Chapter 31 #3
“This is a giant coincidence. We’re actually on our way to Ivreiana to appeal to the gentry on your behalf.
Even though we have…had no idea where you are, both Rewi and I didn’t want to believe that you’re dead and thought it would be helpful to clear your name.
” The male was approaching, and I growled at him.
He wouldn’t even be allowed to breathe the same air as my Nay… Jama, I’d make sure of that.
“Delightful story.” Snarling, I tried to pull Nayana back to me, but she had the audacity to dodge my attempt.
“Get lost, Dion. You’re my least favorite person by far at the moment.”
That was what I wanted, wasn’t it? Still, her behavior was unacceptable, and my thoughts were all over the place.
“You’d better listen to her.” The insignificant man with the death wish—and with his hands all over her—stared at my Naya while he tried to give me that cute order.
Ignoring every spoken and unspoken warning I gave him, he came closer and reached out for her, touching my choker she still wore around her neck. “You’re…married?”
Nayana shook her head. “My company convinced me to pretend to be wedded in case we meet travelers or have to enter a town. Believe me, I’d rather gut myself before binding myself to this brute.”
I snarled once more, too far in my head to read any subtext. “You won’t hurt yourself.”
“There’s no need for that, because I won’t bind myself to you. And now, Dion—get lost.”
Rewani had watched the whole interaction and stepped closer. “Where are you heading to?” she asked, as if we were all just casually chatting, and there wasn’t any tension at all.
“Right now, we’re on our way to Rastialla. The men want to celebrate Samhain. After that, we’re planning to—”
“Jama—” I growled in warning. Even if Nayana trusted those two, I definitely didn’t.
It was more than likely that they had a malicious, hidden agenda.
I finally succeeded in getting a hold of her again, and slowly, I put some distance between us and her so-called friends, hauling her with me until we reached our horse.
Her attempts to free herself were endearing but unsuccessful.
The others chose this moment to break the cover of the trees and join us. All of them were tense, and I could tell they had suspicions similar to mine. It was just too big of a coincidence for two of Nayana’s old friends to turn up here, weeks of travel away from their hometown.
Additionally, the backwoodsman I already hated was still wearing an expression as if he contemplated challenging me to a duel over Nayana at any second. He was getting on my nerves, and I hoped he’d attack me so I could easily get rid of a problem without upsetting Naya too much.
I was totally caught up in daydreaming about all the plentiful ways I would dispose of the simpleton, and by the time I snapped out of it, Nayana had escaped me again and introduced the males to her old friends. I didn’t take my eyes off Bryon. The fucker’s name fit—he looked like one.
Antas had dismounted as well, while the others remained in their saddles. “So, you intend to plead with the gentry? What makes you think you could be successful?”
I frowned. Did Antas really indulge in this threadbare story? Was I the only one who could tell that it was utter bullshit?
“During my time in the army, I was in the Royal Regiment. I got permanently injured while saving Queen Anneria’s life in an ambush and was discharged with the highest honors.
King Pritatus himself awarded me a medal of bravery and a royal favor.
I firmly believe this at least guarantees that the gentry will hear me out. ”
There was a real chance they would, I had to give him that. Well, if his story was true, which I seriously doubted. I didn’t trust him.
My eyes searched for Nayana and found her whispering with the Rewani-girl. I was a little less suspicious about her female friend but couldn’t allow myself to let my guard down around her.
“Come with us to celebrate Samhain in Rastialla. There will be ample opportunity to talk.”
My eyes narrowed at Antas. Did he really invite the strangers to ride with us? I bared my teeth at him and didn’t care about his eyebrow rising in warning.
“Yes, join us.” Nayana beamed. “Thinking about it, maybe I could ride with one of you? I don’t have a horse on my own.”
The imbecile dared to open his mouth. “Sure, Na—”
Over my dead body. “You’re with me.” Of course, she wanted to fight me after my declaration, so I killed all protests before they could start, picked her up, and carried her over to our horse.
“Let me down, you overbearing brute!”
“Just keeping you safe, as agreed upon. Will you calm down, or do I have to help you?” My magic twitched eagerly inside of me, almost begging me to wrap her up in dark restraints.
“Fuck you, Dion. You can’t treat me like the dirt under your nails for days and suddenly turn all territorial again.” Anger vibrated in her voice, and I caught a glimpse of Antas managing her friends. First good idea my dear uncle had today.
“Watch me.” Huffing, I placed her on top of our horse and mounted too, caging her in from behind as I had done a thousand times before. A dark tendril reached out to her, and even though she stopped struggling, the magic wrapped around her waist like a belt. Gods, how I’d missed her scent.
I wasn’t in the right state of mind to deal with the fact that I’d failed to maintain my distance from Nayana.
All the walls I’d built had been eviscerated the moment I’d seen that pathetic male touching her.
Or had it been the way her eyes had lit up when she’d recognized him?
I ground my teeth so hard it was a wonder that I didn’t chip one.
During the following trek to Rastialla, I made sure none of them came too close to us. Of course, Nayana wanted to talk to her friends, and they tried to come near us, but I blocked every attempt. In the end, Jama wasn’t in need of other friends—she had me, godsdammit.
“Can you, for once, not behave like a territorial bastard?”
“Sure. Right when you stop endangering yourself and all of us for a past fancy.”
“They only want to help, Dion. You heard them. They plan to go to Ivreiana to ask the king for a pardon. Stop being so fucking dense.”
“The only dense one is you if you can’t see the danger like I do. What do you think the odds are of them finding you out of the blue somewhere on a random road, weeks of travel away from your hometown?”
“You know what? I’ve liked you better when you’ve ignored me.”
“Then I hope you’ve enjoyed that, Jama,” I chuckled darkly. “Because it ends now. I’m going to be the constant shadow at your side. Good luck getting rid of me for even a second from now on.”