by Rosalie Redd
“To what do you refer?” Noeh asked.
Damn. The male wasn’t going to make this easy for him. Well, that’s what he deserved, wasn’t it? How’s that crow tasting? Even his own sarcasm didn’t help the situation.
“I’ve…been an ass, plain and simple. I should’ve trusted you from the start. The gods knew what they were doing when they selected you as the Lemurian king.” He held his head high and focused on Noeh’s blue eyes. The guilt in his gut twisted tighter.
“You saved my life by taking the dart. That makes up for any past transgressions you may have done, real or imagined.” Noeh raised his hand, palm facing outward in the traditional Lemurian greeting.
Demir smiled. He’d been down this road before. This time, he wouldn’t make the same mistake of challenging the king. Demir approached Noeh and placed his palm against the king’s hand. He put a mild amount of pressure to signify acceptance, then dropped his hand first in deference to the king’s authority.
The king returned to his seat on his throne.
Now, the difficult apology. Demir glanced at Melissa. His chest constricted. He bowed his head to her, but the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He’d apologize, but the shame of his behavior had already ripped out a chunk of his ego. The pain in his chest was still raw.
“Melissa…my queen. I owe you an even bigger apology. I was out of line. You looked so much like Elean—”
“Demir. Please. Enough. Let the past stay in the past.” Her soft words broke him, and his throat tightened, rendering him unable to respond.
“Aramie, I’m sorry for your loss.” Noeh changed the subject, giving Demir the opportunity to recover his pride.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Aramie choked on her words, the pain evident in her strained voice.
Demir peered at her. The glimmer of a tear caught in her eyelashes, and she blinked. The droplet rolled down her cheek. His hand jerked, and he had the sudden urge to wipe away her tear. He stopped himself and ground his teeth.
“Sidea was well liked among our kind. She shall be missed. I don’t mean to rush you, but I’d like to hear about the blue sunstone…and Ram. Gaetan filled me in as best he could, but please, tell me what you know of my enemy.” Noeh leaned forward in his chair and took the babe Melissa offered to him. The little guy gripped a handful of Noeh’s shirt in his tiny fist. The king rubbed his son’s back, a slight smile interrupting his serious expression for a moment.
To see Noeh holding his son made Demir still. The king had changed since he’d last seen him. He wasn’t so imposing this way. The babe, too, seemed to be larger than he would’ve expected. Maybe that was due to Noeh’s Stiyaha build. Demir shook his head in wonder.
“Sidea and Kitani patrolled the area while Jonue and I searched for the stone. The crystal was in a small cave under the waterfall. When we resurfaced, the Gossum battled against them.” Aramie held her head high, her eyes focused on the king.
Demir admired her strength and ability to hold herself together. Her toughness under the circumstances made him respect her all the more.
“They were too far away, we couldn’t help them.” Aramie pressed her lips together. She peered at the sunstones in the ceiling before returning her gaze to the king. “Ram emerged from the trees with a couple of his brood. They killed Sidea, but not before they took some of her blood. I saw the vial, and the glint of success in Ram’s eyes.” Aramie’s words grew in intensity until she hissed their enemy’s name.
Demir pulled in a deep breath as a sense of pride filled him. Despite her pain, she was a warrior through and through.
“He intends to use her powers, just like he did Melissa’s.” Noeh glanced at his queen.
Melissa nodded in agreement. “He’ll attack soon. When he stole my shield power, it only lasted a few weeks before it weakened, and I regained it.”
“But Sidea died. She can’t get her panther back. What then?” Aramie scrunched her brow.
Demir didn’t like this new twist. Until now, he hadn’t known Ram had taken Panthera blood. The ramifications boggled his mind. What would a mix between a Gossum and a Panthera be capable of? Goosebumps rose along his arms. “Good question. We need to kill him before he or we find out.”
Aramie tensed beside him. “I’ll go. I can track him from Blue Pool. I want revenge for Sidea and Kitani.”
“You’re not going alone.” Demir wanted to forbid her to go at all. If she were his mate, she’d stay here, protected within the walls of the Keep. He jerked, suddenly aware of where his mind had gone.
She inhaled at his command. Her face reddened, but she didn’t speak. She wouldn’t contradict him in front of the others. Loyal to him from the start, his heart clenched at the pain in her eyes.
He looked at Noeh. “We’ll take a small scouting party—find out where he hides. We’ll let you know what we find.”
Noeh assessed Demir. A tic started in his jaw, but then he nodded. “As you wish. I expect a full report.”
One thing hadn’t changed—Demir’s hatred of authority. His muscles flexed beneath his shirt. “Naturally. I’d expect nothing less.”
Noeh glanced between Aramie and Demir. “Get some rest. You look like you need it.”
Rest? That’s what he’d been doing for weeks. One look at Aramie, though, and he could tell she was tired by the dark, puffy skin under her eyes and the waxen hue to her skin.
“You want something to eat before you go to bed?” He wasn’t sure which enticed him more, food, or the idea of Aramie in bed. A tingling sensation started in his crotch. Well, that answered that question. Unmated Panthera could have casual sex, but Demir had too much respect for Aramie as a warrior to pursue that option.
“I could use a bite to eat, but then a shower and a quick nap sound good.” Her smile didn’t quite light up her eyes, but a spot of redness on her cheeks erased some of her exhaustion. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Noeh nodded then peered at his son. Anlon slept peacefully in his father’s arms.
Demir turned to leave. Jax pulled on the doorknob. The double doors glided open with ease. As Demir and Aramie left the king’s chamber, a drop of doubt and fear crept into his mind. What if they couldn’t find Ram?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tanen sat at one of the empty chairs around the magistrate’s table. The familiar scent of oak and furniture polish calmed his nerves. He was in his favorite room, the council chamber, the one where he ruled. As council leader, he dealt with the petty grievances and squabbles between the residents at the Keep allowing Noeh the flexibility to lead the warriors in battles against the Gossum.
After the morning repast, Tanen had headed to his quarters for the day’s rest when he’d received the call through the sunstones. Noeh had summoned him here, but the king was late. That wasn’t like him and a nugget of worry worked its way into Tanen’s stomach, flaring his recent bout of heartburn. He traced the outline of the silver pin attached to his shirt pocket. The “M” stood for “Mu” the nickname for Lemuria and was his most precious adornment.
He stood and paced by the stacks of books lining the shelves. One text caught his eye. The heavy tome stuck out a bit further from the rest. A bead of irritation creased his brow. With care, he pressed his thumb against the spine until order was restored. The tension in his shoulders eased.
Footsteps approached. The familiar cadence was one he recognized—Noeh.
A babe’s shrill cry pierced the air.
“Is he hungry?” Noeh’s words echoed off the stone corridor.
The royal couple entered the room. Noeh ran his hand through his hair. His sunstone ring reflected the light in a cascade of brilliance. The queen’s long red hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the babe in her arms gripped a handful of the silky strands in his fist. Tears glistened in his eyes, but he’d stopped his incessant wail, at least for now.
Tanen bowed. “Your Majesty. You requested to see me? Is something wrong?”
Noeh’s gaze searched t
he room. “Have you seen Gaetan?”
“No. I take it he’s to join us. What is this about?” He placed his hand on the back of his favorite chair, his fingers digging into the cushion. Usually a comfort, the soft material didn’t ease his anxiety.
Tension lines formed on Noeh’s forehead.
Tanen’s heart skipped a beat. The king has bad news to share.
“I’m here. Was delayed…” Gaetan hobbled into the room, his cane clacking against the stone floor. Ginnia, his sister, tagged along.
“Hi, Tanen. When are you going to clean the books? I want to read them.” Ginnia’s smile was all innocence, but her words hit a soft spot inside him.
Noeh had commissioned him to restore the Hall of Scriptures. Its neglect wasn’t his fault, but it was his responsibility now. He’d procrastinated. His face heated. “Soon, Ginnia, soon.”
Noeh grabbed one of the chairs from the magistrate’s table, turned it around, and sat down. His forearms rested across the back. Melissa pulled up a chair next to him, Anlon cradled in her arms. The young prince cooed softly.
“Ram is alive,” Noeh said.
“What? How is that possible? You killed him.” The idea of meeting their enemy sent a shiver down Tanen’s back. He was glad he wasn’t a warrior, but he couldn’t suppress his inner beast’s growl at the mention of their opponent.
“Guess he survived after all.” Gaetan sat in one of the chairs against the wall. He rubbed his knee. His face contorted into a pained wince.
Noeh turned toward Tanen. “Have you pulled any useful information out of Mauree?”
“Nothing worth noting. She insists she doesn’t know anything.” Locked in a holding cell, she awaited trial. As Council Leader, his job was to prosecute her and mete out her sentence. He’d searched through his papers and the stacks of books in this room, but hadn’t found anything covering the unusual circumstance of treason. Disloyalty of that magnitude had never occurred. He’d have to visit the Hall of Scriptures soon. Her trial date was fast approaching.
The muscles in Noeh’s jaw tensed. “Maybe I should give her a visit.”
Tanen’s mouth went dry and his heartburn flared. “Let me talk to her again. She’s warming up to me. I’m sure I can get something out of her.”
Tanen’s gaze caught on the red and green sunstone necklace Melissa wore around her throat, and the familiar sensation to pocket a trinket prickled his fingers. He cracked his knuckles. Over the years, he’d learned to pop the joints as a way to curb his anxiety and his destructive obsession. He hadn’t lifted anything in decades.
Noeh focused his attention on Tanen’s face. His eyes narrowed. “You’re running out of time, her trial is in three nights. Get the information from her and find the ruling on treason, or I will deal with her on my terms.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” Tanen rose from his chair and headed out the door. There must be something in one of those ancient texts that covered treason. He clenched his fist at his inability to find the old law. He’d pored over the scriptures in the council chamber for weeks, delaying his search in the Hall of Scriptures. Stopping in his tracks, a sense of foreboding ran over his shoulders. He padded his pockets. My keys. He’d left them in the room with Noeh and the others.
With a heavy sigh, he reversed course. As he approached the room, heated voices rang into the hallway. The corridor was empty. He didn’t want to eavesdrop, but couldn’t resist the overwhelming urge. Slowing his pace, he took quiet steps. As he got closer, the conversation became clearer.
“The stone should’ve worked. It healed Demir. Try again.” Noeh’s voice was tense.
“I’ve tried several times already. Do you really think this time would be any different?” Gaetan’s voice cracked as he spoke, and his cane tapped against the stone floor.
Was something wrong with Noeh? Tanen’s heart pounded. That would be devastating.
When Gaetan spoke again, his words were softer, more relaxed. “In the old legend, the blue sunstone healed the warrior that sacrificed himself for another. The stone restored Demir from his coma because he took the dart intended for you. That could be why it’s not working—not the right circumstances.”
A loud exhale echoed from the room. “Point taken. How much longer do I have before I’m completely deaf?”
Tanen froze and held his breath. Every Stiyaha had one weakness, maybe this was Noeh’s.
“I don’t know. I’m not a seer.” Gaetan sounded tired, resigned.
Ginnia giggled. “Silly brother. Seers don’t exist, right? Just like sacred sunstones.”
A chair creaked as if someone had stood.
“Ginnia, do you know anything about this?” Noeh’s encouraging voice whispered into the corridor.
“When I gave Aramie the book, she read to me the part about the blue sunstone. That’s my favorite part. I knew she’d find it.” Her light laughter was like a soft melody to Tanen’s ears.
They’d found the sacred blue sunstone. His fingers itched with the need to take something that wasn’t his. He cracked his knuckles. The sound echoed down the hall.
The conversation in the room stopped. They knew he was there. Before he could think twice, he entered the room.
Feigning a look of surprise, he raised his eyebrows. “You’re still here?”
He walked over to the small desk in the corner, his movements fast, deliberate. “I forgot these.” He held up the keys to the containment cell.
The blank look on their faces was a dead giveaway. His stomach tightened. He hadn’t fooled anyone.
“Tanen. How long were you out there?” Noeh’s gaze bore into him.
Blood pumped through Tanen’s veins. “Not long. I heard Ginnia mention a favorite story. Did you read one to her?” He pasted on a smile and did his best to appear casual. He wasn’t sure he’d be successful.
“Not recently. I think you were headed somewhere, weren’t you?” Noeh raised an eyebrow.
“Ah…yes, Your Majesty.” Tanen bowed one last time. He glanced at Gaetan. The old male sat in a chair, rubbing his leg. His pocket bulged.
As Tanen headed into the hallway, he couldn’t get the image of a rare blue sunstone out of his mind.
Chapter Twenty-Three
After a good meal and some sleep, Demir was rested and ready to head out to search for Ram. He glanced around his room. The bed, the table, and a dresser were his only furnishings. As Pride leader, he deserved better. He furrowed his brow. Sooner or later, he’d have to fix that.
He closed the book, the one Aramie had read to him while he’d been in a coma. The cover was soft to his touch, and he brushed the worn leather savoring how it tingled his skin.
Memories flooded his mind, of her fingers caressing his face as she trimmed his beard. His heart rate picked up speed. A need to see her brought him to his feet. Without another thought, he left his room, desire spurring him along the corridor.
He stood outside her door. When he’d left her here earlier, she’d avoided him, her body stiff, defensive, as if their kiss had never occurred. He’d never forget what happened between them. His jaw tightened, and a low growl crawled up his chest.
He knocked.
Her room was quiet.
He knocked again.
Silence permeated the air.
A ball of unease lodged itself in his gut. He grabbed the doorknob. It twisted in his grasp.
“Aramie?”
Her faint scent filled his nose. He pushed open the door and peered around the small room. Her bed was empty. A chill raced up his spine. She wouldn’t have left without him, would she?
She might, and that galled him. He couldn’t ignore his sense of emptiness, as if she’d left him, instead of having her own agenda. Eleanor would never have gone against his wishes, but the truth didn’t ease the void in his chest. It bothered him that he imagined Aramie as his mate. Despite their passionate kiss, she was a warrior to him and nothing more. Still, he couldn’t get the determination in her beautiful eyes out of
his mind.
He turned and left the room, following her scent. His boots pounded against the stone floor as he ran down the corridor. He passed several Stiyaha merchants and Jixies starting their nightly activities. No one paid him any attention.
She’d purposefully left without him. Tension raced along his nerves.
On his way to the Portal Navigation Center, he passed the Grand Hall. The smell of the evening repast—eggs, bacon, ham, fresh bread—covered Aramie’s scent. He stopped. The crowded room swarmed with the Keep’s inhabitants. She’d said she was hungry. Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe she was here eating her meal.
He entered the room and scanned the crowd. A group of Stiyaha warriors sat at a nearby table. Saar, Noeh’s Commander of Arms, caught Demir’s attention. Saar nodded in greeting.
Leon sauntered over to him. The male, one of Demir’s Pride, gave a short bow then met Demir’s gaze. “Welcome back. I’m glad to see the rumors are true. You’re well.”
“Have you seen Aramie?” Demir scanned the mob standing in the food line, but he didn’t see her shiny dark hair or her sleek frame.
Leon curled his lip. “No, I haven’t seen that female.”
Of course, he would blame Aramie for Kitani’s death. A wave of guilt raced over Demir’s shoulders. In his effort to find Aramie, he’d forgotten about his Pridemate’s loss. Demir placed his palm on Leon’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, my friend. Kitani was a good female.”
Leon’s eyes shifted back and forth as he studied Demir. “She was, and now she’s gone. I heard you stripped Aramie of her status. Why didn’t you banish her from the Pride?”
Demir’s hackles rose. He puffed out his chest. “Your pain clouds your judgment. I forgive your insolence—this time.”
Leon lowered his gaze, but didn’t speak.
“If you see Aramie, tell her I’m looking for her.”
“As you wish.” Leon bowed low in front of Demir.
Demir turned to leave and plowed right into Bet.
