Must Remember: Dead or alive, they want her back. (Solum Series Book 1)

by Colleen S. Myers

  My lips tingled. I touched my mouth involuntarily; our gazes locked. He remained close. I could see lightning flash in the depths of his eyes.

  Holy crap. I wrenched myself backward and off the bed. As I scrambled, he laughed and got up, heading to the door.

  “Morning,” Marin said, a lilt to his voice. “Breakfast will be downstairs. No one enters here without me and the guards being aware. So you can roam the house as you wish. Just do not linger in the entryway or go outside, other than the back garden.”

  Okey dokey.

  That sounded like we were going to ignore what had happened. I was okay with that.

  I got up and washed my face. The marks on my wrist caught my eye. They seemed to be getting thicker, more distinct. Mental note: get the book on the jatua back. The mark around my belly button was still fuzzy. I could just discern the shape. At first, it looked like a diamond, but now, it looked more like a star. I had wings across my back, and marks were still forming along my thighs that I needed to learn about. I rubbed my hip, where my only real life tattoo no longer was. Sorry, Daddy.

  I drifted downstairs and followed the smell of food. Breakfast, actually more like brunch, was laid out in one of the meeting rooms. No one else was around. I scarfed down a plate, then went scouting. Marin was right. His library was much bigger and more organized than Ute’s. To be honest, that wouldn’t take much. I couldn’t tell the filing system, maybe alphabetical, but that didn’t help me much. I didn’t know how what I wanted would be spelled in their language. Resolute, I went out to track down Marin.

  When I left the library, I noticed the oil paintings lining the foyer for the first time. The closest one showed a regally dressed couple standing with two boys, Marin and Zanth. It must have been done right before his parents passed, as Marin looked to be in his early teens. He had the same build, but he’d filled out since then, quite well, in fact. He stood next to his father in a formal pose. Zanth sat by their mother, who had a hand draped over his shoulder. Zanth was the only one smiling in the picture, and it made me inexplicably sad. The rift between them was more than evident. I saw several generations of the Gaol family spread out before me in much the same pose, with much the same sense of wrongness. And I thought my family had been bad.

  I didn’t find Marin in the kitchen or any of the meeting rooms. So far, I hadn’t seen any guards around, but I knew there were some about, from the sound of steps behind me and doors closing. I went out the door off the kitchen into the back garden and entered a fairy wonderland.

  There was a small deck with a shaded courtyard and some seating to my immediate right. A manicured path meandered into the garden. Large bushes formed a maze to my left. Flowers spread out all along the path in a dizzying array. There were bushes of a holly-like plant interspersed with tall, full red flowers with yellow hymens and frothy filaments. Something like a rose, in a peach color, grew next to them, contrasting nicely with a light yellow daisy. Light danced among the flowers; I saw something that resembled a moth, but much bigger, flittering from stem to stem.

  I couldn’t resist stepping farther into the garden and smelling the flowers. I bent over the peach rose. The center was a deep crimson. It smelled like sunshine and apples. I felt a pulse of pleasure and peace drift through me. As I leaned closer, I reached out and touched the petal.

  Marin called out, “Not that one, it bites.”

  Mother- I faced Marin, sucking on my finger. He sat on a bench around the corner, just out of view from the door. From what I saw, he was simply sitting there alone.

  He patted the bench beside him. “The gardens have started blooming.”

  “They’re beautiful.”

  “I want to show you something. You have to sit here and stay perfectly still.”

  I plopped next to him.

  “Close your eyes.”

  Marin tucked me close to his side. He placed his face next to mine and hummed. The melody started out low then grew in volume. The sound vibrated in the air. It wove around us in a light dance. I realized we were swaying, and I felt a few gentle touches on my face, then some more.

  “Do not move,” he whispered into my ear. “Hold up your hands.”

  I obliged and felt hundreds of gentle touches. They tickled.

  “Now open your eyes.”

  We were covered in something. They looked like butterflies, but bigger, their wings feathery, bodies longer. They were a uniform light yellow color, and with the sun shining down on them, they glowed. I held my breath. Normally, I was not a big fan of bugs—but these were beautiful. There was something magical about this, and I didn’t dare shatter the illusion. I closed my eyes and just took in a breath and let it out. Never had I felt so connected to the land. I’d always considered myself green, but I was a product of my planet. I took for granted the plastic, the chemicals, and the preservatives. Sitting here, I couldn’t imagine that now. I didn’t want to imagine that kind of damage on Solum.

  Marin’s glance caught mine; his eyes sparkled. He blew at the butterflies, and they scattered. We both wiggled and more flew away. Marin moved closer to me. He looked into my eyes as he pursed his lips and blew lightly across my own. My mouth parted. My eyelashes fluttered shut, and he blew on my eyelids, my ears, and my neck.

  He was staring at me, I could tell, but I was afraid to open my eyes. Things were already so complicated.

  I heard the door thud against the wall. Marin leaned back. I opened my eyes. There was a faint layer of dust covering my hands. We were just sitting in the garden, covered in stardust, nearly kissing, again.

  Jace and Bob wandered into view.

  “Just doing our rounds,” Bob drawled as they walked away.

  I faced Marin. “I was looking for you. I wanted to ask you about some of the books. Is there a system to them? How do I find a book on the jatua? I wanted to read more about them. I also want a history of the Fost. And the Imani. And more about the magic.”

  I babbled after the guards left, eyes downcast. Marin didn’t answer, so I peeked up at him. His calm regard confused me. I glanced away again, hands twisting on my lap.

  “I can get the books for you. We should head back inside. I am waiting for reports, and Midday will be soon. You will need to go upstairs and stay in your room. I will come get you after and update you. I promise.”

  Midday, hmm. “Will Finn be there?”

  Marin’s face tightened. “Yes.”

  “Can I see him?”

  “No.”

  “Why not? He has to come here anyway. He isn’t visiting me in particular.”

  “I do not think that is for the best. As it is, he is ‘looking’ for you quite fiercely. He is acting betrayed. And having him linger here would be out of character.”

  I nodded. This sucked. I wanted to see him. Everything was much more straightforward with Finn. Plus I needed to clear the air.

  Hiding like this chafed worse than sand in my shorts.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Marin got me the books I requested, and I wandered back to my room. So far, I’d read a brief book on basic magic at Ute’s. The book Marin obtained for me was much more detailed. There were systematic lists of what skills were attributed to each specific magic subclass. I put that aside for later. Even here, I got homework. Jeez.

  I focused on the book on jatua. I bore marks on both wrists and ankles, all of them bands. The thickness and design of the symbols varied with the person’s link with that element. So far, I carried power with all four elements, though my fire and air power seemed strongest. This was unusual. I saw some faint symbols within the bands; those, I’d decipher later when they became clearer.

  It looked like I wore wristbands. I didn’t recall seeing such extensive markings on anyone else’s wrists or ankles, but the shoulder marks had distracted me.

  So far, I knew I had some connection to the earth. I sensed things. I felt when the Imani were near, that deathly cold permeating the area. My strength and speed had improved, as I could atte
st from training with Hana. I also had some connection with fire; I healed. Now I wanted to learn something offensive, something to hurt them.

  I grabbed the first book, hoping for some instructions. It consisted of lists and formulas. No Magic for Dummies. I would have to wing it. Just like everyone else.

  I sat up and focused a bit. I followed Hana’s instructions and centered myself. I felt heat build in my gut. This seemed to be the center of my power. It would be my belly.

  My breathing leveled off, and I started counting backward in my mind. Concentrating, I looked at the water in the basin and imagined it heating, the water boiling. A few minutes later, I was sweaty, but the water remained room temperature. Well, that was a bust.

  What else could I try? I knew Marin said he could communicate with people in another room. Let me see. I closed my eyes and pictured Marin, his mahogany hair, earnest face, light brown eyes filled with sharp intelligence.

  “Marin,” I thought and waited.

  Wind blew through my hair. “Elizabeth?”

  I jumped a foot and almost fell off the bed. I heard Marin’s voice clearly, as if he was right next to me, talking in my ear.

  “Hi!” I thought back triumphantly.

  “Hi!” I heard him smiling.

  “I can talk like you can!”

  “I can hear!”

  Ha. Okay, that worked and wow, it was…intimate. What else could I do? Maybe I could influence weather or change shapes. That last scared me a bit. I didn’t want to try that alone. I’d head down to the garden later to try out the weather thing after lunch. Magic rocked.

  I concentrated. “Marin, are you still at Midday?”

  “Where else would I be?”

  I sent him a mental head-slap. “You almost done?”

  “Yes,” he whispered.

  “Let me know when the meeting’s over. I’m hungry.”

  “Want me to bring you something?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “I will be up soon.”

  I lay on my side, waiting for my food. I was drifting, looking at the symbols, when my door opened. I glanced up, expecting Marin, but Finn snuck inside. His face was set and unsmiling. He closed the door behind him with a slam. I smiled and sat up as he climbed on the bed.

  “I have missed you,” he declared and nuzzled my neck.

  Heat spread through me. I shivered and let his weight bear me back into the covers. He grabbed my legs and tugged me down, so our hips were aligned.

  “Well hello. Are you supposed to be here?”

  He ground his hips into mine. “No. You complaining?”

  “Well no, but I think we should talk.”

  “No talking,” he said as he slipped his hand under my shirt, stroking my side. He bent and kissed me, mouth open, sipping. His hands cupped my breasts, his thumbs drifting across my nipples. The calluses on his fingers were rough on my skin. Tingles spread in the wake of his touch.

  “I cannot linger, but I had to see you. I wanted to check in on you. I was also horny.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  “I’m sensing that.” I wiggled my hips, teasing his hardness.

  He laughed and kissed me again, deeper, his head angled. His hands slid to push down my leathers. Whoa. I caught his hands.

  “We need to talk,” I said.

  He groaned and pressed his forehead to mine. “Why must we talk?”

  With a grin, I bit his chin. “I’m a girl; we love talking.”

  He snorted. I tried to pull down my shirt; Finn resisted. He ran his hands down to my waist. He sealed my lips with his.

  Pushing back, I replied, “I mean it. We need to talk. I need to know what’s going on.”

  I motioned between us.

  Finn jerked backward. Marin walked in with food. Finn’s back was to the door, so he didn’t see Marin enter, but I did. I stiffened.

  Guilt washed through me as Marin’s brows lowered, and his expression grew stormy.

  Finn chose his words with care. “What do you mean?”

  Marin dropped the tray on a nearby dresser, causing a racket.

  “Are you crazy?” he hissed and gripped Finn’s shoulder.

  Finn started and turned around.

  “Lands sake, some privacy here,” Finn yelled as he stood up. “I wanted to see her.”

  “You had to come up here and put her life at risk? No one can know she is here!”

  “No one does. I have just been gone a few minutes.”

  “A few minutes anyone could have noticed. Use your head.” He poked him in the forehead. “This one.”

  Finn growled and stepped into him. “Do not touch me.”

  Marin glared back. “I can—and will—do what I want. You were ordered to stay away, and I expect your obedience. Get out, now, before people notice you are gone. You were just going to get a drink, and Ute is waiting for you. Go.”

  “People will miss you too. What are you doing here?” he pointed out, shoulders tense.

  “It is my house. Plus, I just dismissed the meeting, and Elizabeth said she was hungry. Now go.”

  “When?”

  “What when?”

  “When did Beta say she was hungry?”

  “Hello, I’m right here.” I flapped my arms, but neither of them paid any attention to me.

  “Just now, during the meeting,” Marin replied.

  “How?” Finn looked at me. Marin edged him to the door.

  “She can talk to me from other rooms. It is an air ability. She is getting stronger.” Marin’s voice sounded smug.

  “Can you talk to me?” Finn asked. He craned to look at me around Marin, who crowded him out the door.

  “I have not tried. I knew Marin could communicate that way, so I tried with him first. But I thought you didn’t want to talk.” I sounded snarky.

  Finn’s face tightened, but he continued. “Try now.”

  Marin hissed. “No, not now. Ute is waiting. Go!”

  Finn said, “Try,” and walked out the door.

  Closing my eyes, I went to try, but Marin landed on the bed next to me. I couldn’t meet his eyes. I adjusted my shirt and pushed my hair behind my ears.

  He placed his finger under my chin, lifting it. He regarded me a moment.

  “That was not a good idea”

  Anger flashed. I sat up. It wasn’t any of his business. He put his hand on my arm, and I shrugged it off. Scrambling, I moved to the edge of the bed and ignored him to pick at my tray. Marin walked out while I was eating. Observant, that guy; he knew I didn’t want to talk to him.

  My eyes drifted closed again. This time, I pictured Finn, his long midnight hair, his white eyes blurring to blue. I breathed out, “Finn.”

  I waited—nothing. I tried again. “Finn.”

  Nothing. I finished my meal in silence. Inaction grated at me. Wandering to the door, I poked my head out. I heard Marin in his room; he was banging around. Embarrassment filled me, but I needed to do something to get rid of my energy, this edginess that crawled underneath my skin.

  I knocked on his door. The noise stopped. A few seconds later, Marin answered the door.

  “Yes?” Marin blocked the door, talking to me through only a crack.

  My thoughts scattered when I realized Marin wasn’t wearing his shirt. I didn’t expect that and tilted my head to get a better view. The angle on the door made that impossible. Shame washed through me. I’m such a hoe.

  “I wondered if you would teach me to fight. Hana taught me some basics yesterday, and I can practice that, but I wanted to learn more.”

  I realized I didn’t know if he could fight. I assumed he could; he carried a knife, but I hadn’t seen him wear the leathers that others did.

  He regarded me, then opened the door farther, his hand on the top of the door, and waved me in.

  When I went to enter, I had to skim under his arm. He shifted his arm, tensing on the door when I slipped past him, my body brushing his. My gaze slanted to his.

  “That sounds good. Let me
change.” Marin went to a drawer, grabbed clothes. Facing the dresser, he dropped his pants and bent down to kick them off. His ass bounced in front of me. Hoo. There were no words. He stepped into a new pair and as he yanked them up, he turned back around.

  My gaze remained southward. I turned my head and felt a flush crawl up my neck. I had not been caught looking at his perfectly taut butt. No sir. Not me.

  “Feeling shy? You did not seem shy earlier.” His voice held a sharp edge. He tightened the laces on his pants, movements rough.

  Wait, what? I peered back at him and realized he was angry. His cheeks were flushed and he had a tic moving at the corner of his mouth. I felt that little surge of guilt again and suppressed it.

  He strutted toward me and I retreated.

  When he reached me, he glared down at me, pressing me back against the wall. Our gazes locked. Lightning danced along our skin where it touched, a slick slide of sensation.

  “Why do you call me Elizabeth and not Beta like everyone else?”

  “What?”

  “Why?”

  “It is a shortened form of your name. That is like calling me Mar or Zanth, Zan. I do not care for it.” He shrugged and stepped back, shaking out his shoulders. He grabbed the Fost version of the wife-beater, put it on, and went out the door. “Follow me.”

  I trailed him without saying a word; it was better that way.

  What followed was two hours of pure torture. I couldn’t match his speed. He tossed me around like a kewpie doll. It was a good thing I could heal or else I wouldn’t have been able to walk. Tossing me on my ass improved his mood, but mine started to sour.

  “What’s wrong with you?” I snapped when he threw a jab straight at my face. I twisted out of the way, but he caught me on my shoulder. The impact knocked me sideways, and I flowed into the attack, grabbing his arm. I threw him over my hip.

  He went down hard. Oorah. The thud when he hit felt remarkably satisfying. Eyes glittering, he scrambled up, chin down, peering at me through his lashes.

  “Nice.” He skirted around me.