Page 51 of Horns of Wicked Ebony (Deathcaller Duet #2)

A fter days of interrogating my soldiers, I was no closer to an answer as to who had attacked Assyria and Kiira. All the sentries were found dead, stuffed in a supply closet. Cold had slithered in my gut at the sight. Only more questions raised like battle banners after.

The assassin had maroon eyes, and yet he hadn’t called upon his secondary power once. I didn’t know him. Neither did the Kral’s Guard when I questioned them.

All the mystery made it impossible to rule out Xannirin’s involvement. My cousin had kept to himself, rarely appearing at mealtimes. And when I went to his room, he refused to answer the door.

I had half a mind to break it down and force him to speak to me.

Why would he come after my mate? And Kiira?

Sure, he was furious about the whole situation. But he knew that Assyria’s death would cripple me. And he wanted to win this war as much as the rest of us.

With the voices in the back of my head whispering that I couldn’t keep my mate safe, and the memories that haunted me as I entered the training ring, I needed a fucking break from this place.

The final day of the week dawned, bringing with it a brilliant sun that hadn’t shone since my cousins’ arrival.

This was the only day with ample free time, and most of the soldiers went into Fured for their few precious hours.

The markets and taverns were a respite from strict regimen, and the townspeople were always ready to welcome the soldiers and their coin.

I had other plans for Assyria. Her shoulder had set correctly, and after a few days of herbs from the healer, it was nearly as it had been before. The cut on her cheek had vanished. It was almost as if the attack had never happened.

Almost.

Even now, with her hair fanned across the pillow, a fierce protectiveness rose in me. Killing that fucker once was not enough to abate my anger.

Yet Assyria did not relent on any training she could do, attending twice daily with the females.

It was as if the fire that had always burned inside her had swelled into a raging inferno.

Her constant fervency heated my blood in the best way, and more than anything I wanted to sink my cock into her and lose myself for eternity.

The waking bell echoed through the keep, its peal deep and clear. With grumbled protest, she rolled over onto my chest, absently tracing one of the snakes wrapped around a tree tattooed there. “Do we have to get up? Everything hurts.”

“You got an extra hour of sleep,” I pointed out, my thumb stroking the bare skin of her shoulder.

She tilted her head up to look at me, eyes narrowed. “Did I?”

“The gong sounds one hour later today than all the others,” I told her.

“But we went to sleep later than normal too,” she argued with a huff. “So it nets me zero extra sleep. I think tomorrow when that damned thing wakes me up, I’m going to bury my head in the pillows and pretend I don’t exist.”

A laugh rumbled in my chest. “You have been training very hard. But I can’t let you break the rules.”

“Ugh,” she replied, flattening herself across my large frame. “What’s the benefit of being mated to you then?”

Gripping her hips, I slid her down my body to settle over my hardness. “This.”

“Males,” she sighed, rolling herself off me.

I snatched her back before she could go too far. “And what would you know of that, little imposter? Did you forget you belong to me?”

“First, I don’t belong to you,” she said, stabbing her finger above my heart. “I am my own person and I do things because I want to do them.”

In one swift motion, I had her on her back, pinned beneath me. I rolled my hips against hers, eliciting a soft gasp. Then, I let my head drop to her ear. “Don’t play like you don’t love when I command you.”

Desire swept down our bond, and when I pulled back, Assyria’s pupils had darkened. My dick throbbed against her thigh. But now was not the time, or the way, I wanted her. So with a groan, I forced myself to put space between us.

Yet when I sat on my heels, my cock still pointed straight to her. She raked her gaze hungrily along its length before propping herself up and reaching for me. I caught her hand before she could touch. “Not now. I have plans for us.”

She tilted her head to the side, ebony hair spilling over her shoulder and concealing one of her flawless nipples. “And what’s that?”

“We’re going to the beach,” I pronounced.

She looked at me like she didn’t believe me. “There’s a beach? Isn’t it cold? ”

“There is, but it’s hidden and you have to fly. Figured it would be a nice time to practice that too. As for the weather, yes it will be chilly. I suggest you dress accordingly.”

She rolled her eyes. “Because I definitely need you telling me what to wear too.”

“Technically, you’re now a member of this army, and I am your superior officer.

So if I say put on this leather, you put it on.

If I say put on this helmet, you put it on.

If I wanted you to wear a collar and leash, you’d bark at my feet.

No matter what I want, you have to do it.

” I couldn’t help the wicked grin that curved up the corner of my mouth.

“How do I remove myself from this situation?” she sighed, looking at the ceiling like she was asking the Weaver for assistance.

I tugged her ankles, bringing her closer to me and flat on her back once more. Then, I knelt between her thighs. The scent of her arousal flooded my nostrils before I blew across her cunt. “Are you sure you want to?”

“This is so not fair,” she said, her tone all breathy need.

I retreated again, this time fully off the bed before I could disregard my plans and take her right then and there.

“What about breakfast?” she asked, pushing herself upright.

I pulled on a pair of previously discarded pants and fastened them. “I’ve ordered it to go.”

She arched a brow. “So you’ve been planning this?”

“Aye,” I said, finding a tunic and buttoning it up. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Uh, yes,” she replied, sliding from the bed.

On her side of the room, a chair—completely covered in her half-worn clothes—waited.

From the pile, she yanked out her warmest leathers.

I’d had more made for both of us after our arrival since we would be in residence for months.

No sense in rewearing the same two sets of clothing when we had ample space for more.

At least the clothiers had been cooperative since I threatened one of the elder ones.

“I make lots of plans,” I pointed out. “I am, in fact, in charge of the army.”

She tugged on tight pants that drew my attention straight to her ass.

“But none of them have been romantic ones,” she quipped.

The swell of her breasts disappeared as she pulled on a shirt and then fastened a high-collar leather jacket over it.

All our new clothing was shadow-woven, which allowed our wings through.

That way, removing it for training would be unnecessary—or in the event of an attack.

“That you know of,” I shot back as I found my dagger sheaths and strapped them on.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times. Smugly, I waited for her to offer me a reasonable response. Rather than admitting defeat, she huffed. “Okay, I’m ready. Show me this romantic plan you have.”