CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Bane
Saylor stays for the next few nights, even doing sword training with me in the mornings. It’s easy to see her brothers have made sure she is well trained. I know they give her a lot of shit, but even I can tell how much they love her. She has them wrapped around her finger, and they are obviously a close-knit family. I’m glad she had that growing up.
I’ve found out that Saylor is pretty damn good with swords and daggers, and she’s not bad in hand-to-hand either. But she primarily relies on her magic.
“Shit,” I hear her mutter, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand as she puts her sword against the tree. She’s wearing leather pants and a top that shows off her toned stomach, and I can’t look away.
Which is probably how I miss the fact that August is storming up to us. He’s been away, searching for Milana, so this is the first time we’ve both seen him since Saylor let Milana go free.
Moving to stand in front of her, August’s brown eyes narrow when he picks up on the protective move. “I’m not going to hurt her, Bane.”
He looks tired. His brown hair is a mess, and his tunic is all wrinkled.
“I know you won’t,” I reply, the threat clear in my tone.
Because I won’t let you.
“I’m sorry, August,” Saylor blurts out, her shoulders sagging. “I mean, I’m sorry, but I’m not. I’m sorry I hurt you and overstepped, but I still think I did the right thing. Your mate was miserable, and I couldn’t just leave her like that. She was sitting on the bed, rolled up in a ball. Her spirit was dying.”
“I know,” August replies, brown eyes flickering with pain. “You did the right thing, Saylor. I actually wanted to thank you. You did what I couldn’t.”
Saylor closes the space between them and hugs him, resting her cheek on his chest. My fangs descend, and my fists clench, especially when he closes his eyes and leans into her, needing her.
“Fuck,” August whispers when his eyes open and land on me. He pats her back awkwardly. “Now, everyone, watch your back because my mate will probably try and kill us all.”
“Not me, just you guys,” Saylor teases, batting her eyelashes at him.
August’s lip twitches. “Well, I’m going to go and drink away my sorrows.”
“Things will get better,” Saylor assures him, touching his shoulder. “And I’m here if you ever want to chat.”
His eyes dart to mine, amusement dancing in them when he clearly reads the warning in them. “I’ll remember that.”
We watch him head back into the castle. “Well, that went a lot better than I thought it would.”
“He wouldn’t dare upset you,” I mutter, sliding my sword into its sheath and picking hers up for her. “We better go get ready for dinner.”
King Bax invited us to come and eat with him and his son, Saylor’s cousin, Raiden.
“Yeah, my uncle hates it when I’m late.” She smirks, taking my hand and walking along the grass with me.
“Are you close with him and Raiden?” I ask, wondering what the dynamic is there.
She hesitates before she answers, “I’m close with Raiden but not that close with King Bax. Don’t get me wrong, he took us all in and made sure we had everything, but he never stepped in as a father figure for me. He’s the king, so he never had much time to spend with us. My brothers raised me. Mostly Shadow. As the eldest, he looked after all of us, but especially me.”
“We’ll find him,” I promise her.
She flashes me a small smile, and I feel it in my chest.
I wonder if she knows her brothers aren’t the only ones she has wrapped around her little finger.
***
Saylor’s hair is tied up in a ponytail I want to wrap around my fist, and her bright yellow dress shows off her hourglass shape, then gets loose when it hits her knees. Her gloves are white lace. Me, on the other hand, am in my usual all-black and armed in silver—black shirt, a few buttons left open to show my tattooed chest—at Saylor’s request—with black trousers, boots, and my daggers are hidden all over my body.
We couldn’t look more opposite if we tried, yet somehow, we also make the perfect couple.
At least, I think so.
“So when were you going to tell me you found your mate, Saylor,” King Bax asks, dabbing his mouth with his napkin.
“Sorry, Uncle. I’ve been spending all my time with Bane ever since we met. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” she says, placing her hand over mine.
Her cousin Raiden’s eyes are still locked on me. “You’re the demon with the weather magic.”
“I am,” I reply, giving nothing away with my expression.
King Bax’s eyes widen ever so slightly, his thumb sliding across his reddish-brown bearded jaw. “That’s some powerful magic. I’d expect nothing less for my Saylor. With her magic, we could win wars. But both of you together…”
Saylor gives my hand a slight squeeze, silently telling me to leave it alone. I do, but there is no way in hell she is going out there to fight wars for her uncle.
“Where is Laurel?” Saylor asks, changing the subject. “I was hoping to catch up with her.”
“She’s busy. She’s here to work for me, Saylor. Not to hang out with you,” he chastises, picking up his glass of whisky and taking a savoring sip.
Goddammit! I really don’t like this guy, and I can understand what Saylor was trying to tell me. Yes, he has provided for her and given her everything materialistically, but he’s ice-cold. She’s lucky she has her brothers. The thought of this man being her father figure makes me want to wrap her up tight and never let her go. Exiled from my kingdom, I lost all that I knew. Saylor also lost her parents, growing up without them. I know how that feels and how lonely it can be.
It leaves behind a mark, but Saylor is strong. She’s the strongest female I’ve ever known, but deep inside, I think she needs me as much as I need her.
“She’s been painting a lot,” Raiden comments absently, shrugging. He doesn’t look anything like his father with his darker hair and blue eyes.
King Bax’s brown eyes twitch. “She paints her visions sometimes.”
“I wanted her to meet my mate,” Saylor adds, swirling her red wine around in its glass. “But I guess that will have to wait for next time. What else is new with you, Uncle?”
The king talks about himself for the rest of the meal, and we politely smile and sit through it.
When we return home, all I want to do is strip my mate down and make love to her all night, but Soren shows up.
And by the look on his face, he hasn’t come bearing good news.