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Ryker

Our footsteps were silent as we moved through the dense forest, the moss-covered ground concealing the sounds of our approach. The tall trees that loomed above us blocked out the inky night sky, plunging the woods into darkness.

Instead of being a hindrance, I thrived among the shadows. The blackness called to my soul, welcoming me home.

I didn’t have to worry about losing my way. The bond beckoned me to Cadence as a moth to a flame, guiding me through the wilderness with ease.

It was also a constant reminder that she’d left me, spurring my anger as I hunted her down like prey. My mind kept returning to the various ways I would punish her for disobeying me. All of them involved her being naked and on her knees.

A twig snapped behind me, and I spun on my heels to scowl at my younger brother.

“You need to get out of the palace more often, Little Brother. You’re losing your edge.”

Riordan scowled back at me, but he didn’t deny it.

The bond blazed inside my chest, reclaiming my attention, and I could tell she was close. My muscles ached from being coiled tight as I hunted my mate, but it was comforting to know the end was near.

She wouldn’t be able to evade me for much longer. I’d have Cadence back at my side where she belonged.

As soon as the thought formed, the air shifted. The forest grew unnaturally quiet, and the night became thick and oppressive. My shadows danced and writhed around me, hovering at the edge of my vision, waiting for the command to strike.

“Something’s wrong,” Malesh whispered, and I gave him a curt nod in agreement.

“It could be a trap,” Eamon added.

But he knew me well enough to know that wouldn’t stop me.

“Keep your eyes peeled and your weapons at the ready. No harm comes to Cadence. If you get the chance, take her and flee.”

“And what about you?” Riordan asked.

“I’ll dispose of the Blood Fae.”

“On your own?”

I gave my brother an amused smirk, telling him exactly what I thought of his concern.

“I’m surprised you can stand upright with the inflated ego you’re carrying around,” he muttered under his breath.

A laugh threatened to explode from my chest, but I suppressed it, not wanting to draw attention to our presence.

“Come on. It’s time to retrieve my woman.”

I took a single step forward, and then my entire world shifted on its axis.

One moment, my connection with Cadence flared, tethering my life to hers and leading me toward her.

And the next, it was gone.

A violent tearing sensation erupted behind my ribcage, and the force was so potent that it brought me to my knees. My hands clawed at my chest as a raw, animalistic howl tore from my throat. My vision blurred, and my mind reeled as an unbearable emptiness spread throughout my body.

Riordan dropped to the ground beside me, his face pale as he tried to capture my attention.

“Ryker, what’s happening? Did something happen to Cadence?”

I could hear the panic in his tone, and as I glanced around me, I saw twin expressions of concern contorting Malesh and Eamon’s features.

My hands curled into fists, and my nails dug into my palms until blood trickled between my fingers.

“No,” I snarled as the surrounding space darkened, my shadows twisting in response to my anguish.

“No, what?” Riordan pressed. “Tell me what’s going on.”

But I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. I refused to accept that Cadence was gone or the knowledge that I’d failed her.

“FUCK!” I roared, and the forest recoiled as the pulse of my anger washed over it.

The surrounding trees wavered, their limbs shaking as they resisted the pull of my power. But not even the primordial strength of nature was enough to resist my agony as my shadows forced the forest to its knees, flattening the trees around us.

I no longer cared if we were discovered.

Let them come. I would show them what a fucking monumental mistake they had made by taking what belonged to me.

The thought didn’t bring me as much comfort as I’d hoped it would, as the truth continued to claw at me, undeniable and cruel. The bond had been a constant reminder that no matter how fiercely Cadence fought me, she was still mine.

But now… now it was gone.

“Ryker, tell me what’s going on,” Riordan pleaded.

“She’s gone,” I whispered, unable to hide the tremor in my voice. “Cadence is gone.”

“What do you mean, she’s gone?” Malesh pressed.

“She’s fucking gone! The bond is broken. I can’t feel her anymore.”

My voice hitched on the last word, and Riordan’s eyes misted over.

“A bond can only be broken if—”

A menacing growl worked its way up my throat, cutting him off. I staggered to my feet, my breathing shallow and uneven as I steadied myself.

I had taken my time with Cadence for granted, too comfortable in the notion that she was mine and would remain by my side until our dying days. I’d envisioned our entire future. One where she ruled alongside me as we watched our children flourish and grow.

Now that future had been stolen from us, and every step felt as though I was trudging through quicksand. My body was weighed down by my unbearable grief, and I had no idea how I would survive this.

Memories of Cadence swam in my mind like a tormented dream — one you longed to escape, but knew you’d have to endure before the reprieve of consciousness found you. My vision wavered as rage and sorrow battled for dominance.

I threaded my fingers through my hair, tugging on the strands with such fury that I was surprised they hadn’t been pulled free.

Not even the pain could ground me. I was adrift, with no land in sight, hoping the waves would drown me.

“What do we do now?” Riordan asked, barely above a whisper.

My gaze landed on him, and I took in his pained expression and wet cheeks. The image made my heart clench, but I didn’t have any space left to absorb Riordan’s suffering.

Not this time.

Then my eyes darted to Malesh. He was muttering curses under his breath as he paced back and forth, wearing a hole in the hard ground.

Eamon sat beside him, his head in his hands as though he couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

In such a short time, Cadence had become an irreplaceable feature in all our lives, and her loss was excruciating.

The ache in my chest twisted into something sharper, something more volatile. My grief gave way to rage, burning brightly until it became an unrelenting tempest that consumed me whole.

If the fates deemed it acceptable to allow Cadence to be taken from me, then they could watch as the world burned in her absence.

“I’m going to kill them all. Every. Fucking. One. Of. Them.”