Where was she? Where was she?
“Gibson!”
“Your highness.” Eyes wide, he dismounted, lowering himself into a bow. “I was on my way to Matherin to report to you. I did not expect to see you outside—”
Eithan silenced him with no more than an impatient flick of his wrist. He was in no mood for guilty rambling, his father’s words trickling into his ears, mocking him.
By nature, Eithan wasn’t a trusting person. His life among nobles and vipers had made sure of that. But he’d been meticulous with who he’d chosen to guard his back. He’d permitted himself to trust those men with his life and his friendship. The possibility that his choice may have been made in ignorance was a hard concept to swallow, like a jagged stone caught in his throat.
“I am only interested in Vera. Report. Where is she?”
Gibson rose, eyes flickering to the men as he stood at attention. “In Midpath, your highness, with a Magyki who goes by, Jaren.” His lip curled over the name.
Eithan gritted his teeth until his jaw felt like it’d pop. After his conversation with Elric, he’d been sure it was a Magyki who took her, but hearing it confirmed still infuriated him. His mind went to the blood on her dress. “Is she hurt?”
“No.” Gibson paused, stuttering over his words like he wasn’t confident about his answer. “At least, she wasn’t when we separated. She’s confused, your highness, but I don’t believe she’s in danger.” He lowered his eyes to the ground.
Eithan glared down at the worn-looking man, fighting the urge to punch him in the face. To do more than that. “I trusted you to keep her safe, yet here you are, having abandoned your duty.”
Gibson kept his head down as if his pathetic act of subservience would help him. “She demanded I leave, your highness. I fought to return her home, but she is adept with a blade. Even if she couldn’t have bested me, the Magyki would have killed me if I stayed. I would’ve laid down my life for her with no hesitation. But I feared no one knew where she’d been taken, and if I did not return, she’d never be found.”
Eithan’s anger ebbed—barely. “You said she’s in no danger, but I find that hard to believe. He won’t hurt her?” The question was pointless. He knew she’d already been injured. But Gibson shook his head, finally glancing up.
“Vera could stand on her own if he tried, but I don’t believe he will. He seems to care about her well-being, but everything he’s told her has been cryptic. He’s hiding something, but she’s blinded by his fantastical stories of Bhasura. All I know is he’s desperate to get her off Aleron.”
Eithan nodded. That sounded like something one of those pointy-eared barbarians would do, especially if he knew who she truly was. What he wasn’t sure was whether or not Vera knew. The idea that she was willingly leaving rankled him.
“I spoke with the Weapon’s Master. I know she was trained, and I know it was she, who I sparred. But even her skills are no match against a skilled Magyki. Now that she’s alone, she has no choice but to follow him.” He glared at his guard.
“She’s…changed, your highness.”
Three seconds. That’s all it took for Eithan to dismount, his long strides eating the distance between them. He tried to calm his racing heart, but the adrenaline pumping through his veins told him he was failing.
“Changed how?” His voice came out harsher than he’d intended.
Gibson’s eyes widened. “After she was accidentally injured, Jaren tried to teach her about whatever abilities they possess. But something happened.” He grimaced, “She doesn’t look human anymore.”
Eithan stood, spine locked and fists balled, as he told him about Vera’s surge of power and how it’d altered her appearance. That it had shocked even the Magyki native.
Gibson fidgeted in shame. “I have failed you, your highness. May your blade run true where my actions have not,” he said, quoting part of the oath all Matherin guards were sworn to.
He had failed, willingly and knowingly, and Eithan would be expected to take his life as punishment. That festering anger wanted to take his life. But he pushed it down. Not yet. Not until Vera was returned safely home to him.
“You have been a loyal guard for several years, Gibson. For that reason alone, I will not decide punishment until we are back within the capital walls. Be thankful I am giving you that much.”
Eithan motioned for the rest of his party to prepare to move. “Get back on your mount and tell me everything. Leave nothing out. We make haste for Midpath.”
JAREN
He took a long pull from the mug of ale he’d ordered downstairs, swishing it around his mouth before swallowing. The sleazy innkeeper had charged him double what it was worth, which was definitely more than he should’ve spent given their impending necessities, but he was desperate. He flung back the rest, half drowning himself in the process.
He needed to get her taste out of his mouth. Needed to forget how her inner muscles had clenched around his finger and how the smell of her sex overtook every other gods damn thought in his head.
He’d never recover. She was everything he could ever want and so much more. He’d never be able to take another female to bed, nor would he ever want to. He’d fantasized for days about ruining her, but her innocent, inexperienced ass ruined him instead.
He was in so much fucking trouble.
Jaren ran his hands through his hair. He needed to leave. He told her he would plan out the next steps of their trip, and he hadn’t been lying. He needed to do it, and the quicker he did, the quicker he could get back upstairs to wash and sleep. The thought of holding her body close to his and falling asleep with his nose buried in her hair already had him semi-hard.
He could just say fuck it and go back upstairs now and pull her to him. She was probably soaking in the tub now, with her long legs and perky breasts peeking out of the water. The pathetic excuse for a tub was too small to join her, but after she finished, he could take her glistening, naked form and sprawl her across the bed.
Before he knew it, he was hard and had taken two steps toward the stairs before stopping. The war between his head and his cock was painful. He was drawing attention from some of the straggling late-night patrons as he continued to stand there, drowning in desire, staring at the stairs like they were his greatest nemesis.
Get yourself together, Barilias.
He couldn’t take that next step with her, no matter how badly their bond demanded it. How badly his body demanded it. It was just as true now as it was earlier when he’d told her. She didn’t understand what would happen if she allowed him to claim her in that way. How their bond would change.