Oh, no. My head shot up.

His purposeful look immediately putting me on edge.

He strode across the Training Garden and caught my arm. Before calling over his shoulder. “Markus!”

Markus, nicknamed Magus by Hawk, was the most promising of the senior mages. An auburn haired, green eyed mage in training. One we all knew Hawk shared all his spells with. Hawk favored him enough to nickname him a mage’s title.

I wonder if he gifted him what a mage could do with a woman’s lock of hair? I grimaced. Remembering that word he’d said so many times.

Kerdan.

Markus immediately stepped forward and started lining the other mages up with the arrow stands.

Oh, no… My worst subject. I was frowning over my shoulder as Hawk drug me away on stilted legs.

“Don’t worry about it.” He said harshly over to me. “You won’t be rejoining them until after I’m done with you.”

I turned horrified eyes on him. “No, Hawk!”

“Yes, Mary Mage.” He said. Face harsh.

***

I locked my feet and determinedly began resisting him. Enough that my heels were leaving drag marks in the grass. And I was tugging at his grip on my wrist. “Let me go.”

“Hush.” He snapped the fingers of his free hands closed and I instantly felt my mouth close so tightly I couldn’t pry my lips apart.

Oh, no. I thought again. My stomach dropping.

I should’ve run from the Guild when I’d thought about it. Staying was a mistake. Now I was already back in his clutches. His threat from last night echoing in my ears again.

‘I swear by all that’s holy Mary, if you do not finish me, I’ll take you on your knees like a dog tomorrow!’

“Hawk, I’ll do anything.” I yanked more desperately at his wrist.

“Yes, you will.” He glanced over his shoulder and I saw his eyes were nearly white again. “But not in exchange for your release. Because you’ll finish what you started.”

***

“No. I won’t.”

He pulled me around the divider wall to the actual castle garden. Behind the towering gazebo.

A spot isolated enough he can take me in the dirt. My body had now begun to tremble. As I tried to decide how to resist him. Afraid beyond anything that I’d find I couldn’t.

As I have several times.

Once behind the gazebo he caught my shoulders and flipped me around. Shoving me back against the high white wall.

Out of view of the castle.

But not Warlord’s window. I glanced up and realized that I could see in his chamber up there. See the top of vials on his table.

He can still see us. I chewed my cheek fearfully. What if he banned us both from the Guild?

Or killed us?

“Do you know why I didn’t come after you last night?”

“Why?” I asked breathlessly. Glancing up at him furtively before looking away. Staring at the ground next to me.

How can I get away?

“Because I’d have hurt you.” He put his elbows on the wall on either side of my head and caged me with his body. Nearly smashing me.

With him so close I had no choice but to look up at him.

My fingernails digging into the wall behind me as I wished I could dissolve into it. Don’t succumb to him.

He was deliciously tanned with those vivid eyes and that dark hair which always shined in the sun like the coat of a black stallion. Looking impossibly beckoning.

I was sure that if I ran my fingers through it, it would be as smooth as it looked. Waving back all the way to his collar with the stray lock or two dangling over his forehead.

He always looks wild.

Like he’d consume a woman whole.

“Why?” I asked reluctantly.

“Because I was so angry, I’d have lost control if I’d gotten my hands on you.”

“W-W-Why why…”

“Why was I so angry?” His brows shot up in astonishment. “Because I let you take your pleasure. I let you savor your satisfaction and in return you gave me frustration and left me wanting you.” His jaw was ticking with the level of his annoyance and he was somewhat flushed.

I grimaced. “Please just let me go, Hawk. I won’t do it again. I’ll lock myself in my chambers. I’ll stay out of your sight.”

“I don’t want you out of my sight.” His eyes narrowed to angry slits. “I want you bare and sweating and wrapped around my stem. Moaning in pleasure and blushing up to your hairline from what I’m doing to you.”

His head dropped as he gave me a meaningful look. “And I’m going to get it.”