Elder

by Raine Thomas

  The Lekwuesti stepped forward, her lavender eyes casting darts of anger at her peers. All conversation silenced at the look. Then she turned her back on them and addressed Caoilinn.

  “Commander, I would like to request your permission to work with Tate,” she said. “We’ve been through a lot together. And, well…” She trailed off and turned to face Tate. “I was actually hoping you might be willing to pair with me.”

  Tate’s eyes widened. “Really?” A slow smile spread across her face. “You’d like to be my paired Lekwuesti?”

  Clara Kate glanced at Tiege, whose expression was strangely unreadable. She sensed there was still something unresolved between him and Ariana. The two hadn’t interacted with each other since they arrived at Central. When she shifted her gaze and noticed Ini-herit studying her, she realized she had plenty of unresolved issues of her own to handle.

  “Yes,” Ariana confirmed. “It would be an honor to pair with the daughter of adelfi Skye and adelfos Caleb…the niece of archigos Gabriel and kyria Amber, and the avowed of the Mercesti, Zachariah, who has saved my life more than once.”

  When Clara Kate saw the other Lekwuesti exchanging uncertain looks, she barely contained a smile. She knew very well why Ariana had gone through the trouble of listing all of the important people connected to Tate. She was subtly reminding her peers just who they were insulting with their behavior. Since Tate’s eyes filled and she hurried to pull Ariana into a tight hug, Clara Kate figured her cousin understood, too.

  “As it appears Tate welcomes this idea,” Caoilinn said, “I will discuss it with archigos Sebastian. Should he also approve, we will guide you both through the pairing once we travel to the Lekwuesti homeland. For now, I certainly approve of you working with Tate before the ball.”

  Ariana smiled. “Thank you.”

  “I’m wondering if you have a few other Lekwuesti we could meet, commander,” Clara Kate said. “Tiege, Sophia and I are rather…particular about the company we keep.”

  “Of course,” Caoilinn said, not batting an eye. “I apologize for any—”

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” Clara Kate interrupted. “You’ve treated all of us with courtesy and respect. That’s all we ask.”

  Bowing her head in acknowledgment, Caoilinn used her power to open the bedroom door and indicated that the four Lekwuesti leave the room. They did so with a combination of huffs, lifted chins and snide looks, which earned them an earful from their commander as she closed the door behind them.

  Clara Kate glanced at her family. One corner of her mouth lifted. She held out her fist. Sophia, Quincy, Tiege and Tate all tapped it. When Clara Kate looked at her, Ariana grinned and did the same. Then Zachariah surprised her by unfolding his crossed arms and touching his fist to hers. That prompted a giggle from Tate and the first smile of the day from Tiege.

  She started to lower her fist, but realized Ini-herit had stepped closer. His gaze was focused on her hand. Her breath caught. Did he possibly remember that they used to exchange fist bumps on the human plane?

  His gaze moved to hers. “You share your father’s sense of loyalty,” he said.

  Lowering her hand and ignoring the pain in her chest when she realized he didn’t intend to touch her, she murmured, “Yeah.”

  Even when that loyalty was to a completely lost cause.

  “You’ll be the most spectacular being at the ball,” Ariana declared.

  “If you do say so yourself, right?” Tate said with a grin.

  Returning the smile, Ariana stepped back to eye her handiwork with Tate’s hair. The mass of colorful curls had been a challenge to tame even with her Lekwuesti abilities, but they were now all arranged into a beautiful up-do, secured with gleaming jeweled pins. A few select curls tumbled free, making the look less formal and more like Tate.

  Because she and Tate had decided on a deep garnet red for her ball gown and jewelry, her cosmetics were designed to complement the look. Ariana was convinced Tate’s lush lips had been made to wear the dramatic shade of lip color she’d created. Her deep blue-green eyes were a brilliant, seductive contrast to the smoky eye shadow Ariana applied. Even though Tate would be wearing a half-mask, Ariana hadn’t wanted to overlook even the smallest detail.

  “Perfect,” she said with a nod.

  “Everything really is perfect, Ariana,” Tate said, catching her gaze in the mirror. They were using Tate’s bathroom to prepare her. “Thanks again for asking to pair with me.”

  Blushing, Ariana shrugged. “It really is an honor for me. I wasn’t just saying that.”

  “I know. I can see the truth, remember?”

  “Oh, right.” She shrugged again, fighting her embarrassment. “Well, I appreciate you agreeing to the pairing.”

  Reaching out, Tate took Ariana’s hand. “You know why Tiege refused to pair with you, don’t you?”

  Frowning, Ariana shifted her gaze to the ground. “No. He has yet to explain himself.” She didn’t add that she had deliberately kept her door closed to him since they arrived at Central, not wanting to deal with her confusion and heartache when she was still so exhausted.

  “Ariana, Tiege seeks more from you than just that kind of pairing.”

  Blinking at that, Ariana again looked up. “What?”

  “Look, I understand that to you, pairing with someone as their lifelong Lekwuesti is the most significant bond you think you can offer another being. By asking Tiege to pair with you, you were trying to convey how much he means to you. Right?”

  “Yes,” she murmured.

  “Well, he wants more than that with you, though he’s apparently terrible at conveying it.”

  Finally, Ariana understood. Tiege didn’t want her for her abilities. He wanted her heart.

  When her eyes filled with tears, Tate reached out and pulled her into a hug. “None of that, or I’ll start crying and ruin the amazing job you did with my makeup.”

  Ariana sniffed and let out a watery laugh. “I know. You’re right. Thank you for helping me understand.”

  “Sure thing. It’s what sisters do.”

  Sisters. That had Ariana waving a hand in front of her face to try and keep the tears back. She didn’t know how her heart could feel so full when just a minute ago she swore it would never heal.

  “Okay, we need to decide on your shoes before I size your gown,” she said in an effort to turn her attention from her emotions. “With your long legs, you don’t need much of a heel.”

  After a moment of consideration, she used her power to create a pair of dancing slippers with low heels. Giving them a careful study, she decided that the shoes were a bit too ordinary to suit Tate’s usual style. With another surge of her power, she added three-inch heels and deep red ribbons that laced up ballet-style around Tate’s calves and tied in little bows behind the middle of her thighs. The effect they had on Tate’s legs was exactly right, Ariana thought.

  “Why don’t you walk around in those for a minute or two and make sure they’ll be comfortable enough to wear all evening?” she suggested, waving toward the open door.

  “Sure,” Tate agreed with a shrug.

  Following Tate into the bedroom, Ariana assessed the other female’s stride with a Lekwuesti’s eye. Although the shoes wouldn’t be visible under the long ball gown once Tate was dressed, they were an important part of the ensemble. As she watched Tate stroll in a slow circle and perform a few dance steps without any hitches, she decided the shoes would work well.

  “Ariana, would you give us a minute?”

  Belatedly, she remembered that Zachariah stood just outside the bathroom door. His gaze had latched onto Tate, who now paused in the middle of a dance maneuver and glanced at him over a bare shoulder. Dressed in only a lacy red bustier, matching panties and the heels, she had definitely caught the Mercesti’s attention. The look in his eyes was downright predatory.

  “Um, sure,” Ariana said.

  She went back into the bathroom and closed the door. Unable to fight her curi
osity, she got as close to the door as she could without actually pressing her ear against it. She thought she heard a gasp and a muted thud, but then nothing.

  A minute later, the door opened. Tate stumbled in, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glazed. Concerned, Ariana reached out to steady her.

  “Oh, dear.” She frowned as she second-guessed herself. “These shoes just won’t do.”

  “Lekwuesti,” Zachariah said from somewhere in the bedroom, “if you do nothing else in the course of this bloody day, don’t change those shoes.”

  Chapter 18

  Ini-herit opened the door to his bedroom when he sensed Malukali and Knorbis on the other side of it. He had been dressed for the ball for more than an hour and as he spotted the other two elders, he realized they were also already wearing their formal wear. Malukali’s green gown complemented her eyes, as did the emerald jewelry she wore at her throat and in her dark hair. Knorbis wore a black tuxedo with a coordinating green vest. It was a similar style to the tuxedo Ini-herit wore. The clothes weren’t Ini-herit’s usual style, but he thought they might appeal to Clara Kate.

  The desire to draw her attention was new for him, but much like his instinct to watch over her, he didn’t fight it. In fact, the unusual thoughts he’d been having lately were the very reason he had asked the two other elders to visit him.

  “Thank you for coming,” he told them as he closed the door.

  He directed them to the seating area. The couple took the loveseat as he sat in an adjoining chair. Although they could all communicate through thought, he didn’t want the other elders to know about this conversation. Malukali conveyed an understanding of that through her quiet gaze.

  “Of course,” she said. “What can we do for you?”

  Now that they were here, he wasn’t sure what to tell them. Not having an understanding of the thoughts and compulsions that had struck him in recent weeks, he found it hard to put them into words.

  Eventually, he asked, “Did the Orculesti who paired with me and my Gloresti—or Clara Kate and her Gloresti—convey anything to you about our relationship while we were on the human plane?”

  “Clara Kate didn’t have an Orculesti paired with her,” Malukali explained. “The minds of the Kynzesti are very difficult to read, even for me, so it was seen as a waste of effort. Hermes, the Orculesti paired with you and your Gloresti, hasn’t discussed anything that he might have intercepted.”

  Ini-herit didn’t know whether or not to be grateful for that. “So the only one who knows what took place between me and Clara Kate on the human plane is Clara Kate?”

  “Yes.”

  He considered this. “As you know, you unlocked a memory of mine from the human plane when you were seeking information about the map to the scroll piece. I would like you to try to uncover more.”

  The couple exchanged a look. When Malukali again turned her gaze to him, he knew enough to interpret sympathy. “Ini-herit, that memory didn’t help you reconnect with your human self. It held no context for you. Anything we uncover at this point—”

  “Please,” he interrupted. “I…something is different. There have been things…” He stopped himself, unable to vocalize what he had experienced when he realized Clara Kate would be attending the ball with Alexius. “I do not know for certain, but I think I could possibly be experiencing feelings.”

  Now, Malukali’s eyebrows rose. She glanced again at Knorbis. After a moment, they both nodded.

  “Very well,” she said. They got to their feet and approached him in the chair. “If you suspect there is something to be uncovered, we will make another attempt. Perhaps if you focus on Clara Kate, it will help our efforts.”

  That wouldn’t be a problem. He’d been thinking about her almost constantly for months now. As the energy of the two elders glowed, he closed his eyes and thought of the female who loved him.

  “So, what’d’ya say, hon? Is it a date?”

  Over the top of his menu, Ini-herit watched Clara Kate interact with Brent Douglas, the captain of the high school football team and the dream date of every girl in Coweta County. Even though Clara Kate had only lived in the area for a few weeks, Brent had zeroed in on her the moment she walked in the front doors of Newnan High. He’d been rather relentless in his pursuit, a fact that irritated Ini-herit more than he wanted to admit.

  Not that he couldn’t understand the other guy’s interest, he mused as he studied Clara Kate. In her simple white sundress and summery sandals, she outshined every other female in the restaurant. She wore a barrette with some kind of flower on it that gave her a refreshing, innocent quality that most girls their age lacked.

  It wasn’t just her appearance that drew attention, either. She had a quick, contagious smile and a friendly nature. In the time they’d lived together at Mrs. B’s, he’d discovered that she was unfailingly polite and earnest. She’d made a lot of friends in a short amount of time and it was clear she really cared for everyone she allowed into her circle. It wasn’t about being popular to her.

  No, it wasn’t a shocker that Brent was asking her out. But Ini-herit didn’t have to like it, did he?

  “Oh, um, it’s really nice of you to ask, Brent,” Clara Kate said.

  Ini-herit saw her glance at their table, which she’d been walking back to after a visit to the bathroom. Was that a hint of desperation he saw in her eyes? He frowned as he tried to decide whether or not to intervene.

  “Great. When can I pick you up?” Brent asked. He reached out, probably to brush away the single wave of hair that had escaped Clara Kate’s barrette.

  When she jerked back and once again glanced in his direction, Ini-herit made his decision. He knew panic when he saw it.

  “Hey, Angel,” he said as he approached, keeping his tone casual. He saw her brow quirk at the new nickname, but thought it was a nice touch. It sure suited her with her white dress and everything. Swinging an arm over her shoulders, he asked, “What’s taking so long? I’m hungry.”

  “Sorry, Harry,” she replied, understanding what he was doing. The gratitude he saw in her lovely eyes told him he’d made the right move. “I was just chatting with Brent.”

  “Oh, yeah?” He turned a politely curious gaze to the large, blond male. His confused expression almost made Ini-herit smile. “What’s up, Brent?”

  “Well…” He frowned. “Clara Kate, what’s going on? When did you and Harry hook up?”

  She shrugged and looked at Ini-herit, who said, “We weren’t advertising it or anything.”

  Brent’s broad brow remained furrowed. “Is this some kind of joke?”

  “Only if you consider this a joke.”

  Then right there in the middle of the restaurant, he pulled Clara Kate close and did something he’d been contemplating for a while now. He kissed her.

  He wondered for half a second whether she’d shove him away. He knew she wasn’t the kind of girl who gave out kisses like candy. The appearance of innocence wasn’t a façade for her. So when her hand moved to the back of his head and she met him halfway, he was a little surprised.

  And more than a little thrilled.

  She didn’t wear much makeup—didn’t need to—and it was nice to enjoy the feel of her soft, unpainted lips against his. He realized that she was letting him lead the way, so he reached up and gently stroked her jaw. Taking the hint, she parted her lips for him.

  Then he was lost in the taste of her…the essence of her. Sweet spring days. Brilliant blue skies filled with white, billowing clouds. Colorful gardens bathed in sunlight.

  She accepted the bold stroke of his tongue, countered it with a timid but eager brush of her own. He knew then that she’d never been kissed before, and the knowledge touched his heart like nothing else possibly could.

  When they parted, he looked into her eyes for a long moment. He knew immediately that she felt the same.

  “Okay,” Brent said beside them. “You’re not joking.”

  Holding Ini-herit’s gaze, Clara Kate whispered,
“No. We’re not.”

  Surfacing from the memory, Ini-herit blinked to regain his focus. While Malukali and Knorbis moved to sit again on the loveseat, he fought to hold onto the emotions that the memory evoked. Maybe they didn’t have much meaning to him now, but he liked how they’d made him feel while he was experiencing them.

  It was no use, though. He felt nothing.

  “I’m sorry,” Malukali said quietly. “I’ve never had anything like this happen before. It’s as though your memories from the human plane belong to another being.”

  “We extracted the memory easily enough,” Knorbis added with a thoughtful frown. “But we couldn’t connect it with the emotions you felt at the time. It’s almost as if you’ve locked the emotions down.”

  Malukali sighed. “We don’t appear to have the key,” she concluded.

  Ini-herit listened to them and absorbed the words. Though they weren’t what he had hoped to hear, their conclusions were no different from his own. He supposed it was a small consolation that a being who couldn’t experience emotion couldn’t be disappointed.

  Chapter 19

  On the ride to Central, Metis considered how to proceed. The fact that she was successfully en-route to the Estilorian main base had her feeling what could only be described as exhilarated. It was a real first.

  She feigned exhaustion and lay down on the intriguing platform as they rose into the sky. While she pretended to sleep, she did everything she could to listen in on the thoughts of the Waresti traveling with her. The leader of the small group had only spared three of them for this trip, as the others needed to stay back at the Corgloresti transition point.

  The less protection she had, the better, she thought.

  In reading their minds, she learned a lot about Waresti procedure. They really did focus on their tasks with the sole purpose of seeing them through. Even though they were on an enchanted platform that couldn’t be accessed by their primary enemies, all of them remained diligent and attentive for the duration of their travels. She wondered if a stray Mercesti could possibly fly by and spot them.