“What?” Leya stopped dead and gaped at her. “But—”He’ll be one of those who’ll track for the Chosen.
She shut her mouth. Asennka must realize the Chosen the Empyreans males connected with could end up being likely mates.
“Does he know?” she asked instead.
“I’m not sure. Though, I did get him to dance with me at the Harvest Festival last year.” She perked up, licking some of the frothy confection. “Maybe he doesn’t want to rush it, just waiting for the right time, yes?”
Ohhhh, boy.Taking it slow sure took on a new meaning in an immortal world.
Then she cut Leya a sly look. “But my brother has taken a liking to you. He looks forward to calling on you.”
Leya bit back a sigh and bunched the fabric of her long dress in her free hand, her gaze settling on a sleek cruiser sailing downriver toward them. She’d have to tell Lord Eregen she wasn’t interested—
Something slammed into her back. The cup fell from her hand, and she flew into the river as the enormous yacht cruised past.
The dark churning waters sucked her under like a vacuum, and her breath jammed in her throat. She tried to push to the surface, but her gown tangled around her legs, trapping her. Her lungs burned, and her heart pounded against her ribs. She tugged at the fabric to free herself but couldn’t, and she started to sink. Water filled her nose and mouth—
Hands suddenly grabbed her, and she surfaced, coughing and spluttering. Severn wrapped an arm around her and shot out of the water to the bank, where a crowd had gathered, and he set her on the grass. “Are you all right, my lady?”
“Leya!” Aerén appeared in a flash and knelt at her side, rubbing her back as she coughed out more of the river.
His eyes were flames of silver as they swept over her. He drew her against him, his touch soothing, but shudders continued wracking her body.
“What the hell happened?” he snarled the question to the crowd gathering.
“I-I…” It hurt to talk. “Tripped,” she rasped.
“No.” Asennka knelt at Leya’s other side, her expression grim as she gently swiped back Leya’s dripping hair. “She didn’t. Someone pushed her into the river with a blast of power. I felt it.”
“Aye, I did, too,” Severn added, flipping back his wet ponytail. “But I couldn’t go after whoever it was; I had to save Lady Leya.”
Aerén’s eyes narrowed. He scooped her into his arms and rose.
“Find who it is.” His tone made glaciers seem warm. His eyes glowed inhumanly bright for a second, and he froze everyone in place with his power.
God, all she wanted when she came out here was to see the pretty town in daylight.Not this.With her chest burning and embarrassment heating her face, Leya lowered her gaze. Her gown remained twisted and plastered to her body. She’d become a spectacle for everyone.
Without a word, Aerén dematerialized them.
They reformed in her room, and he settled her on the chaise lounge. Unable to stop her trembling, Leya wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’m sorry. I-I shouldn’t have insisted on going.” Her throat hurt after she’d swallowed then hacked out half the river. “M-Mihr didn’t think I should, but when Asennka offered, I accepted. I didn’t realize…”I would make such an easy target.
“Look at me, Leya.”
At the quiet order, she met his churning stare. “I-I only wanted to see the town properly. The little I saw the other evening was so beautiful…”
“There is no need to explain. You’re not a prisoner in my home. You are my guest. Yet someone dared to harm you. He will pay—”
“No, please don’t. You can’t have any more negativity in your world with the magic fading—”
“But this blatant attack, harming an innocent, already has.”
The cold rage etched in each syllable had her shivering again.
He crouched before her, slipped his palm around her throat, and warm heat coalesced into her, soothing the aches. Yet his expression remained hard, unforgiving, reminding her he was dangerous, too.
“Eyewitnesses stated you fell in just as a yacht approached. I saw you from my office window. The timing was deliberate. You could have been shredded if not decapitated—you nearly drowned!” Before she could tell him she could swim, he continued, “So, yes, there will be a reckoning.” His tone was flat-out nonnegotiable. “Mihr!” The door opened. The woman hurried in, looking like a ghost. “Take care of her.”
Then he was gone in a swirl of furious silvery blue sparks.
