The Binding (9 page)

I look into her clear eyes and for reasons I’m not sure of I say, “I’m bound by the oath I made to my father, and that of his to Queen Senestra.”

Kalis is quiet and a look of uncertainty once again comes over her . Finally, she says, “Of course, Tharin. You should go, you r brother needs you.”

I
can’t let her go like this, “Kalis, you also know how I feel about you. It was true when we were together and it’s true now.”

Her smile is instant and before I’m able to, she releases the sphere and her image disappears. I watch my empty hand for a moment before turning to the scene behind me. Tolan has pushed Julia into Lily’s arms and is now making his way over, his face unreadable. I stand quietly waiting for him to reach me.

I lean back on the SUV, asking, “You okay?”

Tolan
doesn’t say a word. He opens the rear door of the SUV and starts throwing bags into the back. He moves to the side and brings up the bags of weapons and throws them in as well. He grabs the bag with the explosive s and is about to throw them in when I grab the bag from him. I place it carefully and then turn to face him.
He’s leaning against the vehicle, head down and breathing hard.

“I can’t stand being with her, Tharin! It’s like agony beyond explanation. I want to strangle her and toss her to the silver wolves of Velesi. She’s making me nuts!”

“Julia? You’re talking about Julia?” I ask uncertainly. I need him to tell me he’s talking about Julia, to say it out loud.

“Of course I’m talking about Julia! Who else would I be talking about? Haven’t you heard us all night at each other’s throat? I swear I want to ...I want to...
”

I smile
at my brother’s frustration, “T
hrow her to the silver wolves. You sure you don’t want to take her into your arms again ?”

Tolan
struggles to get his emotions under control. He straightens, looking at me.

“I’ve only known her for mere hours, but when I first laid eyes on her sleeping in a room not fit for any girl of her age, I swear something came over me. It was as if I had known her all my life. As if I was meant to be there. I can’t explain it, Tharin. She looked so innocent, so vulnerable. Then I saw the bruises on her face. When I removed the covers from her, there was bruising on her chest, her shoulders and even though her shirt covered her arms, I knew there was bruising there as well. When she jumped out of bed , before she whacked me over the head with her shoe, I saw the bruising on her legs. Yet there she stood, with her shoe, brave, unafraid and beautiful. The sight of her standing there broke my heart, b rother. It took me a minute to convince her that I was there to help and to take her to Lily. Once she heard Lily’s name she attacked me again saying she’d kill me if I hurt her friend.”
He shakes his head smiling to himself.

“And, there” he continue s as his eyes move to the SUV
, “
…
and there I was just now, hitting her to show her who was in charge. She challenges me at every turn! Yet, how different am I from those who gave her those bruises, Tharin? How different am I?
”
Again he’s quiet before going on.

“You should have seen her,” he continues, “I’ve never seen anything like it. Is it crazy that I’ve only met her and all I want to do is protect her? Why? Why would I , when evidently she doesn’t deserve it, or want it. She is the most stubborn, ridiculous person I’ve ever met...
”

“…and she’s brave and beautiful.” I finish the sentence for him. But my brother is not listening to me anymore. Instead, he stands facing the direction where Lily and Julia stand holding each other, speaking softly.

“What am I saying? Now she’s got me talking in circles. If only she would stop fighting me , I could help heal her , ” he say s . He stares frustrated at the girl standing only yards from us.
We are quiet for a moment as we watch them move back into the gar age and get into one of the SUV
s.

“You know, Tolan , i t seem s that the only time I didn’t hear her screaming at you was when you kissed her last night. Perhaps instead of spanking her, you should be kissing her more. You know, just to keep her quiet.”

Tolan turns to face me, “Yeah, about the kiss. Well, that was an accident .
I didn’t mean to do it. It’
s just that she got me so worked up that instead of knocking her out, I kissed her.”

I watch him as he grows silent and thoughtful. I know why he’s frustrated and why he’s treating Julia the way he is. His fealty to his duty prevents him from being with Julia . It’s obvious to all but the two of them that they hav e fallen hard for each other .
Tolan would have to give up the right to ascend the throne and be removed from the royal line. He would be an outcast , and wors e , exiled. I understand my brother more than he knows , and I feel for both he and Julia.
She’s as much in love with Tolan as he is with her, only they don’t know it yet.

I slap Tolan on the shoulder as I walk past him and I leave him to his own thoughts. It’s almost 9
a.m. and we have to be on our way. We wi ll stop for some breakfast and then start our drive to Las Vegas . If things go well we should be in Vegas by early afternoon.
Even with the shield around us , I’ve sensed since early morning that Harlu and the Ange are already tracking us. I have to get Lily someplace safe for the night.

*

“He’s the ugliest, meane st and the biggest pig I’ve ever met!” vents Julia. She ha s been calling Tolan every name in the book for the past ten minutes, all the while staring out of the SUV toward the area where Tolan is talking with Tharin.

I watch my oldest and only friend simmer while staring out the window. Although she’s no longer screaming at the top of her lungs, the quiet way that she vents against Tolan is still painful to hear. It takes me a moment to realize that she had stop ped talking. I move her hair from her face trying to get her to look at me. She finally sighs looking down at her hands.

I ask quietly, “Did he hurt you, Julia?”

She shakes her head, eyes still downcast.

“Did he say anything to you that was hurtful?”

Again, she shakes her head.

“So, he was nice to you?”

Julia nods, sniffling softly.
I’m stun ned to see a tear run down her cheek.

“If he didn’t do or say anything that hurt you , then what’s wrong?”

She turns to me, tears welling up in her eyes, “He kissed me.”

It’s
barely a whisper and I have to lean in to hear what she said. “He dissed you?”

“Oh my God, Lily!” she says shaking her hands in frustration .
“He kissed me, al l right? He kissed me!”

I sit back laughing at he r strange reaction, “Okay, okay! S
o he kissed you. Wait. Tolan kissed you?”

“Yes,” she says, turning to look at Tolan in the distance . Turning back to me she says, “Lily, I’ve never been kissed, ever, you know that. And the first kiss I get is from a guy who I thought was an angel come to rescue me.”

“You thought Tolan was an angel?”

“Yeah. I woke up and there he was looking down at me. He was so beautiful I thought he was a n angel come to finally save me...from...
from everything. From Frank, from Chris,”
she’s quiet again and another tear falls.

I
pull her hair from her face again and tuck it behind her ear, “What made you realize he wasn’t?”

“I remember staring up at him and thinking to myself that God had finally answered my prayers. He sent someone to take me away from the constant beatings, the constant worry that Chris was waiting for me in the dark, from missing my mom. Then I thought , ‘W
ait…angels have halos on their heads not black beanies ’
.
H
e said ‘hi’ and I flew off my bed. I grabbed the first thing I could and hit him over the head with it.”

She turns to me taking my hands, “Lily, I could have used everything that bastard Frank taught me about fighting, but I didn’t, and I still don’t know why I didn’t. Instead , I threatened him, called him all kinds of name s and have been fighting him ever since. Except for when he, you know, when he kissed me.”

“How was it? The kiss?” I have to ask ―
it’s the first kiss for both of us.

“When he first kissed me he was angry so it was hard and then it was soft and thrilling, then when I felt his tongue to uch mine...
it was just wild and uncontrollable! I thought I was going to pass ou t, and all I knew was that I didn’t want him to stop.”

“He French—
kissed you? Oh m y God, Julia! Our first French—
kiss and where was I?”

“At the moment, I didn’t even know who you were! I mean, I was supposed to see you last night, and well, after he kissed me I forgot what I was doing, where I was going or who I was supposed to see.”

“I don’t get it. I’m confused about what you’re telling me. So do you hate Tolan?”

“No
, ” she admits quietly .
“I really don’t, but I’ve never been around someone like him, not to mentioned being kissed by someone like him. Boys who look like he does don’t look at girl s who looks like me. Every time he comes near me or say s something to me I just can’t help getting hostile with him.” After a pause, she quiet ly adds, “It’s because it’s all I know, Lil. All I’ve ever known.”

“
That may be true, Jules, but it doesn’t have to be, right ?” I ask softly, choosing my words carefully .
“Frank and Chris treated you like crap. They’ve had it in for you since Frank married your mom, and it got wors e when she disappeared. Frank beats you and then tells everyone that he’s teaching you how to be a better fighter. Chris is even scarier and gives me the creeps. He’s your stepbrother , but the way he stares at you is just not right! If he thinks any other guy is looking at you, he drags you in the ring and makes sure you look like something no one wants to get near. And not one time have I heard you stand up to them, ever. Yet, here’s Tolan who I’ve only known since last night, but know that he’s a really nice guy ; and all you want to do is fight with him every chance you get ?
I don’t get it.”

“I don’t either!”
She throws herself back onto the seat, looking defeated. “I don’t know how to act around him, Lil. I don’t like feeling unsure and...and...
”

“…confused?” I finish for her.

“It doesn’t matter, he hates me.”

“Jules
, how can he? You haven’t given him the chance to see the real you. You know,” I say thoughtfully, “maybe the next time he says anything to you, just nod or shake your head, whatever, but don’t say anything.
L
isten to what he says, that’s all. Just for now, okay?”

She nods once . She then looks at me before hugging me to her. “I was so scared when Tolan finally told me he was there to take me to you. I didn’t know what to think.”
She pulls away “You do know what they are, don’t you , Lil?”

“Yeah,
I know.”

“Good,
’
cause I didn’t know how I was going to explain it to you. When Tolan first showed me his ears, I thought he was a Vulcan.”

I laugh and at the same time we put our hands up in the intergalactic Vulcan sign.
Star Trek is one of our favorite s , not so much the series but the latest mo vie with Zachary Quinto ―
we a re his big gest fans . We’re totally in love with him . We laugh , hug each other again and spen d the next ten minutes c atching up on everything that happened since my run last night. We a re pretty much caught up when Mellis opens the door.

“Ladies,” he says smiling at us . He looks over at Julia and asks , “
I s it okay for me to take out the ear plugs now?” To my surprise Julia actually blushes and laughs at him.

I’m
so happy Julia is with me.
I suddenly feel I’m up to facing anything knowing that she’s at my side. All I need now is to find Lucas, return all of us home to Marilyn and then I wi ll have my family back.
I look past Julia out the window and see Tharin. Yeah, that’s going to be easier said than done.

*

We’re
traveling on Hwy 15 by 10:30 am . I sit with a disappointed Julia in the backseat. Mellis is in the driver’s seat in front of Julia, while I sit behind Alorn , who i s working on something that I can only d escribe as an elfin laptop. It looks like a crystal ball, but larger, eerily floating in front of him. His fingers fly causing the white sphere to spin in pace with his movements. Above the sphere is a 3-D image of a map, but it’s n o t any kind of map that I recognize. It looks like a solar system with several smaller spheres within it . Connecting the imaged spheres is a silver thread that streams in and out of each sphere. Each time Alorn stops on one of the spheres, it’s enlarged and a new set of spheres appears with the same silver stream floating through them. I want to ask Alorn about the map, but he’s so preoccupied that I decide not to interrupt .