Page 101 of Phoenix Falling
“You cannot keep running roughshod over my authority whenever you please. Particularly when it comes to security, and”—he glanced at me—“my own mate.”
He kept calling me that, but he never took the discussion—or his actions—any further. What exactly did it mean to him that I might be his mate? Did it mean anything at all?
“Why do you keep doing this?”
His tone demanded an answer, and a good one. Lyris obliged.
“Because a male that would harm his own mate cannot be trusted with the safety of other females.”
Sun’s jaw clenched. I had to give it to Lyris; she wasn’t one to pull punches, even if her tone was a tad more respectful than it had been minutes before. Apparently the wholekingthing really did mean something in Archai culture.
Ignoring the part about me being his mate—again—he asked, “And have I put your females in danger, now or in the past?”
Lyris hesitated. “No.”
“What is between my mate and me is just that, between us.”
“Sun, you can’t—”
“No!” Lyris’s protest cut off, and Sun bit out, “I will not allow you to use my mate as an excuse for insubordination and reckless actions—and that’s exactly what you’ve been doing.”
“I do what I believe is right.”
“Without thinking it through. Going off half-cocked is going to get someone killed, possibly even you.” When she started to protest, he made a sound deep in his throat that had her shutting her mouth. “One more incident and you are off the council.”
Lyris blanched. “You would take me away from the females?”
“You are no good to them if you’re running solo, Lyris. So yes, I would.”
She ducked her head, and I could see the tension in her body, the need to fight back. Sun waited, as did I. Finally, after long moments, she met Sun’s eyes again. “Yes, my king.”
“Now go back to the lair.”
“What?” No, she couldn’t leave me here alone with him.
Sun and Lyris both ignored me. They stared at one another, not speaking. My heartbeat began to speed up.
Lyris cleared her throat. “Risk—”
“Rissa is my responsibility, not yours. Go back to the lair.” When she hesitated, that rough rumble came from Sun once more. “Did you hear me?”
She shot me an apologetic glance. “I did.” Palming her keys, she moved to the door. “I’ll see you back at the lair, Risk.”
I had doubts about that, but the thrum of fear—surely it was fear; definitely not anticipation—in my throat wouldn’t allow me to speak. One last pause and then the door closed behind her.
Sun turned on me. “Now it’s your turn.”
ChapterThirty-Seven
RISK
Trepidation beat like a drum in my head, especially after watching Lyris exit the apartment. “I don’t think so, Sun.”
He began a slow stalk in my direction. “You left me.”
“I left my prison, not you. I didn’t have to leave you because I don’t belong to you.” I backed toward the bedroom, the only exit left to me since Sun was blocking the front door.
“Keep telling yourself that, mate.”
