The vessel began its descent.
CHAPTER 22
The vessel’s landing thrusters kicked up clouds of dust and dried grass as it settled onto the grasslands, the noise deafening after so many weeks of mountain silence. Ember shielded her eyes against the swirling debris, her heart hammering against her ribs with a complicated mixture of anticipation and dread.
This is it. No more hiding. No more stolen time.
The vessel was larger than she’d expected—a sleek transport craft bearing the Duvain corporate insignia on its hull, the silver and blue emblem gleaming in the afternoon light. It looked impossibly clean and modern against the wild backdrop of the foothills, a jarring reminder of just how far she’d traveled from her old life.
Beside her, Rykan stood utterly still, his golden eyes tracking the vessel’s movements intently. She could feel the tension radiating from him, his muscles coiled and ready, his beast clearly alert to potential threats. His hand brushed the small of her back—a small gesture, almost unconscious, but the possessive warmth of it steadied her.
The vessel’s side hatch hissed open.
A squad of guards emerged in formation, six men in the crisp black uniforms of Duvain security officers. They quickly fanned out to secure the perimeter, their hands resting on the weapons at their hips. She recognized the tactical formation from her father’s security briefings—standard protocol for retrieving high-value assets from potentially hostile territory.
High-value assets. Is that what I am now?
The squad leader approached first, a broad-shouldered man with a close-cropped beard and the hard eyes of a career soldier. His gaze swept over her, cataloguing her appearance—the practical mountain clothes, the windburned cheeks, the tangled hair escaping from her braid.
Then his attention shifted to Rykan, and his expression hardened.
“Miss Duvain.” The guard’s tone was professionally neutral, but Ember caught the flicker of distaste as he looked at the Vultor beside her. “We received your emergency beacon. Are you injured? Do you require medical attention?”
“I’m fine. Tired, but unharmed.”
“Excellent.” He reached for her arm, clearly intending to guide her towards the vessel. “If you will come with us, we have orders to return you to Port Cantor immediately. Your aunt has been?—”
Rykan moved.
One moment he was standing beside her; the next, he was between them, his huge body blocking the guard’s approach. The movement was fluid, almost casual, but there was nothing casual about the warning in his stance.
“Do not touch her.”
The words came out low and rough, more growl than speech. The sound vibrated through her bones, and her mark pulsed with answering heat.
The guard’s hand dropped to his weapon. “Who are you to interfere, Vultor?”
The last word was spoken with undisguised contempt—a slur dressed up as an identifier. Rykan’s shoulders tensed, a faint glow beginning to kindle in his eyes.
Careful,she thought.Not here. Not yet.
But he didn’t need her warning. Instead of attacking, he simply held the guard’s gaze, and as she watched, his eyes shifted fully—the gold bleeding into something brighter, more feral. The beast rising just beneath the surface.
The guard went pale.
“He is my—” she began but Rykan interrupted.
“I am in charge of her security,” he said, each word precise and deliberate. “No one touches her without her explicit permission. Is that understood?”
She had been about to announce exactly who he was to her and establish his place at her side from the very first moment. But something in his tone, in the quick glance he shot her, made her hesitate.
Keep some cards hidden,his look seemed to say.
She understood. They were walking into unknown territory, facing enemies who had already tried to kill her once. Revealing everything immediately might not be wise.
“Stand down, Lieutenant.” She kept her voice calm and authoritative—the voice she’d learned at her father’s side during countless business meetings and contract negotiations. “This male saved my life and kept me safe for weeks in the mountains. He has my complete trust, and I expect him to be treated with the same respect you would show any member of my personal staff.”
The guard’s jaw tightened, but he took a step back. “Of course, Miss Duvain. My apologies.”
