Cherished

by Christina Bauer

  Great idea, actually.

  Rowan started walking us toward his bed. I couldn’t help but smile. Few women in their twenties had never lain with a man. I happened to be one of them. Rowan and I came close once, but that was all. If this were to be my first time having sex, then I was glad it would be with Rowan.

  He paused by the edge of the bed. “I’m not going anywhere, Elea. You’re my heart and my future. I won’t ever give you up. I love you.”

  My eyes widened. Yet another statement I wasn’t expecting. “What do you expect me to say to that?”

  “Nothing.” He leaned forward until our foreheads rested against each other. “I know the truth. You fell hopelessly in love with me the first time fought out on the desert.”

  “I did, did I?”

  “Of course. It’s just taking you some time to learn to trust me. Love and trust don’t always develop at the same speed. I can be patient.” Rowan gazed at me like I was the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world. I leaned forward to kiss him again. Rowan set his pointer finger on my chin, preventing me from moving closer.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “We need to stop. Someone’s at the door.”

  On reflex, I tightened my legs around his waist. “You’re Genesis Rex. Tell them to go away.”

  “I can’t. It’s my mother.”

  “Oh.” My verbal skills were back to zero.

  I quickly stepped away from Rowan. Thus began a desperate process of trying to realign the scraps of leather that served as my outfit. I wasn’t sure if I was making any progress at all. I groaned. “It’s going to be obvious what we were up to.”

  “Don’t worry.” Rowan straightened out his own leathers. “That’s why she’s here in the first place. Zoriah doesn’t want us together.” The muscles in his neck tightened. “It’s always been about Storm for her.”

  Loud knocking sounded at the door. “Let me in.” It was Zoriah. “We have much to discuss, my son.”

  Rowan turned to me. The dark circles under his eyes seemed to visibly deepen. “You can transport away, if you like.” He gestured toward Petra’s ring that I still wore.

  “No.” I straightened my shoulders. “I’m staying right here.”

  Rowan gave me one last gentle kiss. “Good.”

  For the first time since I stepped into this room, I had the feeling that I’d said the right thing. If only I knew what to say in order for Rowan to fully unlock his secrets.

  “Open this door now.” Zoriah’s muffled voice carried through the room. “Lazy guards.”

  I stared at the closed door. Maybe I was thinking about this in the wrong way. Zoriah coming by might not be a bad thing. If Rowan wouldn’t tell me the full truth, perhaps she could.

  “Right away, Your Majesty,” said one of the guards.

  The door swung open, and I hoped for the best. One thing was for certain, though. No matter what happened, I wouldn’t give up.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Rowan’s mother sauntered into the room. Like always, she looked young and perfect with her long brown hair, green eyes, and flawless robes.

  All of a sudden, I became acutely aware that I was standing at the foot of Rowan’s bed while wearing next to nothing. Sure, the outfit in question had been picked out by Zoriah, but I doubted that she pictured me wearing it with a swollen mouth and mussed-up hair in her son’s private chambers.

  Rowan gave his mother the barest of nods. “Zoriah.”

  So, Rowan calls his mother by her first name. Good plan. I wouldn’t want to be reminded I had any blood ties with her, either.

  She bowed slightly. “My son.” Her green eyes locked on me. “And who are you, I wonder?”

  Rowan stifled a cough. “You know very well who Elea is.”

  A small smile rounded Zoriah’s mouth. “Do I?”

  An itchy feeling crept over my skin. I had the uncomfortable sensation that Rowan and Zoriah were talking about something I didn’t know about but probably should. “Care to elaborate?” I asked.

  Zoriah shrugged. “I have nothing to say.”

  Rowan stepped forward, placing his body between me and his mother. I knew Rowan’s protective nature. The way he set his fists on his hips, you’d think Zoriah was carrying poisoned darts.

  I frowned. Then again, perhaps she was. Every time I thought I had the Caster culture figured out, an unexpected custom popped up out of nowhere. For all I knew, poisoned darts were a common means of greeting.

  “So you have nothing to say?” repeated Rowan. “Of course, you do. Out with it.”

  Zoriah picked invisible bits of lint off her red robes. “I came by to broker a peace. The battle with Shujaa is a week away. Much as I loathe you, Rowan, I don’t wish to see you die needlessly.”

  “You’d love my death, and we both know it.”

  “I’m here to see if you’ll simply hand over the crown to Shujaa. You’ve been growing weaker for months. You don’t stand a chance against him.”

  “This is excellent news.” Rowan’s green eyes glittered.

  Zoriah stepped closer. “So you’ll hand over the throne?”

  “Not a chance. I’m pleased because you wouldn’t try to broker a deal unless you thought I had a real chance at winning. Thank you for the unintentional vote of confidence.”

  My own protective nature flared up inside me. Zoriah was only here to try to undermine Rowan. “I think it would be best if you left.”

  Zoriah rounded on me. “I reached out to your Mother Superior, you know. She doesn’t want you here for a moment longer than is necessary. Once Rowan is dead, she expects you back at the Zelle Cloister to rule your people. You aren’t staying here to reign over ours.”

  “Ruling is your dream, Zoriah. Not mine.”

  “The prophecy will be fulfilled. Shujaa is the true King, and his golden army will take over these lands.” She glared at Rowan. “Step down now or die.”

  “You heard the Tsarina.” Rowan’s voice took on a deeper tone of menace. “Now, it’s time for you to go.”

  “Remember the prophecy.” Zoriah then strode out the door. It slammed behind her with a thud.

  Once she was gone, a long silence fell between me and Rowan. “Your mother is scheming,” I said at last.

  “That’s rather typical for her. Some days, I wonder why she didn’t drown me as an infant.”

  Rowan was trying to make light of a terrible situation, but my heart still cracked for him. “I’m sorry you have her as your mother. I didn’t know my parents, but at least I could imagine them as kind people.”

  “Don’t pity me too much. My father was a great man. He and Zoriah never got along. When he died…Anyway, he’s gone now and I can handle Zoriah.” Rowan rubbed his neck. He’d never looked more hollowed out and ill.

  “When was the last time you slept?”

  The ghost of his crooked smile returned. “Recently.”

  I pulled him onto the bed. “Lay down.”

  “This is all rather forward of you.”

  “I was being rather forward, but that was before your mother stopped by.” I tugged on his arm again. “You need to rest, and I’m not going anywhere until you do.” I nodded toward the window. “Night is already falling. Time for all good Genesis Rexes to go to sleep.”

  “If you insist.”

  His smile widened, and my chest filled with all things warm and happy. “I do.”

  Rowan scooted onto the bed and raised his left arm. I cuddled into his side, finding his body to be the perfect fit for mine. He kept up a low cough. On reflex, I set my hand on the center of his bare chest.

  “How’s this?” he asked.

  “Perfect, now get some rest.”

  He pressed me more closely into his side. “That isn’t easy with you here, you know.”

  “Kade said that I could pinch your shoulder and make you fall asleep instantly.”

  Rowan set his hand on a particular spot on my shoulder blade. The warmth of his skin sent sh
ivers through my insides. “The spot is right here, in case you’re wondering. But it only works for a minute or two.”

  “Really? I thought he was joking.”

  “Physical force can be more powerful than magick.”

  “We’ll see about that. Try to rest, or I’ll cast a sleeper spell on you.”

  “In that case, I’ll do my best.” I couldn’t see Rowan’s face, but there was no mistaking the sound of a smile in his voice.

  We lay there for a while, not talking and simply soaking in the sensation of being together. It was all far too exciting. What would it be like to be able to fall asleep at Rowan’s side each night? Sleep seemed to be impossible, especially since Rowan kept up his steady cough. After about an hour, my body felt heavy with the need to rest.

  As both Rowan and I drifted off to sleep, I thought I saw the veins in my right hand begin to glow red with Caster power. My eyes popped open wide. I’d never summoned Caster power before, at least not without the help of Rowan, Oni, or Yuri. I turned my hand over, but my skin looked as it always did. With all my focus, I tried to summon fresh Caster power to my right hand once more. Nothing worked. After a few more tries, I started to feel rather foolish.

  Me summoning Caster power? It must have been a trick of my mind.

  At least, Rowan’s coughing had stopped for whatever reason. Now, his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. He was feeling better, and no matter what caused the change, I was certainly thankful for it.

  With that happy thought, I drifted off to sleep as well.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sunlight streamed through the vines covering Rowan’s windows. The thin lines of brightness shifted across the bed, highlighting how Rowan and I still lay entwined atop the covers. In point of fact, Rowan and I hadn’t moved since we fell asleep. Well, not unless I counted how I’d draped my right leg over his.

  On second thought, I would definitely count it. The sensation of Rowan’s firm thigh underneath mine was pleasant in the extreme.

  Rowan’s eyes fluttered open. I was happy to see that the dark circles under his eyes had lessened. “Good morning.”

  “Hello, there.”

  He reached over and took a lock of my dark hair and rubbed it between his fingertips. “How are you feeling?”

  “I should be asking you that question. Did Shujaa summon you last night to make more of his golden warriors?”

  “He did not.” Rowan kissed my head. “You must bring me good fortune.”

  “Or scare your brother away.” I tried to force a smile, but couldn’t. “I hate the idea of him taking your magick.”

  “I’m fine. Whatever is happening to me, it won’t last much longer.”

  A weight of worry settled onto my shoulders. “I don’t like this, Rowan. The battle with Shujaa comes up in just one week. You need your strength. Maybe you should consider postponing it?”

  “As I said, it’s nothing to worry about. I’ve always been stronger than Shujaa.”

  “That’s not what I asked.” I closely inspected Rowan’s face. Although he looked better than last night, there were still lines of weariness across his forehead.

  “Look,” said Rowan. “If I postpone, that would forfeit my crown. If anything, I should move the date closer.” He looked away quickly as he said that last part.

  “And have you decided to move the date closer?”

  “I’m considering it.” Rowan stood up and stretched. I missed the touch of his body the moment he stepped away. “Jicho will be here soon. He’s keeping you company today.”

  I sat up and thought through that last revelation from Rowan about the battle with Shujaa. “You wouldn’t move the date closer unless it gave you an advantage.”

  He flashed me a lopsided grin. “Am I so transparent?”

  “To me, you are. Sometimes.” And never when it’s truly important.

  A knock sounded at the door. I noticed that the guard’s voice was now that of a man. They must have changed shifts. “Your brother is here to see you, Your Majesty.”

  “Let him in.”

  The door swung open, and Jicho bounded the room. This morning, he was all knobby knees, bald head, and gap-toothed smile. A long and thin game board was balanced in his arms. “Good morning!”

  Rowan stepped over and patted his younger brother’s shoulder. Like always, Jicho wore his Seer’s robes. “I see you’ve brought the Jackals and Hounds game.”

  “Would you two like to play with me?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t. But Elea may be interested.” Rowan turned to me. “What do you think?”

  “Certainly.” My mind whirred. Too many things were happening at once, and I still didn’t have enough information. When it came to getting more insights, there was one person on the top of my list. “Perhaps we could stop by and visit Amelia first?”

  Jicho shook his head. “She’s over in Kade’s laboratory. They’ve asked not to be disturbed.”

  I pursed my lips. This was news. Kade and Amelia are now spending time together in his laboratory? “What are they working on?”

  “Who can tell? It’s all little gears and things.” A knowing smile crossed Jicho’s face. Clearly, Jicho completely envisioned what they were up to. Clever Seer.

  I folded my arms across my chest. “You’re a visionary. I bet you know a lot of things about them.”

  “Maybe.”

  Rowan chuckled. “Jicho is a wily one. He won’t tell you his visions until you say the right thing.”

  I decided to try a different tactic. Time to try the second name of my list of people who could give me insights. “How about we visit Philippe then?”

  “He’s with Amelia in the laboratory. Veronique is, too.” Jicho shook the board game. “Come along, Elea. Let’s play.”

  “Perhaps I can help Rowan.” With whatever sneakiness he’s up to.

  Rowan stepped up to me and brushed the backs of his fingers against my cheek. “I wish you could, but it’s not right. Please.”

  Ugh. He always breaks my resolve with that “please.”

  “Come on.” Jicho shook the game again. “I promise. It will be fun.” But the way Jicho said those words—“I promise it will be fun”—I got the feeling he wanted the same thing I did.

  To give me some information. At last.

  “In that case,” I said, “let’s go play.”

  Hours later, I picked up my carved game piece from the board. Jicho and I now sat on opposite sides of a small table inside my room. We’d been playing Jackals and Hounds all day. Lunch and dinner plates were strewn about, and I’d changed into an extremely comfortable set of Caster leathers.

  I scanned the board and considered my next move. Turns out, Jackals and Hounds was a very distracting game that reminded me of chess, something Mother Superior and I would play at the Cloister. Even so, there were only so many hours one could spend playing board games. The sun was starting to touch the horizon line.

  And I still didn’t have any new information.

  Now, I knew Rowan had cast an aegis spell on Jicho, so he couldn’t tell me any secrets. Even so, Jicho didn’t even seem to be trying to tell me anything. If Jicho’s tongue had lit up with magick, I’d know he was trying to break the spell and share a secret. But it hadn’t. Not even once. After a full day of this, I was starting to wonder if Jicho wanted to help me all.

  I set the piece down on the opposite side of the board. “There.”

  Jicho grinned. “That’s quite a good move.”

  “Thank you.” With a sigh, I rested my chin on my fist. “Is it time yet?”

  There was no question what I meant. All day, Jicho had been insisting that I would find out what I needed to know when the moment was right.

  “You’ll understand it all—” he began.

  “When the time is right. I remember.”

  Jicho bowed his head, and I had to admit, the boy could definitely seem very much the mystic Seer when he wanted to, despite the fact that he was only nine ye
ars old. Even so, the day was wasting away, and I’d played more Jackals and Hounds than I ever thought possible.

  I leaned back in my chair, my blood starting to boil. My Zuchtlos nature took over. “I’m done with this, Jicho. Tell me the truth, or so help me, I’ll cast a truth spell on you, even if you are a sweet boy.”

  Jicho grinned. “And now, finally, the time is right.”

  My mouth fell open. “Have you been waiting all day for me to threaten you?”

  He shrugged. “I had a vision. Your threat was the start of it.” He gave me a gap-toothed grin. “Don’t take it personally.”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You’re very much like your brother, you know that? Neither of you will answer a direct question.”

  “How about this? There are more dresses for you in the wardrobe.”

  A spark of hope lit in my chest. “Formal dresses?”

  “Yes, Zoriah sent them yesterday, but you never know when they’ll come in handy.”

  I drummed my fingers on the tabletop. “Something’s going on tonight. A formal ceremony of some kind. That’s what you’re hinting at.”

  Jicho didn’t answer, but he moved his game piece. I took that to mean yes.

  “Fine. I’ll go. But I’m changing into a fresh set of Caster leathers.”

  Jicho lowered his head. The veins in his neck turned black for a moment before returning to normal once more. Jicho raised his gaze to meet mine. “You can wear whatever you want tonight. It won’t change things.”

  “Why doesn’t your tongue light up when you talk?”

  Jicho shrugged. “I had visions that told me what to say. Words to get around Rowan’s spell.”

  “That sounds rather complicated.”

  “No, it’s easy.” He moved another piece. “And I win.”

  “You didn’t.” I checked the board. He’d won indeed. Jicho was an interesting boy. “Congratulations.”

  “You better get ready.”

  “If you say so.” The servants had stocked my bureau with plenty of Caster leathers. I took a few steps in that direction.