When I blink, the room is replaced by a memory. Blood coats Ryker’s face, a crimson contrast to his violet eyes. My ears are ringing from my heartbeat; sweat rains down my spine.
For weeks, Ryker’s white hair would have a pink tint. Ember tried to wash it with oils, but it was useless; there was always another battle. More blood. Stings puncture my palms as I dig my nails deep. Metal clashing, shouts of dying men, and crying mothers. The horrors of war grip me sometimes.
A vigorous smack on my back rouses me. “Hey,” Ryker says. Oh, I’m back in the office. “Let’s make you a king.”
Our eyes meet, his searching mine longer than I like. “I never wanted a crown,” I protest.
“I know, but I’m going to shove one on your pretty head. That look on your face tells me I’d better sit down because I have a lot to catch up on.”
“You’ll have to play catch-up later,” Adrian announces. “Galen planned to return by sunrise. He was going to parade through the streets. Little do his people know he took the leisurely route.” He walks over to a cabinet and grabs a flask. “It’s a few hours old, but it will work. Fill up; the night will be long, but the morning will be joyful.”
Ryker and I take the blood. “I will tell you everything once Galen’s blood is on my hands.”
I raise my glass, but I don’t drink. Selene’s blood still fuels me. “I have a mate,” I blurt, slipping the flask in my pocket.
Ryker almost chokes, his eyes piercing mine. “Who?”
I pause, weighing my words carefully. “The queen.”
Ryker doesn’t laugh. He listens, digests, and reads body language.
“She’s a fae,” I add.
He shrugs, “She could have a dick between her legs for all I care. If you’re happy, then I am too.” He grabs my shoulder. “If anyone has a problem, I’ll deal with them. She’s your mate. She’s family. It’s simple.”
“But Cyrus,” I press. Before he was placed with us, he was enslaved by a fae lord. Slavery is outlawed across all the land, but this lord lived deep in the mountains. No one ventured there; no one saw the horrors that were happening.
Sometimes in battle, I know I’ve lost him. He blacks out, kills those fae, thinking they are the old master who tortured him.
“Cyrus will accept her,” Ryker states firmly, his eyes holding appreciation. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“It’s time,” Adrian voices after a moment of tense silence.
My gaze quickly shifts to Ryker’s chest, where our shared scar is. The crown isn’t on my head, but my neck feels theburden. Ryker’s hand moves from my shoulder to the back of my neck. Silent support.
I can’t thank Everett for everything he’s done, but I whisper gratitude for this, the return of my family, and for leading me to my mate.
Chapter
Forty-One
Titus
Ryker and I get off our horses, grass brushing our chins, and we creep along in silence. Our destination is the hilltop so we can spot Galen.
Our lungs strain against the unyielding ground. With a small dagger, I cut a hole in the bush to improve our view. Ironically, Galen’s rose bushes conceal us. They border the road to Blackthorn Castle, making it appear like a dark, beautiful beast. Ryker alters the wind’s direction so we can smell and hear the approaching horse as we look ahead.
I know I can kill Galen, but I have a growing fear. “I didn’t tell Tristen I was leaving the castle.” I push my fingers into the grass and let out a sigh. “I mean, he knows I’m going to kill Galen.” I pluck a blade of grass out and rip it apart.
“Tristen’s anger blows away easily. He’ll forgive you once he finds a new ass to chase.”
“I didn’t tell my mate either,” I remind him.
“She’s got a temper?”
I smirk. “Well, she tried to kill me the first time she saw me.”
“Nero would say that makes for good chemistry.” He uses his elbows to push up just a little. “Stop thinking about sex. I can smell it on you,” Ryker reprimands me.
