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Ryker eyed me up and down, smiling, and gestured for me to sit across from him. Outside the window, the setting sun’s final rays shone off the mountain tops, bursting with warm hues of orange and purple. He continued to watch me while he ate, watching as I devoured the spread, taking deep gulps of the sweet red wine between bites. Rich flavors exploded in my mouth, and I savored each new taste. By the time we finished eating, the stars appeared in the night sky and Ryker lit the sconces with soft flames.
Sitting back in my chair, my hunger finally sated, my eyelids began to droop. The exhaustion truly settled in. My mate, having noticed my drowsiness, led me to the bedchamber down the hall.
It looked almost identical to his, but much smaller. Ryker stood in the doorway as I walked toward the bed.
“When I said I wanted you to stay with me, what I really meant was that I insist. I’d like to keep you close by. The other Worthy…they don’t like the idea of our mating,” he said.
“You mean to tell me that the palace isn’t safe?” I cocked my eyebrow.
“It is. But I can only protect you so much if you’re not next to me.”
I rolled my eyes and held out my dagger belt in front of his face, dangling it between my fingers. “I’ll be fine, Ryker.”
Gods, he’s like the Oryn version of Nik, only better looking.
As much as I enjoyed his presence, I wanted to be alone.
“Alright.” He pulled the door closed behind him.
Tugging the blankets down, I settled into the large bed, resting my weary head on the soft pillow. I wasn’t able to keep my eyes open any longer.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kya
“Are you sure you don’t need me to stay? I can push my meetings out later.” Ryker’s look of concern was quite adorable.
“Yes. You have duties to take care of that I’m sure are long past due, since you stalked me across the damn continent for weeks.” I knew that he wanted to stay with me in the training area, but I wanted to concentrate with Odarum and not have Ryker as a distraction.
“Shadowed. Not stalked.” His eyebrows flattened.
“Whatever you say,Lord Ryker.” I let my voice take a sultry lilt.
He narrowed his eyes. “Watch yourself, little gem. Or you’ll see just how easily I can abandon my duties again.”
My body tensed and my skin heated at the implication. I shooed him away before he huffed a low chuckle and turned to go back to the palace. I rolled my shoulders, releasing the tension.
“Are you near?”I spoke to Odarum. He appeared a moment later.“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“You need to train more,”he said sternly.
“Good morning to you too. And what do you think I’m doing out here? Besides freezing my ass off.”
“Train harder. As your Fylgjur, I am requesting that you push yourself to manifest all of your abilities and shifting.”His voice was harsh.
“Okay, okay. But you’re the one who told me to rest. What’s the sudden rush?”
“I… I am forbidden to tell you. Most of it, at least.”
I had never heard him stumble on his words before. He was always so sure spoken. The concern in his tone worried me.“What is it, Odarum?”
He hesitated for a moment before answering.“All I am permitted to say is that something has made itself known. I believe your God knew of it, and now the Spirits do as well.”
“But you can’t tell me what this is?”I questioned.
“No.”
“Can you tell me why you can’t tell me?”Maybe if I could have that, then I could understand more of what it was that he couldn’t tell me.
