn’t get the right words to come.
