Royal Obsession (Shadow Assassins 1)

by Cyndi Friberg

  * * * * *

  North stomped down the corridor unable to decide if he was angry or amused. Varrik was up to something. After seeing Echo naked and rosy with carnal fulfillment, he could see why any man would risk the wrath of the elders to claim her. His steps faltered. Was that all Varrik had done, taken a woman unattainable to most men in the world below? He would love to believe Varrik’s motives were no more malevolent than that. It was just too hard to swallow.

  He returned to the meeting room and took his seat without interrupting the heated debate going on between East and South. South loved to argue. He generally took an opposing position regardless of the issue.

  “What did you find out?” West asked as South paused to take a breath.

  “My wily nephew is bending the rules as far as possible without breaking them.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? Did he realize this woman was a shifter when he chose her as his mate? What about the sister? Does she have abilities, too?” South rattled off the questions, content to abandon the other subject, at least for the time being.

  “I suspected Varrik would only breed once, so I encouraged him to set his sights high. He followed my advice to a greater extent than I intended.”

  “You’re still hinting at meaning,” West said. “Spell it out.”

  “Though not technically Mystics, the females Varrik targeted would never have been considered for our program.”

  “And why is that?” South wanted to know.

  “Because his twins are E’Lanna and Echo dar Aune.”

  After a stunned silence, West said, “They must be returned immediately. Their mother will declare war on us while their father rallies every Mystic on the planet. Their uncle is best friends with the overlord, and his sister just joined with a Bilarrian dignitary! Varrik could not have chosen a woman—”

  “More worthy of his seed!” South cut in. “I say balls to Varrik. No other descendent has imagined what he just dared.”

  “Did you hear what North told us?” West pushed back his chair and stood. “The High Queen’s daughters are…” He swung his head toward North. “Has Varrik mounted them yet? How long have they been down here?”

  “He should be commended.” South folded his arms across his chest and nodded, the blue rings flashing in his eyes. “Mystics are forbidden because of the security risk, but why do we restrict our descendants to peasants and underlings? They should be allowed to mate with any woman they choose.”

  “There is more to this than wanting a mate.” West shared his glare evenly with the other three elders. “What is Varrik’s true motivation for putting us in this position?”

  “It could be an interesting test.” East tended to be the quietest of the elders. He listened as the others argued and only offered his opinion when he felt it was relevant. South and West could learn from his example.

  “Interesting in what way?” North prompted him.

  “If all the powers in the star system are called to arms and they still can’t find our maze, we will know once and for all that our relocation is successful.”

  “And if they find us, of course, we’re all dead.” South’s support of Varrik’s boldness evaporated in an instant.

  “The deed can’t be undone,” North reminded them. “The royal twins now belong to the world below. I would like to leave Echo with Varrik, for now. We can learn much from his treatment of her, and as South said, his daring should be rewarded.”

  “And the other?” Interest sparked in South’s gaze.

  “I haven’t decided yet.”

  “We are all elders,” South insisted. “Why is her fate yours to decide?”

  “Because Varrik descends from the north.”

  “Be that as it may,” East said, “we need to know how the world above is reacting to Varrik’s boldness.”

  North nodded. “I’ll pay a visit to Fortress Joon.”