Page 82 of Mastering their Maiden

I knew she could feel the way my body tensed. “I’d be with you, and as soon as it was over, we’d travel—”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“You haven’t seen your sister for over a year,” Zander said. “You’d have time with her if you stayed. Don’t you want—”

“I’ll have time with her when we get to your city,” Aria countered.

“Don’t you want to keep her safe?” Zander tried, and Aria scoffed.

“Do I need to? Is her master—Viggo—not up to the task?”

I frowned. “Of course he is. But—”

“Umber.” Aria shook her head and pressed her fingers over my lips. “We’re not staying. We’re not going to wait here while Kaiden, Dex, and Zander risk—”

“They’re going to be at risk even if you’re beside them,” I said, pulling away from her fingers. “Here you’d be—”

“Would I be safe?” she demanded. “You fear your king will win? If that happens, what’s to stop him from coming down here and claiming us anyway? If he manages to defeat their forces, you think a squadron of five men would stop him?”

My argument died on my tongue. She was right. If my nightmares came true, and Ryne won, Viggo, Kaze, and I would not be able to stop his entire force. Zander’s thoughts seemed to follow my trail, but his expression darkened, and he moved close, taking Aria’s chin in his hand.

“If that happened, you could run. You’re smart and capable enough to do it.”

She gaped at him, and when I nodded, her furious expression turned to me. “Now, you want me to run? My people are safe but yours aren’t, and you want me to run?”

“Aria, we have the numbers, but there’s always a possibility our allies in the city won’t come through.” I fisted her tunic, my panic getting the better of my self-control. “We could be walking into an ambush and not even realize it.”

Zander gritted his teeth and moved closer, wrapping himself around Aria’s back and burying his face in her hair. “I’ve already seen what you look like when whipped by another man’s hands. I won’t let it happen again. I won’t.”

My girl’s expression softened slightly, her head falling against Zander’s while her eyes flicked to mine. I swallowed, releasing her tunic and running my hands up and down her waist. “We’d rather be seen as a cowards than risk you falling victim to Ryne’s cruelty.”

I fell quiet, letting Aria study me while Zander practically growled into her shoulder. A fond smile curled her lips, and she kissed the top of his head before gently extracting herself from his hold. She turned to me, placing one hand on my chest and pushing gently, while the other reached around to grab hold of Zander’s fingers. I walked backward at her urging, and he followed, letting her lead us like puppies into an empty tent at the very edge of Indre’s camp. There were no occupants inside. It was empty, save for a cluster of bedrolls spread out on the ground.

“Aria…”

Her name was a breath on my lips, one she silenced with a finger before pushing back my hair. She rose up on her tiptoes, pressing the softest kiss against my eager lips.

“No.” She shook her head, her words soft as she eased me back onto the bedrolls and climbed on top of me. Zander followed, his breathing growing heavy as he closed in at her back and swept her hair to the side. His mouth found her neck, but her eyes fluttered, and she fixed them on me, shaking her head again.

“Umber, you and I are not going to linger here while the rest of them march. We’re not going to separate again. Look what happened last time we tried that.”

I swallowed, remembering the horror I felt that day all too well.

But the images that flashed in my head were quickly pushed aside when Aria rocked down against me, letting me hike her skirt up while Zander went to work on untying her dress. I smirked, pulling her lips to mine, savoring the sweet taste of her kisses. Of her submission.

Of her love.

“We’re going to stay together. The five of us,” she whispered, kissing me again then turning over her shoulder to quickly peck Zander’s cheek. “You helped me save my home, now I’m going to help you win back yours.”

CHAPTER 33

Aria

After a week in the arms of my men, sharing their bed, having their bodies pressed against mine each night, I no longer feared them leaving me behind. I was theirs, and they were mine, in every way possible.

Which was why, at first, Umber’s suggestion that he and I stay behind seemed so out of place, and Zander’s agreement with it was even more shocking.

But as they touched me, rucking up my skirts, untying the bodice of my dress, I could feel a certain tension in their touch. It went beyond the normal craving for each other, which despite my fervent promises to myself that I’d remain in control of my body, had been out of control since that night in the woods. This touch was filled with desperation. With need.

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