Chapter Nine
Cadence
Callum watched me from his spot across the bed.
“Spill, Cadence.”
I glanced toward Riordan, who was busy picking over the breakfast tray that Scarlette had brought up. He’d afforded us a semblance of privacy, but I wasn’t foolish enough to believe that we were unobserved. Riordan missed nothing, and his silence only meant he was watching all the more closely.
Callum followed my gaze, and his jaw tightened before he turned back to face me. He gave me a sharp nod of understanding. When I didn’t launch into the sordid details right away, he twirled his fingers in a lazy circle, his not-so-subtle way of telling me to get on with it.
“You already know that Ryker kidnapped me from the Seelie Kingdom and dragged me to this place.”
I glanced across the room to where Riordan stood, his brow furrowed in thought as he weighed his options.
“He was under the impression that I was his mate.”
“And are you?” Callum pressed, refusing to let me sidestep the question.
“Yes,” I admitted.
Callum flinched at my admission, his eyes widening as shock settled over him. “The chances of a blended mating are so rare they’re almost impossible. Your parents’ mating was the first in living memory.”
“Their mating only makes it more likely. I’m part Unseelie after all, or did you forget?”
“Of course, I didn’t forget. I’ve spent most of my life protecting you from that part.”
Regret washed over me. Callum was right. He had sacrificed so much to keep me safe. My entire family had.
“I’m sorry.” Tears pricked my eyes, and I fixed my gaze on my hands nestled in my lap.
Callum’s finger slipped beneath my chin, tilting my head to look at him.
“Why would you be sorry? I’m not. Ma and Da aren’t either. You’re our family, Cadence, and there’s nothing we wouldn’t do to protect you.”
More tears sprang to my eyes, and I blinked them away before they could fall.
“Keep going,” he said.
I released a slow breath. “At first, Ryker locked me inside his chambers until he ensured I couldn’t escape him.”
Callum tensed. “How did he achieve that?”
“He gave me a... necklace that kept me from crossing the wards protecting the outer borders of the Unseelie Palace.”
“And he thought that was an acceptable way to treat his mate?”
“I didn’t make it easy for him,” I said, unable to conceal my smirk.
Callum grinned back at me. “There’s the Cadence I remember.”
“Anyway, things were… progressing, but then I found out he was betrothed.”
“Betrothed!” Callum shouted.
Riordan’s head snapped in our direction, his cheeks stuffed full of food.
“What are you two talking about over there?” he asked after swallowing his bite.
“I’m filling Callum in on everything that’s happened since I arrived in the Unseelie Kingdom. I just got to the part where Ryker conveniently forgot to mention he was engaged to Celeste.”
“Ah,” he said, waving his hand as if to say, carry on.
He turned back to the breakfast tray and picked up a small pink cake that he stuffed inside his mouth.
“The short version is, I told him I wouldn’t be his mistress, so he called off the engagement.”
“Just like that?”
I winced. “Not exactly.”
“What aren’t you telling me, Cadence?”
“He broke the engagement because he found out I was pregnant.”
“What!”
Callum’s eyes widened so much, I half expected them to pop right out of their sockets.
Riordan shot us another curious glance but kept silent.
“You need to stop yelling every time I tell you something.” I hissed in warning. “It only gets worse from here.”
“How could it get any worse?” He groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.
“Ryker tampered with my fertility treatment in a deliberate attempt to get me pregnant,” I said in a rush.
My brother went still. His jaw clenched, and he balled his hands into fists. “I should have killed him this morning.”
His words were filled with so much venom that I was momentarily stunned. I had never heard Callum speak with such raw anger before.
“You need to stop provoking him.”
“You can’t expect that from me after what you just said.” He ran a hand through his hair, tousling the brown strands into disarray. “How are you so calm right now?”
“I’ve done what was necessary for me to survive, Callum. Don’t you dare judge me.”
Callum sighed. “I’m not judging you, Little Sister. I just don’t understand how you’re not itching to rip his throat out.”
“Oh, I absolutely want to rip his throat out. But I have more pressing matters to deal with.”
“Fuck.” Callum inhaled a steadying breath. “Let’s get this over with.”
“I also sort of married him,” I said, cringing.
“How do you sort of marry someone, Cadence?” he deadpanned.
At least he wasn’t shouting.
“He forced my hand, but it’s binding all the same.”
“I’m shocked, truly I am,” Callum drawled. “So, not only are you mates, but you’re also his wife, and you’re carrying the future heir to the Unseelie Kingdom. Is there anything I missed?”
“Someone sent an assassin after me, and they almost succeeded, but I used my magic and killed them first. That’s how Ryker found out I was Wraith Borne.”
“Gods, Cadence. Please tell me that’s it. I don’t think I can take one more… surprise.”
When I remained quiet, Callum’s mouth parted as he sucked in a sharp breath. “There’s more?”
“Just a teensy bit more,” I said, holding my thumb and forefinger slightly apart.
“Go on.” The resignation in his tone was hard to miss.
“After he found out about my magic, I escaped with the help of a Blood Fae. She led me into the forest to a group of rebels working against the King. She had planned to sacrifice me to weaken Ryker, but it turned out that I knew their leader.”
This time, it was my turn to inhale a steadying breath. “It was my Da. He’s the leader of the Crimson Enclave.”
Callum opened and closed his mouth several times, but no words came out.
“Callum?”
“I… I need a minute,” he said, holding up a finger.
There was a knock at the door, and Riordan strode toward the adjoining chamber.
“He sent me back to Ryker with instructions to destabilize the Unseelie Court from within. He more or less threatened my life if I didn’t comply, and I suspect he has someone watching me.”
“This is too much,” Callum said. “How is he even alive? What about your Ma?”
I ignored Callum’s questions, and he seemed to sense my urgency.
“Listen to me, Callum. I know it’s a lot, but we have little time before Riordan returns.”
My eyes darted toward the entryway to ensure he was still occupied. “I have no intention of helping the Crimson Enclave, but I do intend to undermine Ryker’s authority. I need to divert his attention elsewhere so I can slip away undetected.”
“What about the mate bond?”
“I’m working on that. The woman I told you about, the Blood Fae, she was able to conceal it, so I’m hoping there’s a way to sever it completely.”
“This is risky, Cadence.”
“I know, which is why you have to leave. I can’t let Ryker use you against me.”
“You already know I’m not leaving without you.”
“Callum —” I began, but he cut me off.
“It’s not an option, so tell me what the plan is.”
Peering into Callum’s eyes, I could see the determination settled there. Nothing would dissuade him from his path.
“I am waiting for an opportunity to present itself.”
“That’s it?”
“I don’t have much freedom here, Callum,” I said, irritation lacing my tone.
“No, I suppose you don’t.”
Before I could continue, Ryker entered the room with Riordan trailing after him. He marched toward me, his narrowed gaze never leaving mine. When he reached me, he took my hand in his and pulled me to my feet.
His mouth descended on mine in a scorching kiss, as his fingers gripped my nape.
“Morning, wife,” he rumbled against my lips, and the sound of his voice left me wanting.
Then I remembered we were not alone and fought to remind myself that I hated the man.
“I hope you’ve eaten because we have a busy day ahead of us.”
I arched my brow.
“Our presence is required at the council meeting.”
For once, I didn’t protest Ryker’s assumption that he could drag me wherever he pleased.
Because he’d just handed me the exact opportunity I had been waiting for.