I stomped over to the Phaetyn prince. “If you know something about my powers, you should be telling me, not keeping it secret.”
I turned to Dyter. “I’ve trusted you my entire life. I never once betrayed you while Jotun tortured me. Not once. The least you could do is prepare me for any more surprises. And don’t yell at me when I need a minute to decompress. If I want to serve ale, let me serve ale for a day.”
I turned to Tyrrik, but my words dried up in my parched mouth. I hated him for lying to me. I hated myself because although I hated him, I felt safest when he was near. My head was messed up, and though the abuse I’d suffered wasn’t all his fault, so much of my distrust of the world was.
“If you ever want me to trust you, ever, you need to stop hiding things from me. Stop omitting details. Stop passively letting me come to the wrong conclusion. If you want my trust, you need to stop doing what you’re doing.” I pointed at Dyter and the prince. “If the three of you know something I don’t, you better start showing some modicum of confidence in me and some respect for what I’ve been through, or I’m leaving right now, and I’m not coming back.”
Tyrrik’s eyes darkened until they were all black. His skin rippled but soon stilled. His gaze went over my head to Dyter. “You’d better ride as fast as you can. We’ll spend two days in the caves and then come find you.”
The Phaetyn prince asked, “Do you think that’s wise? She’s still part Phaetyn. I can see it even now on the cusp of her change.”
Dyter sighed, and I turned to see him rubbing his bald head, his shoulders sagging. When he looked up, he offered me an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Rynnie. I only wanted to spare you a little longer. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
It felt like he’d scooped my heart out. “Spare me what?”
Dyter pointed to Tyrrik. “I’ll let him tell you.”
My head spun as Dyter and Kamoi rearranged the packs and said their goodbyes to Tyrrik and me, but I didn’t really hear them. After they were gone, I turned to Tyrrik. “What is it then?”
He shook his head. “Not here.”
I glared at him. Again. “What do you mean not here? That’s not how this works. Did you hear a single word I said?”
“Yes, I heard.” He was suddenly before me.
“I’m not leaving this spot until you tell me.”
Tyrrik blurred and brought his lips close enough to brush my ear as he whispered, “If we don’t get to the caves before you change, you will have more to worry about than what secrets I might have. We can talk while we ride.”
His warm breath sent shivers down my spine, and a current of energy pulsated between us. I swallowed, pushing down the desire to turn toward him. Instead, I batted him away. “Why did you have to whisper that in my ear?”
His gaze dipped to my lips. “No secret on that, Ryn. I wanted to be close to you.”
“That’s . . . not allowed,” I finished lamely. “And I’m not falling for it. Tell me now, Tyrrik, or go away. I can’t be bothered with your tricks anymore.”
“You’re sure you wish to know?”
I closed my eyes, waiting. I was pretty sure at this point nothing he could say would surprise me.
“I would’ve waited until you had the privacy of a cave, but I suppose you’ll know soon enough anyway.” Warmth touched my body as the Drae stepped closer. “You are the Emperor’s daughter.”
I snorted and waited.
“I’m telling the truth.”
I opened my eyes and stared at him. “Wash your mouth out.”
“What?” Tyrrik asked, concern in his eyes. Probably for my mental state because that sure was under pressure at the moment.
I choked out the words. “You’re not serious?”
“I never joke when it comes to you.”
Or joke in general. “I don’t understand . . . How? You said the emperor didn’t have a mate, and that Drae can only . . . procreate with their mate.” I pulled up short as I recalled something else the Drae said not many days before about the ‘emperor’s experiments.’
Tyrrik nodded, but his attention was fixed on the sky. “I will answer your questions. All of them. But you must listen to me. When you transform the first time, you are vulnerable. We need to get to the caves so we are hidden.”
Sure. Right. I’ll just put aside that startling bit of news and go about my merry way to the caves so I can turn into a Drae. Surprisingly, I did just that, turning toward my horse. “Do I have to get back on my horse?”
I was not looking forward to riding that animal again. What I wanted to do was ask Tyrrik to change into his Drae form and fly us to wherever we were going.
“No,” he said, mounting his own horse. “But I won’t risk changing unless I have to. I’m sure Emperor Draedyn has sent more Druman, and he might be patrolling this area himself for all I know. For now, we ride.”
“I thought you said I didn’t have to get on the horse.” I put my hands on my hips in protest.
“No, Khosana. I said you don’t have to get on your horse.” He held out his hand. “We need to be quick, and you’re tired.”
I shook my head. Being near him messed with me, and my head and my heart didn’t need any more strain. “I’ll ride my own horse. You just want to touch me.”
His features softened, but he shook his head. “We don’t have time to go at your pace. If we make it, it’ll be just in time. Your energy is all over the place, and I don’t want to risk a talon to the eye if I don’t have to. The sun has already started its descent, so you’ll be feeling night’s call soon, if you’re not already.”
Tyrrik was right; I could feel something deep inside me sending tentative tendrils out. Something huge slowly unfurling from within, raising its head in anticipation.
I didn’t want to transform here. I accepted the Drae’s hand, and he pulled me up in front of him.
“And I always want to touch you,” he whispered in my ear.
With a click of his tongue, we were off. If not for Tyrrik’s iron-hold around my waist, I would’ve toppled from the horse.
“How far until the cave?” I asked, clinging to the front of the saddle.
“Several hours,” he answered.
I barraged him with questions for the first hour, and he patiently gave me my answers, most of which I wanted to forget as soon as I’d heard them. Because the emperor was my father, he would be able to sense me every time I shifted into my Drae form. He might even be able to read my mind like Tyrrik could when we touched. And after Tyrrik’s little fire in Verald, resulting in three less Druman, the emperor would likely send out more of his mules.