Chapter 44
As soon as all of them entered the room and the door was shut, Kaden bristled in anger. “Someone wanna tell me why I almost tore this entire fucking mansion down looking for her after feeling the multiple waves of emotions she felt?”
She had never seen him so angry, even when Silas was pissing him off he never used such an infuriated tone around her. His eyes were pitch black and she grabbed onto his arm to try and calm him.
“I was never in any danger.” She tried to say calmly, her voice shaking slightly at his angry tension.
“Calm down.” Xander snarled. “You think we would put her in any danger?”
Kaden’s chest growled but Xander seemed unfazed by the anger that being directed at him. If they had been friends for as long as they said, she was sure he had seen it many times by now.
“We found a secret room in the library,” she said quickly. “It had a dead Trencher and all the history books missing from the capital.”
Kaden’s eyes looked down at her, the fire in them slowly dying out and then he turned to Xander with a confused look. “Tell me more about the corpse.”
“It still had its head and looked like it was alive when they cut it open. All its organs were on the table next to it and looked to be dead for a while.” Xander answered with his arms crossed.
“A guess on the time?” Kaden questioned.
“At least a year if not more.” Xander’s voice got deeper and she realized what everyone else had seconds before.
“I thought Trenchers were new, like within the last six months?” she blurted out.
“That’s what we were told.” Kaden huffed and sat down on the edge of the bed, his body visibly shaking from anger. “I want you to take me there after Alyra and I train.” His eyes went to Xander.
Xander nodded and when no one said another word for a few minutes, the two men returned to their room leaving her and Kaden in silence.
“Care to tell me why you were panicking?” Kaden asked in a low growl.
She stood frozen in place, his anger still radiating off of him and she could feel her stomach start to twist again. She wasn’t used to this side of him, and flashbacks of Silas’s anger made her suck in a breath.
Kaden instantly stood and walked a few steps to her, pressing her back against the wall again. His trembling hands moved to hold her, both landing gently on her hips.
“Don’t ever make me feel so helpless ever again.” his head resting against hers and felt him let out a long breath against her cheek, his body relaxing against her.
“I didn’t mean to worry you,” she whispered.
“You terrified me,” he admitted, his hand gripping her hip a little tighter but still soft enough not to hurt.
“I felt the first wave and immediately started to look for you in the library but didn’t see you so I started searching the entire mansion.
When I felt you again, it took all I had not to throw my full power out to find you. ”
She reached her hands up to his chest, slowly gripping his shirt and took in a deep breath, smelling the lilac on him still.
“I saw the torture tools on the table and it reminded me of my time with Mavros.” she breathed. “And I read some stuff that made me realize a few things.”
“Mavros won't touch you again.” Kaden snarled and he pulled away from her, his maroon eyes bright and she felt her knees weaken. “Let’s go train before it gets too late and you can tell me about what you read tonight.”
“Ok.” She nodded and he pressed a kiss to her forehead before letting her go, turning to grab his sword and waiting by the door.
She put on some of her training leathers over her shirt and pants, grabbing her own sword before joining him at the door.
It was guaranteed she wouldn’t be able to focus well during training, but she decided right then she would tell him tonight, no matter how terrified of rejection she was.
- - - - - - - -
“I’m taking a bath,” she growled, throwing her sword onto the bed aggressively once they returned a few hours later.
“I’ll send Boone in to guard you while I’m gone.” Kaden said calmly behind her, probably knowing she was upset about her performance and not him. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”
She just nodded over her shoulder and slammed the door behind her to the bathroom without another word. The dirt and sweat on her was suffocating and she needed to try and relax before their talk tonight.
The inground basin filled faster than she anticipated and she watched the steam rising off the water as she peeled her clothes off. It was large, almost like a mini pool but once she got all the way in, she felt her body instantly relax.
Everytime she looked into Kaden’s eyes during training she could feel herself slip and he would knock her down instantly. It was almost like the first day of training recurring and she hated herself for it.
Her mind was set on their talk tonight, but she still had this lingering feeling he would reject her. It was more of a fear, everything that had happened with Silas still scaring her but deep down she knew Kaden was different.
He was her mate and that had to mean something to him, she had to mean something to him.
Sliding down into the water, she let her head fully submerge and she tried to focus on the feeling of the water around her instead of the stress in her mind.
She surfaced a minute later and leaned against one of the curved edges meant to hold her head comfortably.
Her mind wandered to the information about the kings, the brother’s betrayal and why it happened. She had never known Emris to be a violent man, but then she didn’t know him all that well other than during the war.
It would make sense though, the reason Mavros would want her power so badly. He wanted to try and destroy the man that killed the love of his life.
Part of her didn’t blame him.
Even though they hadn’t declared their feelings, the thought of something happening to Kaden at this point might just send her off the edge into darkness and she wouldn’t want to come back.
She waited until the water went cold before getting out and once she dried herself off, she walked out into the room with her towel wrapped around her.
Kaden was sitting on the bed with the same book she read in the secret room on his lap, his eyes darting up to her as she entered.
She must have been in there longer than she thought if he had already gone and returned.
She hadn't even heard Boone arrive or leave.
She paused a step and she felt that tether pull towards him, her grip on her towel tightening.
“Get dressed in clothes you can wear outside,” he said, his eyes not wandering from hers.
“I thought we aren’t supposed to leave our rooms at night?”
“I don’t care,” he said and set the book on the bed before moving towards her.
She planted her feet and tried to keep her breathing even when he stopped inches from her. Water dripped from her hair and slid down her face, his eyes watching her intently.
“I have an idea for training.” he purred and lifted her chin up higher to look her directly into the eye.
“I already did my training for the day.” she taunted back.
“I decide when your training is done, remember?”
The tone was more playful than harsh and she smirked up at him. “Whatever you say.”
A few minutes later she had dressed in thicker leather pants and a long-sleeved shirt, boots laced up to her knees. It was still a little colder in the evenings, but she figured they would not be out very long and tied her hair up in a damp ponytail.
“Where are we going?” she asked following him to the widow.
“I saw something outside while in Oak’s office and I think it will be fun.” His eyes brightened and he opened the window, pulling her closer against his body.
Every inch of her skin was suddenly searing with need, the touch of him setting her body into a lustful spiral and she had to look away from him to hide her blushing face.
“Hold on,” he whispered and she wrapped her arms up around his neck.
They were on the second floor and as soon as they passed the threshold of the window, his wings spread out wide and carried them up into the dark sky. Clouds covered the stars and moon making it safer for him to fly without being seen.
She glanced down and saw the surrounding estate, small lights surrounding the vast pond and first hundred yards around the entire mansion. It was well kept, but she shouldn’t be surprised with the amount of money Oak spent.
They were in the air for only a few minutes before she noticed Kaden’s destination up ahead.
A large hedge maze to the north side of the mansion, small fae lights spread throughout and a large stone structure in the middle with a little pond.
Kaden dove down and gently landed at the entrance of the maze, his arms letting go of her as soon as she was steady.
“A maze?” she asked with raised brow.
“You are too focused on what the future brings and not what is going on now.” he started, his arms crossing in front of him. “So we are going to have a little fun.”
She gave him a weary look and could see his demeanor start to change into something more tense. Her heart started to race but she kept herself planted in the spot she stood waiting for him to finish.
“I’ll give you a thirty second head start and you will need to make it to the middle of the maze before I catch you.” His eyes darkened and she swallowed hard.
“What happens if you catch me?” she said with a shaky breath.
He stepped closer to her, his hand grabbing the nape of her neck and tilted her head up closer to him so she could feel his breath on her lips.
“You don’t want me to catch you.” he purred, his free hand gripping her hip and thrusting her forward against him. “I don’t know if you could handle it.”
All the air in her lungs deflated and she could barely hear her surroundings over the pounding of her heart.
“And if I win?” she whispered.
“You get to choose whatever you want that I’m capable of giving to you.”
Her hand pressed against his chest, his face dipping down next to her and kissed her neck before his lips stopped at her ear.
“Run, princess.” He snarled as his hands left her body, their eyes connecting and she shuttered a breath.
His eyes were black and she knew right then he was the lethal predator she always knew he was, and she was the prey.