Morgan wasn’t going to hesitate this time. She was going to turn herself into a kingslayer twice over, starting with Rylo. She’d never felt so humiliated as she did, stumbling through the black tunnel at the end of Rylo’s leash. Morgan tugged on the leash, trying to topple him off balance, but it didn’t happen. He didn’t even seem phased by her pulls on the chain.
Finally, the queen, Mara, stopped in the dark chamber. “Here you are, King Rylo. We were not sure if you wanted to keep your witch in your quarters, but we have provided accommodations for her in your room. If you would prefer her housed in the slave quarters, we can do that as well.”
A chill went down Morgan’s spine. No. He wouldn’t dare make her stay inslave quarters.She couldn’t even imagine what that would be like here, in this damp and cool cavern. She pulled on the leash, bringing herself closer to Rylo. Not because she wasn’t already seething at him, but because he was all she had here. If he abandoned her—she couldn’t even comprehend what it would be like to be utterly alone in this strange and cruel land.
Then she realized that’s exactly what Avery faced. When she arrived in Aeritis, she was completely alone. She had no one and no understanding of the world she’d fallen into. No wonder she was so adamant that they stay together. It was always about protecting her, keeping her from the frightening danger of being left utterly alone.
“That won’t be necessary. I prefer keeping my pet beside me,” Rylo said, tugging Morgan toward the open door. The stone from the hallway had disappeared, similar to what happened in Rylo’s library. He whispered something to Elio, but she didn’t bother trying to listen. Her ears were ringing with her rage anyway. Eavesdropping was futile.
She stepped into the room, but only for the distance that the leash allowed. She was still in disbelief that he’d actually put her in chains like this.
The room was carved from black stone, cold, so cold Morgan thought she might be able to see her breath. The bed was large and covered in a black blanket. On the floor was a small pallet containing a thin blanket.Thiswas what the Goldoths provided for her to sleep on? Not even Morgan could fit comfortably on the small bed, even though she was small. It looked built for a spaniel or some other medium sized dog. She shook her head with disgust.
The door closed behind Rylo and Morgan felt some slack around her neck. She turned to him, seeing him looking at her with that damn fake expression and she punched him, square in the nose.
Rylo raised his hands to his face, dropping the leash. “Why the fuck did you do that? I think you just broke my nose!” A small trickle of blood flowed down his nostril, hitting his upper lip. It probably wasn’t broken. She hadn’t hit himthathard.
“How dare you!” Morgan seethed before she turned her back on him, keeping her voice low enough to keep the entourage in the hall from hearing them.
Rylo grabbed the chain and pulled Morgan close. She coughed from the sudden jerk at her throat, the cold metal burning her skin. “How dare I, what, Kingslayer? Keep you alive and beside me? Put on an act to get us what we both came here for?”
Morgan turned, the pressure on the chain moving to the back of her neck as she pushed against his chest, giving herself space. “These fae are monsters! They actually think I am yourproperty!And you let them believe that. You let them think that I’m nothing but a—“
Rylo filled the gap between them, putting his hands on her shoulders and she tried to wriggle from his grip. “Look at me, pet.” Morgan twisted, trying to get released and as she did, the chain snaked tighter between them, twisting around Rylo’s arms and Morgan’s body, bringing them even closer. “Morgan,look at me.”
Morgan stopped struggling.
She looked up at the fire in his eyes as he held her tight, relentlessly close. She could feel his pulse drumming in a steady beat.
“I said what I needed to say to keep both of us alive. I’m not sorry for that.”
“And you like having me on a chain. Something to show off to your royal friends.”
A gleam in his eyes caught her by surprise. Damn. He did like seeing her chained to him.
“I’m not going to deny that your anger had me… intrigued to see how you would react when we were alone. You caught me off guard with your punch, a mistake on my part.”
“Well, Iammad at you. I thought you were going to abandon me,” Morgan said, casting her eyes away from his intense gaze.
“Never, pet. You aremine.I’ll not abandon you for anything.” Rylo untangled their chains and dropped his end down, sweeping his blackened hands up to her cheeks.
Unease mingled with need stirred in her stomach. “But why? What do you mean when you say I’m yours?”
“I mean I’m not letting another nation take you from me,” Rylo said, as his mouth slipped into a sly smirk, his dimpleshowing. “Was there anything else you thought I meant by that statement?”
Rylo leaned in, and if Morgan had her shadows they’d be shifting around them in a frantic dance. She could feel how close his lips were to her ear and felt him sniff her. Okay, that was a little weird, but she also kind of liked it.
This tension between them was so confusing. If she were in the human world and he was an authority figure, she wouldn’t act on her desires with him. They were too strong and felt too complicated.
But the rules were different here. The lines between what was right and what was wrong were blurred, and she hadn’t felt this way about someone in—honestly, ever. Her need for him felt like a wildfire burning under her skin, even when she was furious with him for collaring and leashing her like a dog.
Then her more level-headed, practical side would kick in and remind her that she knewnothingabout this man. He hadn’t given her any information about his past, about how old he was, what he liked for fun, or if he even had any real friends. Why get entangled with someone who hadn’t offered to discloseanythingabout his life, oh, and he also kidnapped Avery and held her soulmate in prison for years.
“Morgan,” Rylo said, stroking the icy skin under the cuff of the collar. “Was there anything else you thought I meant by that statement?”
Morgan closed her eyes, the warmth of his touch soaking into the burning cold of her skin. She breathed deeply, smelling his spicy scent.
Her eyes popped open and she looked at him, staring intently at her, so close their lips were nearly touching. “I think I have Stockholm Syndrome or something.”
