Chapter 17

17

RAEGAL

" A gain!" I order, throwing him his shield and circling the soldier before me.

Orym sighs, looking at the skies above him as he catches his breath. "As you wish, Lord Commander." He groans, picking up his shield.

"Raegal, you didn't say you'd be back with us." Jasiel strides into the clearing and pats Orym on his back, giving him a sympathetic grimace. "Go, get cleaned up. I'll let him fight out his frustrations on me."

He nods his head, looking relieved, and he hands Jasiel his gear. "Good luck," he murmurs, briefly glancing at me before stumbling back to camp, nursing his sore arm.

Jasiel takes up the shield and brandishes his shadows. "Care to explain why you're beating poor Orym to death?"

I scowl at him, rolling my shoulders. "I needed to work off this tension."

Jasiel blocks my attack with ease, and we circle each other. "And what tension would that be?"

I send another blast of my shadows his way and he side rolls then dives under it. "Does it matter?"

Jasiel bobs his head from side to side and aims a blast my way. "It does if you finish off one of our men. Does it have anything to do with a pretty blonde with purple eyes?"

My eyes flash black and I growl at him, hurling my shadows his way. He deflects it with his shield, and my shadows hit a tree by the lake, sending a branch hurtling down towards the calm waters. I watch as he stops the falling branch with his shadows, floating it to the ground. "Why do you assume this is about her?"

Jasiel's smile provokes me further. I twist and send an underarm attack his way, which he only just manages to deflect. "It's okay to want her, you know? They are just as warm and supple as our own women."

I snicker as I roll to the side and wrap my shadows around him, forcing him to the ground. "I don't want her. She just gets under my skin. My shadows are protective of her," I add with a growl.

Jasiel nods his head, and he grins. "Oh, I see. Your shadows want to claim her."

I throw my shield down and kick at the dirt beneath my feet. "Claim her!" I choke in exasperation. "They want to consume her. To know every inch of her. To protect her and follow her everywhere." I pace back and forth, my hands wrapped behind my neck. "What do I do, Jas?"

Jasiel throws down his gear; then comes over and places an arm over my shoulder. "You need a drink."

"It's barely noon," I say, shaking my head, my frown deepening.

"Come on, my tortured friend." He guides me back through our encampment. As we pass by the Asen soldier tents, someone shouts for me.

"Lord Commander!" I scowl when I see who it is. Him . The one who's clothes she wears to bed. Or she did before I tore it from her. I can't help the grin of satisfaction that crosses my face at that memory.

"Yes, soldier?" I bark. His very presence irritates me.

Arkynn comes to a stop in front of us, having jogged to catch up with us. "I just wanted to ask after Eretreya?"

I frown and clench my fist as my shadows itch for me to let them out and wrap themselves around his throat. "She is fine and safely at the mansion."

I watch his shoulders ease at my words.

"Do I need to remind you, soldier, that the chosen ones are off limits?"

Arkynn rears and clears his throat. "I know that, sir. Doesn't stop me wanting to check she is okay. We've known each other all our lives."

I nod my head, continuing to glower at him. "You taught her to fight?"

He seems surprised by my question and takes a second to reply. "My father taught both of us from the age of six. He wanted us to have a fighting chance if ever we encountered the mutts." He smiles to himself. "Reya could give some of these men a run for their money, that's for sure."

When he sees I'm not smiling along with him, he swallows and looks at Jasiel.

"You may go, soldier," Jasiel orders, him and he nods his head to us both before disappearing across the camp back to his Asen squad mates. "You kill him and I'm going to have to come up with a story of some unfortunate accident."

My eyes stare after Arkynn. "I don't want to kill him."

Jasiel chuckles, glancing at my hands and the shadows that leak and trail after Arkynn. "You sure about that?"

Growling, I pull them back even though they fight me every step of the way. "Let's get that drink."

Five minutes later, we're sitting in a quiet part of the local inn with a tankard of krim in our hands. Asen ale is nowhere near as potent as our own, but beggars can't be choosers.

"Talk to me," Jasiel says, leaning back in his seat and resting his arm over the back of his chair.

"I don't know what to do, Jasiel." I sigh, resting my forehead on my conjoined hands. "What is this? I've never had to fight my shadows the way I do when she's around. They crave her closeness. Whisper at me to take to her, to mark her, to make her ours."

Jasiel nearly coughs up his beer. "That sounds like more than plain old lust, my friend. It almost sounds as if you want to keep her."

"Yes, no, gods only know," I debate, slamming my tankard down on the table and nearly breaking it in two. "She's irritating as fuck. She fights me over everything, never stops with her questions."

"So, claim her. Mark her. Bed her. Take her as your own. Your father will be delighted." Jasiel grins at me, and I scowl in response.

"This isn't a laughing matter," I say with a growl, staring into my now empty tankard.

"Oh, my friend, but it is. You who swore you'd never touch an Asen woman, pining after one and needing to mate with her. It's the very epitome of irony."

"Fuck you," I bark, and he laughs in response and whistles for the serving girl to refill our tankards.

"I need to get this need out my system." I groan, leaning back in my seat and looking heavenward.

"So, do it." Jasiel gestures across the inn at a buxom Asen girl who is eyeing me like I'm her favourite dessert. "Perhaps you just need a good lay and then you'll be okay. Maybe it isn't about her specifically. I mean, Raegal, when did you last spill your seed in a woman?"

He has a point. I haven't fucked since we arrived back in this crystal sparkling fucking realm. My hand has been my only release. I knock back a large swig of my ale. "You're right. An Asen wench will have to do." I get to my feet and stalk over to the female, who grins wider when she sees me coming her way.

"Hey handsome."

"Upstairs, now," I order her as I stride up the stairs. She follows behind me, trying to keep up. I throw open the door to Jasiel's room and, grabbing her wrist, I pull her inside, close the door, and push her up against it.

"Someone's eager. It's okay. I can give you what you need." She reaches out, stroking my cock through my trousers. "You are a big boy, aren't you? Are you going to make me scream?"

I grab at her chin. "Stop talking and spread your legs."

Her eyes flash with want, and I can smell her heat from here. She reaches for my trousers and unbuttons them. This isn't what I want.

"Fuck!" I growl, whirling around and throwing a chair at the far wall. The wench behind me screams as it splinters into tiny pieces across the floor. "Out! Now!"

She doesn't need telling twice. She's quick to leave. I look down at my unbuttoned trousers. My shadows whisper at me to go to her, to find her. We find ourselves bewitched by an Asen with dark violet eyes that look at me with nothing but venom and distrust.