by Ravyn Fyre
He cocked his head to the side at my sudden change in demeanor and took in several calming breaths. It felt like hours passed as he continued to drink me in before he finally shook his head and said in a gruff voice, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
Shaking his head, Kalen dropped the shield with a flick of his hand and mumbled under his breath as he stalked toward me, “Get a hold of yourself. She’s not your mate.”
Whether it was intentional or not, he ignored my request to keep his hands to himself and placed his hand at the small of my back as he directed me toward Annalise. His touch short-circuited my ruse and made me forget I was supposed to be mad at him as I glided forward in a trance. Kalen stood taller and assumed a more professional demeanor when he addressed the doctor like nothing had happened, “Please escort Jade to the medical ward and ensure she didn’t sustain any serious injuries.”
My mind was so focused on the tingles his touch granted that I almost missed his order to have me ushered away. There was no way I could afford to miss hearing the rules a second time. I needed to be at that meeting, so I knew what to expect in the coming days. Knowledge and a whole lot of luck would be the only way I’d survive the trials.
Shaking my head to clear the haze plaguing my thoughts, I stepped out of his reach again before I finally spoke, “That won’t be necessary. Nothing was broken or hurting . . . Well, besides my pride, I guess.” Proud of the strength my voice held, I risked a glance at Kalen before I shrugged and added, “Really, I’m alright. I’m just going to join my friends.”
The look of astonishment when I didn’t follow his command brought a smile to my face. I found I liked surprising the possessive male. I hooked my thumb over my shoulder and glanced in Beatress and Sher’s general direction. Ensuring my path was relatively clear, I backed up slowly. I needed distance between us before my resolve completely broke down and my libido took over.
Kalen tensed and looked like he was seconds away from dragging me back to his side when Dr. Triste, bless her soul, placed a hand tentatively on his arm and broke the spell binding us. I knew she meant well, but I barely stopped myself from growling with jealousy as my eyes lingered on the hand, daring to touch my mate.
Either sensing her impending death or the tension rolling off me like a nuclear blast, she quickly removed her hand from my man. The primal part of me basked in her discomfort until I remembered myself and wished I could crawl under a rock with embarrassment. Never one to stake a claim on a male, my actions were doing a poor job of acting like the king’s presence didn’t mess with me on a personal level.
Annalise must have been a saint in her former life when she acknowledged my non-apparent claim with a nod and a knowing smile. Ensuring she had my attention, the doctor made sure her true intentions were on display before she addressed Kalen with caution, “My liege, she speaks the truth. Her fall didn’t cause her harm. I highly recommend she joins her comrades and attends the festivities.” Expelling the breath I was holding, I waited with bated breath for his answer.
Chapter Sixteen
Not showing an ounce of discomfort from his display of dominance over me, Kalen ignored the crowd around us and gave the doctor his full attention. I watched in awe as he shuttered all emotion in the blink of an eye, donning his kingly persona, pretending like our latest interlude did not affect him. Granted, His Lordship was something to behold. His very presence commanded the attention of those around him. He oozed confidence, and his power felt all-consuming. The loss of his attention had me wishing I had his ability and could shut off my feelings without a second thought.
I wasn’t sure if he was trying to coat me in his essence or prove he was top dog, but it almost felt like he was flaunting his stuff like a proud peacock. Gravity, drenched in his spirit, caressed every inch of me. He was reminding me of what I was missing. Either that or he was trying to scare off everyone else that would challenge his authority or recent actions. I’d almost forgotten my original request to join my friends when his voice broke through my haze. “As long as she is capable of participating in the trials, her health doesn’t matter to me either way. If you’ll excuse me, Annalise, Councilman Bastian wanted a word with me.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised when Kalen flashed away without a second glance, but his total disregard for our connection flayed me open. He wasn’t supposed to be interested in me for this to work, but his statement was like salt on an open wound. I cringed at the rejection evident in his words and then chastised myself for letting my feelings rule my actions. I couldn’t take his brush off personally. He wouldn’t be acting like an asshole if I hadn’t chosen this crazy, fucked up path in the first place. I needed to focus on why I’m here. I was here to uncover who wanted to oust my mate. If I was successful, then everything could go back to normal.
Annalise’s eyes flashed to mine. The look of pity evident in her gaze had me wishing the floor would open up and hide me from my humiliation. Turning abruptly to hide my reaction, I hustled toward my peeps with my head held high and a fake smile plastered on my face, pretending for all I was worth like the last five minutes didn’t happen. If they wouldn’t drop it, I could downplay and outright deny our interaction. I’d beg if it came down to it.
I tried to ignore the conflicting vibe I received from the group congregating around us as I approached my friends. Some regarded me as a pariah, but a few acted like I was the coming messiah. Not going to lie, it was a massive stroke to my ego, but the sensible side of me discarded their false adoration as part of the job. People’s opinions shouldn’t matter, but I found it hard to overlook when I considered most of those gathered would be my comrades during the next few days.
A loner at heart, partly due to my adoption, but mostly because of my ability, this new world was going to be hard to navigate. I was still open to adventure, but something told me this would be more like a crusade. The real game would be decoding who could be trusted and ensuring I stayed at least more than one step ahead of my opponents.
I was thankful non-verbal signals were universal when Beatress and Sher both clamped their mouths shut at my frazzled state when I stopped in front of them with my crazy smile and gave a slight shake of my head. I was in no mood to rehash my run-in with the sexy male while everyone was in earshot. Especially when they weren’t even remotely trying to pretend like they weren’t hanging on every word I said. Refusing to cry, I whispered past the lump in my throat, “Later. Ask me later, please.”
The solidarity I felt when they both nodded their heads in agreement and stepped to either side of me was unexpected. Unspoken loyalty was a precious commodity, and I prayed I could prove I was worth the chance they were placing in me. Not to mention I hoped my trust in them didn’t come back to bite me in the ass later. With both women at my side, I choked back all of the warring emotions churning within me and marched forward. Blocking out the obvious audience, I visualized my purpose and thought about my next steps.
One thing was for sure . . . I needed to stay away from Onyx. Avoiding a confrontation with her and her cronies should keep me off her radar. I wasn’t sure what set her off the first time when I approached their group, but it would be easier for me to observe who she might be in cahoots with if I wasn’t public enemy number one. To do that, it was vital to locate her so I could keep her in my periphery.
Not wanting to seem flighty or nervous, I searched the crowd periodically as we made our way to the palace. I was about to give up when I spotted her standing next to her despicable uncle, sporting the look of an innocent angel. I had no idea who she was trying to butter up, but her fake laugh made me want to gag. She was flirting shamelessly, and it made me feel sorry for the bastard on the other end. Knowing the culprit could be a possible suspect, I used my newfound height and stood on my tiptoes to see who she was talking to.
I couldn’t help the growl that escaped when I found Kalen on the receiving end of her antics. Seconds away from storming over there, ripping her to shreds and p
ublicly claiming my mate, I barely registered the claws Sher was digging into my arm to restrain me. The pain brought some clarity to my thought process seconds before she drew blood. In the back of my mind, I knew there would be no way to conceal myself if Kalen was able to smell my blood, which brought me up short. Looking over at her, I hoped my eyes portrayed my gratitude as I squeezed her hand in thanks. I was fairly sure she understood when she relaxed her grip and patted my arm with empathy before she released me as nothing had happened.
The distraction gave me a reason to pause as I assessed the situation instead of overreacting without a thought for the consequences. My eyes took in the scene as we approached them, and it didn’t take me long to realize Kalen was only going through the motions as the lord and king of his people. His apparent disinterest only seemed to make Onyx try harder in her attempt to gain his favor.
Smart me would have kept my head down as I passed by them on my way through the palace doors. Smart me would have tried everything in her power to go unnoticed, but let’s face it, I was not thinking with my brain when I opened my mouth and insulted the very person I was trying to avoid, “Poor girl must be desperate. She should learn to take a hint when someone’s not interested.”
I wished I could take it back the second the words were out of my mouth, but the resulting grin that flashed across Kalen’s face before he had the sense to cover it was the highlight of my day. The high didn’t last long, though, when my gaze took in the look of death Onyx was shooting my way. It made her outsides match the ugliness of her insides. The look didn’t help me feel any better. It only solidified the sinking feeling in the pit of my soul that said she would stop at nothing to take me out of the picture.
Instead of laying low so I could suss out the bad guys from the good guys, my jealousy had made my situation worse than the last time I was here. On the verge of doing something even more regretful, like begging for her forgiveness, I panicked when I drew a blank on how I could fix the mess I had created for myself. Beatress must have been a saint in her previous life when she decided to be my friend. Without having any knowledge of why I said what I said, she somehow picked up on my mistake when she joined my offhand conversation, “Oh, I know. I think she finally got the hint when his boyfriend slinked up to him and gave him a welcome meant to be shared in private, if you know what I mean. It was absolutely scandalous.”
Sher being a bit behind on what the hell had just happened, didn’t disappoint the girl code when she nodded enthusiastically in response before adding, “Aren’t the good ones always taken.”
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I smiled sheepishly at Kalen, Onyx, and Bastian and took the easy out. Averting my eyes to my friends, I gratefully played along, “You’re telling me. Thankfully I’ve got a rather good gaydar. It’s saved me from that same fate a couple of times.”
It was pure hell not to let my eyes stray to the group one more time to see if any of them bought into Beatress’ epic save. I’d owe her big time for sure if it worked. My shoulders deflated ever so slightly with guilt as I considered the ramifications of my actions when we passed through the palace doors. I couldn’t believe I had almost sabotaged my whole reason for traveling back in time just because I was envious that some bitch was flirting with my man. It would be better if I could avoid seeing him because I had a feeling it would only get harder for me until this was all over.
Especially when I remembered as a virile male without a mate, he would have needs. Yeah, there was no way I’d be able to stand by and watch something like that. I couldn’t draw attention to the connection between us, or I’d blow my cover. Time to stuff everything I was feeling into a box. No scratch that, cardboard wouldn’t hold my shit back. What I needed was a safe, something like Fort Knox, with multiple layers of protection.
Straightening up, I stole a peek at my companions, and a piece of my heart thawed a little at the look of compassion and understanding they both wore as we came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. Neither of them was pushing me to reveal why I thought it was an excellent idea to commit social suicide, but I could tell they would converge on me when we were alone. Grateful for the reprieve, I gave them a tight smile and hoped it conveyed I appreciated their silence.
Wishing I could veer us directly into the great room so I could hide in a corner for a minute was tempting, but the act would indicate I had something to be uncomfortable or guilty about. Anxious to find out what and where the trials were, I wished I had a remote control that would allow me to skip to the good parts.
Trying to ignore Sher and Bea’s concerned looks as they whispered back and forth from behind me, I sized up the competition and tried to guess what their gifts could be. I needed to find out when we’d have access to our powers because I was vulnerable without it. Kalen’s concern for my safety had been sweet, but after learning how his mother died, I realized protecting myself sans my gift would be necessary for my survival.
I couldn’t deny my curiosity. If I were lucky, someone around me would be able to read minds, and I could use it to explore Onyx’s mind and find the smoking gun I needed to connect her to the crime. I had no idea what her gift was, but I highly doubted she’d be stupid enough to use it against Anolla. One could always hope. She behaved like she was hot shit, which could either mean she was flaunting her stuff or covering up for her lack of abilities.
As the foyer filled up with the other participants, I squared my shoulders and scanned the second-floor balcony for signs of Cenara. According to my calculations, she should be waltzing down the staircase at any moment. I didn’t remember it taking this long the last time I was here. If I was honest with myself, it most likely had something to do with the fact I had been in shock. I was trying to absorb and assimilate all that was foreign and new around me.
If I didn’t get control of the warring emotions swirling within me, I’d be a mess by the time we even started. Determined to not pass out from hyperventilating, I slowed my breathing and concentrated on what I needed out of this meet and greet. I needed to learn what kind of things we would be facing in the trials and choose who I would align myself with.
My imagination ran wild with the possibilities. Would we be subjected to a series of tests while judges graded us? That possibility seemed too easy. I conjured images of obstacle courses cholk-full of monsters and booby traps. With what little information I’d gathered, I was leaning towards something in the middle. I knew we could choose to work alone or together, but I was a little unclear on the challenges themselves. I threw up a silent prayer of thanks when Cenara descended the stairs and called our attention.
I never thought I’d be happy to be herded like cattle, but I was practically skipping after Cenara’s announcement to gather in the great room. I’m sure my friends were questioning my mental stability. Having witnessed a full gamut of emotions in a matter of moments, they had to be asking themselves what they were getting involved in. I would be. I needed to do some damage control. Time to prove to them I wasn’t crazy. Taking a deep breath, I took a gamble and tried for a bit of the truth, “Thanks for covering for me back there. I was feeling a little jealous and have no idea what came over me. I swear normally, I’m more in control of myself. Truly. I owe you guys.”
Beatress cocked her head to the side, studying me before she responded, “Don’t mention it. That’s what friends are for. Trust me, Onyx isn’t someone you want to be enemies with.”
“You’re from different planets. How do you know each other?”
“My aunt and her uncle are on the council. We’ve attended some of the same functions over the years. She’s a spoiled brat but powerful. She always had a posse of disciples; for reasons I was never able to understand. I think it’d be best if we keep our distance from her,” Beatress finished in a whisper as more trial participants entered the room.
My eyebrows shot up to the ceiling at Beatress’s revelation. She had insider information, and although I didn’t want to pester her overmuch, knowledge w
as power, and I needed the edge, “Did she ever reveal what her power was?”
“She’s a strong Earth elemental. I believe her specialty is chalcedony.”
Sher piped up, saving me from revealing I had no idea what she was talking about. “What’s chal-see-donkey?”
Instead of looking down at Sher’s ignorance, Beatress smiled fondly and simply stated the facts, somehow making it feel like she wasn’t schooling us as she educated us. “It’s a type of quartz made up of a microcrystalline structure, like jasper, agate, and onyx. She can make weapons, bridges, and walls of the stuff. Not someone we want to make an enemy of.”
Sher whistled quietly and elbowed us, as the topic of our discussion entered the room with an entourage of disciples at her heels. I wanted to pester her for more information, but whatever I was thinking left my brain when I noticed Anolla among the group surrounding Onyx. They’d been at the same table the night she died, so it shouldn’t have shocked me to see them together, but it did make me wonder what caused Onyx to take her out in the first place. Initially, I thought it might have been a random act, but the fact that they knew each other had me reevaluating motives.
Nudging Beatress, I nodded my head toward their group. I covered my mouth and quietly said under my breath, “Do you know the pixie?”
Beatress quickly scanned their group and hissed, “Yes. Her name is Anolla, and her Aunt Clary is a member of the council. Why do you ask?”
Not wanting to reveal my cards too soon, I threw out a lame excuse as I continued to study their group, “It’s the first time I’ve seen someone with wings. Since you’re the only one I know that has any connections, I figured it was worth a shot asking you.”
“If you think wings are cool, you’d be even more impressed with Castice’s gold and red display. He's a Phoenix Gryphon hybrid. His wings are a thing to behold.” Dropping her head to hide the blush, coloring her cheeks, she added, “I mean for wings, they're pretty cool.” Clearing her throat, she raised her head and said, “He’s the only other person I knew before coming here. His Aunt Fansa is also on the council.”
