His head snapped to my sister, and with eyes dark as night, he warned her, ‘Don’t mess with me. Try to escape, and I’ll haul your ass back anyway.’
‘I wouldn’t dare,’ she said in an overly sweet voice, batting her eyelashes.
It would be a long day.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
River
The disappearing three dots of her reply had haunted me for thirty minutes. What did she want to say, and why didn’t she?
I wished things could go back to how they were, that I could just walk up to her and talk issues out like when she lived here. Having her in Fogoya, in my court, made me hopeful that even with the challenges of war, my life could be worth something.
We had never shared a bed, yet having her so far away affected my sleep more than I cared to admit. It was as though knowing she was tucked in, sleeping soundly on her mountain of pillows just a couple of rooms from mine, allowed my body to truly rest. With her gone, I couldn’t listen to her steady heartbeat or the soft little whimpers that escaped her in her sleep.
Her scent still clung to the bedding, and more than once I found myself wandering into her room just to not feel as… abandoned.
Last time I’d seen her, Ava smelled of another male. Too strong for someone she’d only seen once. I had no right to be angry, not after betraying her, but the thought of her offering herself to somebody made me break out in flames so restless I struggled to control them.
It scared me; I couldn’t show her what craving her did to me. I would just push her into that other man’s arms.
I was a failure of a mate, but I would be damned if I gave up on our future without a fight.
My little witch needed to find the Crones, and I was her best chance. As much as she hated the forced proximity, I would use it to my advantage. I would show her that I was worthy of her forgiveness and that the colossal fuck-up didn’t define me.
The reputation of a ruthless ruler clung to me ever since I took over the throne and introduced bloodier tactics of fighting back. The gore didn’t bother me. I wasn't concerned with the people I killed or the pain I caused. Not until it washeron the receiving end.
Hurting her was all I thought about when she first arrived. I had so many plans on how to torture her and make it so she begged me for death. Now the thought of it made me sick. She was supposed to be my revenge, yet the mere chance she might look at me with those soulful, understanding eyes like I was still worth something had become the reason I forced myself to keep going.
Winning her over wouldn’t be easy, but I had a plan and I already knew what bothered her. Words meant nothing without action, and I would show my mate that I could enrich her life and provide peace and safety.
Weeks ago I said I enjoyed the hunt. I would make this my greatest one yet.
‘They’re here,’ Michael informed us after checking his phone. One of his spies must have been on the lookout.
‘I’m glad,’ Councillor Ramonds said with a note of detestation that usually clung to his voice whenever he needed to see us. My fist itched to see what the sharp ridge of his cheekbone would feel like as it crushed beneath it.
The only thing that calmed me was that he seemed to treat Ava better than the rest of us. The last time they’d spoken, he’d been almost pleasant when he handed her the box containing the directions to the Crone.
Besides, punching him would only get me into trouble with the Elders. They would probably impose sanctions on my kingdom, and it was the last thing I needed when I had to focus on winning Ava back.
She walked into the conference room, and her grass-green eyes landed on mine, her gaze lingering for a fraction too long.
‘Elder Ramdons, good afternoon,’ Ava said as her siblings took their seats.
Taking the seat beside me, she offered me a shy smile, and I had to force my fire to settle. Especially when her intoxicating scent of peaches and roses nearly drove me delirious. The little witch was like a drug. I was hopelessly addicted to her and completely at her mercy.
A single spark of her fire could send me over the edge. With her beside me, I wasn’t sure where reality ended and something better began. The two blurred into a life so beautiful it surpassed everything I’d ever heard others say about matehood.
‘King Dracon?’ The Elder cleared his throat, and I finally looked at him.
‘What?’
‘Perhaps, if you deem us worthy of your attention, we might start the meeting? You could at least grant us that, since you insisted on being here when your presence is utterly unnecessary.’
My fists tightened. ‘I’m sorry, how exactly is my lack of attention affecting your ability to carry out this meeting that is inmy courtand thatIorganised, councillor Ramonds?’
Ava cleared her throat and placed a hand on my thigh to placate me. It only made my blood boil, though for an entirely different reason. As if she sensed it, she blushed and quickly withdrew her hand before offering, ‘Perhaps we can all calm down and get down to business, shall we? Why are we here?’
