Galen studies me for a long moment before nodding, though his expression remains grim. “You’d better, Kade. Because if you don’t, I will.”
“Is that a threat, brother?”
His lips curl into something that might be mistaken for a smile if it weren’t so cold. He steps closer and although I’m used to Galen using his body to intimidate me, this is more than usual. He wants me to know he’s not fucking around, and he wants me to take this fucking seriously.
“She’s a witch, Kade. A powerful one who doesn’t know her place. She’s a tool. A distraction. A warm body to fuck and give you heirs. The order comes first. Always. Above all else. If you cannot bring her in line, then I will. And trust me, I won’t be as merciful as you.”
His words hit like a lash, each syllable biting deep, leaving a sting that lingers long after he falls silent. I force myself to hold his gaze, to ignore the heat rising in my chest, the surge of anger and something else—something raw and protective—that threatens to boil over.
“She’s not a tool,” I say finally, my voice tight with restraint.
Galen’s eyes narrow, his lips pulling back in a sneer. “Then you’re a bigger fool than I thought.”
He turns sharply on his heel, his boots echoing against the floor as he strides across the landing and down the stairs. He pauses on the landing below, looking up at me with a look that would turn most men to stone.
“Fix this, Kade. Or I will.”
Galen strolls off, disappearing into the shadows thatcover the landing as he makes his way to his quarters. I wait until the door shuts behind him with a resounding thud before I move, suffocating in the silence that remains. I turn and slip back into the rooms I used to call mine, wondering how the fuck to make sense of this and whether this is now hers as well.
Inside, the familiar surroundings feel foreign, warped by the tension that’s settled over me like a shroud. I sink into the nearest chair, mulling over his words as I try to pull myself together. My hands run through my hair, gripping it tightly as my mind spirals and my thoughts circle, always coming back to the same few words.
A distraction.
A warm body to fuck.
A tool.
Galen’s words burn, not because they’re true, but because of how close they cut to the lies that I’ve told myself. She is a distraction, yes. She consumes my thoughts, my senses, and my every waking moment. But she’s also more. She’s chaos and fire, magic and steel, stubbornness and laughter.
Zara’s not a tool, and I won’t let her be reduced to that, no matter how much Galen sneers or how many threats he makes. He can unleash his wrath, send his spies to meddle in every corner of my life, or even turn Darius against me. I’ve seen what they’re capable of together and Galen doesn’t just threaten; he acts. He’s ruthless enough to sever the blood weave himself if he thinks it’ll save the order we’ve fought so hard to build, and Darius would stand by his side with a blade in hand, ready to cut the ties that bind us.
But Zara isn’t just a bond to be broken or a weapon to be wielded. She’s mine. I’ll be damned if I let Galen, or anyone else, decide what happens to her—or us.
Unfortunately, he’s right about one thing. I need to bring this under control, and if I can’t, it won’t destroy just me. It’ll destroy her, too.
And that’s not something I can let happen.
Not now. Not ever.
