by Karey Brown
“I prefer you answer my questions.”
Emily swung around, the skirt swishing like whispers upon her legs. She held her hand in front of her, palm up. Blue flames leapt and curled, folding inside themselves. They snuffed without any more than a thought.
Both Eldaryn’s’ heads scrutinized the woman.
“Be wary your demands, Rover. I protect that which I feel kinship towards, and slaughter those thinking to harm me or mine.” Void of expression, Emily locked Eldaryn’s stare to her own, her eyes now glowing amber. Without warning, she snapped around, briskly walking away. “Coming?”
“I think Dezenial and I will be renegotiating my status.”
“You won’t have long to wait. He should be . . . roaring . . . in here right . . . about—“
“Keer’dra!”
Guards surged in after him, javelins, cutlasses, and hand axes drawn, fanning out, searching.
“Trick or treating again?”
“It fails to be the time for your humor, ari.”
“Mate, in case you needed translating,” Eldaryn grumbled.
“Thank you, mutt. I haven’t mastered fluent Hell yet. I’m fine. Beast here protected me.”
Dezenial scoffed. “A great battle to be sure. Tell me, does the enemy now float in my bathing waters?”
Still dripping, Eldaryn sauntered closer to the Lumynari. “You forgot to mention your life-mate has a temper and curious powers.” Both heads stared balefully at the warrior. Without warning, Eldaryn’s body erupted into a formidable shake of drenched fur.
Saturated Dark Prince hissed and bared his fangs up at the beast.
Nonplussed, the hellhound loped towards his new mistress. Snorfing back laughter, Emily pretended interest in sorting meats.
“Eldaryn! Your fur is a thing of the past!”
Emily giggled. “Here, Rover, catch!” A large steak whizzed through the air.
Eldaryn ducked.
A loud whack was the only forewarning something dreadful occurred.
All present became shock-still.
Even the raw steak adhering to Dezenial’s face.
Hellhound rocketed into the sleeping chambers.
“Emily!” Meat burbled, Dezenial’s voice muted from under it.
Hysterical giggles bubbled up and spilled over. Emily slid to the ground, uproariously laughing. Warriors backed away, the crazed woman surely about to die.
“Remove this from my face!” Meat fluttered, making Dezenial lisp.
“Can’t,” Emily gasped. “On . . . your own.” Submerged deeper into laughter, she failed to notice her stalker.
“I should beat you.”
She opened tear-filled eyes to see a pair of boots standing near her collapsed form. “I swear . . . so not planned!” She dared peek up at him. Huge mistake. He was sogged, his hair plastered. “Oh, God!” Holding her sides, she fell onto her side, laughing harder. Smacking the floor failed to provide air.
“I will wait.”
Burying her fists into her stomach, she laughed harder, sure her sides would literally split. Slowly, oh-so-slowly, sanity returned. In small increments, she was able to first sit, dry her eyes, then, eventually look at her husband without exploding into guffaws. His eyes were twinkling.
“Tell me of the visitor.”
“You lack alarm.”
“I am Lumynari. You would have me show fear?”
“You could fake it.” His outstretched hand was grasped, pulling her up from the floor. With a damp towel, she mopped meat residue from his face. “God, Dez, that has to be the funniest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”
His lips twitched. “Glad to amuse you.”
“Notice the mutt took off running?”
“I’m aware the fiend bolted.”
She sniffed, mirth still leaking from her eyes. “Our visitor knows I’m with child—oh, and apparently, I can change my body to blend with a background I press myself against.”
“I am aware of your newly discovered Shadow Master skills. Your father’s conceit will now have no limits. You still do not know all your capabilities?”
“Nah.” She gave a negative shake of her head. “Magic just seems to come knocking with such clarity and comfort . . . annoying, really. Was it the same for Aurelia?”
“Doubtful. Perhaps this has merit.”
“It’s an odd feeling. What of you? Did you accomplish what you set out to do during your official duties?”
“You must return to the light.”
“Oookay.”
“Shadow grows desperate. Her rage over my betrayal . . . the hearsays Inzyr and I are receiving—“
Emily stopped foraging in the cold box. “I’m not leaving.” The door slammed shut with a loud whump. “We argued about this last week!” She jabbed above her. “I’m not going up there without you!”
“I’m sleeping in here!” Eldaryn shouted from the room.
“You really wish me to leave?” Emily’s eyes welled up. “Just like everyone else, huh? I’m irritating to you now. Just like Broc, Peter . . . I’m insignificant—“
Dezenial charged, but she threw up her hands, warding him off and shoved past him. “No! Fine! I’ll leave.” Her arm was gripped. She was swung around and slammed against his strong frame.
“You will look at me, now.”
“No.”
The back of her hair was yanked, her head arching back. Pulsating red gaze met with tearing amber. “I am Lumynari. Romancing you is a ridiculous notion you waste your time harboring. Heed my words: you belong to me. You are not going anywhere that I will not be with you. Occasionally, I will remember to tell you of my love for you, only because humans need to hear such words.” His grip tightened. “No, Emily, do not squirm, thinking to pull away from me. Ever. I do not speak words, but it does not mean I don’t feel them.” His lips descended down closer to hers. “Keer’dra, does not my heart pumping fire and my eyes burning when I look upon you speak louder than your silly words?” His hand moved to caress her abdomen. “Do not the lives I placed within your womb speak of who I am to you?”
“What’s wrong with me?” She whimpered. “I know all this. I feel everything you’ve said. I don’t want you to become some sap.” Her eyes spilled their tears, her forehead falling against his powerful chest. “I feel like I’m on an emotional rollercoaster, commonsense evading me every minute.”
“You are with child. It will make you cry, sleep, sick, eat, but most of all, it will make me wish to take my own life.”
“You are evil incarnate.”
“Thank you, madam, for your compliment. I try my hardest.”
“Your hold on my hair is giving me a headache.”
He tightened his grip.
“Bad day at the office, honey?”
She knew, without looking, that his fangs extended. His hold relaxed. “You are very possessive and in need of serious anger management.”
“Come, I promised you an outing.”
“Aren’t you going to bite me first?”
“No, imp.”
“You’re in a foul mood.” She held up her hand. “More than normal Lumynari rage.” Emily grabbed her boots, and sat down on Dezenial’s very modern recliner. He confiscated her shoes from her. At her questioning glance, he motioned for her foot, having hunkered down. Placing her foot upon his leather-clad knee, she was almost tempted to move her foot ever-so-lower and gently kneed—
“You most certainly will not.”
“You know you’d like it.”
“Precisely.”
“So, putting on my boots . . . kinda contradicts that Lumynaries are above romance thing.”
“First, how many times will I have to tell you I don’t sound like that when I talk? Second, this is simply dressing you during your delicate state.”
“I’m half Lumynari. There is nothing delicate about me.”
“A real warrior.” He smirked.
“I can hold my own.”
He hissed, imitating Spinners
. She repelled. “That’s cheating!” Trying to pull her foot away proved useless. He held tightly, chuckling and hissing until she squealed.
“Your fear of spiders . . . so human.”
“I’ll get even.”
He waggled a finger at her. “No, now we’re even for that meat-madness landing on my face.”
Reminded of the visual, she burst out laughing.
“Give me your other foot, imp.”
“Can’t we just stay here . . . and have lots of sex?”
“I’m still sleeping in here!”
“I think at your next council, you should seek implementing animal control,” Emily said overly loud.
“Would you look at that,” Eldaryn shouted. “Fleas!”
Dezenial’s booming laughter filled their private quarters, the next sound filling the room the unmistakable rustle of scratching. Emily shuffle-ran towards their chambers, one boot on, the other halfway laced up, her lunatic screams and threats to burn Eldaryn’s hide easing the Dark Prince’s foul mood.
* * * * *
Strength and grace weaved in and around her aura. Dezenial’s heart swelled. His Emily had come a very long way from the silly young woman venturing from her homeland into his. How many would have succumbed to madness upon introduction to the wonders of the realm he and the Forest Lords resided in—Forest Lords he would be sending her back to.
Though battling him at first, she’d gracefully acquiesced his gift of slaves—servants, she’d amended. He observed while she concentrated during Cianna’s teachings of sorting through various fungi’s for consumption, poisoning, and healing. Some of the rotted mass pouring forth from their jars wafted such noxious odors, Emily ran with hand over her mouth. He’d had her servants quickly remove those particular jars, reassuring Cianna no true harm had been committed. Their dwelling had been depleted of anything emitting odors that could possibly upset his mate. Cianna had felt awful. He’d smiled and given her reassurances, then teased her for the contradiction of being an elite, yet sensitive.
Some of the older servants thought this would finally be Cianna’s downfall, for one did not upset the mate of a Lumynari. Little did they realize how long she’d been a part of this Lumynari’s life. Once, so long ago, that several ages had weaved across the terrain above, she’d hoped to call Lord Dezenial her own. She’d been young and silly. A maiden with no worldly experience. So much better to call the tall proud god friend, for, as a lover, she’d have been forgotten. And when she would have perished, trying to save Zaiyne’s life, Lord Dezenial had asked if she would prefer death or to be one of his elite. Hades had gifted her with powers none of Dezenial’s current elite’s possessed. She was now more a sister to Lord Dezenial than friend, both having shared grief and anger over Zaiyne and, later, Aurelia.
Her eyes misted.
She missed Zaiyne, the laughter and friendship they’d shared. It had been like losing a sister. The treachery was an ache that had not subsided with time. And now, she had Emily to watch over. She liked Emily. Unlike soft-spoken Zaiyne, Emily was fire. Unlike Aurelia, Emily did not always obey. A smile touched her lips as she dared a peek at the proud god she served.
“Cianna, you may go. I’m sure you would enjoy time to call your own?”
Deeply, she bowed, backing away before turning to rise again, as had been taught to her during her childhood. It was a habit Emily had been trying to make her forget. “Your highness, there is the lord’s dinner under that cover, and yours under the blue one. I added a pinch of spice to yours, as you requested.”
Emily smiled her gratitude. “Have you eaten?”
“I have friends asking me to join them.”
“Ah. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Cianna bowed her head. “But, of course.”
Emily stared at the door for long moments after Cianna had left.
“Keer’dra?”
Emily could still hear the tinkling bells of Cianna’s anklets. “She loves you, deeply.”
“I will remove her eyes.”
Emily gasped.
“I practice humor.”
“It needs work.” Emily still eyed the door, frowning. “Not lust-love. The kind of love someone feels for a brother.” Emily padded over to her jars and began spinning their lids back on. “There’s a history there between the two of you. You’ll have to fill me in, one day.”
“Speaking of history and secrets . . . a Lumynari does not dally as I have, allowing you to remain silent regarding our visitor the other day.”
Emily merely looked at him and continued cleaning up.
“A priestess does not fear water.”
“No, but Pendaran’s form would have manifested, Lumynari water clinging to him like oil.”
How dare she not flinch that he’d known!
“You would protect him in my domain?” Glittering red rubies in firelight, his eyes smoldered.
“Pendaran’s desire was not to formulate a rescue. He simply gathered knowledge.” She paused, looking across the room at him, her own eyes now glittering. “I did not see him, but rather, felt his identity. There was no granting him entrance. I barely had time to hide and observe.” She shook her head, disgusted. “You sit there and imply I’ve done something treacherous.” She didn’t bother waiting for anything he could possibly say. There existed nothing she wanted to hear. The last of her lid spun tight. She ignored him. Dick. She lifted the blue dome and sampled what Cianna had cooked. Rice, beans, and some sort of meat . . . pork?
Silence gulfed. She did not like this breech.
“Pendaran has never exhibited fondness towards Broc.”
“I hardly need history lessons, Keer’dra. I was there.”
“Testy, aren’t we? What’s wrong? Prisoners running low? No one to torture?” She slammed down the blue dome back over her plate.
“I have misplaced my tongue slicing blade.” His potent stare enhanced his meaning.
“Probably resting next to my castration kit,” she snarled. “Check the bedroom!”
His laughter ripped apart their standoff, but remorse was too tangible a force, beckoning her even deeper into its cloak of misery. No matter how busy she kept herself, it was never enough to cloud her mind and what must be. Even their occasional spats failed to restrain the forever-present knowledge of the change coming about.
“I cannot stay.”
“I?”
“We.” Her smile did nothing to remove the sadness from her sparkling eyes.
“You will be lost to me again, for a time.” Not a muscle moved on his powerful frame, but Emily noted the ticking of his jaw. His eyes were full of pain and fury. “I must remain in order to watch for Drakar’s next move.” Intoxicating azure eyes stared at her.
“The further along in pregnancy I grow, the more susceptible I am to their attack. Your mother pretends to tolerate my presence, but we both know she’s waiting for any chance to pounce. She won’t rest until my head adorns her table. My being alive and as your mate causes her to grow bold . . . she fears ridicule. And now that you’ve switched camps—“
“That’s putting it a bit lightly.”
“Dez, you and I both know the power I hold—the power they crave to imprison my soul and control—is enough to turn even your own kingdom against you. I’m getting to where just stepping into our private gardens, I sense some of the guards watching me with keen interest, and it has nothing to do with honoring your command. You should see what Cianna had to go through just to convince me to come out here to the apothecary.” She tapped one of the fat jars. “She promised no decapitation would transpire today.” Emily grinned. It did little good at easing his mood.
“Why did you not tell me what you sensed?”
She shrugged.
“That does not work for the assassin and it will not work for you. I despise that the two of you shrug in place of answering.”
Emily resumed picking at her food.
“My elites surround you, so perhaps it is their menacing abilit
y that you’ve sensed. When I say elite, I mean from my father’s domain. They’ve no loyalty, nor fear of what Shadow thinks she can do to them. My mother, however, is not aware that what look like Shadow Masters guarding you are in fact, Daemons.”
“Oh.”
“Another answer you and your father have in common.”
“We seek to annoy you.”
“You are both well versed.”
“You should taste this. Cianna is a remarkable cook.”
“You are safest with me,” he sighed deeply and moved to join her. “And yet, also in the most danger.”
“How am I to tell the difference in your guards when they all resemble Lumynaries?” She fed him a bite and watched him nod with approval.
“I have never surrounded myself with anything but my father’s Daemons. Lumynari are loyal to my mother. I learned that painful lesson during my youth. Hades sent Elites when I was in my fourth winter and my mother had you killed . . .” He silenced, suddenly interested in his own food. They stood at the bar, enjoying several bites of food before Emily spoke.
“I had an odd vision, when Aurelia took over. A beach.”
He nodded, set his fork down and looked at her. She stood straighter, food forgotten. His eyes watered. “I failed at being a true Lumynari because I cried over the human she sacrificed. Furious I dared show compassion and tears, Shadow thought to do the same to me, but Hades made a rare appearance.”
“What . . . did . . . “
“With nothing more than a sweep of his hand, he wiped out nearly her entire population of Shadow Masters. I still hear the screams and the sudden silence. And then, he told me that the day would come where I’d face a choice, but until then, I was to remain.”
“Why didn’t he take you with him?”
“My place was not yet to be at his side.”
“You seem cool with that.”
“You’re thinking on this with your human sentiments.”
“Ah. Hang on. Lemme dig deep and get in touch with my Lumynari—“
“Keer’dra!”
She lightly smacked his arm. Though they shared a light laugh, her heart ached. Her womb fluttered. Dezenial pulled her to him, his hand splaying her abdomen. Eyes closed, he muttered words she didn’t know. Warmth spread through her.
