23. Protective Measures and Perfect Control

CHAPTER 23

Protective Measures and Perfect Control

" S it down, son. If you keep that up, you'll wear a hole in the floor." Tertia Waterborn, Representative of the Fae, raised a chestnut brown manicured brow from where she sat at the dining room table and frowned.

Somehow, Ryker's mother looked put together despite the hell they'd endured over the past twenty-four hours. Her hair was perfectly coiffed in her traditional chignon, pulled away from her face.

Ryker didn't look so good. He raked a hand through his hair for the twentieth time that hour and groaned. Last night, he'd been kissing Brynleigh—a thoroughly enjoyable activity that he planned on resuming as soon as possible—when chaos had erupted.

"I can't do that, Mother," Ryker growled. How could his mother sit there having a coffee as if they hadn't left the Hall of Choice covered in blood?

"And why not?" Again, with the pleasant tone. It was driving Ryker up the walls. He loved his mother, but sometimes, she did not seem connected to reality.

Although Tertia Waterborn appeared like a human in their third decade of life, she was almost three centuries old. Fae aged slowly, and of all the species that lived on the Continent, they Faded the slowest… when they weren't hit with the Stillness. There was a chance Ryker's mother could live for another thousand years or more.

Ryker pointed to the closed door, his finger shaking with pent-up frustration. "I should be out there right now."

Tertia shook her head and slid her attention to the tablet before her. "Let the army handle the rebel situation," she said calmly, tapping the screen. "That's why we're here."

After the bomb had gone off last night, the Chancellor had ordered that all the Choosing Participants, the attending Representatives, and their families be brought to The Lily to be guarded. It was the most expensive hotel in the entire Central Region, and as such, it already boasted strong security measures. Chancellor Rose had pulled some strings and ensured there were enough rooms for everyone. Once they'd been transported here, soldiers were stationed at every hotel entrance and in front of every room.

Ryker hated places like this. Everything, from the floor to the ceiling, was gilded, expensive, and lacking in life. He'd much rather be at home or his cabin curled up with Brynleigh on the couch.

That wasn't possible right now, though. He was locked in this room, separated from his vampire. Fuck, he hated this.

He balled his fists. "I'm in the fucking army, Mother," he snapped. "It's my job."

One he wasn't allowed to do because he was trapped inside this gilded room like a prisoner.

"Excuse me?" Tertia's brown eyes, a mirror of his own, widened. She placed a hand flat on the table and power rippled through the room. A reminder. A warning. Tread lightly.

Ryker had seen what his mother could do. Witnessed her power. There was a reason her children were such strong fae.

He dipped his head ever so slightly, the message clear: I understand.

It wasn't enough for Tertia, apparently, because she said, "You may be going through a lot right now, son, but that doesn't give you the right to speak to me in such a vulgar manner."

Ryker's nostrils flared as he breathed heavily through his nose. Damn it all. His mother was right, but he had nothing left. Manners were something civilized people used, and at the moment, he felt anything but that. How had everything turned out so badly?

The Masked Ball had been going without a hitch right up until the moment Brynleigh dropped her glass. She'd seemed shaken, but before he could find out what was wrong, the bomb went off.

"I shouldn't be here right now, Mother." Ryker tried to keep his voice flat, even though every single part of him shook with the urge to roar. "I need to be with her."

The Chancellor had decreed that all the participants needed to be kept apart while the soldiers contained the threat.

This separation was driving Ryker mad.

"The vampire?" Tertia sipped her coffee. "She'll be fine. They got to her in time."

He shook, his vision clouding, as his control slipped. His own magic thrummed, eager to help him feel better. But nothing would help. Not right now. Not after last night.

"Barely!" Ryker shouted. "Her blood covered me from head to toe!"

Last night, when he'd finally stumbled into the shower, the water had run red. When the bomb exploded, a piece of silver shrapnel grazed the side of Brynleigh's neck. If she'd been human, she would have died. As it was, she'd lost copious amounts of blood.

One moment, his vampire had been staring at him. The next, a crimson river spurted from her neck like a fountain.

Ryker would have nightmares about how Brynleigh's face went from pale to snow white for the rest of his life. Her blood had poured out of her so fast that he'd barely had time to comprehend what was happening. Vampires were immune to many things, but silver was one of the few that could kill them.

Thank the Blessed Obsidian Sands, Jelisette de la Point had been present at the Masked Ball. She'd swooped in, bitten her own wrist, and fed her progeny her blood. It was only because of her quick thinking that Brynleigh was still alive and in a different suite, receiving intravenous blood transfusions.

"I know you're worried, son," Tertia said in a business-like voice. " But your vampire has the best medical care in the entire Republic. She'll be fine. Calm you."

Calm was not a word in Ryker's vocabulary. He wasn't meant to sit around and do nothing. He should be out there, searching for the bastards that built the fucking bomb. If they knew what was good for them, they'd fall to their knees and beg whatever deities they believed in that Ryker would not be the one to find them. When he did, he would tear them limb from limb for what they'd done.

Brynleigh wasn't the only one injured in the blast. Countless people were hurt, and several lives were lost altogether, including Luca, one of the Choosing participants. The young werewolf had been a good man and hadn't deserved to die so young.

"I need to see Brynleigh." Ryker had already tried to leave the suite, but a guard had stopped him at the door.

He pulled his hair, hating the helplessness churning in his gut.

Ryker understood the purpose of rules and knew they were in place for a reason, but right now, he didn't care. All he cared about was his vampire. Nothing else. Not right now. Once he saw Brynleigh with his own two eyes and confirmed she was healing, he would feel better.

Gods–damn it all. A growl rumbled through him, and he palmed the back of his neck. What were the chances he could sneak out of this suite and find the one where they were keeping her? He didn't know the guards stationed at his door, which was likely a conscious choice on the Chancellor's behalf, so he couldn't talk his way out of the suite.

But maybe…

A plan started forming in his head as he mulled over the possibility of getting hold of either Atlas or Nikhail. They might be working, but if they weren't, he was certain either would do as he asked.

Except Atlas was watching Marlowe. As much as Ryker loved Marlie, his dog wouldn't be much help in an operation like this. That left Nikhail as the more logical choice. Ryker nodded to himself, feeling incrementally better now that he had the semblance of a plan.

He turned on his heel, intent on heading back to his room and calling the air fae.

"I hope you're not planning on doing anything foolish, my son." Tertia didn't even lift her eyes from the tablet where she was typing a message. "Remember?—"

"Everything I do reflects on you," he finished for her, biting back the urge to roll his eyes. He stopped in his tracks, though. "Yes, I know."

He'd heard the refrain a thousand times over.

That was the burden of being a Representative's son. His mother lived in the spotlight, and even though Ryker had spent the past six years living as a recluse, sometimes he still got caught in those bright rays.

"Are you certain?" This time, Tertia looked up. Her piercing gaze met his. "Need I remind you?—"

Thank all the gods, a door slammed shut on the other side of the suite. It saved Ryker from his mother's impending lecture.

A slender fae jogged into the main room, her brown hair pulled into a high ponytail. Diamond studs glittered in her pierced, delicate, pointed ears, and a black ring sat in the middle of her bottom lip. She wore a neon pink t-shirt that was cropped high enough to show off her pierced navel and ripped jean shorts. The outfit was a bright contrast to Tertia's refined apparel.

"Ryker! I'm so glad you're safe." River slammed into him, and he hugged her. "I wish I could have seen you last night before everything went down. It was so horrible."

"Perhaps if you hadn't been tardy, you could've seen your brother before he proposed," Tertia remarked from the table, her voice icy.

Both Ryker and River sighed at the same time.

River's inability to arrive anywhere on time had been a topic of countless conversations in the past. It wasn't that his sister liked being late. She just never seemed to get anywhere when she was supposed to. Ryker had thought she would grow out of it, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"I'm sorry, Mother." River rubbed her temples. "I got stuck at the university studying and lost track of time. But I made it! That's the most important thing, right?"

Tertia's face made it clear that it was, in fact, not the most important thing.

Ryker wasn't in the mood to referee a fight between his mother and sister. Instead, he put his hands on River's shoulders and angled her away from their mother. "How's school going, Shortie?"

River was in her fourth year of pre-med at the University of Balance. The oldest of the five universities on the continent, the school had been founded by the High Ladies of Life and Death soon after the Battle of Balance. It was the most prestigious academic institution on this side of the Obsidian Coast.

"Good." River smiled tightly. "I'm acing all my classes."

"Your sister is on track to graduate at the top of her class, as she should be," their mother added. "She wouldn't be a Waterborn if she didn't perform to the best of her abilities."

They'd heard the same refrain their entire lives. Waterborns did not fail. Waterborns did not cause scenes. Waterborns were chosen by the gods to lead the fae, and as such, they had to keep their heads on their shoulders at all times.

Being a Waterborn was fucking exhausting.

"Of course, Mother," Ryker and River said simultaneously.

Tertia studied them both for another moment before dipping her head. She returned to her work, but the air remained tense.

"I've been watching you, Ryker." His sister returned her attention to him. "Every day, whenever I'm not in class or studying. You're a star."

He chuckled. "I'm still your brother, River."

"I know you are." She punched his arm, and he faked being hurt.

River laughed and called him a baby.

"Well, children, I think that's my cue to leave." Tertia stood, tucking her tablet under her arm. "I have to call the Council." She glared at them both. "Behave, young ones. I'll return soon."

"Of course, Mother," the siblings said in unison.

Tertia was a good parent, and she wanted the best for her children, but the only person Ryker had ever seen his mother be affectionate with was his father. She wasn't built like the rest of them. Luckily, their father had enough love for them all.

Tertia smiled at them, the expression verging on cold, before gliding into the third bedroom in the suite. She moved with a grace that spoke of her age and power.

Once the door closed behind her, Ryker turned to his sister .

"How are you doing?" he asked seriously. He hadn't wanted to bring this up in front of their mother, but now that they were alone, the question pressed on his mind. "Have there been any more incidents while I was gone?"

River's face paled, making her piercings stand out even more. "No, none."

"You've been doing your exercises? Is it under control?"

"I haven't missed a single day, like I promised." River's brows rose and nearly touched her forehead. "You know, Ryker, I am twenty-one. Just because I haven't hit my Maturation doesn't mean I can't manage it."

All fae Matured around twenty-five years old. Maturation brought them to their full power and slowed their aging until they were practically immortal. Having undergone his own Maturation thirteen years ago, Ryker knew this, but he still worried about his sister. She was the most important person in his world. Well. Now, she was the second most important person.

He needed to make sure she was alright. "If it starts to get too bad?—"

"I'll go to Isolation Lake and let the magic out," River finished his sentence, repeating the words he'd said to her each time they spoke over the past six years. "I know. Under no circumstances am I to go near any inhabited towns or villages, especially if I haven't released my magic recently."

Ryker exhaled. "Good. And if something does happen?—"

"It won't," she said firmly. "Not again."

Ryker placed a hand on River's shoulder and waited until her gaze met his. "If it does, you tell me."

"So, you can fix it again?"

"Yes," he said gravely.

"I can take care of myself," she protested. "I won't lose control again, I promise. Gabriel and Carson have been teaching me, just like you asked them."

The pair of water fae were some of the best, but they weren't Ryker. He'd asked them to step in and take over his sister's magical education while he was in the Choosing. If Ryker could have been in two places at once, he would've done it. But the rules had been clear.

He couldn't allow River's training to lapse, though. The last thing they needed was another incident. The last one had been bad enough and with their father's health failing…

Ryker would do whatever it took to keep his sister safe.

"Show me," he said.

Instead of doing as he asked, River crossed her arms and glowered. "You know, sometimes you can be an overbearing ass."

The hairs on Ryker's neck bristled. Was it overbearing to want to ensure his sister's safety? All he wanted to do was make sure she didn't accidentally harm herself or anyone else ever again. That wasn't overbearing in his books. It was his job as her older brother.

Ryker did what he always did in challenging moments like these. He fell back on his training. His back straightened, and he looked down at River. Right now, she wasn't his little sister. She was simply a fae who had previously lost control of her magic.

"Do it," he requested again, his voice hard.

She scowled. "Seriously?"

He held her gaze. "Yes. Show me what those two fae taught you while I was gone."

With a groan that spoke to exactly how deep her frustration ran, River held out her hand in the space between them. Her lips pinched together, and she frowned, focusing on her outstretched limb. Her brows furrowed, and water pooled in her palm. It started as a few drops but quickly grew.

The air hummed as River pulled on her extensive power. The clear liquid surrounded her hand, crawling up her wrist and forearm like a glove. The water twisted, and tiny currents ran through the translucent liquid.

Ryker had to admit that he was impressed with his sister's control. Her magic completely contained the water, and not a single drop fell on the floor.

River spread her fingers and twisted them in the air. The water spun and danced above her hand, coiling into a tube several feet long.

She murmured an ancient fae prayer beneath her breath and stared at the tube. Her eyes flashed, the color momentarily shifting from brown to stark blue, and the temperature in the room plummeted.

Goosebumps pebbled on Ryker's arms as the water turned into solid, opaque ice.

River grabbed the new creation out of the air. Her lips twitched into a smirk, and she sketched a bow. "See?" She handed the ice to her brother. "Perfect control."

Reluctantly, Ryker had to admit that Gabriel and Carson had done a good job with her training. He'd chosen well—and thank all the gods for that. Ryker constantly worried about River. Her power exceeded both his and their mother's. It was both extraordinary and deadly.

"Good job, Shortie," Ryker said proudly. Rather than putting the ice in the sink—the suite was equipped with a fully stocked kitchen—he twisted his fingers.

Channeling his water magic had always been as easy as breathing.

The ice melted in a heartbeat, returning to liquid form. Before it could splash the absurdly expensive carpet, Ryker ordered the liquid to make a sphere. He sent it sailing through the air and out the open window before releasing it.

"Show off," River muttered, frowning.

He laughed, ruffling her hair. "I'm your big brother. I have to show off. It's in the handbook."

"Sure, it is." River turned and strolled towards the kitchen. "Want a coffee?"

Ryker's gaze darted between his sister and the door. A large part of him wanted to leave right now and call Nikhail, but the rest of him wanted to spend time with River. Their schedules were both so full, and he would be married soon. Who knew when they'd get to see each other except to train?

He could wait a little while longer.

"Sure," he called out. "Pour me a cup."

Reaching into his back pocket, Ryker drew out his phone. Thank all the gods, the guards had returned the contestants' technology on the way to the hotel. Typing up a quick message to Nikhail asking him to investigate the security at The Lily, Ryker followed his sister into the kitchen .

"How's school really going?" he asked, knowing his mother wasn't within earshot.

River groaned. "The classes are fine. The people? Not so great. Last week, I was at…"

Sipping his coffee, Ryker listened to his sister share the woes of life as a twenty-one-year-old in her fourth year of college. Apparently, there were many of them. It was nice to be with his family, but Ryker's mind kept returning to Brynleigh.

After this, he promised himself, he'd see her.

No matter what.