Shadow Wings (The Darkest Drae Book 2)(76)

My Phaetyn powers felt different. That energy was fluid, and it seemed like the well of power was deep and all mine. Yes, there was a learning curve, but it was still all me.

This mating-bond power felt like tenacious fibers, the threads were thin but incredibly strong. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be tied to anyone. At least not now, and maybe not ever. If I pushed power into those bonds . . .

Tyrrik didn’t reply.

Will giving you some of my Drae energy affect the bond between us? I asked again, so irritated I was about ready to bite his tail off. My frustration might’ve been why Tyrrik chose that moment to descend.

Yes, he finally answered.

I knew it! Freakin’ manipulative Drae! Yes? How?

He descended faster. Dyter was looking between us, and I struggled to remember that beating Tyrrik to death with my tail would hurt the human I loved.

Tyrrik’s voice came to me strained with trepidation as he replied, Doing so will tie us closer together. It will also break more of the barriers between our thoughts.

He’d offered the innocuous information with far too much anxiety. Tyrrik, tell me everything. I’m serious. If you don’t, I will never, ever mate with you How could I trust someone with my life, want to protect theirs, yet still have to make sure they weren’t keeping me in the dark?

You will begin to feel more as I do. Anxious to be parted, nearly overwhelmed by my smell, and your body will want mine.

My body already was pretty interested in his. That wasn’t my problem. You were just going to leave that part out? Am I going to go crazy? Am I going to lose my mind?

He hesitated, one hundred meters above the mountain tops. If you strengthen the bond, my hold over you will grow stronger.

Even in this Drae form, my heart grew cold. What do you mean?

Do you remember when I used to kiss you?

Why did I get the feeling I wasn’t going to like what he said next?

A male Drae is able to control his mate in life and death situations; it’s for survival of the species. The effect of my kiss used to wear off on you quickly, I assume because of your Phaetyn side, but as the mate bond grows, so will my protective power over you.

Control me? Like a blood oath?

Tyrrik didn’t have time to answer as we neared the ground. I pulled away to give him space to land safely with Dyter, but fury gnawed in my chest. I landed and immediately shifted back to Phaetyn. My power in Phaetyn form was limited, but I didn’t trust my Drae with the explosive emotions racking me while Dyter was close by.

I began to pace the rocky mountain, breathing hard as I waited for Tyrrik to change back. How could he hide that from me? Did he really think I was going to give him any more power to manipulate me?

Turns out I couldn’t wait for him to change back. I stomped over to the onyx Drae and screamed, “Were you even going to tell me before I pushed energy into you?”

As soon as I was within striking distance, I slapped his scaled hide as hard as I could and then shouted up at him. “Do you want to know why I can’t decide if I want to be your mate?” I asked, gulping air, chest heaving. “It’s because you treat me like a freakin’ sheep! I’m not here to be herded. I’m not here to baa and be ignored.” My hand was smarting, but I whacked his haunch again. “I don’t want to be controlled! I don’t want to be part of a game.”

Tyrrik growled and swiped me up in his claw. I fell on my behind and got to my feet in a furious blur. In his clutches, I gripped two of his talons and stared through them to where he’d brought his great Drae face down. His inky eyes regarded me.

“We’re not in the castle anymore, Tyrrik,” I said. I made to squeeze my eyes shut, to hide the hurt as I’d done with Tyrrik so often. But hiding my pain from him wasn’t helping me or him. He needed to know so he could understand. I kept my eyes open and stared into his black gaze. I let my barrier drop, allowing him to see and feel how much I hurt inside from what he’d just done. “We’re not in the castle anymore,” I repeated in a whisper. “Please stop acting like you’re still under the Blood Oath. Hiding things from me won’t keep you or me safe. You hated being controlled.” I blinked, and the tears spilled over the corners of my eyes. “I hate being controlled, too.”

His eyes widened, and in a blink, he set me on the ground. The air shimmered for only a moment before Tyrrik unfolded from a crouch.

“Ryn,” he began, reaching out a hand.

I couldn’t even look at him. I let the tears drip down my cheeks as I turned and walked away.





30





The mountaintop was too small to storm very far from Lord Tyrrik, and I eyed the next peak longingly. Our space had a sparse collection of low trees which would offer minimal veiling from aerial eyes while we slept, but there wasn’t anything better nearby.

I kept my back to the Drae and stared out over the mountains. In the distance, the range abruptly stopped and then picked back up, making the start of Gemond’s realm clear. We were likely a few days away if we walked, an hour if we flew—which we would be doing. I had wings now, and I planned to use them for every little thing I could. I stared in the direction of Gemond, listening to Dyter and Tyrrik settling down for the night behind me. I stared until my heart rate settled and I wasn’t seeing red anymore. I probably shouldn’t face Tyrrik yet with my temper simmering just below boiling.