Chapter 54
Ryder
To say things have been awkward the past couple of weeks would be an understatement.
Despite Damien and I deciding to keep our personal lives separate from each other, having to work closely with him has made things quite uncomfortable.
It’s even worse when Reign shows up. If someone were to have told me a year ago, I would be in a love triangle, I would’ve laughed in their face right before tossing them into a wall.
I suppose I could just assign him to a unit and be done with it, but he’s too valuable.
As much as I don’t like to admit it, his place is alongside Artemus.
Between the two of them and Kane, I feel secure in our Leadership.
If only I could say the same about my relationship with Reign.
It was easier when Damien was away, but with him here, it’s like she’s walking on eggshells around the both of us.
Scared that one wrong move will hurt him or me.
I do my best to keep the thoughts of their relationship out of my head but there are moments of weakness when I find myself wondering what it is they talk about. If there are things she shares with him and not me. But those thoughts only seem to send me into an endless spiral.
Still, I was pleasantly surprised to find out she decided to stop being intimate with Damien while she figures out how she feels. That at least levels the playing field a bit.
“This came for you,” Artemus says, handing me an envelope sealed with the Infinite Sea insignia.
It’s an invitation.
King Ryder,
I would like to invite you, Reign, Damien, and Amaya to join us in a celebration of marriage next week.
I know it’s short notice, but my partner and I have decided that we want to seal our souls with the Eternal Promise before the inevitable war begins.
Anthony and I hope you will be able to join us for the joyous ceremony.
All accommodations will be made upon your arrival. Blessings to all.
Zaro
“What’s it say?” Artemus asks, peering over the top.
“Looks like I’ll be away next week.” I hand the invitation to him.
“Oh, shit.” He tries to muffle his laughter with his hand but fails miserably. “What I would give to watch the two of you fight over her at a wedding.”
“There will be no fighting,” I assure, plucking the invitation out of his hand.
“We’ll see about that,” he taunts in a condescending tone.
“I can be civil.”
“I know you can. Doesn’t mean you will.”
Amaya and Reign grab onto each other and begin jumping up and down when I tell them about the invitation.
“I’ve never been to a wedding before!” Amaya squeals.
“Me either! It’s going to be so romantic!”
Girls.
“What are we going to wear?” Amaya suddenly looks stressed and sprints to her closet. One of the dresses she tosses over her shoulder hits me in the face, and I quickly stop her before her entire wardrobe ends up in a mess on the floor.
“Relax. Everything is going to be taken care of.”
“Oh, thank The Mother! I don’t have anything nice enough for an Infinite Sea wedding.”
“All you need to worry about is filling Zane in on who everyone is.”
She whirls around on her heel so fast that she stumbles. “Wait, he’s coming? I thought it was just the four of us.”
“I got special approval for Zane to come along, too. I figured this little trip would be good for the two of you after spending so much time apart.”
She springs into my arms, nearly knocking me over. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
Reign catches my gaze as I embrace her twisted sister and I can tell I’ve earned myself a few points with the gesture, though, I didn’t do it for her.
Amaya would do anything for the ones she loves, and that deserves to be reciprocated.
So much of her life revolves around Reign and the others that I think she forgets to make herself a priority sometimes.
“Thank you,” Reign silently mouths to me.
I wink and it makes her smile that sweet smile.
“Alright, I have to get back for a council meeting.” I turn my attention to Reign. “Care to join?”
“Actually, yes.”
Every once in a while, she sits in on them but most of the time she opts out, claiming the military talk goes right over her head. Military strategy isn’t always the focus, but it has been lately. Today will be more of a check in though, so she should be able to keep up.
Everyone is already positioned around the table when we walk in, including Damien whose eyes narrow on the two of us before he looks away, attempting to appear unbothered.
There’s a slight feeling of satisfaction seeing his discomfort.
It’s not that I would wish this on anyone, but I do my fair share of seeing them together so it’s only right we both suffer.
“Who would like to start?”
Jace puts his hand up and clears his throat.
“We’ve begun intermixing the Dread Woods beasts with our military units.
The witches plan to meet with the Dread Woods’ leader next week and begin creating replicas of the creatures for our units to train against. Akari, Zane, and Amaya have done solid research that our people have already begun studying.
Any missing information will be filled in by their chosen council. ”
“That’s good to hear.” I offer him a pleased nod. “I want them to feel welcomed so keep an eye on any brewing tension that might build over the next couple of weeks.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Next.”
Artemus looks uneasy which has me bracing myself for bad news.
“There’s still no information on how to find the lost island,” he reports. “We’re growing desperate. I think it’s time we reconsider trying the portals again.”
I shake my head. “No. Not yet. It’s too risky.”
“But—”
“That’s final,” I order in the tone he knows not to argue with.
“We’ll keep at it then.”
Once I get back from the wedding, I need to make that my top priority. Jace, Kane, and Damien can handle the creatures and military. Finding the lost island again is my responsibility.
As the updates carry on, I notice the strain on Reign’s face.
She likes to be in the know, but hearing the details of everything takes its toll on her.
Her empathy runs deep, and she carries the weight of the war on her shoulders.
It’s one of the things we have in common, I suppose.
Our relentless need to burden ourselves with the pressure to save everyone.
The only difference is, I’m the king. It’s my duty, not hers.
After the meeting ends, Damien is caught up in conversation with Jace and Kane, so I use the opportunity to steal Reign away.
When we reappear next to the hourglass shaped pool, I’m thankful no one else is around.
Of course, I could clear the room in a matter of seconds, but it’s not something I like to do.
I’d rather my people feel comfortable with me around.
“What are we doing here?” she asks, leaning over to look at the sky-blue water.
“The council meeting was intense. I thought you could use a break from all the talk of impending doom.”
“A break would be nice,” she agrees.
A second later she begins slipping off her shoes. Once she starts unbuttoning her pants, I quickly turn around.
“You don’t have to look away. I mean, unless you need to.”
I should. I should stay turned around with my eyes trained on the stone wall several feet away from me instead of trailing up her legs. But of course, the discipline I have in every other aspect of my life ceases to exist when I’m around her.
I turn around to find her standing in her underwear that only covers half of her perfectly curved ass and a tight, white camisole that will surely become see-through the moment she enters the water.
I expect her to jump into the pool and wait for me to join her but instead she walks over to me and slowly begins lifting my shirt up. Once it gets hard for her to reach, I take over and pull it over my head. Her touch is so electrifying that it sends an intense shiver down my spine.
She continues, running her fingertips down my chest and intently traces each one of my abs as she makes her way to my buckle. She looks up at me as she slips the leather through the metal ring. As soon as her fingers start on the button of my pants, I have to stop her hands with mine.
“Too much?” she asks, pulling away.
I rest my forehead on hers and sigh. “It’s all too much with you.”
“I’m sorry,” she says quietly like she regrets the last sixty seconds.
“Don’t be,” I tell her, tilting her chin up with my finger. “I’d rather be tortured by you than loved by anyone else.”
Her expression is hard to read. I decide things have gotten too serious and swoop her up in my arms.
“What are you doing?” she giggles in that childlike way that makes the darkest parts of me light up.
“Let me know how the water feels.”
“Wait—”
It’s too late. I’m already tossing her into the steady pool of water before she can tell me not to. By the time she comes back up for air, I’m already jumping in after her. When I run my hands down my face and open my eyes, I’m instantly hit with a wave of water.
“That’s for throwing me in,” she teases with a proud grin.
I shake my wet hair near her face, and she squeals.
“That’s for wearing a white top.” She looks down, and it’s like she’s just now realizing how much of her I can see. She crosses her arms over her chest, but I pull them away. “I want to see you.”
Her nipples seem to harden at my confession and hundreds of water droplets begin floating around us.
“Whoa,” she says, tapping a few with her finger. “Is this because…” She looks down at the top that is clinging to her perky breasts.
“Accessing my power helps me… stay relaxed in other areas.”
Her face goes beet red, and she dips under the water to hide it.
I release the hold on my magic and the two of us swim circles around each other, discussing anything but us and war.
It feels comfortable and natural. I never knew that having a foundation of friendship could make such a difference in a relationship.
I never had that with Elizabeth. Our love was surface level and we were na?ve.
Nothing like what I experience with Reign.
“I didn’t know Zaro was with anyone,” she says as she floats on her back.
“I knew, but I respected his choice to keep that part of his life private. It’s easier to keep someone you love safe if no one knows about them.”
“That just feels kind of sad though, doesn’t it?”
I shrug. “There are pros and cons to everything. I guess it’s just up to everyone to decide what price is worth paying.”
“I suppose.” She stops floating and begins treading water again. “I don’t want to be protected. I want to be known.”
“What do you mean by that?”
I pull her into me, so she doesn’t have to keep fighting to stay above the surface and she wraps her legs around my waist. The fabric of my fitted boxers does little to compress the part of me that grows with my need for her.
Seeing as how I refuse to let go of her, I loosen the leash on my power once again.
This time, the lights flicker and the chairs that outline the room begin to float, along with the small droplets of water.
She glances around and then starts to run her fingers through my wet hair as I walk us around the pool.
“When I lived in The House of Waif all of those years, I liked that I was invisible. It was better that way. But then I went to the Sector, and I met friends who became family. And after that, I died and thought my life had been wasted.” She runs her hand down my chest, stopping to trace over the X that serves as a reminder that my love is bound by death.
“It’s taken me a long time to understand that my existence matters.
Not just because I’m a phoenix but because I matter.
My life has an impact and I want people to know who Reign Calloway really is. ”
I grab her chin, drawing her eyes back mine.
“And so they will.”