by Alana Serra
The keep was still in disrepair, and he had to walk through the ruined courtyard to get to the captain’s office, but Liam kept himself focused on the task. Rhia had only slipped. She wasn’t going to fall to darkness. He would make sure of that, and he would keep Wesley from falling, too.
All of that started with freeing his sister.
“A Garrett Willoughby to see you, Captain,” the paladin who’d escorted him said once they reached the captain’s office.
He’d used the name of a childhood friend, a man who’d died during a stag hunt in the middle of rutting season. A stupid, prideful man who likely couldn’t have gone out any other way. At least his name would stand for something decent now.
“Send him in.”
The captain was a stout man with thick mutton chops and the accent of someone from the far north. He looked up when Liam entered, sparing him a passing glance before going back to his paperwork.
“And what would the Holy Blade want with us lowly Guardians?” he asked, casual contempt in his tone.
“I’m here as a messenger and nothing more, Captain.”
Liam was respectful, reaching past his breastplate to pull out a protected sheaf of papers. The letter from Alexei Stragar—embellished a bit by Tanris—and a completely forged letter citing the deed as complete, along with an order of release. The captain looked each of them over, his bushy brows furrowing low over his eyes.
“I ask again, what’s the Blade want with all of this? Your order hasn’t had a presence in Platsia since before the war.”
“The girl competed in one of our tourneys some time back. The Knight-Commander has a vested interest in seeing her flourish, and as she did not believe her capable of such a crime, she decided to send me to investigate the matter on her behalf.”
Just mentioning his old commander made his skin crawl. It was dangerous, and would very likely draw her attention. That was the point, though. Something he hadn’t exactly told Rhia, omitting the detail rather than outright lying.
He’d tell her soon enough. Now that they were pacted, it would be her fight, too. As much as he hated the idea of anyone else fighting his battles.
“So not only does your uppity commander refuse to grace us with her presence, but she wants to swipe a prisoner out from under my nose? Not a chance.”
He let the papers fall to his desk, casting a dismissive gesture toward Liam, whose lips twitched. He’d prepared for this.
“She’s also submitted a petition with the Crown,” he said casually, relishing the way the captain instantly stiffened, his back straight as a board. “If you’d like to argue it in the Grand Court of Esrinas, I’m sure your case will fare well.”
The captain paled, his face beginning to take on a sickly green color. There wasn’t a paladin alive who dared tangle with the Crown. It was too much of a risk, and in many cases, brought too much scrutiny upon their orders. Not a threat most were willing to gamble with, especially when the Crown had no compunction over executing paladins.
“Let me… have another look at these letters,” the man said, withdrawing an eyeglass from his desk drawer and lifting a letter with trembling hands. He read over it slowly, appearing to lose his place several times before he finally gave up. “Everything seems to be in order. I’ll send my knights to fetch Stragar at once. You can tell your Knight-Commander that justice will be done.”
Some version of justice, at least.
“And the release order?”
The captain’s features tightened, but he pulled a quill from its inkwell and set it to the order, adding his signature. Scattering sand across the wet ink, he handed the parchment back to Liam.
“We don’t release prisoners overnight. Security protocol, you understand. Come back in the morning with this, and I’ll release her to your custody. Just don’t expect an additional escort. I’ll not spare any more men to your commander’s whims.”
“I wouldn’t expect it, Captain,” Liam said, dropping into a respectful bow that was met with a grumble.
His heart was hammering as he left the captain’s office and made his way back through the halls. He’d done it. He’d have to come back in the morning, but for tonight, he planned to put as much distance between himself and the order as possible.
Chapter 31
They’d done it. They’d made a successful case for Emma’s release without implicating Wesley or anyone else who hadn’t already been slated to take the fall for it. It wasn’t a strictly good solution, but Rhia was finding she placed less and less faith in the strictly good. She wasn’t even sure it existed anymore.
There were stages to it, shades of gray that ranged from telling a white lie for the greater good to… well, to setting someone up for a murder they didn’t commit. It wasn’t pristine. Rhia wasn’t even sure she felt especially confident in the path they’d taken. But the other options seemed worse. Killing untold innocents to rescue one? Sneaking Emma out with the promise that she would be hunted for the rest of her days? Exposing Wesley and trading his life for hers?
None of those options sat well with Rhia. Maybe if they’d had infinite time to think and plan, it could have worked out differently. As it stood, Emma was going to be freed in the morning. Liam would escort her himself—despite how pale he looked when he returned from the paladin compound—and Wesley would finally see his sister again after years of being away from her.
That was what mattered. In a world that was neither black or white, Rhia had to find these clear victories and celebrate them for what they were. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t perfect. But it was a victory nonetheless.
Only… Wesley didn’t seem to see it that way. She could tell he was beyond relieved that his sister wasn’t going to die for his crime, but that night in the tavern, as they waited for Liam, he’d barely wanted to engage with the group. He’d ordered an ale early in the night and hadn’t stopped ordering them until he was close to passing out. One spell from Rhia made it so he could get to his room without falling up the stairs, but she worried over him.
“Does he seem like he’s acting strange to you?” she asked Karak, Tanris, and Liam once he returned.
“Ah, who wouldn’t want to get absolutely shit-faced under these circumstances,” the rogue said, his own voice slurring a bit. “We’ve won the day! Best to be merry tonight and not think about tomorrow.”
“Somehow I don’t think that’s the extent of it,” Karak mused, putting a hand on Tanris’ back to steady him when he nearly toppled out of his chair.
“It’s not.”
In contrast to Tanris and Wesley, Liam hadn’t had a thing to drink since returning. He picked at some food, engaging in conversation here and there, but keeping to himself for the most part. Rhia’s heart ached for him, and she began to feel responsible for putting him into that situation in the first place.
“He’s nervous about seeing his sister. And why shouldn’t he be? People in the northlands aren’t accustomed to… this,” he said, gesturing to their table as a whole.
Liam was right, of course. Emma hadn’t taken it well when she’d seen Wesley use his powers. Rhia hoped his sister would see reason and understand why he did it; that she’d see he was the same person he’d always been, beneath it all. It was obvious Wesley didn’t hold out so much hope.
“I should go check on him,” she murmured to herself, pushing out her chair. “Will you three be all right without me here for a while?”
Her gaze swept across all of them, but lingered on Liam. “Don’t have to worry about me, princess.” There was a bit of his usual terseness in the words, but they softened after a moment. “Go. Wesley needs you more.”
“If you need ideas on how to distract him, Lady, I’m happy to oblige,” Tanris said, waggling his brows suggestively.
A blush rose in her cheeks as she turned away from them, heading for the stairs. She’d thought about it. It’d been hard not to before, and the only reason she’d kept herself in check recently was because everything had gone to h
ell in so short a time.
But things were winding down now. They could return to Ebonhold, hopefully with Emma and Wesley having reconciled. And that meant Rhia needed to figure out what she wanted, and she needed to make each of her guardians aware of it.
So while she wasn’t looking for anything to happen—and certainly wasn’t going to push for it—she couldn’t say she’d turn it down. If he needed the comfort, the distraction, she was also happy to oblige.
For now, though, she just wanted to be a friend he could lean on and talk to.
Finding her way to his room, she knocked softly, not wanting to wake him if he was actually asleep. After a moment, she heard his voice on the other side of the door.
“You can come in.”
He must know it was her, then, the same way she had a sense of where her guardians were at all times. It comforted her, filled her with a warmth she carried into the room, closing the door behind her.
Wesley was sitting at a small table, scratching furiously over a sheet of parchment. She could smell charred paper, and saw one balled-up piece had escaped the fireplace. Without a word, Rhia picked it up and dropped it in for him.
“I keep trying to write this letter to Emma, and I just… nothing good comes of it. Nothing makes up for… what I am.”
“You aren’t planning on avoiding her entirely, are you?” Rhia asked cautiously, coming to stand beside him.
Wesley shook his head. “I just thought if I got everything down on paper, it might sound better when I say the words to her.”
“Wesley…”
She couldn’t stop herself from touching him, even in a manner she hoped was soothing. Her hands slid over his shoulders and she embraced him from behind, feeling vindicated when he set down his pen and leaned back against her.
“What you are is a man who was willing to do anything for his family. A man who sacrificed his hopes and dreams to spare his sister future abuse. She can’t fault you for that.”
He let out a choked laugh. “She can. She did. You weren’t there, Rhia. You didn’t see the way she looked at me.” His fingers stroked idly over her arm as if to calm himself.
“No, but I’ve been there myself. Remember?”
He was silent aside from a soft exhale. Rhia leaned down, resting her chin on his shoulder, her arms wrapping tight around him.
“You did the right thing, Wes. If she knows you at all, if she loves you, she’ll understand. Just have a little faith.”
He turned his head to face her, his breath warm on her skin. “I almost considered leaving tonight. Riding back to Ebonhold on my own. Leaving only a letter for her to find.”
“Why did you change your mind?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t know what I’m even running from. I don’t regret it,” he admitted. “Even if she rejects me fully, I still won’t regret doing what I had to do. She’s safe now, unable to be beaten or pawed at by that man. However I accomplished it, I made it happen.”
“You did,” Rhia agreed softly. “And if she does reject you—which I don’t think she’ll do—you’ll always have a place with us.”
He turned his upper body, Rhia’s arms having to loosen around him. Her face was so close to his, but she didn’t move away.
“And you? What is my place with you?”
Her breath caught in her throat. As much as she’d wanted to have this conversation, she still hadn’t expected to have it tonight. Physical comfort was one thing. Losing themselves in each other. But talking this through? She wanted a plan, something to fall back on.
But did she need it? She knew how she felt, and if Wesley didn’t accept that, it was better to know sooner rather than later. Because one thing was becoming increasingly clear to Rhia: She could easily fall for this man.
And the others, if she let herself.
“You’ll always have a place with me, Wes,” she whispered. When he leaned up to try and kiss her, she put two fingers to his lips to stop him.
“But…?”
“But you’re not the only one. I need the other guardians just as much as I need you. And not just for their abilities and what they bring to the table. I…” A sudden surge of nerves shot through her, making her heart race. She silently chided herself, forcing the words out despite the tremor in her voice. “I kissed them. You saw the kiss with Tanris, obviously, but I kissed Karak and Liam, as well. And I’m not sure it will end with a kiss.”
He was giving her a strange look, and she rushed to qualify her words, feeling suddenly self-conscious.
“It’s not that I don’t feel satisfied with you. I do. But I just… the needs they meet…”
“Rhia.”
There was a wealth of information in the way he said her name. So much emotion, a patience she hadn’t seen from him previously, and a heat he seemed barely able to control.
“You don’t ever have to explain your desires to me. We all pacted with you. We’re bound to you by choice now, not just by Aeredus’ will. And I can assure you, we all want you.”
He slipped out of her arms and rose from the chair, walking up to her with purpose. Rhia couldn’t catch her breath, finding herself lost in the depths of his blue eyes.
“Do you know what I was thinking when Karak walked in on us? I wanted him to join us. I wanted to watch him touch you, kiss you, fuck you just as badly as I wanted to do those things myself.”
She truly had stopped breathing now. Her heart thumped in her chest, her body feeling as if it might combust at any moment. She’d never heard him speak so plainly before, and it was more of a delight than she thought it would be.
“I wanted that as well,” she admitted, her voice roughened with desire. “I… dreamed of it. Of all of you.”
“Did you?” Wesley’s lips curled into a seductive smile, an almost predatory gleam in his eyes.
He stood so close they were nearly touching, his hand skimming down her front, over her hip, then finding its way up to the ties of her dress. One tug and the knot that held the bodice was undone. The pads of his fingers danced across the bare skin of her back until he reached the laces.
“Tell me?” he breathed, leaning close to her ear, drawing a gasp from her when he nipped at the lobe.
She knew they should talk more. In a way, Wesley was using this as an excuse to avoid his fears just a little longer. But he couldn’t do anything about Emma tonight. Why shouldn’t they both indulge in something they wanted?
Especially when he was far more accepting of her desires than she ever thought he would be.
“I don’t remember it fully,” she said, her voice wavering as his lips trailed down her neck, “but it started with Liam. Then he called over you and Karak, with him in front of me, Karak behind, and you finding space in between. You were all touching me. Kissing me. Everywhere.”
The groan that escaped him made Rhia shudder, her pussy clenching in response. Goddess, was he truly so aroused by her fantasy? As he pressed his body against hers, she had ample proof of it. The thick line of his cock pressed against her, hot and insistent, and Rhia remembered how close she’d been to having him inside of her last time.
“Are you going to fuck me?” she breathed, a taunt in her voice, “or just ask about other men fucking me?”
She knew she was goading him, but she needed this; needed to pick up exactly where they’d left off. She was wet enough just from his words, his touch, his kiss. And he was certainly hard enough. If he undid those laces a bit faster, and if she reached for his belt…
Rhia did so, and Wesley allowed it, working on the laces at the same time. His motions were quick, his breath coming in short bursts. She knew he was just as impatient as she was. And yet once his belt was free and the last tie was undone, he didn’t continue undressing them both. Instead he slid his arms beneath her, scooping her up and carrying her to the bed.
She let out a delighted laugh as her back hit the firm mattress, but the sound was immediately muffled by a moan as he followed her, climbing onto the bed wit
h her, his lips claiming hers. Rhia’s fingers raked through his short hair, her legs lifted against his hips and she gasped as he rolled them against her.
But he still wasn’t giving her what they both wanted. They were too clothed, and when he pulled away from her mouth, she saw a gleam in his eyes that suggested he had no intention of fulfilling that promise—yet.
“I think I’d prefer to do both,” he finally answered, telling her everything she needed to know, yet raising so many more questions her body was eager to learn. “How would they approach this, I wonder? I bet Karak is very gentle. Very patient and loving, slowly building the passion until it threatens to burn you both.”
She couldn’t answer, because he was trailing a hot path of kisses down her chest. His stubble scraped against her breasts and she gasped, arching into him. He was so close, so able to put his mouth to good use, but he meandered a bit, his lips caressing her supple flesh, his hands moving down her body. When he finally paid attention to her sensitive nipples, it was with a slow reverence, licking and suckling and groaning against her skin as if tasting her was the most rewarding thing he could think to do.
There was a rhythm to his actions, she realized. A slow build as his hand moved downward, making its way between them and dipping under her skirt. He touched her thigh in a soft caress, teased so close to her pussy, but not nearly close enough. Rhia shifted, squirmed beneath him, her skirts shifting upward as she did so, her smallclothes soaked already. When Wesley finally trailed his fingers over her still-clothed slit, she let out a loud, low moan.
“He’d be sweet with you. The one you’d look to when you wanted something slow and meaningful, where you could savor every touch.” His thumb pressed against her clit and she gasped. “But what if you want something harder? Someone who makes demands of your body?”
Wesley pulled back from her and she whimpered, the shock to her system so sudden that she felt a chill overcome her. But he wasn’t gone. He pulled off her slippers, then gripped her smalls and tugged downwards, nearly pulling her off the bed in the process. With trembling hands, Rhia managed to discard her own dress, but she wasn’t at all prepared for the swift, decisive action Wesley took afterward.
