“How you wound me.” I gave her a mock look of hurt as I placed my hand over my heart. “I’ll have you know I’m also an excellent cook.”
“You set the kitchen on fire two weeks ago,” she said dryly.
“That was Ryker’s fault.” I waved her off.
At the mention of the lycan, Rynn’s amusement died. “When are we leaving for Narchis territory?” she asked flatly.
I had been wondering when she would bring that up. She was probably trying to figure out a way to not go, but that wasn’t an option. Narchis wouldn’t be happy about our agreement with the Fervis Order and I needed Rynn by my side, showing that we were still honoring our agreement with them despite having made a similar one with Fervis.
“Next week had been my pla?—”
“Tomorrow,” she cut me off, her gaze snapping to me. “We discuss the Selene situation with Cade in the morning. Then you and I leave.”
I held back my surprise as I studied her. There was something . . . off in her expression. “Did something happen between you and Ryker?”
“We’ve talked about Selene.” She looked away from me. “It’s time for you to leave.”
Oh yes, there was definitely something there. Ryker must have done something to really anger her this time. Enough that she’d rather spend time with me. I was curious what it was but Rynn clearly wasn’t in the mood to tell me.
“A deal’s a deal.” I rose to my feet. Getting the truth from Ryker would be easy. He never lied to us.
Rynn tracked me as I sauntered over to the balcony and leapt up onto the railing. I twisted around to face her once more. “Dream of me, Princess.”
“That’s called a nightmare.” She bared her teeth at me.
I laughed and took a step back, falling into the darkness.
Chapter Six
Ryker
I stared at the bright flames dancing in the fireplace of the study on the second floor. The one Rynn didn’t even know existed.
The Fae had left behind all kinds of secrets and magic in these castles. Cade said the pack had lived here for over a decade before they’d found this room, which they’d only discovered because Bastian had picked up a ring he’d thought was pretty in one of the upstairs rooms. Later that day, he’d been walking around on the second floor and done a double take at the door he’d never seen before despite walking down the hallway hundreds of times.
We still didn’t entirely understand the spell. There was a glyph on the back of the ring that we’d been able to reproduce, which was why all of us had a tattoo that resembled a lock on the inside of our left wrist. Without the glyph, the door looked like a stone wall. Even if someone bearing the glyph tried to escort you through, they would walk through the door . . . and you would slam into a wall.
The entire room was soundproof as well. Whatever Fae had crafted this space had wanted to make sure their secrets never left it.
“Are you even listening to me, Ryker?” Cade sighed.
“No,” I answered honestly.
He’d been lecturing me for over ten minutes. I wasn’t seventeen anymore. Not to mention, I’d spent the first thirteen years of my life in the wilds. No fancy Fae castle to keep me safe.
The chair across from me creaked as Cade settled into it. I cut a quick glance his way. He looked tired and frustrated. That was probably my fault.
“I’m sorry for getting back so late.” I paused. “And for how I acted in the meeting earlier.”
I knew I wasn’t normal. Not like other Velesians. My wolf was woven deep into my humanity, so I often thought and reacted more like a wolf than a man.
Human feelings were confusing. The wolf’s were not.
But I owed Cade and the others everything. I’d worked hard to control my baser instincts, at least in front of other packs. I knew what they said about me. That I was rabid. That the Alpha pack should have killed me long ago.
I didn’t give a shit what others said. They weren’t my pack, so their opinions didn’t matter to me, but I didn’t want to make things harder for Cade and Bastian. The two of them already had to manage Warrick, and I didn’t want to add to their problems.
“It’s fine.” Cade smiled. “Sorry for lecturing you. I know you can take care of yourself. It was more Rynn I was concerned about. She was pissed, and I thought that might lead to her making foolish decisions.”
