40. Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty
Ryker
I knew that Kya had been angered when Arra told her they broke into Morah.
Guilt washed over me when I saw the fury in her eyes.
While I hadn’t explicitly told the Vaavi to trespass and steal from the great library, they were working under my command and therefore, it was my fault.
Regardless, Kya would have had the book either way and hopefully it would offer some insight into what the Glaev truly was.
If we could figure it out, maybe we could find a way to stop it, and the threat to my Nation.
That was the biggest reason why we couldn’t seal the bond.
I wasn’t worried about the council of Sages and Worthy.
And I wouldn’t have let them prevent us anyway.
I would have burned them where they stood.
I would have snaked my shadows into every orifice of their pathetic bodies and smothered them.
I would have entered their minds and snapped their sanity or taken complete control until their hearts stopped.
Them, I could control. But I couldn’t control the Glaev.
Kya was in a surprisingly good mood that day and spent most of it training with Odarum. She was quickly learning to manage her magic from Kleio, and the muscles in her back were getting stronger each time she manifested her wings.
She’ll be flying soon.
Kya walked back to me, skin glistening with sweat. Seeing her using her magic so well after only a couple of weeks after manifesting showed me how driven and dedicated she was. She stood beside me, our fingers entwining before we went back to the palace.
When we arrived, Kya went to bathe and change. I had expected her to be apprehensive of water seeing as she nearly drowned, and I felt a slight unease from her, but she surprised me by confronting any fear she may have had with it.
My mate was headstrong and determined. And not just when it came to herself.
She had stood up for people she hadn’t even known.
I thought back to when she had advocated for the refugees, that fiery look in her eyes.
Fuck, that look alone could have brought me to my knees.
Not to mention her unyielding stature as she lifted her chin to me and demanded I let them stay.
She refused to back down, and she was right.
And Gods, if that didn’t do something to me. Something I wasn’t at all prepared for.
I met with Mavris to discuss the border breach from yesterday. Things had been tense ever since the Glaev incident a few weeks ago and when a few hunters from Ulrik wandered just inside our borders, some of the nearby villagers overreacted and attacked them.
“I was surprised you didn’t interfere between Arra and Kya,” Mavris said while waiting on me to finish writing orders for the Noavo. “They didn’t seem to get along.”
“There are few Arra does like, and it’s not unanticipated that they clash. Both are tenacious and relentless.” I didn’t lift my head .
“Anticipated or not, you still allowed the leader of the Vaavi to speak to your mate like that. Her future Lady if I’m not mistaken.”
I lifted my head up now to look at him. “Exactly.”
“I don’t follow.” He quirked an eyebrow.
“If Kya is going to be Lady of Oryn, she has to earn Arra’s, and everyone else’s, respect on her own. I can’t do it for her. I can’t step in for her.”
“Very wise of you.”
“Says my advisor,” I mumbled. I leaned back in my chair and ran a hand through my hair. “Besides, Kya explicitly instructed me not to interfere in these kinds of situations. She can handle herself.”
Mavris chuckled. “Maybe she truly is meant to be our Lady. That mate of yours has you showing a kind of restraint I’ve never seen.”
I rolled my eyes, but didn’t bother to hold back my grin. “You have no idea.”
Once we finished sorting out the logistics of ensuring that the border issue didn’t escalate into another godsdamned war, I went back up to the bedchamber.
I had wanted to find Arra earlier so that we could retrieve the book before the meeting with my chiefs, and I knew that Kya would like to have it sooner anyway.
But she had insisted on cleaning up first, so I sent Mavris to have Arra bring it.
Kya was still in the bathing room when I returned, so I settled myself in a chair and waited for her to finish. I listened to the water lapping at the sides of the tub and her sweet muffled humming. I closed my eyes and leaned my head on the back of the chair.
Fingers lightly danced over my shoulder just before I felt the brushing of the most precious lips on my temple.
I must have dozed off for a few minutes because I opened my eyes to find Kya standing in front of me dressed in a striking evening gown of green, so dark it was almost black, and accentuated her eyes.
The dress touched the floor and had a slit up one side, giving me a full view of her long gorgeous leg to the top of her thigh.
It was high enough to taunt me, like an invitation to run my hand up underneath and see if she was wet for me.
The material was snug against her body, shaping every curve and leaving little to the imagination.
Her hair was down and swept over her shoulders, covering the thin straps, and the neckline was cut low below her breasts.
Gods, she was beautiful.
The dress was nice, but I knew that it would have looked much better on the floor.
I couldn’t help imagining sliding those straps down her shoulders, kissing my way down her chest as I peeled the dress off her body until she was bared to me.
My eyes shuttered when I scented her arousal as I trailed my eyes over her body.
I stood, wrapping my arm around her waist, pulling her to me, and leaned in close enough that our noses touched.
“Little gem, how can you expect me to sit at dinner and keep myself from touching you when you’re dressed like that?” My voice was low and guttural.
I’d had some workers arrange a wardrobe for her, but I hadn’t specifically told them what to put in it. I was not displeased with their choices.
Kya ran the palm of her hand up my chest and around to the back of my neck, dragging her fingers through my hair with a light scrape of her nails. I shivered, and my trousers suddenly became too tight. Her nostrils flared slightly, and she pressed her body harder against me.
“I guess you’ll just have to behave yourself,” she whispered.
My hand went to her thigh and slowly slid up the slit of her dress.
She bit her lip and I wanted to snatch it up in mine and finally taste her, but I held myself back.
I reached around and grabbed her perfect ass.
She whimpered softly and moved against me causing me to groan, wanting to feel even more of her and learn what other sounds my touch could bring.
Her head tilted up, exposing her neck, before I kissed and nipped it. She wrapped her leg around me and I held her even tighter. She reached her hand between us and slipped it underneath my shirt, touching my skin.
“Ryker,” she breathed.
“Fuck, Kya.” Hearing my name in that sultry voice nearly had me taking her to the bed and shredding that dress off of her. “There’s so much I want to do to you.”
“Tell me.”
I grazed my teeth down her neck to her shoulder. “I want to feel all of you.” I slipped the thin strap over her shoulder and kissed there. “I want to taste all of you.” I trailed my lips down her chest and she arched into me. “I want to claim all of you.”
Her breath caught when I grabbed under her thigh and pulled it higher, pressing my cock to her core.
“I want you . Do you feel what you do to me?”
She nodded slowly. “Yes. Now feel what you do to me.”
She moved my hand up her thigh, up and up and up. The tips of my fingers grazed the outside of her panties, damp with her arousal, and she let out a breathless moan.
So wet…
A low growl rumbled deep in my chest, as I tried desperately to keep a hold of my control. My fingers slid to the edge of the material so that I could move it aside and truly feel what I did to her.
She pulled back suddenly, and I quickly removed my hands. I looked at her with concern that I had hurt her somehow, upset her, but she rolled her eyes and sighed.
“I’ll get it.”
Then there was a knock at the door.
Kya must have felt someone approaching. I adjusted myself in an attempt to hide my aching cock, but it was pointless. I reached out with my mind to find out who disrupted us and my eyebrows creased just before Kya opened the door for Arra.
“Arra,” Kya greeted.
I approached the door and stood behind Kya, grazing my knuckles down her exposed back. Her skin pebbled at my touch and I felt her caress the bond.
“Lord Ryker.” She bowed her head.
“Good evening, Arra.” I forced a smile. Her timing couldn’t have been more inconvenient. “Did Mav talk to you?”
“He did.” Arra hung her head. “And I’m sorry to say that…the book was stolen.”
My eyes widened and my nostrils flared.
“Oh no,” Kya said in a flat tone. “How disappointing seeing as you insisted that it was safe with you.”
“What. Happened.” I gritted my teeth.
“I was attacked last night. They knocked me out. Some of the event is still fuzzy but I didn’t notice that it was missing for some time. We’ve been searching for it all day but…” Arra’s voice trailed off.
“To be robbed in your own home…must have been a worthwhile opponent for the chief of the Vaavi. What a shame. That book was quite important, as you know,” Kya said.
She was acting rather odd .
“Well, I’m sure we’ll sort it out. But for now, let’s go eat.” Kya smiled and walked out the door.
Very odd indeed.
It wasn’t like her to just let this go, but I had a feeling she was up to something. She was way too calm.