“Thanks for the workout,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “If you can call it that.”
Kolar laughed. “Oh, it’s like that, is it?”
“It’s like that,” I confirmed jokingly as he grabbed his gear and headed out so others could use the training area.
I followed a minute later, still thinking about Ella and how I was going to go about fixing my mistake, and also what I could do to get her to trust me and open up. Whatever her past was,I didn’t care about it. I only cared about making sure she was happy here and now.
But how do I show her that?
Pulling my shirt over my head, I bumped the door open with a hip.
“Watch it, imbecile!” someone snarled as they sidestepped out of the way. “Look where you’re going next time.”
I pulled the shirt down, my mood instantly dark as I came face to face with my uncle.
Mirko, realizing who he was snapping at, clamped his mouth shut. Not that he felt any different. He just didn’t want an incident.
We stared at one another. I waited. Just like he had in the throne room, pushing Caz. Now it was my turn.
The black mark on his cheek twisted as his lips pulled back. I waited for the outburst, the acidic hate in his words for someone he considered “weak,” simply because I didn’t automatically prey on those weaker than me.
It never came.
Instead, Mirko smoothed out the hate and replaced it with a smug smile as he stepped aside. The arrogant hint of “soon you’ll get what’s coming to you” that he managed to convey was too much. This was the man who had threatened my perfect mate and her friends. The man who made deals with the fire dragons.
I couldn’t let his attitude slide. Not today. He deserved to pay.
“I know it was you who sent the Reds,” I said coldly, waiting for the shock to appear.
Mirko was too experienced for that. He slowly turned to face me directly.
“Excuse me?”
The false innocence spiked my rage higher. “Don’t play innocent with me,Uncle,” I growled, turning the word into an insult. “I know you’re a traitor to the kingdom. I know you’re working with them. When I prove it, it will be the end of you.”
Mirko waited until I subsided into seething anger before tossing his head back and laughing. “It’s impossible to prove something that isn’t true, nephew.”
Clenching my fists, I fought down the urge to knock the false smile from his face. We both knew he was full of shit. He was just egging me on with the innocent act. Unfortunately, it was working.
“If you’re lying,” I swore, glaring at him, “and if youarethe one who put my mate in danger, I will repay your actions a thousandfold.”
Mirko’s eyes lifted. “Your mate?” he asked, and this time the surprise seemed genuine, though it quickly faded into a cold, calculating look in his eyes.
I clenched my teeth. Had he really not known already? Had none of his supporters been on the landing field to see me abscond with Ella? Damn. I should have been more careful.
Because now I’d just gone and painted a huge target on her back.
Twenty-Seven
Ella
We were inthe tower. The orblight was a pale silver glow around us. Dirk was shirtless, his muscles glistening in the soft light.
When did he get wet? How did we get up here? What happened to his shirt?
“Hello, Ella,” he rumbled as I ran my fingers up over his bulging, steely arms and pecs.
“Hi.” My voice was a squeak in the night air, nerves wrapping tightly around every part of me.
