Page 15 of Reigning
“You won’t hurt Linden, will you?” It’s an honest curiosity. If I can get her to care, even just a little bit about this one person, there’s hope for our kingdoms.
But judging by how she’s treating her other son, how she’s always treated her other son, it’s a beaten and bruised image of hope.
She never glances my way. Her chin lifts a little higher, and then she strides toward the door as if I never spoke a word.
“Goodnight, Arlow.”
* * *
Of course, Rime doesn’t say a word when he leads me down the dungeon stairs. I could escape him. It’d be easy. But my vanishing magic doesn’t take no matter how many times I try. Ellise has stunted some of my powers and enhanced others at her choosing. It’s completely infuriating.
Even if I made it past Rime, I’d never make it past all the demon guards, though.
And honestly, I’d never be able to leave without my mate.
So I’ll stay. I’ll stay and plot and figure all of this out.
The way I feel my relationship breaking down with the man at my side with each passing day, that’s something I’m not strong enough for.
Pain sinks into my heart and spreads with agonizing slowness until it devours my stomach. The cell door sweeps open with a cry of metal on metal, and the shifter doesn’t look at me when I pause in front of him. I’m playing games with Ellise, and unfortunately, that means I’m playing games with a dragon who doesn’t seem to understand all this and doesn’t have the option to grasp a human explanation.
How can I explain this to him?
“I don’t love Linden.”
His jaw tics, but he keeps his head held high, his icy gaze narrowed on a spot in the darkness.
I’m not afraid of him despite his initial reaction to hurt me. The carnal part of him that wanted a carnal thing from his mate. He feels our connection. He has to.
And that just makes this all the more confusing.
“You’re my mate, Rime. I’m yours. I’ve always been yours.” I skim my fingers so lightly over his wrist.
He snatches my hand in his, and in an instant, I’m pinned to the painful metal bars. My spine arches against the cell, but his chest holds me in place, his blazing blue eyes glaring down on me with fierce conviction like I’ve never seen.
He’s going to snap at me.
“Mine,” he says through clenched teeth, enunciating the word like it has more meaning than I ever understood until now.
My heart answers in a pounding reply, sending a thrill of energy soaring all through me.
Mine.
It’s the first thing he’s ever said to me with the device consuming all his rational thoughts.
It shouldn’t be as romantic as my fluttering heart is making it out to be.
On the tips of my toes, I lean into him, pressing my chest fully to his, letting my lips skim over his slowly, holding his gaze and making a promise I hope he hears.
“I’m yours, Rime. I know you’re used to people leaving you or using you or hurting you, but I’ll never do that. You’re gone in a way, but I’ll always be yours. You’ll always have me. I love you.” It hurts my heart to say all of that out loud. It hurts so much that my lashes flutter closed to stop the moisture that’s blurring my sight.
I wish he was here.
His lips press gently to mine; his hold on me loosens to a soft caress. The shifter kisses me with care, a chaste kiss like he’s never given me before.
I arch into him for more, but he pulls back as quickly as he came.
With the heaviness of my breath filling the silence, I barely hear the mage imprisoned a few cells down.
