by Alex Lidell
I pick up my knife and fork and slice into the lamb, which releases a bouquet of tingling spices. “What will happen to them?”
“They’ll live another day,” Coal says, finishing his wine in a single long gulp. His loose black shirt is open at the collar to reveal a muscled neck and still-pale skin. “Which would not have been the case if they’d stepped onto the sand with the surrender ward disabled,” he continues casually, violence edging his words.
“A most unusual situation,” says a musical voice that makes my throat burn.
Everyone at the table rises to their feet, bowing to Klarissa and Elidyr as they stride up to our table. Well, Elidyr strides; Klarissa flows with a dancer’s grace. The female is dressed in a satin gown the color of onyx, and she owns every inch of the shimmering fabric. A fine gold chain woven into her dark hair hangs down onto her forehead, the tear-shaped diamond at its center giving the impression of a third eye.
“Oh, I like that,” Tye says, his eyes sparking at Klarissa’s jewel. “You wouldn’t wish to part with it for a tidy—”
I hit him in the solar plexus.
“Oof.” Tye rubs his sternum, glaring at me in brazen innocence. “What?”
“If this goes missing, Tye,” Klarissa says, her eyes narrowing, “I’ll make Coal’s adventures at the whipping post yesterday seem like a pleasant pastime.”
The corners of Tye’s mouth twitch.
“Please, sit,” Klarissa says, gesturing amiably with both hands and waiting for us to obey. “As I was saying”—she clears her throat in an attempt to reclaim her earlier momentum—“the council regrets any inconvenience that the glitch in the wards may have caused. I assure you, the matter will be investigated fully.”
Heat rises to my face, my fists clenching in my silk-covered lap. Klarissa has already tried to have me killed once, and she was certainly the damn culprit behind the failed ward. The males might be content to let this pass, but exhausted and furious as I still am, I’m ready to state the truth aloud. Before I can, however, Tye’s arms encircle me, pulling me back against his muscled body—and halfway onto his chair. His scent, with which I was very intimately acquainted an hour ago, heats my skin, but my eyes narrow on Klarissa nonetheless. I open my mouth to—
I gasp, feeling Tye lick my ear.
Stars.
“If you could do us all the courtesy of keeping your breeches on for a few more minutes, I would appreciate it,” Klarissa finally snaps, her silk voice crackling through the air. Drawing a deep breath, she regains her composure and turns pointedly toward River, who waits in pious attentiveness. “I came to offer my congratulations on your quint’s successful completion of a trial, River,” Klarissa says, her voice admirably formal. “I must also mention that, had you told the council you’ve a weaver in your midst, we could have done a great deal to assist. Your secret helped no one, prince of Slait. We are on the same side—the one fighting against Mors.”
River’s face is stone, but my eyes widen and even the feel of Tye’s arms around me is not enough to halt my sharply indrawn breath.
Klarissa turns toward me, lifting a manicured brow. “The Elders Council is not a decoration, Leralynn. We work with facts, history, research, and observation at least half as well as the princess of Slait does.” Giving Autumn a small bow, Klarissa strides around the table, her delicate hand brushing across River’s broad shoulders before settling on the nape of Shade’s neck.
Shade stiffens, his eyes dull and filled with pain. His nostrils flare but he stays still beneath the female’s touch. My chest tightens. Shade has spoken to me as little as Coal has, though Shade’s distance feels different. Quiet. Fearful. Like an animal hiding a wound that it fears will mark it as prey. I little understand, little care why he won’t let me near him. But there is no choice about permitting Klarissa’s touch, it seems.
A moment later, magic, shimmering like liquid silver, suddenly spreads from Klarissa’s hand to cover Shade’s neck, back, and shoulders. The male arches, tense and silent, the agony flashing through his eyes setting my soul aflame.
I jerk in Tye’s hold.
“Steady, lass,” Tye whispers in my ear. “That’s healing magic. And Klarissa’s affinity for it is the strongest known.”
Healing. I almost laugh at the absurd irony, but even that bitter humor fades as Klarissa pulls away her hand.
Shade turns toward her. I watch for the furious indignation I expect to see flashing in those golden eyes, but instead find a mix of question and plea.
My chest squeezes. So there is a wound. A real one. One bad enough that Shade is too frightened to admit its extent. Beneath the table, I extend my leg slowly and press my calf against his.
A moment later, Shade presses back, his attention on Klarissa’s inevitable diagnosis.
She pats his trembling shoulder. “There is a great deal more damage than I can correct in the middle of a dining hall, shifter, but . . . I’m confident you will regain your magic. For now, transition down to your wolf. It is safer for you and will aid in the healing.”
I startle, my eyes widening. “Regain his magic? Is it—”
The pressure of Shade’s leg on mine intensifies, leaning into me.
Klarissa clicks her tongue, meeting my gaze. “It’s gone, yes. Your friend is fortunate that Coal there pulled him back as quickly as he did, or the wards would have burned him out completely.” She shifts her attention back to her patient, her tone hardening. “There is no healing death, Shade. You are smart enough to know that. What in the name of Lunos were you thinking?”
The question hangs in the air, Shade’s eyes unwilling to meet mine.
Klarissa sighs and studies her nails, which are manicured with a pearly black paint that plays off her dress. “Unless, of course, you weren’t thinking, were letting that mating instinct wreak havoc on you instead. There are ways to ease that transition too, you know. Exercises, warded charms, herbs. If you wish for help, all you need to do is ask.” Without waiting for an answer, Klarissa walks away, leaving crackling silence in her wake.
Coal’s lips pull back into a snarl. “That vicious bi—”
“I would urge you to consider your next words carefully,” Elder Elidyr says in a too-calm voice that has Coal shutting his mouth at once. Elidyr nods and shifts his gaze until it rests on River’s. Though not as large as River, the elder has the same calm presence that I remember from the council chamber. “Klarissa is not incorrect, you know. Now that the trials have revealed Leralynn’s nature, we can help you train. Help you become the quint that the magic has chosen you to be.”
Trust the council. Even coming from Elidyr, the words sound ludicrous.
“If I discover a shred of proof that Klarissa was behind the ward’s failure,” River says, his words black ice. “I will bring down the Citadel around her ears. Please make no mistake about it, Elder.”
“How . . . brazen.” Elidyr’s oval face straightens as he hooks his thumbs into the belt of his riding leathers. “While you are chasing that fiction, River, you might also examine what Klarissa has been doing to protect Lunos from Mors in the past decade, while your quint was dormant. Please, enjoy the rest of your dinner and try to decide whether it’s Klarissa or Mors’s Emperor Jawrar whom you five intend to spend your destiny fighting.”
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Also by Alex Lidell
New Adult Fantasy Romance
POWER OF FIVE (Reverse Harem Fantasy)
POWER OF FIVE
MISTAKE OF MAGIC
TRIAL OF THREE
Young Adult Fantasy Novels
TIDES
FIRST COMMAND (Prequel Novella)
AIR AND ASH
WAR AND WIND
SEA AND SAND
SCOUT
TRACING SHADOWS
UNRAVELING DARKNESS
TILDOR
THE CADET OF TILDOR
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About the Author
Alex Lidell is the Amazon Breakout Novel Awards finalist author of THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin, 2013) and Amazon Top 100 Kindle Bestseller POWER OF FIVE (Danger Bearing Press, 2018). She is an avid horseback rider, a (bad) hockey player, and an ice-cream addict. Born in Russia, Alex learned English in elementary school, where a thoughtful librarian placed a copy of Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA in Alex’s hands. In addition to becoming the first English book Alex read for fun, ALANNA started Alex’s life long love for fantasy books. Alex lives in Washington, DC. Join Alex's newsletter for news, bonus content and sneak peeks: www.subscribepage.com/TIDES Find out more on Alex's website: www.alexlidell.com
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