She's the property of a King - • - After a fall from grace, Venus lost it all. She's forced into an engagement with a Rider King that's calloused both inside and out. Although she belongs to him in name and passion burns hot between them, this fiery...
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I dash to the skirt of the camp where all the beasts are rounded up. Most of them are lying down, others eating, and then there's Treysa who is having the time of her life while others watch on.
"Treysa!" I hiss.
She grunts as she recognizes me, but doesn't shake off the golden beast that's thrusting behind her.
"Get your slutty scales over here!" I demand while waving frantically. So many clan members are watching me. I wish I could just sink into the mud.
The great Queen Venus, who defeated a Rider King and took his Clan, is now seeking asylum in another Clan and chasing after wild beasts in heat. I would hate it if my enemies found out what my life has become.
"Interesting, aren't they?"I jump three feet in the air, and a male hand at my hip stabilizes me.
"Rexon. You nearly scared the life out of me."
He's so close that I can feel his long braid tickling my upper arm.
"Judging by the paleness in your expression, I think it's Treysa who will kill you."
I look up, stretching my neck to get a look at him. There is an ugly cut on his cheek that is still bleeding.
"What happened?" I ask as I step away.
"I found a Wrench stalking the camp."
"Really?" I raise an eyebrow. Wrenches were an invasive species that landed on Xelor. They were who brough humans to Xelor and tried to enslave them. Their skin can't handle the planet's climate, so they depend on humans to do labor for them.
"What is it doing so far north?"
"Spying. It caught me off guard, but did little damage." He reached for his injured cheek.
Without thinking, I rip a little of my shirt and reach up to dab his cheek. He looks as struck by the gesture as I am. This is weird of me. I don't cross boundaries with my warriors or co-workers. I guess it has to do with Rexon's nature. He has been a good male to me, and I want to show my gratitude.
"I apologize," I lower my hand.
He scratched his stubbled, uninjured cheek. "Do you know where the pond is?"
I frown. I know where it is, but what does it have anything to do with this?
"I do. Why do you ask?"
"Meet me there tonight."
I feel a nudge on my back, and I turn to find Treysa looking high off sex. "You..." I glare at her. "I'll deal with you later."
I turn to finish my conversation with Rexon and find him gone. What is it with this male ordering me to places without explaining?
Treysa nudges me again, and I eye her. "Are you done sleeping around?"
She yawns and stretches. It's sad that my pet is getting more action than I am.
"You need a shower. Don't even ask me to scrub you."
I end up scrubbing her down anyway, because she has me wrapped around her talon. As I clean her, I can't help but think about Rexon's words. I don't know why he wants to meet with me. Could he perhaps want advice? I've noticed that he has been changing patrol patterns more often than usual, as if he's experimenting.
I spend the rest of my evening in my tent, where I prepare some proposals for him. I may not call the shots anymore, but there's no reason to let my experience go to waste.
I draw three maps as detailed as possible. I'm excited to present them to him and get his thoughts. When the sun goes down, I go to the pond and draw final touches.
"You are early," he appears up the slope. He changed his clothes since I last saw him. His tunic was replaced by a vest that drapes over his shoulders. It doesn't cover much. I can still see his abs where the vest parts. His pants fall to his boots. While there's nothing special about the leather he's wearing, he wears them like a King.
"Winds," I greet him. "I wanted to pass these to you. They might stir a thought." I pass the maps to him, and he looks confused.
"What is this?"
"Patrol formations."
"I asked you to work on this?"
I shrug. "No, but I figured you wanted help with something. I didn't get to ask you what this meeting was for."
He chuckled. "This is not a meeting. I did not call you here for work."
"Oh." I blink. "Then what? To discuss Treysa? I'm sorry about her... antics. I promise I'll keep her away from your beast."
"I care little about animals fucking. I want to know how you're doing."
I swallow.
I've argued with Rexon in King Centre's council room and discussed boring political matters with him for hours, but I've never been with him in a private setting.
He probably has a thousand things to do, but here he is, asking me how I am.
Why couldn't Dramon do the same?
Stop comparing them.
I sit by the pond, and I start talking. I don't mention much about what Dramon did to disrespect me. Instead, I tell him about blacksmithing, the friends I'm making, Treysa's antics, and the Seer I met.
He's a great listener, and I even managed a few chuckles out of him.
We go separate ways when it's pitch dark. When I pass Tej on my way home, the old man frowns and asks, "what the fires you smiling at me for?"
I'm smiling?
I clear my face. I don't like the flutters in my belly or the thoughts in my head. Rexon is a friend. No matter how well he listens, he can't become anything else. Gossip would erupt if I hopped from one Rider King to the next. I'm done with the rumors; with the Rider Queen title. I can't go back to that life.
The next day, I work with Tej until I'm exhausted. Then, I bathe and stitch together some pants that will fit me. I'm tossing and turning at night, so I head out to the pond to think. It's dark, but there are thousands of stars in the sky. I don't feel alone.
I hear the crunching of footfalls and I identify Rexon's arm-rings twinkling in the darkness. We didn't plan to see each other again, but here he is.
"Winds," I greet him.
He rushes forward, and just when I think he'll sit beside me, he kneels and collects me in his arms to press our lips together. At first, I'm so confused that I don't respond. He's Rexon— a good leader and male, but I'm not ready for this.
I reach up to touch his shoulders, and that's when I notice that his braid isn't falling behind his shoulders.
This is a Rider King, alright. He's too tall, wide, and adorned to be anyone else. But this isn't the right one.
