Joined: Book One

by Mara Gan

  Oh god, he wanted to see me again? Little did he know. I shut my eyes. “I… I don’t know.”

  “I won’t let you leave until you tell me where to find you,” he said, brushing the hair out of my face, his fingertips just grazing my skin. “I’m not willing to let you disappear.”

  I wanted to laugh, but it would not have been with humor. I would most certainly not be disappearing from his life, although I now had little doubt that he would want me to.

  I shook my head, pushing feebly against him. “I won’t be disappearing,” I whispered. “But this isn’t right. We shouldn’t be—”

  Perseus caught my chin, keeping one arm solidly about my waist, and forced me to look at him. “Hey,” he said gently. “There is nothing wrong with a kiss.”

  My eyes filled with tears. How could he not know who I was? “Don’t you know?” Didn’t he specialize in information or something? “Don’t you know who—” I bit my lip. I couldn’t tell him right now. I just couldn’t. My shoulders slumped. “I need to go.”

  “Wait,” he said, tightening his arms, his jaw set. “I am being installed as the Protector tomorrow morning. Come to the ceremony. I will treat you to a meal after the reception.”

  “I….” I hesitated, not meeting his eyes. “I will be at the ceremony.”

  Well, at least that wasn’t a lie.

  He nodded, searching my face. “Good,” he whispered. He tipped my chin up and brushed his thumb over my lips, making me shiver and close my eyes. Slowly he released me and said simply, “I will see you tomorrow.”

  I nodded and stepped away, still avoiding his eyes, and fled through the greenery.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  It had been every bit as disastrous as I’d feared.

  I hadn’t slept a wink all night for stressing about what our meeting would be like this morning. I should have told him—looking back, it’s not like I lacked for opportunity—and he would to be furious.

  I was having trouble reminding myself why I had thought it would be a good idea to enrage someone whose temper an entire galaxy feared.

  The ceremony had been pretty over-the-top, especially for something so last minute, but then it was easy to say that when all I had to do was show up. The Moirae had elected to perform an actual ceremony linking me with my Protector. He wouldn’t be just any bodyguard; the crinkly old Moirae woman had given him a ferromagnetic tattoo on the inside of his left arm, one that was linked with my emotions. Specifically, it was linked with my fear, the idea being that he would be able to sense when I was afraid and render assistance as needed.

  I found no end of irony in the fact that my Protector would be able to sense my emotions when I couldn’t sense his.

  Perseus had clearly discovered my identity before entering the Chamber, the fancy room where all state ceremonies were held. Despite the room being a little too fancy, I liked the open glass ceiling through which the stars were visible; it lent a vaguely magical aura to the place. King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia were seated on their thrones behind me, while I stood a step lower on the dais. Synie had sent Skore and Callie to my apartments to make sure I wore something suitable—as in, anything but my black or gray tunic—and as I had limited “fancy occasion” options, I was wearing my imperial ceremony dress, to my never-ending chagrin. It was a silvery-white concoction, floor-length, with long, slim-fitting sleeves and a high waist and modest bodice. The dress had thousands of tiny silver jewels set into the top and which petered out toward the floor, making me look kind of like a comet. I had refused to do anything extra with my hair, but Callie had insisted I wear the silver circlet denoting me as the Heir.

  It wasn’t uncomfortable, exactly, but it was such a nice dress that I hated wearing it for fear of ruining it. I was agile on the Dískos field; not so much everywhere else. Spilling things on nice clothing was the norm.

  The moment Perseus and Kos had entered the Chamber and begun the long walk through the lines of people who’d come to witness the ceremony, I had known that he knew who I was. His face was a mask of fury, his handsome features twisting cruelly.

  My stomach dropped. The minute his gaze settled on me, his eyes flashed dangerously and the cruel set to his mouth got even worse.

  I swallowed. Clearly, I had underestimated how angry he would be. His gait was slow, measured, and I swore I could actually see the fury emanating from him, the way you can see heat waves rising off a road on a really hot day.

  It was surprising, then, that I couldn’t feel it. I almost thought I could, given how visible it was, but I felt… nothing.

  My eyes widened and I checked on the emotions of everyone around me, opening my mind to their thoughts, and was blasted with the familiar sensations of boredom, interest, sleepiness, and the other things that plagued us on a daily basis.

  Just as quickly, I tried to tune it back out before the sheer number of people threatened to overwhelm me, but that was always much more difficult. Opening the door was easy; closing it again was not.

  I refocused my attention on Perseus.

  Nothing.

  He was closer, Kos just behind him and eyeing him curiously, but his clenched jaw and black eyes never wavered from me. I swallowed again as he stopped before me at the dais.

  Ridiculously, my position on it made me just as tall as he was. So much for feeling equal, I thought, shuddering at the fury etched in every line of his face. I shouldn’t have gone to meet him last night. I should have tempered my curiosity, should have just met him today, at the ceremony, as I had been told to do. Then I wouldn’t be in the mess I was in now.

  I’d lied and deceived him, and this was my punishment. I deserved his ire.

  But I was still a princess, so I tipped my chin up and squared my shoulders—although I’m certain I still looked as pained as I felt.

  Blissfully, last night hadn’t been a fluke; once Perseus stood close to me, the thoughts and feelings of everyone else in the room dimmed, like someone turning down the lights or fogging up a window. I almost sighed with relief at the easing of tension from my brain, but then I caught sight of Perseus’s face again.

  He looked like he wanted to throw me across the bar again, only maybe a little harder this time.

  Okay, a lot harder.

  He was clearly angry. Furious, really; there was nothing tame about the man who stood before me now. His eyes shone with bitterness as he glared at me, and anxiety fluttered in my chest.

  I’d really done it this time.

  “Your Royal Highness,” Kos began formally, standing just slightly behind Perseus, “Princess Andromeda, Heir to Galaxia, may I present Perseus, the Chosen One, the one identified to be your Protector.”

  I swallowed, inclining my head toward Kos. “Welcome,” I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “We have long looked forward to your arrival, Perseus.”

  “There has not been a Protector invested with the Powers in over five centuries,” Synie said, addressing the large audience as she came to stand beside me. “We have chosen now to invest Perseus with the Powers in order to protect our Heir. Princess Andromeda is the most powerful Heir to appear in hundreds of years, and the Assembly voted—almost unanimously—to protect her as well as we can.”

  They introduced Perseus to a few more people after that, namely the Mousai. I gathered he had met some of them last night, but some of them had been in attendance on the king and queen and were now meeting him for the first time.

  I was envious of the Mousai, to an extent. They were all talented, gorgeous, and possessed a wonderfully carefree attitude toward life. And they had each other. Clee, the researcher and analyst with unruly black hair and startling purple eyes, favored using two short swords that were perpetually strapped to her back. She was undeniably odd, leaving sticky notes to herself all around the city and with a penchant for going through people’s personal files, but she possessed an incredible ability for understanding and explaining conflicts. I relied on her research quite a bit. She and Rania worked
closely because of Rania’s expertise in galactic geography. Rania was also the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had bright green, narrow eyes set in tanned skin, and a glossy mane of thick, straight, dark hair… I grew wistful just thinking about it. Her Mousai uniform just made her look that much taller and more graceful.

  Eute was the quietest, but perhaps the most striking; she had straight, thick, blonde hair and bright golden eyes, nearly the same shade as Gi’s, that looked even more startling because of the contrast with her black Mousai uniform. She was welcoming but said very little, preferring to let her bow and arrow or her lute speak for her.

  Skore, Clee, and Callie were the ones I interacted with the most. Callie was kind of Synie’s second-in-command, helping lead training sessions and missions when the occasion called for it. She was always dying her short hair a different color; currently it was a bright green. Skore was full of life and fun, and perpetually annoyed with me for being decidedly undaring in the realm of fashion. Synie often sent Skore to “escort me” to public events, when in reality she was there to be my fashion advisor. Unfortunately, Skore was impossible to argue with, so I usually just caved.

  Thal was a Corvian with a prehensile tail and a wicked sense of humor. Nia and Mel were the primary guards to the king and queen, so I saw them rarely, but Nia was well known for having a nasty temper, and Mel was one of the few who could calm her down. The last to be introduced, Erie, was primarily in charge of law enforcement in the city. She was no-nonsense and terse, but I quite liked her efficient manner. She had straight, shoulder-length, brown hair and the most gorgeous ice-blue eyes I had ever seen.

  And of course, there were Kos and Synie. Synie kept her dark brown hair cropped close to her head so as not to get in the way of the killer jagged blade—a kalis, I’m told—that she kept attached to her back, but she had a warm and outgoing personality that put nearly everyone at ease.

  Kos was something else entirely. He had green eyes the unrealistic color of a spring leaf, and black hair and nearly always dressed in simple black pants and a long-sleeved shirt. And although I loved him strictly as a mentor and a would-be uncle, even I could admit he was gorgeous. His appearance suggested he was a wealthy young man, perhaps around thirty years old, but closer inspection indicated Kos was much older than he seemed. It was not just the color of his eyes, but the eyes themselves; something about them spoke of a wisdom only accessible to those who have been patient for a long, long time.

  Kos had secrets and everyone knew it. We just had no idea what those secrets were.

  The rest of the ceremony was a bit of a blur to me. I was aware of the glare from my new Protector that barely wavered from me, and I knew the Moirae drew a tattoo on his arm that looked vaguely like a bunch of squiggly lines—and she grabbed my hand to do it, surprising me again—and then it was over.

  The crowd cheered after Synie and Kos said a few words—they were always good with crowds—and Perseus bowed stiffly and, with a glance at me, left.

  Just… left.

  CHAPTER NINE

  I had to apologize. I had to. I couldn’t let him stay so angry with me. Not only did I hate it when people were angry with me, but I had really messed up, and he deserved an apology.

  Plus, he was really, really mad. Any fool could see that. And I really didn’t want my bodyguard to be harboring secret hopes that I’d trip and fall on a sharp butter knife.

  I had to stay in the Chamber for a few minutes, however, making polite conversation with the Moirae and the Mousai, before I was able to quietly excuse myself to Kos and slip out. I knew Perseus had been given the apartments next to mine; Kos had undoubtedly shown him the secret door from Perseus’s apartments to my living room, thinking that I didn’t know about it. Since my rooms were at the end of the corridor, in an otherwise unpopulated hallway, I’d also have to pass the Protector’s door anytime I came and went from my own apartment, something Kos and Synie probably hoped would deter me from my late night walks.

  I hurried through the main corridor, holding the skirt of my gauzy dress in one hand to allow me to run faster. I hoped to catch up with him, but as I jogged through the Esplanade on my way to the moving walkway to my Cube, there was no sign of him.

  Clearly, he moved fast.

  I headed for his quarters, hoping that perhaps he’d gone straight there.

  When I finally reached his door, my anxiousness was making me shaky and breathless. I pushed the door chime, then hastily knocked. I was desperate for him to understand I had only meant to get to know him, not hurt him or insult him.

  As I was about to knock again, the door opened on a rough bark from within, and I stumbled through.

  “Perseus!” I exclaimed in a rush. “I’m so sorry—please, let me explain—”

  My words died on my lips when I saw him.

  And then I was pretty sure my jaw hit the floor. Hard.

  He was standing in his living room, hair undone from its queue and completely shirtless. Water dripped from his face onto his chest.

  Oh my god. I had never seen a shirtless man before. My Dískos teammate, Thorn, wore short and skintight shirts, but he never went shirtless.

  People were usually pretty conservative around me, both in manners and in dress, maybe because I was the Heir; the most revealing clothing I had ever seen on another was a bare arm. I didn’t mind skin, though—people could wear whatever they wanted, as far as I was concerned.

  And wow, the skin….

  Perseus was all defined muscles. His arms bulged as he crossed them over his chest and glared at me, but I hardly noticed. I was too busy staring at the wide expanse of muscle crossing his chest and abdomen, hard lines with a smattering of scars over smooth, tanned skin.

  He was gorgeous.

  And… I was staring. Great job, Meda.

  I swallowed and forced my eyes to his. His eyes narrowed at me as one brow lifted. “Come to ogle or to laugh, Your Highness?” he sneered.

  I blinked. Laugh? What was he on about? “I… I wanted to apologize,” I started, stifling a shudder. It was really, really hard to focus on him, what with the no shirt and all. What would his skin feel like? I wondered.

  No. Stop it. I mentally slapped myself.

  “Oh, so you didn’t mean to lie about your identity?” he snarled, taking a step toward me.

  The fury in his voice was enough to snap me out of my stupor. “What? No,” I stammered, worry making my face pinch. “No, I would never—”

  “Because it seems to me, little girl, that you had every opportunity to tell me exactly who you were,” he snapped. “And you didn’t. Do you enjoy making fools out of people? Is this some sick hobby?”

  He stepped forward again, his fists clenched at his sides as he stared me down. Instinctively I stepped backward—and hit the wall.

  Holy lord, he was far angrier than I had ever imagined. The vision he presented—the wild hair, the shirtlessness, the scars, the sheer fury on his face—was terrifying. I suddenly felt like a mouse must feel before a giant cat. I gulped air as I flattened myself against the wall.

  “Perseus,” I breathed. “I truly didn’t mean to insult you. I… please don’t….” I closed my eyes, wishing I hadn’t done something so unforgiveable. My anxiety threatened to drown me, my brain incapable of forming coherent words.

  I had never expected him to be this angry. I hadn’t really lied, after all; I just hadn’t elaborated when—

  Alright, alright, that was a lie of omission. But seriously, Perseus is—was—a mercenary. One who specialized in information. Shouldn’t he have known who I was?

  In my panic, I then realized that maybe he did know. Had known all along.

  I don’t think well when I panic, by the way. I doubt anyone does. But at the time, it made sense.

  My eyes snapped open. “Oh my god,” I whispered. “You weren’t… you’re not—”

  He had been sent to kill me. What better way to get close to me than by being my Protector? I was sure of it.r />
  I lunged for the door, wishing in that split second that I’d bothered to wear one of those infernal mobile connection devices Synie and Kos were always bugging me about, but I figured I might be fast enough to make it to a communications panel in my living room.

  No such luck. A rope of muscle looped around my waist and hauled me backward, shoving me against the wall and trapping me there. Two big hands spanned my rib cage under my arms, holding me still.

  I stared up at him, prepared to fight and knowing it would get me nowhere.

  Then he kissed me.

  A strangled sound escaped his lips as he gripped me tightly under my arms, his mouth sliding over mine… and I was lost.

  His strong arms slipped around me as he bent to get closer. I melted against him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling myself into his embrace, not caring that I was probably embarrassing myself horribly. I didn’t care. I didn’t care at all. Kissing this man was the most wonderful thing I had ever felt, and I wanted more of it.

  This kiss felt different than the one before. Each time we touched, the kiss was less painful, but more urgent, more desperate, more necessary. Every little touch brought me further under his control.

  If I had my way, I would be frozen like this.

  He lifted me, bringing me up to eye level as my fingers speared through his unbound hair.

  I had never felt anything as good as the feel of being held against his chest. He was so warm… I wanted to burrow into the safety and comfort he offered and never come out. I was dying and I didn’t care.

  He released my mouth slowly, both of us breathing unevenly, but kept me tightly against him. “Do not fear me, little one,” he murmured against my lips. “I couldn’t stand it if you did. I will never let anything hurt you.”

  I think I said something eloquent, like “Huh?”

  He smiled, but it was pained. “You were afraid.”

  Oh yes. That.

  “But….”

  He shook his head as he dragged his mouth across my cheek. “I was not sent to kill you—and I couldn’t do it even if I had been.” He pressed his lips to my ear and I shivered as he murmured, “I would steal you away and make you mine.”