She's gone
1706 Words
~RYKER~
The merchant was already seated when I entered the dining hall.
He immediately stood and bowed his head. “Your Majesty.”
I ignored the greeting and took my seat at the head of the table. Silas remained behind me while Zane stood to my right.
Garrick was an older man with silver threaded through his dark hair and gold rings covering nearly every finger. He had spent the afternoon rejecting every offer from my council, clearly believing that controlling the eastern trade routes gave him the upper hand.
He was about to learn otherwise.
“I’ve reviewed your proposal,” he said as he sat down. “But considering the risks involved in transporting supplies through the eastern mountains, I’ll need better terms.”
“You mean you want reduced taxes, exclusive trading rights, and protection from my warriors.”
His brows lifted. “You’ve been informed.”
“I’m informed about everything that happens in my territory.”
I nodded toward Silas, who placed a folder on the table.
“Your two largest buyers have already signed agreements with another supplier,” Silas said. “Their first shipments leave tomorrow.”
Garrick’s expression tightened.
“You investigated my business?”
“I investigate anyone who believes they can manipulate my council.”
I opened the folder and pushed it toward him.
“You’ll supply the eastern territories at the original market rate, reduce your transport tolls by half, and give us access to your storage houses along the eastern route.”
“That wasn’t part of our previous discussion.”
“Neither was your attempt to control trade inside my kingdom.”
His jaw clenched. “And what do I receive in return?”
“A two-year protected trading license.” I assured him.
“Five years.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
“Two.”
Garrick stared at me before glancing down at the agreement. “You’re not giving me much room to negotiate.”
“I didn’t invite you here to negotiate. I invited you to accept a fair offer.”
His eyes narrowed. “And if I refuse?”
“Then another merchant will take your place.”
Silence filled the room before Garrick finally reached for the pen.
“Two years,” he muttered. “Original market rate. Half tolls. Access to the storage houses and the protected license.”
He signed the agreement with a stiff expression.
I reached for the document, but before my fingers touched it, the dining hall doors burst open.
A guard hurried inside, breathing heavily.
“Your Majesty.”
My gaze snapped toward him. “What is it?”
“It’s the prisoner you brought in, Your Majesty.”
Jade.
At the mention of her, my entire body tensed.
“What about her?” I asked.
“She’s gone.”
The room fell silent as I slowly rose from my chair.
“Explain.”
“The guards stationed outside her room were found unconscious. She escaped through the eastern wing before anyone realized she was missing.”
She fought the guards?
A surge of pride rose in my chest, and I f*****g hated it.
Of course she had fought them. Jade had always been stubborn. Even when she was small and powerless, she had possessed more courage than most trained warriors.
That was one of the things I had loved about her and one of the things I now hated myself for remembering.
“Zane?”
“I’m on it.” He bowed his head. “I’ll have the car brought around.”
He rushed out before I could say anything else.
Jade had been too quiet when I left her. I should have known she was planning something.
“Silas.”
He immediately stepped forward.
“Search the entire territory. The stables, the eastern road, the forest, and every gate. Send warriors to the borders and make sure no one leaves without being searched.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
He turned to leave, but I stopped him.
“If you find her, don’t touch her. Bring her back to me. I’ll punish her myself”
Silas glanced at me. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
He hurried away.
“Your Majesty,” Garrick called.
I turned toward him and he was holding up the signed agreement.
“The deal—”
“Keep it.”
His eyes widened. “But we haven’t finalized—”
“I said keep it.”
I walked toward the door.
“Your Majesty, you can’t simply abandon negotiations.”
I stopped and looked over my shoulder. “I can abandon anything I want.”
“But your kingdom needs those supplies.”
“Find another buyer.”
Garrick’s face paled, but I didn’t wait for his response.
I stormed out of the dining hall and found Zane waiting in the courtyard beside the car.
“Any lead?” I demanded.
“They found her hairpin near the eastern wall. She must have climbed over.”
“And they still lost her?”
Zane clenched his jaw. “We’re searching for her.”
“A bunch of fools,” I muttered.
I reached for the car keys, but Zane stepped back.
“Your Majesty, why don’t you let the warriors handle this?”
“Give me the keys.”
“Ryker—”
“If you think I’m going to let her run away from me again, then you’re sorely mistaken.”
My voice remained calm, but the warning in it made Zane pause.
“Give them to me. Now.”
Zane exhaled heavily before placing the keys in my hand.
“Fine. But I’m coming with you.”
I didn’t acknowledge him. I got into the driver’s seat, and he quickly climbed into the passenger seat.
The moment he shut the door, I started the engine.
“You’re sure she got over the eastern wall?” I asked as I drove out of the courtyard.
“Eighty percent sure, Your Majesty,” Zane replied. “But I’m having every inch of the kingdom searched.”
I tightened my grip around the steering wheel.
Eighty percent wasn’t good enough, not when Jade was involved.
She was running away from me again.
This time, I wasn’t going to let her get far.
I drove like a maniac through the territory, ignoring the warriors who scrambled out of our path. The eastern walls soon came into view, and I slammed on the brakes before jumping out of the car.
The warriors stationed there immediately bowed their heads.
“Your Majesty—”
“How did a small woman like her get past all of you?”
My voice wasn’t loud, but the threat beneath it made every warrior drop to his knees.
“Please spare us, Your Majesty,” they chorused.
I clenched my jaw.
I would deal with them later but right now, finding Jade mattered more.
I rushed into the forest with Zane close behind me. The farther we went, the more restless Vex became.
“You shouldn’t have taken your eyes off her” He growled.
I ignored him and continued deeper into the forest, searching every narrow path and listening for the slightest sound.
Then I caught a scent that made my steps falter.
Blood…Jade’s blood.
Vex slammed against my control.
“Let me out!”
“Not yet,” I growled.
Almost immediately, her scream tore through the forest.
Vex surged forward with such force that my vision blurred.
“Let me out!”
I fought to keep control, but the sound of her scream sent a violent rage through my body.
I followed the sound, pushing through the trees until the sight in front of me brought everything to a stop.
Jade was pressed against a tree, one hand gripping the bark as she tried to fight off a large coyote.
Its teeth were stained with her blood as he lunged at her again.
Jade tried to move, but her injured leg buckled beneath her. She cried out as the coyote snapped at her throat.
Something inside me broke and I let Vex take control for a slight second.
I launched myself at the animal before it could touch her again.
The coyote barely had time to turn before I grabbed it by the neck and tore it away from Jade. It thrashed violently in my grip, but I slammed it against the ground and ripped into its throat.
The animal went still and I dropped its lifeless body and turned toward Jade.
My anger was already rising.
How dare she run?
How dare she put herself in danger?
How dare she make me feel…
Every other thought stopped when I saw the bite mark on her leg.
Blood soaked the fabric around it and everything inside me went cold.
I raised a hand toward the warriors and Zane, stopping them before they could approach.
“Stay back.” I ordered then crouched in front of Jade and reached for her.
She immediately slapped my hand away.
“Please, Ryker,” she pleaded, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Please let me go.”
Her words hurt more than I expected.
I stared at her. “You’d rather get torn apart by a coyote than come back with me?”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she turned her face away and somehow, that was enough of an answer.
My chest tightened as a bitter laugh escaped my lips.
I reached for her chin and forced her to look at me.
“Since you despise me so much,” I murmured, “having you next to me should be enough punishment for you.”
Her eyes widened.
“Ryker…”
I turned my head toward Zane. “Have Jade’s things moved into my room.”
Zane’s brows rose.
“Your Majesty?”
“She’ll sleep with me from now on.”
Jade stared at me in disbelief. “You can’t do that.”
I looked back at her.
“I’m the King, little mouse.”
I slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back, lifting her into my arms despite her weak struggle.
“And you’re my prisoner.”…
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