39. Chapter Thirty-Nine #2
“Awe, they’re so cute. I’d give them ten minutes tops with a Roav.” Malina mocked quietly next to me, arms crossed, studying the match.
“Eight,” I countered. I leaned in closer and whispered, “They’re clumsy.”
We both giggled.
“Five,” Nikan snickered, coming up behind us to watch.
“Are you willing to back that up?” Malina taunted.
“Two jobs,” he offered.
“Three.”
Nikan contemplated for a moment. “Deal.” A wicked grin crossed Malina’s face. “But you might want to ask permission before you single-handedly pummel a couple of Noavo warriors.”
“I see no problem with this.” A broad male in fighting leathers approached with Ryker.
He had shaggy hair like Ryker, but was more muscular and slightly taller. His amber eyes glinted while sizing up Malina and I noticed a scar running down the side of his chin. Mavris and a red-haired female followed them as they approached.
Ryker came to stand next to me. “Kya, this is Hakoa, chief of the Noavo Warriors. This is the central location of Oryn’s forces, mainly used for training.
Most of the warriors are stationed elsewhere in the Nation.
” He faced the general. “Hakoa, this is Malina, Nikan, and Kya, Worthy by Kleio and my mate.”
My stomach fluttered at the public admission of our bond.
“Pleased to meet you.” Hakoa bowed his head and his smile widened when he faced me. “And pleased to meet you , Kya.”
“Pleased to meet you as well.” I bowed my head and smiled in return, enjoying meeting those closest to Ryker.
“And this is Arra, chief of the Vaavi.” Ryker nodded toward the female who was eyeing me and my brother and sister suspiciously.
She had pale, freckled skin, and dark hazel eyes. She wasn’t much taller than I was and had a toned body with a long ponytail going down her back.
“You have not sealed the bond,” Arra said pointedly, staring at my unmarked arm. I growled low at her. “Yet you tell them of the Vaavi.”
My eyes narrowed, but Ryker spoke before I had the chance to. “She is to be trusted as I trust you. Her and her family. I will keep nothing from her, and you will do the same, including the Vaavi.” A command from her Lord.
“Which is what exactly?” I asked, continuing to glare at the female.
“Perhaps we could take this elsewhere,” Mavris offered, gesturing to one of the larger buildings, and we all followed them with the exception of Malina and Nikan. Malina skipped to the sparring ring with Nikan right behind her.
We entered the building, which turned out to be the sleeping quarters for Hakoa, as we stood in what was his sitting area. The two males seated themselves while the female leaned against the closed door behind us.
Ryker leaned against the table, facing me. “The Vaavi are an elite team of female wielders that has remained secret since its induction over one hundred years ago. They complete tasks and go on missions that require swift discretion.”
“Unlike the brutes of the Noavo,” Arra mumbled behind me.
“Exactly.” Ryker stepped closer to me and grazed his knuckles down my arm. “Kya, the Vaavi have the book you’ve been searching for.”
I was taken aback, looking between Ryker and Arra. “And how did the Vaavi get it?”
I already knew. But I needed to hear it from them, and I hoped I was wrong.
Ryker nodded to Arra, prompting the leader of the Vaavi to explain.
“When Ryker returned from the Trial of the Gods, he ordered the Vaavi to track down and find this ancient book in an unknown language. The most obvious place to search was Morah. It didn’t take much reconnaissance of the library to hear rumors of the book—Scholars get awfully excited about exotic and mysterious texts and like to talk.
Once we found its exact location, we took it. ” She shrugged.
My fists were clenched so tightly I thought my palms might start to bleed from my nails digging in so hard.
“I heard about the Worthy from Morah. Sorry to have missed you, but we’re meant to go unnoticed.” She winked at me.
Fury flowed through my veins. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. That this bitch, and her band of brats were the ones who broke in. Were they the ones that caused the destruction during the second break-in as well?
Before I could ask, a disturbance erupted outside, dragging our attention.
Hakoa, Mavris, and Arra headed out the door to inspect the chaos and Ryker’s fingers slipped between mine and led us outside behind them.
The crowd was gathered around the training ring, where Malina was taking on four Noavo warriors.
I had to bite back my smile at how easy it was for her going against them.
Ryker was quickly swept away by a couple of Noavo with urgent business, and he left me with Arra at the sparring ring.
We leaned against the wall and watched as Malina knocked every one of them on their asses within minutes without breaking a sweat.
Nikan stood nearby and rolled his eyes, knowing good and well that she was doing that just to show off.
The crowd cheered her on and I noticed several exchanges of coin.
“I’d like to see her fight someone who is actually worthwhile,” Arra snipped from beside me.
“You think you could do better?” I taunted.
“Of course. The Vaavi are unmatched.”
I tilted my head to the side at her and smirked.
“Against who ?” I challenged.
“Anyone.” Arra narrowed her eyes.
Like Scholars perhaps.
“Hmm.”
We all turned as Malina skipped over to us with a smug look on her face.
“Care to take a spin, Kya? It’s fun!” she said.
“Maybe some other time. I’d rather focus on the book that was stolen .” I gave a pointed look to Arra.
“My Lord requested it. I will only hand it over to him, and certainly not another Worthy. Mate or not.”
Bitch.
Ryker rushed over then. “Sorry, but I need to head back,” he said to me with hard eyes and began to usher us all away. “Arra, do you have the book with you?”
She shook her head. “It’s back at the Vaavi base.”
“Alright, bring the book to the meeting tomorrow.”
“Actually, I would feel more comfortable if I had it.” I looked up at him .
“Oh, don’t worry,” Arra said mockingly. Ryker didn’t seem to notice. “I’ll bring it to my home tonight. It’s perfectly safe with me.” She put a hand on her chest.
I narrowed my eyes.
We’ll see about that.
Malina and I exchanged a glance. She gave me a subtle nod, which I returned. I let Ryker whisk us away, back to the palace.
Once we got back, Ryker flew off to deal with some skirmish along the northern end along the Ulrik border. The bond grew taut as he got farther and farther away.
Malina made herself busy while I took Nik out to the training area, where we met with Odarum. I practiced with my wings just like Ryker had suggested, as well as working with my invisibility and throwing in what little manipulation I could, needing to work on doing both at the same time.
Ryker didn’t return until after dark. I lay in his bed and pretended to be asleep when he came in. I could feel him standing at the end of the bed. He stayed there for a few moments before I heard the soft click of the bathing room door shut.
Sometime later, he came back into the room. I felt the brush of lips against my head and a heavy weight sinking into the bed behind me. I nestled into Ryker’s warm body when he placed a protective arm around my midsection. His thumb made rhythmic circles over my skin.
“I belong to you,” he whispered so softly I barely heard it.
And I belong to you.
I waited until his breaths grew deep and even before I carefully crawled out from underneath him and quickly dressed in the clothes I had stashed under the bed, twisted my hair into a braid, then crept across the room and slipped out the door without making a sound.
Malina leaned against the wall in the hallway dressed in her Roav leathers with her mask up, concealing her face. We didn’t speak. We didn’t need to. I pulled up my own mask, and we silently left the palace.
Keeping to the shadows, Malina and I watched the house from the other side of the street.
All was quiet and deserted at that hour.
There hadn’t been any movement since we arrived over an hour earlier.
Malina and I looked at each other and, with a nod of our heads, we bolted across the street. I followed her lead.
It was where she had been all day and why I had insisted that Nikan come to train with me—so that he wouldn’t notice her absence. We needed Nikan to be oblivious, otherwise he would have interfered.
Malina led us to a small window on the back side of the stone and mud house and unsheathed one of her daggers to pry open the window soundlessly. I kept watch while she hoisted herself over the lip of the sill. Once she was in and stepped back, I followed.
We stepped quietly through the house. The halls and rooms were too dark to see well so Malina placed a hand on my shoulder as I navigated our way through to the targeted room she had pointed out to me earlier. When we reached the door, I paused and bent down to place my hand on the stone floor.
No movement from inside.
Slowly, we entered the room. I nodded to Malina and she made her way along the edges while I stalked to the center of the room.
Standing at the side of the bed, I stared down at the female that lay in it.
Only then did I use my invisibility. When Malina signaled she had found what we came for, lightly tapping her foot on the floor two times then leaving the room, I pulled out my dagger.
I held it against the female’s neck and clasped my hand over her mouth.
Arra’s eyes snapped wide open as she looked around frantically. She began to struggle until she noticed the blade at her throat. Her face paled and she panted against my glove.
“Is this how you think those innocent, defenseless Scholars felt? Someone invading their home and slitting their throats as they tried to simply stop a thief?” I pressed the blade down until a drop of blood trickled down the column of her throat.
“They were slit so deep, they barely had their heads still attached.”
I released her mouth.
“We—we didn’t kill anyone. We were long gone by the time that happened. I didn’t even hear about it until I got back.” Her voice trembled.
I had assumed that was true even before I met her. The first break-in was clean and nearly undetected. The second was a gruesome raid. The styles were entirely different and suggested separate assailants.
“I have only one question, then I will let you live.” I leaned closer. She couldn’t tell where she was supposed to look. “How did you get in?”
She swallowed. “There was a door—a door near the top of the east spire. I air-elevated us up to it.”
“How did you know of it? ”
“Some female got drunk with one of the warriors and told him. He told us. You can’t see it but if you look for it, you can see a small bit of distorted light.”
Mal…
“Clever.” I leaned in even closer. “But I want you to remember,” She flinched at my proximity. “The Vaavi are no match for a Roav.”
She gasped and her eyes widened. She didn’t see the hand I swung at her head, hitting her hard enough in the temple to knock her unconscious.