Page 18 of Brutal Birthright

But before she could storm off, a large paw wrapped around her upper arm, and Rowan halted her escape with an impossibly tight grip. As she stuttered out a string of curses, his punishing hold only intensified.

Her words disappeared into a void, along with their surroundings.

As soon as they touched solid ground, Ri yanked her arm away. She glared at his stupidly handsome face, willing her body not to react to the heat of his touch. His scent. His overwhelming masculinity that consumed all rational thought.

Screw him.

“Ri, you’re finally here.” A swathe of turquoise curls and squealing engulfed her in a fierce hug.

She was positive a rib cracked under the whirlwind of her sister’s affection.

“Are you sure you’re a queen?” She gasped. Grateful for the distraction from doing something stupid—but no doubt immensely satisfying—like kicking Rowan in the balls.

At least he’d had the sense to set her down and move out of striking distance. After portaling them both and then depositing her so unceremoniously at her sister’s side, she wasn’t in the mood to pull her punches.

From where she looked over her sister’s shoulder, she could see him and Niall begin talking in hushed tones straight away. Or more likely arguing, judging by the way Rowan was visibly grinding his jaw.

“Nope. Not at all.” When Ruby stepped back and gave her a big grin, her cheeks looked flushed. If someone didn’t know her sister well enough, they would never notice, but there was definitely a dishevelled look about her…

“Urghh, ew. You two have been fucking in the throne room again, haven’t you?” She punched her sister's shoulder and rolled her eyes.

Those two were unbelievable.

All Ruby could do was open and close her mouth several times before darting a quick glance over at the two Nocturne brothers. Ensuring they were now well out of earshot.

“Shut uppp.” Ruby whispered. Her eyes still flicked towards Niall and Rowan. Both cast an imposing image where they had stopped just outside the large glass door that led from the cabin’s living space. Only they seemed to have squared up to one another with arms folded and looked like two bulls in the middle of a standoff.

Oddly enough, unless she’d witnessed Rowan move, she would never have known he’d left her side.

For such a big man, he had a quietly feline ability to slink around unheard.

She blinked around at the space, one that certainly made up for any simplicity on the inside with an absolutely spectacular view. One that swept in a jaw-dropping visage through large windows overlooking a waterfall and thick forest. They had portaled to Ruby’s private cabin in the Soterian Realm. A very, very long way away from the academy and the fae dominion indeed.

“Thanks for pulling me out of class, bitch. Why are we meeting here and not at Astracadia, Ru-Ru?”

“Look, I feel awful. I didn't even get to see you on the first day of classes. Is it so wrong for me to want to make sure everything is going well? Especially without prying eyes and ears.”

“You mean to make sure everything is ok for me, or for your precious academy?” She arched an eyebrow.

“Both.” Her sister chewed on the inside of her cheek. Looking adorable and effortlessly regal, yet badass as always, with her swathe of floral tattoos down both arms. “Don’t hate me, but I feel like you’re my very own eyes and ears for all the shit no one will tell me.”

“So, I’m your spy then, am I?” Ri shook her head with a chuckle.

“No.” She feigned a gasp of shock. “But you’ll tell me the truth, won’t you… everything is going smoothly for you so far?” Her sister’s meaning was obvious in those soulful brown eyes. In her endlessly caring way, she wanted to know if there were any complications from being Ruby’s own sister and all that kind of familial connection entailed.

“Of course.” No, she wouldn’t be telling her sister of the run-ins with blonde bitch-face and her circus of adoring fans. Nor would she be mentioning the way Rowan of Nocturne seemed to have it in for her. She’d much rather fight her own battles.

After all, that was the entire reason she’d asked to enrol in the academy in the first place.

Ruby wandered over to the small kitchen area and poured coffee from a steaming pot. One that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere on the table. Niall’s magic was clearly at work taking care of his mate, even from where he remained preoccupied outside. It was all so fucking effortless having a witch to take care of little things like that. Copious orgasms and coffee produced on demand? Lucky bitch.

The earthy, warm scent filled her nose, and Ri reached over to snatch the first cup, barely giving her sister a chance to finish pouring.

“Hey.”

She evaded Ruby’s slap at her hands, took a big slurp, and then grinned like a fiend over the rim. Spirits, she’d missed this. Just the two of them, winding each other up and sharing weird little private jokes together.

But there was undoubtedly another reason she’d been whisked away here without warning. Ruby must have had another reason to summon her like this. Not to mention, Ri still wanted answers to the news that Brynne had shared yesterday.

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