In that moment together, time did not exist. I don’t know how long we knelt there, but it was a while before my trembling subsided, yet he didn’t let go. My mind cleared somewhat as rationality finally caught up with it, and I felt like an idiot. Cassie wasn’t dying; she would be fine, but the suddenness of it all had been too much with Tarra’s death still raw and so close...
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, grateful for the darkness that hid my face.
I tried to pull away, but Ryker’s arms didn’t budge, and he lowered his forehead to rest on mine. A chill crawled up my spine, making my breath catch in my throat and my mind became crystal clear and focused.
Would he try to kiss me? Maybe he hadn’t been as opposed to the notion as I thought he was. Either way, I wouldn’t ask him again—that had gone oversowell last time, but I wouldn’t deny him either. After my little heart to heart with Cassie earlier and acknowledging the way I felt around Ryker—the way my heart always raced when he was near, or the subtle fire his gaze set to my insides—I could no longer pretend I didn’t care about him, or that I didn’t desire to know more about him, and to be closer with him—regardless of the empress’ demands.
Glancing up, my heart stopped. The moon silhouetted his lean frame. He lifted his head, his gold eyes finding mine; cold, dead, and heartless. As he raised his hand, starlight glinted off the blade he held. I was such a fool! He wasn’t here to comfort me or kiss me. He was going to kill me.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice broken and rough.
My brain stuttered, unable to comprehend what he was saying, that he wasspeaking! A choked laugh escaped my throat. Even I’d fallen for his lies, it seemed. I could scream, but by the time anyone got there—no matter how quickly—it would be too late.
His arm dropped, and everything disappeared.
19
Demons in the Dark
Blacknesssurroundedme,aweightless sensation accompanying my body as I experienced something I’d never felt before—flying. Shimmering stars filled the velvet heavens above, closer than I’d ever seen before as their silver hues winked down at me. I smiled as wind rushed around me, tugging at my hair and clothes and brushing along my skin.
So this is what it felt like to die? I don’t know what I’d been expecting, but it sure wasn’t this. The pleasant sensation and muscular arms carrying me to my next destination—
Muscular arms?
Jerking fully awake, I found my legs strapped into a saddle. Arrows' feathered neck stretched before me and her golden wings rose and fell on either side in powerful strokes. Where in Lucifer’s name was I? I twisted around and my eyes widened. It wasn’t some angelic being holding me but Ryker. My shriek ripped away in the wind, and I shoved him as anger raged within me. I might not be dead, but he was about to be.
Arrow screeched, and my stomach jumped into my throat as we dropped.
“Princess, calm down!” I froze, the deep rasp of Ryker’s voice catching me off guard. The only reason I could hear his shout over the wind was because I was unfortunately still too close. I couldn't move or get away from him with both our legs cinched to the saddle
Snatching for the ties, I started tugging on them, but one of his hands engulfed mine, pulling them away while his other still held the reins.
“Let me go!” I wrenched out of his grasp, glowering.
“You’ll fall if you untie yourself—”
“Anything’s better than being stuck up here with you. You tried to kill me!” Not sure why I wasn’t dead when I’d literally been the world's easiest target, but still.
Pain flickered in his eyes, his lips hardening into a thin line, but he held up his free hand in a placating gesture, leaning away.
“Kaleah!”
“Cassie?” Her voice barely reached my ears, but I spun, searching the sky. Several wing-spans away, Alex’s familiar black griffin, Coal, soared through the air, Cassie and Alex perched on his back. So Rykerwasn’tkidnapping me. Good to know.
“What are we doing up here?” I shouted, cupping my hands around my mouth.
“We’re running away,” she shouted back, mimicking my gesture.
Running away?Her words were like a bucket of river water over my head, shocking me into silence. We couldn’t run away—we couldn’t just up and leave everything—Ari, the empress, our kingdom. . . could we? My eyes darted to the vastness surrounding us. No golems or servants or maids loitered in the shadows. There was no one waiting, wanting, watching, no one to expect or desire anything of me. No one requiring I give up my life for the greater good—but that's what I'd been born for.
Ryker moved behind me, reigniting my fury, and I pushed aside my drifting thoughts. I’d deal with them later; right now there was only one thing that mattered.
“Why’s he here?” I shouted back at Cassie, shoving a finger at Ryker.
“You said in another life you’d want to get to know him. Well, now’s your chance.”
“I changed my mind!” I shot Ryker a glare, but it was lost as Arrow’s wing came down, nearly striking the other griffin.