humanness.
Judas tensed. “She never infiltrated. I’ve always known. Now
go back to your post, Raffia. Don’t meddle in things you don’t understand.” His
hands curled in fists. “That’s an order!”
Raffia didn’t move. His lip curled, disgust ripe in his
stare that remained on her even as he spoke to the king. “You’ve been lying to
your people, protecting those considered our enemy. Your council has known that
for some time now.” He shook his head. “We won’t let a shifter mix with our
human population. She’s already blinded you with her looks, her sorcery and
trickery.”
Judas didn’t move either, didn’t back down. “You dare go against
your king?”
Raffia’s laugh was coarse. “You put yourself in my hands the
moment you handed me the reins to the kingdom, while you spent time with this larakyte …slut.”
Akeisha’s chin kicked up. If he thought a word could cheapen
what she’d shared with Judas, he was sadly mistaken. She’d go to her death, if
need be with steel in her spine, righteousness in her heart and revolt in her
eyes. And she’d go down fighting all the way.
Judas reached for her hand once again and clasped it in his
own, this time lending her strength. She was glad of his support, but it was
unnecessary. It was past time she made a stand with these shifter haters.
A mounted rider pushed through from the back of the horses.
Vasilous.
Of course. He’d been the one who’d recognized the real her
at the markets. He’d been the one who’d told Raffia of his findings when Judas
had left the captain with him to take care of the pendent. She hadn’t been
paranoid at the markets. The eyes she’d felt had been theirs.
Vasilous pulled hard on the reins, his stallion throwing
back its head, eyes wild, as the horrid man drew beside Raffia. “We all know
what she is,” Vasilous barked out furiously, “we’d recognize her anywhere.”
Raffia nodded. “We’ve been hunting her for years. Tortured
many a larakyte to glean information so as to snare ourselves their
elusive and much loved princess. But here she is, daring to walk amongst us.”
The bastards had been torturing her people too? Wasn’t
murder enough? She closed her eyes, sickened. She’d known of a few who’d
disappeared but assumed they’d fallen victim to Scantia forest’s many
wild animals.
Her eyes flew open as Judas’ hand stiffened in hers. He
plainly had more personal concerns. He might have known she was a shifter but
he’d been unaware of her title.
He didn’t turn and face her, didn’t acknowledge his
ignorance. Instead he waited, never taking his eyes from the men. His men,
soldiers who’d once been loyal to their king.
Vasilous’ grin was dangerous. “It’s made our mission to rid
the world of the larakyte freaks so much easier. No more hunting in the
damn forest, no more traveling on horseback with the slim hope one of the
shifters will give in and tell us her location.”
Raffia turned to Vasilous, exchanging a self-satisfied look.
Then he twisted in his saddle and motioned to his soldiers. “Get her.”
Judas stepped back, pushing her behind him. His body was
braced, readying for attack. “Shift,” he said under his breath. “And run. It’s
your only chance.” She paused, her mind balking at the idea of leaving him. Of
not putting up a fight. Then he turned to her, his eyes hard, ruthless as he
ordered, “Now!”
She pivoted, sprinting away. Fear pulsed through her, but it
was all for him.
Even knowing her every lie—Judas cared for her—more than
cared.
The beast roared within and she welcomed it, embraced it.
She had to lead the soldiers away from Judas.
The change came on fast, but not fast enough. And as she
forced her bones into an immediate shift, she knew she’d pay for the privilege
later. Big time.
When a shifter compelled the body to change too quickly,
adrenaline, endorphins and a whole load of chemicals that were unique to a
shifter, ensured the
Judas tensed. “She never infiltrated. I’ve always known. Now
go back to your post, Raffia. Don’t meddle in things you don’t understand.” His
hands curled in fists. “That’s an order!”
Raffia didn’t move. His lip curled, disgust ripe in his
stare that remained on her even as he spoke to the king. “You’ve been lying to
your people, protecting those considered our enemy. Your council has known that
for some time now.” He shook his head. “We won’t let a shifter mix with our
human population. She’s already blinded you with her looks, her sorcery and
trickery.”
Judas didn’t move either, didn’t back down. “You dare go against
your king?”
Raffia’s laugh was coarse. “You put yourself in my hands the
moment you handed me the reins to the kingdom, while you spent time with this larakyte …slut.”
Akeisha’s chin kicked up. If he thought a word could cheapen
what she’d shared with Judas, he was sadly mistaken. She’d go to her death, if
need be with steel in her spine, righteousness in her heart and revolt in her
eyes. And she’d go down fighting all the way.
Judas reached for her hand once again and clasped it in his
own, this time lending her strength. She was glad of his support, but it was
unnecessary. It was past time she made a stand with these shifter haters.
A mounted rider pushed through from the back of the horses.
Vasilous.
Of course. He’d been the one who’d recognized the real her
at the markets. He’d been the one who’d told Raffia of his findings when Judas
had left the captain with him to take care of the pendent. She hadn’t been
paranoid at the markets. The eyes she’d felt had been theirs.
Vasilous pulled hard on the reins, his stallion throwing
back its head, eyes wild, as the horrid man drew beside Raffia. “We all know
what she is,” Vasilous barked out furiously, “we’d recognize her anywhere.”
Raffia nodded. “We’ve been hunting her for years. Tortured
many a larakyte to glean information so as to snare ourselves their
elusive and much loved princess. But here she is, daring to walk amongst us.”
The bastards had been torturing her people too? Wasn’t
murder enough? She closed her eyes, sickened. She’d known of a few who’d
disappeared but assumed they’d fallen victim to Scantia forest’s many
wild animals.
Her eyes flew open as Judas’ hand stiffened in hers. He
plainly had more personal concerns. He might have known she was a shifter but
he’d been unaware of her title.
He didn’t turn and face her, didn’t acknowledge his
ignorance. Instead he waited, never taking his eyes from the men. His men,
soldiers who’d once been loyal to their king.
Vasilous’ grin was dangerous. “It’s made our mission to rid
the world of the larakyte freaks so much easier. No more hunting in the
damn forest, no more traveling on horseback with the slim hope one of the
shifters will give in and tell us her location.”
Raffia turned to Vasilous, exchanging a self-satisfied look.
Then he twisted in his saddle and motioned to his soldiers. “Get her.”
Judas stepped back, pushing her behind him. His body was
braced, readying for attack. “Shift,” he said under his breath. “And run. It’s
your only chance.” She paused, her mind balking at the idea of leaving him. Of
not putting up a fight. Then he turned to her, his eyes hard, ruthless as he
ordered, “Now!”
She pivoted, sprinting away. Fear pulsed through her, but it
was all for him.
Even knowing her every lie—Judas cared for her—more than
cared.
The beast roared within and she welcomed it, embraced it.
She had to lead the soldiers away from Judas.
The change came on fast, but not fast enough. And as she
forced her bones into an immediate shift, she knew she’d pay for the privilege
later. Big time.
When a shifter compelled the body to change too quickly,
adrenaline, endorphins and a whole load of chemicals that were unique to a
shifter, ensured the
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