King Cave (50 page)

I grinned behind his hand. “Ah, I love you, too.”

“Your door?” Cahal ignored us, speaking with Ezra. He pointed at Ezra’s door next to mine. “Where does it lead?”

“Same place,” Ezra stated, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me away from Antonio so that I was flush against his chest. “It’s also spelled to take us to our room.”

Cahal eyed us before turning a glare on Antonio. “You and I are going to have words.”

Antonio’s smile was only teeth. “No, we’re not, and you know it.” He gestured to Ezra and me without turning his gaze away from Cahal. “You can see it as well as I can. They’re damn
cute
and
endearing
together.” It didn’t sound like a compliment.

Cahal growled a little, also not looking in our direction.

Well, that was enough of that. “Prodigies…remember?”

They both grunted, but eventually did stop their staring contest.

Fun time was over.

We didn’t talk as we wound our way through the tunnels, Ezra and I both trying to come to grips with what we were about to do even as we dealt with our ecstatic emotions for each other, while Clyde and Bonnie walked close together without touching, as we had originally instructed them, in front of us, uncannily going the way we needed to. People passed us staring oddly at us for a moment since our appearances were altered, but after a glance at the cubs then back to us, their eyes widened and they silently made room.

Minutes later, Ezra and I snuck a glance at each other before exiting the cave. Only love and fear for each other shone in our eyes, so it was a good thing we were taking to heart Cahal’s advice about not looking at each other, since we were having serious issues hiding our emotions right now.

Nostrils flared, and hovering a smidge closer so I could feel his body heat, Ezra whispered, “Be careful out there.”

My gaze flying over his face, I nodded jerkily. “I know how to handle Coms.” My eyes held his steadily. “Make sure you don’t try any rash barbaric shit out there.” Many emotions warred inside me as I watched his lips lift into a soft, loving — and slightly amused — smile at my demand, but my fear for him…God, the fear I felt knowing he would be out there in the chaotic, vengeful shithole the world had become was riding me the hardest, making my hands tremble.

“Seriously, Ezra. No funny business.” Dear Lord, I had tears welling in my eyes.
How far I had fallen.
Firmly sniffing back that show of girliness, I whispered, “I’d like for you to come back alive and in one piece, you know?”

I heard Cahal and Antonio both sigh in annoyance/exasperation, but they both took a few steps away, turning their backs to us and giving us privacy, and also conveniently blocking anyone outside from seeing our goodbye.

The barest whisper. “Hush.” Ezra gently cupped my face with one hand, and I leaned into the warmth. “I won’t do anything too awful.” His thumb softly caressed back and forth over my lips in a pseudo kiss, even as I growled softly at his comment. He bent, leveling his face with mine. “This is our first time apart in a year.” His chuckle was more of a grunt. “I’ve got to say, I’m not liking it too much already.”

I agreed one hundred percent. “Just be careful, Ezra. Because if you don’t come back, I’ll find a spell to follow you to the afterlife so I can kick your ass.” There. That was more like me.

Even though his eyes expressed how worried he was, he grinned, his teeth gleaming white against the darkness of his beard. “You could try to kick my ass.” When I snorted, he roughly placed his forehead against mine, barely breathing, “Come back to me, alright?”

I nodded, our foreheads rubbing. “Always.”

His lips brushed mine. The gentlest of strokes. “Always.”

Little by little, as if we were unbreakably connected, we stepped back from each other.

My gaze never left his. “It’s time.”

He nodded once, readjusting his duffle over his shoulder, and said firmly, “It’s time.”

Out on the sand Elder Kincaid met me, pulling me aside. “I got you a parting gift.” He held out a narrow black case.

Antonio and his group were near the entrance of the cave. Ezra was standing with Elder Venclaire, just as Pearl and Jack were each standing with Elder Fergus and Elder Nelson, separately, a few feet away, but they were all watching as I opened my gift. As I lifted the lid, the gleam of shiny metal glinted off the sun into my eyes. I squinted as I smiled, pulling out one of the two short swords inside.

“A Cizano,” I murmured, happy that I knew the proper term. I had actually paid attention in my combat classes at King Hall. It was a Shifter short sword, made with metal and bits of silver, magically enchanted to withstand the use of my Shifter strength, unlike the normal swords we practiced with down in the arena. The blade was curved deadly, and the handle was wrapped in black leather, made for my smaller hand. I pulled the other out, and stepped back, rotating my wrists, making them sing in the air. They fit perfectly. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”

Both of us ignoring the fact that Antonio disappeared from where he was standing, he nodded and said, “Just don’t forget you can rip their heads off with your bare hands.” He rubbed his side. “You’re definitely strong enough.”

I chuckled, pointing one of the swords at him. “I was giving you payback.”

His lips twitched. “I know.”

Antonio reappeared holding that brown leather book in his hands while reading from it.

As that was never a good thing, everyone froze, staring at him. His gaze was avid, eyes darting back and forth, before he flipped the page. He blinked. Snapped the book shut. Sluggishly, his golden gaze found mine. And instantly, my blues eyes were as guarded as his, void of all emotion. He didn’t say anything, and I didn’t ask. It was there in the set of his shoulders. Something nasty — possibly on this trip — was about to transpire for me.

Surrounding me, everyone held their collective breaths, like I was a dead woman walking.

Ezra’s predator growled wildly, his eyes flashing at Antonio. “What do you know?”

“It’s not for me to say,” Antonio murmured, his head dipping to stare at the sand.

“Bullshit!” Ezra stated harshly. “If you know she’s going to encounter trouble in this, take more protection with you!” He brushed off Elder Venclaire’s hand when the Elder tried to quiet him.

Antonio’s chest heaved, and shaking his head slightly, he stated quietly, “She travels the journey alone.” And he turned his back to everyone, rubbing his forehead.

Tense silence ensued at his cryptic words while I tried to regulate my breathing.

“You know what? Fuck your damn rules,” Ezra spewed, frustration and anger — and fear — riding his features, hardening them. “I’m going with her.” He pointed between me and him, starting to stalk my way. “And she’s going with me afterward.”

Taking a calming breath, I placed the swords back in the case, closing it carefully. My hands were shaking the tiniest bit, but I kept it together, not dropping the case as I picked it up. Nor did I drop it when Elder Zeller blurred directly in front of the stalking Ezra. I managed to keep a firm grip on the case when Ezra completely lost it, taking a swing at his dad, who had tried gripping Ezra’s shoulders to keep his son in place.

His dad ducked, cursing under his breath before plowing into Ezra’s middle and taking him onto his back, sand flying in all directions from underneath them. Cahal held an instant forearm to Ezra’s throat, restraining him when Ezra’s fangs extended. I was pretty sure the only thing that kept this from becoming a real fight was the fact that they were father and son. Elder Venclaire was correct not to intervene.

“Stop,” Cahal said in a deep, calming tone. “Just stop, son.”

Ezra growled, but stared up at him, not throwing any more punches. “Give me one fucking reason other than ‘it’s the way it has always been done’ that proves we can’t,” a pause, “all go together to protect the other.” His nostrils flared.

Instant. “The spell doesn’t work if you have another Mys, other than the Prodigy, nearby. It’s not only an ancient spell of finding; it’s also one of protection.”

Truth
.

Ezra’s jaw clenched, his eyes closing as he figured this out on his own.

“Well, now that the fun and games are over,” Elder Harcourt clapped his wrinkled hands together from the entrance of the cave, startling me because I hadn’t even realized he was there, “it’s time to do the spell.”

Elder Nelson’s wide gaze went from Cahal and Ezra to Elder Harcourt, and he quickly herded Pearl over to him, probably praying she didn’t pull any of the theatrics that were happening out here.
If he only knew.
Elder Fergus even physically shoved Jack toward Elder Harcourt in his haste, muttering under his breath about Bonnie and Clyde bullshit.
Which was more right than he knew.

I stared as Cahal whispered something at Ezra’s ear, to which Ezra slowly nodded. My heart swelled because I probably would have lost it just like Ezra with our emotions as raw as they were. Cahal whispered something else, getting the same response from Ezra, before he lifted his arm off his son’s throat. Ezra lay there for a few seconds longer than necessary after Cahal stood. His dad lowered his hand to him, and Ezra smashed his into it, letting his dad yank him to his feet.

“Well,” King Kincaid cleared his throat, gently nudging me in the direction of Elder Harcourt, “I think it’s safe to say you’ve been lying to me.” He rubbed his chest. “At least the others haven’t figured it out.” He didn’t seem too upset that I had been devious.

A hysterical giggle almost escaped, but I quickly bit it off and turned my back to him, heading toward the Mage. The only few out here that didn’t know about Ezra and I were Elder Harcourt, Elder Fergus, and Elder Nelson. There was nothing else to do but walk headlong into a fate I knew was going to be filled with turmoil, sans a furiously protective Ezra.

I stood next to Jack, Pearl on the other side of him, the three of us facing Elder Harcourt. Ezra moved to stand next to me, just a little too close, but I wasn’t about to move away because he was still growling quietly in his chest. I didn’t miss how his dad stood directly behind him, either.

Elder Harcourt glanced at Ezra, his lips twitching as he hobbled to stand straight in front of him. Crazy damn man. His head tilted as he stared Ezra in the eyes, then rooted around in his pants pocket, mumbling, “They’re in here somewhere.” A pause. “Wait. Other pocket.” He jammed his other hand in the other pocket, pulling out two tiny pairs of white dice.

“Hold your hand out, King Zeller,” Elder Harcourt instructed.

I blinked, then jolted, realizing he was talking to Ezra. That was the first time someone had called Ezra by that name. Even Ezra stood there motionless, blinking at Elder Harcourt, until I nudged him in the ribs covertly…well, as stealthily as I could with everyone standing in a circle around us, watching avidly. Ezra glanced down, his gaze still narrowed, but his growl cut off as his eyes met mine. I jerked my head toward Elder Harcourt, whispering, “Your hand.”

Real slow-like, he blinked, then held his hand out, eyes still on me. He leaned down, breathing against my ear, “You had better fucking call me every goddamn chance you get.” He straightened only when his dad cleared his throat behind him.

Elder Harcourt dropped one of the die onto Ezra’s palm, then placed his own palm on top of Ezra’s, gripping his hand. His eyes glowed, and I had to stop myself from stepping back as Elder Harcourt’s power began swirling around us. Ezra went rigid as Elder Harcourt lowered his head, placing his lips to the back of his wrinkled hand…and blew out a sharp breath.

Ezra jerked, but didn’t yank his hand away. Elder Harcourt released him, and the die glowed red and black in Ezra’s palm. Ezra sucked in a harsh breath, whispering, “Female.”

Elder Harcourt grinned. “The first female Prodigy Vampire.” He patted Ezra’s shoulder. “Go get her.”

Ezra stared down at his hand, slowly gripping the die hard.

Elder Harcourt hobbled a step over, standing in front of me.

I waited, wanting to hear him say it.

He chuckled. “Please hold out your hand, Queen Ruckler.”

I grinned and did as told.

He repeated the process, his power feeling purely of time and spells as he touched me. Only training kept me from blasting each of us apart in an invisible explosion. When he breathed life into the die, I almost turned to leave, feeling the instant pull to find the small life force. I grunted, widening my stance, murmuring, “Male.” Inside my glowing black die was the knowledge of a two-year-old male.

Elder Harcourt smiled, nodding, and moved down the line.

Jack’s glowed red. A fire elemental. Male.

Pearl’s glowed golden. Male.

“All of you stay safe while you’re out there,” Elder Harcourt said softly, shuffling back a step.

“East,” Pearl murmured. “I need to go east.”

“North-west,” Jack whispered, staring at his die.

Ezra and I glanced at each other.

His dad had said the spell didn’t work when other Mysticals were nearby, which had been the
truth
…and yet…it was working just fine right now.