A Kingdom of Bloodshed (A Crimson Court Series)

*¬*Chapter Nineteen*¬*

           Right upon landing within Scarwood, Kaz pulls me to him. He tugs at my hair and cups my cheeks, staring into my eyes as if he can see the damage there. The scars.

"Are you ok?" What a stupid question. But I don't want to burden him with the truth; the truth that I'm not ok. That I'm so far from ok I don't even know where to begin.

"I'm fine." Another stupid answer.

"How did you find me?" I ask instead. The sound of crows cawing around us is familiar. The grass and bergamot smell. The spice of this place. It's all familiar. We're safe.

But for how long?

Kaz frowns, still holding my cheeks but I shake my head and ask again, "Tell me. How did you find me? How did you break free of the cuffs?" The feeling of iron still haunts me. How weak it made me feel, how much it held me down and left me there to suffer.

"Arrow found me." He whispers softly, those amber eyes bright with worry. "I called out for help and she must have heard me. Minutes after you and Augustus vanished Arrow appeared and cut me loose. Took me mere seconds to heal and as soon as I did, I came after you."

"But how did you find me in the Prison? That cell was buried underground in iron. Magic cannot work there."

Kaz sighs again, releasing my face. He takes my hand and strides towards the palace. Our silence is deep. Neither of us speak for long minutes until approaching the main steps. "I don't know how I was able to use my magic once I got inside, but I can track you through the Mating bond. It led me there, to Nefaris." The Mating bond can track each other?

"How does that work? The tracking, if we haven't consummated the bond?"

My cheeks blush at the idea of it. Of this male having every part of me. Of him seeing every part of me, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Kaz huffs a deep laugh, "The first part is acceptance. Once you accepted me as your Mate we are now able to hear each other's thoughts, and track through their lingering scent. The consummation just seals the bond permanently, you can still leave if you choose to."

He says it like he expects me to walk away. Like he thinks that just because his brother is a bastard, I should abandon him too. "Kaz," I murmur, "I'm not going anywhere, shitty sibling or not, I chose you."

We pause just outside the main door, his eyes meeting mine. They spark in the early sunlight of day, sending electric currents through my blood.

He brushes loose hair from my face and leans in closer to me, "I told you, I'd burn down the world to get to you."

The words send more heat flaring in my system. Remembering the shadows, Fen's screams, the shaking ground. The blackout and then open air. "You.... You pulled me out of that room after something attacked me."

Kaz nods, "My brother hid from us as you ran. You managed to escape every guard there was in that place, but when you reached the door, panting for breath, he pounced. I made it to the room just in time to see him swinging. I don't remember what happened after that. Just that I had to get us out."

He opens the door to Scarwood, stepping within the hallway when angry steps come flying towards us.

"Where the hell have you been?" Tara pauses before us, her hands on her hips and eyes blazing with rage. What is she still doing here?

Kaz gives me a look, I guess he hasn't told her she won't be Queen of this Kingdom. By the slight shake of his head, he has not.

"Miss Tara, come with me to my office, I have some explaining to do."