“Congratulations.” He places his hand on Logan’s shoulder. “It’s your best defense, and you two clearly belong together. Everyone can see that. I’m happy for you.” He smiles generously. “I will make plans. Do you intend on sharing the news?” He lifts a brow.
Logan and I face one another. “It’s your call,” he says. “I don’t mind either way.”
“Would it be okay if we kept this a secret, for now?”
He trails a finger across my cheek. “Whatever you want.”
“I don’t like lying to anyone, but we need Ax on our side, and I have to keep him safe. If he knows, he’ll take off. And, besides, I like the idea of keeping this as our own special secret.”
“It’s okay, Angel,” Logan says, pressing a sweet kiss to my lips. “You don’t have to explain.” He turns his attention to the king. “How can we pull this off? Do you have an Elder tucked away that I don’t know about?”
The king plops down in a seat, and grins. “Actually, I have a whole bunch of them sequestered away.”
Logan sits up straighter. “The Elders are here?” His eyes pop wide.
“Yes. I gave them asylum when Dante first took control. You know they have the power of foresight, among other gifts?” Logan nods, as a smile forms on his mouth. “They came here to wait for you.”
I raise a palm. “Hold up. Are you saying they knew we were going to come here and want to Eterno bond?”
“I don’t understand how it works, but they know things, see things, that haven’t yet happened. When they approached me, they said they knew I would be supporting their rightful king and that Logan would need them soon. I hid them in the Vendura caves. They are protected by a mute-shield, and they are more than welcome to remain here until it’s safe for them to return to Saven.”
Logan lifts me with ease onto the other chair and stands in front of the king. “It appears I have much more to thank you for.” He kneels down and bows his head reverentially.
“At ease, Crown Prince. I’m glad to help.” Logan sits back up. “I’ll arrange transport for later tonight, when it’s dark and after the others have retired to bed. Pack a bag and be ready. I will send a guard to escort you.”
Our friends congregate in the outside area after dinner, but I make my excuses. “I’ll come with you,” Logan offers.
“Stay if you want. I’m going to lie down for a little while.” Another niggly headache is building in the base of my skull, and I want to try to nip it in the bud before it destroys our plans for tonight. My heart rate accelerates at the thought of what we’ll be getting up to later.
Logan gives me a wicked grin. “Good plan, because you won’t be getting much sleep tonight.”
Blood rushes to my cheeks as I swat him playfully. “Actually, Casanova, I’m trying to deflect the onset of a headache. I’m already banking on the whole ‘not sleeping’ front.”
His look switches to one of concern in a nanosecond. “Another headache? I think you need to get that checked out. I’ll bring you to our room, and then I’ll get a medic.” He gently strokes my face.
I plant my hands on his chest. “Stop worrying.” I kiss him chastely. “I’ll be fine after a nap. No need to start fussing. Go.” I push him gently toward our friends. “Chill out.”
He takes my hand firmly in his. “If you think that I’d let you go back to our room by yourself when you’re not feeling well, then you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
He mock-huffs and I roll my eyes in a teasing gesture. I can’t deny how heartwarming it is to have someone care about me so deeply. Looping my arm through his, I let him escort me back to our suite.
Thankfully, I’m headache-less and feeling well rested after a few hours’ sleep. Packed and waiting for our escort, I’m restless. My knee taps up and down, and Logan drums his fingers impatiently off the tabletop. Realizing the implication at the same time, we giggle as our eyes lock together. “It’s totally normal to be nervous,” Logan reassures me.
“Is it normal to feel like I’m gonna puke?”
Walking behind me, his hands drift to my shoulders. I lean back as he massages the rock-hard tendons bunching across my upper back.
“I’ve never felt nauseous, so I don’t know.”
“Never?” I stretch back and peer up at him.
“Nope,” he confirms, as a strident rap knocks on the door. “We’re on.” Helping me up, he draws me into his arms. “Any cold feet?” His eyes probe mine with grave seriousness.
“None.” My voice is confident.
He kisses me all too quickly. “Me either. Come on, then.” His face glistens with excitement, and I feed off it like it’s my favorite cappuccino, practically sprinting the whole way to the hangar.
It doesn’t take long to reach our destination. The king’s shuttle floats over the highest summit in the Vendura Mountains and waits. Several triangular-shaped peaks, molded to jagged points, rest under the belly of the craft, like giant daggers poised to rip us to shreds. The mountainous terrain stretches for miles in either direction, and it’s the oddest mountain range I’ve ever seen. But I’m growing accustomed to strange environments, and it only raises minor curiosity.
After a brief period, a huge creaking sound surrounds us, and the sky rumbles and sways as an errant breeze surfaces from nowhere. The shuttle starts a slow, gradual descent. We stare out the window as the crown of the mountain magically disappears revealing the hidden Vendura caves below.
Okay, now I’m seriously impressed.
Sinking farther into the heart of the mountain, the outside environment is bathed in darkness as we descend. Framed by sheer, craggy mountainous partitions on all sides, there is little sign of life until we reach the halfway point. Vast cave-like holes open up in the rocky walls, growing larger and more regular the lower we travel. Dim lights glow softly from the caverns, casting eerie shadows on the hollowed-out walls. Underneath us, a cluster of curved domelike brown roofs hides the structure beneath.
When the shuttle approaches ground level, it glides effortlessly into a huge opening in the wall. The engine purrs softly as the craft comes to a stop.
Logan holds my hand as we exit the shuttle. The hangar is quiet at this hour of the night. A host of pods and small ships fills one side of the capacious surroundings. Muddy reddish-brown walls rim the space from floor to ceiling. The air is cool and a mellow breeze wafts tentatively around us.
A lone man and woman wait to greet us. Both are wearing flowing robes in the Saven red, black, and gold signature colors. Huge hoods extend over their heads, concealing their faces from view. They both bow as we approach. I adhere to Logan’s hand like glue.
The man steps forward when we are right in front of them, genuflecting before Logan. “Your Royal Highness.” He stands up and falls back.
The woman comes forward, focusing her attention on me. She clasps my shaking hands in her firm ones. “Welcome, Mistress.”
I acknowledge her with a subtle nod, as my lips fight a grin. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to hear that term and not smirk. A thought occurs to me. “What will I be referred to after we’ve Eterno bonded?”
“Alma Sadie.” My brows lift in unspoken question. “It means soul mate.”
“It’s a marginal improvement on mistress, I suppose.”
Logan smiles. “When it’s official, and you’ve been initiated as Saven queen, then you will be addressed as Queen Sadie or Your Royal Highness.”
Logan doesn’t hesitate to reel me into his arms the moment he spots the look of naked alarm on my face. My brain is churning ninety miles an hour, and rampant panic is throwing a mad party in the pit of my stomach. I hadn’t thought about that. It was bad enough when I thought I was in line for princess but queen? Jeez.
“Hey.” His concerned eyes probe mine. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah, I hadn’t considered that. I mean, I know if you’re king, then I’m queen”—I shoot him a duh look—“but it never entered my thoughts today.”
His look turns serious. “Have you changed your mind?”
“No. Never. Honestly, I was just taken by surprise. I’m fine.” I rest my head against his chest.
“Good.” He nestles his chin in my hair. “There are some rituals and things to attend to before the actual Eterno ceremony. That’ll take place in the morning. These Elders are here to aid our preparation. Elder Runa will help you get ready while Elder Manta will be assisting me. Afterwards, we’ll meet with High Elder Jaxa, and he’ll explain the process. Is that okay?”
I lift my head and draw a brave breath. “Of course.”
Logan releases me. “We are ready.”
“As you wish, Your Highness,” Elder Manta says, bowing at the waist. So much silly formality. I wonder if I can encourage Logan to change that law once I’m queen. I almost laugh at my swift change in attitude.
“Mistress, allow me,” Elder Runa says, gesturing me ahead.
I gulp anxiously. “Okay.” I cast a last glance at Logan. “See you soon. I love you.”
His smile reaches his eyes, crinkling the corners. “I love you too.” He raises my hand to his lips.
I steel my spine and head off with Elder Runa in the opposite direction to Logan. Emerging from the hangar into a narrow, uneven passageway lined in the same reddish-brown, rugged material as the outer walls, Elder Runa has to crouch down to navigate the space, while it easily accommodates my shorter height. We walk in silence, winding through successive passageways that all look the same. It’s like a rabbit warren, and I’m glad I have a guide. Otherwise, I’m sure I’d get lost.
Stopping at a small, nondescript door, she raps twice. A young Narik female opens the door fully and steps aside to let us in.
Candlelight bathes the room in a mystical glow. A myriad of different size candles line all four corners of the space. A deep tub, sunken into the floor, occupies center stage. Water softly bubbles and foams, slapping the edge of the tub and creeping onto the rendered stone floor. Off to the left are a small dresser and two chairs. Pots and jars of all shapes and sizes clutter the top. An elongated table rests against the far wall, swathed in a ruby-red sheet. Hanging from a hook in the wall is a delicate, white gossamer gown.
“Come, Mistress.” Elder Runa directs me toward the tub. The young girl circles the rim of the tub dropping oils from a fragrant jar into the frothing water. Next, she scatters colorful petals into the water. A luxuriant, sensual smell weaves a hypnotic path through the room. My muscles start to relax. “Please undress and submerge yourself in the water.”
I remove my dress and undergarments and toe my sneakers off. Soft, lyrical sounds hum in the background as I step into the warm water. Lying down, I lean back, resting my head against the rear of the tub. “Close your eyes,” Elder Runa instructs, and I oblige. “Focus on your breathing. In and out.” I do as I’m told, becoming conscious of every lift and fall of my chest, every swell and dip of my lungs. Light fingertips tickle my arm, and my eyes dart open. “Relax, Mistress,” Elder Runa says. “We are going to anoint your body and open it to sensation. Embrace everything.”
My heart is going at my ribs like a jackhammer, but I force myself to calm down. I squeeze my eyes shut as the young girl begins touching my arms with slippery fingers. “Good. Now focus on your senses. Inhale the smells and sounds around you, relax and absorb the touch and feel of the ceremonial creams as it prepares your body for your soul mate.”
Heart rate back up to ninety again.
This reminds me a little of my special birthday treat back on Saven, when Dali introduced me to the delights of the memebaa. I’d been totally freaked out at first then, too. I try to calm my thumping heart and just give into the sensation.
The girl coats my skin with creams, and the sleek, gliding motion is soft and sensual in contrast to the vibrating hum and swish of the water as it caresses my body. After a few minutes, all my concern is forgotten.
“Open your eyes, Mistress.” My eyes ping open upon command. Elder Runa hands me a glass filled with amber-colored liquid. “Drink this and let the nectar cleanse your body and fortify your spirit with love and courage and selflessness.”
Raising the glass to my lips, I sip the sweet liquid. The girl washes my hair in some strange-scented shampoo, piling it high atop my head, while I finish my drink. My body is calmly alert, a strange combination of sleepy peacefulness and edgy energy. Stretching out languorously, I let a contented moan slip out of my mouth.
Elder Runa removes the glass from my hand. “Touch your skin. Run your hands all over your body, and feel the emotions and sensations arising from the innermost chambers of your heart. Indulge and acknowledge your body’s desire.”
I run my fingers lightly all over my body, cherishing every part of me. My limbs feel like a pile of soft goo as delicious tremors fill every nook and cranny, lighting me up from the inside. My head and my heart are swirling with compelling emotion, and I’m bathed in the most delightful sensations and feeling more alert, alive, and confident than I can ever recall.
Elder Runa helps me out of the tub and up onto the table. I close my eyes as she paints my body in firm strokes. I’m so relaxed, so in tune with my body, that I nearly fall asleep.
“You may stand up.” My eyes blink open slowly, and I swing my legs off the bed. Surveying my naked body, I gasp. Every inch of my skin is covered in glistening gold-painted swirls. “Lift your arms up,” she commands. Feather-soft material tickles my skin as the dress sheaths my body. My fingers toy in the sheer material as she hands me a pair of panties. What, no bra?
I wiggle the panties up my legs, admiring the sway and fall of the beautiful white dress as it hugs my body. I finger the thin lace-lined spaghetti straps and the delicate lace hem of the dress as it rests above my knees.
The girl dries my hair and lets it hang in natural waves down my back. “I will bring you to his royal highness now,” Elder Runa says. “You may wear these for the journey, but as soon as we reach the chamber, you must remove them.” She passes me my sneakers and a plain white wraparound coat.
We journey to the chamber in silence. She’s a woman of few words, not that you’ll ever hear me criticize her for that. I’m still riding the buzz from my prep session, but jittery butterflies hover in the wings waiting to accost me.
Halting outside another plain, unadorned door, she turns to me. “I will leave you here. High Elder Jaxa will conduct the next stage of the ritual, and then you’ll spend the night with your Alma.”
Butterflies begin a round of somersaults in my stomach, and I’m fairly certain my skin has turned an ugly shade of gray. “Okay,” I mumble, terrified and excited all at once.
Her impassive face softens a little. “You are a natural. Relax. Breathe. Give into your senses, embrace your body, and let your heart and soul guide your actions.” Leaning in closer, she whispers in my ear. “But most of all, enjoy it. This is a magical night, the kind that no one has enjoyed in over two hundred years. Let yourself go, Mistress. Indulge your heart’s desire.”
My cheeks are a flaming mess when she draws back. “Thank you.”
She bows. “Mistress.” She opens her arms, and I hand her the coat and shoes.
After she leaves, I give myself a much-needed pep talk. Bolstering my courage, I twist the handle and step into the room. Scented, smoky air clouds the room in a mysterious haze. High Elder Jaxa—I presume—materializes in front of me, like some kind of weird ethereal being, and I shriek a little.
Dressed in a pure-white robe, with the hood down, he exhibits a tan weather-lined face. He’s as old as dirt. Mysterious crevices line his face from all angles, and his intelligent crystal-clear gray eyes tell an interesting story. His look isn’t unkind. “Mistress.” He bows and I stand there like a clueless idiot. “Allow me.” I take his offered hand, and he leads me into the center of the smoky bubble.
“Sadie.” I can’t see Logan, but that one word is all it takes to calm my tattered nerves.
The High Elder guid
es me down onto a soft cushion. I can barely make out Logan’s fuzzy form across from me. “Cross your legs and fold your arms in your lap.” I promptly oblige. “This session will enable you both to fully share your minds in preparation for the bonding ceremony. After this, you will have privacy to join your bodies as one. The ceremony tomorrow will join all the components, linking your bodies, hearts, minds, and souls as one. All the steps must align for the ritual to be complete, for the blessing to be bestowed, so please follow my directions specifically. Most importantly, open yourself to one another. Leave any fears or distractions at the door. This night is about you. Give into your love for each other, and let it feed and infuse the Eterno process. Do either of you have any questions before we begin?”
“No, Your Honor,” Logan says.
“No, thank you.”
“Let us begin.”
There’s a slight distortion of the air as he sits down somewhere in the vicinity. The smoky cloud is still hampering my vision, so I have to rely on my other senses to guide me. “Do not touch until I tell you to. Now, close your eyes, and breathe innately until you feel calm and relaxed.”
The spicy scent in the air intensifies as I blow air in and out of my mouth. Logan’s heavy breathing tickles my eardrums. A type of serene calmness washes over me as I inhale and exhale in several quick bursts. Contentment settles on my chest.
“Good. Now open your minds to each other. Imagine it like an invisible line reaching from your mind to your lover’s. Do it now.”
I visualize a thick line snaking from my mind toward Logan. When it reaches him, it latches on for dear life.
“Good, now, push that line through skin, through bone, through tissue, shove it down, farther and farther, until you see a blinding white light. Move the line toward the light and thrust it forward. Do it now.”
I imagine it exactly as he has described, and I feel my energy coursing into Logan. My line pulses and flows like a waterfall traversing a natural path. A dim light glows brighter, and I race toward it, thrusting my line into the center of the essence. A spark of contentment bursts to life inside me. My back arches as my body tingles with unfamiliar sensation. A searing heat spreads across my head.
Saven Defiance (The Saven Series Book 4) Page 15