Before I Let Go (Skyland #1)(8)

I clamped my hands into fists and tried to hide the dark stains that soiled the tips of my fingers, because I didn’t want to see my magic. I didn’t want to listen to the words he was saying.

“I’ve never met another living being with this magic, princess. This darkness is ours whether you want it or not.”

I didn’t know what he meant, but I didn’t ask. I didn’t relish in the thought of our magic having any parallel. He finally pushed away from me, and I avoided looking at him. Instead, I looked ahead to where Jorah was climbing onto his mare.

“You don’t understand your magic yet, but you will. Soon enough, it will feel as vital as any other part of you.”

Even as I tried to deny the truth of his words in my mind, I felt my magic course through me as if it were as crucial to me as the blood that ran through my veins.

I followed behind him as he led us to where his horse stood, and I hoped he wouldn’t deny me a horse of my own.

“Where’s my horse?”

“You’re with me.” He barely looked back at me. “We are heading into the Blood kingdom, and I want you with me.”

“I’d rather walk.”

Someone snickered behind me, but I didn’t dare turn around to see who.

“That’s not an option. You’re with me.”

Queen Veda was watching us, already perched atop her own horse, and I tried to force the fight down inside me.

“Adara, get on the damn horse.”

My gaze hit his as his brow furrowed, and he jerked down the strap on the saddle to tighten it.

“I’ll ride with Jorah.” I didn’t trust him either, but at least with him, I wouldn’t be plagued with my warring thoughts.

“That’s not going to happen.” He gritted his teeth, and his hand fisted around the reins.

“I remember you telling me once that you would trust Jorah with your life. Why wouldn’t you trust him with me?”

“It’s not about trust, Adara. You are my mate, and you will ride with no other man than me as we arrive at my home.”

I wanted to fight him more. I wanted to scream and thrash and take out every bit of anger and hurt that I was feeling at that moment. But I didn’t.

Because this fight wasn’t worth it. I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t have a clue what waited for me in the Blood kingdom or the fight I would face there.

I silently walked toward him and reached forward until my fingers wrapped around the pommel of the saddle, and I pulled myself up in front of him. Irritation clung to my skin as his hands met my sides and helped situate me against him.

Then I could feel it. His dark magic that called to my own. It wrapped around me, embracing me with its strength and possessiveness. Everyone else could see it too, his black magic like a thick smoke that coated my skin. It moved and enveloped me as we took off, and I tried not to allow my body to react.

But it was the only thing I could focus on as we started our journey to the Blood kingdom, and I tried to distract myself.

Evren pushed the horse hard as we galloped along the land of thick lush trees I didn’t know. The horses’ hooves slammed against the damp ground, and I tried to focus on the sound.

But Evren’s touch and thoughts of what was to come troubled me. What would the Blood kingdom think of me? How would they react when they knew that I had been taken from the fae?

Would they welcome me, or would they be everything that I was taught to fear?

The thoughts rolled over and over through my head as we rode, and I could think of little else through the long ride.

I didn’t know how long we had been riding, but my thighs had become sore and my back begged me to just lean back into Evren and give it some reprieve. But I did no such thing.

I put as much distance between us as his magic would allow and clamped my eyes closed when his power ghosted over my lips. Evren was so in control of his magic, so in control of himself, and I was falling apart on the horse in front of him.

I wondered if this was exactly what my father was trying to avoid. Would he have been so disappointed when he saw what I had become? Would he fight in ways that I hadn’t? That even now I didn’t have the strength to?

“Princess,” Evren whispered, and my spine straightened as the sprawling city that lay ahead of us caught my attention as we topped the hill.

I tried to take a deep breath as my eyes scanned over the kingdom before me. Hills lush with wildflowers of every color led to the vast city with an array of stone homes and tall brick buildings. The sky was bright blue and the clearest I had ever seen it. It was far more beautiful than I could’ve imagined. Nothing like the nightmares of old legends.

“Welcome to the Blood Court.”

I looked back at him, and I could see the hesitancy on his face.

“I have no interest in being welcomed to the Blood Court.” My gaze dropped to his mouth, and I couldn’t force myself to look away. “I am here against my will, prince.”

His mouth curved up in a smirk that I hated but also loved, but it did nothing to hide the frustration that lay there. “This is my home, Adara.” He nodded toward the bustling city as we moved closer. “This could be your home too.”

I clamped my mouth closed as I searched the city ahead of us. I was about to enter a kingdom full of vampyres, a kingdom that I had been taught to fear my entire life, but I couldn’t muster up the terror I had once felt.