“Do not apologize, solnyshka. You have been through a great deal today.”
Hayden frowned and made a show of taking Ariana's hands again. “Allow me to escort you back to your quarters, Ariana. I'm sure you'd like to get some rest, and it'll give us a chance to talk privately.”
Sergei's eyes narrowed, but he didn't comment. Ariana shook her head, not willing to fuel whatever tension was between the two men. “No, that's all right, Hayden. I appreciate the offer, but I know you came to see Jason. It'll mean a great deal to him and my parents to know you were here for him.”
Hayden hesitated and then nodded. “Very well. I need to speak with your father about another matter anyway.”
He lifted Ariana's hand, pressing a kiss against it, and sent another warm pulse of energy over her. This time, his energy was flavored with unmistakable desire and intent. “I look forward to seeing you soon, Ari.”
Jason's previous words about Hayden's desire to court her came rushing back. She swallowed, making a conscious effort to pull the moisture from the air to insulate herself from picking up on any additional wayward emotions. She couldn't deal with anything more today.
Giving him a polite smile, she slipped her hand out of his. “You too, Hayden.”
Ariana turned to Sergei and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for being here and for helping Jason, Sergei. I don't know what I would have done without you.”
“It is my pleasure,” he replied, kissing her forehead. “Rest well, Ariana.”
Ariana gave him another smile before turning away and heading toward the priority elevators. She desperately needed a long shower and a large glass of wine.
Alec emerged from Jason's medical room with a combination of frustration and relief. After Ariana had left, the conversation with her father hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. Although he'd managed to elicit Devan's agreement, Ariana's father had made it clear he wasn't pleased with Alec's role in taking Jason and Ariana to the surface. Whether he'd managed to avoid the minefield of Devan Alivette's retribution remained to be seen, however.
Alec stopped just outside the door at the sight of Sergei and Hayden glaring at each other. He glanced between the two men. “Is there a problem?”
Hayden straightened and gave Alec a brief nod in greeting. “No problem. I was simply commenting on how they've relaxed the rules about who was allowed onto this floor. I wasn't aware the role of ambassador provided outsiders with special privileges.”
Alec arched an eyebrow while Sergei merely chuckled and leaned against the wall. With one last irritated look at the foreigner, Hayden turned to Alec.
“I'm assuming Ariana's father is still here?”
“Yes,” Alec replied, suspicion creeping over him at Hayden's question. “Her parents are visiting with Jason. I wasn't aware you were so well-acquainted with Ariana.”
Hayden gave a smug smile. “Now, Alec, if you remember correctly, I've known her longer than you. Besides, I've had many years to develop a close association with their family. If you'll excuse me, I need to have a private word with Devan.”
As Hayden disappeared into the room, Lars stepped off the priority elevator and approached them. “The cavern site is secure. Kayla and Carl remained behind to keep an eye on things. On the plus side, Kayla's more determined than ever to keep training with Ariana. As she put it, she wants to 'kick ass and take names.'“
Alec sighed, making a mental note to have certain training areas reinforced. Kayla would most likely be causing all sorts of problems once she returned to the towers and started this new wave of training. “I'll reach out to Kayla tomorrow. We're going to need to find someone else to try to navigate our equipment down the river. Ariana was perfect for the endeavor, but I'm reluctant to ask her again so soon with everything that happened today.”
Sergei nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “I understand, but if you cannot make progress within the next week, my people will require payment in the form of additional resources to accommodate this delay. Our leaders are not pleased with these continued excuses, and we are already in danger of not meeting our goals.”
Alec inwardly cursed. Sergei's demand was understandable, but OmniLab was having enough problems of their own without needing to provide additional support to the Coalition's forces. Just that morning, he'd signed off on additional mandatory water restrictions. The High Council and Inner Circle were going to be in even more of an uproar if he had to initiate the next stage, which involved requiring additional support in harvesting resources. Ever since the cave-in sixteen years ago, their people were even more reluctant to venture to the surface. They'd most likely not have much of a choice though. Even though Sergei hadn't said it outright, he'd alluded to these frequent delays causing strain on their already fragile alliance.
“We'll make every effort to assist your people,” Alec promised. “In the meantime, I'll try to locate a powerful enough water and earth channeler who may be able to aid us. I don't know of any bonded pairs strong enough with that particular alignment, but we'll begin making inquiries immediately.”
Alec paused, thinking of Ariana and the connection they'd forged. Her unmistakable ease in wielding both elements simultaneously and the awesome display of power left no doubt she could easily accomplish the task. Although everyone in the cavern had been witness to her dramatic display, he was the only one who'd had an unrestricted view of her abilities.
There was something different about her energy though, as if it possessed a quality he'd never seen before. Whatever it was, it called to the most primitive parts of him. More than anything, he wanted to explore their newly-forged connection. He'd promised not to take advantage of her, but the idea of sharing energy with Ariana was intoxicating.
Even if Jason didn't return to the surface, the connection Alec had created with her might be strong enough to protect her against the emotional onslaught. Although, if he were honest with himself, he was tempted to ask her again so he could form an even deeper connection with her. At least now he had a better idea of what needed to be done to safeguard her from most negative effects.
“If we can't find someone, I'll discuss the possibility again with Ariana. We'll need to take additional steps to safeguard her though. I won't allow another incident to happen that might put her at risk.”
Lars frowned. “How are Ariana and Jason doing?”
Alec rubbed the back of his neck, considering the conversation he'd had with her father. “They're both fine. Ariana was able to heal him before the damage was too great.” He turned back to Sergei. “Did you see Ariana leave? I was hoping to speak with her.”
“She returned to her family quarters,” Sergei replied and gave a nod toward the closed door to Jason's room. “I would suggest keeping a close eye on the man who just went in there. I do not like the way he looks at our Ariana.”
Lars frowned. “Who are you talking about?”
Alec clasped his hands behind his back. Hayden had been looking at Ariana that way for a long time. As far as Alec knew, Ariana hadn't looked back, and he didn't intend to give her the opportunity to start. “Hayden was here just a moment ago asking after Ariana.”
“He looks at Ariana as though she is his marked prey,” Sergei said with disgust. “She is uncomfortable with his attentions. If you have an interest in her, you would do well to make sure he stays away from her.”
Alec arched an eyebrow. “Are you offering me a warning, Sergei? Here I thought you had designs on Ariana yourself.”
Sergei shrugged. “You confuse her, but you will do nothing to harm her. That man, however, has a long-standing agenda. There is something about him I do not trust.”
Lars frowned. “Heed Sergei's words, cousin. I don't know Hayden, but Sergei has a remarkable ability to read people.”
“I see,” Alec mused. He'd already decided to keep a closer eye on Hayden and everyone else close to Ariana. “I suspect Hayden intends to court Ariana. After her powerful display earlier, he will probab
ly be one of many.”
Lars chuckled. “Too bad you've already been kicked out of the running. I was considering trying to court her myself, but I'm afraid I still think of her as my little sister's best friend.”
Alec's jaw clenched at the reminder he had previously been rejected by Ariana's father. “On the contrary, I've just finished speaking with Ariana's father and indicated my intentions.”
Lars stared at Alec and laughed loudly. “I'll be damned. You don't waste any time, do you?”
Alec shook his head. “You're wrong on that account, Lars. I waited too long already. I should have acted a long time ago. That's my fault, and I just hope Ariana forgives me for it.”
When his cousin raised his eyebrows in question, Alec sighed. “It doesn't matter. If you'll excuse me, I want to make sure Ariana made it back to her quarters safely. I need to explain some things to her and apologize.”
Ariana sat on the edge of the bed and dropped her head into her hands. The events of the day had finally caught up to her, and the shower had only helped a bit. Her energy reserves were utterly depleted, and the last vestiges of strength had been used to argue with her father. She replayed her words in her head, still stunned by her behavior. She'd never raised her voice to him before, always using her abilities and talents to ease tensions rather than fuel them.
What’s happening to me?
A chime interrupted her thoughts. Ariana stood, wondering who could be at her door at this late hour. Hastily tying her robe around her waist, she rushed to the door, praying it wasn't bad news about her brother. If his condition worsened after she left, she'd never forgive herself.
Sliding open the door, Ariana felt a moment of panic at the sight of Alec. She clutched the side of the door. “Is Jason okay? Did something happen?”
Alec didn't answer right away. He slowly perused her up and down, his gaze darkening with unmistakable heat. He swallowed and shook his head. “I should have realized… I'm sorry, Ari. Yes, everything is fine. Your brother is still sleeping. I should have called first. I wasn't thinking.”
Ariana glanced down at the translucent robe she'd thrown over her nightgown. Even if she hadn't seen it in his eyes, she could sense his desire and very male appreciation through their shared connection. She flushed. “That's all right. I just… I wasn't expecting company. Give me a minute to change.”
“No,” he said hastily and took her hand in his. “You're beautiful. You should be comfortable in your own home. I didn't think this through, especially given everything that's happened today. I just wanted to speak with you before you went to bed.”
Ariana bit her lip and stepped aside, allowing him to enter her quarters. He took in the surroundings, his gaze lingering on some of the plants scattered throughout the room.
“Your home is lovely,” he commented. “I've never seen it before. You've managed to artfully weave together your affinity for earth and water.”
She gave him a small smile at the compliment. “Can I get you a drink?”
He hesitated and then shook his head. “No, please. Allow me. Why don't you sit down? I'm the one intruding here.”
“All right.” She sat on the couch, watching curiously as he headed over to the bar area. In all the time they'd known each other, he'd only been to her family's quarters once but never to her private ones. It was strange and a little surreal to have him here now, fixing a drink as though he were perfectly at home.
Alec glanced over at her. “Do you still like a splash of water in your wine?”
Ariana nodded and gave him a small smile. “You remembered.”
He frowned and looked down at the wine he was pouring. “I'm remembering a lot of things. I'm regretting even more.”
Before she could question him, he carried over both glasses and handed one to her. The energy around him was chaotic, as though an internal conflict warred within him. She took a small sip and set her wine glass on the table in front of her.
“What's going on, Alec? You seem upset.”
He hesitated and then put his glass aside. Taking her hands, he carefully traced a pattern over her hands with his thumb.
“I'm not upset, Ari. Not exactly. I wanted to speak with you about what happened earlier. In particular, about the connection we formed.”
She blushed and resisted the urge to pull her hands away. This was going to be an awkward conversation.
As though sensing her thoughts, Alec chuckled. “No, nothing like that. I just wanted to tell you how much your trust means to me. I meant what I said earlier. I wouldn't have agreed to form a connection like this with just anyone.”
She looked down at their entwined hands. “I don't want to think about what would have happened if you hadn't been there to give me the additional power I needed to heal Jason. Thank you for that.”
“You don't ever have to thank me,” Alec assured her and then paused, a faraway expression on his face. “Do you remember a year ago when I gave you that book?”
She smiled at the memory and nodded toward the shelf along the far wall. “Of course I remember. It's one of my most treasured possessions.”
Alec looked in the direction she indicated, his eyes widening slightly at its place of prominence. He turned back to her and frowned. “I'm a fool, Ari. I'm so sorry if I hurt you.”
Ariana pulled her hands from his, suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation. “It was a long time ago, Alec. Things happened the way they needed to happen.”
He reached for her again, grasping her hand tightly in his. “No, Ari, you don't understand. The same night I gave it to you, I came back after the Council dinner. I spoke with your father and asked his permission to court you. He… Well, let's just say he refused and not so delicately warned me away from you.”
Ariana lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut. She hadn't doubted Jason's words, but hearing it from Alec hurt more than she wanted to admit. If she had known back then, maybe things would have been different.
“You knew?” Alec's tone held mild surprise.
She shook her head and looked up at him. “No, not then. Jason told me yesterday.”
Alec sighed and stood. He began to pace the length of the room, stopping at the shelf to look at the book he'd given her. She hadn't been exaggerating when she told him it was her most prized possession. Most of the literary works circulating through the towers were digital copies that had been written before the war. The few remaining ancient books still in their possession were highly coveted. At the time, though, it had represented so much more than their lost heritage.
“I was angry when he refused,” Alec admitted. “That was my own arrogance. It wasn't until the following day that I had a chance to speak with Seara. I told her what happened with your father. She tried to talk me out of going to you directly, but I wouldn't listen. It was then she told me about your dual talents and her suspicions about your empathic abilities.”
Ariana picked at the silver threading of her robe. “My parents wanted me to gain some specialized instruction on my earth-based talents. My teacher had passed away, and Seara was the only one they trusted not to betray me.”
He ran his fingers over the protective book covering and nodded. “I know. Seara made me swear not to reveal your secret. When I realized how dangerous it could be if my father became aware of your talents, everything made sense. I'd like to think that was the turning point for me. I became focused on finding a way to destroy those bracelets. If we could remove them, I would be free to pursue you.”
Ariana stood and went over to stand beside him. Placing her hand on his arm, she wove a comforting embrace of energy around him.
“Alec, what happened wasn't anyone's fault. My father warned me away from you as well. I never blamed you for keeping your distance. In some ways, it made things easier.”
Alec turned to look at her and reached over to brush a tendril of hair away from her face. Unable to resist, she leaned into his touch.
“Gods, Ari,” he murmured, taking a
step closer to her. “You have no idea how hard it was for me to stay away from you. I thought about you every single day and wished things were different.”
“Alec, why are you telling me this now?”
He paused, his gaze roaming over her face, and his eyes filled with some unspoken emotion. His warm air energy surrounded her, drawing her closer. “I need to explain about Kayla.” When she stiffened slightly and started to pull away, he held her tightly. “Please, Ari. Just listen.”
She paused and then nodded, not wanting to know but knowing he needed to share whatever was troubling him.
He let out a long, drawn-out breath. “My relationship with Kayla was mostly a lie. You know we formed our bond as a way to keep the bracelet off her. It was the only way I could think to protect her. I owed Seara so much.”
Ariana nodded. She'd heard the story before and didn't blame Alec for his actions. But she'd also seen him and Kayla together and knew their bond wasn't merely superficial.
“It wasn't,” Alec admitted, listening to her thoughts through their shared connection. “I still care deeply for Kayla, and I always will. She's incredibly important to me, but you need to understand I'm not in love with her. She's not in love with me either.”
Ariana looked up at him and frowned. Shaking her head in denial, she said, “I felt both of your emotions, Alec.”
He gave her a sad smile. “No, you felt our love, but neither one of us was in love with the other. It was the bond and circumstances that drew us together. Once we were free to have a choice, both of us realized we weren't right for each other.” He chuckled and shook his head. “If Kayla and I had met the traditional way, we probably would have ended up strangling each other within a month. We wouldn't have ever considered forming a bond together. We’re always at odds, but we taught one another quite a bit. She needed a protector within the towers, and I needed to be able to look outside myself and see the world in a different way.”
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