"I have no love for her. But there's no real hatred for her either. So long as she stays out of my way, I don't care what happens where she's concerned."
Zephyra looked up at him. His black hair contrasted sharply with his swirling silver eyes. He looked nothing like the boy who'd stolen her heart. The boy she'd wanted to grow old with. In those days, she'd expected to spend forty years with him, if they were lucky, before death separated them. Eleven thousand years later, here they stood. Toe to toe. Enemy to enemy.
It was ironic really. At fourteen, she would have sold her soul to spend eternity with him. Now she only wanted to see him die miserably. How the world changed . . .
"Now, are you going to fulfill your word and release Medea?"
Stryker wondered at her sudden change of subject. "Absolutely." He held his hand out toward her again, expecting her to slap it away. She narrowed her gaze on it as if the thought was in her mind. Just when he was sure she'd knock it away, she reached out and took it gently in hers.
Stryker didn't know why that made his heartbeat increase, but it did. Her skin was so soft. Her hand dainty and small. He could crush every bone in it and yet this one hand had once held enough power to bring him to his knees. "I'd forgotten how small you are."
She'd always seemed larger than life. But with her near, he remembered just how good she'd felt snuggled up to him at night.
"I'm big enough to kick your ass."
He lifted her hand so that he could place a kiss on her palm. "I look forward to it."
Her eyes darkened. "Are you delaying me on purpose?"
"No." He placed her hand in the crook of his elbow and flashed them back to the receiving room in Kalosis. "I will keep my promises to you. Always."
"I might buy that had you not already broken the most significant promise a man can make to a woman. At the first test of your father, you fled. Call me jaded."
"There's no need to be jaded, my love." He led her to his chambers where an extremely irate Medea was waiting for them. As soon as he opened the door, Zephyra left him to make sure no harm had come to their daughter. Medea glared hatefully at him. "You're right, Mum. He is a prick."
Zephyra laughed. "Eleven thousand years and you still don't listen to my wisdom."
"You're only fourteen years older than I. It doesn't really give you much of an advantage now, does it?" Medea looked past her mother. "Why's he still breathing?"
"We've made a warrior's pact, he and I. For the next two weeks we have to suffer him and then I can cut his throat."
Stryker let out a deep breath at their rancorous reunion. "You two do realize that I'm still present?"
Zephyra gave him a haughty stare. "We know. We just don't care."
"Oh. Well, as long as we're straight on that . . ." He rolled his eyes. "Why don't I have one of my servants show Medea to her own set of rooms?"
"What about me?" Zephyra asked.
A slow smile spread across his face. "You'll stay here. With me."
Zephyra folded her arms over her chest. Stryker was being just a hair overconfident where she was concerned. While she had to admit he was a handsome man, it didn't change the fact that she hated him. "You're awfully sure of your charms."
"I've had time to hone them."
Medea curled her lip. "Gag reflex on the daughter, parents. Please respect the fact that vomiting up blood is disgusting and unless you two want to be hosed down with it, I'll take those rooms now, please."
"Davyn!" Stryker called.
His Daimon appeared instantly. "My lord?"
"Show my daughter to Satara's rooms. Make sure she has everything she needs."
Davyn inclined his head to him. "Is she free to come and go?"
He looked to Zephyra. "Are you going to send her to kill me?"
"No. I gave you my word, and unlike you, I stand by it. You're safe, coward. I would never send a little girl in to do her mother's work."
He didn't respond to her insults. "Give her access to the bolt holes."
"Yes, my lord."
"Medea?" Stryker waited until she'd looked back at him before he spoke again. "Don't worry. Satara's rooms are far enough away that you won't be subjected to the sounds of our wild monkey sex."
Zephyra gaped. Medea looked much less than pleased. "You were right, Mum. I should have allowed you to cut his throat." She faced Davyn. "Get me out of here as quickly as possible."
Davyn's eyes danced with humor as he shut the doors behind them.
As soon as they were alone, Zephyra shook her head. "That was a cruel thing to do to her."
"I couldn't resist. Besides, you should have taught her to never let anyone know her weaknesses."
"We're her parents. We're supposed to love her and not slash at her weaknesses."
"And yet here we sit plotting the death of my father and aunt."
"You're plotting their deaths. I'm only waiting to kill you."
"True, but the point is . . . family today, enemies tomorrow."