A Forgotten Kitten (Sea-anan Saga Book 2) (19 page)

Sev gave Mike all he had, managing to disarm Mike and fling him hard onto the ground.

Straddling the young warrior, Sev growled. “Let’s get several things clear here,
Mike.
I’m no one’s puppet. No one dictates to me concerning the female of my desire. No one tells me that I can or
can’t
be with her. And no one, I mean
no one,
gets in between my mate and me without serious consequences. Do I make myself crystal clear?”

Sev heard footsteps. They were getting louder. He did not want to embarrass Challen’s second-born, so he hurriedly got off him and walked over to Areo.

He stared into her fearful brown eyes and said, “I’m sorry,” before walking away.

Sev entered the throne room on the castle’s fourth level. The enormous room, with its cathedral ceilings and three-foot-wide
pillars lining the perimeter, was twice the size of the elaborate ballroom. All future ceremonies—anything deemed important enough to share with all felines—would be held here, including the crowning of the queen, Seacat marriages, birth announcements, and royal announcements.

He made his way down the center aisle. On either side of him were numerous rows of wooden benches with navy-blue velvet cushions, all of which faced his ancestral throne situated on an elevated platform at the front end of the room. The throne was flanked by two large tapestries, which were illuminated from overhead.

The tapestry to the right of the chair depicted the Sword of Power on a royal-blue background. The one to the left displayed the Bracelets of Foresight that had been lost in the destruction of Oceana. It also had a royal-blue background. Above the throne hung the Seacat insignia in vibrant colors—red, blue, and black.

Sev paused at the bottom of the platform and stared at the oversize chair. It was a high-back armchair with red velvet cushions, framed by elaborate, hand-carved wood bathed in gold and inlaid with precious jewels.

He tried to recall his past. Sev did remember the first time his father had sat him on the chair. He was five, and King Oren had spoken to him about his grandsire and all the kings who had come before him. Sev was the last in a long line of proud kings, and Oren’s only offspring. Probably his mother would have had another litter if she had survived her first. Sadly, the fates had not allowed it to happen.

His sire had been devastated. Losing his soulmate had changed Oren greatly, so others told Sev. Yet Oren had never stopped being kind or gentle toward him. Nor did he remarry. He had dedicated his life to raising Sev and leading his felines. Oren had wanted the best for him, Sev knew. He had supported and encouraged the young kitten who had his copper eyes and his soulmate’s brown hair.

Sev climbed the five steps to the raised platform. He walked to the throne and fingered the red-velvet armrest.
I love you, Father.
I have strived and sacrificed a great deal to become the feline warrior you envisioned. I pray I have not disappointed you.

His eyes roamed over the throne that had been used since the beginning of Oceanan time.
I pray you understand how I feel. You knew what it was to love. To be with the female you were destined to be with. I pray my actions don’t let you down, but I must follow my own heart, Father. You see, I can’t let her go. I can’t ignore what is in my soul.

Sev beseeched the heavens. “Please understand, Father. Please be here with me today. I will need your strength on this day more than ever before. Please understand what I must do. If you can’t, then forgive me. I never wanted to disappoint you. Not intentionally. Not ever.”

He overheard the doors slide open. Sev took his rightful seat. He stonily regarded his warriors as they approached the front of the room.

“Sev, you summoned us here this evening without giving us a reason why. You only told us it was critical that we meet. Is there something wrong?” asked Jugar.

“No. At least, not yet.”

Everyone was so focused on Sev that no one noticed the dark, hooded figure phasing through the back wall.

Miko stepped forward. “What is wrong, Sev?”

“I have gathered you here to discuss something crucial. As you know, when Areo first arrived on Oceanica, she was gravely injured. She has recently told me who nearly killed her and why.”

“Daehog,” remarked Jugar.

Sev sharply stared at Jugar from his seat. “You know?”

“I’m her uncle, remember?”

Sev fought the urge to lash out at the cougar. How many more secrets was the cat keeping from him? He slowly inhaled. He had to remain calm and remember the reason why he had gathered his team. He would speak to Jugar at another time.

He recounted the entire story to his friends, leaving nothing out. By the time he finished, their troubled expressions indicated to him that he had reached their compassionate side. He prayed he was correct.

“Despite the fact neither Areo nor her comrades have asked me for assistance, I feel it is our duty as fellow Seacats to help our comrades at arms.”

Uma frowned. “They have not asked for our assistance?”

“That’s correct,” replied Sev.

Sev watched them all exchange looks. Except Jugar, who lowered his gaze to the steps.

“Then what is the problem?” Miko spoke up. “If they did not ask for our help, then they require none from us.”

Jugar’s eyes closed.

“I agree,” put in Serena.

Too eagerly, Sev believed. “I do not,” he said heatedly, glowering at each feline. “They did not ask for our help because they are under the impression that we would not assist them because of their mixed blood.”

“And?” Angel cut in impatiently.

“What?”

Angel gestured to the margay beside him. “Well, at the risk of sounding like Miko, what is the problem?”

“What in the blazes is that supposed to mean?” snapped Sev.

“Let’s not beat around the bush all night, all right,” Jugar said angrily. “We are all mature Seacats here. Let’s say what is on our minds.”

“I agree.” Sev simmered in his seat.

“Very well,” Miko started. “We do not feel we should interfere in the affairs of life-forms who do not need our help.”

Sev’s eyes rounded. “Do not need our help? But they do need our help!”

“They did not ask for it, which I interpret as not needing it.”

“So what do you suggest? That we let them leave while we sit back and wave good-bye? I told you that Daehog is seeking to rule this entire dimension. This means we are all in danger of being annihilated or enslaved. And personally, I prefer neither.”

Theo entered the conversation. “Neither do we, but it is not our fight.”

“It
is
our fight! We live in this dimension, don’t we?”

“But he has not attacked the Seacats yet,” inserted Uma.

“What do you mean he hasn’t attacked the Seacats yet?” Sev pointed to a corner of the room. “Then who in the blazes are those outside the lair’s walls? Seacats!”

“You heard what they said. King Oren never knighted them.” Angel crossed his arms. “He never even acknowledged them.”

“They were born from Seacat loins!” shouted Sev. “Leonora, Concheetah, and Challen—the one who saved us all, may I add— were honorable Seacats!”

“Until they permanently joined with aliens,” countered Angel. “They broke the most sacred law of Oceana, and they rightly paid the price of being stripped of their possessions by our lenient and tolerant king.”

“I am your king! And I say Challen, Concheetah, and Leonora are honorable Seacats who should never be forgotten! If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be here today!”

“I agree,” Jugar finally spoke up. “For too long they have been looked down upon solely because their permanent mates were aliens. I feel they were too harshly dealt with. And never should their insignias have been taken from them, or their birthrights. Now their offspring are in danger of being destroyed—”

“That is not our problem, Jugar,” interjected Uma caustically. “Our concern is Oceanica and the lives of our citizens in transit. We would be turning our backs on them if we left with these half-breeds. We would be leaving them unprotected for any scum to come and conquer them while we were away.”

Sev sat taller at her use of that hated word.
Half-breeds.
“So we should forget about our fellow—”

“They are not our fellow anything, Sev!” Theo heatedly interrupted. “They are
aliens.
Half-blood aliens. That is all. Do not confuse them with us, or insult us by placing them in the same category with us.”

Sev was speechless. He never would have believed that his friends would turn their backs on a soul simply because they were not pureblooded felines.

“Sev, can’t you see the bottom line has never changed?” Jugar’s voice had lost its fire. “The Oceanan race is not ready to accept a feline permanently joining with an alien. And they are even less inclined to accept any offspring born from such a union.”

“But this is not Oceana. And they are not just any half-bloods. They are the offspring of Concheetah, Leonora, and
Challen.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jugar dejectedly replied.

Sev refused to give up hope without a fight. “How can you say it doesn’t matter? You’re their uncle!”

“Oh, why don’t you just give it up already!” Areo hollered from her hiding place.

Everyone turned in the direction of her voice. She stepped out from behind a pillar.

“Areo,” Sev whispered. He jumped out of his seat and down three steps. How could he have missed her scent?

“Can’t you see what I said was true? Can’t you see they will never accept us?” Areo removed her hood. “It doesn’t matter who our parents were. It doesn’t matter if we fight for the same cause or believe in the same code.” Her sights touched each feline’s face. “We will never be seen as anything but unworthy half-breeds. We will never be good enough for any of you.”

She looked back at her beloved. “I will never be good enough for you. I will never be a full-blooded Oceanan
or
Earthling. I will forever be half-blooded, and my children will be considered even more alien than I.” She angrily swiped at her tears. “You listen to your intelligent panel and do as they request. Forget us. Go on with your life, Lord of Oceanica. Marry,” she met Serena’s stare, “a beautiful young leopardess who thinks the world of you.”

Sev followed her line of vision. “Serena?” he questioned in a low voice.

Serena blushed.

“She is worthy of your love and devotion. She is worthy to carry your heir.” Areo paused, swallowing hard. “She will give you many healthy litters.”

“Areo—”

Areo held up her hand to stop Sev from continuing. “I’ll be all right. Just like before, we
half-breeds
will survive. That is, if Daehog doesn’t kill us off,” she added with a strained chuckle. “But that doesn’t matter, does it?” She glared at each cat. “It’s none of your concern, is it? I pray everything goes well with all of you and dear
Oceanica.”

Areo longingly eyed the only man she would ever love. “Tell Fern and Erra good-bye for me. I promise to send a wedding gift and a present for your firstborn. However, I fear that I would have to decline making a visit. Conflict of interest.” Sparing one last disgusted stare for the other Seacats, she sneered, “Good-bye, and may Onssa bless.” Putting her hood back up, she hurried out of the throne room.

“Areo!” Sev shouted. He jumped the last two steps and made to chase after her.

Jugar leapt in front of him, and Sev collided into his unyielding form. “Don’t!”

“Jugar?”

“I love her, Sev. I love them all. But what she said—I’m afraid it is the truth. We must remain here with our own, and she must return to her own kind.”

“We are her kind!” he fiercely shouted.

Disheartened, Jugar lowered his eyes and shook his head in disagreement.

Sev felt like someone had doused him in ice-cold water. “They are leaving,” he spoke softly.

“Yes, they are,” Jugar replied without lifting his head.

“Never to return.”

“I know.”

Sev looked at the cougar’s bowed head and slouching form. He had given in. Jugar was willing to say good-bye to his family, his loved ones, without a fight. It was unbelievable.

Sev turned around and faced his throne. The elaborate chair seemed cold, empty, and alone on top of the raised platform. He thought of his mother’s chair, which was locked away in the storage chamber. Sev had intended to place it beside his chair, then announce that he had chosen his queen. He had looked forward to that day. Now he realized it would never come. The law required him to give up his chosen one simply because she had foreign blood flowing through her veins.