More silence. His subtle denial to answer infuriated her. She balled her fists as they trekked forward, footsteps rustling against the leaves in the woods.
Why would they want her? It’s not like she had any power to offer them. Unless, they were under a different impression. Perhaps they too were fooled into thinking she was something special, a Magickal prodigy, like the Luciens had.
Oh, were they sorely mistaken.
“I have nothing to offer your Guild,” she ground out. “I’m virtually powerless.”
“Oh,really?” the male retorted sarcastically, “Is that why you were marrying into the royal family, for your lack of power?”
Airess seethed, hating that she was walking so closely beside him. “Yes,really. You and your lawless friends will be quite disappointed.”
“We shall see,” he replied coolly.
Airess scoffed. She was, at last, speechless. He wasn’t who she expected him to be, a member of the most notorious Guild in the country. She expected him to look like a scary, ugly male. Much to her dismay, he was the exact opposite of ugly. She studied his side profile, his perfect nose and lips outlined by the moonlight above. That damn earring caught her attention again, and she realized it was a tiny lightning bolt made of copper.
Finally, a chestnut horse came into view, tied to a tree, patiently waiting for its rider as they approached. She scowled as she realized there was only one horse. Did he intend for them to ride together?
“Let. Me. Go.Now.”
The male shook his head, eyes boring into hers. “I can’t.”
“Why are you doing this? Do you really have such a lack of morality to see taking a female against her will is wrong?”
The male began to untie the horse's rope, his broad back facing her. She tried to take the opportunity to bolt the other direction while he wasn’t looking, but her legs denied her.
He turned around to face her, his jaw tense, “I have little choice in the matter.”
What did that even mean?
Airess scoffed in reply, her tone incredulous. “What are you going to do with me?”
“Iam going to do nothing with you. I am merely a steward of your transportation.”
Interesting.
The male looked from Airess to the horse, opening his mouth to speak. She shook her head and crossed her arms. “No, absolutely not. I am not getting on that horse.”
He sighed. “Please, make this easier for all of us and get on.”
“Hell, no!”
The male’s jaw ticked. He opened his mouth and closed it, no doubt stifling a witty response he had on the tip of his tongue.
“Contrary to what you may believe, I don’t have any desire to compel you again. Just get on the horse,” the male said with his chin up, arms folded, daring her to refuse.“OrI willmakeyou.”
Airess held his stare, contemplating refusing, but she didn’t want to lose control over her body again. She hated how it felt, not being in control.
Airess lifted her chin as she strode over to the horse. It was large, much larger than she remembered. It had been ten years since she had ridden. Airess grabbed what she could on the saddle and shoved a foot into the stirrup.
After a few seconds of struggling, the male stepped towards her, his arms out to help her on, “I can help—”
“Don’ttouchme,” she snapped, her tone lethal.
Fueled by rage, Airess pulled herself up. Her dress and cloak hiked up her legs as she swung her leg over. She pulled the fabric down, noticing the male had turned away. Was he giving her privacy? The act confused her, his behavior a sharp contrast to his words. Airess kept quiet as he got on the horse, his body behind her entirely too close for comfort.
Warmth seeped off of him, his muscled abdomen molding against her back. She was so close to him, she could hear his breathing. Airess inhaled his scent, the smell of the ocean wafting up to her nose. She loathed that he smelled good, even with the hint of cigar smoke.
Airess was glad she wasn’t facing him, her cheeks beginning to warm to a soft pink. Airess tried her best to lean forward, to put as much distance as she could away from him. She was thankful for the silence as the horse began to ride forward, needing a brief moment to take in everything that had happened to her.
