Magical Lover

by Karilyn Bentley

  Thoren wrapped his arms around Keara, listening to her ragged breathing and stroked a hand through her hair. She raised them both from the dead. No wonder she lay in a coma. Using strong magic had a tendency to drain the user of energy. And he was hard pressed to think of a more draining example than raising a person from the dead.

  He hadn’t even known that was possible. Had she known about this ability? Obviously she had, or she wouldn’t be here now. What a rare gift she possessed. Myths featured tales of Draconi raising the dead. At least he always believed them myths until now. Maybe Enar was wrong. Maybe they hadn’t died.

  And maybe dragons didn’t know what to do with their wings.

  Along with having a powerful healing talent and the ability to absorb magic, she was a death raiser. Once the knowledge of that little ability got loose, peace would become non-existent. Everyone would be knocking on their door for her help when a loved one died.

  He refused to let that happen. She’d be drained of all life if she raised everyone who died.

  He’d have to hide her ability. Only a few could know and those few must keep the secret closely guarded.

  Her hair felt stiff under the stroke of his palm.

  His mate came for him. Faced his enemies for him. Risked her life for him. His job meant nothing compared to Keara’s love.

  “It’s done.” Enar placed a hand on Thoren’s shoulder. “Is it far enough for you to get us out of here?”

  Thoren focused on forming an energy ball in his palm. Yes, the sword was far enough away.

  “Hold on.”

  Thoren closed his eyes, imagining the Temple, imagining them all landing in the Courtyard. Their bodies shattered, driving through the air in a cloud of dust, reforming in the Courtyard. Thoren ran inside, carrying Keara, running until he reached the infirmary wing.

  Where was Annaliese? Thoren called the healer with his mind. The air swirled in front of them and with a muted pop Annaliese appeared.

  “What...By the Goddess! Bring her in here!” She shoved open a door and Thoren rushed inside, laying Keara on the bed.

  “What happened? She left to tell Father about a vision she saw of you injured. Are you well?”

  “Well enough. She won’t wake. Can you help her?”

  Annaliese placed a hand on Keara’s brow and closed her eyes. Thoren watched Keara’s chest rise and fall, his heart thudding, his mouth dry. Annaliese’s eyes flew open, wide and frightened.

  “She raised you!”

  By the Goddess’s teeth, how did the priestess know that? Did she possess the ability to forge her way into another’s mind without permission?

  “Don’t say that out loud. Do you know what others will do if they discover her gift?” Thoren crossed his arms.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just...not even my mother had the ability to raise the dead. I’ve never seen it done before.”

  “How did you know what she did?”

  “I need Aryana. Only she has the ability to heal Keara. I’ll return.” The air shimmered as she disappeared.

  “You get the feeling she doesn’t want to speak on how she knew Keara was a death raiser?” Enar slumped against the door, arms folded.

  Speaking as he moved, Thoren grabbed a chair and placed it by Keara’s side. “Just because we can mind-speak doesn’t mean we can invade another’s mind. Unless we project them to another, our thoughts belong to us.”

  “You sure about that?”

  Thoren held Keara’s chilled hand. Come on, love, wake. Don’t die. Don’t leave me alone. I need you.

  “Thoren?”

  That’s right. Enar was carrying on a conversation. Or trying to. What was the question?

  “I don’t know.” What you’re saying, what I’m doing, if Keara will live.

  “She’ll live. Ari will work her magic—”

  “Ari? You’re on a pet name basis with my aunt?” A Watcher did not bed the Draconi High Priestess. Even if said Watcher was his best friend. The females they met on Thoren’s journey across the land to please Balthor had been one thing. No harm done, both parties enjoyed themselves, who cared?

  But his aunt?

  Any male besides a Draconi who touched the High Priestess did so on punishment of death.

  Son of a bloody goat.

  Enar’s red cheeks gave it away, his darting gaze sealed the deal.

  “You didn’t.”

  Enar shrugged. “I have Lily now.”

  “She’s my aunt!” And the High Priestess.

  “You didn’t have a problem with it when it was a female in some village.”

  “But Ari is not a female in some village. She’s my aunt!”

  “It’s over. We ended it.”

  “You ended it? You mean it was more than once?”

  “Do you really want to hear this now?” Enar gestured to Keara. “What’s done is done. In the past. Over.”

  Thoren shoved a hand through his hair, locking his jaw to keep from leaping at Enar. His hand cranked into a fist and he fought to straighten it out.

  He would not hit his best friend. He would not hit Enar. He would not.

  Pop! Pop!

  Aryana and Annaliese appeared in front of them, both females hurrying to Keara’s side. Ari stopped, though, and looked from Thoren to Enar and back again, her eyes narrowing. One finger pointed at Thoren.

  “We’ll discuss your discussion later.”

  Since when did the priestesses start invading minds? Or had they been doing it all along and Thoren just now realized it?

  “Move away from the bed.” Aryana motioned him back and Thoren scooted the chair against the wall.

  He shut his eyes and focused on controlling the anger before it controlled him. His mate was dying, his best friend and his aunt had an affair and his knees threatened to embarrass him by giving out. What else could go wrong?

  Oh yes. The rogue Draconi escaped.

  Thoren took a deep breath. As Enar said, what was past was over and done. No use getting riled up. He needed to let all his emotions go and focus on Keara. She was the only thing that mattered.

  When he opened his eyes, Enar stood in front of him. Thoren slugged him on the shoulder and walked to the bed.

  Aryana rested her hand against Keara’s brow, eyes closed, her face relaxed.

  When she spoke, her gaze fixed on Thoren. “She is drained of energy. Annaliese told me what Keara did. I’m sorry, but it will have to be reported to Alviss.”

  “I know. I just don’t want everyone knowing. Can you heal her?”

  “I can try. No guarantees.”

  Annaliese placed both hands over Keara’s heart and Aryana placed hers on top of Annaliese’s. Chills broke out over Thoren’s skin as Aryana chanted in a language he’d never heard. The singsong words rose and fell, filling the room with a spell as old as the Draconi race, a spell of powerful magic. Aryana’s hands started to glow, the light spilling into Annaliese’s.

  A current shot through the room, ricocheting off the stone walls, bathing them in a blue glow. Thoren felt the magic push against his skin, wanting his power, his strength.

  The gentle touch pulled back, returning to blast into him, sucking on his magic, drawing out a small portion of it to hover over the priestess’s joined hands.

  Thoren gasped, remaining upright by pure will. Enar yelled as the blue current pierced him, as it pulled out a piece of his energy. Rather strange, that the spell would affect Enar, since it seemed to be a spell for finding magical energy and Watchers held no magic. No matter. As long as it helped Keara, Thoren didn’t care where the energy came from.

  More energy filled the room, blue light pouring through the windows, the cracks in the door, the walls. Small magical portions from who-knew-how-many formed a ball of blue energy that hovered above Aryana’s hands, growing larger with each stream of light that entered it. The priestesses exchanged a look, a silent communication, and removed their hands from Keara’s chest. The ball slammed into Keara, bowing her off the bed as
it covered her with its glow. Keara gasped in air, her body slamming into the mattress as the blue glow intensified.

  “What did you do?” Thoren rushed to Keara’s side, but hesitated to touch her.

  “Don’t touch her! The spell might target you instead.” Annaliese grabbed his arm.

  “I gave her more energy,” Aryana said. “She’d drained hers raising both of you. Do I even want to know how the finest reconnaissance specialists ever managed to get themselves killed?”

  Keara’s chest rose and fell, rose and fell, in a steady rhythm. At least her breathing seemed stable. That had to mean something.

  “They had a titanium sword,” Enar said.

  “Titanium?” Annaliese gasped.

  “How did they discover the effect titanium has on a Draconi?” Aryana’s eyes popped wide.

  He wondered the same thing. “I don’t know, but the Draconi—”

  “A Draconi?”

  “He was working with one of the lords from Keara’s town. He said he wanted revenge. He seemed to recognize me, though, because he referred to me as the ‘bitch’s nephew’ and told me to give my aunt his regards. I’m assuming he meant you.”

  Aryana stopped breathing as she exchanged a look with Annaliese. “What did he look like?” Her voice shook.

  “I don’t know. He wore a cloak that concealed his face.”

  “He ran fast,” Enar chimed in. “I lost him and I don’t normally lose my prey.”

  “Maybe that had something to do with you gasping like an old dragon.”

  “You try running after being killed with an energy ball and then rising from the dead. See how fast you go.”

  “Enough!” Aryana sliced a hand through the air. “You need to report these findings to the Council.”

  “Report away. I’m needed here with Keara.”

  Annaliese placed a hand on his arm, her face a mask of healer’s kindness. “Keara is going nowhere nor is she waking until the energy is released into her body. See how it’s still visible? She’ll wake when the blue disappears, which won’t be for some time. Go make your report and return.”

  Thoren snarled and Enar yanked him back. “Relax, Thoren. She’s right.”

  He needed to stay by her side. Keara needed him. What if she died when he wasn’t here? What if she died while he was?

  Shaking off Enar’s hand, Thoren turned to his aunt. “We need to talk.”

  “No, we do not. My body is mine to give as I will and you will not report it either.”

  “What’s to stop me?”

  For the first time in his life, he saw a malevolent glitter in his aunt’s eye that gave him pause.

  “I know something you don’t want told and you know something I’d like to keep secret. We are at an impasse, are we not?”

  Aryana, his aunt, the High Priestess, was using blackmail? On him?

  And using it quite successfully, might he add.

  Why was he so upset with Enar and Aryana? Because she was his aunt? Because his beliefs had been violated? Or was he upset over Keara and channeling his anger elsewhere?

  Thoren ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Keara, who lay with a peaceful look on her face. Was his sense of right and wrong worth her life?

  “Deal. You have my word I will not mention your...indiscretion if you do not mention Keara’s ability.”

  “I’m glad you see things my way. Now go and report. Return by morning and Keara will be as you left her.”

  Thoren clapped a hand against Enar’s back and transported them to the Council’s Chamber. Instead of sitting in their chairs, the thirteen males clustered around the seeing ball.

  “How is my granddaughter? I cannot see her in the ball,” Alviss shoved his way out of the pack of males and shuffled toward Thoren.

  “How...” oh that’s right. The seeing ball. “Aryana performed a spell to replenish her energy. So you saw everything?”

  “Not everything. Enough to know what Keara can do. Enough to see my best reconnaissance specialists get their arses kicked into the grave. We’ve been discussing Keara since then and missed the rest. Where’s the rogue?”

  “He got away.” Enar glared at the males.

  “You lost him. No whelp of mine—” Viktor snarled, his face red.

  Alviss pointed his cane at Viktor. “Quiet! I’m tired of your squabbles.” He turned back to Enar as Viktor continued to snarl. “How did the Draconi escape?”

  Enar shrugged. “He ran, I chased. He disappeared. I looked around and nothing. Keara was injured so I returned. The titanium sword is hidden for your retrieval.”

  “And do you know who the Draconi is?”

  “No sir.”

  “He apparently knew Aryana. Said I was the ‘bitch’s nephew’ and to give my aunt his regards,” Thoren said. “May I go now? I need to see Keara.”

  His palms itched to leave as his heart thudded hard enough to move his tunic.

  Balthor’s face wrinkled into a smile. It’s about time you admitted Keara is your mate, son.

  Before he made a sarcastic comment to his father, Alviss’s next words cranked his fists into tight knots.

  “We’ll bring Aryana to us. You will stay to hear this.”

  Removing the snarl from his lip took some effort. His mate needed him.

  Two blinks and a popping noise later and Aryana stood beside him. Her face pale, her eyes snapped wide, she stared at Alviss. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled through her nose.

  “Alviss. How nice of you to bring me here without warning.”

  “Aryana. Thoren tells me the rogue Draconi who attacked him seemed to know you. Do you know who he is?”

  Aryana cut a quick glance to Thoren before returning her glare to Alviss. “My nephew did not describe the male, only that he wore a hood. Not even I can definitely determine who someone is without a description.”

  “Give us your best guess.”

  “I have banished a couple of Draconi during my service to the Goddess. The most recent banishment occurred four months ago. My guess would be Fasolt.”

  Alviss’s eyes narrowed. “You banished someone without my knowledge?”

  “It is not required for me to inform you of those who are banished. In case you forgot, I am the High Priestess. Part of the duties involves banishing those that need it. And Fasolt needed it.” She snarled.

  “Why did you banish him?”

  Aryana’s fists clenched. “He assaulted one of my priestesses, claiming it was her fault he did not see the Goddess during his session with her. She almost died. His face was...damaged in the struggle to subdue him. He swore revenge upon me. It sounds like him, but again, I was not there to see.”

  “Did either of you know Fasolt?” Alviss turned to Thoren and Enar.

  As one, the two shook their heads.

  “No, sir,” Thoren answered for the two of them.

  “This presents further issues for us to discuss. You can go now,” Alviss waved his hand and Aryana disappeared. “You may go too, Thoren. No, Enar, you stay. We need to know how to recover that titanium sword.”

  Enar nodded at Thoren. Thoren slapped a hand on Enar’s arm.

  I’m sorry for overreacting.

  It’s all right. Get back to your female. Wish I could see my woman now.

  You will soon.

  Yes, but not soon enough.

  Picturing the healing room, Thoren transported to Keara’s side. The blue haze still covered her, cloaking her in light. His mate. His love. His life.

  He pulled the chair next to the bed and sat. When she woke, he wanted to be the first thing she saw.

  Chapter 19

  Warmth insulated her, cocooning her like a blanket on a cold day. A heavy warmth. Very heavy. Almost suffocating. Keara pushed at the heaviness, trying to find the corner on the blanket to yank it off her body. Maybe if her eyes would open she could see what to do. But her lids felt heavy, almost as heavy as the weight covering her, and the effort to get them open spent energy she didn’t
have. Better to try to remove the blanket sightless.

  She shifted, but the heaviness remained. Blue light snuck under the seals of her lids, bathing her in its glow. It wanted inside her, to grow, to live. Instead of running from it, she embraced it, a trace of a thought telling her the blue light was there to help.

  The light shot through her, filling her with its energy, its power. She felt bits of strength from many sources within the light, all working together to empower her. Nothing to lose by accepting the gift. Opening herself to the power, she let it course through her veins, through her heart.

  And as fast as it came, it left.

  What in the name of the gods was that? She felt energized, powerful, a mountain among hills. Until she opened her eyes and saw a mural of dragons flying over clouds. She lay flat on her back in a healing room.

  Again.

  She tried to push the covers off, only to be stopped by a warm hand. Turning her head, her gaze ran up Thoren’s arm, meeting his eyes. She smiled.

  Before she could take a breath, strong arms yanked her against a muscular chest. She breathed in Thoren’s scent and her body lit up like a fire on a cold day. He lived. She lived. Relief flooded her. What had she been so mad at him about?

  Thank the Goddess you’re alive. You had me worried. Don’t ever do that again.

  Back at you.

  “You’re holding my granddaughter too tight.”

  Thoren’s grip relaxed, but he didn’t let her go.

  She twisted in his arms until she saw Alviss sitting on the opposite side of the bed.

  “Hey, Gramps.”

  “Hey, yourself. How do you feel?”

  “I feel...weird. As if pieces of others live in me. Odd, eh?”

  “Not really.” Annaliese stepped into view, her hands folded in the sleeves of her gown. “We used a spell that took a little energy from each Draconi in the Temple to replenish what was missing in you. That feeling will wear off over the next several days as their energies disperse.”

  Thoren reluctantly released her and Keara scooted back against the headboard. She wanted to be alone with Thoren, but as no one made a move to leave, she knew it was a pointless wish.

  Alviss patted her hand. “Do you feel like telling us about the rogue Draconi?”