Feral Blood (Bound to the Fae #2) - Eva Chase Page 0,3

of the hill, out of view.”

Whitt taps his lips, his face still solemn but a glint lighting in his eyes. “I’ll speak to the sentries and send a few to make discreet inquiries farther abroad. He was acting boldly, showing himself like that—they may be preparing for some kind of overt move. I’ll find out whatever I can so we can be ready for that.”

Sylas nods to him. “Good. Let me know as soon as you discover anything at all.” He turns me to face him with a gentle squeeze of my shoulder, his gaze catching mine with all that lordly intensity. In spite of my anxiety, my heart skips a beat with the memory of that dark eye smoldering as he touched me in his bed several days ago, of his mouth claiming mine just last night.

Both he and August have become something more than protectors to me. I’m not sure what, or where it’ll lead, but the thought makes my pulse thump faster all the same.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to delay your introduction to the rest of the pack by at least a couple more days,” he says with obvious regret. “We should wait until we have a better idea of what Aerik’s next move will be—and it’d be best if no one associated your arrival too closely with the full moon. It’s not my wish to keep you trapped in the keep. As soon as we can—”

I set my hand over his much larger one, giving him the bravest smile I have in me. “It’s all right. I don’t want to leave the keep if it might mean Aerik finds me. And I don’t want to put you at risk either.”

The affection that darkens his gaze sends another flutter of heat through my chest. “Our lady indeed.” He raises his hand to stroke it over my hair. “I swore you’d be safe here, Talia, and I mean to make good on that promise—come what may.”

Chapter Two

August

The day after a full moon, I’m always ravenous. Even though I was only in the feral state of the curse for a short part of last night, today’s no different. So, when my older half-brothers set off to deal with the potential threat of Aerik, a business that Sylas doesn’t seem to have any use for me in yet, it’s only natural that my first impulse is to head to the kitchen, which is my favorite room in the keep anyway.

No matter what my lord and my cadre-fellow are doing that I can’t fully contribute to, they’ll always need to eat.

Talia drifts with me toward the hall, her arms crossed loosely over her chest. At least she’s not still hugging herself as if that’s the only thing keeping her from shaking to bits. Still, the shadow of worry that lingers on her pale, pretty face makes my body itch to let loose fangs and fur and go racing across the realm until I can maul Aerik and his cadre beyond recovery.

It was horrifying enough seeing the state she was in when we came across her in that cage. Imagining her having to endure that treatment for nearly a decade, from when she was little more than a child…

I catch my growl before it creeps from my throat. My temper is rising on her behalf, but letting it out in front of her will only make her more anxious. We can’t deal with Aerik yet. The best thing I can do for her is offer a way to keep her mind off those worries.

I give her hair a playful rumple, reveling in the softness of it, in the way she brightens at my touch. “We could all use some breakfast—or I suppose lunch at this point. Can I get the help of my favorite kitchen assistant?”

She beams up at me. “Of course. I’m starving. What are we making?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Let me take a look in the pantry and see what that inspires.”

Before I do that, I spread some butter on a thick slice of bread to address the worst of her hunger—it’s no good creating an elaborate meal if she’s too famished to enjoy it while she’s shoveling it into her mouth. And the last thing I want is to give her any further reminders of her time in captivity. I gulp down a hunk for myself as I peruse our current stash of ingredients.

The lake quails in the cold room won’t take too long to bake. I gather several