Page 68 of Caged By Dance and Desire

“Whatever you need, tell me. I know our Lord can be. . .overwhelming. And sly. So sweet you can’t help but forgive him.” He grinned. “But I'm yours now, your guard. Tell me, and I'll stand between you.”

“You didnothingwhen he started labeling my thermos with hourly hydration goals. Mathen. He fusses over mywater intake.”

The grin lit Mathen’s eyes. “Eventually he’ll let you breathe on your own again. He’s spiraling, Anali, and the bonding rut doesn’t always manifest as violence and snarling.” He paused. “We stopped him from color-coordinating your socks and leggings when you were meditating the other night.”

He said it like I should give him brownie points. “Please get him a pet.”

Mathen pursed his lips, but didn’t say what I knew he was thinking.

Iwasthe pet. If Andrei produced a collar and leash and started taking me on walks, I would. . .have to do something drastic. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised.

Sighing, I wrapped my arms around Mathen’s neck, hanging my weight on him. He didn’t budge, of course, which was annoying. My brothers had at least faked the occasional stagger.

“I love you too, Mathen. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I. . .manipulated you. It wasn't honorable, and it wasn't respectful.”

He chuckled, a bit of a rogue in his expression. “It was a shock. Why didn't you tell us you were lamia-born? It would have been fun if I’d been expecting it.”

“Run that by me again?”

He lowered his brows. “You spun a compulsion over me like. . .oh.” His voice changed. “You don't know.”

“Mathen. . .”

“No, if you don't know, I'm not going to be the one to tell you. Our Lord will.” He paused, his smile going crooked. “Youwill have to learn to control it, Anali.” He squeezed my hands. “Please don’t use it against one of us again. You have to let us protect you.”

Lamia-born? Sounded like another distraction to me. I took a deep breath, released it, and straightened my shoulders. Time to refocus. “Punishment time. Let's get this over with.”

I assumed he was here to lead me to Andrei. The smile faded and he nodded, solemn.

“No matter what happens, Anali, it's worth it. Anything is worth having you back safe and. . .in one piece.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. He spoke as if he meant that literally. In one piece.

I recalled bits of Ashlyun and Andrei’s conversation. . .and shuddered.

Mathen led me to the inner courtyard, holding my hand as we walked through the halls.

When we stepped outside, he released me and strode towards Lord Andrei, who waited in the center.

The entire three-story townhouse faced inward, surrounding the white stone plaza with trees and flower beds carefully cultivated to maintain a wild appearance.

When I began to follow, an arm slid around my shoulders from behind, pulling me against a feminine chest.

“Nope nope, stay here, Lady,” Philea said.

She was about my height, one of Andrei’s luudthen, which meant one of his former lovers.

A Cassanian woman with a mischievous temper, blood red curls framing a gamine, onyx skinned face, she'd broken Constin’s wrist in training the other day, so her medium stature didn’t fool me. The arm draped lightly across my collarbones could tighten around my neck in a flash and headlock me.

“What's going on?” I asked, resting my back against her.

Philea might look dainty, but she wasn't. She braced my weight easily, her chin resting on my shoulder.

“Mathen didn't tell you?” There was a cold-blooded quality to how cheerful she sounded. “Punishment.”

“But I thought I was being punished.”

“Oh, that’ll come, cupcake, no worries. But he's first.”

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