Page 96 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals

And the way he defended me, to Tay, to all the others? I’ve never had someone protect me before, see the good in me.Acceptme. My heart warms and my knees shake as he steps close, nose brushing my temple.

He inhales. “The Hadeondoesn’t discriminate. It will burn you, if it thinks you’re not worthy.”

Fire.My pulse jumps, fear and need mingling together into a tarry mess as my gut twists.

“What are you suggesting?”

“We find a different way in.” He gestures to a darkened path behind him. If not for the small dip, it would look like a wall of forested trees and plants.

“What do you know of these woods?” I ask the heir,stepping over upturned roots. Tall grass brushes my knees as I follow in his footsteps.

“Many things,” he says evenly. He takes out his sword, hacking away at the branches as we pass. “Why do you ask?’

“You and your siblings were instructed to be our guides. You made comments about beasts in the forest.”

“That you ignored and thought I was lying about.”

My lips curl as I fight to the urge to argue. “So it stands to reason you know more.” I trip over a stone, stumbling to catch up. “For instance, do you know why the beasts roam these forests but don’t step outside the boundary?”

“I said it was cursed,” Kaden replies, holding back leaves so I can pass through. “There’s a spell around the woods. The beasts can’t leave the forest, but people can come in. It makes them hungry to be without for so long.”

“Why would it be contained?”

Amber eyes flash, letting the branch snap back. There’s something there, a flicker of emotion before it’s smoothed away.He’s hiding something.

“This is the gods’ prison for unwanted creatures. The shifters find sanctuary in the mountains, high above the creatures. They hunt in these woods beside them. The Dark Fae travel through it. Humans are the prey.” He shrugs, moving to lead again. “It’s a good thing it’s contained, otherwise the beasts would be free to take whatever they want.”

Remembering how Tay said the wards were failing around the Coven, it would be terrible if they failed here as well.

A ripple of unease skirts my shoulders as we go further, and I hunker into my cloak. The forest is so dark, I cannot see further than a few paces. Anything could be out there.

Strangely, my mind flashes to a bleary image. Of me, stumbling through these woods, hand to my neck, crashing through leaves. It was like this right before I entered the Blackwoods Coven territory.

“Where did your mind go?”

I trip, catching myself against a large oak. “What?”

Brows lowered, he scans my face. “Your eyes went distant as if you’ve seen a ghost. What were you thinking about?”

Shrugging, I tug my hair around my throat. “An old memory.” I point into the dark. “This is close to where I traversed as a child. Just over the ridge is the Blackwoods forest where Taylay found me.”

“This close?” he asks, frowning. “And you were bleeding? Traveling these woods. And no beasts came to you?”

“None.”

“Curious,” he admits, eyes heated. “That makes you so much more intriguing, kitten.”

My cheeks flush as he licks his bottom lip. Looking to my neck, I know he’s remembering our time together, his mouth on my neck and pussy as I begged for more.

I should be angry with him, but now, I just crave him close.

“Why did you defend me against Tay?”

His eyebrow raises. “Should I have let him continue insulting you?”

“No, but?—”

“He’s frightened of you,” he replies, turning to push through the brushes. “A Witch who claims to revere the Mates, and yet, he cannot understand your magic as being anything but divine. He’s lucky I didn’t break his bones for upsetting you.”