35
Assyria slid from her horse’s back after another day of utter silence between us, landing with a pointed thud. All around us, males dismounted or approached the supply carts, dragging tents from their depths to erect around us.
At least today, we were camping beside a small lake. The water glittered as the sun began its descent over the mountains at our backs. She grabbed Blaeze’s reins and started to lead him toward it when I let out a low growl. “Where do you think you’re going?”
She whipped around and offered me a glare hotter than the midday sun. Rage burned right back at her as my eyes narrowed on her through the slits in my ebony horned helmet.
“What? I can’t let my mount take a drink after a long ride?”
she shot back like a cracking whip.
“Not without me present, you can’t,”
I snapped. Snatching my horse’s reins, I dragged the black stallion forward, determined to force this fucking female to obey me.
She scoffed and pulled Blaeze along, refusing to walk alongside me. I lengthened my stride to prove a point. Grem and Zeec started trotting. We waged a silent battle all the way to the edge of the water, where dozens of soldiers were already allowing their horses to drink. That was why I had to be with her, so that they didn’t get any wrong ideas and try to approach her.
No one had attempted to speak with her yet. My presence was enough of an intimidating factor to ensure it remained that way.
Whispers about my personal fallen abounded in the camp, and her identity remained a hot topic of discussion, much to my anger.
Assyria tugged on the sleeves of her dress, trying to hide her healing wrists. I gritted my teeth around the possessive thoughts rising within me. I would not succumb to the bond’s desires to fuck her senseless again. That had been a one time ordeal.
We reached the water’s edge, and both the horses dipped their muzzles into it and drank greedily. Grem and Zeec trotted straight into the water and then swam out some distance, barking at one another and snapping their sharp teeth.
At least someone was having fun because I was fucking miserable.
More males appeared around us as the horses continued to slake their thirst. When Assyria’s mount finished drinking, she grabbed his reins again. “Come on, boy,”
she told him, not bothering to wait for my stallion to finish.
“No.”
I barked the order like she was one of the dogs. She ignored me and kept walking.
Fury tore through me, and I stomped after her, grabbing her arm and jerking her to a halt. “You will wait for me.”
She turned slowly, then exaggeratedly rolled her eyes. “I know exactly where I’m supposed to go, Rokath. I don’t need you to escort me.”
I ripped my helmet off, letting her see the darkness etched into my expression as she loosed my name. A muscle jumped wildly in my jaw. “Watch your mouth.”
I saw the moment realization settled in those devious burgundy eyes at what she’d done. An impish smile curved her lips. “Or what, Rokath?”
She flung my name like a rock into the lake behind us.
By the way heads jerked up around us, she certainly made a splash.
“Say my name in front of all these males again and I will have no choice but to punish you. My word is law. No exceptions,”
I snarled into her mind.
“Except you’ve made a massive one for me already,”
she snapped back. “So why would I believe that you’d punish me for letting these soldiers overhear your name?”
My lips pulled back from my teeth, revealing the sharpened canines in a move that was meant to be entirely sinister. “If that is the game you wish to play, then we shall play it.”
I ripped my attention to one of the males leading his mare back to camp. “You,”
I snapped my fingers, “take these horses to the corrals.”
I snatched Blaeze’s reins from Assyria and handed them to the male. He accepted without question, but the wide way he held his eyes told me he wouldn’t have dared to say anything at all.
Assyria’s fists clenched as he walked away, and her cheeks hollowed as she bit back the words she wanted to say. Over the days spent together, I knew well enough when she waged a war within herself to hold her tongue. That didn’t stop the curses flinging my way down our mental connection though.
Rage rising, I grabbed her upper arm and hauled her toward the center of camp. “I told you before very few knew my name and I wanted to keep it that way. Do you know why?”
She jerked in my hold, trying to dig her feet into the ground and slow me. But it was useless when my bulk and brawn outmatched hers threefold.
“No, and I don’t care, Rokath,”
she snarled, nearly tripping over a rock as we passed through the outer rim. I hauled her upright and kept marching us forward.
More heads snapped up at the commotion we were causing. We were quite a sight, after all: me dragging my fallen in one hand and fisting my mask in the other with the threat of violence rolling off me in waves.
“I also told you I’d make a point to scare you, little imposter. It seems that time has come.”
The threat in my tone was clearer than the water of the lake and finally got the reaction I wanted from my fucking mate.
“Let me go!”
she exclaimed, half-walking, half-stumbling, and clawing at my fingers and trying to pry them away.
I hauled her deeper into the camp, not even glancing around at the soldiers as we stomped by them. My gaze was pinned firmly on the black pennants whipping in the distance in a failed attempt to regain a semblance of calm. “The reason no one knows my name is twofold–”
“I already told you, I don’t care,”
she repeated. I dragged her around the final corner, revealing the wooden platform that marked the center of camp. It was constructed every day, without fail, as a reminder that punishments for disobedience were swift and severe. It wasn’t used every day, but the threat was enough.
“Oh, little imposter, you will soon enough,”
I growled, sick satisfaction coursing through my veins as I imagined exactly what I was going to do to Assyria. After this, she would not challenge me again. I would have the control that I craved back. Order would be restored to my world.
The bond vibrated with anticipation. I smacked it like I was about to do to my fucking mate to get it in line. This would not lead to me sticking my dick in her again.
Yet from Assyria’s side, a tidal wave of emotion crashed down it—fear, grief, and pure, unfettered loathing. “I fucking hate you,”
she shoved into my mind.
I ignored her and dragged her the remaining distance to the platform. A crowd of curious onlookers had already gathered, and their whispers increased in volume as I whirled Assyria to face me. Those bow-shaped lips were pursed, and she shook, hands fisted at her sides. All I saw was red as she opened her mouth to speak again. Before she could pronounce my name in front of the males, I shouted, “My personal fallen has broken a sacred army rule. For that, she shall be punished.”
I whipped my attention around the soldiers. “No one, and I mean no one, is above them. Do I make myself clear?”
The soldiers’ shouted assent rolled into background noise as I grabbed Assyria by the shoulders and spun her to face a wooden beam. She twisted in my hold, trying to break away. But I was far stronger than her. “Grab the bar,”
I growled.
“Fuck you,”
she snarled out loud. Her continued contempt only served to enrage me further.
“Use that mouth one more time and this punishment will turn into your servicing me publicly,”
I threatened. Her teeth clicked shut, and she whipped her gaze forward. Flexing her fingers, she grabbed the bar. Various tools of punishment waited off to the side. I walked there, trying to decide what would get my point across most effectively as I refastened my helmet.
A nine-tailed whip? A cane? Perhaps a paddle?
I settled on the latter. Pleasure swept through my veins as I wrapped my hand around the leather handle. A sense of calm settled over me as I faced my recusant mate again. Our bond pulsed with a heady mix of desire and animosity.
The crowd had thickened, and out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Rapp emerging from the command center. His mouth was set in a firm line, and I fucking knew he was going to chastise me for this later.
But I didn’t care.
I stalked forward, hoving mere inches from Assyria’s pointed ear. “Say my name one more time and your punishment will triple.”
She sliced a glance at me and bared her teeth. “Are you going to keep talking or are you going to take action, Halálhívó?”
My nostrils flared as I sucked in a steading breath. Blood ran hot in my veins. I took a step back, trying to snatch at the self control she so successfully unmoored with every one of our interactions.
Silence fell as I raised the paddle to strike her.
Then, I made the mistake of glancing forward, beyond Assyria, and saw a dozen males raking their teeth over their lips and nudging each other. Like they were going to picture this scene later, after night had fallen.
A beast, so wild and foreign, roared inside me, calling for their heads for daring to think about my fucking mate in that way.
I grappled with it for control because I was the Fates’ chosen, the only male capable of slaughtering the Angels before they could exterminate us, and
I
Did
Not
Yield
To
Anything.
Especially for this female who had so unceremoniously upended the trajectory of my life.
But that beast fought harder, aided by our bond. I gritted my teeth and tried to force my hand to move forward. It wouldn’t budge. Muscles bulged in my neck.
Assyria glanced over her shoulder at me, boasting a self-satisfied smirk.
That snapped the last thread of my self-control.
With a growl, I tossed the paddle to the side and snatched her waist. In one smooth motion, I threw her over my shoulder, and then I was striding for the command center, the quickest way back to my tent where I’d deliver the punishment without the lecherous eyes of my soldiers drinking in the sight.
I paused for half a step, Assyria pounding against my back, to snap at Rapp, “The ones who looked a little too happy about watching the punishment, secure them to the bars for my return.”
Without waiting for a response, I blew past him, adrenaline and primal urges pumping my legs forward. Assyria was about to receive every ounce of abhorrence I had for her. I would break her to my will and regain control of this dynamic if it fucking killed me.