“Fuck you, asshole,” I said through gritted teeth. “We’dbothrather die than let a fucker like you control us.”
Kopanos looked at me curiously, only mildly put out at my defiance.
“Hm. It seems my sources were not completely accurate about the depth of feeling you have for your brother, if you are so quick to turn down an offer of protection,” he said, pausing as if I was somehow going to change my mind after all of his comments.
I only needed one word to answer him.
“No.”
“How unfortunate,” he said, staring into my eyes for several long moments before leaning forward again and whispering in my ear. “Mikros prinkipus.”
I froze, and the words caused horror to seep into my bones.Mikros prinkipus. Little Prince. That was what Maalik and Aurelius had called me when he—when he—I squeezed my eyes closed, my mind going blank in a desperate bid to hold back the memories of a lifetime at their nonexistent mercy.
“Ah! I seethatcaught your attention,” he said, his smile predatory.
Kopanos stretched his hand out to trail his fingers over my cheek and I winced as though they were daggers, but I was frozen in place, unable to avoid his touch. The Panicked Prince. The fear pounded through my veins, and I felt like I was going to vomit. I wanted to run, to fight back, but I was frozen inside the prison of my own mind. We’d learned to our detriment in the Legion that fighting back only made the punishment worse.
“You’ll find that Bonding with me has many advantages and we will explore each one of them. I have known young men like you all my life. I will teach you respect,mikros prinkipus.”
I felt a sudden rush of heat that warmed my chest and seemed to melt the cage of ice that held me in place. I felt the earth beneath us rock, and opened my eyes as a coffee cup fell from the desk to the floor and crashed to the ground. I heard a door open behind me, but ignored whoever had entered as whatever force that had held me immobile suddenly lifted and I was on my feet, a sudden warmth flooding through me and the feel of another heart beating in time with mine twinned my soul.
“I. Said. No.” I growled.
Kopanos’ eyes went wide as the earth rumbled under us and he stumbled. I felt a strong hand grip my shoulder and saw the reflection of a tall, black-haired Soma behind me. Rhuyin! I couldn’t help the burst of joy that flashed through my heart at seeing him.
“I suggest you leavenow, Captain. You ever touch a Mageian without their permission, orevercall me that name again, and I promise you: they willneverfind your body.”
My voice carried the echo of thunder behind it as the ground shook.
“That’s only ifIleave anything left of you to bury,” I heard Rhuyin’s voice from behind me growl.
I wasn’t sure if it was my threat or Rhuyin’s, but something in what we said must have finally gotten through the older Somas ego, because he seemed to inhale sharply, and his eyes widened comically. Suddenly, he couldn’t get away from us fast enough. After the door slammed shut behind him, I turned toward Rhuyin and his hand fell away slowly. His emerald eyes were dark, and I could almost feel the potential for violence vibrating off him. I glanced down and noticed that his nails had lengthened into sharp black claws. The back of his hands were covered in what looked to be black and red fur. Another sign he had found his Bonded, I realized.
Are you okay?he signed, his hands and voice both shaking slightly.
“He’s an ass.” I said as I dropped into the chair again, my knees suddenly weak as the adrenaline began to subside.
“True that.”
Rhu moved to the seat across from me, careful not to touch me. He curled his hands into fists.
“How did you—” I began to say. How had he known where I was? How had he known that I needed help?
Rhu pointedly looked at the floor which I realized, belatedly, had developed hundreds of small cracks radiating out from where I had stood. They spread out for meters around us.
“Oh,shit.” I sent my powers out and was astonished at the damage that had spread beneath us. I quickly set about repairing as much of it as I could. Fortunately it was mostly cosmetic, and quickly fixed. When I finally opened my eyes, I saw him staring intently at me, then he smiled.
“I had this— this feeling that Ineededto be here,” he said. I realized suddenly he wasn’t wearing the uniform he had been wearing when I first met him. The jacket and tac pants had been replaced by jeans and a t-shirt. His hair was dripping water, soaking the shirt and making it cling to his body, transparent in places. Hisboots were on but untied. It looked like he had jumped directly from the shower into the clothes.
“Thank you,” I whispered. I knew he was reading my lips, so I didn’t have to make a lot of noise.
“No problem. You didn’t really need me, anyway,” he said, then looked away suddenly. He seemed almost embarrassed. “I’m sure your Bonded will be here any moment.”
I looked at him in confusion. My Bonded? What the hell was he talking about?
“My what?” I asked dumbly.
“Bonded? You know,Soma. I saw you with him at the Bonding ceremony, but I never did catch the name of the lucky guy.”
