Read Online Hallowed Bond (Chronicles of Ylandre Book 2) by Eresse - Free Book Online

molested you. That he drugged you to make you more compliant and went on doing things to you after you told him to stop. Never go anywhere near him again.”
    Riodan shuddered. “I don’t even want to see him. Not ever.”
    “You won’t. I warned him not to show himself to you. I told him I would geld him if you so much as complained that you’d caught a glimpse of him.”
    A strangled laugh escaped Riodan. “Oh heyas , you didn’t,” he sputtered.
    “I did,” Dylen said with a slight smile. “I was going to break his back with my bare hands. What makes you think I wouldn’t castrate him?”
    Riodan guffawed though it was clearly more an expression of intense relief rather
    than humor. At length, he sobered and, drawing out of Dylen’s arms, leaned back wearily.
    “I feel so drained,” he moaned. “So tired.”
    “Of course you do,” Dylen said, ruffling his hair. “Why don’t we eat something?” He rose from the couch and headed for the stairs. “Is soup fine with you?”
    For a moment, Riodan stared after him, startled by the sudden redirection to so mundane a matter as dinner. But then the wisdom of grounding themselves in practicalities after such a gut-wrenching discussion registered.
    “Yes, it’s perfectly fine,” he agreed, following Dylen downstairs to the kitchen.
    He busied himself toasting bread over the fire while above, the flavorsome salted meat and vegetable soup from the midday meal slowly heated up once more. Meanwhile, Dylen put together a simple salad of sliced fruit doused with honey-sweetened cream.
    They did not bother to go up to the dining room but ate their meal at the kitchen worktable. Riodan was still in a bit of a fugue and said very little. Dylen let him be. It was only when they were done eating that Dylen broached the subject once more.
    Covering Riodan’s hand reassuringly, he asked, “For what did you need my forgiveness, Rio- min ?”
    Riodan started then flushed. “Oh, that…” He bit his lip then mumbled, “It was several things actually, not just one.” At Dylen’s encouraging nod, he said,” I was sorry for not listening to you about misleading Ithan. He called me a tease when I went home with him.” He cringed a little when Dylen scowled then hurried on. “I was sorry for stupidly putting myself in that situation after you’d warned me about him.” He swallowed hard and looked down at the tabletop. “And most of all, that it would be my first time and—it wasn’t going to be with you.”
    Dylen did not reply. But he patted Riodan’s hand before getting up to clear the table.
    “Let me do that,” Riodan quickly offered.
    Dylen regarded him hesitantly. “I think you should come back and live here,” he said. When Riodan started to protest that he was fine, he swiftly added, “It’s for my sake.
    I know you don’t want to be coddled. But I can see how affected you are by what happened, and it bothers me. So, until I feel more secure about you living by yourself again, I would like you to stay here.”
    Riodan looked searchingly at him for a while. Finally, with a crooked grin, he replied, “All right. For your sake.”
    Dylen smiled back. “Well then, that’s settled. Now I need a good, long soak,” he decided. “This is one day I want to forget.”
    “Not all of it,” Riodan muttered under his breath as he set about putting the kitchen in order. But Dylen heard as he walked away.
    Chapter Six

Surrender
    After washing up, Riodan returned to the parlor and extinguished the lamps. He then went to Dylen’s bedroom. He listened for sounds from the bathing chamber, but it was quiet. Had Dylen fallen asleep in the tub? He peeked into the chamber. Dylen turned his head almost as soon as he did.
    Riodan blushed, abashed at being caught and affected by the glimpse of Dylen’s nakedness. No matter how many times he had seen the hethar in the nude, he had never gotten over his shyness. Even now, when much of Dylen’s body was obscured by the