Page 46 of The Night Runs Red

Which was something I needed to discuss with Rion. What powers did he have, and what could I do to protect myself from the gifts of others? I felt so stupid for not knowing anything about his people other than what my family had told me. I shouldn’t have relied on their biased descriptions and limited knowledge. This had been my destiny since the day I was born, so why hadn’t I asked more questions or done more research?

But I didn’t want to talk about last night. I didn’t want to give that nightmare a chance to grow and fester in my mind. And while I really wanted to ask him about the symbol he bore on his body, and why it matched the one on every person who tried to kidnap me, I knew now wasn’t the time. I forced a smile. “Anyway—” I sipped my coffee “—what’re you doing here this early?”

“It is nearly noon, Calia,” my uncle said in a deadpan.

“Still doesn’t answer my question,” I mumbled under my breath.

He reached out his hand to cover my own. “I wanted to check on you. That look in your eyes…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “I could not sleep thinking about what would have happened if—”

“Don’t,” I said, closing my eyes. “It didn’t. End of story.”

“Calia—”

I shoved up from the table and pushed every thought from my mind. I couldn’t sit here and listen to this any longer, and I didn’t want to sit by and do nothing, either. I fought the urge to pick at my skin, knowing it would only bring a vigorous round of guilt if I gave in. “Do you want to train today?”

My uncle blinked up at me, undoubtedly wanting to push the topic, but choosing not to for my sake. “Will that help?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation.

He stood and pressed a kiss to my temple. “Lead the way, little star.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Sweat poured down my temple as I braced my hands on my knees. We were in Rion’s private gym which boasted a fully furnished training ring. I hadn’t known it existed until Silas showed us, keeping his head down and hardly speaking.

When I told my uncle I wanted to train, I hadn’t expected him to quite literally kick my ass. He stared down at me with a wide grin. “Is that the best you can do, little star? I thought I taught you better.”

I rolled my eyes and walked over to the small water fountain in the corner. “Yes, well, I have a feeling you were pulling your punches back then.”

“Perhaps,” he chuckled, before wiping the perspiration away from his forehead. His bare chest glistened, all his tattoos on display. They consisted of a mixture of strange symbols and connected lines. At first glance, you would think it an odd composition, but somehow, they blended as though they belonged. He noticed me staring at him and lifted his chin. “What is it?”

“I’ve always wondered what those meant,” I said, pushing from the ground and nodding toward the marks. “They aren’t from a language I recognize.”

Castor looked down at the art marking his skin. “It is from our mother tongue—something that has not been spoken in a very long time.”

“Why did you get them?” I asked as he gestured for a bottle of water, which I tossed to him. I needed to keep the conversation casual to get anything out of him. My uncle could spot deceit with little effort, especially if it was someone he knew. I couldn’t count how many times he busted me when I was growing up.

“Remember, Calia, I am not from Kallistos. My people are warriors—it is in our blood. This tattoo was inked onto my skin when I was a child. It is a sign of my birthright, the duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

His narrowed eyes met mine, and I felt a strange current of energy run between us. What was that supposed to mean? That somehow that symbol was mixed up with the meaning of protection? I wanted to laugh. It was almost ironic, given how the group who’d attempted to kidnap me had borne the same sign. Protection was the last thing on their mind as they tried to rip me away from everyone I knew.

But symbols could change depending on who wielded them, and perhaps that was what the group attempted to do. Because the absolute last thing I wanted to believe was that my uncle was somehow mixed up in this mess.

“Why do you ask?”

Shit. He knew, and he knew that I knew. I couldn’t tell him my fears, though. Because the dynamic between us would be forever changed if he was involved. He’d been the closest thing I had to a father–a real one, anyway.

Was that all a lie?

I shrugged, looking away. “I was just curious.”

His stare was still boring into me, the weight heavy on my shoulders. “Has Rion found out any more information on your kidnappers?”

Double shit.

What would be the worst thing if I told him the truth? Or a semblance of it? I was in my own home, surrounded by the house staff, security, and my husband himself. Castor would be foolish to attempt anything here.

“Actually, he found a symbol that links them together,” I said, pulling my hair back into a ponytail. I watched my uncle as I spoke, searching for any hint of recognition. “He isn’t sure what it means, though Anya has found some old books of her father’s that may help us.”

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