Page 93 of The Chains You Defy

My only option left was to deflect.

As if that had ever worked with the tiny, persistent female.

Turning my back to her to shield the contents of the letter, a wheeze was driven out of my lungs as she tackled me from behind. Her arms wrappedaround my neck, and she almost strangled me as she pulled herself up, using my body like a climbing wall.

I was much too surprised—and breathless—to react. Naya was clinging to me, currently wrapping her legs around my waist, and with a triumphant noise, she peered over my shoulder.

Temporarily, I forgot my mission of keeping the bad news to myself, since her adorable behavior stunned me. Thinking back, I’d never seen her this playful before, despite my best attempts to coax such a side out of her. And now that I’d witnessed this facet of hers, I’d never stop my pursuit to see her let loose.

“Dion? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Hot flashes shot through me, not because of the cute sound she made, but because—gods, my knees buckled. Her lips attacked my sensitive ear, a flick of her tongue whispered against the tip—and she had no idea what she was doing to me.

Bracing my hand against the wall under the sudden onslaught of arousal shooting straight to my cock, I was torn between my yearning to escalate this situation and my poor excuse for restraint, screaming about unpredictable consequences at the fire burning in my veins.

“If you don’t spill the beans, I’ll torment you until you do.”

“Nayana, are you threatening me with a good time?”

“With torture, princeling.”

My wits abandoned me once more as she advanced to my other ear—and assaulted the peak with her blunt human teeth. Groaning, I leaned firmer against the wall and almost missed as she reached for the parchment. As much as I enjoyed her attempts at playing dirty,when she’d redirected my attention back to the paper, I’d steeled my will so it would be harder than its rival downstairs, which pressed against the confines of my breeches.

“Alright, alright, I’ll talk. It’s another summons from my grandfather.”

“Again? What does he want?”

“A thorough discussion about my absence. He was preoccupied with Galantan affairs yesterday. This doesn’t come as a surprise, only that this piece of shit arrived so soon. Normally, he enjoys his mind games too much and lets me stew in uncertainty for longer.”

Of course, discussion was his code for severe punishment or downright torture. The prospect wouldn’t have worried me too much if there hadn’t been an unacceptable addendum in his missive—he’d decreed that Nayana’s presence was mandatory as well.

He could kiss my ass, double my chastisement, or cut me open and pour acid over my wounds, but I refused to involve her in any of the private meetings between Galrach and me. But since my tiny female was as stubborn as she was beautiful, she’d brush off my intentions if she found out about my grandfather’s command.

“Hey, give that back.” Oh, the little minx had used my distracted pondering to snatch the note from my hands, and she slipped off my back with an agility she’d never displayed before. My earlier arousal dissipated as if someone had doused me with icy water.

She sidestepped my desperate efforts to grab her from behind and then even dodged my magic exploding from me. Her movements only stopped once her hands holding the summons lowered. With a glare rivaling my own, she spun around and pointed her index finger at me.Accusation glimmered in her darkened eyes, complementing the scowl she currently bestowed on me. Belatedly, my tendrils engulfed her, and I used the chance to haul her into my embrace.

“Iwillaccompany you.”

“No.”

“Dion.”

“There are things in this court I won’t have you witnessing. My grandfather’s discussions make the top of that list.”

“I’ll be silent and keep to the story we fabricated. Trust me, I’ll be your obedient little Amplifier.”

Her words—no matter how well she meant them—didn’t help to thaw the ice spreading in my blood. Tugging her as near as possible, I closed my eyes and rested my chin on the crown of her head. During the conversation we were going to have, I couldn’t look her in the eye. “Tiny one, when Galrach says discussion, he means—abuse. And I want you far away from that.”

“I can take whatever he’ll dish out. There’s no need to coddle me.”

“No, you misunderstood. He’ll discipline me, not you. It’s not the first time, Naya. And if I had to guess, he’s particularly interested in observing both of our reactions. As believably as you executed your story, he hasn’t completely swallowed our deception yet.”

“And you leaving me behind against his wishes would alert Galrach to the truth right from the start, don’t you think?”

Fuck, she was correct. The compulsion to protect her intensified as I frantically searched for a solution to keep her out of this mess, while also preventing us from showing our cards. There had to beone.