Page 77 of Lord of the Lone Wolf (Bonded Hearts #3)
Maseo
D istant cooking fires scented the evening air as Maseo and Rylan walked from the barracks toward the castle. The raven shifter had insisted on accompanying him, claiming it was the least he could do after Maseo had trekked all the way to the soldiers’ quarters despite his injuries.
“While it was great to see you, you should rest more, given your condition,” Rylan said, his golden eyes flickering with concern. “You’re recovering from serious wounds. Maybe pushing yourself this hard isn’t the wisest idea.”
Maseo shrugged, then winced as the movement tugged at his dressings. “Probably, but it felt good to be around everyone again. It’s the closet I’ve ever been to being normal.”
“I’m not sure hanging out with Bitris, Sudryl, and Drayden counts as normal,” Rylan joked.
“I’m not used to having friends,” Maseo clarified. “It’s nice to be surrounded by people who want me around because they enjoy my company.”
Rylan’s expression softened, but his next words carried his trademark playful edge. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. And I know a certain king and his royal consort feel the same way.”
Heat crept up Maseo’s neck. “They’re good people who help those in need.”
“Is that what we’re calling magical protection jewelry these days? Because last I checked, royal dragons don’t gift their personal magic to people they don’t care about.”
Maseo’s hand moved to where Kitsuki’s ring usually rested, only to find bare skin.
Kitsuki had taken it to Head Enchanter Fersen a week ago, hoping he could change the protective magic to guard against necromancy as well.
Without the constant warm embrace of Kitsuki’s power, Maseo felt naked in ways that went beyond the physical.
“Missing something?” Rylan asked with obvious amusement, having caught the telltale gesture. “You do that whenever someone mentions His Majesty, you know. Very telling.”
“I do not,” Maseo protested, his face burning hotter.
“You absolutely do.” Rylan’s voice softened, though the teasing in his eyes remained. “There’s nothing wrong with seeking security in someone’s protection, especially when that person is invested in your well-being.”
They walked in comfortable silence as the castle loomed larger. The easy warmth of friendship was new to him, and he wanted to hold on to it for as long as possible. “Thank you for always looking out for me and for making me feel like I’m meant to be here.”
“Was there any question about it with certain dragons and their hoarding instincts?” His expression turned more serious, the playful facade slipping to reveal genuine affection. “In all honesty, you’ve become important to many people here. Don’t forget that. You belong here, with all of us.”
They reached the castle entrance, where warm light spilled from the windows and the sound of distant conversation drifted from within. Home , Maseo thought, with a sense of wonder. “Thanks for walking me back.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to your room?” Rylan asked, his golden eyes scanning the shadows with a protective instinct. “I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure. Besides, if I let you escort me all the way to my door, people might talk. I wouldn’t want to damage your reputation as a flirt.”
“Ha! As if anyone could compete with your mysterious, brooding appeal.” Rylan grinned as he stepped back. “Fine, but if you have any nightmares tonight, you know where to find me. I have excellent mulled wine, and I’m told my company is moderately entertaining.”
Maseo chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
With that, Rylan turned and headed toward the warriors’ quarters, leaving Maseo standing at the castle entrance with warmth spreading through his chest from more than the fire whiskey. It followed him as he made his way into the castle, a smile playing on his lips.
Now, walking alone through the familiar hallways, Maseo reflected on how surreal it felt to have his own quarters in the family wing of Tiora Castle instead of sleeping in the barracks with the other soldiers.
Kitsuki’s insistence that he stay in the castle in the Ariake wing had surprised him, but the gesture spoke to a consideration that warmed something deep in his chest. After a lifetime of feeling unwanted, having a place to belong was a gift he never took for granted.
The ache in his ribs and back intensified as he walked, the necrotic wounds from his father’s attack refusing to heal despite Auslin’s best efforts.
His left eye burned behind its bandages as it wept infected fluid.
Each step sent waves of discomfort through his battered body, reminders of how close he had come to death and how much the encounter had cost him.
He couldn’t wait to take a hot bath and sink into the soft bed waiting for him in his room. They were luxuries he had valued after spending so much of his life traveling on the road.
Lost in his thoughts, Maseo’s heightened senses failed to detect the danger until it was too late.
Pain exploded across his shoulder as a blade bit deep into muscle and bone. He cried out, spinning toward his attacker. The sight that greeted him made his heart leap into his throat.
An almost unrecognizable Kio stood before him.
After a year in the dungeon, he had transformed into something feral and broken.
His once-pristine silver-black hair hung in matted tangles past his shoulders, greasy and unkempt.
Yellow eyes that had once held cruel intelligence now burned with the wild light of madness.
The stench of unwashed flesh and human waste clung to his tattered clothing, making Maseo’s sensitive nose burn with the assault.
But it was the sword in Kio’s hand that commanded Maseo’s attention, its blade still wet with his blood.
“Well, look at what I found wandering the halls all alone,” Kio crooned, his voice rough from disuse and carrying an unhinged quality that made Maseo’s skin crawl. “There’s no magic protecting you now, is there, you worthless piece of shit?”
Maseo’s mind raced as he pressed his hand against the bleeding wound on his shoulder. How had Kio escaped? Where were the guards who were supposed to be watching him? “How did you get out?”
Kio’s laughter sounded unhinged. “That poor little guard thought he could bring me my slop without backup, so I snapped his neck like a twig and took his keys.” He hefted the stolen sword with practiced ease.
“I took his weapon, too. It’s amazing how much stronger you get when all you have to live for is revenge. ”
The casual way Kio spoke of murder terrified Maseo. Prison had stripped away whatever humanity Kio might have possessed, leaving behind something monstrous.
Kio circled Maseo, sizing up his wounded prey. “You look like shit. What happened to your pretty face? Did Daddy try to put you out of your misery? Too bad the bastard couldn’t finish the job.”
“At least I haven’t been rotting in a cell like an animal,” Maseo retorted, his temper flaring despite the danger. The months of building confidence and learning his own worth rebelled against Kio’s familiar taunts.
Without warning, Kio lunged forward with a slash of his blade.
Maseo threw himself sideways, the sword whistling past his head to spark against the stone wall. Without a weapon of his own, his only options were to run or find something to defend himself with. But the hallway stretched empty in both directions, offering no convenient weapons or escape routes.
“What’s wrong?” Kio taunted as he pressed his attack. “Where’s your dragon king to protect you? Where’s your precious Auslin to heal your wounds and kiss your tears away?”
Each dodge sent agony through Maseo’s injured ribs, his body protesting the violent movement. The necrotic wounds felt like they were tearing open, but staying still meant certain death. “They don’t need to protect me from a pathetic failure like you.”
“Failure?” Kio’s voice rose to a shriek before his sword came down in a vicious arc.
Maseo avoided a killing blow, but the blade caught his left arm, opening a gash that sent blood streaming down to his fingertips. He hissed in pain, stumbling backward as Kio advanced with messy feints.
“That’s it,” Kio purred, his earlier frenzy giving way to sadistic pleasure as he saw Maseo’s blood. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment for months. All those cold nights in that cell, the only thing that kept me warm was imagining all the ways I would make you pay.”
Maseo avoided the next attempt on his life. He needed to find an opening to turn the fight around. Kio was stronger and armed, but prison had made him sloppy. Rage fueled his attacks, leaving him vulnerable if Maseo could find the right moment to strike.
“You know what the funny thing is?” Maseo said, trying to sound casual. “Even after all this time, you’re still obsessed with me. It’s pathetic that you can’t move on.”
“Shut up!”
“I mean, here you are, wasting your last chance at freedom to come after me instead of escaping. You could be anywhere by now, but you can’t let go, can you?
” Maseo backed down the hallway, forcing Kio to follow him.
“You’re so desperate for my attention that you’d rather die here than live without it. ”
“I said, shut the fuck up!”
Maseo continued riling Kio up in the hopes of getting the upper hand. “And the best part? While you’ve been rotting away, forgotten by everyone, I’ve been living in the castle. Eating at the royal table. Sharing private moments with both Auslin and Kitsuki.”
It was an exaggeration, but it had the desired effect. Kio’s face contorted with such rage that spittle flew from his lips. “You lying piece of shit. Nobody could ever want someone as worthless as you.”
Maseo continued moving down the corridor, frustrated there wasn’t so much as a single vase he could use as a weapon. “Then why did they save me while they left you to rot?”
“Because you poisoned them against me!” Kio’s attacks grew erratic, his form dissolving into pure aggression. “You turned them against me.”