Page 100 of Third Offense

My heart stuttered, my eyes falling to Ketos’s still form again.We never had time. We… we needed more time. I… I could have… I don’t…

Novak’s feathers brushed my arms, grounding me once more.

Only for thatwomanto keep speaking.

Accusing Auric.

Tellinglies.

He wouldnevertouch her. I felt that to my very soul.

Then why did you let the guards take him away?a guilty part of me demanded.

Because I hadn’t known what to do,I whispered back.

It’d all happened so quickly. One moment Auric was shouting Raven’s name, and the next the guards knocked him out with Iston issuing demands to imprison him.

Imprison him where?I wondered.And… and what about Ketos? Why are they bagging him? I can still smell him!

My lips parted, a command taunting my tongue as Raven burst into the room. “Move,” she demanded, shoving one of the guards and going to her knees beside Ketos.

Zian and Sorin immediately fell in line at her back, snarling and threatening anyone who dared touch their mate.

Even Novak straightened, his feathers turning to blades along my skin. He didn’t cut me, his touch still gentle, but he was ready to massacre anyone who interfered with the scene. And ensured the room knew that with a soft, threatening growl that had the hairs along my arms dancing in appreciation.

Except that didn’t shut up Netiri.

She kept crying.

And now she was going intodetailwith her story.

Every word made me want to take a blade andstab her.

“It escalated, and one thing led to another this morning, and… and we were kissing…” She made a show of shuddering, causing my eyes to narrow. “Then Prince Ketos walked in.”

“What happened then?” Iston asked, his tone lacking emotion.

I tuned them out, my focus on Raven and the scent of her healing energy. She seemed to be evaluating Ketos. I wanted to kneel, to ask her if she could save him, but I didn’t want to interrupt.

And I was still…frozen. Like my entire body had just stopped working.Because of my mates,I thought.No. Mate. Auric. And… and Ketos…?

Our souls weren’t properly bonded, but we were connected in a way.

Compatible.

Betrothed.

I shivered.

My insides flashed hot and cold, my mind spinning a mile a minute. I wanted to scream. To run. To save Auric. To check on Ketos. To tell everyone in this room to shut the fuck up. To pull my hair out. To cry. To take control and command all these Noir to fucking kneel.

I wasn’t sure.

Too many competing desires.

Raven ripped the blade out of Ketos, causing several of the guards to growl. She threw the offending item away, muttering something about enchantments, and pressed her palms to Ketos’s chest.

Two guards started forward, their intentions clear.