Page 144 of Onyx Cage: Volume II

She hummed in satisfaction until I suggested that her happy food face was the same one she made whenever I gave her a release.

Her cheeks heated to the same shade of crimson as her hair as she threw a pillow at my face with a wide-eyed expression.

“What can I say? Food is delicious, you’re delicious, the way you make me feel is del—” Her words were cut off with a giggle as I pulled her closer to my side of the bed.

“And I appreciate delicious things,” she continued.

A growl rumbled through me in response, my fingertips pressing into the curve of her hips. More than anything, I wanted to take back everything I had said before and lock us in this room for the rest of our lives.

But instead, I forced myself to have a modicum of the self-control I had prided myself on possessing only seven days ago, choosing to partake of more coffee instead of more of my wife.

“Is there somewhere I can spar this morning?” Rowan asked a moment later, shifting enough so her body faced mine, the delicate strands of her hair brushing against my arm.

I swallowed my drink, setting my mug back onto the breakfast tray. I had accounted for this, for the life she would be forced to have here in Bear, as well as the life she wanted.

Of course, she would want to continue sparring. I could have arranged for a private ring, could have trained her myself, but that would be counterproductive to my long-term plans where she was concerned.

“I’m sure that can be arranged,” I said evenly.

Once we were finished with breakfast, we dressed and readied for the day, much to our mutual disappointment. Rowan was a vision in her new black gown, her curls pulled back from her face and secured with diamond-studded hairpins.

The stiff set of her shoulders coupled with her elegant features was enough to remind anyone who saw her that she was the daughter of a king and the future Clan Wife of Bear.

Even without the tiara, no one would question her role in either kingdom.

“Are we going to a private sparring ring?” she asked excitedly as we made our way through the courtyard.

Though the gray stones had been scrubbed several times over, some of them were darker than others. When I blinked, I could see the ruby ocean that covered the courtyard. The pile of corpses as Kirill and Pavel gathered the bodies to burn. Another blink and it was Rowan’s blood on the ground, her body that was flayed and chained to the whipping post.

Which only solidified my reasons for every plan I had set in motion to remind my people, my soldiers, and my court that she was a clan wife and would be protected at all costs.

“No,” I said, and she stiffened in response.

“Surely, the men will resent it if you make them leave.” Her words were tinged with concern, but she was still following me.

“They probably would,” I supplied with a small grin.

They would likely resent what we were about to do as well, but at least in this scenario, they would be able to see her skill with a blade. And if they had a problem with my wife using my sparring room, they could take that up with me directly.

I pushed open the doors, allowing Rowan entry before I followed, letting the doors slam shut behind us. One by one, the soldiers stopped what they were doing, their focus shifting to the woman at my side.

Rowan shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny of their gazes. Her footsteps were harried as she kept in step with mine as I marched to the center of the room.

When Yuriy was the first to approach, it made things that much simpler. I glanced from my cousin back to my wife, before dipping my chin once.

“Perfect,” I said matter-of-factly. “You can start with Yuriy.”

Rowan’s brow furrowed in confusion while Yuriy let out a slow, awkward breath, his gaze sliding around the room at the rest of the men who were clearly at a loss for words.

“I’m not sparring with you?” my wife asked, her voice pitched low enough so that only I could hear.

“I’m sure there will be time enough for that later, Lemmikki,” I replied with a wink, infusing my tone with all the nonchalance I didn’t quite feel.

They wouldn’t see her as one of their own if she was only ever up against me. Besides which, she could best several of the men in this room, but I was not one of them. They would respect her faster if they witnessed her skillset from the outset.

Getting my soldiers to accept this side of my bride was only the first step of many, and frankly, likely to be the least difficult. Which wasn’t saying much.

“Yes, Lord Evander,” my cousin replied to my order before giving Rowan a dip of his chin. “My Lady.”