Before I could stop him, Ryder stepped around me. The sound of knuckles cracking through skull would forever haunt me. I cringed, but that couldn’t erase the way it echoed in my ears.
I wanted the violence to stop. That cool acceptance of death that made ice in my chest didn’t mean that I wanted to see more blood. I was fine with ending the lives of those who were causing pain for others, but I didn’t want to watch this happen anymore.
“Jackson,” I said as I knelt beside him.
Behind me, Ryder’s shoulders heaved like he was struggling to catch his breath. I ignored him so that he could quell his rage on his own.
I reached for the ties binding Jackson. My arcana didn’t have the power that it’d packed a moment ago. Once again, it seemed feeble. Though I wanted to sigh in frustration, I swallowed the urge so that Jackson wouldn’t be able to see my weakness right now.
Pushing the arcana into my voice, I said, “Leave this city.”
He stiffened. He narrowed his eyes at me as his body fought against the bindings still holding him so that he could obey my command. I fumbled with the ties until they came free. Jackson immediately scrambled to his feet. He ran for the door and bolted upstairs once again.
A series of shouts came from above. I stayed where I was, on my knees in the blood that Ryder had spilled, while I listened for the sound of the door upstairs closing behind Jackson. Once I heard the distant slam, I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.
“I don’t care what they call me,” I said without looking at Ryder.
“Well, Ido,” he growled.
A soft smile found my lips. It warmed me that he cared so much, but he couldn’t react like this every time someone mocked me. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was behaving like a mate.
The bonds between mates ran deep. They were unbreakable tethers made out of love. I’d always hoped to find my mate someday so I could bask in the unconditional love that I’d never known before. Instead, my hound had chosen to love someone who would never love me back.
That had been a kick in the guts, but I would learn to deal with it. My life had been a series of knockbacks. This wasn’t unfamiliar to me, even if it hurt more than anything else I’d experienced.
More than the time Alvin had killed me.
Ryder helped me up off the floor. He spun me and tucked a bent knuckle under my chin so that I had to look up at him.
“Ness,” he said softly.
He leaned in, his lips parting. A desperate, hungry growl slipped out of him as he towered over me. My own body reacted to the sound, clenching tight with need.
“You’re not a broodmare. No one should say things like that to someone. Reducing you to nothing but a receptacle…it infuriated me. You’re so much more than anyone here gives you credit for. I don’t want to hear anyone talk down to you like that.”
I closed my hand around his wrist with the intention of pulling his hand away, but I hesitated. His skin warmed me. I could feel his breath, so hot, on my skin.
Then stairs creaked. Dad cleared his throat.
My head snapped up. Dad wore a knowing smirk as he stood on the third step.
“I take it you let Jackson go since you’re not chasing him down.” Dad looked between the two of us, his smirk still growing. “I will say, it was pretty funny watching him run down the street with his ass hanging out for all to see.”
I snorted. “That’s what he deserves.”
A bit of embarrassment was better than the kind of punishment that Ryder had planned for Jackson. I snuck a peek at Ryder. He hadn’t yet taken his eyes off me. My cheeks warmed. The heat climbing my skin nearly melted the ice inside me.
I had to hold onto the ice, though. If it melted, then the ritual’s arcana would be able to reach deeper. Then it might take hold of my command arcana. I couldn’t risk letting that happen, which meant that I had to put distance between Ryder and myself.
If I got too close, and that ice melted…then we would all be in danger.