Page 108 of Burdened Bonds
He turns when I enter and his face is drawn and tired.
“Are you okay?” I ask, striding quickly towards him and resting my hands on his forearms, peering at him for any signs of damage or injury.
“I’m fine, Rhi,” he says, pulling me towards him and resting his chin on the crown of my head. He inhales, his chest expanding against my cheek, then blows it away with resignation.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s worse than I thought.”
“What is?” I gasp. “Spencer?” Tristan?
“Everything. My uncle’s grip on the republic is absolute and brutal. And all of it is falling into place so fucking quickly.” His words are bitter. “He must have been planning this for years.”
“But it won’t last, right? The chancellor and the council members, they’ll fight–”
“The chancellor hasn’t been seen since the night of theattack by the West. And half the members of the council are locked up or dead. The other half have fled. My uncle has always been powerful. And there’s no one to stand up to him now. I don’t see how his rule can end. Not unless the West attacks again and overthrows him – and even my uncle – cruel and corrupt as he is – is better than that outcome.”
“Then all we can do is hope for the best. Maybe life under your uncle’s rule will be little different from life under the authorities.”
“Tell that to those locked up. To those grieving. He’s already restricted liberties – the whole of Los Magicos is under curfew. I don’t see it getting any better.”
I’m quiet as I take in this information. For me, life under the chancellor and the council was never wonderful – scraping a living, dodging the lowlifes who were after us, evading the authorities. But for many people – people like Winnie and Trent – life wasn’t so awful. Now … now Winnie doesn’t even know if her grandma is dead or alive.
“How about Spencer? Did you find anything out?”
“To be honest, Rhi, I don’t know how accurate my information is. A lot of my sources – allies of the chancellor – are under arrest or have gone to ground. But I did hear one rumor that both he and Tristan are under house arrest in my uncle’s home.” He sighs. “I’m not sure that sounds particularly likely.”
“And Ellie?”
“Home with my father. Safe for now.”
“Thank goodness,” I mutter.
He squeezes me tight. “Come on, let’s get to bed. It’s been a long day.” He threads his fingers through mine, and leads me up the stairs. At the top, I attempt to pull away and return to my bedroom.
“I’m sleeping with Winnie and Pip again tonight,” I whisper.
“No, you’re not,” he says firmly, clearly bartering no argument. “Tonight, I need you inmybed, Rhianna.”
And how could I possibly refuse that?
I let him lead me through to the bedroom on the other side of mine. It contains another four-poster bed, the canopy adorned with faded scarlet drapes and matching curtains covering the large bay windows, a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Despite the dust, it may be the most grand bedroom I’ve ever entered.
Azlan comes to stand behind me, lifting my hoodie over my head, and then the shirt I’m wearing, so I’m left standing in just my panties. There’s no fire in this room and the air is frigid, my nipples crinkling and stiffening against the cold. Or is it because of him? His mere presence arouses my body automatically and makes my bond hum with pleasure.
He sweeps my hair over my shoulder and rests his mouth upon the nape of my neck.
“I know no matter what I say, you’re going to want to try and save him. No matter how dangerous or foolish I tell you it is. I know you won’t be deterred. That’s just who you are.” I nod. “So let me have tonight, Rhianna. Just the two of us, because, I’m not ashamed to admit it, I’m frightened of what the dawn may bring.”
I spin in his arms to face him. “I’m not frightened when I’m with you.” I never have been. And isn’t that strange, because he’s one of the most terrifying men I’ve ever met? But ever since that moment in the forest when I killed that man and saved him, I’ve known our lives would be irreversibly linked, long before I understood about the bond and fate’s intentions. I always knew he’d keep me safe.
“You’re so beautiful, Rhianna,” he says, brushing hisknuckles down my face. “So irresistible.” And if to prove his point, he walks me backwards towards the bed and pushes me down into the mattress. Then he reaches behind his head and yanks off his t-shirt, shedding his pants next, and then he’s lying on top of me as I part my legs for him. And I’m not cold anymore. His body is warm pressed against mine and I love the feel of his skin. I comb my fingers through his dark hair, peering up into those midnight eyes.
“Thank you,” I tell him, as he rests his forearms either side of my head, caging me with his body.
“What for?” he says, searching my eyes,
“For what you did today. I know it was a risk and I know you did it for me.”
