6. Ryker
Ryker
I’ve just left the dorm leaders meeting when I see a crowd gathering in the halls leading down to the basement gym. It’s been a long day playing catch-up. A student from my dorm bonded with one in Veker, but it’s better than the two couples from Bragr.
Apparently, while on a training mission off-campus, things got a little out of hand. With no supervision, camping in tents under the stars, some students thought they’d have some fun. I’m just grateful I don’t have to be the one to call their parents and their kings.
I push through the crowd, barking orders to move. The stairs clear, the nobility making themselves small against either side, their backs pressed into the walls. Something is drawing more than half my dorm to the basement, and I want to know why.
When I reach the gym, the familiar scent of leather and sweat accosts me, but I can’t pull my eyes from the mat where Trysten is watching Raea spar with some asshat from Oris. He’s a cocky little shit I’ve pinned on the mat a few times. I was expecting to find her in her room unpacking.
I step to the edge of the mat beside Trysten.
Without asking, he says, “She needed to get some energy out.”
My gaze shifts toward him. He’s leaving something out.
He sighs. “You know her. She pushed until I gave in, and now…” He gestures toward Raea. “This is the second fight. She won the first. Kicked his ass, actually.” He grins proudly.
He’s done a great job with her training.
To my right, Tate and Ciara are watching, muttering something about a bet. Tate guffaws, throwing his head back as he shakes on it.
Raea grunts, taking a hit to her ribcage.
My fists curl, but I don’t move. I can’t. She’s fine. Better than I’ve seen before. I know it’s her grief fueling those punches. She’s been hiding it since we returned, but I see every bit of grief, sadness, and confusion hidden behind her gaze.
She’s quick on her feet, and with a well-timed kick to the gut, he falls to his knees. She stands over him, her eyes full of grief and despair, but she masks it, letting it fuel her anger.
“Yield!” she barks over the cacophony of students watching the match. He shakes his head. “Yield,” she screams again, more desperate than the last as she bares her teeth.
He spits blood at her feet.
She jumps back, shocked and disgusted.
Trysten’s watching me out of the corner of his eyes as if he’s waiting for me to respond. It’s taking every ounce of restraint not to go out there and bash his head in.
Raea steps forward, grabbing his head and bringing it straight down on her knee. He cries out in pain.
My beautiful, tender mate looks lethal standing over him in her cropped black t-shirt, her sweat-slicked skin, and her damp hair clinging to her face. I want to cross the mats and claim her right here, in front of everyone.
She’s mine.
Just when I think asshat will finally yield, he lunges. He wraps his arms around her legs, knocking her to the mat with a loud thud. Her back hits the mat, and she screams in frustration. She’s about to roll to her feet when he pins her down, his body flush against hers.
I see red.
In a moment, the fucker has his hands around her throat.
Trysten looks at me, then back to the mats.
Raea throws her hips, almost slipping free, but his grip tightens, cutting off her air.
That’s it. I’m done watching. I move before I think. She manages to knee him between the thighs, but before he can react, I’m already throwing him off her.
The room silences at once, with only a few gasps echoing throughout.
Trysten moves, going for Raea first. He helps her up as my arm tightens around asshat’s throat.
“Do you like how this feels?” I squeeze tighter until his airways are cut off. “Touch her again and you’ll find yourself without the ability to ever breathe again.”
He claws at my forearm, desperate to get away. I only tighten my grip. Putting his hands on my mate was a mistake.
Across the room, Raea is holding her throat, clutching the bandage to her neck. She glances through the ring of her friends and subtly shakes her head, warning me to let it go.
Fine.
With a final squeeze, I release him, shoving him to the ground while he gasps for air. A few women giggle from the other side of the mat as I stride for Raea. When I get to her, she’s breathing okay, but she looks like her grief is barely contained and ready to swallow her whole.
“I’m okay,” she mumbles. “I’m going to go shower.” She looks at Ciara and adds, “Can you walk me up?”
Together, they leave the gym. She glances back once, then she’s gone.
I’m on my third shot when Trysten finally smirks over the rim of his glass.
“Go ahead,” I mutter. The alcohol burns going down, but it’s still better than pacing my room, wishing Raea were here instead.
It’s pathetic.
I’m honestly surprised Trysten isn’t kicking my sorry ass over it.
“I’m not going to say anything. I’m just sitting here waiting for you to tell me what the hell is going on with you. You’re gone for two weeks, and now what, you can’t possibly fathom that she might want her own space?”
I snort and groan, glancing at the ceiling. What is my problem? “Well, for starters, Raea had slept in here before we left—”
“Old news.”
“—and yes, two weeks…” I sigh. “Wait until you’re Bonded. Then maybe you’ll understand.”
Maybe.
For as long as I can remember, it’s always been her. I wish I could remember her from our childhood. I wonder if I was in love with her even then.
“Hmm…” He pours another. I wish he would say what he’s thinking. I’m tired of guessing how everyone feels.
“Just say it,” I groan before tossing another shot back. This one makes my body warm.
“I think you need to go talk to her. Just tell her the truth. Who knows, maybe she’s sitting in her room all alone, wishing you were there too.”
I nod and pour myself the next shot. He’s right.
I hope Raea will listen, and this won’t backfire.
I’m like a love-sick puppy, and it’s annoying the shit out of me.
I stand and pat him on the shoulder, wasting no time making my way down the hall before I lose my nerve. I knock once, and Kellan answers.
Red crosses my vision.
Fuck no.
I shove him out of the way.
He stumbles, wrapping a hand around my wrist. “She’s talking to her parents, asshole.”
My forearm drives into his neck, pinning him against the wall until he releases my wrist. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
Before he can mutter a pathetic response, I head toward the living space.
I hear him grumble something behind me before shutting the door.
There, I find Raea sitting curled up on the floor in front of the sofa, fat tears streaking down her face, and a pile of tissues beside her.
Her Prism is on the floor and shut down.
We didn’t stay long at the palace. Most of the time was spent convincing her parents to let her return.
They only backed off because Raea stood up to them, refusing to stay locked away.
There wasn’t much time for anything else, and of course, we had to omit some of the information that we weren’t ready to share—namely, her magic.
But Kuron’s file needed to be closed out.
By the time Raea returns to Kyrr, Kuron’s rooms will already be cleared. Like he was never there at all.
It’s only a matter of days before a new guard takes his place.
I scoop her into my arms, kicking open the doors to the terrace, where I find Ezra.
He nods, giving us privacy. I drop into one of the oversized stuffed chairs, cradling her small frame to mine.
She’s too thin. She needs to eat. I bury my face in her wild hair, filling my lungs with the scent of a forest after a rainstorm and frosted blooms in an early morning mist.
I could drown in this scent—in her.
She shifts in my lap, her soft, damp cheeks brushing against mine as she leans closer.
I don’t say anything, I just hold her and let her cry.
She wraps her arms around my shoulders and buries her face in my neck.
My hands continue running a path up her spine, watching her arms erupt in chills as her body shudders.
A few minutes later, Kellan appears with a blanket, draping it over her, taking care to ignore me as much as possible.
“Thank you,” I say.
He nods, dropping into the seat across from me, still refusing to meet my gaze as he runs a palm over his chin. We’re both quiet for long minutes, with the only sound coming from her shaky breathing.
“Is it true?” Kellan asks.
I glance up, finding him studying her. I’m tempted to make some smartass remark, but for the sake of Raea’s already unstable emotions, I play nice.
Running my free hand through my hair, I drawl, “Care to expand?”
He rolls his eyes, clenching his jaw as he leans back. “Her powers?”
I can’t tell if he’s amazed or terrified.
I glance down at her—her dark brown lashes rest against her cheekbones, and her face is flushed.
Her breathing is finally slowing. I can feel her body relaxing more every minute.
From anyone else’s point of view, I’m sure it’s hard to reconcile this beautiful, soft, docile princess with the powerful, strong-willed, assured woman.
I’ve always seen both.
Her tender side doesn’t make the strong side of her weaker. I think it only makes her stronger, and I love her even more for it.
I finally look up at Kellan, realizing he’s been waiting for an answer.
“You think you understand power?” I say softly, shaking my head in awe.
“You don’t. Not until you’ve seen her wield it.
” My eyes settle on her, the way her eyelashes flutter when she’s dreaming.
“It’s not something she uses—it’s something she is.
Like the stars chose to show their power through her. ”
I press my lips to her forehead, breathing her in for a long moment. Her scent wraps around my heart, her essence winding around our Bond, pressing in on memories new and old. The waves of light shimmer in and out of view.
She’s the only sure thing in this broken world.
“She learned to burn,” I whisper.
It’s late when I finally tuck her into bed. Kellan left shortly after, realizing she wasn’t going to wake up, and I wasn’t leaving.
She stirs when I back away. “Ry,” she mumbles.
I pause, hand gripping the door knob as I peer over my shoulder.
“Stay.”
She didn’t want us to stay in the same room, so I’ve been trying to give her space. But if she asks me to stay?
I cross the room with long strides. Sitting beside her, I brush an unruly white strand from her face. Her eyes flutter open, and she smiles sleepily.
“Stay tonight,” she mutters again. “I sleep better when you’re here.” Her eyelids fall closed again as she yawns, burying further into the sheets.
Fuck it.
I kick off my shoes, peel my clothes off, and crawl into bed behind her. Wrapping a hand around her stomach, I pull her closer until her back is flush with my chest. She makes a small, contented humming noise.
The tension in my chest releases.
For the first time all day, I let myself rest.
I’m shaken awake by what feels like moments later. I seconds from knocking them out when I hear Aksel’s familiar laugh.
“Do it,” he taunts with a smirk.
“Go away,” I huff, looking back to make sure Raea’s still asleep.
Aksel shakes his head. “I’m saving your ass. Dawn is still thirty minutes away. Get your princely ass back to your own room so that this—” He gestures between the two of us. “—doesn’t get around.” He sighs. “As much as it’s inconvenient, she’s probably right.”
“Of course she is,” I say, scrubbing my palms down my. “Thanks for the wake up call.”
He snorts. “We drew straws.”
I roll my eyes. “Figures.”
When I stand, Raea shifts, reaching for me in her sleep. I lean over her, brushing a strand of hair from her face before kissing her forehead. Her eyes flutter open.
“Go back to sleep,” I whisper, pressing one last kiss to her mouth. She smiles softly before sinking deeper into the sheets.
I shut the door quietly behind me.
Minutes later, I’m back in my own room, turning the water on for a shower. I have meetings, practice, and a mountain of work waiting for me. Our last game of the season is in a few days. If we win, we’ll be headed to the championships. I’m going to enjoy every second of what I can.
All the Proto reports showed the Veil was stable. Weak, but stable. Except for the edge of Mori. Ateria’s Protos, however, has not responded. Either King Alexi is preparing for war, or he’s hiding something worse.
I’m glad Aolyn went home. She’s supposed to be joining our leadership meeting through a holo. I doubt she’ll be able to give me any answers today, but knowing that she’s there on our behalf settles some of the tension.
It’s the not knowing that’s driving me insane.