Chapter Twenty-Two
Cadence
Ryker watched me dress, his hand still outstretched, with an unreadable expression on his face. I knew he was considering every angle, scheming ways to make sure the recent turn of events would play out in his favor.
The silence between us was thick, but not uncomfortable.
A loud knock cut through the quiet, pulling me from my musings. It was sharp and deliberate, making us both halt in our tracks.
My spine straightened, and Ryker’s gaze slid to the door, his jaw tight as he gripped the dagger sheathed at his hip.
An argument erupted on the other side, muffled by the thick wood separating us.
“I’m not leaving until I see my sister!” At the sound of my brother’s voice, the tightness in my shoulders faded.
“Perfect timing,” Ryker said with a wink as he strode toward the door.
A moment later, Callum, Riordan, Eamon, and Malesh stepped inside, taking their places before the fireplace.
“What the hell was that back there?” Callum said, his furious gaze locked on me.
Ryker’s low chuckle met my ears, and I ground my teeth together. If not for the worry carved into his expression, I might’ve smacked my brother for scolding me in front of everyone.
“If I didn’t meet their challenge, I would have appeared weak and made myself more of a target.”
“More of a target?” Callum scoffed. “Were we not standing in the same room, Cadence? Those people are already vying for your blood.”
“Callum —”
“Do not Callum me, Little Sister. I came here to protect you, not stand by and watch you as you willingly walk to your death.”
His distress was evident in the way he paced the small space in front of me, clenching and unclenching his fists.
My brother wasn’t just concerned for my well-being.
He was terrified.
Without another word, I gripped his forearm, pulling him to a stop, before I wrapped my arms around him. Callum was stiff for the briefest moment before he returned the gesture, tugging me against him in a tight hug.
“I refuse to lose you, Cadence. I didn’t come this far to watch you die.”
“And you won’t have to. I can handle myself.”
“That’s not what troubles me. These people don’t fight fair. Who knows what traps they’ll lay?”
I stepped back, holding my brother at arm’s length as I peered up at him. His brown eyes shone with fear, and I couldn’t remember another time when I had seen him so afraid.
“Then it’s fortunate that I have my big brother here with me, isn’t it?” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
Callum snorted, but I saw the small tug of his lips that told me he was fighting to conceal a smile.
“Aww, you’re so sweet, Killer,” Riordan cooed.
“Don’t call me that!” My brother glared at the Unseelie Prince, and this time it was my turn to stifle my grin.
Riordan pouted as he turned to me. “See what I have to put up with, sweetheart.”
“Terrible.”
“It’s a hardship, really,” Riordan said with a heavy sigh. “But one I’m more than willing to bear.”
“Enough,” Ryker barked. “We have more important matters to attend to.”
“What did your father say the three tests would be?” Malesh asked, refocusing our attention.
“Test of the mind, body, and magic,” Ryker said.
“Test of the mind…” Malesh scratched at the stubble lining his jaw. “A puzzle? Or maybe something tied to our histories?”
“A test of the body most likely involves something physical, like a fight.” I glanced toward Eamon, who looked far too excited by that prospect.
“And the test of magic?” Callum asked.
A tense silence settled over our group as everyone avoided stating the obvious.
“You’ll need to uncuff her, Ryker.” Well, everyone except Riordan.
“It’s not as if she can draw upon her power anyway,” Ryker snarled. “Her healing abilities would be useless, and if she displays any sign of being Wraith Borne, they’ll execute her.”
Eamon winced, but Callum stepped into Ryker’s space, his nostrils flaring as his ears turned red.
“This shouldn’t even be a discussion,” he said, seething. “If you were a decent mate, you never would’ve cut her off from her magic.”
“I’m trying to protect her!” Ryker shouted.
“You’re trying to control her!”
“Stop talking about me like I’m not standing right here!”
Both men glared at each other, their chests heaving as they fought to contain their anger.
Slowly, my husband turned to face me. He clenched his jaw as he stared at me, and the air crackled with tension the longer he remained silent.
“If she dies because you were too stubborn to give her a fighting chance,” Callum seethed, “I will make sure you join her in the afterlife.”
Riordan dropped into a chair, stretching his long legs before him. “Such a turn on,” he murmured as he stared at my brother.
Ryker rolled his eyes. “This discussion is redundant.”
Malesh cleared his throat. “If she doesn’t display any magic, Ryker, the council will deem her unworthy.”
“I didn’t say she wouldn’t have magic.”
Ryker turned his steel-grey eyes on his brother, and a silent conversation passed between them. A hint of mirth lit up Riordan’s gaze, and a broad grin spread across his face. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Ryker’s smug expression made me curl my hands into fists. The least the bastard could do was fill me in on his plans.
“Think of what?” Callum demanded.
Ryker ignored him and turned to face me. “We have a family heirloom, a relic passed down through my mother’s line.”
“And?” I had no idea how that knowledge would assist me.
“It’s a ring. It used to belong to her, and her mother before that.”
“What’s so special about this ring?” I asked.
“It is imbued with her magic, and that of her ancestors.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Anyone who possesses it can wield it.”
My breath caught in my throat as the implications sank in. “Are you saying I could use her magic?”
“Temporarily, yes.” Ryker’s eyes never left mine. “The ring would allow you to channel the power stored within it. Enough to pass whatever test they throw at you.”
Callum crossed his arms, his skepticism written all over his face. “And what’s the catch?”
“No catch,” Ryker said, but something shifted in his expression. “Just a solution to our problem.”
Riordan opened his mouth to speak, but Ryker cut him off with a single look.
“Where is the ring now?” I asked.
“Safe. Hidden where my father cannot find it.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping to that low, dangerous tone that always made my pulse quicken. “Riordan will retrieve it before the trials begin tomorrow.”
“That takes care of the magic test,” Eamon said. “Cadence has been training hard, and we can arm her with every weapon she’s competent with. That leaves the test of the mind.” His gaze swung around the room. “Any ideas?”
Ryker moved to my side, his large hands falling to my hips as he pulled me close to him. “I’m afraid that one’s on you, Temptress.” An amused smirk tugged up his lips. “But given your smart mouth and violent wit, I have every faith in your ability to triumph.”
“We don’t know which trial will open this farce, so Cadence needs to be ready for all three,” Malesh said. “Once it’s complete, we can regroup and discuss tactics for the other two.”
“With any luck, we’ll have more than a day’s notice for the other trials,” Eamon grumbled.
“I wouldn’t count on it,” Riordan said. “In case you haven’t noticed, my father is an asshole.”
Callum grunted his agreement before turning to face me. “We have a plan?”
“We have a plan.”