Page 18 of Mastering their Maiden

Elder Micah tilted his head, and a sneering smile crossed his face as his eyes flicked to Aria. “That’s right,” he started. “The Kavari king raised you.” Micah turned and looked at one of Ryne’s men. “And you… didn’t you say you were sent to scout women for him?”

The soldier nodded, his eyes flicking to Kaiden’s, a smirk pulling at his lips as he pulled out a piece of parchment. “I was. He wishes to have three brought to his palace. Master Kaiden is also supposed to—”

“I know my orders, Rober,” Kaiden interrupted, a cautioning tone to his voice, one Rober seemed eager to defy. “I’ll see to it that they are followed.”

Aria stilled behind Dex, her eyes narrowed at Kaiden, who did not bother reading the note Rober handed him before he shoved it in his pocket and gave one last look at Hoval and the other Elders. He turned to walk away, but a few soldiers followed, one of them jerking his chin toward Aria.

“Perhaps you should write his majesty a letter. Inform him of how badly this one behaves so he can decide an appropriate punishment. She’s straining our relationship with the Elders here.”

“The king does not need to waste his time on this nonsense. I can handle it, and I’ll see to it that she’s properly disciplined.”

Kaiden tipped his head at Dex, who turned and took hold of Aria’s arm and walked her toward me. “Come along now,” I murmured, taking her other bicep, fighting the urge to slip a hand around her waist. Dex’s grip was gentle, and I kept mine the same, surprised when she did not fight. “You need to be disciplined for that outburst.”

Aria glared at me, then turned over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing as they settled on Kaiden. “Kaiden is the king’s son?”

“Surrogate son,” I explained. “Someday we’ll tell you about it.”

“You’d tell this disobedient bitch our history?” the soldier who spoke earlier scoffed. “She won’t need to know it when she’s tied and spread for our king to breed. Maybe if Kaiden is a good pup, Ryne will let him—”

A flash of movement, and I pulled Aria behind me when Zander appeared, dagger out, and shoved the soldier into the fence. Kaiden was instantly next to him, but I noticed he didn’t pull him off, only said his name calmly, even though I could see Kaiden’s fists trembling at his sides.

“Let’s go,” Dex said, keeping his voice low as he tugged on Aria’s arm. I followed, keeping my temper in check by releasing her arm to touch her on the waist, eventually pulling her body in front of mine as Dex reached the door. He pushed it open, and that’s when Aria hesitated.

“I did what you asked,” she hissed, dragging her feet as I gently pushed her over the doorstep toward the bed. “I spoke out. I told you exactly what was going on. If you punish me for that—”

“Oh, Aleria. Kaiden said you need discipline, not punishment, sweet girl.” I framed her back with my body, fisting her gown as Dex came to her front, running his hands over her shoulders before he bent, lifting her skirts and running his hands up her legs. She shivered, and I put my mouth against the soft skin of her neck, grazing her throat with my teeth. “And that’s exactly what we’re going to give you.”

CHAPTER 7

Zander

Makan was his name.

I’d never paid any attention to him until now. He was Ryne’s man, not Kaiden’s. Not Kavari in my opinion, because he served the interests of one instead of all. Aside from that, I knew fuck all about what he was like.

But if it was just him and me in the dark, with no other soldiers around, I’d give him a scar like mine. Bigger than mine. Add to the collection of ones he’d gotten over the years. He might add to mine, too, if we fought, but it would be decorative compared to the ones his king had given me when I disobeyed. Ones Kaiden stitched and bandaged so I wouldn’t bleed for days or end up with some sort of infection Dex couldn’t cure.

Makan glared back at me when I pinned him to the fence, my dagger under his chin. His gold eyes were muted, their color dampened because he had no bonds aside from a forced one to his ‘king,’ who was miles away. I knew mine were bright because I had my friends. My lovers. And it had only been a few days since my maiden had taken me in her mouth and sucked until I was dry. I wondered how long it had been for him, or if he’d ever had that.

Thinking of Aria’s mouth made me look down at his, and the words he’d hissed at her when she passed raced through my head. Disobedient bitch. Maybe if Kaiden is a good pup…

“You’ll watch your fucking mouth if you know what’s good for you.” I spit in his face, grinning when he winced. He jerked his face away, but I turned it back by gripping his jaw, slapping his cheek once our eyes met again. “You have to keep your lips clean for when Ryne bends over and you kiss his pasty ass.”

Makan’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t move, not even to wipe the spit off his cheek. “Get. Off. Me.”

“No.”

I pushed the dagger into his neck. Not hard enough to break the skin, but enough that he tensed. His chest and arms went tight, bracing for a fight I desperately wanted to give him. I wanted to beat him for disrespecting my girl, for insulting my partner, but I wouldn’t kill him. Kavari decree said we were not to kill one another.

But that didn’t seem to apply to Ryne. He’d killed his own brethren. Kaiden’s fathers. Tried to have Kaiden’s uncle and his partners executed.

There was something wrong with Ryne. Maybe he had demons whispering in his ear, or some injury he sustained had addled his brain. Or it could be he was just power hungry. Got a taste for it, and now only ruling over a whole kingdom would satisfy him.

Whatever the reason, Ryne was nothing like the rest of us. Even the bastard soldiers he sent were nothing like us. They’re sworn to Ryne and Ryne alone. Not to the city or the tribe that built it. Ryne sent them here as support and they’ve done nothing but cause trouble. Scaring the women, getting into arguments with our men. The Elders have picked up on it, too, and started using them as a personal army to suppress already subdued people.

At the thought of subduing people, Aria’s defiant face flashed in my head, and I was angry all over again. This bastard touched her. He shoved her. He put his hands on my woman and—

“Zander.”

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