The Chosen by J.R. Ward

Author:J.R. Ward [J.R. Ward]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2017-04-04T07:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-ONE

As dawn arrived, at least according to the digital clock on the bedside table, Xcor felt a shimmy of residual pain go through his whole body.

To think where he had been a mere twenty-four hours ago.

If some angel had come unto him and told him that, in the mere shift of a single day and night cycle, he would go from being on death’s door to lying beside his love in a safe house owned by the Brotherhood? He would have called impossibility on any such destiny.

Even if it had been uttered by the Scribe Virgin herself.

He glanced at Layla. His female was collapsed on his chest, sprawled upon him like the very best throw blanket anyone had ever had. And part of what he loved so much about this moment? Aside from the fact that he was utterly satiated sexually and so was she?

She slept soundly. The Chosen Layla was complete in her repose, her body loose and languid, her breathing even, her eyelids down hard as if it had been a very, very long time since she had had a proper rest.

Indeed, the quality of her sleep mattered to him for a lot of reasons, most important of which was that she could not possibly have been so at peace if she didn’t have faith that he would take care of her. Keep her safe. Protect her against any and all threats.

As a bonded male, his female’s safety was his ultimate source of purpose, her trust in him his biggest point of pride, her well-being that which was put before anything and everything else.

Serving her was the highest and best use of his life, and it was with great sorrow that he recognized this was a job that he would not enjoy for long.

Wrath was right to get the Band of Bastards to swear upon that black diamond of his before they all were banished by royal decree to the Old Country. Xcor’s fighters were a principled lot of thieves and renegades—and if he, Xcor, commanded them to shift their allegiance unto the Blind King? They would do so, and they would keep to their word, although not because of what they had sworn to Wrath. But because of their loyalty to Xcor.

For him alone would they give their lives.

The Brotherhood, however, would not buy into all of that. No, they would only be persuaded by an oath to their liege—and even then, the brokered peace would be tenuous.

Again, the Band of Bastards had to leave the New World.

But how was he going to find them? Caldwell was a big city if you wanted to cross paths with someone who had no objection to being located. Trying to discover the whereabouts of a group of males who defined their nights and days by being hidden and staying that way?

Next to impossible. And that was assuming they hadn’t already decided to return across the ocean.

With a soft sigh, Layla stirred against him, repositioning her head on his arm. Seeking to soothe her further, he rubbed her back slowly with his palm.

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