Page 26 of Demon’s Reign

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He gave one last bow before heading back to his duties, leaving us alone again. We continued to feed the griffin more peaches, and little by little Ryker’s defenses began to chip away.

Removing the last peach from my bag, I took a deep breath, preparing myself for my next move in this game of stratagem. “Why do you think I want to learn how to fight?” I asked, rolling the fuzzy peach from one hand to the other.

Ryker looked up from petting Arrow and narrowed his eyes, his walls rising back up. Scratching out a note, he held it out for me.Because you want to try to kill the person who attacked you the night of the Harvest Festival, who you think is me.

“You’re wrong,” I murmured.Pretend that he’s his twin, I forced myself not to look away. He cocked an eyebrow, reaching out to scratch Arrow, who nudged him with her beak, but he didn’t look away. “I don’t want to kill you—I don’t want to kill anyone. I just want to be able to protect myself and my sister—” His brows raised as a smirk curled his lip, and I fought back a glare. “Just hear me out. Okay?”

He nodded.

“I know I’m weak and I’ll never be a master like you—but I have to try,” my voice broke, and I looked away. He didn’t care about my plight; he just wanted me dead.But you need him to lower his guard,a voice in my head reminded me, and I struggled to regain my composure.

A light touch brushed my arm, and I turned to Ryker towering over me. I tilted my head to meet his gaze. It was softer than before and something light, like feathers, stirred within me. I shoved the feeling away to deal with later. I had bigger problems at the moment to worry about than unnamed emotions.

“I know you don’t care about any of this; you’re just here for the money and status it’ll bring you, but you couldn’t have come at a worse time,” I explained, brushing past him. I gave Arrow a quick pat goodbye and the last peach. She trilled happily as I headed across the bustling stables for the orchard on the other side. Ryker followed, our golem guards lurking like shadows not far away.

The fall sun warmed my skin, the breeze rustling my hair and skirt. Meandering through the rows of trees, I nodded to a servant in the process of pruning a tree and we passed by the golem holding the ladder for him. Most golems around the palace were guards, but there were others that worked in the garden, stables, vineyard and orchard, assisting the empress’ servants. Their directive came from the unique command insignia on their foreheads, but regardless of their duty, golems were created to serve, and if given a task from their master, would complete it to the best of their ability

Finding one of the older peach trees, I lowered myself into its shade and patted the grass beside me. Ryker’s eyes flicked from my hand to my face before he stiffly sat, positioning himself a few paces further than I’d indicated.

I laughed, wondering if he had as little experience with women as I did with men. A muscle along his jaw tightened, and I hid my smirk behind my hand. Guess he hadn’t been expecting to see this side of me, and in all honesty, I couldn’t blame him. I hadn’t exactly been nice to him since he’d met me.

Leaning back against the rough bark of the tree, I prayed to the goddess he wouldn’t kill me and closed my eyes. “Before the Harvest Festival, I’d never met one of your people. I don’t know who wanted me dead—or why—just that I’d never seen eyes like his before…” I cracked an eyelid. Ryker watched me, his face neutral.

“Eyes like yours,” I continued. “I’m sorry about how I’ve been acting—and yes, at first I did think that you were the same man who tried to kill me—I mean, two Outlanders in two days? What are the odds of that? But I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re not him,” I lied, watching Ryker for any hint that he’d taken the bait.

He didn’t move, nor did his expression change.

I dropped my gaze to my pale hands and twisted my fingers together to keep them from shaking. “The reason I’m trying to learn to fight, that Ineedto learn how to fight, is so that the empress will change her mind about moving the Ascension to my seventeenth birthday. . . so I have more time to live.”

A scratching noise ensued, and I looked up to Ryker scribbling another note. This one took a bit longer to write out, and I waited, curious to know what his thoughts were. Scooting closer, he moved his hands in a slow gesture, then passed over the note.

I’m sorry.Well, it wasn’t a confession of love, but it was a start.I didn’t realize what you’re going through. And I’m sorry for what I said earlier in the training room. It was upsetting the way you’re so scared of me when I only just met you, and you won’t even give me a chance.

Unease prodded me. He reallywasa good actor—so sincere. Even I almost believed he wasn’t the same man who’d tried to assassinate me. Almost.

I glanced up, forcing down my fear. “I’m sorry too. Iamtrying to do better, and I promise I’ll give you the chance if you want it.”

Ryker’s gold eyes remained fixated on me—judging me.

I squashed my fears as deep down as I possibly could, forcing myself not to flinch away, but to look and actually see him. To see the depth of his eyes—specks of lighter amber mixing with the deeper gold—giving him a fearsome exoticness. His tawny skin shone under the touch of the overhead sun as it cast small shadows off his high cheekbones and strong jawline, contouring his face. Warmth ignited in my cheeks, working its way through me, kicking my heart into overdrive and leaving me breathless. I wanted it to stop, but refused to look away first.

Ryker’s eyes bore into mine, an emotion I was unsure of filled them as he leaned toward me. My breath hitched in my throat, my eyes widening before a distant scream rent the air.

11

Abandoned Daughter

IjerkedawayfromRyker so fast my back slammed into the bark of the peach tree, scratching my skin. I gasped but ignored the pain. Ryker shot up and stretched out his hand.

“T-thank you,” I stuttered, accepting his help. He pulled me up, but I couldn’t meet his gaze. Taking a deep breath, I slipped my hand from his and tried to fight my trembling. It wouldn’t stop as I forced myself to start moving back toward the palace and the sound of the scream that might have very well saved my dignity.

What the sin had just happened? My heart still beat like a caged bird in my chest, and I snuck a sidelong glance up at Ryker, who strode along beside me. His neutral mask was once more in place, like nothing had happened between us—like he hadn’t almost tried to kiss me seconds ago. . . like I hadn’t almost let him.

A shudder ripped through me, even though I should have been rejoicing at the fact that he’d shown weakness. I shoved those thoughts aside as we walked across the cobblestones and back into the palace. Upon entering, the world went dark. I blinked, trying to adjust to the dimness of the lights. It took me a minute, but I kept moving, the halls familiar enough to me that I didn’t need perfect sight to navigate them.

I had no clue who had screamed or why, but when a group of guards rushed across our path into an adjoining hallway, I didn’t hesitate to follow. Ryker and the golems close on my heels, I trailed after the guards as they pelted headlong down the wooden walled corridors. Several turns later, I recognized the familiar paintings along the hallway. Rounding another bend, we once again exited the palace, entering the beautified central gardens. Lush greenery and manicured flowers and shrubs surrounded me, everything centered around a sparkling crystal pond with a huge fountain depicting several frolicking mermaids rising from its center.

A crowd of servants, guards, and other palace workers gathered at the edge of the pond. The wall of bodies obscured what they were looking at, but a river of blood leaked past them through the blades of grass, and my heart stopped.


Tags: J.R. White Paranormal