Chapter Four
Cadence
I could not, in fact, handle a little sparring.
I hadn’t been delusional enough to believe that I could win against Ryker, but I didn’t expect to lose so badly either.
Within seconds of raising his sword, Ryker had lunged for me, and I found myself flat on my back, practice blade skittering across the dirt.
I groaned, but Ryker didn’t offer a hand to help me up.
“Not so confident now, are you, Temptress?”
“Ryker,” Riordan warned, but that didn’t deter his brother.
I gritted my teeth and got up, picking up my wooden sword before reclaiming my position. This time, when Ryker lunged for me, I dodged the first strike, parried the second, but the third hit my ribs hard enough to knock the air from my lungs.
And then I was back on the ground.
“Again.”
“You’re a bastard,” I said, choking on a cough.
“Noted. Now take your stance.”
I scrambled to my feet and charged at him, teeth bared.
He disarmed me so fast I barely saw it happen.
“Again.”
Riordan took a step forward. “You’re not teaching her anything like this. You’re just showing off.”
“She needs to be stronger.”
“She needs to learn, Ryker, not get humiliated every time she breathes.”
“I won’t go easy on her.”
“No, but you don’t have to be an asshole about it either.”
“Aren’t you the one who told me she’s not some fragile damsel?”
“This isn’t what I meant,” Riordan snapped back.
Getting to my feet, I gripped the hilt of the wooden sword as I glared at the brothers. “You know I can hear you, right?”
Twin sets of storm-grey eyes turned on me, and the intensity of their gazes forced me to retreat a step.
One Unseelie Prince was more than enough. And if I had to choose, I’d take the younger.
He didn’t unsettle me the way his brother did.
Ryker raised an amused brow as though he knew exactly what I was thinking. Heat flooded my face, and I tightened my grip on the practice blade until my knuckles turned white.
“Well?” I said, lifting my chin despite the exhaustion tugging at my limbs. “Are you going to keep pretending I’m not here, or can we return to training?”
Ryker grinned, extending his sword out in invitation. “By all means.”
My gaze swung to Riordan, who looked ready to jump between us at any second, then back to the predator advancing on me. He circled me like a wolf stalking its next meal, his own wooden blade held loose and confident in his grip.
“Though I’d suggest you focus less on Riordan and more on not ending up flat on your back again.”
“I wasn’t —”
“You were,” he said, cutting off my protests. “Your stance is sloppy, your grip is wrong, and you showcase every move on your face three seconds before you make it. Fix it.”
A current of anger coursed through me, and I lunged for Ryker, blinded by my rage. He caught my outstretched sword and pulled me into his arms. He spun me around in his hold until my back was pressed against his front, and he caged me in his embrace.
“Never let your emotions cloud your judgement, Temptress,” he said before placing a delicate kiss on my throat.
I jerked to the side, not wanting him to have the upper hand, and he chuckled, the sound dripping with malicious intent. Then he spun me away from him. I stumbled, unable to catch myself in time before I landed face down in the dirt.
Pain ricocheted through my body, and I threw a murderous glare over my shoulder to where Ryker stood, unfazed.
“For fuck’s sake, Ryker.” His brother groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
“I won’t tell you again. Stay out of it, Riordan,” Ryker snapped. “I refuse to let her fall victim to the parasites salivating at the thought of taking her out.”
“You think knocking her down repeatedly will achieve that?” Riordan mocked as he threw his hands in the air.
I lay in the dirt, panting, as sweat dripped into my eyes. My arms ached, though my pride stung more than my bruises.
But Ryker was distracted, arguing with his brother.
And I wasn’t done.
I surged forward. Not with strength but speed. I dropped low, sweeping his feet out from under him with all the force I had left. He went down hard, hitting the dirt with a grunt.
Before he could recover, I straddled his chest and shoved the wooden blade against his throat. The only sound to break the silence was our ragged breathing.
Malesh let out a low whistle, Eamon choked on a laugh, and Riordan just grinned.
Ryker stared up at me, eyes wide with shock.
I leaned closer, pressing the practice sword a little harder against his skin. “Still not going easy on me?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Temptress.”
I stayed there, panting hard, sweat dripping from my brow and onto his chest. His pulse thudded beneath my sword, persistent but calm.
The bastard wasn’t even winded.
Ryker’s eyes darkened in a way that made my stomach flip. “Do you intend to keep straddling my hips? Because if you do, I’d much prefer we take this inside.”
I shoved myself to my feet and stepped away, losing my practice blade in the process. As Ryker rose to his feet, he brushed the dirt from his leathers. A faint smear of dust clung to his cheek, and I almost reached for it before I remembered who I was dealing with.
He handed me my sword, and I took it without a word.
“Well,” Riordan said, breaking the tension. “That’s the first time I’ve seen anyone knock him on his ass since we were children.”
“I intend to make it a habit.”
My declaration had Ryker grinning. “Promises, promises.”
A rush of heat enveloped me at the reminder those words invoked.
My back pressed against the wall. Ryker on his knees before me.
An involuntary shiver racked my frame, and I worked to keep my thoughts from showing on my face. From the half-smirk curling Ryker’s lips, I’d done a poor job of it.
Malesh sent me a lazy grin. “You might want to run, Cadence. He gets petty when you bruise his ego.”
“I don’t have an ego,” Ryker said, sounding offended.
Eamon barked a laugh. “Sure. And I’m a virgin.”
“You’re all dismissed.” The command was little more than a growl, but they didn’t move. “Now.”
Riordan studied me for a beat, then nodded. “Nicely done, Cadence.”
Then they all filed out of the training yard, leaving me alone with the storm I’d just provoked.
Ryker turned to me, crossing the space between us. “You’re fast,” he said. “Your footwork needs improving, but Malesh has done a good job training you so far.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“You should.”
The moment stretched as the breeze kicked up, tugging at the strands of hair stuck to my neck.
“Why are we really doing this?” I asked.
“If you’re going to be in my world, you need to survive it.”
“I never asked to be here.” I reminded him.
Something flickered in his expression… something unnerving.
“Again?” I asked.
His brows lifted. “You want another round?”
“I want to win twice.”
He chuckled, low and dark, but genuine. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Temptress.”
I raised my sword. “So, stop me.”
And he did.
Just not in the way I had expected.
He lunged forward, grabbing my throat and spinning me so fast the world tilted. My wooden blade clattered to the ground as my back hit his chest… again. His arm looped tight around my waist as he pulled me close, burying his nose in my hair.
I should have seen it coming.
His mouth brushed my ear. “That’s twice you’ve let me pull that move on you, Temptress. Is this your way of saying you want to be wrapped in my arms?”
“I didn’t let you do anything.”
“You sure?”
His grip loosened, but he didn’t move away. I could feel the heat of his body. Smell the leather and sweat and something uniquely… Ryker.
I hated how much I wanted to lean into him.
“You going to let go?” I asked.
“You going to stab me again?”
“Maybe.”
He laughed, and then finally released me.
I strode away without looking back.
But gods, I could feel his heavy gaze burning into me with every step.