“This doesn’t leave this room,” I said, reaching out and touching the ice, pulling at it with a mental command. The barrier disappeared as I absorbed its power into me and walked toward him. It had never been meant to stop me, only delay me and allow me time to recover. “Got it?”
I waited until he nodded, the dull glare remaining in his eyes. He was still mad. And I couldn’t blame him. I was on edge, snapping at the slightest thing.
“I’m sorry.” It was worth repeating. He deserved it. “It’s not you. It’s me. I’m way on edge.”
“Why?”
I sighed. Here went nothing. I had to get it out there.
“I think I found my mate this morning. Somehow.”
Florian turned back to me fully now, his jaw hanging in shock.
Shit, I had busted one of his teeth after all.
“You did? Where is she?” he asked, looking around, as if he could have missed another person in the small gym. “No, forget that.Whois she?”
“I don’t know,” I growled, clenching my fists. “I left her there.”
“Left her … your fated mate? Youleftyour fated mate?” He gaped before shaking his head, eyes narrowing. “Wait. You left herwhere?”
“At the market.” My dragon snarled angrily, protesting and wanting even now to spread its wings and go back to her.
“Your fated mate is the elite we’ve been tracking?” Florian cursed. “Shit. That’s bad. Who was it then? Was it Damon’s daughter or something?”
“No.” I gritted my teeth. My mate being the daughter of one of my biggest detractors would have been easier. Not better but easier. She was one of the elites, at least. If nothing else, it would make moresense.
It was hard to say out loud. It sounded stupid. Itwasstupid. How could I have done something like this, somethingso idiotic.
Because it was impossible.
“Then who?” he pushed, growing tired of my reticence. “Tell me she wasn’t one of the slavers.”
I shook my head. “She’s one of the grounded. I saw her in a cage.”
And I left her there. The guilt was overwhelming. I had left my mate, the other half of me,in acage. I had all but run away. A low rumble filled the room. Only an arched eyebrow from Florian clued me in that I was making the noise, my anger seeping past my normally steel-clad control.
“Your mate is a clippy?” he hissed in stunned surprise. “But that’s impossible. They don’thavemates. They’re too weak for that.”
I snarled, fury at the denial of my mate bond surging through me once more. “Are you saying she isn’t my mate?”
Florian, recognizing what was happening, backed up in a hurry and bowed his head in slight submission. “Not at all, Alpha. Calm. I’m just shocked, trying to process it. And you left her.”
“Careful,” I growled, growing tired of the reminder. My dragon simmered in the background, still angry over it all.
“Why did you leave her there?” he asked, rubbing his chin.
“Besides it being impossible that I’m mated to one of the grounded?” I asked rhetorically. “Because I didn’t know what to do. I can’t bring her into my world. A wing-clipped among elite true dragons? Come on, Ri, you know that has mega-disaster written all over it. If Damon knew or, orb-forbid, my uncle?”
Florian grunted in acknowledgment, but I could see he was still trying to process it.
I didn’t blame him. Just saying it sounded insane. But I didn’t voice my true fear. That I wouldn’t be able to protect her. That I would slip, and she would get hurt in an “accident.” That I would lose her because of the deadly games the elite loved to play in their lust for power. That was why I didn’t want to bring her here. But I couldn’t go around nearly tearing off the heads of everyone either.
But if you bring her here, she’ll eventually find out what you did. You can’t hide it forever. Not from a fated mate.
I shoved that stray thought deep down inside of me, burying it under a mile of ice.
“What did you come find me for?” I asked, desperate for a change of topic.
