“Fine, but I’m telling you. There’s nothing,” Tate sighs.
“Ryker, get off my transport,” I tease with a grin. “Ciara, clear us for takeoff. Ashton, we’ll see you when we get back.” When I look back at Ryker, he’s already buckling his harness and slipping on a headset.
“I’m actually staying.” He clips in as he says, “I can’t help, but I’m here just in case.” I scowl at him. I already have one guard. “I won’t say a thing,” he promises with a chuckle. I roll my eyes and go back to the console, sliding the switch for launch.
“All clear, transport five,” the tower says.
The console illuminates with a soft hum as it angles us.
“Take us up, Raea,” Ryker orders.
I lift my brow again. “You aren’t here, remember. My transport, now shush.” Ciara chuckles behind me.
“You two done flirting up there?” Tate asks. I roll my eyes and hit the launch button a second later.
When we reach space, our team works seamlessly, navigating around the Westsea Cloud and the Lynx Asteroid field. We reach the destination forty minutes later, and all I can do is chuckle.
“Hey, hey, guess what’s here,” I tease Tate. “Feel free to say I was right and you were wrong.”
Both Tate and Freya groan, and Tate mutters what sounds like, ‘You were right,’back to me, much to my surprise. Everyone gathers around the front window to see the buoy that’s been dropped here with a box we have to retrieve.
I line up the transport and let Ciara use the claw to reach out and grab hold of it, storing it in the compartment below.
“Hell yes,” Tate whoops.
“For Trysten,” Ciara claims. I turn to Ryker and wink before bursting into giggles. I think I love flirting with him.
“You’re amazing.” He reaches for me. Everyone is still talking behind us, but I unbuckle and step closer. I lean over him, kissing him, and when I feel the delicious slide of his tongue against mine, a warmth blossoms in my stomach.
Ciara whoops the loudest while Tate yells, “Finally.”
I smile against his lips, kissing him again before whispering, “I really, really like you.” He echoes the sentiment. “Okay, settle down,” I laugh, getting back in my chair. “Tate, route us home. I’d like to be back before dinner.”
That night, Ry delivers the news that our team won not only against the other dorms, but against the other Taeolyn teams. As a reward, our team was awarded a free day pass to leave campus.
forty-seven
. . .
raea
I’m calledhome over the weekend when an article leaks about Ryker and me. The photo is of us on campus, and I have to admit, we do look a little…cozy. It was taken while on a run, and naturally, we’re clad in very little material. He must have said something funny because we’re both laughing, but it’s the way I’m clinging to him that has the gossip already flowing around the system.
“Raea,” my father sighs, knocking his knuckles on the armchair. It’s his nervous tell. “What is really going on with you two? And don’t say nothing because I saw the way you two were looking at each other in the Center.” He means when he walked in on Ryker and me after Sgya. “You two have been friends since you were babies, and we’ve always hoped you’d Bond, but your actions—” He just shakes his head, and I can see the hint of disappointment, or maybe confusion.
I run a hand over my gown, my gaze settling over the waterfall near the window in my father’s study. “We found some books,” I start. “And well, one thing led to another, and we went to the Ancestor Isles.”
“That’s why Kuron reported you went to Demeter.” I nod.
“The elders believe Ry-Prince Anders and I are fated to Bond, or mates, or something.” I shake my head. “Our Bond isn’t normal.” Ilook at my father, whose features soften. “I really, really like him. Maybe even more.”
My father hums, settling back in his chair as he taps his finger once, twice, three times. “You need to be careful. Both of you. Your Bond is still intact?” I nod but feel a blush creep over my cheeks. “The crowns won’t accept this. They’ll still demand a Ceremony.”
“Is there no way out of it?”
He stands, gathering his tablet. “I’ll need to speak with my advisors and our media team. We need to get ahead of this. In the meantime,” he pauses, “there’s a historian, Elison Kolbek. Last I heard, he was living in Mori. He’s loyal to our family. Let’s see if we can find him and see what he knows.”
Two hours later, I’m sitting in a meeting with Cassia, the palace media team, and some of my parents’ advisors. I feel like I’m in trouble, yet my father keeps assuring me I’m not. I never thought I would end up in this position. Never thought I’d be falling for someone other than Kellan. Definitely not the one man who’s entirely off limits.Gods. The worst part is that a meeting has been called between the two kingdoms, and as we speak, Ryker is on his way here with his mother.
