by Nicole Hall
He chuckled in her mind, and the sound sent heat along her nerve endings. No. I know whose arms you’ll sleep in tonight.
Keely blushed right as Tamra turned to her with wide eyes. “His mate? Is that why they let him come back?”
“Yeah. We’re here for the ritual.”
“Well, then you have my thanks.” Tamra hugged Keely with almost the same amount of enthusiasm as she’d shown Seth. Almost.
Upon closer inspection, the girl appeared older than previously thought. Probably only a few years younger than the rest of them, whatever that meant for Aecanthans. Oren picked Tamra up and deposited her out of arm’s reach, then took his own turn with Seth doing the aggressive back-thumping thing guys do when they hug each other.
“It’s been a long time, mofilo. I expected you to flaunt the rules and return long before now.”
Seth’s smile turned sharp. “Even I have to be wary of decrees from the elders, friend.”
Keely tilted her head at the vehemence behind his last word, wary that the conversation might be going in a bad direction. She didn’t know these people, but they clearly had history with Seth. Oren might be incredibly intimidating, but she’d drop kick his ass if he did anything to hurt Seth.
In an attempt to diffuse the situation, Keely stepped between the two men and linked her arm with Seth’s. “It’s nice to meet some of Seth’s friends from long ago. He was about to show me around the village. Would you like to join us?”
Tamra clapped her hands excitedly. “Of course. Not much has changed since Seth left, but we have a library now with Terran books, and the elders expanded the boundaries when we accepted some travelers from another clan.”
Seth perked up at the last bit of information. “Which clan?”
She shrugged. “Who cares? They’re our clan now.”
“You have to know some information about them.”
The back and forth confused Keely. They hadn’t talked much about other clans. She tried to pay attention, but found her mind wandering. Oren approached and offered his arm to escort her. “May I?”
Keely glanced at Seth, but he was busy interrogating Tamra. She shrugged and switched Seth’s arm for Oren’s. “Lead away.”
Seth and Tamra fell into step behind them as they strolled back toward the center of the village. Oren shortened his stride to accommodate Keely’s much shorter legs, and she appreciated not having to jog to keep up with him.
They passed more small houses, seemingly placed at random along the outskirts of the settlement. A few of the people walking about stopped to stare, but not at her. Seth’s presence garnered a lot of attention. Mostly frowns and harrumphing, but a few looked outright angry to see him. Keely knew he’d been banished for theft, but these people’s reactions seemed extreme.
No one approached them, so she did her best to distract herself by asking Oren questions.
“What do you guys do for fun around here?”
“Practice magic. Check on the forest. Beat each other to a pulp in the challenge ring.” Oren raised his voice on the last sentence and glanced at the duo behind them.
Seth paused his discussion with Tamra long enough to respond to Oren. “Not interested. You know the challenge ring was always more Aiden’s purview.”
“Afraid you’ll lose?”
Seth laughed. “Yes, and I don’t need you and Keris using it to manipulate me. I already have a mate, thanks very much.”
Keely rolled her eyes at the constant one-upping and pulled on Oren’s arm. “Tell me more about the mate ritual.”
His brows drew together, but he didn’t comment on her lack of knowledge. “Once per year we gather in each clan to celebrate those who found their mates as well as the carnal beauty that comes from enjoying another person.”
“Carnal beauty? Sounds like an orgy.”
Oren laughed. “Yes, very much so, though most people prefer the privacy of their homes for that level of pleasure.”
Her cheeks flamed. What had she gotten herself into? If Seth was hoping for an orgy, he’d be sorely disappointed. “What about the actual mate ritual?”
“The mate ceremony always falls on May first. If there aren’t any mate couples, the rest of us have a big party celebrating lovers and pleasure. If there are mate couples, we perform the ritual binding them to each other, then we have a big party celebrating lovers and pleasure.”
Keely gulped. She’d already bound herself to Seth, both magically and by sleeping with him, what was one more way? Besides, the stacked bindings seemed like a petty concern when Seth’s life could be at stake.
They reached the center fountain and turned away from the forest, taking a path between the houses toward a field of tall grasses. Seth must have won the information he wanted because he joined her flushed with triumph.
He slid his arm around her waist and gently extracted her from Oren. “I can take over now, thanks.”
Oren bowed his head to her and stepped back to stroll along behind them. Tamra popped up in the spot vacated by Oren.
“We’re taking you to Pyrisma Falls. It’s the best thing we have around here to show newcomers.”
Keely peeked around one of the small buildings at the gentle rolling hills in front of them covered in golden wheat or something. “Don’t you need some kind of altitude to have a waterfall? Also, water?”
Tamra laughed, a graceful, tinkling sound that made Keely glad she was between the girl and Seth. “You’ll see.”
His fingers squeezed her hip. Jealous?
Keely refused to look at him. No. Maybe. It doesn’t matter.
He brushed a kiss against her temple and picked up their verbal conversation. “The fields don’t go very far. They’re mostly an illusion put there by the elders long ago in an attempt to make us feel more at home here.”
“What’s actually there?”
“More forest. This village is in a clearing surrounded on all sides. Most of the clan don’t like disturbing the illusion, so they don’t venture toward the fields. Some of us…” He looked pointedly at Oren, who only smiled wider. “Like to push boundaries.”
Tamra skipped ahead and turned around to walk backwards in front of them. “It’s not like Pyrisma Falls are off limits. The elders just don’t like us exploring beyond the edges of the village. It’s too bad it’s daytime. The falls are pretty enough now, but they really shine at night.”
The land beyond the illusion looked the same as the area around the portal, but with much steeper hills. Keely tried to hide her panting as the other three didn’t seem affected by the change in elevation. After way more time hiking than she’d planned, they broke through a line of trees surrounding a waterfall several stories tall. Their trek had led them to the pool at the bottom, and Keely sat heavily on a rock where she could enjoy the cool mist.
Tamra giggled and began untying the straps on her dress, but Oren stopped her. “Not this time, Tamra.”
She pouted but readjusted her clothes. “I just wanted to swim.”
Keely silently thanked Oren. She didn’t want to spend the rest of the afternoon comparing herself to Tamra’s perfection. It didn’t seem fair when the other woman could change the way she looked at will.
Seth sent her a curious glance at her relief, but didn’t ask. The others lounged on the rocks around her, and her fake mate was kind enough to sit behind her so she could lean against him. They caught up after over a hundred years of separation, and Keely leaned back with her eyes closed. Seth’s arms held her in place.
Go ahead and sleep if you want. I’ll keep you safe.
The mist, the roar of the falling water, the low rumble of voices, even Seth’s warm body behind her, all lulled her into relaxation. They hadn’t slept much the night before, and she’d physically exerted herself more today than she had in probably the last year. Halfway gone, Keely tucked her legs under her and shifted to press her cheek against his shoulder.
Wake me up if anything interesting happens.
A light
dusting of Seth’s magic kissed her skin and sank in. Sleep.
Keely woke curled up in Seth’s lap. Her nose pressed into the warm cotton of his shirt. He smelled amazing, like one of those Bath and Body Works candles that she loved but couldn’t describe. She snuggled closer and considered going back for nap number two, but Tamra’s words caught her attention.
“—too bad you’ll have to live in Terra. It would be nice to have some new children around here.” She sounded wistful, but Oren snorted.
“What are you talking about? You love being the youngest. The entire clan spoils you rotten.”
Keely peeked at Tamra through her lashes. She laughed off his comment, but her fists clenched, and her eyes never lost their shrewdness. She acted young, but this woman knew the effect she had.
Both men seemed determined to only see Tamra as a harmless kid sister, and Keely didn’t think that was an accident. The dress, the attitude, the way she flitted from one person to the next, all combined to present a certain image.
She’d seen it before in high school and college when a woman wanted the men to underestimate her, usually so she could manipulate them in some way. Keely leaned closer to Seth. She didn’t want to accuse his friend of anything without proof, but Tamra had better stay away from him with her machinations.
Keely yawned and sat up to stretch, suddenly the center of attention again.
“Sleep well?” Seth leaned back on the rocks with his arms posted behind him.
“Yeah, I didn’t realize how tired I was until we stopped moving.”
Oren tossed a small paper-wrapped package at her, and Keely snatched it out of the air. He whistled. “Nice reflexes.”
“What is it?”
“A snack. Honey bread.”
Keely unwrapped it to reveal a flat disc of fluffy golden bread. Seth reached past her to break off a piece and shove it in his mouth.
“It’s good. You’ll like it.”
She shrugged and took a bite, causing Oren to gasp loudly. “What are you doing?”
Keely nearly choked on the chunk in her mouth, but managed to swallow even though she hadn’t really chewed. “What? What’s wrong?”
Seth’s body shook behind her, and she realized he was laughing. “Nothing. Oren is a terrible person and teasing you.”
Oren snickered and shared a smile with Tamra. “Don’t be so nervous. We’re people just like you.”
“Not just like me,” she muttered as she took a smaller bite of the bread. Now that she wasn’t inhaling it, the taste reminded her of sweet cornbread and home.
“Keely, tell us more about your relationship. Seth has been very close-mouthed.” Tamra leaned forward eagerly, but Keely’s mind went suddenly blank.
“Umm…what do you want to know?”
“How did Seth find you? How long have you been together? Did you know right away that he was your mate? Is it strange being a powerless human?”
The stream of questions left her reeling, but Keely deemed the last one to be the least dangerous as far as their story went. “I’ve always been a powerless human. I guess it feels natural to me. My brother married a human with magic and a pet imp—my nephews are magical too—so I’ve known about the magical world for a while.”
Caution flooded her from the bond. She’d discussed her history with Seth before, but he hadn’t given her the feeling that she wasn’t supposed to mention it. What?
Be careful with how much you reveal.
He didn’t say anything more, and Tamra had asked another question while Keely concentrated on Seth.
“Sorry, what?”
Tamra smiled gently. “Was it hard to accept Seth being that much more powerful than you? Usually mates have about the same amount of magic.”
Oren tilted his head to stare at Keely more closely. “That’s a good point. I’ve never heard of a mate pairing with such a power difference.”
“I don’t know about the other mates, but I love Seth for himself, not his magic.” The words slid off her tongue with ease, but they didn’t look convinced. Crap. Keely tried to adopt an adoring expression as Seth hooked an arm around her waist to pull her close. Judging by the suspicion on Tamra’s face, she hadn’t quite hit the mark.
Oren turned to Seth. “Aren’t you going to miss the additional power from a mate?”
Seth kissed the top of her head. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”
His response didn’t really answer the question, but Oren sat back, satisfied. “Good for you, mofilo.”
“Well, I think it’s amazing that you found each other in Terra. Just think, without the banishment, you wouldn’t have been in Terra. You might never have crossed paths.”
They all sobered at Tamra’s comment. Keely understood how that would be a tragedy for their clan since mates were so hard to find in the first place. Had the elders considered that aspect when they banished Seth? Had they willingly sent him away from any chance of finding a mate and having a family? The answer seemed to be yes, and it pissed her off all over again.
“Magic finds a way.” Seth’s response shook them all out of their melancholy.
Oren stood and picked up Tamra as if she weighed nothing. To him, she probably did. “We’re going to head back before it’s full dark.”
Tamra struggled against his hold. “No, I want to—”
Oren covered her mouth, reducing her to mumbling threats behind his hand. “Enjoy your time together. Keely, it was a pleasure meeting you. I look forward to seeing more of you tomorrow.”
He turned and hiked back up the path as if it were flat ground. Keely watched him go, trying to decide what to make of him. They’d left in a weird hurry, but Oren seemed genuinely nice.
Seth nuzzled her neck, setting her back more firmly against him, and Keely forgot all about his friends.
Keely shivered, though she wasn’t cold. “I thought we were supposed to be convincing the elders of your innocence. Or at least the rest of your clan of our intentions.”
“I’m selfish. I know we should go make an appearance for the sake of our story, but I want to keep you here with me alone a while longer.” He trailed kisses down her neck to the collar of her tee shirt.
She let her head drop to the side to give him more access even as she fought to remember her train of thought. “How are we supposed to prove your innocence by making out in the woods?”
“I’m going to do some sneaking around tonight after everyone is asleep. I have questions I want answered.”
Keely stood to face him. “When were you going to tell me about this? I thought we were a team.”
Seth sighed. “We are, but I don’t want you involved in anything dangerous. You have no way to defend yourself if the elders catch you snooping around. Not to mention most of the places I need to get into tonight require a magical touch.”
She propped her hands on her hips. “Then I’m going with you. You can do the magical touch, and I can make sure you don’t get in over your head.”
He ran a hand through his hair, then led her back to the rock outcropping they’d been sitting on earlier, pulling her down into his lap again. “I won’t take any unnecessary risks. I can hide myself with my magic, but I’m not sure if I can hide you too.”
Keely wanted to turn around and argue some more, but right in front of them, over the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, a strange glow began to form. Tiny specks of bright pink light illuminated the fine mist and swirled up the falling water. Keely gasped as drops of it landed on her arms and tingled until they disappeared.
Seth spoke quietly in her ear. “Pyrisma Falls churns up magic at night. I wasn’t sure you’d be able to see it.”
Keely watched the show, paying attention to the feel of him behind her rather than his words. “Why not? Everyone else seems to.”
“They all have access to magic.”
She tore her eyes away to look over her shoulder at him. “I don’t have magic. I never have. No one in my family has.”
He gesture
d to the magical water with his chin. “What do you see?”
Keely turned back and checked before she answered him. “Crazy pink sparkles that follow the water up the cliff.”
“That’s what I thought. You see the magic the same way most of us do.”
“But I’ve never seen any other magic, only felt it.”
He thought quietly for a moment. “Your nephews have power.”
She rolled her eyes, though he couldn’t see her face. “Yeah, which they got from Charlotte. She shares magic with an imp.”
His hair tickled her as he shook his head. “Like calls to like. The imp wouldn’t have chosen her if she didn’t have any magic to begin with. Many humans never realize their full potential. Belief is a powerful force. They believe magic isn’t real, so they cut themselves off from what could be inside them.”
Keely wanted to keep watching the beautiful magic, but turned to frown at Seth instead. “Are you trying to tell me I have magic in me?”
“I don’t think you’d have been able to break the llama spell without it.”
“You could have chosen anyone to fix your llama problem. You said you only needed a fellow trouble-maker.”
“Maddie’s spell was purposefully ambiguous.”
“Why not find a magical trouble-maker first then?”
“Believe me, I tried. No one could see me, and they needed to in order to break the spell. The rules were clear on that part. It was vaguer about whether I needed another magic-user to do it.”
“How are you sure? You seemed pretty convinced on the location of the kissing and that was wrong.”
“I wasn’t sure until just now, but you can see the magic of Pyrisma Falls. Humans without magic can’t see magic.”
Shock quickly gave way to panic. “No way. I’d have known if it was inside me. Magic has a distinct texture.”
Seth ran his hands up and down her arms, probably to try to calm her, but his touch added a shot of desire to the chaos. “Breathe, Keely.”
She tried. She really did. But the idea of an unknown variable causing havoc in her carefully planned future stole her air. An unknown variable like an invisible llama showing up and convincing her to go on a crazy adventure? Keely dropped her head and sucked in oxygen.
