Page 70 of Their Chosen

I needed to get to know Rhowyn better, but I couldn't seem to let down my own guard, to be vulnerable enough that she would trust me with her own inner thoughts. Which brought me back to my conversation with Arryn, who'd been waiting up for me alone in the sitting area of our suite.

He'd been nursing a whiskey, staring into the flames, not reacting initially when I entered the suite. As I approached the door that led to our consort rooms, he asked, “What are you playing at, Callum?”

I didn't know how to respond, his question catching me completely off guard. “Excuse me?” I asked, my anger rising as I turned to face him.

He continued to stare into the flames, taking a small drink before speaking again. “Since making yourself known to us as the fourth consort, you've also made yourself quite scarce. I have to question one, why you took so long to come forward, two, why you keep disappearing, and three, if we can even trust you.”

He finally glanced in my direction as he finished his inquisition of me, studying my every move. His subtle accusations angered me, and I crossed my arms over my chest, debating whether or not to answer him.

Arryn spoke again before I had decided, as if sensing my internal debate. “While I have only known Rhowyn for a few days, she is unlike anyone I have ever met before. And yet, she possesses such a goodness in her that I can't help but want to believe in and protect it. This feeling is much more than the bond. I refuse to allow someone else to tear her down. You know as well as I do that she's not led an easy life, per her own admission this afternoon.” He paused as if I needed the reminder of her trauma, which had shocked me and angered me to a point I had never known before when she had revealed that little nugget of information.

He continued, “So. That being said, I refuse to allow you to pull her down with whatever is going on with you. We consorts need to get our acts together and become the men that the land believed we could be for her.”

Understanding where he was coming from eased some of my anger, but I hated the protectiveness that flared in me. I already had too many people counting on me. I didn't need these four relying too heavily on me now.

I shifted on my feet, finally responding to him. “I'm sure you know my history and my current position in this Court. I'm sure you are also aware of what I have been put through, seeing that you are in the Queen's Guard. I feel the bond pulling at me, but I haven't decided if this is a mistake or not. I'm not sure what I could offer her or you.” I wanted to say more but decided not to. He didn't need to know all my thoughts yet. I still wasn't sure if I could trust him.

“Obviously, the land and Avalonia thought differently since they chose you, out of all the fae available, to be one of her consorts. You're right. I know your history, as well as what the queen currently does when alleviating her boredom. Like you, I've not had much choice in her whims, but our people deserve a queen who puts them first. Rhowyn is our best shot at this. The way she has fought to try to get back to those who are counting on her back on Earth tells me that she won't give up easily. We all need to find a way to be what she needs so she has the best chance of surviving and possibly winning these trials.”

I thought over his words, thinking of the way Rhowyn had fought me off when I had snuck into her room, as well as her fight when she was sparring yesterday. She had surprised me with her techniques. I was shocked that she was as well-trained and lethal as she was. She still had a lot to learn about weapons and magic, but she could at least hold her own physically.

She was smart and calculating during her match with Lennox, reading him and patient enough to wait for her moment to attack. Arryn was correct in the fact that she would be our best chance at replacing this queen. But I couldn't help the niggling doubt in my mind that told me that even if we won the trials, Rhowyn would still have a major fight on her hands for the throne. Something she still was adamant she didn't want.

It was hard for me to put all my eggs in one basket, especially when I'd been disappointed and betrayed too many times in my life so far. I decided to voice one of my doubts to hear his response. “And what happens if she decides she doesn't want to be queen?”

He sighed, turning back to the fire and taking another drink. “To be honest, I'm not sure, but I plan to do everything in my power to give her more reasons to stay. I plan to get her to see the true power she has and that she is exactly what we need in a queen. Having you all helping me in this would make it much easier.”

I could see his point but wasn't ready yet to admit that to him. I was still afraid of what would happen to my people if we failed. They were my priority, and I needed to make sure they were protected at all costs, even if that meant betraying my consort bonds.

I had left him there with that, unsure what else to say to him, and went back to my room to toss and turn. Baer woke me up this morning, informing me that we were going to do some training while we waited for Master Jude to be available to help us complete the consort bonds.

Apparently, she had accepted the importance of solidifying the bonds. Her decision made me hopeful because it meant she no longer planned to run away as soon as she was done with the trials. The bonds were for life, but I wasn't worried on my end about that. I didn't ever see myself as being with anyone else, so I had no qualms about accepting the bond in that sense.

As for believing we could succeed, I still needed to decide where I stood on that. I wanted to have confidence in her, but I couldn't seem to get rid of the doubts that plagued me continuously. I didn't dare allow myself to trust this chance fully.

Which was how I found myself following behind the group, getting glares from Arryn as he tried to figure me out. Good luck with that because I didn't even know what I wanted. All I could do now was keep putting one foot in front of the other, taking each day at a time, and hoping I survived the day.

We made it to the training room, and I kept my distance from the group like I had been for the last several days, choosing not to interact too much. I preferred to watch them, trying to figure out their motivations and intentions.

Baer and Rhowyn walked over to the weapons that were available for training purposes and started picking up the pieces, turning them over as he explained each piece to her. She listened to him avidly, nodding her understanding, genuinely curious to learn more. Most female fae could care less about fighting, leaving that to the males, so her interest was refreshing. It took some of the burden off my shoulders to know that she would be able to protect herself.

I could guess why she had such a need to learn about weapons, to learn physical combat. She'd already been a victim one too many times and surely felt the need to never be one again. I could respect that since I felt the same way about my situation. However, the difference between us was that I still felt helpless in mine while she seemed to have a grasp on hers.

That thought aggravated me, and I went to grab a sword, a heavy monstrosity that was too much for most fae, males and females alike. I edged up to the table that held the weapons and reached around Rhowyn to grab the sword, brushing her shoulder as I did so and drawing her attention.

Her brow furrowed in question as she saw me, but she didn't say anything, turning her attention back to Baer, who hadn't stopped speaking. I stomped away from them, angry at everything just now and needing the physical release of a good training session. This sword would tire me the quickest.

Once I reached the training dummy, I started swinging, focusing on the footwork, the swings, the dance of sword fighting. When my focus was honed into training, everything else drained away, always leaving me more centered afterward.

I continued, barely breaking a sweat, when a flash of light to my left caught my eye. I turned, pausing to find the source, and found Baer teaching Rhowyn how to hold the daggers. It was a good choice for her, especially starting out. We didn't have time to build her endurance for a sword or her aim for throwing knives. The daggers were simple once you grasped the general concept.

He stood behind her, adjusting her grip, as he leaned forward over her shoulder to speak into her ear. I saw the flush starting to creep up her neck and her breath quickening. I smelled her arousal shortly after, my nostrils flaring to inhale it. I resisted the urge to adjust myself, growing hard at picturing what I could do to her.

I turned away and attacked the dummy with more force, trying to get my attention off what she looked like aroused. Yes, I wanted to fuck her. Hard. I wanted to pound into her pussy, but I wouldn't let myself do such a thing until I knew more about her. Again, there were no guarantees that she wouldn't run away and leave us with our dicks in our hands.

Angry about my inability to control my desire, I swung the sword harder, faster. I continued the breakneck pace until I swung the steel blade at the dummy's middle, and the sword lodged itself deep into the wood. I tried to tug the sword back to me, panting hard, sweat dripping into my eyes, but it wouldn't release.

“Fuck!” I cursed under my breath. I planted one boot onto the dummy and pulled with both hands to dislodge the sword. It finally came free, and I stood there, panting. I wiped the sweat from my brow, the silence pressing in on me, telling me they were all staring at me.

---