Page 148 of Wolf Caged
She sighed and sagged against the doorframe. “I miss them. I miss Everlee, and Morden and Chase. I miss my mother and father. I miss them all.”
Each word was a blade in my heart, one that twisted deep and leaked poison, but I refused to feel bad about what I had done. I had spared her from a life of torment and torture, had given her freedom and had even gone as far as training her, helping her hone her skills and her strength.
And yet she still wanted to return to her pack.
That I could not understand.
“You still long for home, to return to a place where you felt caged? To people who allowed you to be captured and sold?” I frowned down at her, trying to understand why she would want such a thing, when she had railed at me about keeping my people caged to protect them. “You despise how the wolf who sold you had caged you… despised how I did the same thing at first… yet you would willingly subject yourself to a cage by returning to your pack?”
She glared at me, anger flaring in her eyes as her lips flattened. “That is my home!”
Those words lacked conviction.
Her gaze wandered to the windows behind her. To the world beyond them. To my court.
My home.
Sensing she would lash out if I pushed her on this subject, and slowly growing aware of her reasons for wanting to return to her pack—a desire born out of a sense of duty and loyalty more than love—I retreated into the hall behind me, giving her space.
“I am taking over your training.”
Her gaze whipped to me.
“But there will be no training tomorrow. You are free to do as you please, but know that Jenavyr and Riordan will be overseeing new recruits coming in from the lowlands and Belkarthen, so my sister will not be available to escort you into town. Meaning you will be adventuring alone if you choose to go down into the city. I do recommend you remain within the city walls.”
“So you’re ordering me to not leave Falkyr. Got it.” She looked pleased by that as she wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped back into the room, as if it was more freedom than she had expected, and then she canted her head, her gaze raking over me. “What will you be doing?”
“Oh, you will be spending time with me. No need to fret about that. But alas… I have meetings all day, so you will have to survive without my company until evening.” I summoned my shadows, drawing them to me as my focus shifted to my rooms and I prepared to teleport there. “You will dine with me and tell me of your day… so do make it interesting.”
As I disappeared into the inky darkness swirled with golden starlight, she muttered sarcastically.
“Yes, my king.”
Her king.
I growled at that, hunger ripping through me at the thought of her being mine, a wild need to possess her flooding me and demanding I return to her.
And finish what we had started in the glade.
Claiming what was mine.
Chapter 38
SAPHIRA
So many books. I was never sure where to begin whenever I stepped into the library each afternoon. The pile of books accumulating on one of the tables was testament to my indecision, or perhaps I just had so many that I wanted to read, more than was possible really. Unless I remained here in the Shadow Court for a very long time.
I set the book about the collected history of the unseelie down on my lap and leaned back in the huge plush black velvet covered armchair near the beautifully carved stone fireplace and chimney, sighing as I tilted my head right back to gaze up at the twilight-kissed aurora dancing above the ornate glass dome.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what Kaeleron had said to me last night about my pack.
Or that I was beginning to feel at home here.
And so free.
It was strange. Kaeleron had bought me, I had been sold into a life of service, and he could be a demanding prick at times, but I didn’t feel caged here. Even when I knew I should.
I sank deeper into the comfortable seat, my entire body relaxing as I watched the sky shifting and dancing.
