Semua Bab Rejected by my Mate, Claimed by His Rival: Bab 21 - Bab 30

"He's awake." The words barely left Kael's lips before the ground vibrated once more. Nyra stumbled to the side as a crack split the stone below her boots."Nyra!" Kael caught her arm and threw her back just as a section of the riverbank broke off. The water surged upwards. For one impossible second, it hovered in the air, black and silent. Then something hit the surface from below, sending up water over the rocks. Lyria stepped back."No." Nyra looked at her."You know what that is." Lyria didn't reply."Lyria.""It isn't supposed to wake." The river shook again. Kael took Nyra and put himself in front of her."Stay behind me." Nyra looked up at him, annoyed."If you tell me to stay behind you one more time, I'll push you into the river myself.""This isn't the time.""It wasn't the time the last six times either." Kael almost smiled. Then the river turned completely still. No ripples, no current, nothing.

The river settled, but Nyra did not. She stood, her mother's ring clutched tightly in her hand, staring at Kael like she was seeing him for the first time. Ryker was the first to speak."Give me the ring." Nyra closed her hand around it."No.""It isn't safe.""Neither are you." Ryker's expression darkened. Kael stepped between them."That's enough." Nyra stared at him."You don't get to say that.""I know." That caught her off guard. Kael took a step back away from her instead of arguing."Ask what you want to ask." Nyra turned to Ryker."You said you met my mother three years ago.""Yes.""You said she gave you this.""Yes.""Why didn't you tell me?" Ryker studied the ring in her hand."Your father told me not to. Nyra narrowed her eyes."My father?""He came to me after I found her.""Where?" Ryker hesitated."In an abandoned settlement near the northern border."

"Why are you coming with us?" Nyra asked the question as they crossed the courtyard. Ryker gave Kael a sidelong glance."I don't trust him." Kael ignored him. "Good. The feeling is mutual." Nyra halted."If you two start fighting in the archive, I'm taking both of you back." Neither man protested. She continued on towards the old council building, the structure long since abandoned. Its windows were boarded, ivy practically climbing up the majority of the east wall, and the iron gate moaned in protest when Kael pushed it open. Nyra glanced at the building."You've been here before?" Ryker nodded."Once.""When?""Three years ago." She looked at him."Of course." Ryker exhaled, running a hand through his hair."I wasn't here looking for your mother.""But you found something.""I found your father." Nyra stopped walking."What?" Ryker turned to face her."He was here the night after yo

“I know.” Ryker's voice was little more than a whisper. Nyra looked at him."You know what?" He did not reply immediatley. His gaze was still fixed on the photograph. Kael took it from her and examined the note scrawled across the image.SHE WASN'T ALONE."Who was with her?" Nyra asked Ryker finally looked at her."I don't know" Nyra's expression hardened."You said you know""I know she wasn't alone""That's not the same thing""I know" She took a step closer."Then tell me what you know" Ryker looked again at the photograph."When I found your mother there was someone else there" Nyra frowned."You saw them?""No""Then how do you know?""I heard them" Kael's brow furrowed."Where?""Upstairs" Nyra crossed her arms."You never told me that""I didn't know who it was""What did you hear?" Ryker hesitated."Someone talking to your mother""Did you hear what they said?""Yes""Was it a m

The front door opened slowly. The hinges scraped against the floor. Ryker raised his weapon."Stay back." Nyra didn't move. She was staring at the envelope. Her father's handwriting.For Nyra. The door opened another inch. Kael stepped in front of her."Don't come any closer." A man's voice came from outside."Ryker." Still exactly Ryker's voice. But no one appeared. Ryker's grip tightened on his weapon."Show yourself." A quiet laugh answered him."You already know who I am.""No.""You do." Ryker looked at Nyra."Open the letter." She frowned."What?""Open it." The voice outside spoke."Don't." Nyra fingers halted. The voice had changed. It was now her father's.“Nyra, don't open it.” Her stomach twisted. Kael looked towards the door."It's trying to distract you.""How do you know?""I don't." Nyra looked at him."Then don't tell me what to do."