Page 66 of A Tale of Treachery

A whole history was laid out, bare beside me, and I was determined to read it and learn everything. My fingers traced the shape of two wolves nuzzling each other on his chest. “And this one? Is it a promise, a memory, or a tribute?”

Ryken exhaled, squeezing his eyes shut at the question, as if the design contained a memory too difficult to bear. “It’s a long story,” he whispered painfully, opening his eyes to look at me. “It’s from when my parents died in the war with the otherworld. They were determined to end it and lock the gates to that place for good. They should have lived for thousands of years, but their lives ended in one battle, the first battle they ever fought. It was a shock to us all. The whole kingdom mourned their loss and never fully recovered. They were mates, the perfect king and queen, destined from birth to guide us toward greatness.” He sighed and separated himself from me, rolling over on to his back to gaze at the ceiling. “I got the tattoo soon after my brother took the crown.”

His parents were mates. From what I’d read, it was an incredibly rare bond, one that Fin and Eulalia apparently had. I smiled, knowing that my friend was a part of the rarest love bond in existence.

It explained the two wolves. Gray wolf alphas typically mated for life to cement their position as leaders.

“They were supposed to live for thousands of years. How old were they?”

“My mother was around four hundred, and my father was five hundred.”

My eyebrows shot clear to my forehead, and I wondered how old he was.

“I’m fifty-two,” Ryken answered, as if reading my mind.

“My gods. You’re older than Redmond,” I teased, sticking my tongue out.

Ryken rolled his eyes. “Well, fae are considered children until they’re well in their forties.”

I laughed. He must have thought of me as immature, being only twenty-three, but then again, I wasn’t Fae. Fae aged slowly, and Ryken didn’t look a day older than his late twenties. What I couldn’t wrap my head around was the fact that he was royalty, destined to be king, if it hadn’t been for his brother.

He was finally opening up, the story of his life unfolding before my eyes. Having his trust, being in his inner circle was addictive, and I was desperate to hear more. I continued tracing the path of the two wolves with my fingers, admiring the craftsmanship of the silver fur, teeth, and eyes. Small bits of black were flecked through each tattoo, creating depth in the design.

“So, this tattoo is both a memory and a tribute,” I confirmed. The writing seemed to shimmer and twist beneath my fingers. My eyes widened at the reaction his tattoo seemed to have at my touch. Was I hallucinating?

Ryken smiled at how transfixed I was with the design but grimaced before speaking. “Yes, but it’s also a promise. To my brother.”

My fingers broke away from his skin, and I studied his set jaw and the determined look in his eyes before speaking. “A promise of vengeance,” I said, knowing what he meant.

He nodded, and I let out a breath, laying my head on his chest to absorb his warmth and offer some semblance of comfort.

“Tell me about your powers. Could you control the elements? Could you move things with your mind?” I asked, suddenly excited about the possibilities of what he could do. I sat up, wrapping the sheet around my torso to hide my nakedness. My mind suddenly stuck on the one skillset I’d always envied of the high fae. “Could you sift from one place to another?”

Sifting was the be-all and end-all skill, an ability I would kill to have. The fae could do it, using the ability to hop from one place to the next. I’d tried multiple times but always failed to transport myself. With that ability, I’d no longer have to sneak away in the dead of night, and there would be no risk of going from place to place. The world would be at my fingertips. I could leave right now if I wanted to.

Ryken chuckled at my eagerness and sat up. “I could do all that and more. How about you? Do you understand the extent of your magic?”

I crossed my legs and flicked my palm out, pale golden fire writhing in my hand. “My magic is ill-tempered and difficult to control, but I can summon fire. I learned that I could steal magical energy from others the night the Gallows Coven tried to punish me. It also taught me that I can feel power echoes, like yours. But I’ve had to figure everything else out on my own, and with a little bit of Eulalia’s help.” I grimaced. “I’ve never had family around to teach me.”

He gave me a soft smile and gripped my thigh lightly, offering solace. “What do you want to learn, Dahlia? Maybe I can help you,” he offered.

“I want to sift. I want the ability to go wherever I want, whenever I want,” I blurted out, my body buzzing with excitement. I felt like a child again. The world was suddenly filled with the possibilities of new places, new things, and him.

Ryken smoothed his hands down my thighs, and warmth flooded with the motion. “Close your eyes,” he instructed.

I obeyed. The warmth of his hands lifted, and a cold, empty feeling soon replaced it. I protested with a whine, needing to feel his body connected to mine.

His lilting laugh filled the emptiness. “You need to focus. Clear your mind and concentrate on breathing. Follow your breath, and your mind will empty.”

I followed his instruction, slowing my breathing to a relaxed pace and following the air as it moved in through my nose and back out. My mind continued to wander, thoughts invading and making it impossible to focus on the task at hand.

I couldn’t do it, couldn’t focus.

My eyes shot open, and my nails dug into my face, scratching an itch that just wouldn’t go away. “Ahh! I can’t focus!”

“Try again,” Ryken ordered. “Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.”

I did as he said, and it was much the same as it was before, but his deep voice cut into my thoughts and guided me further along. His touch returned to my knees.

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