Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 51358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 257(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 257(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
The king’s residence feels more like my home now in more ways than the place I grew up ever did. I’ll never be able to repay my aunt for bringing me back with her when she did.
“I don’t think that about your family,” he says.
It’s my turn to be shocked.
“What?” he shrugs. “I told you emotion is key. And I’ve always had the innate ability to dig beneath people’s skin.”
I huff another laugh, nodding. “You’re so talented.”
“I’ll remind you of that when you’re cursing me later,” he says, then motions to the water. “The wards will serve a better purpose with us than what Cassandra’s asshole of a father used it for.”
I snort. “Yeah, cause I’m not your mistress.”
He eyes me, those searing blues reaching down to my core and tugging on it.
Ugh. Prick. Why does he have to look so damn good in nothing but a white T-shirt and a simple pair of shorts?
“I’d have to have a wife or a mate for you to be a mistress,” he fires back, a smirk on his lips.
“You sound like that’s about as appealing as these lessons you hate,” I grumble, following him closer to the water. An awareness inside me prickles on my fingertips. I can sense every droplet of that water, like a feather brushing my skin. I just don’t know how to wield it.
“I don’t hate these lessons,” he says, flashing me a chiding look. “Do I think our time and energy is needed elsewhere? Yes. I do. We’re at war. But the king wants our family strong, so here we are.”
I swallow hard. The last thing I want is my lack of skills to be putting our family at risk.
“But you’re right,” he continues. “I’m not about the mate life.”
I laugh. “You know, for an ancient like yourself, you certainly caught up with modern language quickly.”
“You can thank Ajax for that,” he says. “Pausing time so we could catch up really came in handy.” He shakes his head. “I had no idea we’d be out that long. Still, I thought it then and I think it now—a mate? Not for me.”
I tilt my head, intrigued. “Why?” I ask. “You see how happy Talon and Cassandra are. And Zacharia. Ajax.”
“They’re happy now, sure,” he says. “But…”
He’s silent so long I take a step toward him to grab his attention. “But what?”
He sighs. “Talia is one of the strongest females among us, and she was almost killed two weeks ago.”
I cringe, the memory of the story slicing through me. It’s one of the main reasons I want to control my power. I want to be able to help whenever the next fight is brought to our doorstep.
“Zachariah wouldn’t have survived it,” Dagon continues, his features grave. He looks at the water, like he’s seeing something else entirely. “Mates are a weakness hunters can’t afford.”
“That’s a sad thought,” I say. “Especially since three of your hunter brothers are already mated.”
Dagon shrugs. “I’m not saying it’s avoidable,” he says. “But it’s a cost I’m not willing to pay.”
“I think finding a mate would be better than the alternative,” I say.
He cocks a brow at me. “Staying single and enjoying life?”
Heat dusts my cheeks. “No,” I say. “Having your family choose who you’ll marry.”
The playful smirk melts off his face and he nods. “Yeah, that’s not okay either. You should be the one to make that decision. No one else.”
My heart flutters at that. I tell it to stop. He’s my teacher—begrudged one at that—but nothing more.
“At least with a mate, you know fate selected your match,” I say.
“Against an arranged marriage,” Dagon says. “I get wanting a stronger connection.”
“I didn’t say I wanted one,” I say. “I said it would be better than the alternative. Also, it’s hard not to entertain it when you live in a residence full of mated couples. You can’t step into a room without feeling the bonded effects.”
Dagon laughs, and I hate how much I love the sound.
“It can get insufferable sometimes,” he says, his vocabulary slipping into that ancient cadence he sometimes doesn’t realize he has. And I’d just complimented him on his modern lingo too. He nods to the water. “Are you done stalling with this small talk are we going to do some work?”
I part my lips, anger flaring. “I wasn’t stalling—”
“Sure,” he cuts me off. “You wanted Edgemont River, so I give you…” He waves an arm toward the water. “Whatever the hell this one is called.”
I snort a laugh, shaking my head.
“The wards will help,” he continues. “You won’t be able to damage anything.”
“Except you?” I tease.
He grins, and my belly flips. “If trying to hurt me motivates you, use it.”
I swallow hard. The idea of actually hurting him makes my stomach sour.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” I admit, rolling my eyes.