Only one way to find out.
Cora lowered the wall she’d built between herself and Ralan. At once, the emotion that had remained just out of reach rushed through her. Pain, worry, panic, regret. Gasping, she folded over from the force of it. Her hands dug into her knees as she fought to cope with all that flowed through their bond.
She extended a shaky mental hand, searching. “Ralan?”
“CORA!”
She let out a cry. “Too. Loud.”
“Forgive me,” he answered, softly this time. “You’re on Earth? I’m not too late?”
On Earth? Cora pushed herself upright as the pain began to level out. “I’m sitting in my kitchen. I accidentally used the mirror you left, and Lyr said you were coming back. What’s wrong?”
“I had a vision.” Though his worry pinched her own heart, he sent her a mental caress. A gentle brush of reassurance that sent a shiver through her. “You were by the portal to Galare, and someone came out. A man. He grabbed you.”
The hair on her arms rose. “What did he look like?”
“Tall. Long red hair. Aristocratic features. He wore a purple silk robe.”
“Orn,” she whispered into Ralan’s mind. Her eyes darted to the back window where the sky had begun to lighten with dawn. “When?”
He hesitated. “There are many options. You can wait for me, and we will defeat him together. If you go to the portal alone, there is a chance you can beat him. But there’s also the possibility that he’ll take you back with him. I can’t see many variables past that. There are approximately twenty-two strands branching from this moment.”
Her brows lifted. Though he’d shared the information with ease, she had the feeling it wasn’t common for him to give so much detail. It was more than he’d… “You regained your Sight?”
“The goddess restored some of it,” Ralan answered. “Enough to see this for certain. Wait for me. Fen is driving me over.”
“What if Orn comes through early?”
Another wave of reassurance brushed through her. “He will not, mialn. This I promise.”
Despite everything, heat sparked low in her belly at the smooth confidence of his tone. She gritted her teeth against the sudden urge to flirt. “I’m still angry at you.”
“I know.” Worry and amusement rang through his mental voice. “You may tell me just how much once you are safe.”
“Well, don’t delay. I need more energy soon.”
Warmth curled through her, and a hint of her strength returned. “Rest. I’ll see you soon.”
As he ended the mental link, her stunned gaze landed on the pouch she’d set on the table. Whatever accident had led her to activate the mirror had been a fortuitous one. She never would have expected Orn’s arrival. He hated leaving the comfort of his home, and he considered Earth to be a wild place with no purpose. Even if he’d changed his mind about Earth, her father had told her that Orn had wed. What could he still want with her? If it wasn’t marriage, it had to be her death.
Although Ralan had told her to rest, Cora couldn’t sit still. Not after finding out that her greatest enemy would be stepping out of the portal to grab her. Instead, she headed to the sink and began to wash the dishes. Her nose wrinkled at the dried-on leftovers. She could take out her frustrations on the grime while she considered the best way to handle Orn.
And handle him she would. She’d seen true evil, and Orn’s shallow cruelty didn’t compare. She would face the demon who had taunted her for so long. Then she would help Ralan conquer a real threat.
Chapter 27
As soon as Fen put the car in park, Ralan unsnapped his seatbelt and grabbed for the door handle. “Tell your uncle to come find me before he kills you.”
Fen let out a scoffing noise. “Yeah, that’ll work.”
“The Unseelie king courts war with Moranaia if it doesn’t.” Ralan smirked. “That should get his attention.”
“I doubt he’ll believe me.”
“Then you’d better work hard at being convincing. I don’t have time to track him down.” Ralan did a quick check of the strands. “There’s a good chance you’ll be fine.”
“A good—”
“Stay out of trouble, Fen,” Ralan said as he opened the door. “You’ll be useful if you stop being an idiot.”
He shoved himself out of the car and slammed the door before Fen could retort. Ralan didn’t have time to debate the blood elf’s future. Instead, he strode up the sidewalk and straight through Cora’s front door. Considering all they’d shared, knocking felt stranger than the alternative.
Ralan followed her energy signature and the clink of silverware against dishes. When he reached the narrow archway leading into the kitchen, he leaned against the frame and watched her as she lifted a plate out of a sink full of soapy water. Warm contentment filled him just at the sight of her.
Even if she had started scrubbing a plate as though it was an enemy in need of banishing.
“Cora.”
She yelped, and the plate slipped from her hand with a plop and a clatter. She spun, water dripping down her shirt as she glared at him. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
He shrugged. “Our souls are connected. Knocking seemed a bit quaint.”
“You could’ve made some noise.” Her lips twisted as she reached for a towel to dry her hands. “How long have you been staring at me?”
“Not long enough. Never long enough.”
Her throat worked as she swallowed. “You didn’t seem to feel a great deal of attachment earlier.”
“You deserve better than me.” Ralan’s chest squeezed at her hurt blended with his own. “And I thought it might make my death easier on you if you hated me.”
Cora’s eyes filled with hope. “Have you Seen more clearly?”
“No,” Ralan answered, grimacing. “But the goddess asked if I was ready to accept the truth of my dream. That’s answer enough, isn’t it?”
The lurching of her stomach hit him in the gut. “This is bullshit.”
“I’d have to agree,” Ralan answered. One corner of his mouth tipped up.
Cora dropped the towel to the counter and strode over. She bit her lip. Then she lifted her hand to his cheek. “I’ve mostly enjoyed my time on Earth.”
Ralan opened his mouth, then snapped it closed. Where was she going with this? “And?”
“My pride has been bruised over your rejection for centuries,” she said. “But it was just that—pride. We would have missed a great deal of our lives if we’d gone through with the marriage three hundred years ago. You wouldn’t have your daughter. I wouldn’t have found my art, at least not in the same way.”
He lifted his hand to cover hers. “Then you forgive me?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t, but yes.” Her soft sigh brushed across his lips as she moved closer. “But I’m still mad at you for sending me off with directions.”
“I wanted you to find the mirror,” he muttered.
A true smile curved her mouth. “I’d wondered.”
“Come home with me,” Ralan whispered, his heart pounding. “Once we stop Orn.”
“I…” Uncertainty slipped into her eyes. “I’m not sure I’m ready to link my energy to Moranaia. If there were a portal to Galare to renew myself, the decision would be easier.”
Ralan frowned as he considered the problem. “My father might know of one. I’m not sure how he contacted your father. If there’s not, I’ll feed you energy while you decide.”
“That’s risky.”
“Give it a week.” He lowered his hands to her hips to draw her closer. “We both know I’m likely to die. I’d like to spend my remaining time with you.”
Cora winced. “I’m not sure if that’s romantic or terrible.”
“I guess it’s both,” Ralan answered wryly. His hands tightened as she swayed a little. “In any case, Eri might never forgive me if I come back without you. Apparently, there was a strand where I didn’t let you go, and she was not pleased that I didn�
��t take it.”
Cora’s breath hitched on a laugh. “She’s six?”
“Supposedly.” Ralan grinned. “I’m not looking forward to adolescence.”
“Who does?”
Though humor filled Cora’s eyes, Ralan’s heart squeezed as she swayed against him again. “We need to get you to the Galaren portal. It’s tougher for me to channel energy here.”
Cora nodded, but she lowered her hand to his shoulder and squeezed. “I don’t want you to kill Orn. Leave him to me.”
“He will be overthrown rightfully,” Ralan said. “But I can—”
“No.” Cora’s expression hardened. “You’d better find the strand where I solve this problem myself because I refuse to have someone else do it for me. I’ve been running from this for too long.”
“If I can tell you the optimal—”
Cora’s finger pressed across his lips. “I don’t care if you’re a seer. You aren’t going to guide me. If you want a relationship with me, it will be as equals. I am not a project, a quest, or a divine mission.”
Frustration simmered in his blood at her words. He could guide her so easily to the best path. The safest. Why wouldn’t she let him tell her what he’d Seen? It would be fastest if he simply took control of Orn and wiped his memory of Cora. She wouldn’t be disturbed again if they took that strand.
Then again…he frowned as he let his mind expand farther from that point. Orn wouldn’t be deposed as quickly, and the people of Galare would suffer for it. Ralan started to shuffle back through the earlier strands, trying to determine which would be best overall, but Cora’s finger tapped against his lips, breaking his concentration.
“What kind of partnership would we have if I did nothing but follow your lead?”
Ralan took her hand in his, freeing his mouth. “If I see disaster, shouldn’t I say so?”
“Sure.” Cora canted her head, and her smile took on a wicked tilt. “Then I can decide if I’m in the mood for disaster. In this case, I know Galare better than you do. I’ll handle Orn. Just guard my back.”
Ralan stared at her, stuck somewhere between admiration and annoyance. He’d been cursed, yelled at, blamed, doubted, and scorned for the orders he’d given because of his Sight. But this was the first time in his life he’d been ignored. With a shake of his head, he pushed a stray hair from Cora’s face.
And relented. “Fine. Lead the way, my love.”
Cora did her level best not to let Ralan see how shaky she was, but it was impossible to hide it completely considering their connection. Sighing, she closed the back door and settled her hand on his offered arm. She might not be leading, but she sure wasn’t yielding.
I still can’t believe I got away with bossing him around, she thought, satisfaction pooling in her gut. They hadn’t been together long, but she’d had plenty of opportunity to see how others gave in to Ralan’s commands. Even Delbin, though he delivered a fair amount of pushback. No matter where Ralan went, his bidding ended up being done.
Well, he might be a prince, but she wasn’t one of his subjects.
The sky was turning gray with the dawn, the half-light haze giving her backyard a soft glow. A strange sense of déjà vu hit her. Only a couple of hours earlier, she’d walked with him near another dawn on another world. At that time, she’d had every intention of leaving him and never looking back. One side of her mouth lifted. So much for that.
When the small stand of trees closed around them, Cora searched the area. No sign that Orn had broken through. How had he realized this portal led to her? Blood relatives could speak through the portal along their shared bond with the land. That connection was how her parents knew when she tapped into Galare’s energy, but anyone else on Galare would have to monitor the gate with magic to detect a person speaking from the other side.
After Cora’s first few decades on Earth, she’d learned to shield her presence at the portal from all but her family. It had been easy for Orn’s minions to track her when she drew in power, and she’d almost been caught several times. Once she’d built the shield, she’d only had to stay wary on the off-chance she was in visual range of the portal when someone traveled through. Once they had stopped detecting her, all had assumed that she’d bonded to Earth’s energy and didn’t need to renew herself at the gate anymore.
Cora paused before she and Ralan reached the shallow indention in the hill that hid the portal. She pulled her hand from his arm and met his eyes. “Find a place to hide.”
Ralan lifted a brow. “Hide?”
“You’re supposed to have my back, remember?”
He grumbled a few choice words, but she only tapped her foot impatiently until he spun away. Ralan chose a tree to the left of the portal, out of the direct line of sight of anyone exiting, and did his best to duck behind it. Cora chuckled at the sight of his shoulder sticking past the edge.
The trees here were fairly small, so it would have to do.
Cora stepped closer to the portal and stretched out her hand. The blue glow leaped to life, and a shiver went through her entire body. Power poured through her in a torrent, filling all the hollow spaces that had left her weak. She struggled against the urge to close her eyes. She couldn’t lose herself in the sensation, not with the threat she was under.
When Orn stepped through the portal, she was ready. She hoped.
His dark eyes fastened on her at once, and he strode toward her. “Enough of your defiance, Cora.”
She lowered her hand to her side. “How did you know I was here?”
“Your dear father let it slip that you’d bonded with some new source.” Orn sneered. “Didn’t you realize that your energy shifted? Whatever you used to hide yourself no longer works. Simple enough to track the portals once I knew to look.”
“Why would my father speak to you?” Cora demanded.
Orn waved a hand. “He is wise enough to know not to anger the king.”
Cora pulled heat into her palm, though she was careful to allow no visible flame. “If you have harmed my parents, you will pay.”
“Now, Cora. Is that any way to speak to your future husband?”
She was so startled she almost lost control of her fire. “What? Father said you’d married.”
“I’ve no doubt she’ll die in childbirth in a few months. Or something.” He shrugged. “It takes time to plan a royal wedding, too. You’ll have plenty of time to resign yourself. Unless you’d rather I kill you?”
Ralan’s anger seeped into hers until Cora thought she would explode with it. “Considering I’m already married, I suppose you’ll have to try for the latter.”
That caused his composure to slip. First shock and then anger clouded Orn’s eyes. His nostrils flared as he took a step closer. “You’re lying.”
“I didn’t bond to a place,” Cora said. “I bonded to a person. I am out of your reach. Why don’t you just go home? I have no interest in Galare’s throne.”
“You must come with me,” Orn said, his hand darting out. She let his fingers wrap around her arm as he glared at her. “My marriage has not…”
As his mouth snapped closed, Cora smiled. “Hasn’t made up for your terrible leadership? I suppose that explains why you finally came here yourself. Have your spies bailed on you?”
Orn’s face reddened, and his fingers tightened, biting painfully into her skin. She must have scored a hit. Cora ignored the pain as she stared into the harsh planes of his face. Had she really let fear of this man control her for three centuries? She’d been a coward, running away from Galare instead of standing up for herself, and he’d made her a slave to her own terror.
Well, she’d found her power on Earth. And she refused to give that up.
“When I bend your body to my will—”
She shoved her hand to his throat, the force cutting off his words with a sputter, and let her fire rage free. But unlike with Inona, she had no intention of healing. Orn let out a choked scream, and his hands jerked to her wrist. Only to drop them as
her fire scalded his palms. She held firm as flames whipped around him. She wouldn’t kill the lawful king of Galare without imminent threat, but she would make him regret every moment of fear he had caused.
The acrid smell of burned flesh wafted around them, and Cora gagged. But only when Orn’s scream faded to whimpers did she let him fall at her feet, the tendrils of fire winking out. His ragged breaths blended with his soft moan as he lifted his fingers to his welting throat. Hatred and fear pinched his eyes when he glanced up at her.
“You will pay,” Orn rasped.
“Sorry,” Ralan said as he slipped up beside her. “The future says no on that one.”
Cora tossed Ralan an annoyed look, but she couldn’t stay too aggravated with him. He’d done an admirable job staying out of it so far. “He’s a seer, so he’d know,” she said.
Orn tried to clench his hands and cried out in pain. “Seer or no—”
“Go back to Galare,” Cora bit out. “I won’t try to interfere so long as you leave my parents alone. Or would you like me to announce to your kingdom how you came by the burns you bear? Not even our king is allowed to kidnap and threaten.”
Ralan nudged her shoulder with his. “That would not be the better choice for him, love. Let’s do it.”
Cora stifled a laugh. She knew very well that Ralan didn’t want to go to Galare with Kien still on the loose. But Orn must have believed his words. Skin going pale, the king shoved himself to his feet. He wavered for a moment before stumbling toward the shimmering portal.
Orn scowled over his shoulder. “Pray you do not cross paths with me again.”
Then he was gone.
Cora stared at the soft blue glow, her mouth going slack in disbelief. Half expecting Orn to return, she waited. But the portal’s light winked out when the gateway cut off from the other end. The chirping of early morning birds filled the silence as she blinked at the dark indentation in the side of the hill.
How could it be finished, just like that? Her knees weakened as relief washed through her. Freedom. She struggled to grasp the word. Claim it. The thought of living without looking over her shoulder was almost beyond belief.
Seared Page 24
