of hating himself, he grew to accept his right to the Stelian throne. He finally believed he could rule the Stele.
He’d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Kara, and he was prepared to spend forever with her if she wanted him as well.
Braeden stood and pulled aside the curtain covering his window. With no moon to illuminate the horizon, the dark sky stretched out forever. Pools of stars dotted the sky, the pinpricks of light offering him his only scenery through the window.
He wanted to know what Kara would think of bonding with him. Was it too soon? He certainly didn’t want anyone else. They survived a horde of shadow demons together. Kara saved him from his father when Aurora betrayed him during their escape. Though his new life was filled with the disdain and hatred of his fellow yakona, Kara gave him the strength to keep going. To fight. To survive.
What he would give to go visit her. He needed a dose of the sanity and peace only she could give him. But he couldn’t. He had to wait. When she’d mastered herself, she would find him. If he rushed her, he would be a distraction. It would unravel anything she had accomplished in her time with Stone.
He pressed his head against the cool windowpane and let out a long breath. The next time he had her alone, he would ask her what she thought of being with him forever. Hopefully the prospect of a lifetime with him wouldn’t scare her away.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A NEW MASTER
Braeden awoke with his cheek on a desk. Sweat glued his shirt to his torso. His body slumped over the polished surface, back and legs contorted in an effort to make his chair comfortable.
He groaned.
Conversations with a Drenowith lay open on the table a few inches from his nose. He stretched and craned his neck until it cracked. Relief swam down his spine. He jumped to his feet and shook his limbs, trying to regain feeling in his fingers.
He’d read through the book once and started again, though he couldn’t remember where he stopped. He must have dozed off mid-sentence. Though he’d spoken with drenowith often enough since meeting Kara, he never had the opportunity to ask them this much about the history of the world and the ways of magic. With the book, he had an edge on the other Bloods—including Carden. He smirked. The journal was like his own little Grimoire, albeit lacking the instant-answers and small zoo of creatures.
As much as he wanted to race to the village and steal Kara away to talk about what he’d learned, he couldn’t. She needed to train, and he had a heaping pile of his own problems. Namely, the Kirelm princess with one wing and a vendetta.
Aurora. Braeden needed to decide whether or not he would teach her. And why should he? He didn’t owe her anything. He had enough to do, what with planning the attack on the Stele and scouting its borders. It wasn’t like he had spare time.
He grumbled. He could make time if he wanted. It wasn’t healthy to live and breathe war. If anything, Aurora’s training would be a good distraction from the constant planning and scouting missions. It might do him good. It wasn’t like he had many friends, and the one Kirelm general he trusted was adamant for him to help her.
Braeden rubbed his face. He might as well instruct the Kirelm princess. He might gain an ally that could work in his favor down the road, and it would please Gurien. The three of them just had to be careful. If anyone else caught wind of this, Braeden would be a dead man.
He sighed and headed to his room. He needed a bath and some fresh air.
An hour later, Braeden ran into Gurien as the general left the main dining room. They walked together down another hall, both silent until the chatter of idle conversations dissolved into the distance.
It took a few minutes of walking until they found an empty hallway. They ambled along without direction. Braeden wondered if they could speak here, or if Evelyn had eyes everywhere. In Hillside, the castle
He’d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Kara, and he was prepared to spend forever with her if she wanted him as well.
Braeden stood and pulled aside the curtain covering his window. With no moon to illuminate the horizon, the dark sky stretched out forever. Pools of stars dotted the sky, the pinpricks of light offering him his only scenery through the window.
He wanted to know what Kara would think of bonding with him. Was it too soon? He certainly didn’t want anyone else. They survived a horde of shadow demons together. Kara saved him from his father when Aurora betrayed him during their escape. Though his new life was filled with the disdain and hatred of his fellow yakona, Kara gave him the strength to keep going. To fight. To survive.
What he would give to go visit her. He needed a dose of the sanity and peace only she could give him. But he couldn’t. He had to wait. When she’d mastered herself, she would find him. If he rushed her, he would be a distraction. It would unravel anything she had accomplished in her time with Stone.
He pressed his head against the cool windowpane and let out a long breath. The next time he had her alone, he would ask her what she thought of being with him forever. Hopefully the prospect of a lifetime with him wouldn’t scare her away.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A NEW MASTER
Braeden awoke with his cheek on a desk. Sweat glued his shirt to his torso. His body slumped over the polished surface, back and legs contorted in an effort to make his chair comfortable.
He groaned.
Conversations with a Drenowith lay open on the table a few inches from his nose. He stretched and craned his neck until it cracked. Relief swam down his spine. He jumped to his feet and shook his limbs, trying to regain feeling in his fingers.
He’d read through the book once and started again, though he couldn’t remember where he stopped. He must have dozed off mid-sentence. Though he’d spoken with drenowith often enough since meeting Kara, he never had the opportunity to ask them this much about the history of the world and the ways of magic. With the book, he had an edge on the other Bloods—including Carden. He smirked. The journal was like his own little Grimoire, albeit lacking the instant-answers and small zoo of creatures.
As much as he wanted to race to the village and steal Kara away to talk about what he’d learned, he couldn’t. She needed to train, and he had a heaping pile of his own problems. Namely, the Kirelm princess with one wing and a vendetta.
Aurora. Braeden needed to decide whether or not he would teach her. And why should he? He didn’t owe her anything. He had enough to do, what with planning the attack on the Stele and scouting its borders. It wasn’t like he had spare time.
He grumbled. He could make time if he wanted. It wasn’t healthy to live and breathe war. If anything, Aurora’s training would be a good distraction from the constant planning and scouting missions. It might do him good. It wasn’t like he had many friends, and the one Kirelm general he trusted was adamant for him to help her.
Braeden rubbed his face. He might as well instruct the Kirelm princess. He might gain an ally that could work in his favor down the road, and it would please Gurien. The three of them just had to be careful. If anyone else caught wind of this, Braeden would be a dead man.
He sighed and headed to his room. He needed a bath and some fresh air.
An hour later, Braeden ran into Gurien as the general left the main dining room. They walked together down another hall, both silent until the chatter of idle conversations dissolved into the distance.
It took a few minutes of walking until they found an empty hallway. They ambled along without direction. Braeden wondered if they could speak here, or if Evelyn had eyes everywhere. In Hillside, the castle
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