Perhaps there truly was a mystical mate's bond forming between them, and she wasn't fully convinced Mikail was the only party experiencing it.
Kivsey had known some of her boyfriends for years, and never once felt the same type of connection as she had the previous evening. Just laying secure in his arms was more fulfilling than expected.
As if she was precisely where she needed to be.
But with her awakening came thoughts of everything they'd talked about beforehand, the same questions running through her head on repeat. What if I'm actually his? Should I stay in Satorala until he knows for sure?
Sadly, a potent attraction and amazing sexual chemistry wasn't quite enough to say yes after knowing someone for a mere three days. Sure, she'd come to trust Mikail and had learned a great deal about him. But at that point, it felt as if the decision could just as easily be made by flipping a coin as it could with a ton of introspection.
At the thought, she silently climbed out of bed and grabbed her discarded caftan with the intentions of taking a brisk walk to the square to hopefully clear her head. She simply had to stop questioning things. There was no simple verdict, and who knew when someone would show up to take her home anyway.
It could be days more, or maybe even another week.
But that didn't stop her from admiring the man now sprawled out in his bed while thinking the word stay was definitely the right answer. With his thick legs tangled in the furs and a muscular arm stretched out along a pillow where she'd once rested her head, it was next to impossible to ignore the temptation to climb right back into bed and sweetly wake him for another round of last night's intimacies.
But she forced herself to the stairs, then exited the home to find the street outside quiet and the neighboring buildings dark. Everyone was likely sleeping, leaving her trek to the square peaceful enough to really admire her surroundings without distraction.
Pleasant scents wafted through the air with the soothing sound of water flowing through the aqueduct by the street. The dome lights overhead were slowly changing from blue to golden with the sun rising above the surface, offering a touch of mysticism to the scenery.
Satorala was indeed a lovely city, one she wanted more time to explore.
Yet, the moment she had the thought, two Dok'aal guards rounded the corner just ahead, moving in the direction of Mikail's home—and one of them called to her as soon as they spotted her.
Kivsey came to an abrupt, uncertain halt. Were these men patrolling the street for people breaking some curfew she was unaware of? Or was there another problem entirely?
The moment they were in earshot, she parted her lips to ask. But the one on the left stated first, “Your presence is required at the Council Chamber.”
He sounded rather demanding, even annoyed, both of them coming to a stop only a few feet away as Kivsey reluctantly inquired, “Should I get Mikail? He's still sleeping.”
“No, just come with us. Now.”
At his clipped tone, she drew out a hesitant agreement, then followed the soldiers the rest of the way to the square, which was much less lively than she'd seen it yet. The shops were all closed, and even the Council Chamber looked deserted. There was little light coming from the windows, making it harder to see than usual.
Yet Kivsey managed to make her way without assistance, following the soldiers upstairs to an archway on the left side of the catwalk.
Beyond it was a long hall with a large set of double doors at the opposing end, and the men in her company opened it to reveal the Chancellor's office.
Inside, Gallos was seated behind a large desk, and he wasn't alone. In one of the chairs across from him was Arias, and to the Ancient's right stood another, much shorter Perosian. Kivsey had no idea who he was, but he looked a bit … shifty. With buzzed hair, two small horns, and a scar marking one eye, he regarded her indifferently as Gallos addressed the soldiers who'd escorted her.
“Where's Mikail?”
“Sleeping. We didn't wish to disturb him.”
Nodding, the Chancellor waved them away, then waited for the doors to shut before he informed Kivsey, “We needed you to come because you have friends waiting at The Nexus, specifically, two vampires and an elven wizard. Stephan, Maddox, and Eradin. Are those names familiar?”
The news elicited a soft gasp, mostly because he'd said there were two vampires. Stephan's a vampire now? That was extremely hard to imagine due to his hatred of their kind, but perhaps Maddox had inspired a change of heart, and the two were now in a committed—and eternal—relationship.
But she didn't dwell on her curiosities, and answered the question without making Gallos wait.
“I don't know Eradin,” she admitted, “but Stephan and Maddox are good friends.”
“Good,” Gallos started, explaining, “Arias has offered to teleport you to them at The Nexus, though he's requested a word before you depart.”
Looking down at the seated Ancient, Kivsey confirmed, “Sure. What can I do for you?”
At that, Arias motioned at Gallos in a silent request for privacy, and the Chancellor stood without question and walked to the doors.
The short Perosian tried to follow as well, but abruptly stopped when the Ancient grabbed his wrist.
Quickly turning his head as if caught off guard, he listened carefully as Arias directed without bothering to look at him, “Don't forget to behave yourself, Gyles.”
The demon immediately nodded in agreement. “Of course, sir.”
Satisfied, Arias released his wrist, allowing Gyles to hurry out of the room.
Gallos shut the doors behind him, and their harsh thud was accompanied by a sense of foreboding at being left alone with an Ancient Perosian. Here's hoping Mikail's right, and my firstborn isn't up for grabs.
Either way, she immediately looked up when Arias stood and grumbled something under his breath about insufferable pests.
Hearing it, she remarked, “Sounds like you're the one having an unending bad day now.”
Finally, the Ancient turned his onyx gaze down at her and smirked. “Actually, I'm having a splendid day. I'd simply prefer better company than Gyles.”
“Why? Who is he?”
Arias waved a hand. “Before I tell you that, I have something to give you.”
Kivsey blinked, waiting uncertainly as he produced a folded piece of paper from his pocket and held it out between two fingers.
Taking the item, she unfolded it to see a short list of random places with Terran city names next to them. Most were unidentifiable, but one stood out, being a popular supernatural nightclub in Atlanta called Foxy's.
Confused, she inquired, “What's this?”
“Those are the names of three Terran nightclubs that cater to the supernatural.”
“What about them?”
Seemingly off topic, he asked, “You work for The Bastion, correct?”
“Yeah,” she confirmed, wondering where this was going.
Nodding, the Ancient paced to her left, coming to stand a few feet from the desk while explaining, “I'm not certain how up to date you are on current affairs in Satorala, or Perosia for that matter, but Gyles is a former lackey of Rothario's.”
“Rothario? You mean the Steward of Perosia?”
Looking over his shoulder, Arias seemed surprised that she knew, and nodded. “Yes, however, the word former should be applied to the title, as Rothario is no more.”
Immediately, Kivsey recalled the enchantress who was supposed to usurp the bastard, asking, “Then the prophecy came true?”
“It did, and I've yet to inform Chancellor Gallos of this development, but suffice it to say Satorala is going to be busy in the coming weeks. With Rothario gone, new alliances will be forged, and old ones broken in a political upheaval that will have to be handled delicately until a new regent can be installed.”
Kivsey could only imagine. With the former ruler out of the way, there was no telling what changes would come, or how people would desire to take advantage o
f it, either to better their lives, or simply grab at opportunity.
But that didn't explain why Arias had given her a piece of paper listing three Terran nightclubs.
Holding it up, she inquired, “So what's this for?”
Turning to face her, the Ancient explained, “While Satorala and Perosia are about to be caught in a whirlwind, Terra remains a neutral site. This means someone with unscrupulous intentions might try taking advantage of the peaceful atmosphere to conduct business out of sight while the rest of us are too preoccupied to notice.”
Finally, enlightenment dawned, and Kivsey knowingly summarized, “You mean someone like Gyles might visit one of these nightclubs for recreation, which is code for covert operations.”
“Precisely,” Arias confirmed, “and those nightclubs are favorites of his.”
Looking back down at the list, Kivsey nodded, supposing he wanted someone to watch the establishments in case Gyles tried something shady.
The thought prompted the question, “If he's so untrustworthy, why bring him here at all?”
“Good question,” he conceded, and had no problem explaining. “I found him shortly after the battle between Rothario and the enchantress, and he literally begged for a chance to redeem himself. So I decided to show a little faith by allowing him to help with the changes occurring. I suppose I've grown soft in my old age.”
With that said, the Ancient next muttered, “Still, I'm not convinced his tune won't change the moment a new drummer comes along with a different beat, and I'd feel better knowing those Terran establishments are being monitored by someone who's seen Satorala and knows precisely what the Dok'aal have struggled to maintain.”
Arias' desire to ensure the city's protection was perfectly reasonable, and Kivsey certainly couldn't turn down his request. Not only was he right to assume she cared, he'd also helped her, and this was a chance to return the favor.
“I'd definitely hate to see anything happen to this place,” she admitted with ease.
The Ancient nodded in agreement, yet his deep tone took on a menacing edge in adding, “Truthfully, you don't know the half of it, Miss Kivsey. The Dok'aal have suffered, needlessly so, but prevail with no promise of any greater reward than to live on their own terms. So, putting it bluntly, if I find my trust has been misplaced in this matter, Gyles will suffer a fate he cannot possibly imagine.”
Kivsey found herself frozen in place. Arias' dark promise was stated with such lethal sincerity that it chilled her blood—as did the way his onyx pupils encompassed his eyes, making them appear to be two empty voids.
Slowly lifting a finger, she remarked, “Just remind me never to get on your bad side.”
As if he hadn't just promised Gyles a horrible fate for treachery, the Ancient smirked and returned, “Never fear. I think you're smart enough to know better. Gyles, on the other hand … ”
Trailing, his lips pursed as he threw up his hands in a we'll-see fashion.
Finally, she smiled, feeling a genuine swell of relief knowing she had his vote of confidence. Still, his request caused some legitimate concerns she had to point out.
“Before I agree to this, you should know The Bastion was set up to monitor humans, not supenats. So something could slip by us pretty easily.”
“That only offers you an edge,” he pointed out. “What supenat would expect The Bastion to be investigating?”
“True,” she drew out, looking back down at the paper in her hand.
Though she was happy to help, she had to force herself not to frown. After seeing Satorala and knowing how important it was to the Dok'aal, she certainly hoped the change in Perosia's leadership benefited them all. She also had no doubts that if Gyles intended to betray anyone, he'd make plans in Terra where it was less likely he'd be discovered.
But providing help meant immediately returning home—and once she left Ithelyon, there were no guarantees she'd ever see Mikail again.
Her heart lurched at the prospect. She hadn't known whether staying longer was a possibility, or even a good idea. But now that the prospect of leaving was staring her in the face, she wished she'd told Mikail yes just to have an excuse to linger.
Still, he was looking for his mate, and bonding with her seemed risky. Perhaps it didn't ultimately matter as, once the bonding started, there was no stopping it. Yet Kivsey simply couldn't imagine being with him knowing there was a chance her mortality would eventually bring about his own end.
Sadly, the thoughts didn't make her impending departure easier to accomplish, but she forced her worries away for the moment and focused on the tasks at hand.
“I'll get surveillance organized as soon as possible, Arias. But who am I supposed to deliver the information to?”
Obliquely, the Ancient returned, “I'll send someone to collect at the appropriate time.”
Kivsey would've preferred a more descriptive answer, but Mikail said the Ancient had predicted numerous events. So perhaps he already knew when she'd have the data he needed, he just didn't know what the information would entail.
So she merely shrugged and shoved the note in her pocket, ready to mention her need to return to Mikail's home to tell him she was departing—a prospect she dreaded.
But the chance never came.
Without warning, Arias' body suddenly burst into a black smoke that engulfed her, thoroughly blocking her vision. Kivsey almost asked what he was doing aloud, but the smoke cleared just as quickly as it'd formed, and once her sight returned, they were no longer in the Chancellor's office.
Instead, they stood at the bridge of The Nexus not far from where she'd first met Mikail, and five Dok'aal Warlords stood sentry nearby as if to make certain no one left the castle.
It was strange to be back so quickly after how long it'd taken to reach Satorala, but there was no time to dwell on such thoughts when a familiar voice called, “Kivsey!”
Looking across the bridge, she saw Stephan and Maddox coming to greet her, and would've met them halfway.
But the sight of Stephan's eyes surprised her too much to move.
A little over five years ago, he'd lost one in an explosion, and the other was badly damaged, giving it a murky, silver hue. Yet now, both were emerald green with a glint that proved he was relieved to see her. He really is a vampire!
The notion rattled her too much to offer a greeting, but neither vampire seemed to need one as Stephan stated once he reached her, “We got your message. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it wasn't pleasant, but I'm fine. Did you guys wait here long?”
“We've been here just over a day,” he remarked. “A wizard we know named Eradin fixed the portal sphere and left a little while ago because he's an elf, and his presence was causing tension with those Warlords. But we can use the sphere to access the Atlantan Spire whenever you're ready.”
Though relieving to know, she didn't expect to hear the destination named. “Wait, the Atlantan Spire? The portal sphere doesn't connect to the mine anymore?”
“No, Ardilon came here about an hour ago to tell us he'd relocated it.”
“Ardilon?”
The question came from an unexpected source—Arias, who sounded intrigued, or at least mildly curious in adding, “Why did he want to relocate it, if I might ask?”
Stephan was the one to answer, but not before giving the Ancient a skeptical look.
“He moved it for easier access and monitoring. So if the Dok'aal visit Terra using the sphere, it'll lead to a safe place now where there's no risk of startling unwitting humans.”
Arias inclined his horned head in understanding, though Kivsey truly wondered if he approved. His expression was neutral, making it hard to tell, and he seemed more focused on Stephan's dubiety because he next asked, “Is something wrong?”
“I'm not sure,” the vampire drew out. “Your voice sounds familiar.”
“My voice?”
With a nod, Stephan inquired after a thoughtful moment, “Ever visit, and possibly destroy any Terran vamp
ire lairs in the past five years?”
Arias casually shrugged his broad shoulders. “I've destroyed quite a few things over the past five years, vampire lairs included.”
Unimpressed, the vampire mentioned through clenched teeth, “Maybe I should be more specific, then. Did you ever find a captive human in one and purposefully infect him with an incurable disease?”
Kivsey had no idea what Stephan was talking about, but obviously, Arias did, furthering her confusion by snapping his fingers in recognition.
“You're the human who was chained in that lair.”
Hearing this, Stephan's green eyes suddenly turned red in bloodlust, his fangs sharpening as he launched himself at the Ancient.
“You son of a bitch!”
His aggressive movements were so swift Kivsey could barely keep up—and the reaction was just as quick.
Simultaneously, Maddox grabbed Stephan around the waist while all five Dok'aal Warlords drew their blades to protect Arias—not that the Ancient looked the least bit intimidated by Stephan's hostility.
In fact, he sighed as if bored while the vampire struggled, though it was questionable whether Stephan was fighting to get at the Ancient, or calm his fury.
Whatever the case, Arias asked the Dok'aal to lower their weapons while Stephan demanded, “Just tell me why! What the fuck did you have to gain from doing that?”
“Doing what?” Kivsey demanded.
With an inhuman growl, Stephan parted his lips to answer, but Arias beat him to it.
“About five years ago, I infected your friend with an alchemical illness which, at the time, had no cure. As for the potential gains, it was nothing personal, of course. I simply needed to test the formula to make certain it worked, and now that you've obtained a cure, the possibility of using that formula as a weapon has greatly diminished—much to your relief, I'm sure.”
The last was directed at Stephan while Kivsey stared at Arias in angered confusion. She had no idea what alchemical illness they were talking about, but learning he'd infected her friend with some strange disease was infuriating in itself.
Cast Into Shadow Page 17
