The blank green eyes of the high priestess flashed and he knew she’d picked up on some of his thoughts but Rast didn’t give a damn. The only thing that mattered now was getting through this so he could save Nadiah. He was glad the ceremony seemed to be moving to its conclusion, although he was still wondering when his wings were supposed to sprout.
At last the priestess spoke a kind of benediction—“Unto thee, oh Goddess, Mother of All Life, we entrust these sacred vows along with the light of our eyes, the love of our hearts and the understanding of our minds. Unto thee be all glory given forever and unto the end of time.”
Rast repeated dutifully and all the priestesses, who had been humming throughout the entire ceremony, murmured, “So be it.”
“So be it,” Rast echoed, nodding. When no one said anything else he looked at the high priestess. “Uh…is that all?”
“We are finished.” She nodded gravely. “You have taken the vows and will be the next Counselor of First World.”
“All right, well…” Rast craned his neck, trying to look over his shoulder. “So then where are the wings? Why can’t I fly?”
The high priestess frowned. “You cannot fly because your wings still have not manifested—a clear sign that the female you have chosen is not fit to be your mate or the Lyzel to your Challa.” She cleared her throat. “Seeing that is the case, I myself will undertake the roll.”
“What?” Rast shook his head. “Oh no, I don’t think so. I don’t care what you say or how holy you are, I’m not sleeping with you, lady.”
“Please. I do not seek to breed with you.” She made a face, as though such an idea were completely distasteful. “But the Counselor must have a Lyzel—a female counterpart. Someone to represent the Goddess, someone to consult and see into the Eye of Foreknowledge with him. Traditionally, the office of Lyzel is filled by the Coucilor’s mate but in this case, I think we will have to separate the rolls.”
“Separate the rolls? What are you talking about?” Rast demanded.
“I am simply saying that though it is a heavy burden to bear, I am willing to take on the responsibilities of Lyzel. You can, of course, choose a mate for carnal relations from among our priestesses.” She indicated the row of priestesses standing beside her. “Worry not for all of them are virgins and any would be a fitting match for the Counselor .”
Rast was beginning to get really angry at this point but somehow he managed to keep his fury in check. “Nadiah is the only woman I want,” he growled. “And she’s the only woman I’ll accept as my mate and Lyzel.”
“Impossible.” The high priestess frowned. “The Lyzel is always a priestess. This Tranq Prime girl has had no training in the ways of the Goddess and she is of the wrong bloodline to bear your heirs. She must be put aside in favor of a more suitable candidate.”
“Why, you…If you think—” Rast began but Sylvan took a step forward and put a hand on his chest.
“With all due respect, your holiness,” he said in a low, angry voice. “Nadiah cannot be put aside. She and Rast already share a blood bond—a very strong one. Breaking it would kill my kinswoman which is not acceptable.”
The high priestess frowned. “A blood bond, hmm?” She beckoned to Nadiah. “Come forward, my child.”
Rast wanted to stop her but Nadiah had already stumbled forward, almost as though she couldn’t disobey the summons. “Please,” she whispered. “Rast and I love each other. We’ll stay here but please don’t try to part us.”
The priestess ignored her. “I will look into you now,” she proclaimed. “I will examine this bond and see what may be done about it.” Taking Nadiah’s face between her hands, she stared with her blank, emerald eyes into Nadiah’s deep blue ones.
Rast saw Nadiah shudder and worried that whatever the priestess was doing was hurting her. But after only a minute, she released Nadiah who stumbled and would have fallen if Lissa hadn’t run forward to catch her and put an arm around her waist.
“A fresh bond and one which isn’t sealed yet,” the high priestess announced. “I can break it easily and graft it to another male, ensuring that this little female will live—so long as you are able to fly her to the Healing Garden, Challa.” She eyed his still wingless back disapprovingly.
“I don’t want the bond grafted to anyone else,” Rast growled. “Nadiah is mine. Besides, who would you even find to graft it to in this place? As far as I can see Sylvan and I are the only males for miles around.”
“She can graft it to me, of course.” As if by some evil magic, the thick branches behind the priestess rustled and a familiar figure appeared from behind the sacred trees.
“Y’dex!” Nadiah’s already pale face went suddenly snow white with fear.
“Hello, my lovely.” Y’dex’s thin lips pealed back into a nasty grin, his pale blue eyes bulging greedily. “Didn’t I tell you it wasn’t over between us?”
“Nadiah, get over here!” Rast lunged forward but Y’dex was closer. But before Rast could reach her, he was right behind Nadiah with one long arm snaked around her waist and fishbelly-white fingers wrapped around her throat.
“I think not,” he murmured, smiling unpleasantly. “From the moment I heard that my little Nadiah was going to First World, I knew I had to come and claim her. Your own parents told me—wasn’t that kind of them, my lovely?” he asked Nadiah who didn’t answer.
“How did you even get here?” Sophia demanded. “I thought only the Kindred Mother Ships had the ability to fold space.”
“I’m sure you’d love to know that.” Y’dex smirked. “Let’s just say the Kindred aren’t the only ones with interstellar jumping abilities now.” He squeezed Nadiah’s neck until she gasped and then released her slowly, grinning at Rast.
“Take your hands off her,” Rast growled, his vision going red.
“Why should I?” Y’dex sneered. “I’ll touch her as much as I want. After all, Nadiah is mine.”
Hearing his own words echoed back at him and seeing another man’s hands—Y’dex’s hands—on his female’s body, made Rast feel like he was losing his mind. A fury so strong it was almost insurmountable rose within him, threatening to drown him in a tidal wave of angry red.
“Hold,” he heard Sylvan murmur and felt the big warrior’s restraining hand on his chest. “Going into rage won’t help you now,” Sylvan whispered fiercely. “You have to keep control of yourself, Rast. Keep control of yourself and the situation or everything is going straight to the seven hells.”
He’s right. Sylvan’s right. Everything’s going to go to hell if I can’t keep it together. With a huge effort, Rast swallowed the anger that wanted to engulf him. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the high priestess. “I can see what you’re trying to do,” he said grimly. “But it isn’t going to work.”
The high priestess frowned. “Whatever are you talking of, Challa?”
“I’m talking about this. All this.” Rast made a motion with his arms as though to encompass the whole planet. “There hasn’t been a ruler here for a thousand years so you, being high priestess, are ruler by default. A pretty sweet gig if you get off on being the queen of the desert. And I think you do, your Holiness.”
The high priestess’s face had begun to grow red. “I never…”
“But then I showed up on your radar and suddenly you realized you’re going to have to share. Not only with me, but with my chosen wife too. Now instead of being first in line, you’re going to be bumped down to third. Bet you don’t like that a bit, do you?” Rast growled.
“I have never even thought—” she began. But he wasn’t done yet.
“So you decide to get the woman I love out of the way—either by illness or by letting this slimy, sadistic bastard take her back to Tranq Prime. That way you figure you’ll have the second spot all sewed up.” He laughed angrily. “Hell, maybe even the first spot if I’m too grief stricken to rule. Why, I’m sure you’d be more than happy to sit on that damn electric chair of a throne and look into the for
tune telling soap bubble for me. You’d rule and judge and make pronouncements until you were blue in the face—all on my behalf. Am I right?”
“Only the Counselor may sit upon the Seat of Wisdom and use the Eye of Foreknowledge,” the high priestess said stiffly. “Although as Lyzel I would, of course, rule in your stead if you were to become incapacitated. That is the way it has always been.”
“You don’t say? What a fucking shock.” Rast glared at her. “Well there’s about to be a change right now. For starters, Y’dex is going to give me Nadiah back right now. If he doesn’t, my first move as ruler is to demote you to last place on the feeding chain.”
The priestess went suddenly pale. “You would not do such a thing. You could not!”
“As ruler of the whole goddamn planet I can and I will,” Rast growled. “I don’t know who makes the beds and scrubs the toilets around here but you can be her personal maid and that’s where you’ll stay, your Holiness, for the rest of your miserable life. Because there is no fucking room for advancement for a nasty, conniving bitch like you on my planet.”
She glared at him. “You speak out of turn, Adam Rast. You still have no wings to prove your rights. Until and unless your wings manifest, you are nothing but the Counselor in waiting, unable to sit on the Empty Throne or make judgments about anything.”
“Wings or no wings, I don’t give a damn.” Rast stabbed a finger at her. “If any harm comes to Nadiah, I’m holding you directly responsible.” He looked at Y’dex. “Give her back. Now.”
Y’dex smirked. “I think not. I have the backing of the High Priestess of the Empty Throne for my claim to Nadiah. She’s already promised to officiate at our joining herself.”
“No!” Nadiah struggled weakly in his grip but he only laughed.
“Oh yes, my love.” He laughed nastily. “Oh yes.”
Rast glared at the priestess. “This is worst than I thought. You already made a deal with him before we even started here today?”
“He arrived shortly after you did and made his case.” Her thin lips curved into a cruel smile. “I judged the matter and found that the honorable Y’dex was in the right and you were in the wrong. This Tranq Prime female will be his…now!”
As she spoke she made a swift tearing gesture with both hands. Rast felt a horrible wrenching sensation deep inside—it was as though someone had suddenly yanked one of his teeth from its socket without warning. Looking across at Nadiah, he saw that she felt the shock as well. She staggered, one hand pressed to her heart. Y’dex laughed and let her fall to the ground.
“Rast…the bond.” Nadiah was on her knees, the maroon grass the color of dried blood against her white gown. She raised a hand to him but it was too late—the fragile blood bond between them had been severed.
“Nadiah!” He wanted to go to her but he was suddenly weak, all the strength leaking out of him as he lost the vital connection with the woman he loved. I knew it, he told himself angrily. Knew I should have sealed the bond when I had the chance. If I’d listened to my gut instinct, all this could have been avoided. But it was too late for regret—he had to do something now, before it was too late.
Rast forced himself to stand straight and stagger forward. “Nadiah, hold on,” he rasped, holding out a hand to her. “Hold on, we’ll get it back.”
“That you will not.” The priestess looked at Y’dex. “What are you waiting for, you fool—take the bond into yourself. Make her yours at once.”
“I’m…trying.” Y’dex had a look of deep concentration on his pale face. “Almost got it but… it’s…slippery.”
“No!” Suddenly Nadiah was on her feet. She stood swaying in the tall grass and Rast wondered how she even had strength to remain upright. He was afraid that any minute she might faint after losing the all important bond. “No,” she said again, looking at Y’dex. “I…I’d rather die.”
“What are you talking about, you little idiot?” he sneered. “You’re not going to die. The priestess will lift the fever and you’ll come home with me to Tranq Prime where you belong.”
Rast couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “So you lied about that too?” he demanded, staring at the high priestess. “All along you had the ability to heal her? To undo the damage you did?”
She shrugged. “I did what I had to in order to tie you to First World. Your vows cannot be unsaid and to break them now means death.” A slow smile creased her ageless face. “With a new Counselor installed on the Seat of Wisdom, the whole of First World will have to listen and heed my decrees. Many have abandoned the old ways—it is time they were brought back with a vengeance.”
“That’s all you care about,” Rast accused her. “Power.”
She smiled. “What else is there? And speaking of power, without your wings, you have none. I’d advise you to fine a nice room in the lower halls and spend your days in quiet meditation. Leave the little female to your rival and the ruling of First World to me.”
“I’ll never—” Rast began but a curse from Y’dex cut him off.
“Nadiah, you little fool! Come back? What are you doing?”
Rast tore his eyes from the high priestess and saw something that made his heart jump into his throat. Nadiah was standing on the very edge of the mesa, beyond the boarder of blue-grey bushes. She was swaying, barely holding on to one of the slender, vine-like branches and looking like a strong breeze might blow her over the side at any minute.
“Nadiah,” he whispered. “Please, sweetheart, be careful.”
“I’m sorry, Rast.” Her lovely dark blue eyes were filled with despair. “But I’m not going back to Tranq Prime. I…I’d rather die than do that. Than be without you and be stuck with Y’dex.”
“Nadiah…” Y’dex was slinking toward her, the look of intense concentration still on his face. “Nadiah, come here. I command you to come here right now.” Suddenly, he lunged for her.
With a cry, Nadiah stumbled back, trying to elude his grasp. And then, without a another sound, she fell off the edge of the mesa and into the wide blue sky below.
“Nadiah!” Her name was torn from Rast’s throat—a cry of despair and devastation. Without thinking what he was doing, he ran forward, toward the spot where she’d disappeared.
“Rast,” he heard Sylvan shout. “Rast, you can’t!”
He paid no attention. The itching in his shoulder blades had become a fierce burning now, as though someone had doused his back in gasoline and set it alight. But Rast didn’t care—didn’t care about anything but getting Nadiah back. Or dying with her if he couldn’t.
Without hesitation he dived over the edge of the mesa, aiming for the rapidly descending female form in the fluttering white gown. He felt his shoulder knock into something solid as he went and dimly heard a hoarse gasp in his ear. But only part of him registered that Y’dex was also falling, screaming and flailing as he went. Most of his mind was completely occupied with the idea of getting to Nadiah.
Have to get her. Have to hold her, he thought disjointedly as he streamlined his body, making himself into a living arrow aimed at his target. He didn’t know why but it seemed very important that he feel her in his arms one last time. Even if they were both destined to smash into the desert floor below, he wanted to do it with Nadiah pressed to his chest as she whispered his name.
They were both falling fast but he weighed considerably more and soon he was right beside her in mid air. The ground was coming up rapidly to meet them and he knew he had only seconds before they made impact.
“Nadiah!” he shouted and she turned her head, a strangely serene look in her dark blue eyes. Rast held out his arms and suddenly she was in them, her white gown fluttering in the wind like so many feathers.
Feathers, he thought and wondered why it should seem so important.
“I love you,” she mouthed and he nodded and held her close.
This is it, he thought as the sandy ground reached up hungrily to greet them. This is where we di—
Suddenly th
e ground swooped away and they were sailing upward again. Rast was dimly aware of something extending to either side of them, something shining and silvery and nearly translucent in the green sunlight. What the hell? he thought, frowning. Are we hang gliding somehow? But where did the glider come from? And how—?
“Rast!” he heard Nadiah laughing in sheer delight and looked to see her grinning at him. “Your wings,” she shouted over the wind whistling in their ears. “You have wings—you saved us!”
“Wings?” He was dimly aware that the horrible burning pain in his back was gone and yes, the strange hang glider like things on either side of them did appear to be attached to him somehow. He could feel the drag of the wind, the push and pull of the air currents deep in his shoulders as they glided along. But he wasn’t making any kind of effort to fly—it was almost as though he didn’t have to. As though the wings that had miraculously sprouted from his back knew how to take the initiative and keep him aloft themselves. Except…how the hell could that be?
Don’t worry about how, whispered a little voice in his brain. Worry about what comes next—what you can do to cure Nadiah. Looking to his left, he saw they were flying close to the holy mountain. In fact, they were almost at the level of the Healing Gardens now. That’s it, he thought. That’s where I need to take her. Have to get her to the fountain so she can drink and be healed.
The minute he thought it, the wings stroked through the sky and their position changed subtly. Holding Nadiah close to him, he searched for a good landing place. It was time to do what he’d set out to do in the first place—heal the woman he loved.
Chapter Thirty-three
Nadiah was dizzy from the great height she and Rast were soaring at. Dizzy but exhilarated too. Though they were much higher than they had been on top of the mesa, she felt no fear. She was safe in the arms of the male who loved her. Safe and serene.
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