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Nico and Archie growl at the sight, Archie going as far as to snarl dramatically.

“Release him right now,” I say, not caring that I have no idea of my actual position in this society, only that Bastien’s pain is mine to cure.

His now-glowing gaze sharpens. “Have you claimed it, my Lady?”

“She just arrived,” Archie says through clenched teeth/tusks. “They’ve bonded, but no formal claiming has occurredyet.”

ShinyPants looks smug and I want to smack that look off his face with a harpoon. “Then it belongs to the queen and will be taken, according to the law.”

“It? Whatitare we referring to here?” I demand.

Before anyone answers me, Bastien, quivering harder from the burning ropes, lets out a dark chuckle. “All that will reach ourqueenis my carcass.”

Again, everyone freezes in place, no one but me breathing.

“What does that mean?” I ask no one and everyone.

Nico kneels beside Bastien. “Did you do it? Bastien…”

“Bastien?” Captain Stupid ShinyPants snipes. “Younameda Taran—that’sagainst the law.”

I already think this place needs a revolution and I don’t hold back from lobbing my first verbal grenade. “Inamed him because that is hisNAME, you shinyfucktwit!” Oh, I feel an award-winning rant coming on, but I also realize I’m running on adrenalin that has a short shelf-life. My body hurts. My heart hurts. Then I realize part of my pain is actually the echoes of everything Bastien is feeling.

I join him on the ground again, stowing the feather under my knee so that my hands can stroke him around the ropes. I close my eyes and sigh, seeking to take a share of the burden he’s carrying, the fear of this exact moment that’s always lived inside him. The cost of being born in this society of monsters. Fleeing, being captured and bound, and then dragged from his family. This isn’t fair.

Our song is entirely like a dirge, but at least it’s still there. I sag from the effort of sharing energy when my gas tank is running on fumes.

“As the Lord of this land, I demand the postponement of all actions involvingBastienand the Lady Bianca.”

ShinyPants scoffs and then mutters with contempt, “TheLord, you say? You’re dressed like a commoner and she appears to have been rutted. You know the laws, Lord Archibald. This won’t be your castle for long.” He glances around. “I’ve always had my eye on this place—why do you think we arrived so quickly?”

Before Archie responds, I decide to go a different route with this. I grip the ropes again, this time with both hands, and then whimper from the extraordinarily searing pain.

“My Lady, stop that,” ShinyPants commands.

Still holding the ropes, my body trembling, I growl, “Let me tell you what’s going to happen here,whatever your name is. I don’t think you’re worthy of a name right now, not evenCaptain ShinyPants.”

He appears strangely affronted and I don’t care.

“You are going to release Bastien. You are going to escort us to Clumberton Castle, where my new friends are going to see to my needs, heal these injuriesyou’vecaused, and then assure that I am properly dressed before we eat a meal together. During that meal, you are going to explain what’s going on.” I shudder but don’t release the ropes. “If you truly don’t want to hurt a woman, then you really should be more careful about doing things that absolutely hurt me.”

My chin tilts up and I fully snarl, “You may not give a crap, but maybe yourqueenwill.”

He stares at me damaging myself because of him and his words turn soothing again. “The Taran will flee, my Lady.”

“Bastiencould have already fled, couldn’t he?” I press, with my eyebrows powerfully raised. “But he ran towardme. He willalwaysrun toward me. He would never abandon me.”

The truth… the weight of this responsibility drops on me and I scoop it up, put it in a nice, little bohemian backpack, and strap it on my back. If I knew anything about the feather, I would already have done whatever was necessary to claim Bastien and protect him from this idiot who dares to call himit. A beautiful being shares his song with you and you’re just going to walk away? I think not.

When I see a flash of doubt on the Captain’s face, I add, “I was told this was a civilized land, but if a Lady isn’t allowed to be healed and properly dressed before being accosted by law enforcement, then I guess I’m in a society of barbarians after all.”

Oof—that was a direct hit.

Stiffly, the Captain says, “Very well, my Lady, we will adjourn to the castle, but this matter is far from resolved. Laws have been broken and debts must be collected.”

“Nothing new there. We have the IRS for that shit,” I mutter with an eye roll and force my hands to release the ropes.

Several of the Captain’s men step forward and release Bastien, who instantly lunges into my arms. I hold him as best I can with my hands still damaged and shaking.