Xaden’s lifted hand is raised at his chest, clenched in a partial fist, and wrath chills his eyes as he stares up at the viscount, whose feet kick for the ground.
Tecarus tears ineffectually at the shadows strangling his neck and, from the garbled sound of his breathing, he’s slowly asphyxiating.
“Xaden, please don’t!” Cat cries.
Xaden’s grip only tightens as the rain dissipates to a drizzle.
Tecarus gurgles, and fliers draw their weapons, but one growl from Sgaeyl is enough to keep them from advancing on Xaden.
I lower the portion of my shields that allows Xaden in, then send every ounce of my love down the bond. “I’m all right.”
He tears his gaze from Tecarus, the barely caged fury in his eyes making him nearly unrecognizable.
“Loosen your grip on his throat,” I say calmly. “He can’t answer questions if he’s dead.”
Two lines appear between Xaden’s dark brows, and his grip eases. Moving to his side, I make sure that my shoulder brushes his arm, that he can feel me physically as well as mentally. “You’re lucky you’re not dead,” I say up at Tecarus’s blotchy face. “If you’d put Xaden in that kind of danger, I’m not sure I would have been as merciful.”
“You call this mercy?” Tecarus asks through gasped breaths, still kicking for the ground.
“Yes,” Xaden says softly.
“You quarried the stones from east of the Dunness River, the land that borders the Barrens. It had already been drained of its magic.”
“Yes!” Tecarus shouts.
Xaden swears under his breath.
“You built a pit for them, which means you’ve captured more than just that one.” Puffs of steam rise from my skin, but at least I don’t feel like I’m burning alive.
“I’ll tell you everything we know,” Tecarus assures us. “Just let me down.”
“And we’re supposed to trust you?” Brennan asks from my other side.
“We were able to keep that one from feeding for days—”
“Because the runes on the Rybstad chest hold items placed inside suspended in midair,” Xaden interrupts. “He couldn’t reach the ground to drain it until you opened the chest. I don’t need you to tell me things I already know.” He drops his hand, and the shadows evaporate.
Tecarus slams into the marble patio, grasping for his throat.
Xaden crouches down. “If you ever want to have words about why I severed that alliance, then you come for me. Violet is beyond your reach. If you so much as look her direction with anything but the utmost kindness and respect, I’ll kill you without a second thought and let Syrena take her place as your heir. Do you understand me?” His voice has that icy softness that sends chills up my spine.
Tecarus nods.
“Apologize.”
“I’m fine.” He’s taking this too far. This man is second in line to the Poromish throne.
“You do not take punishments designed for me.”
“You have my most sincere apology, Violet Sorrengail,” Tecarus croaks through abused vocal cords. “Now where does this leave us, Riorson?”
Xaden stands. “Now we negotiate.”
An hour later, we’re fed and changed into dry flight leathers, the four of us sitting across the cleared dining room table from Tecarus, Cat, Syrena, half a dozen aristocrats, and one general immediately to Tecarus’s left.
Every person in the room is unarmed with the exception of Xaden and me, but our signets make it so we’re never defenseless.
“May I present my offer first?” Tecarus asks, tugging his collar away from the red welts across his throat.
“You may,” Brennan answers.
Xaden’s hand slides over my left thigh and stays there. He’s had one hand on me since leaving the patio. It’s amazing I managed to get into my flight leathers, but I get it. If I’d just watched him face down a venin, I’d probably be in his fucking lap right now.
“Your power is…astounding.” Tecarus shakes his head slowly at me, as if awestruck. “And you’re still untrained. Just think of what you’ll be a few years from now, or even one.”
Xaden’s hand splays wide, and I lace my fingers over his.
“That doesn’t sound like an offer.” I keep my voice as level as possible, trying like hell to ignore that this man nearly killed not only me but Brennan and Mira.
Anger rises to boiling wrath swiftly—too swiftly.
I glance at Cat. “Stay out of my head or I’ll start wielding inside.”
