“Alone?” I asked, stifling the hope from my voice.
“Yes, Ara. Alone.”
Just us…Facing away from him, I didn’t even bother hiding my smile.
Running from just one Fae would be much easier. He has to sleep at some point.
Chapter Nine
Rogue
Afew hours into the journey, Ara had slumped against me, asleep. The fact that anyone, especially a kidnapped human, could relax enough to sleep around me was astounding. I didn’t know if it made her impressive or foolish.
I glanced down. She looked peaceful, much like she did in the library chair, her shirt still torn and stained red. The wound would be closed by now with the help of the salve, but the stain remained.
The moment I laid eyes on her in the woods, I was enraged at her audacity to disobey a king, disobeymeby returning against orders. No one defied me. Ever.
Except this infuriatingly reckless creature.
But at the sight of that growing stain, panic struck me and it irritated me beyond words. The mate bond made me unwillingly protective of her, the need to safeguard her almost overwhelming every other thought, distracting me from what was really at stake.
She was serving as payment, a bargaining chip, and nothing more. She would never be anything more than a means to an end.
She stirred and pressed further into me.
Tearing my eyes away, I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly aware of her nearness. With the breeze, the scent of wildflowers and rain wafted from her hair, and my body tensed. With her backside pressing into me, the outline of her breasts was visible—taunting me—and I forced my eyes to remain forward.
I knew it was the bond fueling the lust, as that is what it does—brings the two people together that would produce the strongest offspring, in terms of power—but knowing that did nothing to tamper the resentment I felt at it. At Ara. At the Goddess.
I did not need a mate. Not at a time like this and definitely not a human. It was wrong. The way my body reacted to her was wrong.
And the human doesn’t even have magic. How could we possibly produce the strongest offspring?
My grip tightened on the reins.
Wrong. It’s all wrong.
My jaw ached from how hard I was clenching my teeth when Blackburn came into view. Relief flooded me at the sight, returning my breath.
Blackburn was an intimate village, conveniently located between the border and Draig Hearth. We rode along the dirt road, worn by thousands, leading to the heart of the village—a street lined with shops, apothecaries, and other family businesses. At the far end was a pub that doubled as an inn, and that was exactly where we were headed.
Before we entered, I settled the glamour over my wings and eyes to dull my appearance and hopefully prevent us from being noticed. Without the rest of my men and a human captive in tow, it was best not to draw attention. Pulling her cloak from the saddlebag, I wrapped it around her shoulders, careful not to wake her, and pulled the hood up, covering her rounded ears.
Fae were not kind to humans in any part of Ravaryn, but especially not here. This town was the first to accept the refugees when the attacks began, offering them shelter and hearing their stories. Blackburn was home to the warriors of Ravaryn, as well as the birthplace of pyric magic, the ability to wield the flames, and the people here were true to their magic’s sake. They were fiery and fiercely loyal to the realm, ready to defend her with their lives against any who would seek to harm it. Right now, that was Auryna.
They demanded to return to war when the attacks started, but we couldn’t sacrifice the rest of our people to the endless army of King Adon. It would be pointless. They always had another head to replace the last, but we didn’t. My refusal to engage angered them beyond words.
My return would only spark that rage again. Hence, why we needed to lie low.
I slowed as we entered the village. While I might not be the most welcomed guest of Blackburn, the village still had its charms.
Street lamps lit with candles enchanted to never melt down lined the road along the walking path, illuminating the shadows of twilight and casting a soft, flickering glow on the people strolling by. They were smiling, at ease, and the sound of laughter drifted on the breeze with the smell of warm bread and smoke.
I nudged Ara and she stirred, bringing a hand to the hood on her head. She glanced up at me with furrowed brows, and I smiled, leaning down to nuzzle my face in the crook of her neck to appear as lovers. She tensed, pulling away. I wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her close, feeling how rapid her breaths were.
“We’re in Blackburn,” I whispered. “The people here will not take kindly to a human in their midst so I covered your ears. We need to stop and rest at the inn just ahead. Let me do the talking and just follow my lead.”
She nodded before sitting up straighter, fully alert now.