Page 11 of Cursed Magic (Rejected Fate Trilogy #2)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

R yker’s body went rigid, his muscles coiling as he prepared to strike. “Who is it?”

My heart thundered, and sweat pooled in my armpits. The way Raven’s lips pressed together and she straightened her back had my stomach in knots.

Flipping her long black hair over her shoulder, Raven leveled her gaze at Ryker. “I understand that you’re smitten with her, but the specifics are none of your business, seeing as they requested to talk with her and not you .”

I sucked in a hasty breath and almost choked. I’d never seen her have an attitude with any of the shifters before. I hadn’t expected it.

Considering the way Ryker strode over to her with his hands clenched, he must have felt the same way. With each step he took closer to Raven, the higher Raven lifted her chin.

“Babe, what’s going on here?” Kendric rubbed a hand down his face as he stumbled from his bed. “Why are you acting like this?”

She bared her teeth, revealing that her fangs had elongated. “This has nothing to do with the Grimstone pack and everything to do with the Sinclair alpha. I’m not sure how many times I have to say the same thing in varying ways. Normally, when my support role for the queen involves wolves, that means Ryker. But it doesn’t this time, and it’s not my duty to divulge the details to anyone but Queen Ambrosia and Ember.”

Ryker stopped about five feet from her. I could’ve sworn I saw fur sprouting on his arms, which, given the way his alpha power was radiating off him, made sense. I had to do something because him shifting would exacerbate the problem.

“Babe, we’ve been through too much to play games. Ember is on our team and an ally. Why can’t we know who and why?” Kendric asked as he hurried over and placed a hand on Ryker’s shoulder like that would prevent him from lunging.

I had to step in, or things were going to continue to escalate. I licked my parched lips. “If I ask who wants to meet with me, will you answer here?” I chose my words carefully, not wanting to make the situation even worse.

She exhaled slightly, her shoulders relaxing. “If that’s what you wish, I can. However, it’s your choice if you want to ask in front of everyone or behind closed doors.”

“Clearly, she wants you to answer here, or she wouldn’t have asked that fucking question,” Ryker growled, sounding more animal than man.

Raven glowered at him, her nose wrinkling.

Yeah, things were going to get out of hand. Maybe the Ember of three days ago wouldn’t have let Ryker hear what was going on, but the Ember of today didn’t want to hide things from him. “Who wants to meet with me and why, Raven?” I added her name so there was no question that I was speaking directly to her.

Her fangs retracted. “The Shae alpha sent a request to Queen Ambrosia via the returning guards to visit with you here around noon. He requested to speak to only you, in my presence, since he’ll be on vampire soil.”

I threw a leg off the bed and placed my foot on the cold, smooth wooden floor. Bruce Shae was the last person I’d have predicted would want to speak to me, especially since he’d kidnapped my sister.

A snarl erupted from Ryker’s chest. “Like hell she’s speaking to that bastard alone.”

Raven’s elegantly arched eyebrow rose, her expression a perfect mask of diplomacy. “This is the way of war. You should know that, based on your family legacy and your own experience. He’ll be here within an hour, so I wanted to provide you ample warning.”

I glanced down at my thin shirt and pajama pants. This wouldn’t do to meet the man I planned to kill since Reid had failed to do so during their attack. I needed him to feel intimidated. He had a reason for coming here, and I suspected it wasn’t good.

“I’ve placed an outfit for you in the bathroom. When you’re ready, come into the meeting room so we can wait for him together.” Raven turned and vanished, not looking back at Kendric.

Ryker spun toward me, and I inhaled. “Like hell you’re meeting him alone,” he snarled, his body trembling with barely contained rage. The muscles in his neck strained, and a thin sheen of sweat covered his olive skin. His wound had reopened slightly, a thin line of crimson seeping through the bandages.

“Here comes the temper tantrum,” Gage muttered .

Ryker rounded on him and gritted out, “What did you just say?”

Now that his glare was directed elsewhere, I felt like I could breathe again. I’d seen him angry a handful of times, but this was the first time it made me want to avoid his gaze.

Gage lifted his hands in mock surrender while a sardonic smile played across his lips. “Just making an observation to myself about what’s going on. That’s all.”

“So you’re good with Ember handing herself over to that jackass?” Ryker’s face flushed, reminding me of a tomato.

Xander hung his head. “Let’s not argue among ourselves. We have enough enemies without turning on each other.”

“Ember would never be an enemy of ours! To insinuate—” Ryker started.

I cut him off. “None of us are turning on each other.” I needed the drama to end so I could focus on the real target—Bruce Shae. “One of our enemies is coming to meet with me, so we need to stop wasting time and focus on strategy.” My voice rang a little louder than normal, my wolf lacing my voice with power. Though I wasn’t the Grimstones’ alpha, that didn’t mean they weren’t affected by my magic.

Head tilting back, Gage’s brows rose. “Damn. She’s stronger than I remember.”

Xander, Kendric, and Gage all looked at me with creased foreheads.

“She may be strong, but I hate that she’s conceding to that prick’s demand for a meeting.” Ryker’s breathing turned uneven, and he placed his left hand on top of his bandage. “I don’t want you to go in there alone.”

My knees weakened a little. “Raven will be with me. I won’t be alone. ”

“I’m not sure if this makes things better, but while I was held captive, they were never cruel to me.” Briar sat in the middle of the mattress, watching the whole exchange go down.

Her words hung in the air, and when the scent of a lie didn’t hit, I realized she truly meant what she said. I could feel the weight of her statement, the unspoken questions it raised. Still, it didn’t change the fact that they had held her captive and chained to a fucking bed.

Ryker growled low in his chest, a sound that vibrated through the room. “Don’t,” he warned, his voice sharp. “Don’t even think about trusting him, Ember.”

His using my actual name had a lump forming in my throat, but my blood heated with anger. All my attention landed back on him. “I’m not trusting him, Ryker ,” I said, my voice firm. “I have no doubt his kindness ”—I placed air quotes around the word—“was an attempt to gain her trust so she might tell him something that would help them locate me. But I still need to know why he’s doing this. Why he’s asking to speak to me alone, especially after we were attacked on his land.”

Briar fidgeted, her movements hesitant. “Maybe…maybe he wants to talk about the attacks and explain what happened. Or about the Blackwood pack. Or maybe he wants to apologize.”

I frowned, my mind racing. The Blackwood pack had never been a thorn in our sides before, despite their ambition and cunning ways. Our pack had never viewed them as a threat, but we’d clearly underestimated them and the fact that they were a dangerous enemy. To make matters worse, we’d viewed Bruce Shae as a pack friend. Both packs coming together to take us down didn’t make sense though. We just wanted to be left the hell alone, but the death of the shifter royals had changed things for everyone. Maybe this was another change.

Ryker stepped closer to me, dominating the space. “I agree we need to know what he wants, but I don’t want you in there with only Raven.”

I stood my ground, my heart pounding against my ribs. “I have to. This is about more than just me. It’s about the pack, about Briar, about all of us.”

Briar’s shoulders sagged. “I trust Raven, but it would be nice for Ryker to be with you. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she whispered.

I felt a pang in my chest, my resolve wavering. But I couldn’t back down. Not now, not when so much was at stake.

Raven’s words echoed in my mind. This is the way of war. She was right. This was a game of power and strategy, and I had to play my part. We couldn’t miss out on whatever Bruce had to say, and having Ryker there could freeze him up.

“I’m sorry.” I bit my bottom lip. “I have to do this. But I promise you, I won’t go in there unprepared, and if anything goes sideways, I can alert Briar through our pack link. Besides, you already look exhausted, so it’s better if you stay in bed and get more rest.”

A muscle worked in Ryker’s jaw, and he scanned me. “Fine.” His face tightened. “But I’m not staying in bed. I’ll be right outside the door with Briar, so if anything goes wrong…”

Butterflies somersaulted in my stomach, and my chest expanded to the point that it hurt. A small smile tugged at my lips. “I know, and thank you.”

The room fell silent, the tension thick and heavy. I could feel the weight of the coming meeting pressing down on me, the unknown looming like a shadow on the horizon.

I took a deep breath, my wolf stirring anxiously inside me. I could feel her fear, her uncertainty, but also her determination. We were in this together, and we would face whatever came next as one.

Standing in awkward silence wouldn’t accomplish anything, especially with the way my skin had started crawling with dread and anticipation while Briar and Ryker studied me with worried expressions.

I’d had enough. “I’m going to change and get ready.” I hurried out of the room, eager to process things without being scrutinized. I walked toward the bathroom, hoping that whatever Raven had left for me would make me look strong. I needed to present myself as a force to be reckoned with. I couldn’t let Bruce Shae see any weakness, especially since we were in a house full of vampires.

As I stepped into the bathroom, the cool marble beneath my feet made me shudder. The outfit Raven had laid out for me was a stark contrast to my disheveled appearance—black leather pants, a form-fitting top, and a jacket that screamed power.

Thank Fate that Raven had understood the assignment. I shouldn’t have doubted her; she’d proven time and time again that she was wise and knowledgeable.

I dressed quickly, visualizing each piece of clothing as another facet of armor that protected the vulnerability I felt inside. Once dressed, I worked my hair into a tight braid, the copper strands gleaming in the faint light. The mirror reflected a determined face, but my eyes betrayed the turmoil within. I placed my hands on the sink counter, trying to get my feet back underneath me. I had to give the illusion I was in control and confident in every way—eyes, posture, and even how I walked and spoke.

When my heart finally calmed to a normal rhythm, I knew it was time to go. Raven wanted me to be in the room with her before Bruce arrived, showing a message of unity and that he was clearly the visitor.

When I exited, Ryker was leaning against the wall in jeans and a black shirt. I could see the outline of the bandage around his rib cage, but him being dressed made his intentions clear.

He would make sure Bruce saw him.

His eyes narrowed as he took in my appearance. “You look the part, but that doesn’t mean you have to do this alone. We can still do this together.”

Together . I really liked the sound of that, but I couldn’t jeopardize this chance to get information. I cleared my throat. “If he wanted to meet with you alone, would you turn down his request?”

He opened his mouth to answer, but Raven cleared her throat as a gust of wind hit us and her scent surrounded the two of us. She said, “He’s pulling into the driveway. We should get set up.”

Set up? I wished there were something we could do to set ourselves up, but we were at the mercy of whatever Bruce wanted to dangle in front of us. Luckily, the only leverage he’d had over me—Briar—was back in my possession.

“Okay.” I moved to follow her.

Ryker grabbed my arm, turning me back toward him. His eyes glowed, his wolf coming forward, making me swallow hard. “I’m getting your sister, and we’ll be right outside the door. I don’t care if he looks cross-eyed, farts weird, or sneezes funny. If something seems off, I need to know you’ll let your sister know. If something were to happen to you…” He trailed off, his expression twisting into agony.

My heart thundered as if it were trying to break free from my rib cage. The space between us hummed with electricity, and I wanted to take him into my arms and tell him everything would be okay. But I couldn’t for many reasons, so I did the only thing I could do. “I promise.”

He exhaled, but he retained his grip on my arm.

“Ryker, don’t force things to become tense between us.” Raven took a few steps closer. “We need to get into the room before he does so he has no time to settle in.”

With a grimace, Ryker let my arm go, and I immediately missed his touch. But before I could do anything, Raven looped her arm through mine and tugged me in the direction of the conference room, the same place where we’d met the first night we’d arrived here.

We entered the house’s gigantic foyer with its staircase that twisted to the second floor and a massive window showcasing the mountains behind the mansion. A table to the left was decorated with four lamps and a towering Gothic black cross in the middle.

Raven led me through an archway into a massive office with interior walls made of stone. There was a huge television in the center of the wall directly across from the entrance, where Queen Ambrosia had joined us via teleconference that first night, and a colossal dark cherrywood table sitting in the center in front of it. This time the table was vacant, and the room smelled of old roses, not the copper tang of blood.

Not missing a beat, Raven seated us with our backs to the TV. When Bruce entered, he’d see us immediately .

“Do you have any idea what this is about?” This was the first time I’d gotten to ask her this question alone.

“None.” Raven’s crimson lips pursed. “But we’ll figure it out together.”

Somehow that didn’t sound as nice coming from her as it had from Ryker, but I believed the sentiment.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, and soon the door opened, Bruce’s tall figure filling the frame.

As soon as his sharp green eyes met mine, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. All of a sudden, I realized that I’d done something horribly wrong.