Page 38 of Bonded Chaos

When he set the brandy down, Ryker looked at me with a knowing grin. Heat scorched my cheeks, and I turned away from him, focusing my attention on Riordan.

“He needs rest and plenty of fluids to help him regain his strength. I’d also recommend having someone stay with him while he’s sleeping to monitor for any signs of complications.”

Riordan nodded. “Help me get him back to Melania, will you, Ryker?”

Ryker grunted and moved to grab Malesh’s upper body.

As the men left, I pressed a hand to my stomach, where tiny winged creatures fluttered wildly.

“Enemy, Cadence. He’s the enemy,” I reminded myself.

If only my traitorous body would accept it.

Chapter Fifteen

Cadence

A week had passed since Ryker had uprooted my life and dragged me to the Unseelie Kingdom. I didn’t even know if he had delivered my letter to Callum, but I chose to believe that he had.

Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy overhead, and I watched the tree branches sway in the breeze as I meandered through the surrounding woodland. Small patches of gold dappled the forest floor, reminding me of my last day in the market back home.

A sense of longing settled in my stomach, but I pushed the feeling away as quickly as I could, fearing I would succumb to it and break apart where I stood.

A masculine grunt came from behind me, drawing my attention to the six guards following me as I explored the palace grounds. Malesh’s presence among the men gave me no small measure of relief. The man had glued himself to my side since I had saved him from certain death.

I had tried to convince him it was all in a day’s work, but he refused to hear it. When I pleaded with his wife to get him to stop, she only encouraged him further, telling me he had a debt to repay and that anything short of kissing the ground I walked on wouldn’t do.

The memory brought a smile to my lips.

If circumstances were different, I was certain I could have become fast friends with Melania. But I would never form connections in this kingdom, not with the band of gruff men stalking my every move.

They didn’t exactly give off welcoming vibes.

They were all trained soldiers, muscular and tall, and each carried enough weaponry to start their own army. People took one look at them and scurried in the opposite direction.

I’d hoped to discreetly test the collar’s limits, but my companions quickly dispelled that thought.

As I continued my stroll through the woodland, I relished the cool air that caressed my skin. It wasn’t my intention to wander so far from the palace, but when the scent of damp earth and pine filled my lungs, I was pleased that I had.

The deeper I ventured, the quieter the world around me became. I hadn’t realized how much I needed the silence until I had left the palace walls. Gone were the sounds of the busy courtyard. Deep within the forest, only the rustling leaves and the distant call of birds remained.

It soothed my aching soul and revitalized my senses.

The sound of water trickling over stones, gentle and persistent, caught my attention, and I headed in the same direction.

A thick grove of trees came into view up ahead, and I imagined they were ancient beings standing sentinel over the woodlands. Their trunks were wide and draped in moss, and their low-hanging branches seemed to lean toward something unseen, as if they were guarding the forest’s secrets.

As I parted the limbs, stepping through the natural barrier, a surprised gasp escaped me as I took in what lay before me. Beyond the trees was a small clearing, the bright sun lighting up the area and falling on a pool of shimmering water.

I couldn’t contain my excitement at the sight of the spring.

The water was crystal clear, and I could see the smooth stones lining the bottom. A wall of tall, thick ferns and boulders partially concealed the spring, almost as if the primordial forest sought to protect the hidden sanctuary.

I rushed toward the water and dipped my fingers in.

It was cold but not biting.

“Cadence, be careful near the edge,” Malesh warned.

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