Page 6

Ryker

The fire crackled, and light flickered across the polished wooden desk that dominated the room.

Ignoring the inviting ambiance, I headed straight for the wine cabinet. It had been a long day, and I needed a moment to myself before I faced the vixen locked inside my chambers.

The thought of Cadence’s violent outburst brought an amused smirk to my lips. I had no idea she would be so bloodthirsty, but I had to admit, I didn’t hate it.

My cock swelled inside my trousers as if in agreement.

Bringing Cadence to the palace with me had been an impulsive move. Necessary, but still impulsive.

Now I had to ensure that no one discovered who she was to me.

Especially my father.

That thought had my cock deflating.

He would use her to curtail my power. My strength had far surpassed his own and he no longer looked at me as the son he used to adore.

Now, he only saw another threat to his reign.

Still, I couldn’t help but think the prize waiting in my chambers was worth the risk.

“What has you smiling like a fool?” an amused male voice called from the shadows near my desk.

A muttered curse escaped me as I faced the man lurking in the darkness. My failure to sense his presence earlier galled me.

“What are you doing in here?” I snapped.

My younger brother, Riordan, sat in the armchair beside my desk, his expression smug as he swirled the contents of his goblet.

“Does it involve the woman hidden in your chambers?” he asked, ignoring my question.

Anger tightened my features, and I crossed my arms over my chest. I had the sudden urge to punch something, but I refused to let my brother see that he was getting under my skin.

He’d enjoy it far too much.

“Where did you hear that?” I asked.

“The servants talk, Brother. You know this.”

My brother’s grin showed he knew exactly how much his words irritated me.

“They must wish to be separated from their tongues,” I growled.

So much for keeping myself in check.

Riordan chuckled. “You didn’t think you could keep her a secret forever, did you?”

I grunted in response, not willing to acknowledge that had indeed been my plan.

“So,” Riordan pressed, raising an expectant brow.

When I didn’t answer, he added, “Who is she?”

I sighed, running a hand over my face. There was no escaping this conversation.

I could delay it, though.

I grabbed a bottle of wine and a goblet from the cabinet. My gaze flicked to my brother, who watched me with keen interest as I poured.

Extending the bottle toward him, I topped up his goblet before replacing the cork and stowing the wine. I took a deep gulp, as if the answers I required lay at the bottom.

The cool liquid glided across my tongue, awakening my taste buds as bursts of ripe berries comforted me. Slowly, the more complex, earthy tones of the wine followed, making me think of the woods in the fall.

I wanted to savor the moment, but I could feel the penetrating gaze of my brother boring into me.

Lowering my goblet, I met my brother’s gaze, and he took a sip of his wine as he watched me intently.

“She is my mate.”

Warm liquid splashed across my face, followed by the sound of coughing and wheezing. Riordan hunched over his knees, his goblet abandoned on the table as he struggled to fill his lungs with oxygen.

I should have been concerned for my brother, but all I felt was disgust.

He had spat his wine all over my face upon my admission.

Warm wine.

Made so from being in his mouth.

Disgust seemed appropriate under the circumstances.

“Are you done?” I barked.

Riordan put his hand up, signaling for me to wait a moment. When he finally recovered, he stared at me as if I were a stranger.

“Did you say mate?” he eventually managed.

“Yes, and if you’re wise, you won’t speak those words inside these walls again.”

Riordan’s wide grin instantly dropped. “You can’t let Father find out who she is to you,” he warned.

“I know,” I growled as I ran my hand through my hair.

“What’s she like?”

“I don’t know,” I murmured. “She’s never too thrilled when I’m in her company.”

Harsh laughter cut through the silence of the night as I narrowed my eyes at my brother.

“A woman who isn’t desperate to kneel before the Crown Prince. Impossible,” he mocked.

“It’s difficult to comprehend, I know.”

Riordan snorted. “What will you do with her?”

“She’s mine. I’m keeping her.”

Riordan eyed me. “I’m not saying you should give her up, Brother. I’m only wondering how you intend to balance her arrival with Celeste —”

“That is none of your concern,” I scowled, interrupting him.

Riordan raised his hands in a placating gesture. “All right, all right, forget I said anything. When do I get to meet her?”

“You don’t,” I said as I turned away from him. “Any interest in her must be kept to a minimum.”

“I could pretend she was one of my consorts,” Riordan offered.

I ground my teeth together to stop myself from stalking across the room and ripping my brother’s head from his body.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that, Ryker,” he said as he rolled his eyes. “I don’t intend to bed the woman.”

The thought of them tangled in his sheets turned my vision red, and my hands itched to hit something.

“Oh no. Stop right there, Ryker. You know I was only trying to help you,” he said as he darted away from me.

It was then that I realized I had moved across the room, closing the distance between us.

“If people believe her to be one of my conquests, they won’t look twice at you.”

“If you value your life, Little Brother, you will stop talking. Right. Now.”

“Not another word,” he agreed.

I took a moment to rein in my anger. My brother would never betray me. Yet, that knowledge did little to quiet the primal urge to eliminate anyone who even breathed in Cadence’s direction.

As much as it pained me to admit, however, Riordan’s idea was a good one.

“You make a valid point,” I grunted.

My brother tried in vain to hide his grin, but he was smart enough to know when he should remain quiet.

“Once I allow her some more freedom, it wouldn’t hurt to have her seen in your company around the palace.”

“More freedom? You make it sound like she’s a prisoner,” Riordan scoffed.

When I didn’t contradict him, Riordan’s eyes widened in horror.

“Where exactly did you meet your mate, Ryker?”

“The Seelie Kingdom.”

“The… the Seelie Kingdom,” he repeated in disbelief. “Are you telling me that your mate is one of the Seelie Fae?”

I gave a curt nod in response.

“One,” Riordan said, raising a finger. “Why the fuck were you in the Seelie Kingdom to begin with?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Riordan cut me off. “Two, the fact that she is Seelie is a huge fucking problem!”

“I’m aware,” I gritted out.

“How are you not seething right now?” he demanded, throwing his arms up. “You have a Seelie mate?”

“I do not care that she is Seelie, only that she is mine. And if you are wise, Little Brother, you will not question me again.”

Riordan tilted his head toward the ceiling and blew out a breath before returning his gaze to me.

“And what, she just came with you?”

When I failed to answer, Riordan pressed, “She did come willingly?”

“Define willingly,” I mused.

“For the love of the gods, Ryker, you cannot just steal your mate away like she’s some kind of treasure.”

“Of course I can,” I sneered. “I am the Prince of the Unseelie Fae.”

Riordan pinched the bridge of his nose. “That does not justify kidnapping,” he muttered.

“I don’t see the problem.”

“You wouldn’t, you oaf. You know nothing about charming women.”

“I’ve charmed plenty of women,” I countered.

“No, you have had plenty of women willing to look past your uncivilized nature for the chance to share space with true power.”

“What’s the difference?”

“See,” Riordan said as he pointed a finger at me. “That right there is the problem. If you want this woman to enjoy being in your company, you’re going to need to improve your courting skills.”

“One minute you’re acting like having a Seelie mate is the worst fate possible, and the next, you’re worried about my courting efforts,” I huffed, my irritation getting the best of me. “I don’t need to court her, Riordan. She’s my mate. She’s already mine.”

“We’ll see,” he taunted with a knowing smirk.

Without further discussion, I turned on my heels and marched towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Riordan called from behind me.

“To ensure my mate understands exactly who she belongs to.”

“Fuck,” Riordan muttered, but I was already out the door.

A slow grin worked its way across my face. Cadence wouldn’t see me coming.