Chapter Eight
Ryker
Pain exploded across my cheek as Callum’s fist connected, snapping my head to the side.
“Shit.” Riordan cursed before he grabbed Callum around the middle and dragged him back.
I straightened and swiped at the blood trickling from the corner of my mouth. A low, throaty chuckle escaped me, and Callum’s nostrils flared.
The fucking idiot was dancing a very fine line between the living and the dead. If I weren’t certain that Cadence would never forgive me for murdering him, I wouldn’t even be entertaining the idea of allowing him to continue breathing.
“Easy, Killer,” Riordan cooed as he fought to keep his hold on my mate’s enraged brother.
“I should fucking kill you,” Callum seethed.
I threw my arms out wide and said, “You’re welcome to try.”
The malicious grin that spread across my face did nothing to soften the threat lacing my words.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, binding her magic?”
“Callum! You’re making a scene.” Cadence’s gaze darted around, taking in the servants who pretended not to listen.
“She’s not yours to tame. She is my sister! And her magic sure as hell isn’t yours to cage.”
I stepped forward, invading his space. “She’s not mine to tame, but she is mine to protect.”
Callum’s face contorted with rage. “Protect? You call binding her magic protection?”
“When that magic could get her killed? Yes.” My jaw clenched so tight I could feel my teeth grinding.
“Both of you stop talking, right now,” Cadence interjected.
Her glare brooked no argument, and I reluctantly retreated a step. It was that, or I’d end up snapping her brother’s neck.
The tense silence was broken by a messenger, who approached as if he feared for his life.
“Your Highness,” he said, clearing his throat.
My narrowed gaze turned on him, and he swallowed roughly. “The King has requested your presence. He is waiting for you in his study.”
My fists clenched at my sides, and I forced myself to breathe before I did something stupid like level the entire kingdom.
Turning to Riordan, I said, “Take Cadence and her brother back to our chambers.”
Riordan nodded once, acknowledging the command.
“Cadence, call for Scarlette to bring you some breakfast. I will return as soon as I can.”
I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair. She ignored me in favor of her brother, which made me want to murder him even more. The small smirk gracing Riordan’s lips didn’t go unnoticed either.
“Just so we’re clear, I agree with him.” Riordan tilted his head toward Callum before darting down the hall after the siblings.
Great.
Soon they’d be conspiring against me.
I bit down on the urge to stab something, fury curling tight beneath my skin as I turned on my heel and stalked in the opposite direction. The sharp crack of my boots on the stone floor echoed like the drumbeat of a death march, loud and unrelenting in the silence.
Callum was going to be a problem, and I’d yet to find a solution my wife would be fond of.
As I made my way toward my father’s study, my thoughts kept circling back to Cadence. Her defiance was another complication I couldn’t afford right now. The court was already humming with whispers about our clandestine nuptials, and more than a few lords and ladies were curious about my wife.
In the Unseelie Court, being a curiosity was dangerous. We’d need a united front to keep the vipers at bay.
As I rounded the corner, I forced all thoughts of court politics to the back of my mind and braced myself for what lay ahead. Drawing in a slow breath, I allowed my expression to slacken, emptying every trace of emotion until all that remained was a mask of cold neutrality.
I wouldn’t permit my father, or anyone else, to see Cadence as the flaw in my otherwise impenetrable armor.
I stepped past the guards stationed outside his study and let myself inside. From behind the grand mahogany desk that dominated the room, my father’s eyes lifted to meet mine.
“Son,” he greeted, without an ounce of feeling in his tone. “Take a seat.”
He motioned to the chair in front of him, and I pulled it out before sinking into it.
“What is this about?” I asked, not bothering with any pleasantries.
My father huffed in irritation before setting aside the papers he had been perusing upon my arrival.
“Your absence at the council meetings has been noted,” he said, steepling his fingers beneath his chin. “Some of the lords are getting bold.”
I arched a brow in amusement. “And you’re unable to remind them of their place?”
“That is not the point, Ryker.” My father growled, his frustration heating his skin. “You are next in line for the throne. It is you who needs to solidify your power. They need to fear you, so they never grow comfortable.”
I lifted my thumb to my mouth, running the pad over my bottom lip. “And what exactly do you gain from my attendance?”
I knew my father. He never acted unless there was something in it for him. His sudden interest wasn’t just about securing my claim to the throne.
My father shifted uncomfortably in his seat as I studied him. “There have been an increasing number of raids on the food shipments headed for the palace,” he admitted at last. “There’s no shortage of opinions on how to handle the matter.”
“And you want me to support your view, I assume?”
“Naturally.” My father scoffed. “My reign may be harsh, but every decision I’ve made has been to ensure the prosperity and safety of those I rule.”
I tilted my head, a slow grin working its way across my face as I stared at him. “Is that how you justify slaughtering those more powerful than you?”
“This is not about The Cleansing, Ryker,” he snapped, spittle flying from his mouth. “This is about the present. My council can no longer be trusted, and I need you to bring them to heel.”
“And why would I do that?”
“For the sake of your mate’s survival.”
I clicked my tongue. “We’ve played this game before, Father,” I warned. “It didn’t turn out well for you.”
Crimson stained his cheeks, and a vein throbbed at his temple.
“I’m not threatening you, Ryker, merely pointing out the truth.
Some would see the death of your mate as an acceptable cost if it meant crippling your strength.
So, before anyone gets any foolish ideas…
show them why that would be a grave mistake. ”
“Ah, but you forget, Father, you’re one of only a few who know Cadence is my mate.”
“Don’t be so naive, boy.” He snarled. “You cast aside a union that would’ve benefited the Unseelie Court for a woman no one knows. People talk. And it won’t take long before they realize who she is to you.”
I gripped the wooden arms of my chair so hard my knuckles turned white, and it groaned beneath my grasp.
He was right, and that infuriated me.
No matter how much I despised being forced onto a path, especially by my father, I couldn’t dismiss the truth in his words. People would gossip, and eventually, their idiocy would catch up with them, encouraging them to make a move against me.
But anyone who dared to threaten Cadence would quickly learn just how far I would go to keep her safe.