She nodded. «Our father left me a message, a way to find it. I brought it to Mikhail.»
«I want you to take the book, Ivory,» Mikhail said. «No one knows where your lair is. No one has had any idea of your presence for these long years, yet you cannot be that far from our territory. The book must remain hidden and away from Xavier. I entrust you with the book and any knowledge you may gain from having it in your possession.»
A gasp went around the room. Even Natalya shook her head. Vikirnoff actually stepped forward aggressively.
«The book was entrusted to you, Mikhail,» he objected. «No one else. Forgive me, Razvan, but someone must have a clear head in this matter.» Vikirnoff swept his hand toward Ivory. «This woman's lifemate was possessed by Xavier for years. He's been used by Xavier to spy, to trick, to lie and to cause great harm. How do we know he is not tricking all of us even now? Would you take a book so dangerous and put it into the very hands of the man who spent several lifetimes with him? We just met this man.» He looked at Gregori. «We have no choice but to take this to the council.»
Mikhail drew himself up to his full height. In that moment, he took Ivory's breath away. Power surged in the room, enough that the walls expanded and contracted and there was a shiver of movement beneath their feet. Even his hair crackled with energy.
«I do not ask the advice of the warriors' council, nor do I need to. If you cannot be civil to a guest in my home, then you may leave.»
He didn't yell or shout. In fact, his voice was pitched low, but it carried enough weight to take someone down instantly.
Vikirnoff opened his mouth and then closed it, swift impatience crossing his face. «I go on record stating that this is a poor idea and the decision to hand over the book should wait. Until we know these two better, we cannot trust them.»
Natalya stood, torn between believing in her brother, and remembering the numerous times it was her brother who had tricked her into giving him information Xavier needed. She shook her head and followed Vikirnoff out of the house.
I am sorry she hurt you, Ivory said, trying to comfort Razvan.
She has reason to worry, Razvan replied gently. Do not be upset on my behalf.
«They should have asked if I wanted the book,» Ivory said. «I do not. But I thank you for your confidence in us.» Of course I am upset on your behalf. She hurt you whether you acknowledge it or not and you do not deserve that.
«The book may be of some use to you as you try to find a way to reverse Xavier's spell on the extremophiles,» Mikhail said, seemingly unaware that they carried on a private conversation, although Ivory was fairly certain he knew.
Do not blame her, Ivory. She was put through so much over the years. Alone and frightened, with Xavier constantly on her heels. For my sake, do not blame her.
Ivory sighed. She would do anything for Razvan right then. If forgiving his sister and her lifemate meant so much to him, then she would oblige. She sent Razvan a small smile before turning her complete attention to the prince.
«I cannot undo the extremophiles mutated state, although I might be able to redirect them,» Ivory told him. «But that book will not help. The book is one for twisted spells and is so dangerous, any wielder trying to use it, including Xavier, will only become as corrupt and twisted as the book itself.»
Razvan took her hand, loving her all the more for her support of him. «She is right, Mikhail. It is a work of evil. The blood sealing the book was the blood of the women he killed. In death he sealed it. And in death it would have to be reopened. Destroy it, though it will not be easy. Never let anyone touch it but you, and destroy it as soon as you can figure out how. You cannot risk the contamination.»
«He would have put other safeguards on it as well,» Ivory added.
«You are certain this is the best course with the book?» Mikhail asked. «If the book has information containing Xavier's spell to kill our children . . .»
«I know it is logical to think you might use the book to reverse it, but that book is nearly as great an enemy to you as Xavier himself. Should that book end up in the hands of one of my fallen brothers, you will know war such as you have never seen,» Ivory said. «Destroy it.» She sighed heavily. «It will not be an easy task, and one I suspect you will not be able to do alone. Look to Razvan's aunts. I know they still sleep, but when they awaken, put the matter before them.»
«How do we reverse Xavier's spells if we cannot use the book?» Raven asked.
«Razvan will remember the high mage's spells and I will document them,» Ivory replied. «In that way we can have a safe record. As long as Razvan lives and remembers, we can probably re-create the entire book without the corruption.»
«You believe you can do this?» Raven asked. She pressed both hands protectively over her unborn child.
«I wish to have children some day,» Ivory said, although, truthfully, she didn't believe she would survive the coming battle. «I will do this, no matter how long it takes.»
CHAPTER 14
The night welcomed them, the wide-open spaces, the sky heavy now with new clouds. Ivory inhaled deeply, drawing the night air into her lungs, and laughed just for the sheer joy of being outside where she felt alive. Where she could breathe.
«Let's never do that again,» she said.
Razvan grinned at her. «Good idea. You were the one with the good manners, insisting we thank everyone.» He stretched his arms to the gray clouds and inhaled. «I do believe it is going to snow on us.»
«Shall we take the children and go home?» she asked, her slow grin matching his.
«Are we flying? Running?» He arched a brow at her.
Ivory took a slow, careful look around her. «I think we will walk for now.»
Razvan sent his senses flaring out into the night, trying to pick up on what she felt. He didn't doubt that some of the Carpathian hunters might follow them to make certain they were not meeting with Xavier and reporting everything they had spoken of.
«They think I am a spy,» he said. «Does it bother you?»
«Actually,» Ivory corrected, «they think we are both spies.» She sent him an amused grin. «I have spent more than one human lifetime thinking of the Carpathian people as betrayers, and yet they think me the spy.»
«Because you are with me,» he pointed out. «If you like, when you wish to visit or speak with them to gather information, it will not hurt me to have you go into the village alone. I can spend the time with the pack on the outskirts, waiting for you.»
She shook her head. «It is not simply because of you. I am a Malinov. I cannot blame them. The timing is very suspicious. I would be suspicious.» But she wasn't happy with his sister. Natalya should have believed in him. She was afraid to believe, more than she disbelieved. Ivory didn't voice her opinion because Razvan simply accepted his sister's suspicions as he did most things, but if she had an opportunity, she might just have a word with the woman.
Razvan laughed out loud and enveloped her hand with his. «I am still in your mind.»
She blushed, realizing she was still in his as well. «It feels so natural. I did not mean for you to hear that.»
«I do not mind you wanting to stick up for me, but truly, Ivory, it is not necessary. I have learned to live without Natalya's admiration these long years. I do worry for my daughter, Lara. I hope we can alleviate her problems by eliminating Xavier, but I have no wish to disrupt her life or Natalya's, or even the aunts'. I am fine the way I am. Happy the way I am.»
He tucked her hand against his chest as they walked, bringing them close together. «Lara did not come to see me, which you and I both know means that she was not ready to face me. I am uncomfortable in the presence of so many. Emotions, which I am unused to, can be difficult. I need peace in my mind, and with the combination of their doubt and guilt pressing on me, I found myself having to work at keeping my mind calm, which hasn't happened in more years than I care to count.»
«They are fools, Razvan, not to understand what you suffered for them. For
all of the Carpathian people.»
«My aunts will tell them once they emerge from the healing ground. They were kept too long starving and Gregori has long been trying to aid them to recovery,» Razvan said. «When we shared minds, I could see them very clearly.» He smiled, and this time his eyes held affection. «I observed them as women, as he saw them, not in the form of dragons as they were held captive. It was . . . astounding.»
Ivory walked through the snow, swinging hands with him, wishing she'd paid more attention to the various people in Gregori's mind. If they hadn't pertained to battle or seemed significant to her, she had tried to be careful of his privacy. Now, she could scarcely recall the two women who had saved Razvan's life by turning him fully Carpathian. They had Rhiannon's blood flowing in their veins-Razvan's grandmother. Rhiannon had come from such a powerful Carpathian line.
«Dragonseeker,» she murmured aloud. «How often that name was whispered in awe and respect. You carry that line and you stayed true to it.»
The first flakes began to fall. Small crystals of enormous beauty. Razvan watched them as they walked, their tracks light and then, when Ivory wished it, nonexistent. They still left their scent behind, making certain that anyone who might wish to track them would see the wide curve of a new direction.
Razvan walked along beside her, feeling content, occasionally scooping snow into his hand and packing it to form a ball just to throw it at a tree trunk as they passed. It made him feel a bit like a kid again, carefree and happy, just as much as when he'd run with the wolves.
«You take every moment,» Ivory said, «and you live it right then.»
He shrugged. «I found that in order to survive I had to live in the moment. I do whatever I am doing with everything in me. I enjoy it, or endure it or survive it.» He looked around at the drifting snow and the heavily laden trees with their crystal formations. «This is paradise to me.»
«Walking through the forest in the snow, hoping to throw off anyone tracking us?» She laughed, shaking her head. «You really are a little bit peculiar. I like it, but you are still weird.»
Razvan's laugh was joyous, the sound deep and pure, sliding into her body and making her heart sing. It made her feel like a bit of an idiot, but she didn't care; she kept the silly smile on her face anyway.
«We have everything we could possibly want right here in this moment. You. Me. The pack. Look around you. The snow is beautiful, the trees unbelievable. We are happy. Whatever comes later, we have these moments right now. Right here. We may as well make the best of them because we will never get these moments back.»
He lobbed a snowball at her. It landed in her hair and broke, covering the blue-black strands with flakes. He sprinted away from her.
Ivory gasped and went after him scooping up snow on the run, packing and throwing with the tremendous speed and accuracy born of throwing her arrowheads.
Razvan dodged, looking over his shoulder at her, laughing. She was so beautiful to him, running in the snow with her long strides, her muscles rippling beneath the smooth expanse of skin. Just the way she moved was pure sin. Her eyes were enormous with excitement. Crystal flakes landed on her lashes and she batted the two thick crescents to get the snow off. The gesture was feminine, sexy beyond measure yet totally unintentional.
He took advantage and reversed direction, running at her fast, hurling three snowballs to distract her, uncaring where they hit, watching her mouth, that beautiful bow of a mouth, curved and soft and so tempting. He dropped his shoulder and caught her low, lifting her and taking her down in one smooth move.
They landed in the snow, sinking into the icy powder. Razvan caught her wrist before she could stuff another snowball down his shirt. She laughed up at him, looking good enough to eat. Before he could take advantage and kiss her, she pushed up with her heels, loosening him enough to roll them over so she was on top, trying to pin him down. They wrestled there in the snow, the flakes rising like a whirlwind to meet the ones falling from the sky, their laughter stirring the needles on the trees. The wind carried the sound on the stillness of the night.
They lay side by side, throwing arms and legs out, like two small children, making snow figures on the ground and then leaping to their feet for another wild battle with snowballs flying furiously.
Ivory finally leapt on him, arms circling his neck, her legs wrapped around his hips in an effort to stop the crazy game before she laughed so much she cried. «You are so crazy, Razvan,» she said, holding him tightly. She buried her face against his throat, afraid she really would burst into tears at the emotions welling up, threatening to overwhelm her.
She knew he thought her some kind of miracle, but in truth, to her he was the miracle. She had no idea how to have fun, and she had no idea how he did. There had been no fun in his life, only cruelty and torture; she at least had played with her pack, but it was Razvan who brought fun into her world again.
«Ivory?» His voice was gentle with inquiry.
She refused to lift her head, only held him tighter, keeping her face pressed against his throat, listening to the wild beating of his heart and feeling the reassuring throb of his pulse.
Razvan tightened his arms around her, rocking gently as if comforting her, but he said nothing at all, not asking for an explanation to the end of their game. He simply accepted. She closed her eyes and savored him. It wasn't the physical strength Razvan possessed in abundance that drew her to him, it was the sheer strength of his character, the absolute well of determined spirit deep inside of him. He was so steady. A rock. For her.
She lifted her head and smiled down at him, not realizing her heart was shining in her eyes. «You are mine, Dragonseeker. My rock.»
His slow, answering smile nearly stopped her heart. «That I am, han ku kuulua sivamet-keeper of my heart. I will be your everything.»
Ivory allowed her feet to drop down into the snow. «Let's go home.» More than anything she wanted to be home with him. She wanted her private sanctuary to welcome him, to feel as if he was as much a part of the pack-of her home-as he was her heart.
Razvan held out his hand to her. She glanced up at the sky, scanned the trees, hesitating. She was a warrior first. She could never lose sight of that.
«You will never be diminished by what is between us,» he said softly.
Something in her settled. She couldn't imagine being diminished by Razvan. If anything, she would be better, stronger, more. She looked at his upturned palm. His hand was large. There were scars up and down his wrist and forearm. Her heart fluttered. She placed her hand in his and watched his fingers close around hers, binding them together just as the ritual words had done.
Do you remember? She couldn't ask aloud; it meant too much. She was very spiritual and believed, whether anyone else did or not, that they had been created to be together, and those words imprinted on him from birth ad made them one.
Razvan brought her hand to his chest and stepped close, brushing the snow from the strands of hair tumbling around her face, pulled from her thick braid in their wild battle. «I remember every word, Ivory, and I meant them. I wanted the binding between us. It was not desperation. And it was not the need to save me.»
He bent his dark head in that slow way of his. He still had snowflakes on his lashes. As he moved, a thick heat slipped like molasses through her veins. His mouth closed over hers and the snow melted around her, she was certain of it. She swore she could see steam rising from the ground and feel molten liquid gathering like thick magma in her most feminine core.
She leaned into him, melting like the snow. She felt on the edge of a great precipice, teetering, knowing she was going to fall and it was far too late to save herself. In truth, she didn't want to; she already craved the taste of him, the heat and white lightning arcing through her body, sizzling in her mind, shorting out her brain for way too long when they were out in the open.
When he lifted his head she took a moment to drown in the intensity of his desire. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Ivory
stepped away from temptation. «You are the most lethal man I know.»
«I will take that as a compliment.» He kissed her again. «You like lethal.»
He knew how to kiss. Long and slow and delicious. A slow, burning heat that scorched from the inside out. She found herself smiling up at him all over again as he lifted his head. «Yes, I suppose I do.» Although, she was scared to care that much about anyone ever again.
They walked through the drifting snow for several miles until the flakes began to look like a white blanket falling from the sky. It might have been the muffled world they found themselves in, alien and white and so quiet that even their breathing seemed too loud in the vast silence, but Ivory began to feel uneasy. Another mile and her wolves stirred. She felt the itch spread over her skin as Raja lifted his head out of her back and bared his teeth in a snarl.
I know, she soothed. We have company. Ivory glanced at Razvan. «We are being followed.» Her voice was a thread of sound, as muffled and as quiet as the snow.
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