Central (40 page)

Olivia noticed the glances in her direction and shifted uncomfortably. James’ grip on her shoulder tightened in response.

“The search for Grolkinei continues,” Ini-herit said in his unflappable tone. “He will be highly angered by this turn of events. We do not know what it might lead him to attempt. We can only hope that whatever it is draws us closer to him.”

“How do we know he won’t try something like this again soon?” Caleb asked with a frown.

“We do not know that,” Ini-herit replied. “And we must be prepared for it.”

“Now that we know about the invasion of some of our thoughts, we can warn all Estilorians to be aware of it,” Knorbis advised. “We will begin more thorough training for everyone immediately. Even without the additional protections yet in place, we can make everyone more prepared to defend themselves against that form of attack.”

More nods.

“I believe it would be wise to take Amber, Olivia and Skye to the different homelands of each class,” Raphael said. “Their interactions with the Estilorians housed here in our central location have prompted some notably positive changes in a very short amount of time.”

“You are probably right, Raphael,” Jabari said after a moment of thought. “Arrangements will be made.”

“In the meantime, we’re going to continue with our training,” Gabriel said. “Anyone who wants to participate will be welcome. A variety of disciplines won’t hurt.”

The sisters exchanged eye rolls and groans. For some inexplicable reason, though, the very natural reaction lifted Olivia’s spirits more than anything else had in the past two days. She found herself grinning when Amber glowered at Gabriel.

“What?” he asked, appearing genuinely baffled.

“I believe we should also host another social event,” Zayna suggested. “The first one went quite well. It served as another way for everyone to interact, and I believe it relieved tension.”

“I agree,” Mena said. “Knorbis and I both noticed an easing of the minds by the night’s end at our welcome dinner.”

“We would be delighted to plan something,” Caoilinn replied, receiving Sebastian’s nod.

“Very well,” Jabari responded. He exchanged a look with Khalidah. “We also believe that meeting as a group such as this is important to our future. We have always met as a council of elders, and that served us in the past. However,” and he looked at the sisters, “These are different times. Thus, we believe that we should meet once every other week just as we are now.”

Agreement was voiced around the table.

“Very well,” Jabari said again with a nod. “I believe we will consider this meeting adjourned.”

Olivia got to her feet. She felt achy and tired and that she just might hit someone if they so much as hinted that she had to go and train right then. It would not be pretty.

Uh-oh
, she heard Skye think.
Time for an intervention.

Come on, Liv
, Amber thought.
You’re coming with us.

James sat on a rock overlooking the hot spring currently being enjoyed by Olivia and her sisters. Caleb stood on the other side of the wide room, keeping watch from that end. The grotto was, of course, Estilorian-made. It had been carved into rock and was completely enclosed with the exception of a single round hole in the ceiling that allowed in natural light. Because Estilorians, in general, didn’t understand the concept of leisure time, it usually didn’t get much use.

The Lekwuesti had designed what the girls called bathing suits for them. James personally thought they might as well not be wearing anything as wear the specially-designed tank tops and unusually short briefs that showed every inch of their long legs. But who was he to argue?

Olivia was happier than she had been since returning to Central. Seeing her smile and hearing her laugh was nothing short of miraculous to him.

After a while, Gabriel walked up to him and sat down. “So…you ready to talk to me yet about your intentions?”

James didn’t pretend that he didn’t understand. He looked at the water and watched Olivia splash vigorously toward Skye, who was singing something outrageously loudly and off-key by a human musical artist that Olivia disliked. He grinned.

“You already know,” he said, glancing back at Gabriel.

“Of course I do,” he said, returning the grin. “I’ll have to teach you about guarding your thoughts more closely now that you’re dealing with all of this emotion. It isn’t as easy as one might think.”

“Thanks,” James said. He looked back into the water. “I’m not sure what to do, though.”

“No problem. I’ve got you covered.”

Later that day, James convinced Olivia to walk with him as the sun began its daily descent. She happily agreed. When she took his hand and smiled up at him, he held hers with a great deal of wonder over the feelings she held toward him.

They walked in silence for a while. Then she asked, “Did you kill Ryce?”

He hesitated, surprised by the question. “I was nowhere near him.”

“That isn’t what I asked,” she said gently. “I know Titan can hear your thoughts.”

Frowning, he asked, “Would it matter to you if I did?”

“No,” she answered simply, catching his gaze. “I’m just curious.”

He gave her hand a squeeze. “Let’s just say that I didn’t try to stop what happened.”

She nodded in understanding and, much to his relief, didn’t press him about it any further. The sun continued to head toward the horizon. He ultimately led her to a forested area not far from where Aurora and her mate were housed. And then, not too far in, he found the perfect tree.

“Shall we climb?” he asked her.

Surprise and pleasure flashed across her features. “Why not?”

He gave her a boost to the lowest limb and then set about climbing up behind her. She moved up the tree’s branches like a nimble creature, completely fascinating him.

Finally, they settled up among the highest limbs that would still support their weight. He situated himself across from her. Then he sat for a long while just watching her enjoy the moment. It was such a pleasurable experience to witness her unbridled joy.

But he had come up into this tree with a purpose, and the sun was sinking lower in the sky. So he reached across and took her hand in his, settling his face into deliberately serious lines.

“Olivia, there is something that I need to discuss with you.”

His intent tone caught her attention. He saw the concern and puzzlement in her gaze when she said, “Of course. What is it?”

“Well, the thing is, in light of recent events, I’m not happy being your Gloresti anymore.”

Her mouth fell open. He saw shock and hurt enter her eyes. “What?” she managed.

One corner of his mouth rose. “That is to say, I’m not happy being
only
your Gloresti.”

Now she closed her gaping mouth, blinked and tilted her head, obviously perplexed. Not wishing to draw out the suspense any further, he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the gift that Gabriel had given him earlier, something his brother had commissioned through Sebastian several days ago.

When she looked down and saw what he held, her eyes goggled at him. The reaction made him laugh heartily.

“Don’t do that!” she shrieked, reaching out and covering his hand with hers. “Holy Moses, you could drop these gorgeous rings.”

They had been crafted from the lightest yellow gold achievable. Her ring was feminine and delicate, created to look like a series of vines woven together. The vines ended in two thin, gold leaves that gently framed the center stone, which was comprised of two circles. The outer circle was thinner than the center one. The left half of the outer circle was formed from a curved, light green gem and the right half was a curved, dark blue gem. In the center, the colors were reversed: the left side of the stone was dark blue and the right side light green. His ring was a wider, more masculine version with a solid, etched band.

“I was hoping you’d like them,” he said. “Sebastian has much insight about such things.”

She was looking at him with a combination of wariness and hope. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Actually, I’m asking you.” He smiled. “Will you exchange vows with me?”

“You mean…you want to become avowed to me?”

When he nodded, she threw herself at him, making him clutch the rings in a fierce grip. “Oh, yes, I will,” she declared. Then she kissed him, long and deep. “I love you, James.”

“I love you, too, Olivia.” He reached over and handed her his ring. “I’ll speak my vows first and present you with your ring. Then you must repeat them and present me with mine. Then we join our left hands and kiss to seal the vows.”

“I like that part,” she said, smiling widely. “Okay. Let’s do this.” Then, before he spoke, she held up a finger. “Wait. First, I want to thank you for doing this just this way. It’s perfect.”

Smiling back, he said, “I know.” Then he grew serious. “I didn’t really prepare anything, so I’ll follow the model I remember from Gabriel and Amber’s vows.”

She nodded encouragingly. Her smile flooded him with love, and the words were suddenly right there, waiting to be spoken.

“I, James, believe that you, Olivia, are everything that my life has been missing. You embody the very best qualities this world has to offer. I love everything I know about you and trust everything I don’t know. I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and my unbreakable commitment to you.”

He slid it onto her left ring finger.

As she took his hand, she held his gaze and spoke her vows. “I, Olivia, believe that you, James, are everything that my life has been missing. You embody the very best qualities this world has to offer. I love everything I know about you and trust everything I don’t know. I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and my unbreakable commitment to you.”

She placed the ring on his left ring finger. Then they both grinned foolishly and entwined their left hands. Leaning forward, they kissed, allowing their love for each other to fill their hearts and closing their eyes against the brilliant light that represented the sealing of their vows.

From a distance, Gabriel and Amber watched the exchange. Amber sighed and smiled when the symbolic light flared, leaning into her husband’s one-armed hug.

“How long do you think I should wait to inform James that he has to marry her before they can have sex?” he asked her thoughtfully.

After a moment of consideration, she said, “Oh, give them an hour.”

He nodded and reached down to kiss the top of her head. “They’ll be very happy together,” he said after another moment.

Staring into the treetops, she smiled and replied, “They already are.”

Epilogue

The mood was far from cheerful at the Mercesti backup location. It was, in point of fact, about as mournful as their class could manage.

Grolkinei sat with Layla, Kanika and Angius in a small parlor, brooding in a wing-backed chair, his elbows propped on the chair’s arms and his fingertips steepled together. He hadn’t spoken since they congregated nearly an hour ago. In fact, he hadn’t spoken much since they had been rousted from their base of operations.

They all knew Ryce and Cesaro were dead, though they didn’t know exactly what had happened to them since they couldn’t access the caves any longer. Cesaro, a wily Mercesti who had survived more than two millennia—largely by avoiding direct battle—was gone. As a result, so was one of Grolkinei’s key sources of information. Ryce, though significantly younger, had still been a seasoned fighter and loyal to Grolkinei, which was all but invaluable. The loss of him was a stunning blow.

And that didn’t even account for the thinning of the Mercesti ranks caused by the battle with the other Estilorians. All because of Saraqael’s daughter.

His jaw flexed again as he fought back the insane rage that once again threatened to overpower him. Reaching over to the table beside his chair, he lifted a glass of honey-colored liquid and brought it to his lips. Downing most of the contents of the glass in one swallow, he reached over and refilled it with the half-empty bottle sitting on the table.

“We have to consider suitable replacements,” he finally said into the silent room.

All eyes moved to him.

He took another drink. “I would like you each to consider who among our ranks is most useful to our purpose.”

Angius frowned. “And just what purpose is that right now? We have just learned quite soundly that acquiring any of Saraqael’s daughters is all but beyond our reach.”

In a move so fast no one even had time to flinch, Grolkinei threw his glass against the closest wall. Since that wall was made of stone, the glass shattered into pieces that showered over all of them. One of the shards sliced right through Angius’ cheek.

“Do not dare say something is beyond my reach!” Grolkinei roared. His eyes flashed brilliant, dangerous red. He gripped the arms of his chair until his knuckles turned white. “Where there is a will, there is always a way.”

Usually subdued by Grolkinei’s outbursts because he respected the elder’s dark power, Angius now didn’t back down. He was furious over the loss of two of his fellow commanders. After all, now the brunt of the work would fall on him.

“Saraqael’s daughters are obviously protected by all of the Estilorians,” he countered. “Each of the other classes united to acquire that one breeder when they have never done such a thing before. How are we supposed to prevail? Tell me that!”

Kanika and Layla both winced, certain Grolkinei would completely lose his control. But when they looked at their leader, they realized he looked rather stunned.

“What did you call her?”

Angius frowned. “What?”

“You called her a breeder.” Grolkinei pushed himself to his feet. Then he cursed loudly. “Why did I not consider that before?”

The three commanders all exchanged puzzled looks.

“Saraqael’s daughters are half-human,” he said almost to himself as he paced. The crunch of glass beneath his boots didn’t even seem to register with him. “If they can transition between the planes like a Corgloresti, then why would they not also be able to breed like their human mother?”