Chapter 21 Ryder
RYDER
If I’d wanted to spend my day with Grave, I would’ve invited him.
He just had to intrude on my time with Audryn.
His intrigue with her was exhausting, but I wasn’t about to let him ruin the day.
I completed a secondary check of the cinch—partly for safety, but mostly because I couldn’t stand being near his arrogance.
My gaze caught on Audryn following Leanna toward the stables.
She’d asked to change after breakfast, and though I’d seen her at least a half dozen times, it was as if I were seeing her for the first time.
Her pants hugged her hips perfectly, and the shirt she’d chosen showed off just enough of her chest.
Leanna mounted her mare, while the others were already seated in the saddle and waiting to leave. Grave and Amalee spoke quietly, likely conspiring against me.
“Which one’s mine?” Audryn looked over the horses.
“You’ll be with me.” I gestured her to Ollie. He was the best horse of them all, despite the childish name he bore.
A faint frown tugged at the corner of her lips. “I don’t get my own?”
“The cliffs are tricky.” I tapped the saddle. “It’s better if you’re seated, with me at the reins.”
I resisted the urge to snap at her. I wanted just one day without her objecting to my every decision, though I should have known better than to be so optimistic.
“I’ve ridden my entire life, probably since before I could even walk,” she argued. “I’ll be safe.”
“Great Divine, Ryder! Just let her have her own horse,” Leanna called out. “We’re all waiting for you.”
I shot a glare at Leanna—not just for addressing me without title, but for her sudden change in attitude. Not long ago, she begged me to send Audryn home, yet now she wished to cater to her every whim. I’d asked her to give the woman a chance, not to become her best friend.
I turned to the stable hand. “Secure another horse. Audryn will ride Ollie.”
“You don’t have to do that, I can take any available horse.” She frowned up at me. “I wasn't trying to create an issue.”
She was, though. I knew it, and she knew it.
“It’s fine.” I offered my interlaced hands to give her a boost. “Get up and I’ll adjust the stirrups.”
Fifteen minutes passed before we were all in the saddle and ready to go. My temper had softened to a distant hum, and I tried to let pressing matters slip away. My father never seemed to find a balance between ruling and enjoying life, but I refused to do the same.
We ambled down the trail with Audryn on my left, Grave and Amalee behind us, and my sister and Rodrick picking up the rear.
The sea was unusually angry, with frothy white-capped waves crashing into the cliff.
The ocean mist stuck to our skin as we continued down the same winding path I'd ridden as a boy.
“You’ve been busy the last few days.” Audryn assessed. “Is your father well?”
I shrugged. “As well as he’s going to be.” It was the truth. The healer couldn’t estimate when he’d die; he only worsened as the days passed.
“Can I meet him before …” The question lingered in the air like a bird gliding on the updraft of the ocean breeze.
“Would you want to?” I asked, knowing he would decline. His decision was clear from the day I’d begun to look for my mate. But I’d still ask in hopes he'd change his mind.
“I’d like to meet both of your parents. You can tell so much about a person by their mother and father, don’t you think?” She looked across the sea before turning her gaze to me.
“I’m not sure they’ll agree, but I’ll try.” I paused. “If anyone saw how unwell my father is, Rivale would be … vulnerable.”
“From who? Every fae in the land knows what’s happening with him.”
I pulled the reins back, and Audryn stopped Ollie next to me. We’d made it to the landing, which sat about halfway up the black, rocky cliffs.
“Rivale has many challenges.” I overshared. “The castle is crumbling, and we’re struggling with repairs.”
She rubbed her shoulder, fingers gliding across her collarbone as she sat deep in thought. It was the same skin my lips traced so many days ago. Too long ago.
“The stone is damaged—I noticed it when I arrived. Yet you’ve not made repairs.” Her statement was more of a question.
“My father is impeding the process,” I admitted. “The bitumen we use is a dark brown color—basically black. If we use it for repairs, the disparity against the white stone is unsightly. And Divine help us all if the castle appears to be anything less than flawless.”
“So what are you going to do instead?”
“Do you remember the blue roses I showed you?”
Audryn nodded, keeping her gaze on the white beach below.
“Elowen is the woman’s name, and she’s able to change the bitumen. But it’s not the same.”
Tilting her head, she gazed at me. Damn, she was beautiful, especially so when she was sitting quietly.
“Let me put it this way: if I gave her an orange and asked her to change it to an apple, it might look like an apple, but it might taste like a banana. Occasionally, it might even taste like an apple, but something will always be different. Maybe the nutrients have changed. Maybe the seeds belong to an orange. On the surface you may not notice, but the actual composition is different.”
“Like the roses,” she said, her voice drifting.
“Correct. Something is always … wrong. The magic always comes at a cost.”
Audryn toyed with her hair, wrapping a strand around her two fingers. My hand twitched, craving to feel her hair between my own fingers while my mouth roamed her skin. But if there was a chance we could be mated, I needed to focus on finding the connection between us first.
“Can you paint the bitumen?” she asked.
Her interest surprised me. I wouldn't expect any woman to concern themselves with such matters. Hopefully she was trustworthy enough to keep the information to herself.
I shook my head. “No, it’s much too porous, though we’ve tried. It’s a byproduct of the crude oil we receive from Kuroden. The material is too oily for the paint to adhere, which was why my father requested Elowen change the color from black to white, hoping it would easily blend in.”
Audryn hummed under her breath, then gasped as two shadowy figures flew past us, too close for my liking. I’d permitted Grave’s beasts to feed as they needed, but hadn’t expected to have to see them.
The ebony creatures dipped into the ocean, scooping up mouthfuls of the fish wading just below the surface. Their movements were jerky and quick as they dove and climbed repeatedly. Though filled with pure evil, the sight as they hunted was quite captivating.
“Stay close,” I warned, and looked over at Grave, who’d taken a position on Audryn’s other side. How long had he been there waiting and listening to our private conversation? The thought of exposing the kingdom, more than I already had, filled me with dread.
“Watching them is quite mesmerizing, is it not?” Grave asked. “Would you like to meet them?”
“No!” I shouted. “You will not allow your wretched creatures anywhere near Audryn. They’re too dangerous.”
Grave turned, faced me, and then drew his eyes to her. “Do you have an interest in meeting Zalzre and Ralti?”
“Those are their names?” Audryn purred, eyes fixed on the beasts.
My back stiffened. Would she defy my explicit instructions? Would Grave completely rebuff my order as well? I could overlook a lot, but not such blatant disobedience.
“Yes, Zalzre is mine. Ralti belongs to Amalee,” he said, chuckling. “Or should I say, we belong to them?” Grave turned his attention back to the sky. “I could call them over for you to say hello, if you’d like.”
If I protested and he ignored the order, I would need to act on the disrespect, which would jeopardize our negotiations. Instead, I waited. Audryn looked at me, and I shook my head—a silent warning.
“It’s a kind offer. However, I believe Prince Sutton has my best interests at heart, so I must decline,” she said.
My shoulders dipped as relief struck. “I will forever look out for your interests, even if you don’t quite see it yourself.” I placed my hand on her lower back, moving in slow circles. Her body shrank away, but half a breath later, she relaxed into the touch.
Grave hummed and turned his horse back to the trail. Amalee and the others followed behind, leaving Audryn and me alone.
“Sand,” Audryn said as she turned to me.
My brow furrowed.
“Have you tried changing the bitumen in its natural state? Find a natural way to decrease its porosity? If paint won’t stick because of its make up, then change it. You don’t need to bend magic to fix it.” She looked at the beach below.
We hadn’t thought to adjust the mixture. My father had gone to Elowen the moment he’d seen the paint fail. For him, magic was always the easier route, even when the alternative was right in front of him. His patience failed him repeatedly.
I shook my head. “No, I think he went to her immediately after the issue arose. He didn’t put any effort into actually solving the problem—only forced a solution.”
“If not sand, you might be able to use gravel if it’s fine enough—maybe crushed white stone. The paint just needs something to cling to.”
“I could kiss you right now,” I admitted. She’d solved one of my most pressing issues in a matter of minutes. Even if it wasn’t a perfect fix, it was a start. All I needed was for Grave to agree to increase the crude, and I’d be able to repair the castle with just the first shipment.
“Maybe you should,” she teased.
I’d be damned if I kissed her for the first time bent over on horseback. Her eyes widened as I dismounted and strode over to the side of her horse. I grabbed her waist and helped her down from the saddle, letting her weight collide with the front of me.
A wave crashed against the cliffs, throwing a thick mist against the sides of our faces. Long brown strands of her hair blew in the salty breeze, catching on her mouth. I slid my hand against her face and tucked the rogue locks behind her ear. I leaned in, letting my lips land on hers.
She welcomed me in to explore her mouth with my tongue. The ground felt as if it shifted, and every part of me reached out to her, beckoned for her to meld with every piece of me. The kiss wasn’t only a physical connection, but something deeper than anything I had felt before.
I slowly drew back and watched her look up at me lazily. All apprehension I had about her attitude or rebellious nature was relieved. She was everything I needed and would be worth the commitment required to make her conform.
“That was …” Audryn started.
“Perfect,” I breathed.
She nodded as I pulled her head to my chest. The sweet floral scent filled my nose as I breathed her in. I grinned, glad that she had used the soap I’d sent up for her. It was the same one my mother used regularly; it always felt like home.
The trip back was quiet. I was deep in thought, pondering how to prioritize the structural repairs with the remaining supply of crude.
Fixing the castle would be the priority for my father.
We’d only need to collect sand, which shouldn’t be a problem.
Blackwell could create a hauling system that would allow the gryphons to carry buckets of it up easily.
Hope brewed within me, and I felt inspired to work through my other predicaments. I left everyone at the stable and rode to the entrance of the castle, abandoning my horse with the guard on post.
“Get Elowen,” I ordered the woman standing post near the west corridor.
I paced the royal common room, unable to sit. Elowen arrived quicker than I expected, her swaying black dress dragging behind her on the floor. Though she didn’t appear much older than me, there were deep wrinkles etched around her eyes.
“Prince,” she said, tilting her chin in my direction, “I was expecting your request.”
“Are you able to change anything?” I asked, “Or are there limitations to what your magic can bend?”
She moved across the room, dragging her fingers across the backs of the chairs. “What is it you seek? First, you must speak.”
“Can you bend the magic given to me? Shape it to appear as Divine?”
She turned and looked at me with raised eyebrows. “Do you not possess Divine ability? Has your land forsaken you?”
“I bear magic, just not the magic I want,” I snapped.
“I cannot provide you with Divine magic. That is from the land itself,” she said matter-of-factly. “My people rely on the magic of Macabre, one which the fae do not recognize.”
The woman was useless to me for what I needed. Leanna would take the throne if I married Audryn. Though we had the chemistry, if she wasn’t my mate, I wouldn’t gain access to her land magic.
“What is your heart’s desire, boy?” Elowen pressed. “And what are you willing to give up for it?”
I considered the alternative. If she couldn’t provide me with magic, then I’d be forced to get it a different way.