So very typical of him.

The remainder of our training focused on the basics again—where to aim certain strikes, how to avoid ones flying in my direction, combinations that flowed well together.

It wasn’t until I was utterly drenched in sweat that he said, “Lie on the ground.”

“Excuse me?” I spluttered out, mouth popping open.

Rapp howled with laughter. How he continued to find Rokath and I’s situation so amusing was impossible for me to understand. I got the sense he was rooting for us to either kill each other or couple right in the open. Maybe both at the same time.

Rokath pinched the bridge of his nose. “A much bigger male than you will likely try to put you on the ground where you are easiest to control. I want to show you a few ways to escape so that you can run away if necessary.”

“Oh,” I replied, a sheepish smile spreading across my face. I wiped sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. “I thought you intended something else.”

“I am aware,” he grumbled, slicing his attention to Rapp.

I sank to the earth, wincing as the dirt mixed with sweat and made me even more filthy than I already was. “Like this?”

“Flat on your back,” Rokath instructed. I settled there, trying to shove the obscene thoughts of him between my thighs into a tiny box where I could lock them away for all eternity.

Our bond flared as he straddled my hips. His riotous burgundy eyes disappeared for a moment, fingers flexing, as he attempted to regain control of himself. The lust that flowed between us was almost impossible to ignore, despite my best attempts.

Stupid mating bond.

Our size difference should have made his resting there crush me, and yet he pressed down with the barest hint of force. I realized then that he didn’t want to frighten me, that he wanted me to feel I had a semblance of power in the situation. My heart twisted as his eyes sprung open again and collided with mine.

“I’m going to place my hand around your neck, and I want you to use both of your arms to trap mine against your body and roll me off,” he murmured. Something hard dug into my belly. A low curse followed it.

Rolling my lips together, I smothered the snicker that threatened to escape. Yet when his strong fingers brushed against the sensitive skin under my jaw, a little sound that was just wanton enough to be embarrassing slipped out.

“Focus,” Rokath said through clenched teeth. Whether the warning was for him or for me, I wasn’t certain.

Sucking in much needed air, I hugged his arm to my chest and bridged my hips, tossing him off of me. He went easily, and I scrambled away before popping to my feet.

“Good,” he growled, sitting back on his heels. “We’ll do that a dozen more times so you imprint the motion on your muscles.”

The way they trembled as I lay on the ground again had nothing to do with the exertion of our training and everything to do with the way Rokath looked as he positioned himself above me. The tattoos that bunched and flexed across his bare torso. The way his arms rippled as he reached for my throat.

Fates, help me.

They must have heard, for I managed to do as many repetitions as Rokath required without requesting he remove the rest of his clothes. He placed increasing pressure on me, forcing me to use more strength to buck him off. After I failed three attempts in a row, he rose and proffered me his hand. “We will continue this tomorrow.”

I accepted the help and groaned as I returned to my feet. “A blessing from the Giver. I’m starving.”

“Me too,” Rapp interjected, once again reminding us of his presence.

Zeec trotted over and nudged my hand over his head until my fingers rested behind his ears. I gave them a scratch. “Greedy, greedy,” I cooed while Rokath retrieved his shirt.

Rapp approached with Grem. “You are improving, Assyria. More will come with time.”

“Thanks,” I sighed, glancing around as night continued to fall around us. Fires were alive and dancing all through the canyon, casting long shadows on the walls as the males moved about.

When Rokath returned, I asked, “So when can I start training with weapons?”

He cocked his head. “Why, so you can follow through on your original promise to kill me?”

I bit my lip through a grin. “Maybe.”

He rolled his eyes. “You need food to shut up that mouth of yours.”

Spinning on his heel was instruction enough to follow him. Rapp and I whispered insults about him, loud enough for Rokath to hear, while we traversed the chaos in search of food. As we ate, tossing morsels for the dogs, Rapp related the latest camp gossip, and I offered him my most scandalized and shocked reactions. After spending months in a war camp, I’d become immune to the crass words that Priestess Anara had always shamed. In all honesty, I felt more like one of the males than anything, despite being constantly reminded of my sex by the continued stares. At least Rokath had offered me a semblance of purpose of late with both scouting and fighting.

My mate remained silent as Rapp and I chatted, though he studied me with something unreadable hiding in his eyes. I glanced at him far too often, heat flaring between us at every crash of our gazes.

A young male emerged from the crowd carrying a scroll. My attention snagged on him immediately. Rokath glanced behind him, brows dipping.

“Halálhívó, this has just arrived from the High Priestess,” he said, kneeling and holding out the parchment.

Rokath accepted it, then broke the seal. What would Kiira write to him about now? We hadn’t had a message from her since we left, at least that I knew about.

“And for you, Hadvezér Rapp,” the messenger said, rising and proffering a second folded note to him.

Rapp accepted it while Rokath scanned a few lines of his. Then, he went utterly still. “Dismissed,” he growled to the male, who wasted no time leaving.

“What is it?” Rapp asked, reaching for Rokath’s paper.

Rokath didn’t relinquish it. I stopped breathing when he lifted his gaze. “It’s for you,” he murmured, and by the way he looked at me, nothing good was written there.

Kiira had been meant to write to me about Orlus…

I snatched at the page, but Rokath jerked it back. “Let’s return to our tent first.”

Tears pricked my eyes and I slapped a hand over my mouth to smother a sob. I managed to nod, and Rapp quickly gathered our plates while Rokath steered me through the crowd. Every step felt like a lifetime, my mind racing with all the possibilities. I quickened my pace as the first tears fell. I would not cry in front of all these males and reinforce their belief that females didn’t belong here with them.

“Give it to me,” I said with more intensity than I meant the moment we burst through the black flaps. Rokath offered the paper immediately. A set of candles flickered on the bedside table, and I raced to them for extra light to read by.

Assyria,

I’m so sorry it took so long to get this information to you. Much upheaval has occurred in Stryi since your departure. Priestess Anara quickly discovered your disappearance, and she forced a search of House Olmuth’s estate, where they found Vagach’s body buried among the trees. Olrus admitted his fault and swore that you fled out of fear he would do the same to you.

He was burned the following day.

The new Kormánzó Xannirin appointed journeyed south along with the new priestesses, as you remember, with strict instruction from us. By the time he arrived, Priestess Anara had inserted herself in the estate and stepped far outside the bounds of her Fates-given duty. Her actions regarding Olrus, especially given the information the new Kormánzó possessed, forced him to burn her too.

I am so sorry for your loss, Assyria. I hope you can take some comfort in the knowledge that Anara will never harm anyone again and by revealing her actions to me, you have ensured that any others practicing this ritual have been removed from their posts.