Page 29 of Ruled By Magic

The Lord Commander stepped out from the trees. He sauntered over to stand beside me, casual and unconcerned. A heady mix of fear and relief cascaded through me at the sight of him. Saved from the priest. But he knew I’d disobeyed. My gaze shot to the link-up clutched in my fingers.

“Livet is my consort. I forbid you to speak to her again.” Cold and commanding. He placed a hand on my back, a possessive gesture.

The priest shook his head in disgust. “You don’t have any authority over me.” He looked at me. “But I can see I’m wasting my breath on you.” He strode into the forest without a backwards glance.

The Lord Commander let his arm drop and turned to examine me. He held out a hand. His face gave nothing away. “Not so well-behaved, after all. Hand it over.”

I couldn’t meet his eyes as I deposited the link-up into his waiting palm. He slipped it into his pocket. “Where did you find it?”

“The main restaurant.” A sullen mutter. Something about his demeanor made me feel like a disobedient schoolgirl.

“I see. And then you came through the barrier and ran straight into danger. I don’t have time to keep rescuing you.”

Anger destroyed good sense. I glared at him. “You didn’t rescue me! He’s creepy, but—”

“Yes, I did.” The Lord Commander’s face darkened. “There are rumors about that priest. Stay away from him.”

A cold breeze passed over my skin, and I rubbed my arms. The Lord Commander held out a hand. “Let’s get you back where you belong.”

I hesitated. “When did you arrive?”

A smile tugged at the edge of his lips. “As soon as you went through the barrier. Your mark alerts me if you pass through. I kept that information to myself to see if you’d test the limits of your captivity.”

So he’d heard the call. My side of it, anyway. Had he guessed what my cousin said? And why did it embarrass me to think he might have?

I still held off from taking his outstretched hand. “What happens now?”

“Consequences.” He said the word with dark relish.

I bit my bottom lip. Ominous. “What consequences?”

“Ones that grow worse every second. Come on.”

What choice did I have? None. I took his hand.

We arrived back at the apartment. The warm air eased the chill on my skin. The room smelled of lemons, and my coffee cup from the morning had vanished. Cleaners had been through. I tore my focus away from the inconsequential details to the man in front of me.

“This arrangement requires trust, and you broke mine.” He spoke with the cadence of a lecture, his face stern. “You’re confined here for the rest of the day.”

He paused. Was that it? A day’s imprisonment in the apartment?

“And take off those clothes.”

What?

He took in my confusion and gestured to my body.

“Clothes are a privilege which I’m taking away. Now hurry.”

Clothes were a privilege? My face burned at the casual way he stripped back my dignity. Refusal could only lead to worse, though. He’d seen me naked before. I struggled out of the sports top. It twisted and bunched.

He didn’t help, just watched, dark eyes locked on me. Finally free of it, I slid the leggings down, stepped out of them, and dropped the top beside them. I clasped my hands together in front of me. A flick of his hand, and the clothing vanished.

I met the Lord Commander’s gaze. His cheeks held a little color.

“That’s better. This is how I like you,” he murmured, as he traced his thumb over my cheek.

His words, his soft touch, and my exposed state set off something primal inside me. My blood heated. Did I want to run from him, or drop to my knees? Images of both whirled through my head in a crazy loop.

---