Without any grace, expansive, strong hands grasp me around the waist, and I am hoisted up and up and up until my limp form is slung over a wide back. I freeze, my mind suddenly spinning around one possibility.
Breathing in deeply, I smell the recesses of a masculine form beneath me, mixed with a hint of sandalwood and spice.
WARDEN.
The name is an assault on my weary soul, and I squeeze my eyes tight.
Of course, it can only be a warden of the kingdom.
I am well and truly hung out to dry. I must believe the Goddess will protect me, song fated. And if not. If not… I am a dead woman walking—or hanging upside down, in this case.
In my compliance with my fate, I stay lax, opening my eyes to the person beneath me to find one very naked, almond-coloured, rounded bottom. My body gives a small jolt at the display.
Usually, the wardens wear all black, further covered in thin metal armour to protect them from attack. I never understood the need for the metal since Haven is a peaceful kingdom, but it is tradition. However, nakedness is definitely a new look.
I expect my body to recoil at the idea of his bareness, but instead, a fever seeps through me, stoking the coals left in tatters in my empty chest.
The lumbering male beneath me takes up a third of the space under the tree that could probably hold ten regular-sized humans.
He ducks his head to move through the opening, and a sudden rush of sound amplifies my hearing. The current of the sea hits my ears first, followed by the soft footfalls of the male beneath me. In fact, the way he moves does not denote the sharp, hard movements of a human warrior but instead a lithe agility. A trait only found in the shifter wardens of the royal family—the dyre wolves.
I moan.
No, no, no, no. It is just my luck that one of the king’s personal shifter wardens would be sent after me and not a regular human one.
I start to thrash my legs, but all I hit is solid muscle. The warm, extremely naked body beneath me grasps my bare thighs under my robe harder and gives me a firm smack on the ass.Naked dyre wolf prick, I growl inwardly.
No one will ever touch my body again. I won’t allow it.The thought bursts forth through my mind. A flush of rage sweeps over my skin.
Argus unfurls his wings and breathes smoke into my chilled lungs. My once frosty body takes on a newfound temperature from both the male surrounding me and the simmering coals being invoked by his rough treatment.
The wolf’s quick movements have already brought us well into the tunnel, now heading towards my secret door.
In truth, I forgot about the dyre wolves. It’s been so long since I have seen the large warriors at the temple. I knew they exist and that they have kept Haven safe over the centuries. I just didn’t think they’d be sent to find me.
“You killed the high priestess!”a shrill voice sounds through my skull.
“Nice to have you back,”I retort to the voice in my head.
“You know I cannot stand to see—”she croaks, and I finish for her.
“It’s okay. I was just worried you were gone for good.”
Glowing stone walls glide by my upturned face, and I groan at the unease in my belly. Being upside down is not all it is cracked up to be. Bile slowly makes its way back up my oesophagus, especially at the thought of a blank-eyed Cardinal under me, very much dead.
“Please don’t puke,”Wren offers her helpful advice.
“Sure, let me just get right on that for you,”I scoff inwardly.
“You always were the more thoughtful sister.”
“Thank you?”I question, and a tinkle sounds in my head. Finally, I allow myself to breathe, held upside down by a wolf shifter.
“The dyre wolf wardens are hot. All big and rugged-looking. And his unmentionables must be twice the size of any I’ve seen.”My eyes roll inward at Wren’s words.
“If you are going to be in my head, at least provide helpful commentary.”
Moving swiftly through the darkness, I hear the creaking of a door. Soon, we are out of the damp sea salt halls of the hidden tunnel and in the labyrinth leading up towards the temple proper.
