Fire

by Helen Scott

  It was following a sigh that I finally spoke and answered Tessa's question. "I'm not sure. I need to go to Hyperborea, to try and rein all this in before it gets too out of hand. Vayne is claiming he has the bloodline to rule. Apparently, the queen has instituted martial law and is executing people who break it. He wants to overthrow the crown in favor of an electoral system, so our government would fall into chaos letting him step up to rule. The information I received from my sister advised me that the people are starving and riots are happening all across the country. She begged me to come home to help her protect our family and her children since her husband was already executed for rebellious thoughts. The only thing I can think of that might help is showing how close we are to stabilizing the four worlds. But that would mean taking you to a country that could go to war at the drop of a hat, and I'm not sure that's a good idea."

  Silence surrounded the table as everyone took in the news. I knew some of my people would be angry at me for sharing the workings of our kingdom with the Atlantean Queen and her advisers, but I didn't really care. In my opinion, it was better for them to know what was going on in case full civil war did break out.

  "How is it legal for someone to be executed for their thoughts?" Tessa whispered.

  "Remember I told you my people can read each other minds? Well, the only reason I don't know your every thought is because I respect your privacy and the fact that you don't want me to know what you're thinking. It's harder to keep my people out of my head than you'd think."

  "Dres' people know what everyone is thinking all the time and the queen is murdering people who don't think she's fit to rule, right?" Kai asked glancing at me

  "Exactly."

  "Okay, so we need to go to Hyper--" Her voice cut out as the main door to the room opened.

  A member of the queen's guard walked in carrying a small piece of black paper, which was something only Griff's people used. My heart froze in my chest as I watched the guard bend at the waist in a deep bow to the queen before whispering something in her ear. She gave a slight nod and he turned and delivered the black card to Griff.

  "Your Majesty," Griff said, his tone cautious. "I can only read this if I heat it. May I use my powers?"

  "Absolutely not!" one of her advisers exclaimed, the outrage in his voice almost overpowering the nod that she gave to Griff.

  It was easy to forget that the queen didn't give a shit what her advisers said most of the time and only ever did what she wanted or what she thought was best for her people.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty." Griff inclined his head.

  Even with my powers under lock and key, I could feel the intensity in the room ratchet up moment by moment. The advisers were not happy with her choices, and neither were the guards that were standing by the doors.

  Small flames danced above Griff's fingertips as he ran them under the card. As the paper heated it turned an ashy gray color with the exception of where the writing was, which remained black. I wasn't watching the paper or trying to read it, like everyone except Tessa was doing. The two of us appeared to be the only ones who were more interested in Griff's body language than the paper that was gently fluttering in his hand.

  He swallowed a few times as he read, and I could see the vein in his neck pulsing rapidly as his heart rate kicked up. His eyes darted over the page again and again as though he was reading and rereading trying to get a different message from the script on the card. It was no use though.

  Finally, he set the card down. "My people have declared a conclave to elect a new king, something that hasn’t been done for hundreds of years. The conclave chamber was thought to be destroyed, but evidently, people have been searching for it. Once they found it the representatives from each district barricaded themselves inside. It has been requested that I return to El Dorado as I am the last member of my family who can serve in the conclave for our district."

  "Shit," Kai whispered next to me, a flash of guilt crossing his face as he realized he'd just cursed in front of the queen.

  There was no discussion as the doors from the kitchens opened and the servants brought the next course out. I wasn't sure if their timing was on purpose or if the gods were laughing at us as we played their games. Either way I knew there needed to be a discussion about where we go first, and though my vote would always be for Hyperborea I couldn't deny that Griff had a valid request as well.

  The charred fish that had been brought out was one of my least favorite dishes, and I had no desire to eat after everything we had been discussing. It appeared I wasn't the only one either. The queen, Tessa, and Griff all picked at their food, while Finn and the queen's advisers dug in with gusto. It was supposed to be a favorite among the Atlantean people. I preferred the lighter dishes of my home instead of the heavy food the other kingdoms served, but I couldn't complain too much as they were at least feeding me.

  Everyone around the table seemed lost in their own thoughts, but there was a tension in the air that was undeniable. I didn't want to invade anyone's privacy, but I also wanted to get a read on the room before I voiced my thoughts. I relaxed the death grip I had on my abilities for a moment and they shot out, absorbing all the information in the room in a matter of seconds.

  Tessa felt sick at the changes that were happening in the worlds and was blaming herself for kicking everything off, while simultaneously feeling guilty about her feelings for the four of us, which was a side note I found very interesting. Finn was concerned with the sea beasts dying, as was the queen. Griff was wishing he'd paid more attention in history class so he could remember how the last conclave went. The advisers were all thinking about fairly mundane things like their jobs or relationships. Kai was the only one I was having a hard time deciphering, and I knew that was on purpose. The man was singing battle songs from Agartha in his head before transitioning to reciting the engineering principles of his people.

  Kai. I need your support to get to Hyperborea and figure out what's going on. Can I count on you? I asked, focusing my thoughts on him.

  I knew he'd heard me because the repetition in his head stopped. You really could get past my shields all this time, couldn't you?

  Yes, but I would never invade your privacy that way. Can I count on you?

  Of course, brother. From what I know of the history of El Dorado, conclaves are generally peaceful, whereas your people are dying. It's an obvious choice, but Griff won't like it.

  I know.

  Whatever you two are talking about, you should share with the rest of the group, Tessa shouted in my head.

  I had to suppress a chuckle as I realized she was more observant of mine and Kai's body language than I had thought.

  As you wish, Ladybird. I tried not to smile and make our exchange obvious.

  I caught her gaze and saw the smile in her eyes as much as on her face. The sudden urge to kiss her rose within me and I had to squash it down. I didn't need to complicate things any further between our little group, and I could tell she was already struggling with her emotions and attachment to each of us. What I hadn't realized until that moment was how much I had allowed myself to become attached to her.

  This fierce woman with her blue and brown eyes, her spine of steel, and her quick wit and sharp mind had found her way under my skin somehow, and though I may not show it or act on it, I cared for her more than I would ever admit aloud. The simple fact that she'd shown up to dinner with the queen after almost dying, in her own clothes after the queen had given her a dress to wear, was the perfect example of what I admired about her. She was willing to compromise but only to an extent. Once she was pushed past that boundary line, she wasn't afraid to assert herself, even to royalty.

  22

  Tessa

  I couldn't help but look between Dres and Griff. They both had their families and worlds tugging at their hearts, but we could only be in one place at a time. At least, as far as I knew. The thing we had to figure out was which one to go to first.

  "Griff, is there a threat
of violence for the conclave?" I asked quietly.

  "I don't know." He sighed and ran a hand through his white-blond locks. "It can't be completed without me there, so I don't think so, but if I don't show up then that could incite violence because my people aren't exactly known for their patience."

  One of the advisers snort-laughed and muttered, "You can say that again."

  The fury that rose inside me came hard and fast, and I had to put my hands under the table because they balled so tightly into fists. My nails were biting into the palm of my hand, but I didn't mind. The pain helped me focus and let go of some of the rage that was bubbling away inside me.

  I saw Griff stiffen next to me out of the corner of my eye. His hand came over and settled across mine on my lap for a moment before he gently pried my fingers away from my palm.

  "Easy, Dove," he whispered.

  "Sorry." I raised my head to meet the adviser's eyes and threw him my best glare. "Your Majesty, may we be excused to discuss our plans?" I asked as I turned to face the queen.

  "As you wish." She sighed. "Please let us know before you leave so we can set up an appropriate bridge."

  "Of course, Your Majesty." Finn inclined his head toward the queen.

  The five of us stood and bowed before turning to leave. A short, quiet walk later and we were back in our suite of rooms. I claimed the armchair so that no one would be weird about who I sat with or didn't sit with. I crossed my legs and looked at each of them as they settled in their seats. "So, what are we going to do?"

  "I think we should go to Hyperborea because violence has already broken out there," Kai said, surprising all of us.

  "Agreed. The Founding Families are not ones to tolerate disobedience to their queen," added Dres, who was slowly turned back to face me.

  "I think we should go to El Dorado. If they've called a conclave then they are close to violence as well. The High Court isn't as peaceful as it used to be. If the conclave has already started, then violence is inevitable and has probably started as well."

  "Probably being the key word there," Dres pointed out.

  "I'm sorry, how do the founding families and high court relate to your leaders?" I asked.

  "The founding families endorse the queen. She is their figurehead, or was, until now. My hope is that she went rogue and the founding families can't control her anymore. That's where Vayne Driscoll comes in. He's always proposed a more democratic solution, but that would never fly for us. If the queen has gone off the edge, then his proposal will seem all the more reasonable. It's not his end goal though. Most of the founding families know that the Driscolls want power for themselves and they don't care how they get it. He's willing to throw the government, hell, the world, into chaos so that he can disrupt the line of succession enough to become king," Dres said summing up as much as I cared to know.

  "Our system is similar. We have clans, and each clan has a representative who has a vote to elect a new leader when the time comes. There isn't a popular vote, just the leaders of the clans. They go into conclave and by the time they come out they have reached a consensus of who will be the new ruler of El Dorado."

  "Kind of like you're electing a new Pope," I said, letting the idea form in my mind so I could differentiate between the process in El Dorado and the one in Hyperborea.

  "Maybe? I don't know much about the religions of the Origin World." Griff shrugged.

  "Okay, so the conclave could turn violent but hasn't in years, right?"

  "True, but we haven't had a conclave in years, so the point is moot."

  "When did you last have a conclave?"

  "A few centuries ago, I think."

  I shook my head. This was getting confusing. "What? But if you have to have a conclave to elect a new ruler, then how have you not had one for centuries?"

  "We live longer than humans."

  "So, you'll outlive me?" I asked.

  The question dropped like a stone into the room. I could tell that none of them had really thought about it, or maybe it had never occurred to them. Either way, they were thinking about it now.

  "Maybe," Griff said.

  "It depends on what happens. We could get the stones and something could happen to us as we try to stabilize everything, or maybe we all choose to live on your world and we age at the same rate you do. Either way, it's not like we can swim against this current for long," Finn said.

  "Okay, so Hyperborea first then El Dorado?" I asked.

  Reluctantly everyone agreed, although I could tell Griff wasn't happy. The guys all dispersed except Griff who sat watching me, just as I was sitting watching him. "You're a good leader, Dove."

  "Thanks. I have no idea what I'm doing though," I admitted.

  He grinned. "Most people don't."

  "Are you okay waiting?" I asked quietly. I wasn't sure there was anything I could say if he said no, but at least I'd know how he felt.

  Griff moved from the couch he was sitting on to a kneeling position in front of me before he took my hands. "Honestly, it's probably for the best. The conclave only gets vicious toward the end when the candidates are narrowed down to just a few choices. Before that, it's a lot more amicable. Dres' people are suffering; they need our help first. I just... I wish that we could split up in a way so that he and I could both go where we are needed most, but that would leave you choosing between us, and I won't make you do that. Plus, it would leave you short a guard while you're trying to do your thing, which makes me uncomfortable as well since you seem to have a penchant for dying."

  "It's not on purpose, believe me," I said with a snort.

  "You're special, Tessa, and not just because you're my mate, or because you've never been scared of me like most humans. You're powerful, you're one of the strongest people I know, and you make my heart feel like it's being tied up in knots. I want you to be safe and will do anything I can to help make that happen."

  My own heart melted at his words. How was a girl supposed to resist something like that? I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. His hands left mine and came up to lightly cup my face. Something about the extra touch shifted the kiss from something delicate and barely there, to feeling like I needed to prove to him how much he meant to me.

  Without saying a word, I pulled away from his kiss, although everything in my body was screaming in me to do otherwise, and stood up. Taking his hand, I tugged him up with me and walked the two of us into the room where I had been sleeping the last few months. He closed the door behind us and then was on me like a man who had been denied everything but was finally given it all. His hands pushed my clothes off while his lips bruised my own with the ferocity of the kiss.

  When I was able to come up for air I whispered, "Wait."

  He stopped immediately, which I loved, and looked up at me with concern-filled eyes. I smiled and placed my hand against his cheek as toed out of my boots. I pulled my top up over my head and took the bra off as well before shimmying out of my leggings and panties. When I was standing there completely naked before him I said, "I want you to bite me. Do whatever it is your people do to claim their mates."

  "Dove, I don't know if you understand what that means," he hedged, even as he pulled me into a hug.

  "Then tell me."

  "We will be bound together forever. If one of us dies so does the other. If one of us is sick or injured, they can pull on the other’s strength to help them heal. I would always be able to find you, no matter how much you may not want me to. It also would make the sex even better than it is already, and you would be able to sense my emotions if I wanted you to. It might enhance your senses I'm not sure. My people don't usually mate with humans."

  "I see." I pulled away and went to sit on the edge of the bed. "So, if we did this you would die when I died?"

  "Or, you would die when I die." He shrugged. "There is so much about this that we don't know, don't understand. I don't want you to walk into it blind."

  "I appreciate that." I paused and bit my lip, hesitant to ask th
e question I most wanted the answer to. "What do you want?"

  "I want you. Any way I can have you. Any time. Any place. My whole world has shifted, Dove. You're my gravitational field, without you I'd just float away. Not literally," he said, adding the last part when I scrunched my eyebrows together. We were both quiet a moment and he came to kneel before me again. "If you accept that there might be consequences neither of us understand or can predict then I'd love to cement our mate bond here and now. But there is no rush on this, truly."

  My mind swam with everything he had said, but the more I thought about it the less I saw any downside other than my death possibly cutting his life short. "Are you okay being mated to a human? You wouldn't prefer to wait and see if your mate is one of your own people?" I asked, my fear bubbling up before I could stop it.

  "Dove, the way I know that you're my mate is because my heart is beating at a regular pace all on its own. If you weren't then it wouldn't be doing that. It's not something that can be faked or misconstrued."

  "Wait, how was your heart beating then?"

  "It beat a few times a minute, maybe more if I was really exerting myself."

  "Weird," I whispered. I was completely fascinated by this world I'd found myself in and wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to go back to what I had considered a normal life. There was too much out there, too many places to see and explore, and I wanted to do it all as long as the four of them were by my side. My heart clenched at the thought, knowing that it would never happen. That specific dream was a little too big. About one person's worth too big. Kai was on his own path, one that he clearly didn't want to involve me, and I wasn't about to drag him down mine against his will. I couldn't help caring for him though.

  "Tell me about it. Not as weird as a human falling for four demons though." Griff's voice was quiet, and I knew he wasn't upset about my feelings, but I wasn't sure why.

  "How are you okay with that if I'm your mate?"

  "We've told you, love, we aren't human. We do things differently. Admittedly, it's not usually this different, but still, our people have what your people would consider weird relationships. There's nothing wrong with that. If you fall for all four of us, then that's what happens. If they all fall for you just like I have, which they would be idiots not to, then that's fine too. We all care about each other, hell, we've all known each other for most of our lives. We've trained and fought together, some of us have fucked together," he said looking at me meaningfully as my mind surged with images of myself with Griff and Finn.