Page 153 of Puck & Her Blades

How many times has she made Cygnus or Lark shake with terror or pain?

“I spent my childhood being bullied by my sister.” Cygnus wraps his arms around himself but he forces himself to go on because this secret needs to be told. “She would throw me into the lake. Mom’s lake. Then one time, she didn’t get me out of the water soon enough…”

Roarke’s breathing hard. He looks like he’s about to hurl.

The room stinks of burned coffee.

His furious gaze settles on his daughter. “You..!”

I stand up, taking a step away from Sydney to wrap my arms around Cygnus. He lays his head against my shoulder, and I can feel the way that he’s trembling.

Yet I love that he’s so small he fits there, and how I can feel that he’s safe in my arms, even if he’s just done something that shows how strong he is.

Panicked, Sydney pushes herself to her feet. “Hold up, you need to listen to me. Dad—”

“I don’t want to hear it,” Roarke bellows. “You drowned your brother and then made him feel like he had to hide it. You’re the reason that he’s…but I’ve taken it out on him, as if it’s his fault. Never touch your brother again. You’re a disgrace.”

“Dad, p-please,” Sydney sobs, holding her hand out.

“Get the fuck out of this office,” Roarke orders, and she blanches. “You’re fired. I don’t want to see you at the game or in this arena again. I’ll decide what other penalties I’ll impose, when I return to Blade House and am calmer. I don’t want to see you right now.”

Flushing with humiliation, Sydney covers her face with her hands and flees from the room.

Cygnus looks up at me and catches my eye, and I can’t help my lips curling into a smirk.

His smile is wide and relieved.

He looks free.

Then he pushes away from me, throwing back his shoulders.

My sweet Omega looks fucking powerful.

“I don’t know what to say.” Roarke appears lost for the first time. His eyes are gleaming almost like he’s on the edge of tears. “Has she…? I mean, she didn’t have permission to discipline you but did she still…?”

Grimly, Cygnus nods.

Roarke hangs his head. “How can I make this right?”

“You can listen to my bonded Alpha,” Cygnus’ voice is even and steady. “I love him and I want to be with him, rather than being separated from him in my own room. I need to start living. You’ve been keeping me like a doll in a box, trying to keep me safe. Yet you can’t and haven’t. Let me be free.”

Roarke closes his eyes. “You don’t understand what you’re asking.”

“I do,” Cygnus replies, quietly. “So does my Alpha.”

“Who taught you to speak like this?”

Cygnus glances at me. “An Omega who taught me what true courage means.”

I glow with pride, blushing.

Roarke appears to shake himself, before scanning across us all. “Go on then. You still have the most important game of your life to play tonight. So, what the fuck does your Chief Alpha have to say that’s so special?”

My heart speeds up, and my pulse pounds.

This is it, our plan.

Jackson takes a step forward. “It’s about the game. As you said, it’s the Blades’ and your most important game in decades, right?”

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