Page 24 of The Stolen Bride

“The shifters live to ruin our lives, make us miserable, and push us over the edge until we become one of them. Or die.”

Hmm. Was that why Malachi wished for such an outcome with Viktor? Hadheturned and now hoped to oversee the same transformation with the other kings?

And now, Deco sought the same, intending to lure Viktor to the dark side. “Based on what you said, I assume Valkara is evil.” Right? “Since she guards the primordials, the very evil you speak of.”

“The Valkara,” he corrected without heat. Then he scowled, his entire countenance tightening. “The beasts aren’t inherently good or evil. They feed on our emotions. If we become evil,theybecome evil. The primordials are simply the oldest and most powerful of their line. The Valkara sacrificed her life for us, and you will address her with respect or not at all.”

“Sure, sure,” I said, patting his chest with my free hand. I shouldn’t irritate him. If he decided to back out, I’d be forced to go against supernatural forces all by mylonesome. No, thank you. “So the beasts are as good or bad as their hosts. Noted. But issheevil or not?”

“Her love is said to be so powerful, it will affect all primordials and their entire downline.”

Well. No wonder he hoped to win her, whether she was his firebrand or not. And that wasn’t depressing for some unknown reason. “I hear you loud and clear, Tor. Your final rule. Do not, under any circumstances, tempt you to fall in love with me. Ten-four. Don’t worry. I’m not even a tiny bit tempted to fall in love with you, either.”

He released a soft growling sound. “You can love me. That’s fine.”

“Too late.” I tapped my temple. “I’ve already logged the no-falling directive. It can’t happen now.”

His lips pulled back from his teeth. “Just…stop using your strange abilities on me.Thatis my final rule.”

I wrinkled my nose. “You’ll have to elaborate. Strange abilities?”

“Ja.” His nose wrinkled, too. “Making your eyes flash between gray and brown. It’s annoying. And mesmerizing. Also, no more turning the most irritating words into an enchanting spell. Or calling me ‘baby’ and ‘snarls.’ No moresptingat me.”

Reeling. Was he, like, already falling for me and just didn’t realize it?Oh, my golden retriever. I mean, I got that I was his firebrand, and he was predisposed to all the feels with me. But what he described was full-blown attraction.

Not that I’d point that out to him. “You want me to stop being myself. Noted. Just be aware. None of those things are quote unquote strange abilities.”

“You have your orders,” he insisted before leading me from the tent. “I expect full obedience.”

“Ten-four,” I repeated.

Hand in hand, we traversed the campground. Bodi must have told the troops to stand down. The men and women who served under him engaged in battle drills. Commands sounded from here and there, blending with the clang of axes against shields, both wooden and metal.

Atop war horses perched Bodi and nine other warriors. The biggest, baddest, fiercest soldiers in history–the same guys who’d guarded my tent. They wore gold and black paint on their faces, with pieces of spiked, gold-plated armor strapped all over, alongside a variety of weapons.

At the head of the line, an eleventh horse stood without a rider. Viktor released me to mount, then bent down to grab me. I backed up.

“Um. Do you have a car?” I’d lived on a farm as a child, and the two ponies had despised me. I’d tried to ride one once and gotten thrown.

Viktor shook his head. “Fekete Ló is a fine ride.”

Wait. “You named your horse… Black Horse?”

“Ja. The area is too dense even for an ATV. Besides, I prefer the old ways. In my dimension, we don’t have to worry about drawing the notice of humans, but I’d rather not draw the notice of my civilians, either.” With that, he stretched further, snatched me by the waist, and hefted me onto the saddle in front of him.

Now I understood why he’d always included leggings with my dresses.

Speaking of other dimensions, Malachi had mentioned them too. “You have your own dimension. That’s nice.” I settled in with my back against Viktor’s chest. Heat wafted from him, carrying the most incredible scent. He still smelled of pine needles from ancient woods but also fresh mountain air and a hint of citrus instead of rose. Mmm. Ibreathed deep, savoring this calm before the storm. “But, um, we’re in it now?”

“We are. It mirrors the human world but lacks humans, ensuring they are kept safe if ever one of us breaks.”

An unexpected kindness from a man I might have, maybe, possibly, misjudged.

With a soft snick and shift of his heels, Viktor urged Fekete Ló forward. The others trailed us. We left the camp in our rearview, soon entering the surrounding forest.

The ride wasn’t terrible. To my relief, Fekete Ló behaved himself like a true gentleman.

“How far are the traveling stones?” I asked as we crossed a river, cutting a gentle path through moss-covered rocks. The babbling current harmonized with different bird calls. How deceptive nature’s tranquility could be.

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