The Forbidden (Kelderan Runic Warriors #4)

by Jessie Donovan

  Between Ryven complimenting her and not taking her to task for breaking a few toes, Kalahn started to see him in a new light. "You are different from most males."

  "I always have been."

  For a few seconds, they stared at one another. Not in an awkward silence, but rather one that made her heart rate tick up and heat to course through her body.

  In that instant, she wanted to know more about Ryven than the fact he was a warrior or her brother's friend.

  But Ryven spoke up first. "And because I'm different, you shouldn't try to defy me at every turn. I want to help you, Kalahn. I honestly do. And that is a good deal more than most males would wish to do. New colony or not, the old ways are still ingrained into every Kelderan here. Add in the fact someone might be out to kill you, and you need to be more careful." He gently took her chin between his fingers. "So, will you listen to me and put your best effort into what I can teach you? Do that, and maybe your brother will loosen the reins more."

  She almost nodded, but silly as it was, she wanted to feel Ryven's rough fingers against her skin for a little longer. "I'll try. But I can't completely give up my other plans."

  He lightly stroked her jaw, and her heart skipped a beat. It took everything she had to focus on his words. "Tell me what they are, Kalahn. And maybe I can help you with them."

  ~~~

  Every time Ryven touched Kalahn's skin, he knew he shouldn't be doing so. It was a betrayal to Kason, to Ryven's moral code, and borderline against the law.

  And yet, he couldn't seem to keep his distance. Every time he almost regained control, her markings flashed and revealed how much his touch affected her, drawing him back under her spell.

  When Kalahn had told him about the dishonorable males trying to touch her without permission, the need to hurt each and every one of them had surged through his body.

  He could put that down to being an honorable male looking out for his friend's sister. But when Kalahn explained how she had "accidentally" broken a few toes, he realized there was more to Kalahn than his best friend’s sister—she was a female he wanted to know more, maybe even everything, about. Not to mention one he always wanted to protect and have her back.

  And that was dangerous.

  He needed to banish those kinds of thoughts about her. So he asked Kalahn about her plans, and waited.

  Kalahn bit her bottom lip, and it took a good deal of self-control to keep his gaze on her eyes and away from temptation as she replied, "I want to, but I know your first loyalty is to Kason and I don't want to put you in an awkward situation."

  At the mention of her brother, Ryven released his grip on her chin. He would help her, but he could never have her. "Provided you aren't going to assassinate him or overthrow King Keltor, I'm sure I can keep a secret."

  She searched his eyes. "But why do you care? You'll be leaving soon enough."

  He decided to tell her the truth. "No, your brother has worked it out so that I'm staying on Jasvar permanently."

  She blinked. "Since when?"

  "Since earlier today. So you see, once the colony is settled and threats eradicated, I'll be quite bored. I could use a few extra tasks to tackle, such as helping you."

  She frowned. "Don't be so dismissive. They aren't silly goals."

  "I won't know that until you tell me, now, will I?"

  As indecision flashed in Kalahn's eyes, he wondered why he kept pushing her. He had zero right to demand her secrets.

  And yet, he wanted to know them all.

  Yes, he was definitely headed into dangerous territory, but he wasn't going to rescind his offer of help now.

  She finally spoke up again. "I want to be useful. Not in a 'take care of a niece or nephew' kind of way, either. I want to help our people on this planet. Females in particular came here for freedom. I want to make that promise a reality."

  "Have you discussed this with Kason or Taryn?"

  She searched his gaze. "You're not going to dismiss me as being naive for wanting such things?"

  He raised his brows. "Why? I want to see better treatment of the Barren, which is maybe even more difficult. Vala has made a start, along with her lord, but it's not enough."

  "Why do you wish to do that? Not that I don't agree that it needs to be done, but why?"

  Ryven could count on one hand the number of people who knew the reason why, but he didn't hesitate to make Kalahn another one. "My mother is one of the Barren."

  He waited to see if Kalahn comprehended the significance of his words, and her eyes widened. "You were orphaned and taken in by one of the Barren citadels."

  He nodded. "My parents, like many others, were killed toward the end of the Brevkan wars. The Barren took me in and one of them adopted me as her son."

  "Is she here?"

  "Not yet, although I'm trying to secure her passage on the next colony ship."

  Kalahn stood tall. "Tell me her name and I'll pester my brothers to make it happen."

  The corner of his mouth ticked up. "I appreciate the support, but so far I have things under control."

  "You'd be surprised what Keltor and Kason will do for me, which means she could get here sooner. After all, your mother should be here if you are."

  He knew Kalahn had lost her mother young, which was why she was so quick to offer assistance—she believed everyone should spend time with loved ones while they still could. "If I need help, I'll ask. I promise. But it's better to save your goodwill and favors with your brothers for something that truly requires it, such as equality for females. I suspect you have a list of what you wish to do?"

  "Of course I do. I don't want to forget anything. But you're changing the subject. We were talking about your mother."

  Sighing, he clasped his hands behind his back. "I didn't realize this was an interrogation."

  "It's not, but if I don't ask now, I'm not sure if I'll ever have the chance again."

  An idea struck. "Work hard to pass my first levels of tests, and I'll allow you to ask me anything you want for twenty minutes."

  "Anything?"

  "On my honor, anything."

  At the devilish glint in Kalahn's eyes, Ryven's stomach dropped. She was going to make the most of those twenty minutes.

  Too bad she didn't know he was good at answering without giving the full truth. Every warrior learned how to do that during their initiation training, to ensure they could resist if captured.

  Kalahn grinned. "Okay, then let's get started."

  "Fine. Drop down and do this."

  Ryven went into a push-up position. "I want five like this."

  He lowered slowly and pushed up. He most definitely wasn't showing off to Kalahn. She needed to increase her strength to impress her brother.

  When done, he jumped up and clapped his hands. "Ready?"

  A skeptical look filled her eyes. "How is a push-up going to help me defend myself?"

  "You said you would listen to me, and I promise this is important. Now, get down."

  He expected Kalahn to grumble, but she followed his order without another word. As she struggled to complete the exercise, a new training regime ran through his mind. True, he wanted to help Kalahn, but he also needed the distraction. Otherwise he'd watch her soft, delectable behind as she moved, and that would lead to even baser thoughts. Ones he should never have about a princess.

  Chapter Five

  Two days later, Kalahn groaned as she shuffled to the kitchen area of Kajala's place. "Damn Ryven and his exercises. It feels as if my arms are going to fall off."

  Kajala chuckled from her perch on a stool next to the counter. "You've been doing extra ones yourself, so you can't blame only him."

  She shot Kajala a glare. "I thought you were on my side."

  "I am, but I also believe in the truth."

  "More like you just want a distraction."

  Kajala's hand went to her belly. "That, too."

  Kalahn suddenly felt insensitive. "I'm sorry, Jala. You shouldn't worry. Kason will welcome
you, just as Keltor will. Besides, you get to speak with Father later today, too."

  "We'll see."

  Wanting to distract her sister, Kalahn sat beside her. "If that weren't exciting enough, Kason's going to give me a briefing of what he's found out so far from that assassin woman. While it won't be as interesting as seeing her in person, it's a huge step for him to even think of sharing the interrogation information with me."

  "I know it excites you, Kalahn. However, the fact an assassin exists only makes me more worried about my future."

  She waved a hand in dismissal. "Nonsense. We're all going to stand with you and help protect your son. I dare anyone to try and harm him."

  Kajala touched Kalahn's arm. "Thank you. Although I'm not sure if you'll want to stay here once he's born. Newborn babies cry a lot."

  Kalahn opened her mouth to refute moving out, but someone knocked and Ryven's voice came through the door. "Let me in."

  Standing, Kalahn took her time to brush out her skirts. While she knew Ryven was busy with other duties, she hadn't seen or heard from him in two days. It was almost as if he wanted to delay her training so as to not allow her to pass her first level tests and ask him twenty minutes of questions.

  But she was nothing if not determined.

  Reaching the door, she opened it and let him in. Ryven bowed his head toward Kajala. "Good morning, your highness." He looked to Kalahn. "Are you ready?"

  "Good morning to you, too." She motioned toward the door with her head. "I would take charge and leave, but I don't want you to worry about some booby trap that's miraculously appeared in the last ten seconds."

  He grunted. "You shouldn't be so flippant about your life."

  Kalahn was tempted to growl, but restrained herself. "I'm not. But to be overcautious about every aspect isn't good, either. Stop stalling. I'm anxious to see Kason and hear what he has to say."

  Ryven looked at Kajala. "The guards posted outside are some of my most trusted warriors. Don't hesitate to ask them for anything."

  Kajala lowered her head in acknowledgment. "You're too kind."

  "It's my honor, your highness."

  As Kalahn watched the pair, she wanted to roll her eyes. There were times for diplomacy and formality, but the present wasn't one of them.

  Ryven finally opened the door and exited, and she followed.

  She struggled to keep up with him, but it wasn't long before they arrived at the conference room being used by Kason for some of the most delicate issues surrounding the Kelderan colony.

  Inside, sat Kason, Syzel, Thorin, and a male she recognized by face only. She quickly sat next to Kason and raised her eyebrows in question.

  When he didn't scold her behavior, Kalahn knew something was amiss. Thankfully Kason didn't beat around the bush. "There's something special about the female assassin we captured."

  "I thought this was a briefing?" she asked. "Shouldn't you start with her general information first?"

  Kason patted a folder in front of him. "Everything you need to know is here. However, I asked you here for another reason."

  Kalahn looked at each person in the room in turn, finally settling on her brother again. "Everyone seems rather serious in here. How about you tell me what's going on? I wouldn't be here if you didn't need my help, so dancing around the issue is a waste of time."

  Her brother sighed. "Sometimes I wish you'd be a little more formal."

  "If so, I doubt you'd have me here at all. So, what's going on?"

  "You're right that there's a specific reason you're here." Kason nodded at the male she recognized by appearance only. "I'll let Merctor explain."

  A vague memory about Merctor being a scientist popped into her head, but she quickly focused on what he said. "The female assassin is not purely Kelderan. Judging by her DNA, she's part Hirlanzian."

  Shaking her head, she murmured, "I've never heard of Hirlanzia, so I'm not sure why that's important."

  Kason grunted. "Merctor's not done yet."

  Sensing that her brother might be losing his patience, she bobbed her head and waited.

  Merctor continued, "While one of her parents must be Kelderan due to her looks and genetic code, the other is not. The Hirlanzians are known telepaths, and the trait is dominant, meaning she possesses it too."

  Kalahn's attempt to remain silent failed. "As in she can read minds?"

  Ryven shook his head. "She can only read minds of other telepaths. Or, at least those who don't have their minds properly shielded."

  Her brows drew together. "I'm not sure I follow. Kelderans don't have telepathy, so she shouldn't be able to read our minds."

  "You're correct that Kelderans aren't born with the ability," Merctor stated. "However, they can be given the ability through a specific DNA splicing process."

  Kalahn put out a hand. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

  Kason spoke up again. "Thanks to the splicing procedure, we have some Kelderan telepaths inside the army."

  Ignoring the vast number of questions she had, she focused on Kason. "You were in the army. Have they done this to you?"

  Her brother shook his head. "It's something done rarely and usually to someone with a lesser profile. I've always been a highly sought-after target since I'm a prince. In case I was ever captured, we couldn't afford to let any of our enemies know about our advancements."

  She leaned forward. "But are there telepaths inside the colony on Jasvar?"

  Ryven shared a look with Kason, and her brother gave a slight nod. Ryven met her gaze. "Yes. In fact, I'm one of them, as is Syzel."

  Ryven was a telepath. She'd had no idea.

  Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

  Kalahn didn't know how long her jaw dropped, but she finally closed it and asked, "If you have telepathy, Ryven, are you reading our minds right now?"

  He shook his head. "It doesn't work like that. I can only communicate with other telepaths. There may be other species who can communicate with anyone and read random thoughts, but the Kelderans have never encountered them. As I mentioned, since the female assassin is part Hirlanzian, we're almost positive that she can only read another telepath's mind, too. Although Taryn is reaching out to the Earth Colony Alliance to confirm our suspicions since they have more information about the Hirlanzians than us."

  She had a feeling that Ryven was barely scratching the surface of what he and other Kelderan made telepaths could do. However, she would corner Ryven and ask him more later. For the moment, she wanted to know why Kason would invite her here and share such sensitive information. "You're telling me this why?"

  Ryven's voice was tight as he said, "They want to make you a test subject, not caring about the danger it could lead to."

  Kason shook his head. "We've argued this for the past two days, Ryven. She is one of the few who we cannot only trust implicitly, but who would be underestimated at first glance."

  Ryven slammed a hand down on the table. "She hasn't even cleared her first level of defense training yet you want to put her in a room with a trained assassin."

  "She will be trained thoroughly and also will be heavily protected when it comes time for her to help with the assassin," Kason stated.

  Kalahn stood and put up her hands. "How about you talk to me instead of about me? What exactly are you wanting me to do?"

  Merctor was the first to answer, no doubt to prevent Kason and Ryven from arguing some more. "The Kelderan Army has spent decades researching ways to give warriors extra abilities, in case there's another war with alien enemies that possess them. Especially since the Brevkan rage was a huge advantage to our enemies during the last war. In the decades since the end of the Brevkan war, we've discovered a way to slightly alter a person's genetics to give them abilities such as telepathy or telekinesis. Prince Kason proposed that we splice your DNA to give you telepathy."

  Ryven growled, "Tell her the part where it's irreversible."

  Kason flashed him an annoyed look. "Give us a chance to g
et to that."

  "You're building it up without providing all the facts. I don't like it," Ryven stated.

  Kalahn looked pointedly at Ryven. "I trust my brother. He's not someone who jumps in without thought and lots of planning. So, putting aside that I'm not highly trained, are there other reasons you're so set against it?"

  His gaze darted to Kason, and Kason waved a hand. "Inside this room, speak freely. That way you can't say I was unfair or duplicitous."

  Ryven moved next to Kalahn and took her shoulders, making her face him. "What they aren't telling you is that we have no idea what other abilities this female might possess. While her Hirlanzian side shouldn't have other abilities, she might have telepathy tricks we've never encountered. For starters, she could possibly kill you without a weapon."

  "How?"

  He shook his head. "That is part of what we don't know and why I think Kason shouldn't have mentioned this to you yet, if at all."

  Questions raced through Kalahn's mind. Despite the access she'd had to her father's meetings and listening in on his conferences with politicians, there was a lot she didn't know about her own planet.

  Ryven had been given telepathy, for one thing.

  The image of Ryven being strapped to a table and screaming in pain flashed into her mind. Before she could stop the question, she blurted, "Does the process hurt, Ryven?"

  He grunted. "Truthfully, not more than a really bad headache. But that's not the point. Once it's done, you can't undo it. And for all we know, giving you the ability could open a door and allow the female assassin to more easily kill you."

  "Have you seen her yourself and tested any of these theories?" she asked.

  Kason spoke up. "Both Ryven and Syzel have, but the assassin has always been guarded. There are only a handful inside the Kelderan colony who possess the ability, but they are all male and cause the same reaction. A female telepath that the prisoner could underestimate may be our only chance to learn what our enemy knows. Only then can we stall their actions and protect the royal family."