AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Scourge slowly raises his head and peers in the direction of the castle. It seems he can hear something or sense something that no one else can. Or someone.
A moment later that someone strides into the square, a thunderous expression on his face as his cloak and long hair billow behind him. Zabriel is dressed in his usual black attire of a close-fitting long jacket, breeches, and boots, and he has a death grip on the sword at his hip, ready to draw it in a heartbeat if necessary. He takes in the crowd of people around the edges of the square, the unit of soldiers keeping them back, his enormous black dragon taking up just about every inch of space, and finally me, sitting on the cobblestones between Scourge’s front legs.
Above my head, Scourge gives a short, sharp huff of satisfaction, and only then does he raise himself out of his protective crouch and move back a little.
Zabriel spies the pile of ash and blackened bone that reeks of burnt flesh, and his hand tightens on the hilt of his sword as if wishing he had someone to use it on.
He hunkers down on his heels before me, a tendril of black hair falling over his forehead into his ferociously burning eyes as he studies me. Reaching out, he takes my hands and turns them palms up.
His expression grows more thunderous as he sees my scrapes, and he seethes, “They hurt you.”
I shake my head. “I did this by accident. I was thinking about my family, and I fell down. Those men, the Brethren—”
Zabriel yanks me suddenly into his arms and holds me tight, burying my face in his shoulder with his cheek against my temple while he shudders with rage. “They could have taken you away from me. They could havekilledyou.”
I swallow hard, his anguish feeling like my anguish. “I fought so hard,” I whisper to him. “I wouldn’t have let them take me back to that place.” That place is filled with darkness and misery. A hopeless place of pain and punishment. I’d rather die than go back there.
“I know,sha’len. You fought with everything you had. I can smell it on you,” Zabriel says in a roughened voice. He draws back and takes my face between my hands. “But it wasn’t enough.”
Panic leaps into my throat. I want to convince him that I was fine, and not even so he won’t be angry with me. I want to erase the despair in his face. “Scourge protected me. I didn’t understand why he came, but he burned those men and then he wouldn’t let anyone else come near me.”
“Of course Scourge protected you. You belong to both of us from the moment we both saw you. From the moment we awoke beneath the mountain.”
He braces a fist against the ground and glares at the cobbles, fury radiating from him in waves. Suddenly, he looks up, his eyes burning red.
“I didn’t wait five hundred years for my queen to be killed by insane cultists who are too foolish to realize they’ve already lost the war,” he bites out. “What are you doing outside the castle walls, Isavelle? Did you not realize how dangerous this would be?”
12
Zabriel
Liquid, seething rage boils through me at the sight of my mate lying injured with dead Brethren around her yet again. How can I call myself the King of Maledin when I can’t even keep my future queen safe?
Isavelle swallows hard and fear bleeds into her expression. “Are you going to beat me as well?”
I rear back in shock. “What?”
“I left the castle grounds by accident. I didn’t return as soon as I realized my mistake, so I suppose you want to punish me for that.” She turns around and stands up, pulling her hair aside so I can see her upper back and a glimpse of the nape of her neck. “Most of my bruises have faded and cuts have healed, so your fresh ones will show if that’s what you want.”
Isavelle thinks I’m going to beat her like the Brethren did. I stand up and put my hands on her shoulders and draw her around to face me. “I’m angry with myself, not with you.”
What Iwantis for Isavelle to hurry up and become my mate. If she were my mate, I’d fly with her to some private place and fuck her until she could barely walk and was promising never to put herself in danger ever again. Even by accident. I want to hear her beg her Alpha for forgiveness. Reassure me that she’s still alive and safe in my arms by climaxing hard and taking my knot.
Isavelle blinks in surprise. “Why are you angry with yourself?”
I lean down and press my forehead against hers. “Because it’s my fault you’re in danger. My enemies will kill you because you’re my mate and the future Queen of Maledin. I will only ever have one mate. If you die, it will rip my heart out, and I will never have children. There will be no one to inherit the throne, and Maledin will be plunged into yet another war upon my death.”
Isavelle’s face goes blank with shock. I shouldn’t have laid it all out in such dire terms for her when there’s enough I’m already heaping on her shoulders. “Everything’s planned out so far ahead? Your fate and mine?”
Her designation is supposed to take care of that for us. Isavelle should be begging me to knot her and make her pregnant. If not now, then soon.
A pang of longing and desire shoots through me. Please, make it soon.
Isavelle shakes her head. “You’re thinking years ahead, but I can’t see past the end of this week. Now that I’ve seen how many travelers are passing through this city, I believe that someone here will be able to help me. I’m not your mate or your queen. I don’t think someone smelling nice is the basis for a sane relationship.”
I glare down my nose at my defiant Omega, hungering to slant my mouth over hers and part her lips with my tongue. There’s nothing sane about the way I feel about Isavelle.
“You want to wander around this city? Alone? I gave you the limit of the castle walls where there are plenty of refugees for you to talk to. That’s all I’m offering. Help the people as you want, ask around for your family, but stay within the castle grounds and return to your room to sleep.”
