Page 31 of Fated Unkindness
“Ah, Naza,” He places a hand on her low back. “Please see to it that Dax and Miss Raelle are shown to the best suite in the east wing and get them anything they need in the meantime. They are our most valued guests until their departure.” She bends into a half bow at Maki and says nothing but turns to lead us down a long colonnade, the pillars on either side of the stunning dark stone a stark contrast to the beautiful greenery around the building.
Once we get about halfway down the colonnade, we turn to the right and enter the castle through an archway that leads us into an atrium, which must be the heart of the castle. There are many arches, like the one we just entered, surrounding the vast space. I look around in awe at the plants and flowers that grow throughout the space. The walls and pillars sprawl three stories tall, and the top is open to the elements. The sky turns a deeper purple tone as the sun finally sets for the night. I stumble slightly as I take it all in, and I’m caught quickly by strong arms. Dax braces me for a moment, then releases me just as quickly. I give him a shy smile, and he returns it, slipping his rough hand into mine. The warmth of his palm against mine causes the butterflies in my stomach to take flight again.
Naza smiles as she watches the exchange between us. She guides us to a staircase and gestures with one hand for us to head up. She follows behind, linens still in hand. When we reach the top of the stairs, there are only three doors in the anteroom, along with a sitting area and a small selection of books. There are multiple rugs laid out on the brick floors and plants hanging in the corner by the large window at the center. Two doors to the left and one to the right. Naza opens one of the double-arched doors on the left. The bed chamber is exquisite and bright; white gauzy curtains flow into the room on a breeze from the open windows. The bed is made with white linen to match, and beautiful sapphire accents are sprinkled through the large bedroom. The door to the right of the antechamber, another arched doorway, leads to a bathing chamber, and from what I can see, it's just as lavish as everything else I’ve seen thus far.
Naza walks into the ensuite and places the linens she was carrying in a drawer.
“I’ve placed bathing towels in the drawer for you. While you clean up, I will gather your belongings and bring them to you. Shall I have some clothing sent up for you as well, or do you have dinner attire with your belongings?” She asks, her focus on Dax.
“That is very kind of you. Please, if you would. We did not come prepared for a formal dinner.” Dax tells her politely. The way he has been behaving doesn’t add up to how Trent described him as an asshole.
“Absolutely. Everything will be brought up for you with haste.”
When we were alone, I finally let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I step into the massive ensuite and decided that a bath would be amazing right now. My muscles are sore fromthe two-day ride, and I couldn’t fathom standing for a shower at the moment. I turn the knob for hot water and add some of the mint-scented salts that are in little jars by the edge of the bath. As well as some oils and light one of the candles. Afterward, I look over my shoulder to see where Dax had gotten off to. I find him standing by the large window in the bedroom with a glass of whiskey in hand. As if he senses my gaze on him, he spins as I enter the room.
“I’m running a bath,” I tell him.
“I see that.” He grins. “Would you like a drink?”
“I think a drink would be nice. I'll have what you're having.” I smiled back at him.
“You don't want to just steal mine?” A blush explodes across my skin at the memory of when I did just that and what followed. He chuckles, turning to the bar to get a drink for me.
When he does, I hurry back to the bathtub, strip the dirty clothes from our travels, leaving them in a heap on the floor, and drop into the bathtub, nearly scalding my skin clean off. The heated water hurt, but only at first. As I settle into the bath, the warmth settles over me and soothes the aches and pains from the days prior. The salts created bubbles in the water that covered me up from Dax seeing too much—not that he hadn’t seen me bare just a couple of days before, but this was so new to me that I still feel a shyness around him. I let my hair fall free from the braid I kept it in and dip my head back into the water before fully submerging myself under the fragrant bubbles.
When I resurface, Dax sits on the edge of the bath, two whiskeys in his hands. He gives me a coy smile and extends a whiskey out without a word. I give him a flirty smirk and sink a littledeeper into the water. He returns to standing, setting his whiskey glass on the counter by the double sinks, and removes his shirt. The corded muscles of his back flex with each movement. My breath catches at the sight of him. In the next motion, his pants fall to the ground around his ankles, a whole lot of beautifully tanned skin on display.
Instant heat rises to my face, and I sink back under the water before he can turn and see it. I hear his rough laugh from under the water. Mortified, I stay under until I can no longer hold my breath, and pins and needles poke at my lungs with the need to expand. What did he plan to do? Join me in the bath? When I finally resurface, he has stepped into the large walk-in shower, which I have a direct view of from the bathtub, and he’s lathering soap all over his very muscular, very large, and… very naked body.Gods.
“Love, if you bite that lip any harder, you may just bite it off, and I for one would be very sad to lose that pouty bottom lip of yours because I rather like biting it myself.” He smiles, his dimple on show, as he rinses the suds from his body, then gets out of the shower, wrapping a towel around himself. He shakes water from his dark hair, the droplets spraying all around him.
He laughs darkly as he swaggers over to the bath, where I lay frozen.
“May I?” He gestures to the shampoo. I can’t manage to make words come out of my mouth, but I nod. He washes my hair for me and applies conditioner. When he’s done, I sink back into the water to rinse everything off, and when I resurface, he has a towel outstretched for me. Standing, his eyes flick over my naked body as the bubbles and water roll over my exposed flesh. His gaze is heated as I take the fluffy white cloud of a towel and wrap myself up in it.
“I’d love to have a replay of the last time I had you wrapped in a towel, but I think we should hurry and dress for dinner. My cousin doesn’t fare well when he must wait to eat.” He brushes his knuckles across my cheek, then leads me to the bedroom and starts to dress.
“Your dress is hanging by the window, love. I will be in the antechamber waiting for you. He places a hand on the back of my neck and pulls me in close, placing a soft kiss on my temple. “In a roundabout way, I believe this is our first date.” He strides away and looks over his shoulder with a grin dancing on his lips as he steps through the door, shutting it behind him with a soft click.
Chapter thirty
I catch an updraftas I fly across the water, using it to sail further from the reality I've found myself trapped in. I just need a minute alone to blow off steam. The flames have dissipated, though the anger remains. I land with a soft thump, the ground below my feet a thick mud from where the lake has receded. I let out a huff as my shoulders slump, and I unfurrow, then fold in my wings so they hang at my back.
I know I want my revenge on Cano for what he’s done to me, my sister, and Kait more than anything, but I know we also need to find Dax and Rae. It makes me sick not knowing if Rae made it to Dax in time to break the curse or if she did if they were able to get away from Cano and his men before he got back to Ravendene. The more I think about it, the more I know in my heart that Daxis still alive. There has been no power transfer. I would have felt it, especially with a power such as his.
I plop down on a large boulder with a grunt, run my hand through my shoulder-length brown hair, and tie it at the nape of my neck with a leather band. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, the wet earth and sweet scent of the grass nearby is calming, steading my racing heart after the anger-filled flight here. I didn’t allow my mind to wander on my way here. Flying is my reprieve. When I'm in a rage, I only push myself to fly hard and fast to take the edge off the anger pulsing through me. Now is the time to think. Plan.
At least we are on Ravendene soil, so I know that Kait is healing at a rapid pace. Her physical pain is long gone, but the emotional pain and the damage to her face will probably follow her for the rest of her life. The thought brings a rise in my anger and heat to my limbs once again. Everything that Cano has done eats at me; anger festers and seeps from my every thought. Cano will pay for what he’s done to us, to Kait. I know I need to think of something different at this moment, or else the rampant rage is just going to return tenfold, and all of this calming shit would be for nothing. I mentally tell myself to breathe. In…. out…each breath releasing the tension from my shoulders.
We are going the wrong way. I feel it in my gut. Cano will expect us to return to the capital of Ravendene, and will be waiting for us there. Also, we have to expect that if Rae got to Dax, they would have escaped Cano, running away from Ravendene.Where would you go, Dax?I tap my temple, trying to find the answer there. Gods, I hope they are both okay. I stiffen as I hear a rustling in the brush to my right, but I don’t turn right away, waiting to see if whatever it isgets closer. I slowly pull the blade that is sheathed at my ankle, and when I feel the presence of someone or something close enough, I lunge to my right for a tackle. In an instant, I’m holding the blade to a silver-gray wolf’s neck, about to make the kill.
“Fuck. Don’t sneak up on people like that old man.” I laugh as I sheath the knife, releasing the wolf. There is a shimmer of magic, and then Miles, in human form, is standing in front of me naked as hell. “Bro, cover your junk at least.” I groan, turning away from him.
“Kait is worried about you. I told her I would hunt you down and bring you back. It’s time we head out anyway.” He ignores my request for junk coverage. Fucking wolves.
“I know, and I’m sorry that I’m worrying her, but I needed a minute to clear my head. My anger was getting the best of me, and I wouldn’t be of help to anyone with that kind of fire building in me. You know that. Plus, it’s been good for me. I figured out we were heading in the wrong direction. I think we need to go to Loema or the Fornax manor house, at the very least. Dax would have gone to one of those places for refuge after running from Ravendene. I’m sure of it, and we need to find Dax before we do anything regarding revenge on Cano.”
“You’re right.” He looks at me with a grin on his face, and I roll my eyes at him.
