“What’s on your mind, princess?”
“I’m thinking about how much happier you look here than in the palace.”
“Well, this is my happy place, after all. Even more so now that you share it with me. It’s the only place I feel like I can be myself and not have to put on a show for anyone else.”
“What kind of show?”
“The political kind. When I always have to be ‘on.’ Say the right thing using the most impactful words, do the right thing, make the best decision. Every single time. No one knows how hard it is when half of the kingdom is thrilled with your choice, while the other half wants to skewer and roast your balls for it. There’s no way to please everyone, but they all expect to be ecstatic. This job is exhausting and invigorating at the same time.”
“You’ll never be able to make everyone happy. Some people prefer to be miserable and spread their misery around like an incurable virus. All you can do is let your conscience help you make the best decision. If you were on the receiving end, would you be able to live with what was passed down to you? Will your decision cause unnecessary harm to anyone? Answer those questions, and you’ll never go wrong.”
“You excel at putting things into perspective for me. I think I’ll keep you around a while longer.”
“Oh yeah? How long is a while?”
“Only forever.”
“As long as we’re not talking forever and a day, I think I can handle it. That extra day would push me right over the edge, though.”
“You think you’re funny, don’t you?” He’s smiling, but his spirit energy changes from white to light red. I know he’s not mad, but… “Don’t you dare!”
My scream doesn’t faze him in the least. He lunges toward me, snatches me up in his arms, and does a full-body flop into the deeper water. When we emerge, I’m sputtering and cursing, while he laughs ever so casually. As if he doesn’t have a care in the world. His spirit feels as light as a feather floating on the wind. This place is his home, where his heart is, and he can be somewhat of a kid again. It brings out the best in him.
Since we’re already wet from head to toe, we lay our clothes out on a rock to dry while we enjoy the freedom to skinny-dip. The water gliding across my bare body feels so good and is a natural aphrodisiac, as is the man swimming with me. Somehow, we manage to refrain from touching each other to dive down to the statues Saban hid in the lake.
It breaks my heart knowing I can’t tell him he’s the first person to show me a likeness of my parents. Obviously, Nana wasn’t able to bring any pictures with her when she fled for our lives. She described them to me, from the angles of their faces, the slant of their noses, and the shape of their eyes, but my mental picture was always fuzzy. Even the memories I retrieved after the magical block was removed didn’t give me full clarity for their faces.
Now, I have a detailed marble carving to help bring the rest of their features to life. I simply have to transpose the shade of their skin, the hue of their hair, and the tint of their eyes onto the statue, and I can see my parents in living color. This small favor means so much to me, and I hurt so badly, not being able to share this with the love of my life.
When we come up for air, I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist before placing kisses all over his face. I’m so grateful for him, and this is the only way I know to express my gratitude at the moment. He slides his hands under my bottom, holding me at first then kneading my flesh with his strong fingers. The grateful kisses become more demanding the longer our bodies are pressed together.
He slows the fervor and breaks our kiss. With his forehead against mine and our eyes locked, he gradually pushes inside me. He’s taking his time, savoring every second and every sensation. The water around us sloshes and splashes when his hips surge against me. He pushes up, I push down, and we meet a state of pure bliss somewhere in the middle until neither of us can take any more.
While panting from our strenuous activity, Saban decides to be funny. “You know, I think you may be the death of me. At least I’ll die with a smile on my face.”
“I don’t think it’s fair for you to put the blame on me. I’m like ninety-nine percent certain it’s your fault and you’ll be the death of me.”
“Let’s make a promise to each other right now. You ready?”
“What is it?”
“Neither of us is allowed to die without the other. We go together, or we don’t go at all. Promise me.”
“I promise, we go together or not at all. Though, I prefer the latter if you’re taking requests. Now, you say it.”
“You have my word. If I lose you, I have no reason to live.”
“That’s not exactly the same as what you originally said.”
He shrugs. “It’s how I feel, though. Enough of the sad stuff. We’re here to have fun and relax from all the stress at home. Our clothes should be dry enough to wear now. Let’s go for a walk in the woods.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll race you.”
I jump out of his arms and try to run through the water. His laughter is immediately behind me, almost breathing down my neck. He can take much longer strides than I can, but he’s a complete gentleman…while we run in the water…completely naked. I clearly didn’t take any of this into consideration before issuing my dare.
When we reach the rock where our clothes are drying, he looks back and forth at our soaking wet bodies and still damp garments. “This may be a little harder than I thought. We’re putting semi-wet clothes on completely wet skin.”
With minimal effort, I call on the elements to give us a hand. The soft breeze picks up speed, bringing a gust of warm air that swirls around us and dries the remaining water droplets. Bonus points to the wind for the extra burst of air to our clothes.
Now that we’re dressed and hiking through the forest, I decide to bring up the issue with Gerard. “Saban, there’s something serious I need to talk to you about. It’s also potentially upsetting. I don’t want it to ruin the rest of our time here, but I also don’t want to wait any longer to talk to you about it.”
He stops walking, takes a seat on a large boulder, and pats the spot next to him. “You have my undivided attention, princess. What’s this about?”
“It’s about Gerard. I haven’t said anything until now for a few reasons. First, it was their wedding day, and I wasn’t going to be responsible for ruining it. Second, I knew you’d believe me, and it would cause more problems with your mom and sister. And lastly, I’ve gone back and forth over whether I should say anything at all, but I finally realized I’d want you to tell me if the tables were turned. So, I’m trusting you right now.”
“I won’t let you down. You can tell me anything.”
My heart cringes. I wish that were true.
Instead, I tell him the entire story of what transpired with Gerard. He listens without interrupting, though I can’t miss the way he works his jaw while grinding his teeth in anger. Or the way the red tinge starts on his chest, works its way up his neck, and finally fills his face while his fingers repeatedly curl into hard fists then flex straight again.
“That’s everything—the entire conversation. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I’m glad you told me.” His voice is strained, and he barely contains the fury inside. “Now I’m going to kill him when he gets back from his honeymoon. My sister will be a widow, but she’s young, so she can marry again one day.”
“He’s not worth all that, Saban. My more immediate concern is what he meant when he said I’ll regret my decision one day soon. This may be really farfetched, but if I’m right, I’d never forgive myself for not telling you what I think.” I’m not afraid of Saban, but this is a lot to digest and I’ve just word-vomited all over him. I’d like to give him a chance to catch his breath before I continue.
“I’m listening, princess. I appreciate your concern for my mental state, but I promise I’m still sane.”
“It’s a good thing one of us is, then,
because you may think I’m completely crazy when I share my theory.” As I did with Addi, I walk through the entire scenario with Saban—minus the part where I’m the heir—and explain why I think his life is in more imminent danger than mine.
“So, you took it as a literal threat and not a ‘you’ll wish you had me when it’s too late’ remark?” He tilts his head to the side and rubs his chin with his finger and thumb.
“Yes, I did. And I know how crazy that sounds, but I can’t help it. I’m telling you this so you’ll be careful around him and analyze his actions more. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Don’t you worry, princess. I will watch my new brother-in-law like a hawk now.”
“Thank you for listening and not getting angry with me. Like I said, I’ve agonized over whether I should say anything at all. It’s his word against mine. Even if he admitted it, he could say it was all a big joke and I don’t have a sense of humor. But you listened to me and you understood why this was such a hard decision, and I love you even more for it.”
“Sara, I will always take care of you. No matter what, you’re my first priority.”
I was so sure my confession would ruin the rest of our time together at the cottage, but I was wrong. The trust I put in him only made our bond tighter and the time we spent together sweeter. Hiking, swimming, cooking over the fire, counting stars, and making love countless times are our stress relievers. We left our little hideaway more secure in our love and more certain fate brought us together. On the ride back, I wore a smile the entire way, even past the point when my cheeks began to hurt.
“I just remembered something.” Saban closes the latch on the stall and turns to me. “You were supposed to ride your own horse this time. I forgot all about that.”
“I didn’t. I thought about it, but I just wanted to be close to you, so I kept my mouth shut.”
“Hmm. You’re lucky you’re cute.” After a light peck, he slides his hand into mine, and we stroll down memory lane on our way up to the palace.
Déjà vu hits hard when Giselli jerks open the front door, steps out onto the veranda, and shoots us a nasty look. “Where have you been? I’ve been calling you for days. The whole kingdom is falling apart, and you ran away without leaving word of how to find you with anyone.”
Saban drops my hand and rushes inside after her.
I step inside the palace, and everyone who’s anyone in this kingdom is already there. Most of the council aides are rushing back and forth between critical decision-makers, chattering on their phones about the number of deaths, the concentrated police presence, and the urgent need to retaliate.
Then I hear one of the council members on his phone. “Yes, Saban just now returned from wherever the hell he’s been hiding. I’ll get back to you when he makes a decision.”
My stomach drops, and bile churns inside my throat. Whatever happened while we were away is bad.
Very, very bad.
Chapter 27
“Talk to me.” Saban is pacing back and forth in the council chamber. “Tell me every detail. Leave nothing out.”
Every chair around the table is taken by his council members, and the wall is lined with their aides. I slip inside unnoticed, using my diplomatic relations position as a front for why I’m involved. For all I know, this conversation directly impacts me and everything in this room is need-to-know information for my role.
One of the older council members, Armand, stands to address Saban. “The first day you left without a word and none of us could reach you, a sixteen-year-old girl was walking to school and was attacked without provocation and without warning. That was the first case that morning. Then, one after another, humans were attacked all over the city, at all times of the day and night.”
“Attacked how?” Saban turns his laser focus to Armand.
“At first, they pulled harmless pranks to scare people. They used their magic to lift people up in the air and hold them in front of vehicles, only to snatch them out of harm’s way at the last second. They’d make people freeze in place, unable to walk or move. Or they’d make their belongings disappear and suddenly reappear. Stupid shit like that. But multiple attacks were happening simultaneously all over the city. Word spread quickly, and our citizens panicked. By the end of the workday, people were afraid to go outside at all.
“Early the next morning, the first body was found. There were no obvious wounds on the body, but the medical examiner found his heart had literally exploded in his chest. He was still in his driveway, sitting in his vehicle, when his wife found him. Then dead bodies started turning up every half hour, each more gruesome than the last. All the deaths were obviously caused by magical attacks. The mages basically left their signatures all over the bodies.”
I’m frozen with panic over his recounting of the attacks. There’s no way the mages and wizards I’ve met would’ve harmed anyone. They only want peace, but to live with the same freedoms all the races enjoy. There’s only one explanation for what he’s describing, but I can’t speak up without giving anyone away, including myself.
Several other members chime in, throwing their fears and accusations at Saban for him to make a decision on what course of retaliation Easthaven Crest will take. All of their rage and fury is aimed solely at the mages, though. Not the wizards. Not the warlocks or witches.
It’s as if no one understands or even knows the difference between the light and dark magical beings. I’m so confused, because if I know and have experienced all levels of it, then surely they have also. They’ve lived here their entire lives. They’ve experienced so many events I’ve only heard about from what I thought were fairy tales. But no one has acknowledged any other possibility for the violence.
The door bursts open, and a young man in a police uniform rushes into the room. He’s out of breath, and his face is bright red. He searches the office until his gaze lands on Saban. A look of relief crosses his features, and he straightens his back before speaking.
“Sir, there’s been another strike from the mages. This time, they murdered an entire family inside their home. We found it after a sudden storm started over the precinct. The rain turned to blood before the single cloud started moving on its own, leading us right to the crime scene. They want us to know what they’re doing.”
The panic that fills the room is nearly thick enough to suffocate all of us as it draws the oxygen from our lungs. The violence is escalating too quickly for anything but an all-out war to happen next. This is exactly what the dark forces of this realm want—more excuses to wreak their havoc in a world that’s already had its fair share. With my birthday quickly approaching, the lines of which side I should be on blur more every day.
I’ve been straddling the fence since I got here, keeping both sides happy as I learn to navigate these unfamiliar waters. But my allegiance to the opposing sides puts me in a precarious position. Peace is the only option. Understanding is the only course of action that can save us all. Honesty is the only policy that will keep all my relationships intact.
I hope.
“Bring in every officer we have immediately. I’ll come down to police headquarters and address them myself. We’ll build a plan and get them out on the streets, going door-to-door if we have to. The people behind this will be found and brought to trial.” I’ve never seen Saban with such a hard expression on his face before. The pure contempt radiating from him sours my stomach.
“Sir, the squad… Well, they…” The young officer stammers for the right words.
“They what, Hammers? Spit it out.”
Saban’s patience is prematurely wearing thin. If he’s already losing his cool, he won’t be able to handle what’s coming. The witches and warlocks are creating as much fear and panic in the streets as they can muster. They’re not doing this for nothing…it’s leading to something big.
“They’re afraid to face the mages, sir. The men don’t want the mages to turn their powers on them. What if they wipe out our entire police fo
rce at once? After what we’ve seen, we know they’re capable of anything. I mean, they killed women and children.”
“Call in the entire department, Sergeant. We’ll deal with one problem at a time.” Saban crosses his arms over his chest and glares at the young man.
“Yes, sir.” Hammers nods then closes the door behind him.
“What else does the council recommend?” Saban glances around the room, but the silence is deafening.
One man clears his throat. Another shuffles his weight nervously from one leg to the other. A chair leg scrapes the floor as someone shifts nervously in their seat. But no one has any suggestions.
“What if we request a meeting with the leader of the mages to figure out what’s needed to come to a cease-fire? A diplomatic relations summit, of sorts.” Suggesting this in front of the entire council is an underhanded move, but it’s the best way to get the idea on the table.
Saban freezes in place and locks his gaze on me as others in the room voice their agreement. At the most inappropriate time, I think about how handsome he is. His jaw is hard set, the muscles ticking from his gritted teeth. His steel-gray eyes turn to coal-black, but definitely not from desire. The seething anger is only under control because of the broad audience. He flattens his hands on the table in front of him and leans over, his muscular arms holding him up while he continues glaring at me.
He knows he gave me this specific job. He can’t prevent me from doing it and save face with his constituents, especially in this time of severe turmoil. When I return his glare with an innocent smile, he nearly loses his composure. Oblivious to our ongoing tiff, Armand addresses the room with a renewed sense of optimism.
“Sara, that is an excellent idea. So far, no one has made any demands or even claimed responsibility for these acts. This could be a small faction of their ranks that’s causing trouble, but we automatically assume the worst-case scenario. Is there a way to get a message to them, let them know we’re interested in peace talks?”
Cloaked: Easthaven Crest, Book One Page 21