Soulbound (The Return of the Elves Book 1)

by Bethany Adams

  Ralan froze, his breath coming out in a rush. She had never met Kai or Lyr, and he could only guess who Arlyn was. “Where did you hear those names, Eri?”

  She twisted her fingers together, a sure sign she was worried, and looked down at her feet. “I dreamed them.”

  He closed his eyes in defeat. He had prayed she would not inherit his talent as a seer. It had been that hope, he knew, that had kept him from testing her, and it had been easy to put off since it should have been a few more years before she displayed such talents. Ralan had not been able to bring himself to do it, had procrastinated. Gods. If his father found out, he would try to use her, too. She had to be protected at all costs.

  “Please don’t be angry. Don’t hate me,” she whispered.

  “What?” His pushed aside his own concerns and pulled his daughter into his arms. “How could I ever hate you? I love you more than my life.”

  “I knew you weren’t going to like it, but you look so upset.”

  He leaned her back so she could gaze into his eyes. “Not at you, Eri. I’m afraid for you. I didn’t want you to get this curse from me. Tell me, are you able to look for yourself yet, or do you only see in dreams?”

  “I could look, but I don’t. Not unless the lady tells me to.”

  His heart seemed to stop, though his feet still carried him toward Eri’s room. “The lady?”

  “The goddess, silly.” She giggled. “Great Lady Megelien tells me when it’s okay to look and when it’s bad.”

  He stopped in the doorway of her room and stared down at her for a moment. “The goddess Megelien has been talking to you? One of the nine of Arneen, though we are on Earth?”

  “Yeah, but she isn’t strong here. Just whispers, sometimes.”

  Ralan took a deep breath and tried not to let her see the fear her words caused. Not only had Eri displayed the talent of the seer, but she had been guided by the Goddess of Time. If Megelien had taken an interest in Eri at such a young age and across such a distance, it could only mean she was destined to be a Great Seer. He’d believed nothing could ever worry him more than her strange illness. But he had just been proved wrong.

  Arlyn paused outside the door to the convening room, her gaze taking in the odd celebration. Where was the luncheon? There was no table of food, no real sign of the promised feast. To her left, a table just large enough for the family had been placed, but she had no idea where anyone else would eat. In fact, where had everyone gone? Had they all pleaded exhaustion as Lynia had? A few people milled around the small courtyard but hardly as many as she’d seen during the presentation.

  Kai tugged on her arm. “Arlyn?”

  “Huh?” She blinked, shaking her head. “Sorry. Where is everyone?”

  “Wandering the gardens, most likely.” He tugged again. “Come on. They’ll bring the food once we are seated.”

  A chuckle escaped as she walked with him to the table. Like he’s really eager for food. Kai wasn’t fooling her, not with his exhaustion beating at her through their bond. Besides, they’d had a late breakfast. He probably wasn’t any hungrier than she was. But she let him keep his pride as they made their slow way to their seats.

  Arlyn settled between her father and Kai. She clenched her hands in her lap, hidden from view by the table. The dozen or so people standing in the courtyard rarely even glanced at her, but that didn’t make this situation any easier. What was she going to say to these elves as they came to meet her? How in the world was she going to keep from causing unintentional offense?

  A few people slipped around the table, leaving plates of meat and cheese in their wake. Arlyn wasn’t sure how, but those who milled in the courtyard found plates, too. One moment, they were standing there. The next, eating. Her eyes narrowed on the group. Were they even the same elves?

  Lyr leaned forward, looking around Arlyn at Kai. “Will you make it through?”

  Though pale, Kai nodded. “As long as I must. Then I’ll sleep. I have an assassin to catch.”

  “You?” Arlyn’s eyes darted to the people around them, but none seemed to hear. “Don’t you have some kind of police force? People who catch criminals?”

  A slow smile lit Kai’s eyes. “Worried about me?”

  She found her own lips curving up. “I’d rather you not die before I can kill you.”

  “We do have quite a few sonal out looking,” Lyr said, his hand closing over Arlyn’s. She turned to meet his worried gaze. “Maybe Arlyn’s right. With you so newly bonded, the risk is high.”

  Kai tensed. “This is personal. I’ll not be used as a warning.”

  “Indeed not.” Lyr released Arlyn’s hand and picked up a piece of bread. “We’ll talk before you rest. I want to hear exactly what was said. But not here.”

  One elf from the crowd finally dared to approach, cutting off any further discussion. A pale, blue dress shone against the woman’s midnight skin, and her long, black hair streamed around her. She stopped in front of Arlyn and repeated the chest tap and bow of earlier. Her eyes, when they lifted, gleamed with good humor.

  Had she seen this woman before? Arlyn smiled even as her mind scrambled for the memory. “Good day.”

  “May the light of the gods shine upon you, Ayala. It is good to truly meet you.”

  “Forgive me. This is blunt and rude, but…” Arlyn huffed out a breath. “Have we met?”

  The woman laughed, waving a hand. “No offense is taken. We have not been introduced, but I was the first to see you, other than your father.” Her grin grew broader. “I was the guard at his door the day you arrived.”

  Arlyn’s eyes widened as she examined the woman again. This was the same person who’d stood so formally in leather armor? Difficult to believe. But if her hair were pulled back, maybe. Arlyn squinted. Yes, it was the guard. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

  “I’m Kera.” The guard leaned forward, her voice lowering. “I won’t burden you with my full name, considering.”

  Arlyn’s brow rose. “You know where I’m from?”

  “There are things it is impossible to miss while guarding the Myern’s door. But I am bound to keep the information to myself.”

  A shiver danced up Arlyn’s back, and her fingers stilled around the cheese she’d been about to take from the tray. A strange sort of energy trembled through the air, a hum like a television with no signal. Her heart pounding, Arlyn shoved to her feet, searching the courtyard for the source. She saw nothing out of place. Nothing but confused looks as everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at her.

  “What is it?” Lyr murmured.

  She met his eyes. “Don’t you feel it? I think someone’s watching.”

  Kera shifted, her muscles tightening as her hands reached for the weapons she wasn’t wearing, and Kai shot to his feet. He placed a hand on Arlyn’s shoulder and pushed at her. “Get down.”

  She shoved his hand away. “Back off. I’m not a damsel in distress.”

  “You’re not a warrior, either.”

  Her eyes pinned him. “You don’t know what I am.”

  His face grayed as he studied her, but he shook his head. “True enough. But you’re unarmed.”

  “Find me a bow.”

  For several heartbeats, Kai’s world was as red as Arlyn’s hair. But he didn’t need anger. He needed calm. He ran his fingers down Arlyn’s cheek, letting the peace of her presence soak through him. “You can shoot?”

  “Obviously.” She rolled her eyes even as she trembled at his touch. “Even better, I can find him. Or her.”

  Kai pulled his hand away as the rage returned, along with the memory of the man who’d smirked over his bleeding body. “Him.”

  Arlyn sucked her bottom lip in to nibble on it, her eyes narrowing on the western side of the gardens, and lust slammed into Kai to join the fury. The world swayed sickly for a moment as he pulled energy into himself, his instincts overriding sense. Kai would protect her. He would eliminate this threat even if he drained his reserves to the dregs.
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  “Kai!” Lyr snapped as power surged around them.

  “Where?” Kai ground out. “And we’ll end this.”

  “To the west, I think.” Her hand slapped his chest as he started to move forward. “Stop. You’re in no shape for this.”

  Lyr rose, his expression placid as he nodded to several of the guards. But Kai knew him. He could see Lyr’s fury in the set of his shoulders and the cold look in his eyes. “A threat to our House has been detected. Search the gardens with everyone you can spare.”

  As Kai shifted Arlyn’s hand aside and turned toward the house—and his weapons—pain seared through his side and sparks of light danced across his vision. He peered down, thinking he’d been hit again, but found no injury. Then Arlyn slipped under his arm, a fierce glare in her eyes. The energy he’d gathered began to drain away as his reserves lowered, and he fought not to slump against her.

  “God, you’re an idiot.”

  “I…” He clamped his mouth shut, his free hand grabbing for the back of his chair. Then he huffed out a breath. “I guess I am. Leave me here and guide the others.”

  “I can’t.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Her sigh was deep enough to ruffle his hair. “The energy signature faded while I was trying to stop you from killing yourself.”

  “Iron in the heart,” Kai cursed.

  The look Lyr turned on him froze him cold. “Next time, control yourself.”

  Shame trickled through Kai even as his eyes hardened. “All I could see was that smirk. I doubt you’d handle it better.”

  “Would I have a choice?”

  Lyr turned, issuing commands as he strode to the doors of the convening room. Kai leaned on Arlyn as they followed, though his eyes kept straying to the garden. Beside him, Kera did the same. When she looked at him, all hint of her earlier humor was gone. “You’ve done it, now.”

  Kai blew out a breath. “Lyr and I have things to settle between us. And soon.”

  Kai let his head fall back against the chair where he slumped. Arlyn sat at the desk, pretending to read over the speech she’d prepared for her teacher, and Lyr paced the floor with angry steps. Kai knew better than to defend himself now when his friend’s anger was at its highest. Not that there was much defense for his foolishness.

  When Lyr finally paused, his face was still white with fury. But his hands were no longer clenched, at least. “What was that, Kai? You are better trained than to try to go off by yourself like that.”

  “I know.” Kai rubbed his forehead, unable to meet his friend’s eyes. “Through our bond, I kept getting flickers of what Arlyn sensed. It reminded me of the clearing. The pain. The helpless rage while he gloated. All mixed with the need to protect Arlyn.”

  His bonded looked up to glare at him. “I told you I didn’t need protecting.”

  “It doesn’t matter if you did or not.” He held her gaze. “Every time I touch you, I just… I don’t know if I can even describe it.”

  “If it makes you so heedless, perhaps I should appoint another Taysonal,” Lyr muttered.

  Kai sucked in a breath against the pain. “Do what you must.”

  “Clechtan.” Lyr’s shoulders drooped as the last of his anger faded. “I didn’t mean that. Perhaps I’m as reckless as you, for I wanted to chase the fiend myself.”

  “Do we need to have this out, Lyr?” Kai asked, his voice soft. “I should be well enough tomorrow.”

  Arlyn pushed back from the desk. “You are not going to duel over me.”

  Kai leaned forward. “I’ll not throw away more than five hundred years of friendship. If Lyr needs to trounce me to feel better, I’ll let him.”

  A tense silence settled on the room, Arlyn glaring at them both as they stared at one another. Then Lyr sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t. But you have to take control of your reactions. And don’t try to go after the assassin on your own. That’s an order.”

  Kai nodded, and some of the tension eased from his muscles. Maybe, just maybe, their friendship would survive.

  Her feet sounding out an anxious beat, Arlyn paced the entry hall a full half hour before her new mentor was expected to arrive. Kai had been asleep for a couple of hours. Her father was off consulting with the captain of the guard. And Arlyn was stuck waiting with nothing but her fractured thoughts.

  They whirled around her brain like the mists of the Veil, leaving her just as lost. So many things to consider. So many decisions. She’d never experienced such a sense of belonging—of rightness—as she had during her presentation, despite her nerves. Her hands still shook with the joy of it. That and Kai’s touch.

  Oh, God, Kai’s touch. Arlyn’s eyes closed.

  The memory of his fingers brushing her cheek shuddered through her, deeper than the bone and into her very essence. Beyond pleasure. More than the desire that heated her body at the sight of him. In the moments when Kai touched her, he was her blood and breath. Arlyn’s heart jumped at the memory. But with fear? Or excitement? She couldn’t tell.

  And how could she feel that way when she was still so angry at him? Not as angry. Arlyn understood what had happened now. Intellectually, she accepted the accident of events that had led to his mistake. But her heart hadn’t caught up. Part of her still wanted to pound against the bond. To rage at him for the trap.

  The rest of her wanted to jump him.

  Arlyn stopped by the huge tree on the other side of the entry, hoping its calm might steady her nerves. How had the elves formed the house around it without having leaks every time it rained? She looked up, but the floor above her was built closer to the trunk, blocking her view. Maybe it was magic.

  “Her name is Eradisel, Sacred Tree of Dorenal, Goddess of the Veils. She is one of the Nine Trees of Arneen, each guarded by one of the first three dukes along each branch. Our family protects her.”

  Startled, Arlyn took a step back, the hand she’d been lifting dropping to her side. She bit her lip as she turned to meet her father’s eyes. “She is beautiful. But I hope I’m not too close.”

  “Sacred is not the same thing as inaccessible, Arlyn.” He smiled. “Unless you have something harmful on your hands—and if you have good intent—you are more than welcome to touch. She might even speak to you.”

  “Speak?” Her eyebrow quirked. “Are you serious?”

  With a laugh, Lyr walked over. “I’ll introduce you. As my heir, you are next in line to guard her.” He peered at her until she turned back to the tree. “Place your hand on the trunk as I do, then open your mind to mine.”

  Though she worried her lip again, Arlyn complied. Her hand hovered for a moment, then she let it settle against the cool bark. She jumped at the shock of magic, strong yet gentle, which pulsed through her like a heartbeat. Then her father placed his hand on the tree, and the energy surged, stealing her breath.

  She sensed her father’s presence at the edge of her mind, and she opened to it, comforted by the familiarity in the middle of the tumult. “This is so weird.”

  “Let it settle through you. Don’t fight it. Here, observe.”

  With the patience of a true teacher, Lyr showed her how to connect. Arlyn watched with her inner eye, then fumbled to copy the way his energy stretched toward the tree. Sweat began to bead on her brow as she struggled. Almost as though she were battling herself, making her essence move away from her body.

  “Not so much of yourself. More like a communication link.”

  Arlyn jerked back, her palm almost leaving the tree along with her energy. After a few gasping breaths, she closed her eyes and focused on her task. Her father made no comment, merely showing her again how the connection was formed. Like a communication link. She bit her lip and tried again.

  Then the link snapped into place, and an additional presence joined them. Her hand trembled against the trunk. She would never mistake this mental essence for a person, human or elven. A timeless patience thrummed, a song so low and deep her whole world seemed to throb with it. Ca
lm poured through her, easing her shaking muscles.

  Lyr’s voice broke through. “Eradisel, I present to you my daughter and heir, Arlyn. She is next in line to ensure your safety.”

  After a pause, Arlyn’s mind filled with an odd sort of voice. She heard words, though she was certain there were none. “You were not born in this place but crossed the Veil from another world.”

  “I…yes.” It seemed wise to be honest with a tree of the gods.

  “You bear the blessing of Dorenal. You may pass through her Veil at will.”

  Arlyn frowned. “I wandered for a long time.”

  “You are untrained.” A pause. A hint of amusement. “You are a match for your soulbonded in this. He can show you.”

  Her breath caught. “You are saying I should keep him and the bond?”

  “There are many futures and many paths. Only you will know the proper way.”

  “Thank you,” Arlyn answered, though her teeth ground together in frustration. Why had she expected an answer? Nothing was ever that easy.

  “Arlyn, Blessed of Dorenal, I accept you as a guardian.” There was another pause and a slight shifting sensation, but she still heard the next words. “Lyrnis. I like you. Do not leave just because you have someone to take your place. I would miss our talks.”

  “As would I, Eradisel.” His mental laugh resounded pleasantly along the connection. “I have no intention of leaving.”

  Arlyn felt a wash of amusement and acceptance before the tree’s presence faded. Ending both connections, she forced her hand away. “Your talks? You are down here often?”

  “No, not here. This place is used mostly by the priests who tend her health and those who come to honor her or the goddess. An altar is located on the other side.”

  He followed the circle of the wall as it curved around the tree, gesturing for her to follow, until they stood before the altar in question. “Offerings are generally left here, and sometimes I come for that. But to talk? Recall that our rooms are on the floor above. I have a balcony that opens over this chamber, close enough for me to touch her.”