Page 111 of Bonded Chaos

The man had trained me to respond to his commanding tone. Even now, after everything I had endured tonight and how exhausted I felt, my body burned for him.

The intensity churning in Ryker’s gaze had me glancing sideways to escape the overwhelming heat that seemed to pin me in place.

My eyes locked on a crimson stain that had soaked through his tunic.

“You’re hurt,” I said, and I could hear the disbelief in my tone.

“It’s a scratch.”

I clawed at the garment as I pulled Ryker’s shirt over his head. An angry red gash marred his side, the steady flow of blood letting me know just how deep it was.

“If you wanted to get me naked, Cadence, all you had to do was ask,” Ryker teased.

I gave him a look that warned I wasn’t playing around before I returned my gaze to his injury. He sucked in a breath as I prodded the wound gently and more blood welled at the site.

“You should have said something,” I grumbled as I laid my palm over the gash.

The rush of power had me sighing in contentment, and I leaned into the feeling as I pushed more of my magic into Ryker. The swelling around the injury lessened, and the constant trickle of blood dried up.

Ryker’s eyebrows bunched as he watched me work, my magic weaving his broken flesh back together. As the final pulse left my palm, the thrumming in my veins slowly faded, and I looked up to see Ryker staring down at me.

“You’re incredible,” he said hoarsely.

“You’ve seen me work before, Ryker.”

“It’s different when you can feel it, too.”

Ryker plucked the washcloth off the ground and resumed his ministration on the cut at my temple.

“I can heal that myself, you know,” I teased.

“I’m aware, but I want to do it.”

The bond flared inside my chest, and I gasped.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked, concern lacing his tone.

“No, I… it’s fine,” I muttered, as I forced myself to keep my hands at my sides instead of rubbing at the spot like I wanted.

Ryker gave me an indiscernible look but said nothing.

Once he was satisfied that he’d cleaned out the cut, Ryker stood and offered me his hand.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked as I placed my palm in his much larger one.

“For a bath. You’re a mess.”

“As if you can talk,” I scoffed, and I pointed to the blood still covering his body and matting his hair.

Ryker simply shrugged and tugged me along after him.

Warmth spread throughout my chest, and I had to wonder if I was finally softening toward my mate.

Chapter Forty-Five

Cadence

In the weeks following the attack, the Unseelie Court was in turmoil. The Crimson Enclave had been a distant threat to the ruling class, if not pure fiction. Now, they had come dangerously close to the palace, shattering any illusions of safety.

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