“I just didn’t want you to think?—”
“It’s fine, Ciaran.” Truthfully, I didn’t spend much time thinking about Ciaran’s sex life, but I wasn’t about to point that out. My relationship with Seth had always bothered him, and he’d been relieved when Seth had married Darya. Not that he’d said as much. He’d comforted me, but we rarely talked about relationships or sex and even then, only vaguely.
“I just wanted you to know,” he said flatly.
I cleared my throat and took his hand. “You know I love you, Ciaran. I would never think less of you for something so trivial, even if it were true.”
He squeezed my hand, his eyes warming. “I’ll walk you back.”
I settled my pack on my shoulder. Much as I wanted to stroll with Ciaran and pretend I didn’t have to return to the thorn in my side, Amahle’s warning about watching eyes came back to me.
“It’s okay. A walk alone will help me clear my head.”
Ciaran’s expression was guarded. “Just be careful. Seth was threatening you yesterday, and if he felt that emboldened, it’s because he has the allies to back him.”
Seth’s threats were the least of my concerns right now.
“About Rykr …”
I nearly groaned, then quirked a brow.
Ciaran shifted, uncomfortably. “When I was putting the irons on him, I noticed he doesn’t have a Bloodbinding mark.”
My brow furrowed. “What … what do you mean?”
“On his left wrist. It’s not there. I’ve seen the ones your parents and any other Bound Liriens have. Just thought you should know.”
I crossed my arms, feeling strangely defensive. “What are you saying?”
“I don’t know, Seren. But something about Rykr doesn’t add up. A Sealed, Bound Pendaran should have a Bloodbinding mark. It’s strange. I don’t know what it means, but you of all people should be aware of it.”
I hated that he was right.
No Bloodbinding mark. How had I missed something so obvious? Every Pendaran bore the mark. Rykr kept his secrets close … but this? How was it even possible? The thought unsettled me more than I wanted to admit.
Nodding, I stepped toward Ciaran. “Thank you for telling me. Please don’t say anything to anyone else. I can’t afford any more eyes on me right now.”
Ciaran cut his eyes at me. “You know you can trust me with anything, Seren.”
That was true. I would trust Ciaran with my life.
“I’m not saying this because of how I feel,” Ciaran muttered, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that left no room for jest. “I just don’t trust him, Seren. He’s not one of us, and you’re tied to him in a way none of us understand.”
A faint, shivering whisper seemed to carry in the dark shadows of the forest behind us and I tensed, looking over my shoulder, suddenly uneasy.
Great. Now I was letting Ciaran’s doubts control my fears. As if it weren’t bad enough having Rykr’s emotions confusing mine through the bond.
I pushed my fears aside and found my friend’s earnest face.
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t forget—meet me at the stables just after dawn. Tara said she wanted to go to the training fields.” I left him in the field, heading toward the forest. The festivities would likely go on until morning. I’d never seen everyone so excited before.
The air cooled farther away from the warm drifts of the bonfires. As the music of the festival turned into a distant din, the tall grasses met the tree line of the deeper forest. The surrounding woods appeared empty and still, but I drew my sword anyway, Ciaran’s warning about Seth ringing in my head.
I didn’t think Seth would hurt me—he knew better than to attack me outright—but scare me?
Yes, I could see him doing that.
After his fury in flogging Rykr, Seth’s threats had become corporeal, hanging over me, ready to strike.
