A shadow fell over me, cutting off everything except for the sight of Ryland, legs braced apart, tattered cloak brushing the floor in front of me.
“Touch one fucking hair on her head and you’ll never touch anything else, Kaden.” The threat scraped up out of his throat as a feral, guttural rasp I’d never heard come out of his mouth before. “I’ve known Lyrae far longer than I’ve known you, and now isnotthe time to test my fucking loyalties.”
The Dark Prince stopped in his tracks, staring between us, that dark, brooding expression giving way to a knowing, wicked grin. “Well, I suppose she must know where all the bones are buried, then, doesn’t she? Shall I ask her about your dirty little secrets, Ryland? The ones you’d rather keep buried?”
“Lyrae is ours,” Ryland laid claim over me in a steady voice devoid of emotion, refusing to take the bait. “And we will protect her from every possible threat, even you.”
“Especially you. In fact,” Varian continued, in a tonematching Ryland’s, “test us, and you’ll find yourself on the outside, Rooke. Threaten her again, and I’ll buryyoubeneath the ice.”
Those words wound through me like a ribbon, wrapping like silk around my heart. Those words would have changed my life a hundred years ago. And with those words…a kind of restless wanting moved through me, at how much I wanted them to be true.
Too late, my heart whispered.
Too late for words to fix what is irrevocably broken.
“Come on, let’s get you closer to the fire before you go into shock.” Varian gripped my arms, shooting Kaden a warning glance as he coaxed me into the very chair the Dark Prince had just occupied, helping me bend my stiff legs enough to sit down.
Even though the heat skimmed off the surface of my wet, frozen skin, just being close to a crackling fire felt divine. “Give yourself a minute.” Varian crouched before me, briskly rubbing my hands between his calloused palms. “You’ll feel some shooting pain in your hands and feet as you warm up.”
“Did he break your nose?” We were close enough I saw the bruise forming beneath the smeared blood, a swell of anger rising as I shot Rooke a death glare. Varian was protecting me, but…I felt some ridiculous urge to protect him right back.
“Nah.” His golden eyes sparkled. “Princes are pussies. They don’t hit hard enough to break my bones, commander.” Varian winked. “Don’t worry about me, concentrate on getting yourself warm. Keep moving your fingers and toes to keep the blood circulating, and don’t stay in that position for too long or your muscles will stiffen up.”
“Well, they seem cozy,” Kade observed loudly, andRyland’s shoulders tightened even more. “Why didn’t you just say she was an ally?” With a flash of his fingers, the dagger disappeared into a pocket, his bloodthirsty expression smoothing out into something a bit less…threatening. “Welcome to the team, love, here’s to a long and profitable partnership.”
“I’m not your fucking partner,” I rasped, my throat raw from swallowing frozen lake water.
Possibly from screaming; it was all a blur.
“Ah, that’s what they all say in the beginning. Don’t worry, you’ll come around.” He looked between Ryland and Varian. “So? Have you found them?”
“We barely reached your island intact,” Ryland snapped. “That fucking ward nearly did us in, then the Grimbeasts showed up. With no magic, this realm is a deathtrap. Forgive us for not doing your bidding, your highness, but we were busy surviving.”
Found them? I squeezed my eyes shut.
How could I be so stupid? Cats didn’t change their stripes, and Ryland Storme would never change his ways. Same with Varian. Once a thief, always a thief. I should have listened to my instincts from the get-go, because they were never wrong.
“Found what?” I asked innocently, huddled in front of the fire, water still dripping down my face, cheeks raw and hurting.
The arrogant bastard waved his hand in the air. “Something my family misplaced a very long time ago.” With his playboy smile and careless attitude, Kade was the epitome of dissolute royalty as he looked down his nose at us. “Varian here has a rather unique skill, don’t you, Var? This scoundrel can sniff out gold ten miles away. Never misses.”
“So…you’ve lost the Rooke family jewels?” I lifted a brow and dropped my eyes to his crotch. “I’m sorry to hear that. I suppose it’s a dire situation, you being the last Rooke and all.” Varian coughed like he was choking to death.
Rooke narrowed his eyes at the two of us. “Something like that.” How I wanted to rip that smug expression right off Rooke’s face and shove it down his fucking throat. How I wanted to go back in time to when I didn’t trust anyone for any reason.
Torin had been right.
I was seeing the number three, too, except it was these three assholes who were going to fuck up my plans and turn the next few days into a perfect nightmare.
And that’s if Kaden Fucking Rooke didn’t slit my throat while I slept.
Somehow though, even the threat of my impending death wasn’t enough to keep exhaustion from creeping up on me and stealing my consciousness. The firelight dimmed, then I jerked back awake, every aching muscle in my body tensing painfully.
“Do me a favor, Rooke. Get a fire going in my room,” Ryland said, while I tried to wrap my head around the fact Ryland had a fucking room here. “Lyrae needs sleep and then she needs to eat. But mostly, she needs to get these wet clothes off before shock turns into something worse.”
My mouth dropped open when Kaden actually obeyed, nodding and striding away without a word.
“I’m fine right here.” I wrapped my arms tighter around my middle, all my well-laid plans crumbling down around me. I wasn’t in charge of this little reconnaissance mission any more than Anaria had hired Ryland and Varian to smuggle me past the border. We’d been set up from the very beginning, though I couldn’t yet see why.
