Page 56

Ryker

Wraith Borne.

Cadence was one of the Wraith Borne.

No matter how many times I repeated the words, I struggled to accept that my mate belonged to the Fae who had tried to take everything from me.

She’d killed a man with her bare hands. His body had been an empty shell by the time she finished. I wouldn’t deny that such power in a mate was extremely alluring. However, I couldn’t overlook the risk it posed to her safety.

As I rounded the corner of the hallway, Riordan’s chambers came into view. I didn’t bother knocking as I pushed his doors open and strode inside.

My first mistake.

Loud moans greeted me, and I came face to face with my little brother’s naked ass. He was taking a redheaded woman from behind, and the sound of skin slapping against skin had me wanting to rip my ears off. Despite my horror, I found myself unable to look away as I tried to discern where all the limbs were coming from.

My second mistake.

“Switch,” Riordan panted, and another man appeared from underneath the redhead as my brother moved in to take his place.

As the trio shuffled on the four-poster bed, a third man emerged, and I blinked to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.

“What the fuck, Riordan!” I shouted, and they all froze.

My brother turned to face me, his usual carefree air clinging to him as he raised a brow in my direction.

“I would invite you to join us, Brother, but I’m fairly certain Cadence is not the type to share.”

“Get out,” I barked at the onlookers, and they groaned in unison as they scurried around in search of their clothes.

“I was promised an earth-shattering orgasm,” the redhead complained as she slid her dress over her head.

I glanced toward my brother, and the little demon winked.

“Next time, Scarlette,” Riordan cooed, and I had to do a double take.

“Is that Cadence’s maid?”

“Ah, perhaps,” he answered as he gripped the back of his neck.

“Get dressed,” I chuckled as I grabbed his tunic from the floor and tossed it at him.

“So, to what do I owe this poorly timed visit, Ryker?” he asked as he pushed his legs through his trousers.

“I need your help.”

“Oh?”

“Don’t sound so cocky,” I grumbled.

“It’s not every day you recognize my superior intellect,” he teased.

I glanced around to make sure Riordan’s guests were not still lingering within earshot.

“Cadence is one of the Wraith Borne.”

His smile fell, and he moved toward his armchair before dropping into it unceremoniously. He ran his hand through his already tousled hair as he fought to stifle his unease.

The look on his face made my gut clench. I was reminded of the young boy I’d protected from our father’s violent fits of rage.

To say Riordan’s history with the Wraith Borne was complicated would be an understatement.

I crossed the room and took the chair opposite him. Steepling my fingers, I focused on my brother as I prepared to relay everything I knew.

“Someone sent an assassin to kill her, but she took him out before he got the chance. His body is lying on my chamber floor, withered beyond recognition.”

A shudder ran through Riordan, but he met my gaze.

“Is there any other explanation for how she could have killed him? A dark manifestation of her healing abilities, perhaps?”

“She’s one of the Wraith Borne, Riordan. She confirmed it herself.”

“Fuck.”

He blew out a breath as he rubbed a hand over his jaw. I felt much the same as I sank further into the armchair.

“That’s… complicated.”

“Complicated doesn’t begin to cover it,” I scoffed.

Leaning forward in his chair, Riordan rested his elbows on his thighs.

“What do you need me to do, Ryker?” he asked, and the sincerity in his tone made my chest tighten.

“The fact that she’s Wraith Borne doesn’t give you pause?”

“Of course not!” he scowled as he eyed me.

I had hoped my brother wouldn’t hesitate to help Cadence, but I still wanted him to know he had a choice. I would not force him to confront the ghosts of his past.

“I need access to your network. I need to find out who sent that assassin after her and if it’s connected to her magic.”

Riordan nodded in agreement. “If anyone else is aware of her power…”

“I know,” I growled. “She’ll be hunted by the Court, our father, and everyone in between.”

Riordan offered me a pained smile. “If there’s even a whisper out there, I promise you, Ryker, I’ll find it.”

“Thank you, Riordan.”

My brother angled his head as he appraised me. “Where is Cadence now?”

When I failed to respond, Riordan groaned as he ran a hand down his face.

“You locked her in your chambers again, didn’t you?”

“For her safety,” I said through gritted teeth. “I needed her to stay put until I figured out what to do. My chambers are the safest place for her right now.”

“The same place an assassin entered undetected and almost killed her?” he challenged.

I opened my mouth to argue, but fuck him, he was right.

“Besides, that’s not safety, Ryker. That’s imprisonment.”

I stiffened, my whole body bristling at his challenge.

Riordan waved a dismissive hand between us. “Let’s set aside your draconian methods for now and focus on the real problem. Do you have any idea who could have sent an assassin after her?”

“My immediate thought was Celeste, but it’s not her style.”

Riordan grunted in agreement, and I scratched at the stubble lining my chin.

“Whoever it was, they knew enough to get close,” I mused. “It wasn’t random. They understood when to attack and where.”

“Do you think they know about her magic?” he pressed.

“I didn’t even know about her magic,” I muttered, “but I guess it’s a possibility.”

Riordan’s eyes darkened, and I saw the wheels turning in his mind. “I’ll start digging.”

Unable to take being idle for a moment longer, I stood and began pacing.

“You’ll need her cooperation if you’re going to get to the bottom of this,” Riordan said, breaking the tense silence. “Locking her up won’t help you achieve that.”

“I fucking know that, Riordan. You think I enjoy locking her away?”

Riordan gave me a pointed look.

I exhaled, but it came out sounding more like a growl.

“The point is, the palace isn’t safe right now. I don’t trust anyone.”

“You can always leave her with me. I’m pretty sure she prefers my company anyway, and we’d have fun together. We could braid each other’s hair, share your darkest secrets, and practice cursing you,” he offered with a smile.

I stopped my pacing and turned toward my brother.

“Not a time for jokes. Noted,” he muttered under his breath.

When he returned his gaze to mine, he studied me for the longest time. “Gods, you’re scared, aren’t you?”

It wasn’t really a question, but a statement.

"I can’t recall a single occasion when you were ever afraid… until now."

I shook my head and resumed my pacing, not wanting him to see the truth of his words.

“We’ll protect her, Ryker, but not by smothering her. You’ll need to trust her enough to let her be a part of this. She’s not some fragile damsel, and you know it.”

“She’s resilient,” I agreed. “But she is reckless. Not telling me about her magic wasn’t a smart choice.”

Riordan rose from his armchair and came to stand in front of me. “Try to see it from her perspective,” he said, clapping his hand on my shoulder. “Our kingdom has hunted the Wraith Borne for decades, and you’ve led that charge.”

I glared at my brother, but he merely shrugged.

“When did you become so fucking reasonable?” I sighed.

“I’ve always been the reasonable one. Your thick head just never appreciated it.”

A laugh broke free of my chest, and I felt lighter, like some of the weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

“I’m going to get started,” Riordan announced as he moved toward his desk. “I’ll spread some misinformation about unrest in the outer regions, too. That way, if anyone’s sniffing around, they’ll have something else to chase.”

“Thank you, Riordan.”

As I headed for the door, Riordan called after me, stopping me in my tracks.

“Let Cadence out of your chambers, Ryker. Tell her what’s going on and invite her input. If you treat her like a child or as if she’s a problem you need to solve, you’re going to lose her. And a woman like Cadence, well, you’d be foolish to let her slip between your fingers.”

Without another word, I opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

I hated that he was right.

What I hated even more was the insidious voice in my head telling me it was already too late.