Page 8 of Brutal Birthright

He’d muttered something when they first assembled about being brought in to help with their training but that he wasn’t their actual professor. He didn’t seem too worried if they milled around while waiting for whoever was in charge to appear—busying himself by arranging various weapons against the far wall of the large compound.

Ri had brought her own satchel full of her favoured blades, along with her own bow and quiver of gold-tipped arrows. Not to mention the knives concealed all over her body.

She wouldn’t be needing any of those hand-me-down-looking weapons Finn was fussing with.

The building for their combat training was open-sided, with large stone archways, a wide-span roof, and a dirt-covered floor. Perfect for whatever assessments and lessons in fight technique they would have to endure over the coming year.

Ri glanced around. Where the fuck was Brynne? The class of about fifty students was busy getting into pairs and beginning to run through some simple exercises. She saw the golden heads of the twins over on the far side of the arena, and through the sea of unfamiliar faces, both Saskia and Atticus were pairing off with unknown class members.

“Over here, scary girl.” With flushed cheeks and sounding a little breathless, Brynne’s familiar shock of pink hair flew towards her.

“Thank fuck. I thought I would have to beat up a stranger on day one.” Ri shook her head. “Where have you been?”

“Filling up on pastries… didn’t you see the breakfast spread? The food here is something else.” Her big eyes rolled back in her head.

“Lesson one, spriteling. You’ll find training much easier without a belly full of pastry weighing you down.”

“And lesson one for you, scary girl… in the breakfast queue is where you’ll get the best information. Have you seen the new combat professor?”

“No, why? Are they awful?” She stretched out her shoulders.

“He’s the hottest fucking thing anyone has seen. Tattooed. Broody. Total lady killer.”

Oh, shit.

Ri’s stomach plummeted.

It couldn’t be…

But before she could even try and breathe for just a second, a murmur went up around the group. Bodies closed in on all sides as the class moved towards whatever had captured their attention.

She could practically hear Vanya’s shirt buttons pop open as she shouldered past to get to the front of the group. “Well, hello there, professor-fuck-me. That right there is one very unmated man.” The shifter whispered far too loudly. Clearly trying to be anything but subtle with her raspy purr.

And all Ri could do was twist the grip of her satchel in her hand. Heat flaring across her skin. She kept her head down, gaze firmly locked on the leather beneath her fingers. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He was here.

Rowan of Nocturne was everything she shouldn’t desire.

Three centuries older than her.

Practically a member of their family.

One of her sister’s most trusted allies—as unlikely as their friendship appeared on the outside.

And yet Ri couldn’t erase him from her thoughts.

He’d unknowingly invaded. Commanded. And she’d been futile to resist.

The sudden jerk of an elbow into her ribs came from Brynne, who then dragged her by the arm to join the throng of students. All of them now standing in a sort of semi-circle around the two men at the front who spoke quietly together. They'd ended up right at the front before she could dig her heels in, turn tail, or flee. Nowhere to hide now.

Why the fuck didn’t Ruby mention that he was part of the academic staff?

She allowed her hesitant gaze to drift over him for a second, where he stood just off to one side with Finn. Their heads bowed as he listened to whatever the armourer was saying.

His scent of leather and the forest and something like sandalwood smoke tugged at her core with frustrating ease.

The sweep of mussed dark hair hung longer around his face than the last time she’d seen him. Was that blood up the side of his inked neck? Ri felt her stomach swoop as she took in the way his black shirt hugged the chiselled torso she’d spent far too many nights imagining looming over her.

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