by Reid, Stacy
His mate inhaled slowly, then softly expelled. “And she birthed a nation of beasts. What happened to her? Does the story say?”
He took her in his arms and shadow stepped with her to a tomb where a flawless black pearl was mounted above a beautifully carved sculpture, with surrounding images of twenty different stone beasts guarding it. “She went on to live for centuries before her death. She lies here.”
Another hour passed as he enthralled his mate with stories of his kingdom, her interest unending. He showed her the first plates his kind had used, their oldest clothes and furniture, rare paintings and sculptures by their greatest artists in history.
When she’d seen her fill, he spun with her in the shadows, taking her out into the streets. “Are you ready to return to the castle?”
“No, your world is very mountainous and teems with such wildlife. And the people, look at them,” she said wistfully, lifting her chin to two children darting away from their mother, only for her to grab them with shadows and throw them into the air. Their peals of laughter echoed in the air. “How normal everything seems. I wonder if Dxyriah currently feels peace or are they in turmoil.”
“Have you not tried to connect with any of your people?”
She darted him a quick glance. “I have tried. The distance is too great, even for my powers. I have no notion of how my people fare. It hurts somewhere deep inside that every day I am away, they might be suffering under Prince Quan’s rule.”
“Tell me about your world, my mate, and how did you end up in Amagarie?”
She faltered for a few seconds, before resuming her walk. “Prince Quan, the man who assassinated my brother, has no right to the realm. The heirship of Dyxriah’s throne can only be inherited, or another house can challenge my rule and demand a trial by combat. Prince Quan has no Symonrah blood. The legal way for someone not of our bloodline to rule would be to petition the Senate for a trial by combat, and only after he proved to the Senate, I am unfit to be a ruler by our laws. Prince Quan ignored those laws, and he slaughtered most of my family and friends when he took my kingdom. My sister had seen a vision of this, but my brother did not take adequate precautions,” Shilah said, an aching regret heavy in her tone. “Kala could not predict the timeframe, and when he consulted with other foreseers, they did see such a future for him. Because she was just an Alpha, he doubted her ability, but I believed her.”
He sensed the agony burning like a fiery ball of pain that buried itself in her heart. If there had been hatred, it was now muted. Only a sense to seek justice was entrenched in her thoughts.
“After the attack, it took me five days of hiding from the prince in the network of crystal caves underneath our kingdom before we escaped through the portals. The prince’s powers lie in the telekinetic genesis, and he is an Imperial. Twice he almost killed me, even though I could read his thoughts and anticipate his attacks. Soldiers who should have been loyal to me worked with him, and I was so frightened I would lose Kala and my life I fled.”
Shame and regret were thick in her voice, and he felt the echoes of her tears in his mind. The memories of the prince wielding the power of his mind to use a sword to cut down dozens in her court rushed to him. The horror as he’d snapped her uncle’s neck with the force of his thoughts alone. Soldiers close to her had rushed into the temple to save her, but they hadn’t gotten a chance to pull the high beam weapons from their hips. Another prince whose powers lay in teleportation, moved through their ranks, cutting down her supporters with shocking ease.
He gathered her in his arm and flowed with her to the Moire—their largest jungle which connected the quadrants. There he took her upon a steeply sloped hill overlooking the capital city in the far distance. Using his shadows, he lay her down on the forest floor and lowered himself beside her. There they stared out into the great abyss, the jungle of his realm, and the obscured stars in the heavens. He’d already assured her vengeance, and he would lay her kingdom at her feet if she so desired.
“My Imperial powers awakened during the attack, and I did not understand how to use my full abilities. We have scholars who train and teach us how to hone our geneses, and though I could feel the well of energy at my center, I could not call it forth. I learned more about the level of my abilities while in Amagarie. I should have stayed, and fought,” she whispered. “Instead, I handed him the key to my kingdom by running.”
“Your instinct to survive roared to life. This is not something to be ashamed of. Retreat is a battle strategy. Amassing more power to return and defeat an enemy is a sound plan.”
“The army I wanted was to only be a show of might, to force the Senate to convene so I could challenge the acceptance of his atrocity. To force him to give up a rule he had no right to, and to demand a trial where he would stand judgment for his crimes.”
“Tell me of your realm and their powers,” he demanded, wanting to understand the force he had to decimate.
“Serange is quite small, even smaller than your eastern quadrant here. My kingdom, Dxyriah has a population of two million denizens, and the entire planet only holds seven million people.”
“And they all have mental prowess?”
“It is bred into our genetics. However, most of our wealth and power is concentrated in the aristocracy through a system of selective marriages. There is a strict division of class, so the most powerful of the geneses are clustered in the upper echelons of society. Almost all the Princes and Princesses of Serange have Omega level powers. There are only a few Imperials, and most are scholars at our temples. All other citizens are Alpha level. In Dxyriah every citizen is registered on a psychic network, where we can ask permission to speak with each other telepathically through that neural network.”
“Your people do not speak aloud?”
She laughed lightly. “Of course, we do. But the network is there, where anyone can reach out at any time. But there are protocols of communication, so privacy is not invaded, and rights trampled upon. Permission is asked and granted. Like all kingdoms, we have laws that govern our people. Laws that prevent us from ripping into each other’s minds, invading citizens’ privacy, or stealing information. Once you are a citizen of Dxyriah, you must register on the psychic network. That way, it is easier for the PPF—PsyNet Protectorate force, the law defenders of our kingdom, to detect when there is a breach in the network and know when a crime is being committed. We are a peaceful kingdom with little to no crime. This is the reason Prince Quan’s attack had such success. Our generation and several before us had no concept of war.”
“Your people knew you were attacked.”
Her breath hitched. “Yes. My cry spilled throughout the network, and my Barons responded. I could feel their worry and the multitude of knocks that wanted access to my neural net. I had to close myself off from the assault and concentrate on saving my sister’s life.”
“Is the Prince Quan a part of this network?”
“He is not of my kingdom.”
“What is he?”
“He is the crown prince of Arcadia. Their power lies in telekinesis.”
“What does he gain from the attack of your kingdom?”
“I fled,” she whispered closing her eyes. “I only know at that moment he desired the ending of my bloodline. And I fear he is seeking to end the segregation of the three kingdoms. He would have support for this, especially from those people who are Impures and those who crave more power.”
“Is he now the ruler of your kingdom?”
“It should not be possible, but he was crowned before I escaped. When the Senate called for me, I remained silent.”
The image of her crouched in a cave, bleeding from her mouth and nose rushed through his mind, as she worked frantically to save her dying sister. Shilah had screamed and pleaded with the gods to not take her sister, the last of her family. She had been impervious to the mental call of the Senate as they had blasted calls for her through the psychic network, and hover crafts had whizzed through the air searching
for her.
Her terror had been a living entity which had consumed her, and her entire heart and emotions had been concentrated into one relentless goal—to save her sister’s life. She had lifted Kala’s body, stumbling under the weight several times before dogged determination and sheer willpower had her carrying her sister for miles to the portal.
Lachlan turned over her predicament, dissecting it from all angles. Fleeing to save her sister had been the best move, as far as he assessed, or she would be dead now. He understood duty to her realm and people, and if he caged her and did not allow her to return, a man who apparently had goals of taking back her kingdom to the time of anarchy and tyranny would have free rein.
“I will send fifty Darkan warriors with you, and they will be under your sole command.”
“I am tempted, Lachlan Ravenswood, but I’ve seen that even with just a peek of a possible future, my sister’s visions cannot be ignored. It is not only you, but any Darkans must never enter my kingdom.”
Denial roared through him for he did not see in her mind and heart a plan to return to Amagarie after she reclaimed her throne. She envisioned a solitary life, standing beside her sister as they ruled their people with love and fair justice. He hadn’t dreamed of a mate, but now that he’d found her, it was impossible to imagine enduring living without her warmth, the light that shone from her, her taste, and her scent.
“I will do what I should have done,” she continued softly. “I will find my Barons, those loyal to me, and take back my kingdom with as little bloodshed as possible. I did not give my people or my supporters a chance to stand with me, and for me. I made fear rule my actions, and I acted without thought, running and hiding away, relying not on my strength and capabilities but on others. I’ve forgotten the teachings of my forefathers, and it shames me. I must reclaim honor for our house and do it without costing my people any more anguish. I am their crown princess, and though I was not trained for the role like many before me, I must show them I am more than capable of protecting them and ruling our kingdom.”
He sensed the tears in her mind, and the terror in her soul, for she could feel the harsh and ruthless resolve forming in him to never let her go, that he would not stay at a distance and do nothing as she stepped into danger. She lurched to her feet and stumbled a few paces away. Gentle slopes gave way to steep ridges, deep ravines cutting through the forest and she headed in that direction.
It struck him with the force of a hammer, it was for this reason she feared being with him so much. Reading her thoughts, feeling her pain, she believed with her entire heart that should he know that her people harmed her, he would slaughter them. And she was right.
He moved with the shadows to stand beside her. “I will trust in your skills and determination. I will not send Darkans to your world.” At this time, he couldn’t promise he would not come should she have need of him, and he ruthlessly kept the thought from spilling to her.
She whirled to face him. Pleasure lit in the fractured depth of her eyes, and she rushed over to him with such speed she was a blur. His blood was already changing her physiology, making her faster, her bones denser, her body less susceptible to bruises. His little mate did not perhaps realize how fast she moved, for she only flung herself into his arms, tipped on her toes, and pressed her mouth to his with the sweetest of heat. “Thank you, Lachlan.”
Using the pad of his thumb, he traced a slow line from her collarbone to the tip of her breast. With a shaky laugh, she pulled away, her newly enhanced strength and speed taking her several steps from him.
Her eyes were luminous with arousal. “You are dangerous to my willpower.” With a frown she glanced at the distance between them, and then her eyes widened, her shock burning along their link.
“I…what?”
“Your strength and speed now rival most Amagarians with superior chakra control.”
“This is not possible,” she breathed, pushing tendrils of her hair away from her enchanting face. “I know you said my speed would increase but I never imagined with such proportions.” Then as if to test it herself, she flashed toward him and slammed into his body. “I am fast. Let us race!”
Then she took off deep into the forest, running with such speed she covered miles within a minute. “This is incredible. I can feel that I am stronger.”
She glanced at his side where he easily kept pace. “Will I ever get as fast as you?”
“No.”
Her joy and fascination pulled a smile to his lips. Her reaction was far different from Princess Saieke when she’d learned of the changes to her body from mating Drac. Even now the princess searched their tomes and great archives, trying to understand the full effects of the extraordinary changes. While Serangites’ mental capacity was superior to several species, they had a similar physical construct to humans, and Lachlan’s princess seemed of a mind to revel in the newfound freedom of moving with such speed and stamina.
They covered several hundred miles, before she faltered, panting. “I should be worried, shouldn’t I?” Then she laughed, enchanting him. With a flash she was before him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
He absorbed her happiness into his being. He allowed himself the luxury of getting lost in the sensations of her taste, drunk on the heady scent of her. He wanted her so much he could barely breathe. She moved away with a burst of speed, and with a sensual, tempting smile, toed off her delicate slippers.
Her eyes glittered with wicked, playful promise, and his heart warmed in a manner he’d never experienced before. The sweet, spicy scent of her arousal rode the air, and he smiled at her bewitching boldness.
“My senses are getting even stronger than earlier. I can hear the sound of water miles away, the scuttling of small animals and insects. I can hear—”
Shilah’s pained scream pierced the air.
Lachlan swirled with the shadows, but his mate’s body was already flung into the sky by a spiral of sands, with a speed that rivaled how he wielded the shadows. Roots burst through the vegetation, streaking through the air to wrap around her throat and tangle around her body, before slamming her against a massive tree in the forest. The hold was merciless, and she screamed as the pressure cracked her ribs. His mate’s precious blood dripped onto the ground, and onto the branches which had been formed into the spears used to crucify her body to the tree. The thick, twisted root coiled and stabbed inside her chest with wicked precision.
He felt the impact like an arrow through his heart.
Blood spurted from his mate’s chest, and her cry of agony echoed to his very bones. For a second, his sanity vanished. An enraged, primal sound tore from his throat as his heart and soul cracked.
18
The demon on Lachlan’s skin hissed, the sound a dark promise of retribution.
“We want no war with you, Darkan. We’re only here for Princess Shilah of Symonrah,” the Arian said, the earth parting as he rose from it, and stood with his feet braced deep into the soil, as he tethered his connection to his element. “We were given permission by the true king to hunt in the Dark lands.”
Lachlan showed no reaction that others already gave allegiance to the man who was supposed to take the place of Gidon after his assassination.
“Something is crawling toward my heart,” his mate gasped, her fear and pain bitter, tugging at the darkness within him. “I can see it, root like tentacles digging deep into my flesh.”
“He is an assassin from Aria— the kingdom of Earth and Sands. Arians with great chakra control command anything of the earth. The minerals and iron found within it, the rocks, the dirt, the sand. This display of power indicates an elder from their kingdom, those with immense strength is rumored to control anything that has its origin from the earth’s crust, even the trees, and lava.”
With calm deliberateness, Lachlan closed their telepathic link, not wanting to subject her to the remorseless violence surging through him.
“Don’t close your mind to me,” she cried, tears streaking
down her cheeks, her voice rough with pain and fury.
His claws lengthened into long, razor-sharp talons, his senses sharpening, all the light disappearing from his soul as he became the monster. The darkness was far thicker and much uglier without her anchor. They had come for her, in his world, and he would not show mercy. “No,” he growled, his voice a distorted wash of malevolent power reverberating through the forest.
“Please…I need to feel you in me.”
Everything in him repulsed at the terror leaking from her. He’d failed his mate. Lachlan had underestimated the reach of the enemy, thinking her safe within the walls of the Darkage with him by her side. He’d allowed himself to be distracted by the heat of mating, and now his woman bled before his eyes, her fear an affront to his senses. And at the center of it, there was a weakness inside he’d never felt before, for she was hurt, in tears, with death only seconds away.
The earth rolled beneath his feet, and lightning split the ground as an assassin from Avindar— the kingdom of lightning, arrived in a whirl of crackling energy. His speed unfathomable as he came with the lightning before the thunder. A sonic boom echoed in the air pushing back Lachlan several feet and pulling a scream from Shilah.
He slipped in her mind, offering her the comfort of the connection. “I won’t leave you, my mate.”
She grasped eagerly at their thread. “Lachlan…they are here to take me back to the empire, and this newcomer’s psychic barrier is weak.”
The Avindite slapped a hand to his forehead, as Shilah’s power buzzed in the air. With almost unparalleled speed, a slice of bright light flashed from his hand toward her. Lachlan moved with the darkness, dipping into the well of his rage and full power to beat the speed of light, appearing in front of his mate as the bolt hit. Pain slammed into his chest, as it cut into his flesh and bone like the sharpest of knife.
