“No matter, I’ll get a new one.” Ryder pushed his foot into the back of my leg, making me fall to my knees. A moment later he threw a stinging hand across my back, sending me sprawling into the gravel. I tried to rise, but a heavy boot kept me down.
“Please,” I panted.
“Who needs a ring when the land has gifted me a mate?” Ryder’s voice was too joyful for the situation.
My eyes went wide, and I looked up at Ryder, who was staring at Col. I turned just in time to see Col’s expression shift from disappointment to stone. It was all the prince needed.
“Oh, you didn’t tell our friend Grave about our mated bond?” Ryder bent down and lowered his voice. “The bond might be different … changed if you will, but it’s there. Now get off the fucking ground.”
Slowly, I moved to my feet and stared into his cold eyes, searching for any sign of a lie.
“You know that feeling deep in your stomach?” Ryder slid his hand to my waistband and behind my pants. My stomach retracted the moment I felt his touch against my bare skin.
“Don’t.” My voice cracked as if my body doubted the words I spoke.
Ryder’s free hand gripped the back of my hair and he pulled back, forcing me to arch at an uncomfortable angle. “Right here” His fingers made their way to my clit, stopping for a moment to encircle the sensitive skin.
I let out a breathy moan and silently cursed my body for betraying me.
“That feeling that makes you want to rip off your clothes.” He plunged a finger roughly inside me, causing the skin at my entrance to sting. “It’s that feeling where you’d kill someone just to have my cock inside of you.” He dragged his tongue over my still-scarred neck and stopped at my ear. “Even a curly-haired female friend. What was her name?”
My eyes closed, pushing into his touch, grinding my center. “Jezelle,” I whispered, breathless and nearly overtaken from the closeness.
Orgasm threatened to find me, though I begged to keep it at bay. Seconds felt like he’d been working me for hours, and with each swirl of his finger, I teetered closer to the edge. My pulse raced, and my breath turned to throaty gasps, each pass relentlessly pushing me forward.
“That’s the bond,” Ryder breathed. “You’ll be linked to me until the day one of us dies. Though preferably you’ll go first.”
“No.” My voice stuttered as I tried to pull away from whatever my mind was reaching out for.
“I told you. You’re mine.” He chuckled and removed his fingers just as I found my release.
Unbalanced and unsatisfied, I barely had a chance to open my eyes to steady myself. Embarrassment sat heavy on my chestas I kept my eyes down and refused to look at any of the people who’d witnessed the heavy fondling.
Fisher cleared his throat loudly, drawing the prince’s attention.
“You were responsible for her safety, and you failed,” Ryder snapped at the guard. “Take a gryphon and get her into the air while I sort things out with Grave. I’ll deal with you later.”
“No,” Fisher and I protested in unison. There was no way I’d get close to that man ever again, unless it was to kill him.
Ryder looked between me and Fisher several times, contemplating the reason for our newly developed hatred. A wry smile formed on his mouth as he quickly put the pieces of the puzzle together.
“It appears my guard has handed you the information you so badly sought.” Ryder grinned. “Isn’t this an interesting development? The guard you’ve spent weeks with was the same one that severed your brother’s head from its neck.”
Rage replaced embarrassment, and I suddenly wished I had Jaspar’s dagger to drive through Fisher’s heart. I turned and looked toward the sword at Ryder’s hip.
“Aww, you want to kill him.” The prince followed my line of sight and tsked. “Well, I guess we can’t have that.” He looked past me. “Hunt, get her into the air.”
“No, she’s staying,” Col roared.
But I wasn’t, and even though there were moments I’d considered it, my time in Kuroden was always meant to be temporary. I needed to get back and face whatever awaited me. More than that, I needed to kill the king.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” I yelled at Hunt as he attempted to grab my arm. I pushed him away and stomped toward the gryphon he’d dismounted. Carefully, I climbed on top of the feathered mount and tried to create as much distance as possible between us.
“Better hold on or you’ll fall and die,” Hunt said, wrapping an arm around me. “If it were up to me, I’d let you.”
“Get your hands off me or you’ll be dead before we make it back,” I huffed and looked to Col, who was already watching me. “I’m sorry,” I mouthed, right before the gryphon launched into the sky.
27
