Page 8 of Shifter’s Promise (Devourer of Magic)

Chapter

Six

T hey weren’t quite the Hyperion Cliffs of the south, but the eastern cliffs, a ridge that followed the ocean beyond the palace, weren’t anything to sniff at either.

Jutting from the rugged landscape, the sheer drop overlooked tumultuous waves that lapped the surrounding beaches.

We’d have to pick a diving spot carefully—one without jagged rocks or shallow water beneath it.

Luckily, with my keen eyesight, it wasn’t difficult to discern even forty or so feet above the water.

With wind whipping my braids against my back, a grin spread across my face. The sun burned the horizon, casting a long shine of glare across the ocean’s surface. Even half blinded by the light, the sight was one to behold.

I inhaled the salty breeze, fingers trailing through the gust at my side.

Gods, how I missed this .

“You sure you’re up for this?” Taka called from up ahead. He’d climbed up further than I had, peering down from the next ridge.

“Absolutely,” I answered without hesitation.

The freedom of the cliffside. The wind in my hair. I was living for the first time in ten years. And nothing could stop me .

That thought alone had me laughing into the salty breeze before I turned to follow the trio higher. Their bodyguard, the lioness, stuck close to the next ridge after boosting the trio one at a time. It was then that I realized my error.

Oh no .

I hadn’t been paying attention at all, and now I was the last up—leaving me alone with my mate.

A mate I still didn't know the name of. The trio hadn’t introduced her, brushing her off as their guard.

Though they clearly respected her, they were still the ones in charge.

At least they didn’t shove it in her face like another male might.

“Coming?”

My breath caught. Her voice had a pleasant deepness to it, and a rasp that caressed my senses, sending my leopard purring with the sound.

Swallowing thickly, I tried to regain control of my errant thoughts.

I slowly walked to her side, where she held her hands together, ready to boost me up as she’d done for the trio.

I tried to avoid her gaze, but those amber orbs pulled at my every instinct, almost forcing my eyes to hers.

I bit my tongue on the pleased sigh my body attempted to emit without warning .

Now even my own body was betraying me. I groaned internally.

“I’m coming,” I murmured. Finally tearing my gaze away, I looked up at the ridge ten feet overhead.

She didn’t say another word, only bent to offer her hands. I thanked Kara silently for helping me get ready. I was still wrapped up in fabric, only my elbows and hands free. If she touched my skin, I wasn’t sure what would happen. The first time Gina had laid a hand on me, I?—

Shaking my head, I pushed the thought away. I couldn’t think about Gina, not right now. Despite the growing ache in my chest, I put my foot on the lioness’s offered hands. She propelled me up, only for Raxa to grab my arm and haul me over the edge.

“Thanks,” I said, a little winded with surprise rather than exertion. The lioness was so strong she’d thrown me up over the ledge, maybe even a foot or so above.

“No problem,” Raxa mumbled before releasing me. He quickly stepped away, gaze riveted on the afternoon sky.

“Now this is a view,” Taka said, throwing his arms out to emphasize his point.

I followed their gazes just as a heavy thud collided with the cliff. I turned to find the lioness dusting herself off before joining us. I balked. Had she just… leapt up the entire ridge?

Aya sighed and slung his arm around my shoulders. I bristled, nostrils flaring with ire.

“You’re supposed to be guarding us, not showing us up, Leona.” He chuckled as he leaned close to my ear. “ Ignore our guard.” He tried to pull me to face the ocean once more, but I ducked beneath his arm and straightened a few feet away.

“Do not touch me without permission.” I bit out the words, my skin crawling where our skin had briefly touched. My whole body felt wrong suddenly, like grease slid across my skin. I touched my elbow, but there was no actual substance, only the imaginary feeling of that jaguar’s prickly skin.

Aya held up his hands and laughed. “Sorry, princess. My bad.”

Yes, it is. I narrowed my eyes at him, crossing my arms over my chest to hide the rising goosebumps. Not that I had much skin available to see.

“Who’s first?” Taka asked over his shoulder, a manic grin slicing across his face.

My heart skipped, eyes snapping back to the cliffside.

I carefully picked my way to the edge, peering over the now at least fifty foot drop below.

It wasn’t a bad spot. Deep water lapped against sheer stone.

There weren’t any jagged rocks, and a nearby beach would make climbing out and back up easier.

“Lady’s first!”

Pressure at my back took me off balance. My heart rose into my throat, my scream trapped as my body pitched over the side. Eyes wild and pulse racing, I only had a few seconds to pick out who’s voice that was—Aya’s—before I wrapped my arms around my head and slammed into the surface of the ocean.

Pain slapped my arms so hard I gasped, only to lose my remaining oxygen. Cold consumed my entire being. The current tore at my clothes, yanking me this way and that, sending me thrashing beneath the surface.

I gasped out bubbles, accidentally inhaling a lungful of water.

Pain seared my chest and stung my nose. Overwhelmed, all I could do was claw at the ocean and kick for the surface.

Finally, I broke into fresh air, gasping and spluttering.

A huge splash spattered my cheeks from ten feet away.

I was too busy coughing up sea water to notice who it was until a hand brushed my elbow.

“Twinlin, are you all right?”

Her .

I knew it without needing to open my eyes, but I did anyway. Concerned, round eyes met mine. Her fingers gently wrapped around my arm spreading warmth from her casual touch.

I swallowed the whine ratcheting up my throat. My mate is here. My mate was touching me, and it was all I could think until another splash brought reality crashing back.

I blinked away the blur of water and nodded. “I’m okay.”

Though my throat was a little raw from coughing, I was fine otherwise. Leona’s brows pinched, taking my words with a grain of salt. When she seemed sure enough I was telling the truth, she linked her arm with mine and started swimming back to shore.

“Woo! What a great landing!” Taka shouted just as another splash landed a mere foot away.

I rolled my eyes. They should be more careful. It was common practice when I dove last to wait for the person to swim out of the way before jumping.

“They’re going to hurt themselves,” I growled.

Leona hummed her agreement. Her fingers twitched into a painful grip for a moment before softening.

“They could have hurt you .”

She was right. If I didn’t know how to dive without hurting myself, I could have been injured. I could have broken an arm or worse.

Frustration burned through me. I kicked through the water until we reached the beach. Men . They weren’t careful at all when it came to those they didn’t care about. Or maybe that had been the plan. Maybe that was their game . Maybe they wanted to fuck with me. Make me back down.

My fists clenched. If they thought I would back down now, they had another thing coming. Leopards don’t back down, especially when our pride is at stake.

“I’ll be sure their father knows,” Leona said. She pushed soaking blonde hair over her shoulder, the weight of it seeming to annoy her almost as much as the triplets had.

My brows furrowed. “What will he do about it?”

Her gaze flickered up, realizing what she’d said. She sighed.

“Nothing.” She grumbled something about a man child for a leader before straightening and clearing her throat. “I’ll be more aware next time so something like this doesn’t happen again.”

I raised a brow. “This wasn’t your fault. ”

Her jaw twitched. She seriously can’t be blaming herself right now.

Before I could make sure she knew the fault laid with the triplets, said trio swam closer until their laughter had my skin crawling with irritation. I exhaled heavily and turned to face them. Fire licked through my chest and up my throat.

These fucking assholes think this is funny .

“Having fun?” I asked, a dark lilt to my voice.

The trio froze, dripping as they stood in the knee-high waves lapping the shore. Raxa had the decency to avoid my gaze, but Taka and Aya grinned, chests puffed out. Their smiles taunted me as if to say what are you going to do about it?

“Unacceptable behavior,” Leona surprised me by saying. She stepped forward, shoulders back and lips curled in a snarl. “Your people would be ashamed.”

Taka’s smile dropped while Aya’s only flinched.

I made note that Leona said their people … not their father. Interesting. Did the trio not look up to their parent at all?

“It was just a little joke,” Aya said. “She looked so excited by the water, I had to get her there faster.” His laugh didn’t reach his eyes.

“Jokes are meant to be funny,” I countered.

“I’m laughing,” Taka added. There might be a smile on his face, but it was absent from his eyes too.

“You’d laugh at a funeral,” Raxa deadpanned.

Taka flinched, sending his brother a confused look before recovering quickly.

“Sometimes it’s funny the way Father gives his eulogy.” He shrugged.

Raxa snorted while Aya stepped forward, ignoring his brothers’ antics. “You’re not upset are you, princess?”

“You just pushed me off a cliff, why would I be upset?”

The sarcasm must have cut home. Even Aya didn’t smile this time. “If I had known the princess would prefer something more cozy, we’d have taken you out for dinner instead.”

Liar . I was sure that this was all part of whatever scheme they’d come up with—a scheme to get them out of this marriage and never unite the clans. That , I couldn’t allow.

“Then make up for your behavior and take me out now.” Throwing my braids back, I met Aya’s gaze with a challenge of my own. They might not want this any more than I—but I had my clan’s land to return. I wouldn’t back down from their challenge anymore than Aya would back down from mine.

These kinds of men always wanted to guard their manhood—he’d never back down. A sly smile curled my lips.

Glowering, Aya crossed his arms. “Fine. Dinner.”

“After you.” I motioned up the beach at the long trail into town. He grunted and stomped off first while I held back, following last before their guardess. It was only when we were halfway back that I realized my beautiful new mate’s name was Leona.

What a perfect name for the fierce woman I wasn’t sure could be mine.