by Rosalie Redd
“No! I told her not to go.” He breathed through clenched teeth, his shoulders visibly heaving from the exertion.
Aramie’s heart ached for this male’s loss. “Leon—I wish—”
The angry male lunged at her, but before he could get close, Saar wrapped him in a bear hug. “There’ll be no fighting in the Keep, unless it’s in the training center.”
Aramie raised her hand. “It’s ok, Saar. He’s hurting…that’s understandable.” She focused on Leon. “I’m truly sorry for your loss.”
Leon thrust his arms into the air, pushing Saar away. He turned his attention to Aramie. “It’s your fault she’s gone. You’ll pay for this.” Spittle flew from his mouth.
“I’m sure I will, but right now, I have to see Gaetan.” With her head held high, she walked past the distraught male and raced down the hallway. Her heart filled with conviction, causing her chest to ache. She’d make sure Ram paid for killing her sister and Kitani. The bulge in her pocket pressed against her thigh, and the need to get the sacred stone to Gaetan burned in her raw throat.
*****
“Gaetan.”
“Aramie, it’s good to see you again.” Gaetan gripped her hand between his warm palms. His scrutinizing gaze roamed her face. “Come, sit down.”
Releasing her hand, he grabbed his cane that leaned against the edge of the counter. He sat on his stool, the wood groaning under his weight. With tender care he rubbed his misshapen leg, and the dark marking that ran down his arm and into his hand moved eerily in the light.
The scent of cleaning fluid masked the smell of blood and sweat. Scalpels, scissors, tape, and gauze were scattered across the countertop, some partially covered by a towel.
“I don’t have time. I…We…” Her voice wavered, and she pursed her lips.
“I can tell you have something important to say. It will be easier if you relax.” He motioned to one of the examinations tables.
She sat on the nearest one, her feet dangling over the edge. Adrenaline raced along her nerves, and a wall of pain threatened near her heart. She kicked her legs back and forth, anything to burn off some of her energy—and stave off her grief.
A sad smile crept across his face. “What brings you to visit me?”
“I found the blue sunstone.” With shaky hands, she pulled the sacred crystal from the pocket of her damp pants. The room lit up with an eerie glow.
Gaetan gasped and stood faster than she imagined possible. His stool crashed against the stone floor. “How? Where?”
“Blue Pool is real. The crystal was in a small cave underneath the dry waterfall. We found it—” She choked on the words. Her sister had sacrificed her life for this stone. Tears welled in Aramie’s eyes, and she glanced at the floor.
Sidea would never take another breath, would never laugh, would never shed another tear. There wasn’t anything Aramie could do to bring her back. A sob broke through Aramie’s control, wracking her body.
Gaetan squeezed her shoulder, his hand warm and soothing. “Tell me.”
She peered into his eyes. Like an old sage, comfort and experience with loss were evident in the wrinkles in his brow and around his eyes.
“Sidea—” She bit her lip to stop the quiver.
Gaetan pulled her into an embrace and rubbed her back with his strong hand. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
He released her, yet the warmth he’d provided still lingered. Her mind fogged with grief, her chest so tight, she wanted to scream. She slid off the exam table and walked over to the cabinet. A myriad of bottles lined the shelves, some with elixirs, some with herbs, others with different colors of sunstones from opaque to orange to deep red. She studied her nails, the edges ragged from her attempts to grab hold of the rocks as she’d tossed and turned in the current before she’d lost consciousness.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Gaetan’s encouraging words brought her back to the present.
She nodded. “While I retrieved the sunstone, Gossum attacked our party. Ram—” Her breath caught in her throat. She turned to face Gaetan. “He’s still alive.”
“That’s…not possible. Noeh killed him.”
“There’s no doubt in my mind. Ram lives.”
“He killed your sister.” Gaetan whispered.
“And Kitani. I can’t believe they’re gone.” A storm brewed inside, her grief fueling her need for vengeance.
“We have to tell Noeh.” Gaetan’s words hit home.
Of course, the king should know his nemesis lived.
Her heart still heavy with the death of her sister, Aramie offered the crystal to the old healer. “Gaetan, the stone—Demir.”
He glanced from her eyes to the stone and back again. “To touch the blue sunstone is a great honor. To use it, a great opportunity. With any opportunity, there is risk. If I use this on Demir, it may not work. Even if he revives, he may not be the same male you once knew. Will you accept the consequences?”
“I will, I must. He is our leader.” Aramie’s jaw ached from tension, and the muscles in her arms and legs were rigid. Demir needed to live, no matter the cost. Sidea would expect nothing less, and Aramie couldn’t let her sister’s death stand for nothing. Besides, once healed, Demir would rule the pride once again, and she’d be free to seek her revenge.
Chapter Fifteen
Mauree crossed her legs, but she couldn’t get comfortable on the rickety old chair. It squeaked when she moved, the solitary sound loud in her single cell. The Strong room was far under the main levels of the Keep and she was its only inhabitant…ever. They’d built the cell long ago, just in case, but the Stiyaha were an ever-loyal bunch. Gah! Giving up on the chair, she walked the three steps to the iron bars that graced the entrance to her humble abode.
She placed her forehead against the barrier, straining to see down the hallway. Light emitted from the sunstones lining the corridor, the soft illumination stretching off in either direction. A knot built in her stomach, hardening until her blood pressure spiked, sending a wave of adrenaline through her veins.
Wrapping her hand around the bars, she tried to force the iron to bend to her will, but to no avail. She was stuck in here until someone decided to let her out…that someone being King Noeh. At the thought of him, all her anger dissipated. Instead, a great weight settled onto her chest.
“I was supposed to be queen.” She choked on the words, and they sounded pathetic even to her own ears.
A single tear ran over her cheek, and she caught it with the back of her finger. She carefully studied the droplet. I won’t cry over him, not anymore. Yet, even as she told herself this, another tear escaped. After she’d kidnapped and turned the future queen over to the enemy, she’d earned her status as a traitor, and that she couldn’t ignore.
The scent of fresh pineapple wafted along the slight breeze. Mauree’s pulse increased and she stepped to the bars once again. “Ginnia, is that you?”
“No.” Ginnia’s youthful voice echoed off the stone walls.
“C’mon dear, you must be here to visit me. Right?”
“I suppose, but I don’t want to. You’re Meanie Maureenie.”
Ugh. Of all the ones in the Keep to come here, it had to be her…the scatterbrained seer. They’d never gotten along. Ginnia had always been a bother, someone to avoid. For her to visit now meant something was up. A shiver of hope raced into Mauree’s heart.
Ginnia came into view, her brown hair sticking out in all directions. She wore a yellow dress with bright pink polka dots. Even though she was an adult female, she looked and acted like a young child. Ever since her accident as a newb, her body had grown, but not her mind. Mauree couldn’t stand the female, but she had to put on a front to find out why she was here.
Mauree pasted on her best smile. “Hello, Ginnia. Good to see you.”
“You no like me. I know.”
Mauree rolled her eyes. “Aw, dear, can we forget about that?”
The strange female kicked at some imaginary dirt, her gaze
directed at the stone floor. Her hands were behind her back, a book in her grasp, the edges visible as she moved back and forth.
Goosebumps formed along Mauree’s arms. “What do you have there?”
Ginnia stomped her foot. “You weren’t supposed to see this yet.”
“See what? I don’t see anything.” Mauree held out her hands in mock surrender.
“You’re a liar. No wonder Noeh doesn’t like you.” Ginnia’s eyes flecked with gold.
Mauree huffed. “Tell me why you’re here, or don’t bother me.”
“See, I knew you’d be that way, but I had to come. You need to tell Tanen where Jakar is.”
Mauree slapped her palm to her forehead. “You, too?” Craya. She had no idea that bit of information would be so valuable. Tanen has been relentless with the same questions. Mauree jutted out her chin—let them try to get it out of her.
Returning her focus to Ginnia, she leaned against the bars, a slow, sly smile tugging at her lips. “Let me out, and I’ll tell you Jakar’s location.”
Ginnia’s gaze darted down the hallway then returned to Mauree. She ran one hand up her arm and when she spoke, her voice was a mere whisper. “You have to tell Tanen.”
“What happens if I don’t?”
“I can’t tell you that, not now. Why do you have to be so frustrating?” Ginnia gripped the book in her hands, her nails digging into the soft leather. She glanced into the hallway once again. “I have to go. Here, read this.”
The strange female shoved the book through the bars and let go. The old tome tumbled from her grasp. Mauree caught it before the ancient text hit the hard stone floor. Ginnia fled down the corridor, her soft footsteps receding until silence regained its foothold.
Mauree flipped the tome over and read the cover. Her heart skipped a beat. Why had the strange seer given her this book? She touched the gilded lettering as she reread the title. Basic Self-Defense.
A twinge of hope grew inside. Ginnia giving her this book was an omen. Whether the harbinger was good or bad, she wasn’t quite sure, but it didn’t matter. She’d fight for her freedom if she got the opportunity. Without further delay, she cracked open the text and read.
Chapter Sixteen
Demir’s body rattled and shook as the medical cart raced down the corridor. Two large Stiyaha warriors held on to his legs and arms as the cart careened over the rough floor. The cart tilted twice as they rounded a bend, sending Demir sliding dangerously close to the edge.
A door groaned on its hinges. Air blew across Demir’s face, causing his hair to tickle his cheeks. Cleaning fluid and dried blood filtered into his senses. The edge of the cart bumped against something. Demir jostled against the gurney’s hard surface. Gentle they were not. He expected nothing more from these warriors. They had a job to do, and taking care of the infirm was not on their normal to-do list.
Wood creaked nearby. Someone huffed and groaned, as if they’d risen from a chair or a stool. Footsteps approached.
“Lay him on the exam table.” Gaetan’s steady voice gave no clue as to why Demir was here.
Demir was placed onto a cold surface. Goosebumps rose on his arms and legs. The thin shorts still covered him. Thank the gods the string hadn’t come untied. He didn’t need the humiliation of baring his male parts to these fierce warriors. Anger built inside, festering, until bile rose in his throat. Great, he’d given himself an ulcer. He growled in his mind, his caged cat eager to break free.
“If you need anything else, let us know.” The two warriors departed. The door’s latch clicked shut behind them.
“Good morning, Demir. I’m going to check your vitals and get some readings. Ok?” Gaetan placed his warm hand on Demir’s shoulder. His fingers moved to Demir’s wrist and held on for a few seconds.
Demir felt like a child and that burned inside. He was a grown male, leader of the Panthera Pride. To be stuck in his body unable to move was a torture far worse than death.
Gaetan’s fingers tugged on Demir’s eyelids and a bright light flashed over his lenses. Pain lit up in his brain, and he caught a glimpse of Gaetan’s pursed lips before his eyelid shut once again.
Demir’s catlike hearing caught the sound of running feet sifting under the edges of the doorway.
A soft knock on the door beckoned.
“Enter.” Gaetan’s calm voice echoed around the infirmary.
The door creaked. The scent of strawberries wafted into the room. Aramie—he’d know her perfume anywhere.
“I stopped to change out of my damp clothes. He…looks—”
Gaetan’s brisk words cut her off. “Fine. He looks fine.”
Silence. Soft footsteps approached. Her warm fragrance seeped into his senses and ran along his nerves, calming him and exciting him at the same time. She grazed her fingers over his arm, leaving a trace of electricity in her wake. Her fingernails dug into the skin on his forearm.
“Gaetan—”
“Did you bring the stone?”
“Yes. Since you insisted I hold on to it, the crystal hasn’t left my possession.”
She released her grip on his arm. The emptiness left him cold.
Clothes rustled next to him. An eerie blue glow replaced the soft orange light that filtered through his eyelids. Straining against the bonds that imprisoned him, he tried to open his eyes, but he was helpless. He squirmed inside his skin.
Gaetan gasped. “It’s…glowing. The blue sunstone was dark earlier.”
“Do you think the crystal senses its purpose?” Aramie whispered.
“Perhaps. If I remember the legend correctly, the blue sunstone healed a warrior who sacrificed himself for another.” Gaetan shuffled toward his cabinet filled with herbs and concoctions.
“Maybe the sunstone knows that Demir saved Noeh’s life. Is that possible?”
“As you well know, anything in our world is possible. Here, let me hold it.”
Aramie left Demir’s side and her absence made his chest ache. What is happening to me? Ever since she’d joined the Pride, he’d seen her as a warrior and had treated her like one of the males. His stomach hardened with his frustration.
The cadence of uneven footsteps headed his way. Gaetan pulled the sheet to his waist. Demir cringed inside. He didn’t want Aramie to see his weakened body. He was her alpha, she his second in command. Weakness was something he could never show her. A twinge in his brain told him there was another, deeper reason, but he refused to acknowledge it.
A soft gasp escaped her lips.
A cool, hard object rested on his abdomen. A flicker of hope grew in his chest. The object warmed, and heat radiated from his center, penetrating under his skin.
“The crystal…hurts my eyes.” Aramie’s words were strained.
Energy built from the stone and traveled along his nerves. Every fiber vibrated to the cadence of his increasing heartbeat.
Medical utensils clattered to the ground. Footsteps retreated. Glass shattered. A cacophony of sounds blended in with the blood rushing through his ears. The room heated, and the Keep rumbled.
“Cover your eyes!” Gaetan shouted.
Demir’s body shook. Power filtered through his veins. Bones rattled along with the energy pulsing from the sunstone. His head hit the exam table, sending white sparks to blend in with the blue light. Against his will, his body bounced on the table. The clatter banged against the stone walls and reverberated around the room.
Pain filtered into his brain as muscles and tendons expanded, grew to encompass the strength his body once possessed. The blue light brightened, sounds seemed louder, his body moved faster. He had no control. Maybe the stone would kill him.
Noooo. He wanted to live.
The blue light blinked out. He stilled.
Heavy breathing was the only sound in the room.
“Demir.” Aramie’s soft voice grounded him. She gripped his hand, her fingers tight around his.
Wood creaked as the old healer settled his weight on his stool. “That was quite
a show. Is he conscious?”
Demir tried to open his eyes, but his muscles wouldn’t respond to his command. Frustration built inside.
Aramie’s hand was soft against his, and the skin-on-skin contact lit up his nerves. He pushed against the invisible barrier, concentrating on Aramie and her hold on him. His finger twitched.
She gasped, and released his hand only to put her warm palms on his chest. Her fingers pressed into his skin as she gave him a small shake. “Demir. Wake up.”
Lightning bolts of sensation radiated from the contact. He inhaled and sat upright. Instinct drove him, and he pulled Aramie close, chest to chest. The smell of her recent shower blended with her unique scent. He had the sudden urge to bite her on the shoulder, to claim her as his mate. A growl of pure masculine possession and need broke from his lips.
She stilled next to him. In the spur of the moment, her hands had landed on his biceps. He wanted her to run her fingers all over his body and light up more than his nerves. Her beautiful brown eyes danced with a liquid fire he wanted to devour.
She pulled back, and he released her.
Confusion blurred his mind. Where did these thoughts come from? He’d never noticed Aramie before. She was one of his warriors, nothing more, yet he couldn’t deny his attraction to her.
“Aramie.” After weeks of non-use, his vocal cords made her name sound rough and sensual.
“Demir.” She bowed her head.
Her allegiance floored him.
Gaetan cleared his throat. “How do you feel?”
Demir pulled his focus away from his second in command. A part of him didn’t want to, and a sense of unease rippled through his gut. The reason for his primal reaction to her was something he didn’t want to contemplate.
He peered at the Keep’s haelen. The old Stiyaha leaned on his cane. Amber reflected from the stick’s tip where a large sunstone glinted under his palm.
Demir rubbed the stubble of his goatee and ran his hand through his hair. The strands fell around his shoulders, almost to his biceps. No one had cut it while he’d been in his coma. That was fine. He liked the feel of his hair on his skin. As a Panthera, physical sensations were heightened, especially touch.
