by Nicole Hall
“Are you from this clan originally?”
Tamra stretched out and floated on top of the water, her gaze on the specks of light above them. “Sort of. My father was, but my mother came from one of the other clans across the forest. She came in search of her mate, and she found him.” Tamra sighed. “Then she lost him. A group of our people—my father, Aiden’s father, Oren’s parents, and Seth’s parents—left to travel to one of the coastal clans, and they disappeared.”
Tamra spoke sadly, but Keely hurt for Seth. She’d known something had happened to his parents, but only the broadest details. He’d said he’d lost them long before his exile and changed the subject. As much as she wanted to run back to comfort Seth about an event that happened probably hundreds of years ago, Tamra was the one floating sadly in front of her.
Keely didn’t know where to look. She wasn’t good with consoling people on the best of days, and this wasn’t her best day. “I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago. When the mate bond faded, my mother returned to her clan. Alone.”
Shock joined the discomfort. “She left you behind by yourself? How old were you?”
“Oh, I was fully grown by then, mostly. And I wasn’t by myself. I had a sister. Well, have. She’s not dead or anything, but the elders keep her locked away.”
“Why?”
“She and Seth tried to steal one of our ancient artifacts. The elders use them to store excess power, and probably for other, sneakier things.”
Keely wished she’d stuck with the missing parent story, but Tamra had offered her a perfect opening to find out more about Seth’s banishment.
“Seth isn’t a thief. What do you think really happened?”
“What do you mean ‘really happened’? Seth convinced Lexi to steal the artifact. They took it to Terra, Lexi got injured, and he left her there to die. I’m glad he found you, but he was banished for good reason.”
Cold suffused Keely despite the warm air. “How could you be so excited to see him if he did that to your sister?”
Tamra floated closer. “There aren’t many of us left in my generation. Lexi wasn’t without blame, and Seth usually had good reasons for what he did. I try to accept him for who he is, and he brought her back in the end.”
Sprites started rising from the water, but Keely stayed focused on Tamra. She even treaded water gracefully, moving her fingers as if conducting an orchestra. “Why would the elders keep Lexi locked away and leave Seth to run free if the theft was his fault?”
Tamra frowned, and heaviness filled the air. “Lexi was married to Aiden, but everyone knew she preferred Seth. Rumors circulated that Seth preferred her too. The elders didn’t like the idea that she could be distracting both of their beloved Morgan cousins. They always liked Seth more than Lexi or me anyway, fearing we’d leave like our mother did. Seth used his influence to get a lighter punishment.”
Keely tried valiantly to keep her face sympathetic, but Tamra was mistaken. Seth would never use his influence that way, and he certainly wouldn’t leave one of his friends injured in another world. Some of the disbelief must have shown through. Tamra’s expression closed down, and she stood to exit the water.
“Seth is a friend, but he’ll always look out for himself first. I hope you’ve accepted that about him or you’ll have a tough transition as his mate.” She grabbed the folded towel and moved to the far side of the room to dry and change.
Keely followed suit, drying off her legs, but a feeling of dread sat heavily on her chest. Seth had told her about being blamed for the theft, but he’d never mentioned that someone else had been involved as well. Could he have been involved with Aiden’s wife? Keely knew firsthand how persuasive Seth could be, but the man she knew wouldn’t do that to his cousin.
Tamra approached with considerably less excitement than she’d shown before. “I think that’s enough time in the spring. I’m to escort you to Keris when we’re finished here.”
Keely nodded and followed her out the doors. She chewed her lip as she tried to come up with something to say that wouldn’t make the situation worse, but her mind kept circling to the accusation that Seth slept with Lexi then abandoned her. The bond between them made her feel like she knew him inside and out, but was that really the case?
They’d intended the bond to allow them to speak mind to mind without making her lower her shields, and that had worked. He’d never said she’d be privy to all his thoughts and feelings, and he definitely had more experience than her at segmenting himself. Michael’s smirking image popped up in her mind, and Keely shook her head.
No. Seth was not Michael. He wasn’t manipulating her, and he wanted her for more than her usefulness to him.
The air returned to normal as soon as they reached the sunlight. People waved to Tamra and smiled at Keely, but she found it hard to maintain her happy front. Nervousness churned her stomach, then it growled. Keely frowned, then squinted up at the sun in the opposite side of the sky from where it should have been. Well past lunch time. She wasn’t just nervous; she was hungry. They hadn’t been inside that long, had they? Was the spring magical?
Keely closed her eyes briefly and cursed. Of course, it was. The sprites should have clued her in by themselves, but the weirdness in the air had felt like magic too. Well, magic at a distance. The pressure had been there, but she hadn’t felt the tell-tale prickles on her skin, more like she’d had a protective layer between her and the power filling the room.
Tamra silently stopped at the edge of a small crowd. In the center, Keris reigned, listening and offering advice to her people. She looked up and smiled at the two women, then made her way over.
At some point before the ritual, Keely had hoped to get Seth alone for a conversation about what he’d discovered overnight. Keris had other intentions.
Keely admitted, at least to herself, that Keris terrified her. The woman had unknown amounts of power and seemed to know everything. Seth had to be close enough to contact telepathically, but standing next to the goddess of chaos, Keely hesitated to use the ability.
What if she overheard something? Instead of reuniting with Seth, Keris ushered her into another small building with a sitting room. Keely sank down on the comfortable couch and eyed the fruit platter in front of her.
Keris sat opposite her in a padded chair and gestured at the fruit. “Eat. It will probably be a while before you get another chance.”
Keely popped a couple of grapes in her mouth, trying to find the right words for her question while she chewed. “Why am I here?”
“The mate ritual locks in the magical bond between you and Seth. The process can be draining, so we make sure you’re well-rested and well-fed.”
“Then why isn’t Seth here?”
Keris folded her hands in her lap. “He’s with Oren doing the same. You have other questions for me. Now is the time to ask.”
Terrified or not, Keely couldn’t waste the opportunity. “Do you believe Seth stole the artifact?”
“I do not, but I must follow the will of the elders.”
“Why are the elders so sure?”
“Their magic tells them the artifact is with Seth, and their truth is absolute.”
Keely frowned and grabbed a few more grapes, but only held them. She didn’t even really like grapes. Keris watched her with sharp eyes, and that old need to prove her competence stirred. Keely straightened her shoulders and met the other woman’s gaze. She may have been a stranger here, but she got shit done.
“How can we convince the elders they’re wrong?”
Keris raised a brow. “Why are you convinced they’re wrong?”
Keely held on to her temper, but her words escaped without thinking. “Seth would never put someone from the clan in danger for a stolen treasure. In extreme circumstances, he might steal something, but not for himself.”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then why don’t you trust him?”
Not a questi
on Keely had been expecting. It stole the fire from her anger, leaving her confused about Keris’ motivations. “It’s not him I don’t trust. It’s myself. My track record with guys is abysmal.”
Keris nodded. “I can understand how that would make you reticent, but the mate bond gives you a unique perspective. It only gives you the truth.”
Keely stared down at her fingers, twisting them together. “What if I’m afraid of the truth?”
“Then it’s time to face your fears.” She reached out and plucked an apple out of thin air. Keely gasped. “Aiden’s mate calls it a pocket trod, a quaint name. It’s a small pocket formed in the in-between, the space between worlds. The few of us capable of creating one use it to hold things in stasis.” She tossed the apple to Keely. “More to your liking, I think.”
“You use it to store food?”
“Among other things. I don’t like waiting when I’m hungry.”
Look at that. Something they had in common. “Thank you.”
“When faced with new power, you accept it without question. Embrace Seth the way you’ve embraced the world of magic, with an open and curious heart. To answer your original question, find the thief.”
Keely’s eyes widened. “You want me to find the thief before tomorrow?”
“Maybe a fresh perspective is all you need.” Keris crossed her long legs, arranging her flowing skirts around them. “Now. What questions do you have about the ritual?”
As they talked, Keely thought about how her perspective had changed. In a few weeks, Seth had helped her see that the setbacks didn’t have to be failures. They could be new opportunities. He helped her be happy with herself in a way she hadn’t been for years. Before Michael, she would have used everything in her power to stay with Seth. Why accept less now?
Keris was right. Her fear held her back. Screw her careful plans and safe decisions. The only future she wanted was the one with Seth in it, and if that meant finding a thief from a hundred and fifty years ago in a strange land with magic powers she had no idea how to use, so be it.
13
SETH
Seth hadn’t seen Keely all day, so by sundown, he’d resorted to checking the bond every few minutes to connect with her. He tried not to let her know, but a couple of times she’d reached back at his light touch.
He waited with Oren in the center of town, where everyone had helped decorate with colored lights, flowers, and ribbons. A bonfire roared near the fountain, controlled by those with an affinity for fire magic.
Some people in Terra still celebrated May first as a day to honor fertility and optimism, usually in the form of an orgy. He’d been to a few of those gatherings, and the similarities in the rites had reminded him of home.
Aecanthans stopped short of an orgy, but traditionally the women picked their partners for the year during the mate ceremony. This year, he and Keely would be honored by a special ritual officially binding them together as mates, recognized by his people. Or what he hoped would be his people again.
This had all been part of the plan, but he’d come up with the idea before he’d recognized the truth about Keely. The mate ritual would have no effect if they simply pretended to be mates. Only the two of them would know it hadn’t worked, and Seth would get his audience with the elders.
Except sometime over the last few weeks, he’d realized Keely wasn’t his pretend mate. She was the real deal. His actual mate. Through Maddie’s meddling, he’d managed to find the one thing his clan valued above all else. The person who his magic accepted as his partner and equal.
And he hadn’t told her. He couldn’t take the risk. What if she left? Was he really going to go through with the binding ceremony, a bond that would tie them together for life, without at least warning her? He scanned the crowd for a head of long, silky black hair and tried to find her scent. It wasn’t too late. He could still tell her the whole truth.
Seth started to reach for her mind, but stopped himself. They were already bound, what was one more connection? He settled back onto his heels, accepting that he was selfish enough to keep the knowledge to himself. If he got to keep the girl after this ordeal ended, even better.
Oren nudged him, interrupting his dark thoughts. “You ready for this? I thought you’d be more excited.”
Seth relaxed his face into a smile. “I’m excited.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Oren ran a hand through his short hair. “I’ve known you my whole life, mofilo. I know when something is bothering you. Why not talk about it with your closest friend?”
Seth snorted. “Who said you were my closest friend?”
The other man nudged him again, hard enough to knock Seth to the side, then stared at him with a raised brow. Seth shook his head. Oren was his closest friend, though he’d developed a better relationship with Aiden in the last year. He intended to hold his silence, but the truth crawled up from his chest and choked him.
“Keely deserves better than me.” The words exploded out of him softly, and Seth winced. “She deserves someone who will stay with her in Terra instead of dragging her here. Someone who puts her ahead of his own needs.”
Oren tilted his head. “Why can’t that be you?”
Seth wanted it to be him. He wanted to be the one she woke up with for the rest of her life, but he’d come too far in Aecantha to give up now. She supported him, went along with his plans, but would she remain after the job finished? Bond or no, she still had free will, and he’d seen what her will accomplished.
Oren continued after Seth didn’t respond. “I saw the way Keely looked at you, the way you looked at each other. Take the life she’s offering. Whatever mistakes you’ve made, you can work through them together.”
Hope filled him even as he argued. “It’s not that simple.”
“Make it that simple. I’ve never known you to give up.”
“It might not be up to me. The elders are giving me another chance to plead my case tomorrow.”
“Do you think they’ll believe you this time?”
“I have a secret weapon, but they’re not well-known for admitting when they’re wrong. I have to pay a price for the request.”
“What price?”
“My magic. If they deem me guilty, they’ll strip my power from me.”
Oren frowned. “You seem to be thriving in Terra, why would returning here be worth that risk to you?”
Seth met his eyes. “I want to find out what happened to our parents.”
Shock covered Oren’s features for a moment, quickly replaced by sharp calculation. “You know something.”
Seth shook his head. “I suspect something, but what I found last night made it more likely.”
“Last night?”
“I may have snooped a bit. Lexi’s room had hidden information that connected our parents’ disappearance to dryads and a locked doorway.”
Oren ran a hand through his short hair. “You went into Lexi’s room? Tamra keeps it locked.”
A pang of guilt twisted in his gut. “I didn’t know Tamra still lived there until I was already inside. She doesn’t know. Look, I’m only telling you on the slight chance that I end up dead tomorrow.”
“I can help you.”
Seth considered Oren’s offer, but he didn’t want to pull another friend into his troubles. Bad enough he’d fucked with Aiden’s life.
“Let me handle this for now, if we’re both acting suspicious it might clue in Tamra.”
“Why not just tell her?”
“Because I don’t want to hurt her more than I already have. I’m the one who brought her sister back in a bloody heap.” A moment that would live in his memory forever. It had been the first time in over a hundred years that he’d crossed through the doorway as a man. Keris had taken Lexi and given Seth a sad smile before he’d been deposited back in Terra.
Oren grimaced, and a noise from the crowd ended their conversation. A drumbeat started slow, thrumming in the sudden sil
ence. Another beat joined the first, people stomping their feet, then clapping. They added complicated flourishes until the rhythm echoed in his blood.
Oren nudged him one last time, and Seth moved forward. The crowd parted to allow him into the center, while Oren stayed on the inner edge. Opposite where he’d stood, a new pathway parted, and he could finally breathe again.
Keely walked to the center, escorted by Keris, who stayed behind as Oren did. Seth grinned at her. “About time, trouble-maker. You were almost late to your own mate ceremony.”
“Keris told me that the ceremony starts when I get here, so it looks like you came too early. Eager, are we?”
Seth took her hands as the beat quickened around them. “Only for you.”
His clan took the mate bond seriously, so when a mated pair came to the ceremony, everyone contributed their magic to the binding. A blessing of the community. Like called to like, and the added power aided the connection of the bond.
He’d been a part of the crowd once or twice in his life, linking his magic to the others to help build for the binding, but standing in the center of the tornado felt entirely different. He and Keely were in a world alone, protected by a wall of magic climbing ever higher.
“Look around. Do you see the magic?” Seth gave her a little push through their current bond. He could see the kaleidoscope of colors if he chose, and from Keely’s soft gasp, he guessed she’d finally seen it too.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I’d wager you weren’t expecting this when you chucked your stiletto into that alley.”
Keely met his eyes and smiled. “Worth it. So worth it.”
She twisted to look all the way around her, and a gold chain around her neck caught his attention. He silently cursed. “You have to take off the necklace.”
“The one you gave me this morning? It’s in my pocket. Keris told me I should take it off earlier.” She lifted the necklace from under her shirt to reveal the crystal he’d bought her at the farmer’s market. “I thought I’d go with something that meant a little more to me.”
