Caelyn couldn’t abandon that man. He couldn’t not have faith that Jenarra had given him the right mate. Already, he’d seen so many remarkable things in the werewolf, and they didn’t even know each other.
He might be going on instinct with regard to detecting his mate. He might be following his heart. But was that such a bad thing to do?
As he finished changing and redid his makeup, Caelyn decided that questioning it further would solve nothing. There was only one path in front of him now, one he could walk with his mate.
But even then, one final doubt lingered in Caelyn’s heart. He might be accepting this, agreeing to sacrifice everything for a dream and a man only his soul knew. But what of the werewolf? What if the differences between them were too great to be surpassed?
Suddenly feeling very cold inside, Caelyn abandoned the kohl and picked up his phone from the bed. There was nothing he could do about it now but hope and work to fulfill his plan to save his mate. Beyond that, it was out of his hands. The werewolf would trust him or he wouldn’t. But Caelyn didn’t need to have visions of the future like Eanera to know that if his mate refused him, he’d never be the same.
Chapter Four
A few days later
“And then, he ran after me and forced me to admit that I’d been the one to break the vase. Even then, he was scary.”
There were chuckles all around as Prince Hareematek finished the story. Of course, Karein didn’t seem amused. He studied his brother impassively and took a sip from his drink, completely silent.
Caelyn watched him as unobtrusively as possible. It seemed to him that, since his return, Karein had become more cold and calculating than ever. The brief flash of desire Caelyn had seen the night before his departure was gone without a trace. More unsettlingly, the draechen prince always appeared to be watching Caelyn, and Caelyn had the feeling that, if he’d been a book, Karein would have already flipped through all the pages.
As if guessing his thoughts, Karein suddenly pinned him with an inscrutable glance. Caelyn quickly looked away, scanning the crowd of dancers swirling in the ballroom. There were so many colors, dresses, jewelry, and elegant outfits creating a display of ostentation that honestly tired Caelyn. In spite of it, he remained very much aware of Karein watching him.
And then, the draechen prince was suddenly by his side. “Would you like to dance, my lord?” he asked.
Caelyn jumped, startled. “It would be an honor,” he replied automatically.
Karein took Caelyn’s hand, and together, they joined all the other couples. There was some whispering from those present. The engagement hadn’t actually been announced as they were all waiting for the emperor and empress to arrive. The Krites had been invited, but likely, they’d only be able to make an appearance at the wedding, if it happened. Nevertheless, it was likely that a lot of people suspected the real reason behind this new celebration.
Karein really didn’t seem to care about it. He pulled Caelyn so close that not even a needle could have gotten between them. It would have been erotic, and perhaps Caelyn might have thought that was Karein’s intention. But Karein’s hold on Caelyn’s waist tightened, actually becoming painful. At first, Caelyn wanted to keep his mouth shut about it, but the strange behavior couldn’t go unnoticed.
“Your Highness?” he asked, frustrated to find that his voice was shaking.
“Don’t play games with me, Caelyn,” Karein whispered in his ear, so lowly that Caelyn almost thought he was imagining it. “I know you’re planning something. Whatever it is, don’t do it. You’re going to regret it.”
Caelyn’s blood turned to ice. So he had been right in believing that Karein suspected something. “Highness, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you don’t.” Karein chuckled, but the sound held no amusement. “You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, period. You’re a child, a pretty doll your family is using to make themselves look good.”
The harsh words threatened to cut Caelyn’s breath, but he still didn’t understand why Karein was saying all of this. “You might not realize it now,” Karein continued, “but whatever you think you saw in that wolf is a lie. Remember your position. If you don’t, your life will be forfeit.”
They were done dancing around each other then, which was quite ironic really, given that they were still engaged in a waltz among the other couples. “Are you threatening me, Your Highness?” Caelyn asked.
He really couldn’t believe that Karein had dared to say such things, especially in public. Granted, the rest of the dancers likely couldn’t hear, but it was still a daring, perhaps even reckless move.
“It’s not a threat,” Karein replied. “I’m not the one you need to fear.”
“I imagine not,” Caelyn said calmly. “You don’t want to marry me, not really.”
“What I want is irrelevant,” Karein answered. “It’s what I have to do that matters. Whether you know it or not, you’re in the same situation.”
Caelyn bristled. “Maybe I am. Given the circumstances, I don’t know how you can even suggest I have something to do with a wolf. If you think so badly of me, I’m sure there’s a better mate for you out there.”
“That would be very convenient.” Karein bit on Caelyn’s earlobe hard, and Caelyn hissed in pain. “But you’re not getting out of this so easily.”
Panic rose through Caelyn. He was in so much trouble. It seemed obvious that Karein had some sort of knowledge on what Caelyn felt for his mate and his somewhat uncertain plan. He was almost relieved that Sari hadn’t given him details on the actual operation. They’d only spoken once since Caelyn’s first phone call to his friend, and Sari had assured Caelyn that everything was in order. They were ready to proceed, and Sari had asked for Caelyn’s final okay and a few more details. Caelyn had gladly given both, and he was now waiting to see what his friend had come up with.
If it wasn’t good enough… Caelyn didn’t even want to think about the consequences. Nevertheless, he tried to keep up a brave stance. “I think I’ve heard enough,” he told the draechen. “For the record, I had no plans of breaking my word.”
He wasn’t even lying, with regard to the promise he’d made to his mate, at least. Naturally, Karein wasn’t convinced in the slightest, but Caelyn didn’t have to withstand the draechen prince’s disbelief for much longer. The dance ended, and Caelyn extracted himself from Karein’s grip.
As he headed back toward his family, however, an explosion shook the mansion, so intense that Caelyn lost his balance and nearly fell to the floor. Behind him, he heard Karein swear and rush after him. Likely, he remained very much convinced of Caelyn’s involvement in this and intended to stop it in some way.
Caelyn scampered away, doing his best to put distance between himself and Karein. He probably wouldn’t have succeeded, but as the lights in the ballroom flickered and died, panic began to settle in. The other guests started to scream, having obviously considered themselves perfectly safe here with the draechen. They provided a very useful distraction, allowing Caelyn to escape Karein.
He overheard his mother shouting his name, looking for him. “Caelyn,” she cried. “Where are you, honey?”
A fist clenched around his heart, and he knew that this might likely be the last time his mother even acknowledged him. He’d have liked to explain it all to them, especially to his siblings, who’d resent him most for his decision. But there was no time, and he could not hesitate.
Without looking back, Caelyn fled the ballroom and headed toward the verandah. His entire being was screaming to find his mate, but his friend had warned him beforehand not to, explaining that he’d need to avoid the area for the plan to have more chance to succeed.
As he rushed outside, though, he ran into three figures completely clad in black. Instantly, he froze. It didn’t take a genius to realize they didn’t belong here.
The strange people gave him a once-over. They had masks on, so Caelyn couldn’t even see their expr
essions to judge what they thought of him. And then, the tallest of the three suddenly said, “Grab him. We have to make haste.”
Caelyn gasped in shock as one of the other two grabbed his arm and pulled him outside. Had these people truly been sent by Sari, or was it some huge mistake that Caelyn would end up paying for?
“Come along,” the man guiding him said, as if reading Caelyn’s mind. “Don’t be afraid. We were hired by a common friend.”
“How do I know that?” Caelyn asked, at last finding his voice.
“You don’t,” his second companion answered gruffly. He didn’t seem at all as nice as the first. “Just keep your mouth shut and let us handle getting your wolf mate out of the draechen prisons.”
Caelyn obeyed. They knew that much, so they must be telling the truth. Or so Caelyn hoped, at least. Karein was completely capable of staging this whole thing for the purpose of getting even with Caelyn or Jenarra knew what else.
“Who are you people?” he asked softly.
Predictably, neither of the two replied. Instead, they rushed him toward the exit of the courtyard, passing through the darkness like ghosts. They walked quickly and stealthily, and Caelyn truly wished he could have mustered the same grace. Fortunately, he’d had the foresight to wear comfortable shoes tonight, but his elaborate robe was long, longer than he was used to even, and he kept tripping on it.
Finally, the man in front of him got exasperated with his clumsiness and grabbed Caelyn, draping him over his shoulder. As they hastened through the night, the sound of gunfire erupted somewhere behind them. Draechen roared, but more explosions drowned out the threatening sound. Apparently, the group had come prepared.
As they reached the end of the courtyard, one of the men leapt over it with striking ease. The guy carrying Caelyn tossed him to the other side. Caelyn landed with an oof in the arms of his second companion.
In the darkness, he could now see a number of jeeps parked. There were more men stationed around the vehicles, wicked-looking guns in their grip. “Let’s get out of here,” the guy who’d first grabbed Caelyn said.
Caelyn found himself shoved into one of the jeeps, with his bodyguards taking position next to him. Two other men took the driver’s seat and shotgun respectively. The car started with an obscenely loud screech, taking him away from the mansion and his mate.
“Wait,” Caelyn cried out. “What about—”
“We have another group freeing the prisoners,” one of the men next to him said, gripping his arm in a punishing hold. “Just be quiet and let him drive.”
What could Caelyn do? He remained silent and prayed to Jenarra that somehow, he and his other half would get out of this all right.
* * * *
Graham dangled from the chains in his cell, feeling alone, tired, defeated, but most of all angry. Caelyn hadn’t kept his promise of coming to see him again, so here Graham had been forced to stay, the solution to their predicament impossibly beyond his reach. He’d more than underestimated the draechen when he’d thought he could escape this place so easily. If anything, as the days passed, the chances of him succeeding in this decreased more and more.
Shtamakarein hadn’t been away long, and the first thing he’d done upon his return was to reassure himself that Graham remained under lock and key. The guards had been instructed that no one, not even the service staff, was to enter Graham’s cell, which made Graham wonder exactly what Shtamakarein knew.
Under the circumstances, he could understand why his mate hadn’t been able to return. It still hurt, though, more than the silver chains binding him down ever could.
Outside the cell, the guards were pacing and mumbling. “So, tonight’s the party, huh?” one of them asked.
Graham perked up, trying to hear more of what they were saying. “Yeah,” another replied. “Can’t believe His Highness is finally getting married. And to a sprite, no less.”
A sprite. Oh, dear gods, Caelyn. Graham swallowed around the knot in his throat. Shtamakarein had told him about it, but a part of Graham had still hoped it wasn’t true. His blood roared in his ears, but he forced himself to keep listening.
“Can’t say I blame him.” The second guard chuckled. “I’d tap that.”
“I suppose you’re right,” another draechen said. He sounded a little thoughtful, not as pleased as the other two. “The sprite does seem nice, although a little shy. I just wonder if…you know, if it’ll be enough.”
“Mind your tongue,” the first man said, snarling. “I’m sure they’ll be perfectly all right.”
“I’m just saying,” the previous guard replied defensively, “His Highness is getting awfully close to his two hundredth birthday.”
“Well then, it’s a good thing that he’s getting a mate, don’t you agree?”
Graham didn’t understand half of what they meant. They seemed to believe that something was wrong with their leader, which was truly worrisome if it was the case. Graham tried to remember if there was something specific about draechen reaching their two hundredth birthdays, but he couldn’t come up with anything specific.
“Look, our opinion doesn’t matter. This is a good thing, and we should be happy for His Highness.”
“We’re all happy. I guess I’m just surprised they’re holding the celebration here and not at the main palace.”
They were right. It was, to a certain extent, surprising. Of course, an engagement party could be held at either of the residences of the draechen since from what he’d heard, they were all quite majestic. But logic stated that such an important event would take place at the main imperial residence.
“I heard it’s because it was all very rushed,” another guard commented. He chuckled lightly. “Some people claim Prince Shtamakarein compromised his fiancé.”
Graham gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. Just the thought of what that implied made him want to howl in anger. Oblivious to his fury, or perhaps enjoying it, another man laughed. “I’m almost jealous. Have you seen Lord Caelyn’s ass? Damn.”
“Overlords help me…” The sterner one groaned. “That’s quite enough. If anyone hears you discuss His Lordship’s attributes… I don’t even want to imagine the consequences.”
Undoubtedly, that wouldn’t have been the end of it, but their conversation was cut short when an explosion sounded somewhere outside. The building shook, but admirably enough, the cell held, no crack appearing in its walls or ceiling. Dust rose, and Graham coughed, all the while straining against his chains. Whoever was attacking the mansion had provided Graham with an opportunity to escape, likely the only one he was going to get. But how to use it? This residence might be smaller than others, but the security remained very strong. More importantly, Graham was still trapped here. If the attackers didn’t actually come here and free him, he would likely lose this one opportunity to save himself and find his mate.
Caelyn. According to the guards and to the draechen prince himself, Caelyn was Shtamakarein’s fiancé. That would make him a target for anyone who hated draechen so much that they would risk an attack here. The thought made panic course through Graham. The anger he felt at imagining Caelyn mating someone else clutched wildly at his insides, threatening to choke the life out of him.
His wolf went wild, and he started to pull at the chains, despair giving him a strength he hadn’t even known he had. The chains burned his skin as he pulled, and blood trickled down his arms as the shackles cut into his wrists. If this went on like this, he might very well poison himself because of the effect of the silver slipping into his bloodstream. But he didn’t care. It was a small price to pay if it allowed him to save his mate.
Impossibly, the chains and the shackles finally began to protest the abuse. Even with the pain assaulting him, Graham endured, pulling harder and harder, until at last, his efforts paid off. The silver didn’t snap, not that Graham had expected it to. However, the spot where they were connected to the wall yielded to Graham’s strength and, on his right side, crumbled, releasing Gr
aham’s bleeding arm.
Graham half expected the guards to rush inside to check up on him, but it didn’t happen. In a way, he guessed it wasn’t really surprising. The draechen had bigger problems than one werewolf losing control while trapped in his cell.
Outside, gunshots and draechen roars created a chaotic symphony, convincing Graham more than ever of the risk on his mate’s life. Huffing and groaning, he clawed at the cuff still keeping him trapped to the wall. Meanwhile, the sounds of the battle continued to approach, until they reached Graham’s cell.
The soldiers who’d just earlier lewdly discussed Caelyn’s looks now found themselves assaulted by a dangerous force. Graham couldn’t focus, so he couldn’t tell exactly who or what they were. But something about them felt familiar. They were definitely shifters of a kind, but not wolves. Something about them made Graham wary, which only fueled the fire of his fear for his mate’s life.
If they’d come here, it had to mean that they were on Graham’s side. He had to believe that. He wanted to. But his wolf was already snarling angrily, rearing toward the door and ready to attack.
Judging by the noises reaching him, Graham’s guards put up quite a fight. However, the attackers must have been very well organized, as dispatching the draechen soldiers took very little time at all. Finally, the horrible wait ended and the cell opened, allowing several men inside. As soon as he saw them, Graham snarled.
“Well, here he is,” one of them said. “Now what?”
“Just give it a second,” another man said. “We’re waiting for the boss.”
“There’s no time to wait,” someone else argued. “Look, werewolf, we have your mate.”
Graham froze, his wolf both fearful and furious at the threat. “You will not hurt him,” he growled.
Hyacinth, Scarlet - Werewolf's Way [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 1] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 5
