Raiden shook his head and waved his hand in a gesture to tell him to save it. “After everything we’ve been through, you would still lie straight to my face? It’s as if I don’t even know you anymore.”
Taryn closed his eyes at the words, and shook his head. “I don’t expect you to understand –”
“Thenmakeme understand. Were you ever planning on returning?” Raiden’s coldness faltered just enough for Taryn to see the brother he had grown up with, trained with, since they were teenagers. Taryn finally understood that Raiden had come alone on purpose, without the other Guild members, to spare him from whatever punishment that would eventually transpire.
“No,” Taryn admitted shamelessly, and leveled a stare at him.
Raiden scoffed with a bitter smile and folded his arms, his eyes averting to Airess once more. “You get one taste of aristocrat pussy, and decide to ditch the people that saved your life when you were lying half dead in a ditch at fourteen years old? I’ve got to give it to you, I never thought a female would have you so tightly wound around her finger you’d betray the only people who were there for you.”
Fuck. He knows it’s Airess up on the stage.
Taryn's jaw tightened as he leaned closer to Raiden, his voice hushed as he gritted out, “Believe whatever you want but that’snotwhat this is. I was thrown in jail with her chained inDonstenyte, Raiden, and her power was so great that she broke the chains, and set us free. Did you really think you, or I could simplycaptureher? I don’t know what fucked up plans Eryx has for her, but I’m done being a pawn in his schemes. His drug deals. His assassinations. I’ve got more blood on my hands than I ever wanted.I’m fucking done.”
“Godsdamned idiot,” Raiden scolded. He shook his head and leaned in. “Two weeks, Taryn. I’m giving you two weeks to get yourself out of whateverthisis and turn the girl in to us. The only reason Eryx hasn’t used the Oathmark is because he doesn’t think you’ve betrayed the Guild.Yet. As soon as he finds out, he will obliterate you.”
“How do you do it?” Taryn asked with his brows furrowed, “How do you blindly serve him? When we were boys I used to think what we were doing was a service to Mrkynia, to therealm.Mrkynia has fallen and will never rise again. Eryx is using us and has his own agenda, Raiden. I know it.”
“You truly were planning on leaving, weren’t you?” Raiden asked sharply. Taryn’s jaw tensed, but he knew better to keep his mouth shut. Friends or not, Raiden couldn’t know his plans going forward. He was too loyal to Eryx.
“I’m a Human man, “ Raiden said. “What choice do I have, other than staying with the people who made me? I don’t have Magick like you or her,” Raiden gestured a hand toward Airess.
Airess’ brow furrowed as she noticed Raiden from across the room, her song slowly fading off.
“Two weeks, Taryn, or I have no choice but to come after you.” Raiden stood abruptly. “And do yourself a favor, if you’re going to fuck her, at least don’t fall in love with her, man.”
“Watch your mouth. I told you I’m not fucking–”
“Two weeks,” Raiden said stiffly before striding away, clipping Airess’ shoulder without a second glance as he stormed out of the bar. She whipped around to say something to Raiden, but he was already gone.
Airess strode to Taryn, when an older Elven male grabbed her arm and stopped her mid-walk, “That was some fine singing, girl. Tell me, do you perform any private shows?”
A deep growl rumbled in Taryn’s throat as he approached, Taryn’s eyes widened in a rage when he smelt the arousal coming from the male. The male smacked his lips, ogling Airess like she was an object he could use. Taryn’s vision ran red, an excessive reaction, but he couldn’t control it. He couldn’t control the anger that budded within.
“I–” Airess began, but Taryn had already grabbed the male’s arm and ripped it away, yanking him up in such a disfigured angle, his forearm snapped. The crunch of bone was so audible, the folk around them fell silent as the male screamed.
Taryn shoved the male to the floor as he replied, “I don’t believe she does.”
Silence fell over the room. The weight of his actions settled within him after the irrational, blind rage began to fade. He remembered himself, that they both needed to get out of here. Taryn put an arm over Airess’ shoulder and quickly guided her out of the bar. “We have to go.”
The pair walked out swiftly into the night, cool air hitting their faces, the cobblestone crunching beneath their boots. When they were far enough from other patrons lingering the street, Airess sidestepped away from his arm, her cheeks red. “You didn’t have to cause a scene and break his arm, he must have been drunk and wasn’t thinking–”
“I don’t give afuckif he was drunk. He was touching you,” he said emotionlessly. Taryn knew his reaction was… excessive, but he couldn’t understand why he had felt such intense anger in that moment. It was uncontrollable. Taryn straightened his spine.
Get a grip.
“We need to leave. We’ve drawn too much attention to ourselves.”
Airess’ cheeks burned scarlet, a sight he had yet to see from her. “Who was that man you were talking to back there?” She asked accusingly as they rushed to their horses in the stallhouse.
“A friend.”
“Afriend?” She stopped and blinked, her hands on her hips. “And what friend is this, someone from the Guild?”
“Yes, I promise I’ll explain, but we have togo. I don’t know how far out the others are,” Taryn said as he looked beyond her, scanning their surroundings, a hint of panic rising in his tone.
Airess narrowed her eyes, assessing him, doubt creeping over her features. Taryn saw the possibilities she must be thinking of within her mind, a flash of fear coming over her face.
Airess fell silent before lunging at him quickly, her hand reaching for the dagger Taryn wore for her at his belt.
