Page 26 of Exiled Heir

It felt like the start of a fistfight or the sort of hookup that left me satisfied for days. Cade’s eyes dropped to my lips, and he breathed out harshly, enough that I could feel it on my damp lips.

“Cade, as your partner, I’m telling you that I know how to do this. I know what I’m doing.” I tried to keep the patience in my voice, but I felt his hand tighten. “Use me.”

The words felt loaded, and Cade exhaled, the breath brushing over my skin like a touch.

“Fine. How would you do this?” His words were so quiet that they reminded me of the moment during a hunt when the prey would look up, hearing danger in something so subtle, a twig cracking, leaves moving out of sync with the breeze.

I could feel the pressure of Cade’s hand on my chest, as though he wanted to pull back and strike me, but he was controlling himself. The black lines of tattoo raced down his arms, dancing along his fingers, ready to attack me.

“You said the next two days are crucial. That they’d try to strike at us before we bonded.” I worked my jaw back and forth for a moment, inhaling a long breath before forcing out the next words. “You also said a wolf is a status symbol, but you also said you want me to protect you. So, what is it? Is a companion a trophy or a shield?”

Cade breathed in and out, his nostrils flaring. Then he pushed away from me, the weight of his hand gone immediately, leaving a chill on my chest where it had been.

“Both. It’s impossible to explain unless you understand the nuances of magecraft, and most of it is secret.” His nostrils flared again, but he closed his eyes for a half second before opening them, calm forced over his face in a mask he was clearly uncomfortably wearing. “A consort is there to protect you because if they’re hurt, you’re hurt. Their skills, their size and strength, it’s all from a mage’s powers.”

“What?” I shook my head. “How would that be possible?”

“When you form a consort bond, you are given some of a mage’s magic.” Cade cleared his throat, and I could smell the sweat on his skin, as though even revealing that was making him physically ill.

It was more than anyone had ever publicly said about consort bonds, and I felt almost like whispering.

“Tyson’s tattoos last night.” I still remembered the twisting lines that had marked his neck like a scar. “He wasn’t wearing a collar when he came in from hunting.”

“Yes. I think Sonja’s foolish to expose herself like that, but she has her reasons, I suppose.”

“What do you mean?” I narrowed my eyes at him. “How does him not wearing a collar expose her?”

Cade opened his mouth, then shut it, turning to look at me, his eyes narrowed.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I can’t know what’s weird if I don’t understand what’s normal in this situation.”

“When consorts agree to join with their mage, they are given a gift. However, revealing the magic given tells what the mage chose their consort for.” Cade looked down, flexing his hand, forcing the lines of magic to move.

“What does the magic on Tyson’s neck show?” I glanced at the exposed lines on Cade’s arms. None of it looked like a language I knew.

“Sonja gave him strength and speed. His size was a result of those two spells mixing.” Cade looked toward the window, where afternoon light turned the lawn to a brilliant green.

“How does knowing that turn it into a weakness?” I asked.

“Because it shows what she values—she wants him for his ability tophysicallyprotect her. Moreover, if she is weakened, the spell will degrade, leaving her exposed to physical attack.” His words were precise, each one a game piece on a chessboard.

I saw it now. “And if her strength is what controls the spell, then weaker mages don’t have the magic for a consort?”

“Yes.” Cade nodded. “It’s more complicated than that, but a consort protects their mage, and their size, their skills are a sign of the mage’s power.”

“In other words, I’m the trophy boyfriend and the bodyguard,” I said. “At the same time.”

Cade’s shoulders slumped, seemingly relieved that I accepted his answer without demanding more. “Yes. There are fewer consorts these days because it’s… magically expensive to maintain one.”

I exhaled. “If you bring me in, are they going to see it as you admitting you need protection or as you trying to show off how powerful you are that you just bought the Hermès purse?”

“If they’re on the council, they might see me as giving in to their demands. If they aren’t, then they’ll see it as me wanting a bodyguard.” Cade narrowed his eyes at me. “That does not make you Kevin Costner.”

“Well.” I pursed my lips and gestured to my chest. “I’d take that as an insult, but I know you mean I’m hotter than Costner, even in hisField of Dreamsdays. What’s involved in this bonding, anyway? Won’t it be obvious that we didn’t if I don’t show up one day looking like I’m on steroids?”

But then I thought about Nia, who’d looked lethal but not muscle-bound.

Cade exhaled. “I cannot—”