Page 84 of A Thread of Breath and Bone

King Aki’s gaze shifts from me to Ryker, then back to me. “What is she doing here?” His gaze lingers too long, sharp and assessing, like he’s already decided something about me.

I don’t know why, but that was not what I was expecting him to say. I shake off the slight blow and squeeze Ryker’s hand. When I glance up at him, he’s working his jaw like he’s deciding what to say.

Ryker steps forward, putting himself between me and his father. “You left us. You left without warning and without explanation. You don’t get to sit here and ask questions. I do.” His jaw tightens.

I fail to hide my shock. That is not what I expected him to say. Maybe something closer to ‘You’re alive’ or ‘How did you get here?’ Then again, Ryker has held many secrets, and those secrets have cost him a part of himself. So maybe it shouldn’t surprise me that the first thing he says to his father is acknowledging that the king did in fact leave his family.

King Aki’s nostrils flare. “You’ve always been such an entitled little prick.”

This is the man Ryker has been breaking himself to honor? The 'beloved king' the media mourns? There is no warmth in his gaze, only a sharp, biting malice that makes my magic hum below my skin, waiting to respond.

“So typical,” Ryker scoffs. “Do you know the kind of pain you left Mother in? For years she was so depressed she could barely get out of bed. She’s only just now beginning to feel better, to get back to the Mother I had before you left. And let’s not talk about the fact that Clara barely even remembers you. Or Cole. He’s been acting out since the day you left.” Ryker takes another step closer to his father. “You want to call me a prick, fine. You’ve never been one to mince your words when it comes to me. I’m not the one who abandoned my family.”

Ryker turns toward me and I see everything unsaid between us. He’s hurting and confused. Needing to offer some comfort, I rest my palm on his chest, feeling the erratic thump of his heart beneath.

King Aki scoffs. “Of course you two would find a way. The royal decree is in place and still you both ignore it. Even as toddlers we could see it…” He trails off muttering to himself.

I have no idea what is going on right now.

The air feels tight, like something is about to snap.

“Let’s go,” Ryker says, placing a hand on my lower back as he guides me to the water. “All he does is speak lies for his own gain. I’m done listening.”

“I’m coming. You’re to return me back to Malaya, to my throne. My work here is finished.”

I can’t help the way my head tilts as I study him. His work? I can’t stop the question from tumbling from my mouth. “Your work? What work?”

“I do not answer to a vacuous princess,” Aki growls, his dark eyes swirling with a hatred I don’t understand.

He calls me vacuous—shallow—the same way the Duchesses looked at me during tea. But I’ve survived Sgya, shadows, creatures made of nightmares. I’ve lived through the fall of the Veil and walked through the Drift. I am no longer the girl he remembers, and I won't let his shadow dim the light I've fought to claim.

I step back at the same time Ryker moves. He gets right in his father’s face. They’re matched in height, but Ryker is more muscular.

“Don’t ever speak to her that way again. I don’t care what role you think you play, but you are nothing. Not to me, not to anyone. I’ll take you home when we return to Malaya tomorrow. You want a ride, keep your damn mouth shut.” With that Ryker turns back to the water, marching ahead until he’s ankle deep. He reaches for me. “C’mon love, time to go.”

The tenderness in his voice is so different from the way he spoke to his father. I take his hand and gasp at the icy water.

Ryker’s hand settles on my waist as he brushes my hair back with the other. “Deep breath. You go first this time.”

I nod and let my gaze move to King Aki, who looks like he’s seconds away from exploding with anger over how his son is holding me. This was definitely not how I ever imagined meeting my future husband’s father and not how I ever pictured his response if I did.

With a long exhale I turn toward the hole, already shivering and anticipating the pain. With a deep inhale, I dive below the surface.

Chapter 30

Ryker

When we surface back in the Drift, it’s late, or at least I think it is. It’s dark this far down. The flying creature blinks at our approach, its eyes narrowing on my father, who trails behind me. He’s muttering to himself about something I don’t care to know.

I thought these five years would have changed him. He’s always been an asshole, but now that I’m an adult, I’m not putting up with his shit. I’ve never talked back, never even hinted at how his words have always broken me, but now I’m over it. He will never have that kind of power over me again.

Cole doesn’t know the depth of my father’s abuse. It was never like that for him. My father took his anger out on me, always keeping me up late for him to unload on. He never hurt physically. But the blame, the tone, the constant reminder of how I failed to measure up to being the heir he wanted, it always cut deeper than a fist would have.

No more.

I’m not a scared teen he can push around. And he sure as hell will never speak to my future wife that way again.

The creature's nostrils flare as it blows out a strong gust of air before it takes off, its impressive body launching from the grass and flapping its wings until it hovers above us.