Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
Bokkan
My back was against the rear wall of my cell, my knees up, and my head drooping over them as I tried to rest. Daemons never did well with confinement, especially when the bars of their cell were spelled to dampen their magic.
The stronger the magic within them, the more difficult the confinement was.
I had very little magic compared to most daemons, but its absence was nearly painful after decades of having it at my fingertips. It was as if I no longer had my ability to see or hear. Or lost a limb.
“Stonesword, the magistrate has recalled you.”
My head came up then, and I rose to my feet, shaking out my stiff legs and arms.
The guard came to the cell door, opening it with his magic. “Let’s go,” he stated.
I wanted to ask him what was going on, but he was a guard. He would not have been notified why I was being called before the magistrate again so soon.
Worry simmered in my gut as he led me toward the hearing room. Because I had come with the guards willingly, and because of my standing with the king, I was spared the indignity of shackles as we walked past the other cells.
None of the prisoners spoke, but some watched me with dark, angry eyes. They belonged to males who had not completed their training with me or had been on the wrong end of my fists at one time or another.
The hearing room was almost empty when I entered. Save Guldan and a human female. A female I distinctly remembered promising me she would stay locked inside my bedchamber.
The magistrate was shaking his head when he turned toward me. “Why didn’t you tell me, General Stonesword?” He waved a hand. “Never mind. I understand. You were still feeling protective of your female.”
I looked toward Guldan and Leda, my eyes narrowing on my commander. Leda had no idea what she was to me, but Guldan must have realized. There was no other way they would be here right now.
“The inspectors will likely be by to speak to you in the next few days, but I doubt that you will have any more issues.” The magistrate shook his head. “I’m surprised at Darkblade. He knows better than to approach another daemon’s mate.”
“We are not—” My voice caught, and I cleared my throat. “We are not mated.”
“Yet,” Leda said, stepping forward. “We’re still testing our compatibility.”
“Of course, of course,” the magistrate said. “It is excellent that you are taking your time before making such a big commitment. Especially as you are from the human realm, Lady Leda.”
My molars ground together when he used the title. Not because it made me angry, but because I liked it more than I should. If we were truly testing our compatibility and Leda chose me as her mate, that would be what she was called.
It created a physical ache in my chest to think that she would never have that title.
The magistrate offered me his hand. “I wish you the best, General Stonesword. And I hope you have a successful chase and branding.”
Though I did not want to, I reached out and clasped my hand around his wrist. He wrapped his fingers around my wrist, squeezing briefly.
“Thank you,” I muttered.
We released each other, and I stalked toward my commander and my female. With each step, I fought the urge to growl at how close Guldan was standing to Leda. He caught my eye and took a small step away from her. Once again, I ground my back teeth together.
Somehow, my commander knew about my feelings toward the human female. I had no doubt that he persuaded her to do this by leaving out important aspects of the daemon courting and mating process.
“General,” he greeted, nodding to me.
For once, I did not correct him. Though I was angry, I made sure my hand was gentle when I wrapped my arm around Leda’s shoulder and tucked her against my side.
“Did you bring my mount?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Then let us return to the estate. I believe we have much to discuss.”
“Of course, General,” he replied.
Leda was silent as we left the building. I lifted her into the saddle before swinging up behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist to grasp the reins.
Guldan rode beside us, though slightly behind in a subtle attempt to watch my back.
Anger simmered in my chest as we trotted the horses through town.
I did not miss the curious gazes of the daemons walking along the streets.
Talk of my potential mate must have spread from the magistrate’s offices like wildfire.
When we reached the estate, I whistled for one of the younger boys from the stables to take care of the horses. Usually, I would insist upon doing the work myself, and Guldan doing the same, but the impending discussion was more important.
Guldan followed as I guided Leda into the house, his steps heavy and his expression dark.
I stopped in the hall in front of my office and looked down at Leda. “Have you eaten or had water since I left?”
She shook her head.
“Please go into the kitchen and have Masu make you something to eat and have something to drink.”
“I—”
“I am sorry, but I need to speak to Guldan alone,” I interrupted. “Please give me some time.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded in agreement.
As soon as she was in the kitchen and I heard Masu greet her, I turned toward Guldan and growled out, “Get. Inside.”
My second-in-command looked annoyed rather than frightened, but did as I instructed.
It took every ounce of willpower I had not to slam the door behind me when I followed him.
A growl rumbled in my chest as I stomped toward him. “What in the name of the gods did you think you were doing bringing her to the magistrate’s office?” I asked.
The rage in my blood twisted with my magic, making my skin hot and my eyes ache. I knew they were turning red. I inhaled deeply, trying to control myself. If I didn’t, I would lose myself to the mating rage again.
I hated that Leda saw it yesterday. Now that I had explained what she saw, I didn’t want her to see me like this again so soon.
“Saving her life,” he answered, his voice oddly flat.
I stopped a few feet away, my hands clenched into tight fists. The claws of my left hand dug into my palm, drawing blood. The claws on my right would have done the same, but they were still blunted.
“You put her in danger,” I shot back, suppressing the desire to roar the accusation at him.
“Your defense was not going to work. We both know that. As a human, she cannot be your honored guest. When they tried you, the king would have no choice but to strip you of your lands and title. You would have lost all your property. They would have considered Leda part of that property.”
I shook my head. “I had a way to get her out. She would have been safe.”
“What about you?” Guldan asked me.
“What about me?” I asked.
“You were going to sacrifice your life for a human female?”
I stalked forward, not stopping until my face was inches from his. “I would sacrifice everything I have and everything I am for her. Without reservation or hesitation.”
“Then why give her up?”
I flinched at his question and backed away. “Because she would never be safe here with me. Even as my mate.”
Guldan shrugged. “So, make her safe.”
I scoffed. “How exactly should I do that?”
“Petition the king. Invite him here. Introduce him to Leda. Advocate for things to change for humans in Penumbra.”
I shook my head. “No. I will not risk her. If he decides he disapproves, he would try to take her from me.”
“I have not spent much time with humans before, but after meeting her, I feel the king would not disapprove.”
“I will not place her in danger. I refuse.”
Guldan sighed as though he expected my response but was still disappointed in it.
“Either way, you need to make a show of pursuing her as you would a daemon female. If you show her that sort of respect, so will the males in your command. If they respect her, so will the other daemons that meet her.”
“I cannot do that either.”
“Why not?” He threw up his hands. “Do you want to end up dying in the dungeon beneath Gray Mountain?”
“If I court her, I will want to brand her. To bond with her. She has no idea how to reject me in a way that would kill my instincts. If she didn’t, I would lose control and claim her without her true consent!”
My chest heaved as my hand lashed out and knocked a decorative bowl off the corner of my desk. It crashed to the floor, shattering on impact.
I turned my back on my second-in-command and paced away, fisting my hands in my hair.
“Have you considered that she will accept you?” he asked.
“You sound like Masu,” I grumbled.
“Well, she is a damned sight smarter than you are right now.”
I whirled on him. “Would you ask your mate to give up her home? Her freedom? Even her safety?”
“As I said earlier, if you feel she is unsafe here, make her safe. You have more power than you realize. Change will take time, but it can be done. But it can only begin when someone pushes for it. You have gone into battles that should have been lost. Battles where we were vastly outnumbered, and you have emerged victorious. What is this but another battle?”
“She wants to return to her home, Guldan. She has made that clear.”
“Have you given her a reason to stay?”
“I am trying,” I muttered, staring down at my hands. “I am showing her all the ways I can care for her if she remains with me.”
“Maybe you should move a bit faster.”
“Now you truly sound like Masu. Have the two of you been conspiring behind my back?”
Guldan shook his head. “You are the bravest daemon I know. The strongest and the fiercest warrior. I have never seen you retreat from a challenge. Why are you doing so now?”
“Her rejection would unmake me,” I admitted softly. “If I fight for her and she still finds me lacking, I will never recover. I might as well walk into the Shadow Forest without a single weapon.” To do so would almost certainly result in my death.
“I believe it was you who once told me that everything worth having requires risk.”
I shot him a narrow glare. “That may be true, but we both know this is different.”
“I cannot force you to court the human female. But I will lose the respect I have for you if you give her up without a fight. A mate is a treasure some of us may never find. You have not only found yours, but she seems to enjoy your company. Yet you still hesitate to pursue her. No worthy daemon male I know would make such a poor decision.”
Still shaking his head, Guldan brushed past me and exited my office, leaving the door open behind him.
I stared at the empty hall for a long time after he left, my instincts and my mind at war with each other.
Could I convince a human female to stay with me? To mate with me? Was it even possible that she could return the depth of my feelings?
Females were a mystery to me in so many ways. Human females seemed infinitely more complicated than daemon ones. I knew how to convince a daemon female that I was worthy of her claim.
I had no clue how to do the same with a human female.
It seemed I was going to have an opportunity to find out.