Hidden Worlds

by Kristie Cook

  A slow smile spread across his face. Why don’t we find out?

  Chapter 35

  Ty had an incredibly sexy smile, Kyr thought as she rested on her bed watching the dawn lighten the sky outside of her bed chamber window. Tonight was the first time she’d ever seen his smile. She was going to make a point to see it again soon.

  He hadn’t been gone from her chambers for that long. She admitted that she’d dragged out their time together, not wanting to see him go. Her efforts had brought them both immense pleasure, so she wasn’t feeling unduly guilty about it. But she knew she had given him less time to prepare for what was to come than he had planned.

  Although she had probably only gotten about four hours of sleep before he arrived, she felt refreshed and energized. Maybe sex was a stimulant. If so, she’d take it over caffeine any day.

  That thought once again had her remembering Rachel Ferris, the dorm monitor that she used to hold in judgment for having sex with her fiancÉ when she was supposed to be on duty. Kyr had asked herself how the person responsible for upholding the rules could disregard them and expect everyone else to respect her.

  How ironic that she now found herself in that very position.

  There had to be some leeway if the rules were utterly ridiculous, she mused. She saw no reason why she and Ty shouldn’t be allowed to have a relationship. In fact, she thought that all Alametrians should be allowed to choose their mates, and not be repressed—

  Repressed! She shot up in the bed, clutching the sheet to her chest. Did Vycor know that she had never successfully been repressed as a child? She and Ty still didn’t know why, but had long ago assumed it had to do with the fact that she was the Ascendant and her mind was more shielded than others’. If Vycor knew, or even suspected, that she hadn’t been repressed, wouldn’t he do that during the Rite while he had the chance?

  All of the anxiety she had released before Ty left suddenly resurfaced. She forced herself to remember that Ty wasn’t going to allow Vycor to perform the ritual. Yes, she thought several times, her love for Ty was safe.

  Knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep again, she retrieved her nightgown and robe and put them on. Opening her bed chamber door, she stepped out into the entry parlor. Two male Mynders she didn’t recognize stood inside the main doorway. Gren must have been relieved during the night. The guards exchanged a glance when they saw her.

  “The Wrym have not yet arrived, Ma’jah,” the taller, younger male said.

  “That’s okay. I really just want a warm bath. I can draw it myself.”

  The males exchanged another look. She imagined they weren’t used to her doing things for herself. One of them stepped away from the main doors and headed to the bathing chamber. She followed and waited outside until he conducted a search of the room.

  “All right, Ma’jah. The room is clear.”

  “Thanks.”

  She hoped he would leave, but wasn’t surprised when he didn’t. Walking over to the side of the room, she lifted a few levers that she had seen Zasha touch when she drew her last bath. The water started falling from the ceiling. Kyr took her time selecting soaps and shampoos, choosing those that she thought Ty might enjoy, and set them on the side of the tub. After she drew the purple privacy drapes, she disrobed and luxuriated in the bath water.

  The Wrym arrived before she finished. She saw Zasha’s amusement and everyone else’s disapproval when they found her, and just accepted it as her due. She didn’t argue when they met her at the edge of the tub with drying cloths so they could prepare her for the day.

  Was it ironic or just poetic that they dressed her in virginal white only hours after she lost her virginity? She supposed it was the color typically worn for Rite participants, as the Wrym refused to choose something else when she asked. Since she didn’t care all that much, she just let them put the dress on her. As it was, she had expected robes or something equally ceremonial, so anything besides that was welcome.

  It was a simple gown, but the sleeveless bodice suited her small frame and the skirts floated almost celestially around her ankles. The ensemble was completed by a sheer, fitted lace jacket with sleeves that reached her wrists. Once her hair was arranged, she thought she looked like a bride.

  Definitely ironic, she thought, smiling at her reflection. She wondered if Ty would think so, too.

  A flurry of activity from the parlor had her standing up from the vanity in her bathing chamber. Zasha winked at her when no one was looking, so Kyr winked back. Trying not to look too eager, she took a deep breath and followed the Wrym out to the parlor. She couldn’t wait to see Ty.

  The Guardians stood inside the entryway, talking to the four Mynders standing at the door. Kyr didn’t see Ty, but figured he was out in the hallway. Her heart rate escalated just at the idea of seeing him again, and they had only parted a few hours ago.

  Love did crazy things to you, she decided.

  Shaya spotted her first. Her gaze swept over her before she nodded. “Ma’jah Kyr is ready. There is no need to delay. We shall head directly to the Ritual Chamber.”

  Kyr blinked. “Right now? But—”

  “Yes,” Shaya interrupted, her eyes and tone frosty. “I want no further shame to fall on the Vawn because of your behavior. Advisor Vycor is already in the Ritual Chamber and ready to begin.”

  Glancing past her, Kyr strained to see into the hallway. Her heart pounded for a reason other than anticipation now. Her breath came in shorter bursts as panic leeched in.

  Where was Ty?

  “Make no excuses, Ma’jah,” Brunyr said, not even looking at her. “Let us be off.”

  Gren walked into the chamber from the hallway and approached her. She saw the worry in his eyes. When he took her arm, she didn’t resist.

  “I thought—” she began, then had to clear her throat when her voice cracked. “I thought Dem-Shyr TaeDane would be escorting me.”

  Gren fell into step behind the Guardians, who followed several Mynders. “As did I, Ma’jah,” he replied.

  Something was wrong. She could see it on his face. Thinking of what she had done yesterday with the Shelvaks, she took a deep, cleansing breath and pulled from the store of energy within her. Once she felt the familiar tingle, she sent a thought to Gren.

  Can you hear me?

  His grip tightened. Yes.

  What’s going on? Ty promised to meet me here this morning. He was going to talk to the Guardians before the Rite.

  He didn’t mention her informality in using Ty’s nickname. We don’t know. He wasn’t in his chambers this morning. Even more troubling is that he hasn’t been connected to our thoughts since just before dawn this morning.

  Her eyes widened as she realized that would have been just about the time he had left her chambers to go back to his.

  SemDane is also missing, Ma’jah. He was ordered by the Dem-Shyr to be a part of your security detail at the Rite, but he can’t be located, either.

  Sem was missing? What in the world was going on?

  Gren, you have to leave me and go search for Ty.

  No, Ma’jah. I will not leave you. Ty told me that I should stay with you, no matter what happened.

  She barely registered that he had also used Ty’s nickname. She was too busy reeling from the fact that Ty had asked Gren to protect her. Had he known that he wasn’t going to be there?

  No. She believed he was telling her the truth last night. They knew each other’s thoughts and feelings. It would be impossible for Ty to deceive her.

  So that meant he had suspected something might happen to him.

  Gren, listen to me. Something bad has happened to Ty. He would never leave me, and you know it. If he told you to stay with me, it was because he thought someone would try to stop him from attending the Rite. That’s obviously what happened.

  Frowning, Gren shook his head. I can’t leave you, Ma’jah.

  Damn it, Gren! I order you to leave me and go find Ty. I order you as the Ascendant.

  He
staggered to a stop and stared at her. She lifted her chin, not caring that the other Mynders with them had stopped and were now looking at them like they’d lost their minds.

  Go now! she commanded. Start looking anywhere you think Vycor might take him to keep him away from the ceremony.

  “What say you, Gren?” one of the Mynders asked.

  “I … need to go and check on something,” Gren said at last. He walked Kyr over to the Mynder who had questioned him, the same one who had overseen her bath that morning. “Luex, escort Ma’jah to the Ritual Chamber. I will get there as soon as I can.”

  Luex stepped forward and took Gren’s place at Kyr’s side. After giving Kyr one last look conveying his displeasure over the order, Gren turned on his heel and hurried off in the other direction.

  “What is going on?” Shaya called out. They had proceeded a fair distance ahead before noticing that Kyr and her guards had stopped.

  “We’re coming, Guardian,” Luex said, starting forward.

  Kyr had never truly known fear until that moment. She thought she had, but whatever she’d felt before paled in comparison to this.

  Where was Ty? Had he been hurt?

  Had he been killed?

  That thought so devastated her that she quickly forced it from her mind. Losing it right now was out of the question.

  Why was Sem missing, too? Had he gone looking for Ty? Were he and Ty planning something that none of them were aware of? If so, why wouldn’t Ty have let her know?

  Question after question ran through her mind as they walked. Nothing made sense. Her only hope was that Ty had gone directly to the Ritual Chamber to talk to Vycor instead of going through the Guardians. Maybe Sem was in there, too. Maybe Ty was staging everything so that she could go in, have the Rite performed by Sem, and be done with it.

  The moment she walked into the Ritual Chamber, however, she knew Ty wasn’t there. She also knew that this was going to be worse than she’d ever imagined.

  The chamber wasn’t nearly as large as the arena, but there was seating for at least two hundred people circling the center of the room … and, of course, all of the seats were full, save for the two reserved for the Guardians. She spotted Telad and Ravina among the crowd and wondered why the V’larians had been invited to witness this.

  Centered on the floor was a waist-high table made of some kind of stone. No, she realized with a wave of fear. Not a table.

  An altar.

  There was no comfortable chair, like Zasha had promised. The altar looked bleak and terrifying. She saw shackles at all four corners, and a table nearby covered with wicked-looking implements. It was a scene straight out of a haunted house’s torture chamber tableau.

  And VycorDane stood at the altar’s head, his glittering gaze on her.

  “What is all of this, Advisor?” Brunyr asked, walking slowly up to the altar.

  “This is where I will perform the Ruvex Rite for Ma’jah Kyr,” Vycor said, his tone indicating that it should be obvious. “It was clear to me following yesterday’s events that her cleansing will be much more difficult than a standard one due to her growing abilities. I must perform the ritual in accordance with our older traditions if I am to have any hope of succeeding in purging her.”

  Brunyr didn’t say anything for a moment. His gaze settled on the table of implements. Kyr held her breath, hoping he’d argue with Vycor. She was his daughter, for God’s sake. He’d helped to raise her from a baby. Was he really okay with sitting and watching his little girl get tortured ten feet from him?

  She supposed he was when he walked over to his chair and sat down beside Shaya without saying a word.

  Luex stepped away from her as Vycor started towards her. She looked back at the Mynders who had accompanied her, hoping for some help from that avenue. They all moved back to stand at attention in front of the door.

  Clearly, she’d get no help from that front.

  Her breathing was uneven as Vycor stopped in front of her. He smiled, and it made every hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Moving away from him, she looked around the seats, praying for divine intervention. She vaguely realized there were no children in the room and could only be grateful for that.

  “Stop!”

  Kyr’s gaze flew to the doors as her Kyndred, Wyk and Ullah, hurried inside the chamber. On their faces, she saw the concern and anger that she hadn’t received from her birth parents. They both walked up to her and stood between her and Vycor.

  “You can’t do this, Advisor Vycor,” Wyk said, his voice shaking with emotion. “This form of the Ruvex Rite was deemed inhumane by the Vawn more than a century ago.”

  “I have just finished explaining why this form of the Rite is required to properly cleanse Ma’jah Kyr, WykOwar. You have no right to question me.”

  “Why are you doing this in front of all of these people?” Wyk asked in a lower voice. “The Ruvex Rite is meant to be done in a private, comforting environment. This—what you’re doing—amounts to nothing more than public humiliation. It’s barbaric.”

  Kyr wanted to throw her arms around her Kyndred and thank them for championing her when no one else would. Love for them flowed through her, helping combat her fear. When Vycor stepped forward, she moved so that she stood beside her Kyndred, rather than behind them.

  “You should stop right now, WykOwar,” Vycor hissed in the barest whisper. “Do you think I don’t know about the memory charms and mental blocks you used on Ma’jah Kyr while on Earth?”

  Wyk’s posture stiffened. Kyr glanced at him in surprise.

  Vycor continued, “I know you and your amanti both got too attached and didn’t want Ma’jah Kyr to return to this life. But she’s here now, and if you don’t want me to order you sent to the palace prison for interfering, you will walk away right now.”

  Emotion clogged Kyr’s throat as she realized what her Kyndred had done in an attempt to keep their family together as long as possible. Battling back tears, she stepped forward.

  “Don’t threaten them,” she said, keeping her voice as quiet as Vycor had. Turning to her Kyndred, she said, “Thank you for trying, but please leave. I don’t want you to witness this.”

  Ullah’s eyes filled with tears. “No, Kyra!” she gasped.

  “She isn’t Kyra anymore,” Vycor said. “And if you don’t leave this chamber immediately, I’ll issue the order to have you imprisoned.”

  Kyr grabbed her Kyndred, hugging them hard. “Go now,” she said. “I couldn’t get through it if you were both taken from me, too.”

  Wyk’s eyes were damp as he nodded. Reluctantly, he took a disconsolate Ullah to lead her back out of the chamber. Kyr watched them go, her hope trailing along behind them.

  “Now then,” Vycor said in a stronger voice as he reached out and brushed his fingers along her cheek. “Seal the doors. Let the Ruvex Rite begin.”

  Chapter 36

  “Ty. TaeDane. Ty!”

  Pain radiated through Ty’s head, making it feel like his skull was trying to squeeze his eyeballs out of their sockets. Just the thought of moving his head made his stomach revolt.

  “Get your ass up, Ty!”

  The voice finally got through the red haze coating his mind. Slowly, he allowed his eyes to open. The lighting was dim, a small blessing.

  “Are you up? Ty, damn it! Don’t pass out again.”

  Whose voice was that? Sem’s, he vaguely realized as he tried to register his surroundings. Why was his cousin yelling at him? Where was he?

  “Ty, come on! Get your shit together. Kyr needs us!”

  He sat up so fast he retched. It all came back to him in a flash.

  He had returned to his chambers after being with Kyr. Vycor was there, waiting for him.

  “Where have you been, Dem-Shyr?” the Advisor asked.

  “That’s none of your concern,” Ty answered. “I believe the more important question is, why are you here in the middle of the night, Vycor?”

  “I need you to come with me.” />
  “I’m not going anywhere with you. In fact, there are a few things we need to discuss, and now is as good a time as any.”

  “On the contrary,” Vycor sneered, “you are leaving with me. I can’t have you interfering in the Rite. You know as well as I do that interruptions can be quite unfortunate for the person being cleansed.”

  Ty’s fists clenched at the threat to Kyr. Screw talking to the Guardians. He was going to knock out Vycor’s teeth and they’d figure out the rest of the details later.

  “I have also sequestered your cousin,” Vycor said as Ty stepped forward.

  That stopped him. “What?”

  “SemDane has been taken into custody. I wouldn’t want him to do anything foolish either, you see. His repression has not yet been reinstated, so he is likely to act foolishly due to his misguided feelings for Ma’jah Kyr.” Vycor’s eyes flashed. “Yes, I know all about it. Now, if you do not wish him any harm, you will come quietly.”

  “You have no authority to—”

  “As the Rite administrator, I have every right to ensure no harm will come to the person whose Rite I am conducting. Your interference will inarguably result in harm to Ma’jah Kyr.”

  “You aren’t going to administer the Rite, you demented son of a bitch,” Ty growled, advancing on him.

  That was the last thing Ty remembered. Touching the back of his head, he felt a large bump and gash. Judging by the amount of blood on the floor, the blow might have killed someone without his healing abilities. His body was slowly knitting the wound. In the meantime, he hoped his brains didn’t leak out.

  “Sem?”

  “Thank Yen-Ki, Ty! Vycor stuck us in the prison.”

  Ty shoved himself to his feet and walked unsteadily over to the door of his cell. A small opening allowed him to see out. Sem was in the cell across from him. From what Ty could see of his face, his cousin had been hurt, too. His skin was pale and streaked with blood.

  “The guards keep saying that they’re not allowed to free us,” Sem said. “They were told by Vycor that it’s a matter of security for Kyr’s Ruvex Rite, which overrides your authority.”