Page 86 of Mastering their Maiden

I looked him up and down, noting even from this distance he was the slightest bit frailer than the surrounding men. His shoulders were wide, covered by heavy metal armor that extended down his chest. There was a sword at his side. A short one. One Zander taught me to deflect.

And when my eyes drifted back up his body to his short, inky black hair, and the small but ornate crown that sat atop his head, I knew exactly where my first arrow would land should I need to fire it.

Right into one of King Ryne’s beady eyes.

Esme cupped her hands and whistled one more time, then started to pull me back. I followed her, taking cautious steps, never turning my eyes away from the squadron of soldiers. They were roughly twenty or twenty-five feet away from us. I could shoot at that distance, but the accuracy would be off. I liked to make my kills from a closer range if possible.

The king observed me curiously, but when his eyes flicked to Esme, they filled with rage that was almost palpable. “You.”

One more whistle, then Esme abandoned her efforts and turned to face our mutual foe. “Ryne.”

“Seems your rebellious nature finally allowed you to escape,” the king sneered, and beside me, Esme matched his scowl. “And I’m sure Quade thought you were so sweet and obedient for him.”

“I am sweet and obedient. For Quade. And Viggo. And Lavan. They are my masters.”

“They are cowards who ran—”

“Because you tried to murder them!” Esme shouted. “You tried to murder them, and Indre—”

“You murdered Kaiden’s parents when he was just a baby,” I snapped, arms shaking when Ryne took a few steps toward us, a few guards at his back.

“See?” he said, addressing the group behind him. “This is proof that my assertions are right. Playing at subduing the women in these villages isn’t enough. We must break them completely if we are to survive.”

He turned back to us, his slightly wrinkled face twisted into a snarl. “You should be bound in chains!” he roared, but neither Esme nor I flinched. “Your purpose is to bear us children and be used when it suits our needs. Nothing more.”

Ryne gestured to his men, who were all carrying swords, shields, and rope. “Seize them both. We’ll take them back with the others Rober was supposed to send—”

I let my arrow fly, and the warning shot landed in a tree just behind where Ryne stood. He jumped back, trying to shove a guard toward me. The horses spooked, a few rearing back, almost tossing the other soldiers off onto the ground.

Or maybe those men weren’t soldiers. Their garb was different. More ceremonial. I’d seen it before during the procurement ceremonies they held twice a year.

Realization hit me. That’s why he was here. The procurement. It was meant to happen weeks ago, the same night my men promised to claim me.

But Hoval told Ryne’s soldiers about Esme’s letters, and I’d been dragged to the sept with Medora and Summer. Rober whipped me and promised that if the king couldn’t fill me with his seed, he would.

That would never happen. Ever.

“Rober is dead.”

My voice sounded cold as ice, but the words drew shocked gasps from the sycophants surrounding Ryne. I could see now there was a distinct difference between who was in a ceremonial role, and who was a soldier. It evened our odds slightly, and narrowed my targets, but I was only focused on one.

Ryne’s eyes whipped to mine, his expression twisted into a scowl. I expected a barrage of words to come flying from his thin lips. Curse words, insults, claims that I deserved to be chained to a bed until I was pregnant with his child.

But just when the king opened his mouth, I heard movement behind me.

Esme gasped, but I felt her relax, though I kept my gaze forward. A body pressed close to mine, and I turned my eyes, expecting to see one of her men. Maybe all three of them.

But instead, Kaiden stepped into place beside me, gently ushering Esme behind us both. He made no move to guide me into a different position or get me to stand down. But I felt his warmth against my back, his strength shoring me up. He would not let me be taken.

And I would not let Ryne or any of these men harm him.

“Kaiden.” Ryne’s expression hardened as he looked at his adoptive son. “Is what she says true? Rober, one of my most loyal commanders, is dead?”

“He tried to kill me,” Kaiden replied simply, though he left out that I’d been the one to end Rober’s life.

There was a pause, then Ryne gestured for his guards to come closer. “That would explain why the procurement parade never arrived in the city. We were expecting your return with new maidens. My new maidens.”

“There won’t be a procurement,” Kaiden said. “At least, not one that would deliver women into your hands to be bound in chains and used whenever it suited you.”

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