LAST OF 3 NEW CHAPTERS!
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Ihsan had seen the kind of rage Arya was capable of. She’d done the unthinkable…for him. He should have felt grateful, but all he felt was guilt. In truth, his love for her shined brighter than the biggest star, but he had his daemons. He wasn’t perfect.
At first he felt rage…unfiltered, unspeakable rageat who she’d chosen to align herself with. The fault, however, wasn’t all hers. She’d been mislead and deceived, same as he. Ihsan knew it was stupid and he knew he had no right to hate her, but the image of her naked in the Majii’s bed, covered in his scent…how could he nothate her. It was supposed to be him.
He’d helped them keep the secret of her betrayal…of what her anger had provoked her to do to the Majii, but it wasn’t out of love for her or loyalty to his Majii. He wanted her to suffer at his hands and his hands alone. He wanted to make her suffer as he’s suffered all these years she’s been warming the Majii’s bed. He wanted them bothto suffer.
Eventually Arya would come for him. She’d want to set the record straight or perhaps even pickup where they left off, but it was too late for that. He was too angry, too vengeful. He was relieved to be dismissed and not a moment too soon. He couldn’t stand the way she looked at the Majii…the guilt she displayed at what she’d done to him. She should have been happy to do it. She should have finishedhim. He deserved death, not her mercy. He didn’t deserve her affection either.
“Is everything okay?” Navi asked, pressing into him. It was an invitation to share her bed as he’d done a thousand times since joining the alumni. When his hope for a forbidden love failed to fortify him, it was Navi who lifted him up, giving him back that hope. “You seem troubled.”
“Its Arya,” he replied. Disappointment shone on her face. “She’s here.”
Worry filled Navi’s eyes. “Here…as in-”
“As in at Spring Court, as in the Majii’s lover,” he cut her off.
“Did she see you?”
“Aye,” he nodded.
“Did she say anything?”
“Just that she thought I was dead. She asked for my forgiveness.”
Peering into Ihsan’s eyes, Navi leaned in to kiss him as she’s done before, but he couldn’t and he turned away. The look in her eyes when he did…his rejection had cut deep.
“Ahem,” Arya cleared her throat.
Dax quickly assigned Zahn to watch over her and then left to tend to the Majii’s safety. Ihsan’s fellow alumni all gathered to get a look at the girl who’d stolen the hearts of both the Majii and that of the deadliest assassin in any plane.
“You shouldn’t have come,” Ihsan told her.
Arya looked around at all the inquiring eyes. She hated being the center of attention but this was the platform she’d been dealt. “I just want to talk.”
“We have nothing to talk about, you don’t belong to me anymore, you belong to him.”
Arya looked to Navi who was still draped all over him. He read the homicidal look in her eyes and wondered who’d fair better in a battle between the two. He knew Arya was deadly, but Navi could hold her own too.
Tears formed in Arya’s eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. “This place is Alumni only I’m afraid,” Ihsan told her. She bristled at being dismissed.
“Unfortunately for you then I’m one of the four,” Arya brandished her Alumni Crest pin.
“Anan’s cock,” Zahn smiled, “I have a feeling things are going to get a bit more interesting around here.”
“Not really,” Ihsan grinned at Arya. “Haven’t you heard?It appears the only thing she’s good at is sheathing the Majii’s, no wait…I’m sorry, soon to be his royal highness’ cock. I mean this is the man who would beat us both within an inch of death for simply likingeach other. The man who commissioned all of her beatings and kept her locked away like some fucking prized mare.”
“Stop.” Arya glared. Her eyes were filled with both rage and shame.
“Why? Its true, is it not? Or has he fucked your memory away along with your dignity?” Arya lunged at him, her rage taking over, brandishing her sword. She was quick, but lacked the skill and discipline of alumni. Ihsan knocked her sword out of her hands with ease, and quickly pinned her to the wall, his forearm pressed firmly against her throat. “Don’t ever raise your sword to me unless you want to die, do you hear me? I am not the Majii. I will not let you sink your sword into my stomach and then act as if it never happened.”
He released Arya and she dropped to her knees, gasping for air. It felt good to release some of his anger, but the look in her eyes, oh Gods…it gripped his heart. The emotional wound he’d just given her cut deep. He wanted it to. He was so angry. Seeing the look in her eyes, however, he instantly regretted it.
Navi returned to his side, a smug smile on her face. He needed to end this. The sheer devastation in her eyes was slowly diminishing his rage and he wasn’t done being angry.
“I still love you,” she sulked. Words that rang hollow in comparison to what she’d done.
“That makes one of us.”
It was a lie, but it hit home hard. Even if Ihsan still loved her, that he did, there was no way they could be together now. He had Navi. And although he didn’t love her, he trusted her. It was more than he could say for Arya at the moment. He could learn to love Navi if he chose to.
Then there was his Royal Highness. A man doesn’t protect a woman who’d just tried to murder him unless he’s madly in love with her.
“Attention!” Came a command from Dax. The alumni stood, feet together, backs straight, and right arm clenched into a fist over their hearts. They kept their eyes out in front, all except Arya who couldn’t peel her eyes away from Ihsan.
The bastard who’d stolen his love walked in and completely ignored Arya whose eyes were still locked on him. “Thanks to your efforts, the treaty between the House of Jarrah and I have been legitimized. Not only have I been given back my reputation and my name, but my fortunes and titles as well. This changes nothing. I am still the Majii of the Red Legion. And you will address me as such. The title of Royal Highness will be reserved for more formalsettings.” The Majii addressed the room. “I see you have all met your new Red Sister, Arya, and I’m sure you’re aware of the nature of our relationship. Her identity and involvement with the alumni mustremain secret. I have a lot of enemies.”
“How does that even work?” Zahn questioned him. “How can she effectively be your mistress andalumni?”
It’s the question running through everyone’s mind, but only Zahn would have the balls, or death wish to challenge the Majii in this manner. He quickly paid the price for it as Dax leveled him with a fist to the face.
“As I was saying,” the Majii continued without missing a beat, “I expect you all to welcome Arya, Lumi, Rayu and Jax to the fold. Teach them the ways of the alumni.”
Jax, Lumi and Rayu knelt to the alumni as is customary, but Arya still stood. Ihsan looked to the Majii who looked to Dax and nodded. Dax promptly took his quarterstaff to the back of her knees and forced her to kneel.
The Majii was making a statement and using her as an example to do it. No one was beyond reproach, not even his mistress.
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