All Chapters of Flight of the cardinal: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Silas gently took hold of my hand, wrapping his arm around my waist to guide me toward an underground tunnel located beneath the ruined castle. I tried to remove my hand from his firm yet gentle grip, but he held it tightly. I suddenly felt uncomfortable with his intimate touch, and I wondered if he knew that I was engaged to someone else.Diana followed closely behind, her concerned gaze never leaving me. I suspected that she felt the same way I did and that we both knew that Xander wouldn’t approve of another man touching me in such a way.As we continued through the tunnel, a musty smell filled the air, reminding me of an old, forgotten cellar. Finally, we reached an underground area that was dimly lit with torches. The casemate and undercroft were still intact and seemed spacious enough to accommodate the rebellion leaders and some of the rebels. However, I understood why most of them were scattered throughout the kingdom for lodging and work since Perch couldn’t accommodate everyo

There was an uncomfortable silence after the words were said.“She can’t!” shouted Gideon, outraged. “She’s mated to Lord Alexander.”“Impossible. The princess is a wielder, and it is known that wielders don’t have shifter mates. It goes against all laws of balance,” interjected Count Robin. He almost seemed insulted by Gideon’s claim.Gideon growled at the count who was much smaller than him. “She is,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “I can smell it on her.”The rest of the rebel leaders looked at me curiously, and I took that as my cue to unbutton my shirt. I showed them Xander’s moon crescent mark on my shoulder. The leaders were silent, looking at each other, then taking steps back to discuss the situation among themselves.Silas looked at my mark with an angry red face but said nothing.The rebel leaders had thought they would pick up the pieces right where the uprising had left them. But the fact that I was mated changed everything.“Alexander Kestrel is the bastard son of t

***Warning: Sensitive subject/trigger ahead***I trained extensively with Diana’s help for days, perfecting my defensive stances and attacking spells. I was happy with the new techniques Diana had found and translated from one book. It brought me back to when I was studying with Otis. The thought of my old magic teacher cramped my heart.We created a training area in the library by moving all the tables and chairs to the sides. It was the perfect spot, as no one ever came in, and it allowed us to train without any distractions.I had been avoiding the rebellion leaders, who were pressuring me to marry Silas. Lord Heron and Count Robin were still adamant about the idea, while Lord Junco and another Lord named Swallow seemed to be less certain. I had not seen or heard from Silas since our initial meeting with the leaders, and I was starting to feel as though he was angry with me, or perhaps he was upset about the situation that had arisen between him, Xander and me.The pressure to marry

Diana POVI had been sitting beside Ida for several days in an underground room completely cut off from the outside world. I lost track of time since there were no windows and I couldn’t see the sky. Ida, on the other hand, was sleeping soundly, trying to recover from whatever had happened to her.During this time, I kept reflecting on that particular day, trying to find any missing pieces that could help me understand the situation better. After Gideon had finished training with Ida, and she had gone to the hot springs, he informed me about Alexander and his investigation in Maple. Both Gideon and I were worried about his delay in finishing his job and joining us.Since our arrival at the rebellion headquarters, Gideon had been diligently gathering any information he could about Alexander’s status with the warehouse and would inform me of any updates. I used this information to keep Ida calm whenever she began to feel anxious.On that day, Gideon had some good news for me. “It’s happe

Finally, it was just Xander and I alone under the beautiful glow of the moon and stars. I felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over me as I looked into his eyes. I kissed him fiercely, letting my hands wander the length of his bare shoulders and chest.I broke away, which made him groan against my mouth. I wanted to remove the shirt that separated my skin from his. Once it was off and on the ground, he circled his arms and lifted me up, positioning me on top of him.I straddled Xander, grinding my hips on his growing bulge. I needed him, needed to touch him. I wanted to forget and think only of Xander.He brought my breast to his mouth and nipped it, grazing the hardened bud of my nipple. I moaned as he swirled his tongue and kneaded my other breast with his hand.I raked my fingers through his black hair and tugged at it slightly, urging him on. I could feel my muscles contract and pressure building up between my legs.I slid my hand along his stomach and gripped his cock, takin