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Shit! Areanel had let her concentration slip. Her bonded had felt the unease drip from her mind. As quick as lightning, she pulled a drop of her power from the well of her soul and pushed the kernel down the thread that linked her to her wolves. Pushing down a sort of calm, soothing lull along that strand, Areanel slammed the walls of her mental barrier back in place. They did not need to worry about her; their focus should be solely on her children.

Lifting her hand, Areanel harshly jerked the hood away, revealing the male’s face. Her heart skipped a beat, and a boulder of emotions caused her stomach to drop. She stared into striking pale eyes.

‘C…’ She suddenly lost all ability to speak, to think. ‘Caius?’ It came out as a gasped whisper.

‘Missed me, Nelly?’ He reached up, slowly pulling away the mask that obscured his features, stuffing it into his pocket without taking his eyes off her.

The nickname sent a track of goosebumps along her skin. ‘What are you doing here?’

Something passed across his face—fleeting, but it was there. Caius’s head swivelled to the opposite end of the alley, and Areanel forced herself to keep her eyes on him, even when she itched to see what he had seen. She would not be distracted.

His head snapped back to her, and whatever she had seen earlier had been completely erased, as though it had never been there. Gaze trailing from her head to toe, Caius appraised her, letting his eyes roam every inch and making those goosebumps expand, following the path he made.

Lips quirking, one side of his mouth tilted up. ‘You look good.’ His eyes darted up to meet hers as he said the last word—slowly, like he was tasting it, savouring it.

‘Answer the question, Caius,’ Areanel’s voice levelled in threat, the chill keeping her body locked in place. ‘What are you doing here?’

A phantom breeze licked at her heels before slowly climbing her calf. The familiar feel of a cold and purposely slow touch told her that a shadow was curling around her. Rymedur. Her buzzing nerves eased at the reminder he was near.

Hot breath fanned her cheeks as Caius leaned into her, and a hesitant move caught her attention. The back of his fingers delicately grazed her cheek. He touched her like she was a fragile flower. ‘You called.’

The words crashed like he had doused her with a bucket of ice-cold water.

Shaking her head, Areanel corrected him. ‘No, I didn’t.’

‘Ryyen. You.’ Caius tilted his head, hand finding the end of her braid. He fiddled with it as he spoke. ‘It’s all the same, really. Isn’t it?’

Areanel was about to reply, but slammed her mouth closed as a loud shriek echoed through the alleyway.

Chapter 41

Rymedur

Shadows licked the edges of Rymedur’s vision, crawling across the cobbled streets and climbing the weather-worn bricks of the buildings they were sandwiched between. He had trained most of his life to control his unique power; years of dedication had gone into achieving self-control, but he had managed it.

Or so he thought.

The dark power bubbled to the surface. Snapping and thrashing, his shadows begged to be unleashed at the sight before him. A flash of silver, then Areanel slamming a tall, lean male into the side of the building.

Rymedur was glad his shadows had pulled him from the alcove. He wouldn’t have known she was in trouble. But as a shadow escaped his control, slipping between his fingers, it slithered across the ground and curled around her calf. Calm ease pulsed down the bond.

She was okay.

His lips pulled into a proud smile at the sight of her blade pressed dangerously close to the male’s neck, a bead of blood already slipping from the nick. He knew she could handle herself; he didn’t need to worry, but the thought of someone trying to attack her while she was alone still sent a fiery anger through him.

Though… why hadn’t she dispatched her would-be attacker?

Areanel was speaking to the male in a low tone, and though Rymedur tried to listen to what they were saying, he couldn’t make out their words. Rymedur tensed the minute the lean male reached for her face with slender fingers, his touch delicate as it smoothed over her skin.

Rymedur baulked. The way he touched her was familiar, and though he couldn’t see the male’s features, he was almost certain he had never met him before.

It wasn’t until the male’s touch turned too familiar, fingers caressing the end of her silky braid as he leaned in, that Rymedur moved.

Slipping out of his shadows, Rymedur stepped into the soft light of the lamppost just as something passed beneath, causing it to flicker back to life. ‘Areanel?’

His deep tone seemed to startle her, and jumping back, she moved away from the male as though caught committing a crime.

His brows pinched as her eyes flitted to his in surprise. ‘Rymedur!’