by Jaymin Eve
I swallowed, working hard to remind myself that this is what I wanted.
You should take it, Brace. You were born to be Princeps, and frankly you’d make an amazing leader. You’re a little hot-headed, but if you get that under control …
He snorted. I’m only like that with you, Red. Most of the time I’m cool as ice.
I felt his attention shift.
Baby, I have to go now. A problem and an idiot have both come to my attention.
Tell Colton hey.
Brace laughed. See you tomorrow at Lucas’ inauguration. Be good and I love you.
I felt him withdraw from my mind. My heart lifted at the thought of seeing him the next day. I was glad he was going to be there for the ceremony. I had no idea how I was going to survive breaking the bond. Even when the Seventine had possessed him, there’d still been a bond between us, and it was still the worst pain I’d ever felt. I clenched my fists. This ritual had to work.
“Abbs?” Lucy’s voice broke me from my thoughts.
I turned my head as she walked into my room.
“Have you heard from Brace?” She flopped onto my bed.
She looked tired. I knew her vision was keeping her up at night. And she wasn’t the only one.
I sauntered closer to her. “Why do you ask?” I paused at the edge of my bed, staring down at her.
She shrugged. “No reason, I just recognize that desolate look on your face.”
I laughed.
She sat up straighter, her glare nailing me.
I returned it with my own stare. “You don’t fool me, Lucy. You want to know if Colt is coming tomorrow.”
She huffed, her brows narrowing over her eyes. “Please, I don’t care what that mangy mutt is doing. It’s simply a community service to know whether I have to call animal control.”
“I think maybe your overkill on the dog jokes indicates something deeper than that. What happened last night between you two?”
She flopped back on the bed, closing her eyes. “Nothing,” she mumbled. “Absolutely nothing.”
I was reaching out to shake the living crap out of her – she was being deliberately obtuse – when Talina popped into my room.
“I have some news,” she burst out.
Lucy and I spun in her direction.
“I’m going to stay here and help Josian and Lallielle search the dark mountains.”
We stared at her for a minute.
“I know I wanted to go to Regali with you both, but I need to help search.” She huffed in a breath. “I have a strange feeling about these mountains.”
“Fair enough,” I said, trusting Talina’s judgment. “I hope we’re quick finding this next girl, then we can come back and help you search.”
“What do you know about Regali?” she asked, dropping onto the bed next to Lucy, her luxurious emerald hair spreading out around her. “Do you have a game plan?”
I shrugged, shifting from foot to foot. “Nah, you know me: just show up and see what happens. It’s apparently a very intense jungle, this Artwon.”
“Yes,” Lucy interrupted, “we’re more worried about snakes and spiders.”
Talina nodded, her lids half closed. I knew she would have no idea what Lucy was talking about; they had different predators on Spurn. But she agreed anyways.
“Where’s Fury?” I asked.
“She’s with Grantham. He’s helping her with her energy. They definitely have complementary powers and already after a few sessions she’s getting stronger,” Talina said, her words reminding me of Fury’s insatiable need to increase her fire power.
I was also reminded of my own need for improvement.
“We need to try my tethering again. With that tip from the Walker about conduit power, we might just have a shot at controlling the energy,” I said.
Talina nodded, sitting up and facing me. I was dying to test out this conduit skill. It would be useful to know if I could use my mind to create and destroy.
“Yes! We have to be so strong that we can call on the power at any moment and fully utilize all of our individual strengths.” Talina’s brown eyes flared with a determined light. “Let’s go now.”
We stood facing the ocean, the grass under our feet a vibrant lime green. The water splashed in its tumult of blues, the majesty, as always, taking my breath away.
“You ready?” Talina turned her head to face me.
Taking in a lung full of the salty air, I nodded. From the corner of my eye I noticed Lucy drop down onto the ground. She was our run-for-help girl.
The air shifted around us as Talina called her energy and the water surrounded her. I flung forward my golden cord and, without any physical contact needed, a strand flew from the center of the water spout and we were tethered together.
So you don’t have to touch us. Talina’s voice held a curious wonder. Let’s see what else we can do.
The Walker had said my mind and energy were the key to controlling this tethering. That if I simply visualized what I wanted, I could manifest it.
Josian had said this was unheard of, even from the original Walkers. The ability to create and destroy on that level was the domain of the lalunas alone; not Walkers.
I could see the golden thread attached to the watery center. I tugged on it again and, as before, it simply stretched out.
What are you going to do? Talina asked as she watched me. She stood calmly, knowing she had no control over what I was doing.
I laughed. I have no idea. I’m going to picture an axe or sharp object and use it to cut the cord.
What about scissors?
I paused. That could work.
It took very little effort now to manipulate my energy and it no longer scared me. At some point my power and I had formed an understanding and there was an almost co-dependent bond between us.
I mentally shaped a very sharp pair of scissors, and strangely enough they appeared before us in almost a ghostly specter. I directed them toward the tether.
Closing my eyes, I forced the blades of power shut. An explosion flashed and my eyes flew open in time to see a massive shimmering wall of energy form between Talina and me. Her eyes widened and at that moment we were blasted apart. I flew backwards. It felt like the wall was slammed against my body, pushing me. And if the force didn’t abate soon, I was going to hit the house. I noticed then that the cord tethering me to Talina had not fully been severed; it had only partly disconnected.
And if I wasn’t mistaken the partially broken golden cord was the sparking, fizzing force pushing me back.
I formed my scissors again and, using more of my energy, I surrounded the cord and forced the blades to close. Screaming out with more of my strength, I finally heard the clink of the metaphorical power scissors as they cut those final strands. The wailing wall of energy died and I hit the ground with a hard thud, the final force sending me into the front window of our house.
I braced myself as the glass shattered around me. I could feel the jagged points cutting through my shirt and into my back and sides. A scrape burnt along my cheek. The piercing pain started at my lips and continued up past my eye. I wanted to scream. The pain was agonizing as glass punctured along my body, ripping through my delicate skin.
Finally I stopped moving. I was in the front meeting room, my blood spraying around the white carpet and walls like some macabre painting. I shuddered, my body shaking as I fought the urge to collapse. I knew the glass still littered my body and I really didn’t want to push it in further.
“Aribella, don’t move.” My father’s voice sounded from the back doorway.
“Wasn’t planning on it,” I croaked out, my voice shaking.
I heard more movement behind me, followed by a gasp which definitely came from my mother.
“Do something,” Lallielle murmured.
Damn, what could they see, besides the ton of blood I was dumping on the floor?
Lucy’s horrified face appeared on the outside of the broken window. Behind her was a
dripping wet Talina.
“Glad to see you had water to cushion your fall and not a damn house.” I shuddered more.
Lucy practically dived through the window then. I flinched as she snatched at my face. I couldn’t stop the cry from escaping my lips and I let my mental shield fall briefly as the burning pain lashed at my face again.
“I’m so sorry, Abbs. The cut was closing in over the glass in your face. I didn’t know what else to do.” Her face fell as she stared at me.
In her hand she clutched a large jagged shard, the blood dripping from it in a slow hypnotic manner. Glancing down, she finally seemed to notice the object in her hand, and with a small cry she thrust it away from her, flinging it into the corner of the room.
I took a deep breath before smiling at my shell-shocked friend, although the best I could managed was a bit of a wonky, though hopefully reassuring, lip curl.
“No harm, Luce, I just wasn’t expecting that.”
I realized that there were similar sharp burns along my back.
“I’ve managed to get most of the glass out before your skin healed.” Josian spoke over my shoulder, explaining the pain. “Your mother’s gone for the medical kit to help me with the rest.”
I froze even more. I hated pain and something told me this was going to hurt.
We were all distracted then as a doorway opened on the front lawn. Josian moved to stand in front of the broken window, his massive frame practically shielding all of us from view. But I knew immediately who it was.
His energy signature was unique and actually quite similar in strength to the wall of power that had flung me into the house.
Brace had arrived.
Josian stepped back to my wounded self, leaving a clear view outside.
Brace wasn’t alone. Colton almost shoved him out of the way as they moved in long-legged strides across the grass. Brace’s black eyes were locked on me. He looked pissed off, but more than that he was worried. Through the shared part of our bond I could feel the icy tendrils of fear from him. He’d known I was hurt but until right that moment, when he could actually see me, he hadn’t known how bad it was.
Colton reached Lucy’s side. “What happened?” he snapped at her.
Lucy wrinkled her brow as she stared up at him. “I’m sorry – what?”
He looked a little confused as he repeated his question, this time with less bite. Again Lucy simply stared up at him, her face still scrunched up. Finally she turned to me.
“Do you understand what he’s saying? All I’m getting is bark, bark, growl.”
Talina and I both snorted. Pain shot through me as I moved and I couldn’t help the little groan.
Colton grinned then. Leaning down, he flicked out his tongue and traced it from her chin up to the corner of her mouth. Lucy gasped, her eyes widening and her jaw falling open.
“Since you clearly expect me to greet you like a wolf,” Colton drawled.
She blinked twice. “Just try to stop yourself before you sniff my butt,” she finally said.
She moved back then to crouch next to me, just out of the reach of my blood pool.
“I’m pretty sure I just had my first real sexual experience,” she murmured, leaning near my ear.
I grinned, taking in her shocked expression. My crazy friend was not usually caught off guard. I shifted, wincing as the pain blasted under my skin again. It felt as if my body was trying to expel the glass.
I held out my hand. I needed Brace right then. I was hurting and I could tell that he was about to lose his shit.
He didn’t push anyone aside; they simply moved out of his way. He crouched before me, clearly not caring that my blood was soaking into his black pants. He wore a type of ceremonial cape, black like the pants, embroidered with silver decals and this intricate shield. His marks were perfect. Pulsing gold threaded along the dark tribal pattern. The gold was part of our melding bond.
“Damn, what did you run out on?” I smiled, hoping to see some brown bleed back into his eyes.
Colton snorted. “Nothing important, just the ceremony to accept his role as Princeps.”
Brace spun his head and nailed Colton with a glare. “It was just a discussion on the possibility. I would never have an official crowning without Red.”
Colton tilted his head in that way that always reminded me he was a wolf. “Still, there were a few surprised faces as he jumped up in the middle of Canon’s boring as hell speech, opened a doorway and quick as anything disappeared.”
“Couldn’t have been that quick. You were on my ass the whole way here,” Brace muttered.
“If you were escaping, so was I. I hate all that ceremony stuff.”
I noticed for the first time how casually Colton was dressed. Just shorts and a fitted blue t-shirt, the same icy blue color as his eyes. Very different from the darkly formal Brace.
“What happened here?” Colton asked the question again.
Talina was the one who explained about our little experiment. Brace never took his eyes off me. At some point Lallielle had also returned. She was crouched on my other side, concern in her green eyes.
“So now Abby’s skin has healed over the remaining glass?” Lucy asked, her face falling.
Josian took a deep breath. “Yes, I’m going to have to open her wounds again.”
“Do it.” I nodded. “Do it now before I freak out.”
Turmoil clouded Brace’s eyes. He reached out and took my hand, pulling it toward him until it rested against his heart. My mother had my other hand clutched in hers.
I’m here, baby. Just focus on my heartbeat. Stay here in our minds so I can shield you.
I gulped, trying to follow Brace’s advice, but all I could think about was what Josian was about to do back there. And when he was going to make the first cut.
“I can’t look,” Lucy said. “The last thing Abbs needs is me barfing on her.”
I was distracted then as the first touch of cold steel hit near my lower spine. I tensed, which only made it worse as the blade bit into my skin. My hands clenched as I gritted my teeth and tried to escape.
I’m here, let me shield you.
How? I practically begged, tears welling in my eyes.
His power burst into me, surrounding my mind with the strength and warmth of his will. The surge was unexpected and my own power rose to mingle with its mate. By the time I surfaced again, opening my eyes, Josian was speaking.
“I’m almost done, baby girl, just two more.”
Whatever Brace had done, I’d missed most of the agony.
Thank you, I mouthed at him. His eyes softened, his free hand reaching up to push back my loose curls.
The steel touched me again. I bit back a moan, looking around for a distraction.
“Where’s Lucy?” I asked Colton, who was leaning against the wall.
Talina was sitting next to him.
“She passed out.”
“Shut up,” Lucy interrupted him, her head popping up from the white couch. “I was just having a nap. I needed my five minutes’ beauty sleep.”
“Done,” Josian said.
I heard the clink of steel hitting something.
Josian reached around and kissed me on the cheek. “You were brave.”
I laughed weakly. “Trust me, I was a big girl on the inside.”
“Let me clean you up,” Brace said.
He scooped me up in his arms. I clutched at my shirt to stop it from falling off me.
I felt no pain as Brace held me close. Now that the glass had been removed, my Walker healing had fixed me right up.
“Don’t forget to be back here early for Lucas’ thing,” Lucy said, her voice tinged with sarcasm and what sounded a little like envy.
“Yes, it’s late now. You should rest until the morning.” Lallielle stepped forward to kiss my cheek. “Love you, darling.”
“I love you too,” I said, blowing a few random kisses around the room.
I felt like sharing the love. In fact, I
kind of wanted to jump and sing and dance.
“What’s wrong with me?” I shook my head a few times.
Brace laughed. “It’s the energy-high from me, kind of a similar experience to drinking alcohol, but without the hangover.”
Colton sighed. “Once there was this princess from Egypt and … well, let’s say the energy-high was only the start of the fun.”
Lucy punched him straight in the ribs. He actually stopped what he was saying and looked down.
“Holy shit. You punch like a man. What the fu –”
She interrupted him again. “Shut your hole, wolf-man.”
“Despite the fact you finally got the wolf part right, you’re the most frustrating female I’ve ever met.” He threw his hands in the air. He did that a lot around us.
Lucy pulled out a large white bone from behind her. Where the hell had she hidden that?
“Fetch.” She tossed it through the broken window.
In an almost involuntary motion, Colton’s eyes flicked out toward the grassed area. Everyone in the room broke down in laughter. Even Josian chuckled a few times.
Colton closed his bright, icy-blue eyes briefly. As he opened them, the wickedest grin crossed his face. “How long have you been waiting to do that?”
Lucy just grinned.
Colton leaned in closer to her. “I’m going to enjoy punishing you for that one.” He said it quietly but I heard him.
“In. Your. Dreams,” Lucy said.
“Red and I are going to leave now. Are you staying for the ceremony, Colt?” Brace asked.
The blond Walker nodded.
“Maybe they can come with us to the snow house,” I said with fake enthusiasm.
I really wanted alone time with Brace. Except a part of me insisted on reminding me that if the ritual didn’t work I needed to start distancing myself from Brace. And if we were alone I wasn’t sure I could keep the secret from him. My instincts urged me to tell him everything.
“Sure,” Brace said, the strangest look crossing his masculine features. “If that’s what you want.”
Lucy jumped in with enthusiasm. “Yes! Right. Let’s do this. I’ve been dying to see the house under the stars.”
“Okay, well change into warm clothes. Meet us all back here in five,” I said.