The Hidden (Shadowed Wings #1)(45)

Zeph looks past Ryn to me for a second and then refocuses on his second in command. “I did,” he answers tersely.

“So, what? You send me away and take her back when I’m gone? Was that the plan? Is this urgent assignment even legitimate? Or do you just need to get me out of the way so you can rid yourself of her and the connection?” Ryn accuses, and I don’t miss the flash of hurt in Zeph’s eyes before he masks it with anger. He doesn’t answer Ryn’s question, and Ryn rounds on me.

“Tell me you’ll stay until I come back.” He steps into me and cups my face. He has desperation in his eyes, and I have no fucking clue why. “Tell me, Falon, vow to me that you will stay here until I get back.”

Ryn gives me a little shake, pulling me from my scattered thoughts, and Zeph growls in warning behind him. My eyes snap to Zeph, who looks like he wants to rip someone’s head off. I don’t know if it’s his anger or Ryn’s desperation that spurs me on, but I look back to Ryn, my gaze searching. I can practically see the please in his eyes even though he doesn’t voice it.

“Okay,” I tell him, and as the word leaves my lips, Ryn bends down to taste it.

He kisses me just enough to leave me panting. He pulls away, and my hungry gaze traces his every muscle as he bends over and snatches his shirt from the ground and storms past Zeph, bumping his shoulder aggressively as he leaves. I wait for Zeph to respond, but he just watches me, his chest heaving and weighed down with anger. I stand there shirtless, pissed that he interrupted and irritated that I just agreed to be here for who knows how much longer.

Zeph takes a step toward me and then stops himself. He seems to be warring about something internally, and I just stand there and try to decipher the emotions flitting through his features. Heat, anger, confusion, and resolve flash across his face so quickly I almost can’t track it. A plate crunches beneath his boot as he takes another step, and the sound snaps Zeph out of whatever trance he’s in.

“Get your own food,” he snarls at me and then stomps out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

The closing door hits a plate and sends it sliding into the wall. A turquoise piece of duda fruit bounces off the sliding plate and stops just shy of my foot. I stare at the door for a beat, not sure what the fuck just happened. Well, it looks like another night of self-entertainment is in the cards for me, I grumble to myself and kick the turquoise piece of fruit away from me. Fucking confusing and volatile gryphons. I run my fingers through my hair and let out an exasperated sigh.

What’s a girl gotta do around here to get some ass?





16





“Wait. He just walked in? What did you do?” Tysa asks, her eyes wide with shock, and her hands covering her mouth.

“I just stood there. What was I going to do? They had a pissing match about something, and Ryn just left. Here, hand me that bolt.”

Tysa looks around until she identifies what I’m pointing at and hands it to me. “Oh come on, Falon, not even you can be that unobservant. They had a pissing match, but you have no idea what about?” She rolls her eyes at me.

“If you’re insinuating it was about me, then you’re way off the mark. They can barely even look at me without the contempt dripping from their eyes. Just look at Zeph if you don’t believe me. He’s been avoiding me at all costs the past couple weeks. That is not the actions of someone who is interested.”

Tysa snorts, and I stop what I’m doing and glare at her.

“Oh, Moro hit on you that way?” I challenge. “He sniffed your neck, promised to take you back where you came from, and then avoided you like the plague?”

She smiles and fingers a lock of her almond-colored hair. “No, he made it clear he wanted to claim me right away.”

“See, exactly. I’m not even trying to lock anyone down; I’m just trying to scratch an itch. I thought Zeph or Ryn would be excellent back scratchers, but in the end, they just leave me itchier and then act like I have some kind of disease.”

“Who has a disease?” Moro asks as he walks out of the back of the house to where we are.

He kisses Tysa sweetly, and when they pull apart, they share a look of such complete devotion, I have to look away. I rub at my chest and the ache I suddenly feel there.

“No one has a disease. Falon’s just having some trouble getting her rut on,” Tysa tells her mate, and I chuck a dirty rag at her.

Moro catches it and keeps it from hitting his mate, and I give him an exasperated look. I tighten the last of the bolts on the tank I’ve spent the past couple weeks constructing. And clap my hands once.

“Alright, I think that should do it. Go see if it works,” I announce, and Tysa starts hopping around excitedly before rushing toward her house.

I cross my fingers and give Moro a here goes nothing look. He smiles at me, and then we wait. Tysa screams, and a beaming smile creeps over my face. She comes running out of the back of the house and right into her mate’s arms. He laughs and swings her around a couple times before setting her down. I let out an oomph as Tysa catches me in a solid tackle hug, and we both start laughing as we crash to the ground.

“You did it! I can’t believe you actually did it!” Tysa squeals. “Moro, we have hot water just like they do in the stronghold!”

“I told you I could do it, but it’s good to know you didn’t believe me,” I tease, and Tysa wraps me up in another hug.