The Seers

  He eyed the door. “I don’t fully understand it myself, but this is the start of a new war. The Tavians will be desperate, and when they discover what happened to their leader…” He shook his head. “The fatality signal may knock them back momentarily, but it won’t last. No one is safe—least of all you. It’s best if no one knows your role, or what really happened to Cyrus.”

  She nodded, surprised by the gravity in his voice. He was genuinely worried.

  “We have to stay here. It’s the only place where I can keep you safe.” He searched her face.

  She smiled. “There are a lot worse things than a life here.” She slid her hand out from under her leg to take his, but something dragged along the chair as it slid.

  The ring.

  Her heart pounded. How had she forgotten to take it off? Between her memory loss, his recovery from his injuries, and the impending Tavian retaliation, they should take things slowly. The last thing he needed was the pressure of a ring on her finger.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. “I know living here may be hard—”

  She laughed nervously. “No. It’s not that. I think you’re right. We should stay.”

  Off. It needs to come off.

  She wriggled her finger, hoping it would slide, but it remained fixed. Her cheeks burned as she stuffed her hand under her thigh as far as it would go.

  His gaze darted to the move, then narrowed.

  Please don’t ask.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing!” Her voice was way too high to be honest. She tried to push it off with her pinky.

  He sat up, ramrod straight. “What’s wrong with your hand? Did something happen while we were there?”

  “No, it’s nothing like that—”

  “Then let me see it.”

  “No.” She smiled, silently pleading for him to drop the issue.

  “Let me see your hand,” he insisted, swinging his legs out of bed. The cords pulled from behind him, but he didn’t seem to notice. “If you’re hurt, we need to have it looked at.”

  “Tobin, no! You have to stay in bed and recover.”

  He rose stiffly. The tubes pulled tight. She held her hands out to support him.

  Both hands.

  She bit her lip.

  He zeroed in right away on the band, shining just as cheerfully as it had for her in their house. He froze but didn’t say a word.

  “I’m sorry,” she backpedaled. “I tried it on when I saw it. I didn’t mean to—”

  He reached out, pulled her to himself and kissed her.

  His hand trailed down her arm and closed around hers. Smiling, he brought it up to his mouth and kissed it. “How about now? Still sorry?”

  She nodded, her cheeks still burning.

  He scooped her up into his lap, fitting his lips with hers so firmly it sent shivers through her whole body.

  He is still recovering. We are in a hospital. Someone could walk in at any moment.

  “I said I love you, and I always will. This…” He reached for her hand and traced the band. “…doesn’t scare me. In fact, if you’re okay with it. I want to wear mine.”

  Nora pulled back to study his face. “You still have it?”

  He chuckled. “Do I still have it.” He glanced at the tube in his arm, then pointed to a black bag in the corner. “Would you mind?”

  “Is that?” she asked, frowning. “That’s the sack you took with you from your cabin.”

  He nodded. “Henry had it. He must have dropped it off.”

  She hopped off the bed to retrieve it, and he pulled out a small black box. When he opened it, a matching—but much larger—gold band gleamed.

  “At the cabin, when we saw each other for the first time, it killed me that you didn’t remember, but I couldn’t leave it behind. Leaving it behind would have meant there wasn’t any hope.”

  She leaned in, resting on his shoulder and turning her face up into his neck. “Thank you for never giving up.”

  The faint smell of tea tree was so familiar without any memory. She knew him somehow, and she loved him—inexplicable but true. She had missed him without ever knowing he was gone. He balanced her, made her smile when no one else could, and gave her peace when the world was quite literally at war. He made her brave enough to fight for what she wanted. How could she ever live without him?

  He handed her the box. “What happens next is up to you. You know where I stand, but we can take things as slowly as you need.”

  Slow. Sensible.

  Not a chance.

  She took his hands and intertwined his fingers with her own. “After the last couple of weeks, I’d say we’re beyond casual dating. I think we’re even beyond serious dating, but marriage? It’s a risk. What if I’m not the way you remember? What if—”

  “Risk?” He laughed. “I was a guard. I proposed to you, and we eloped despite the council’s wishes. I stormed Octavius to get you back. Risks don’t scare me.”

  The first rays of sunlight shined off his ring as if it were calling to her. She picked it up and held it out in her hand. “If you’re okay with it, I’d really like you to wear it.”

  He beamed, taking it and placing it on his finger. “I think this means you proposed to me this time.”

  She laughed, rolling her eyes before he leaned in and kissed her. The Tavians could have barged in at that moment, and she wouldn’t have cared.

  She traced up his biceps with her fingertips, and he tightened his arms around her. There was healing there. All the fear, pain, and doubt faded in his arms. She needed this. She needed him. “Did the doctor say how long he’d like you to stay here?”

  Keeping one arm wrapped around her, he used the other to push a button on a screen next to his bed. “Tell the doc I’m ready to be discharged.”

  “I think he said you were supposed to stay here for a couple more hours,” a voice replied.

  “We’re going to need to rush that,” he replied, staring deeply into her eyes. “I need to go home and be with my wife.”

  There was an audible, exasperated sigh. “He thought you might say that. I’ll see what I can do.”

  She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. They had been together for less than an hour, and they were already causing trouble, but she didn’t care.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  Leaning forward, he paused within an inch of her face. “I love you, too.” He kissed her gently. “Always.”

  End of Book One

  Thank you for reading The Seers! If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review. It helps me get the word out about my books.

  For the story before the story, check out Black Rose, a prequel novel featuring Annabel and Jasper, available now.

  Author’s Note

  Thank you for reading The Seers, the first book in the Enlightened Series. The story continues in The Warriors, coming in the Fall of 2018. If you’d like to stay up to date on all the latest information about my books—and maybe even receive a sneak peek or two—you can sign up for my newsletter.

  As an independent author, reviews are a critical part of spreading the word about my books. If you enjoyed The Seers and would like to see more, please consider leaving a review.

  I dedicated this book to my grandma, Sally Boland. Even though military life has taken me far from her, she has remained a cornerstone in my life, someone who has inspired me to live boldly, love courageously, and to always strive to do the right thing. She’s one of many women in my life who have inspired me to write strong female characters who tirelessly pursue the Good. I could never tell her how much she means to me, or how her loving example has shaped my life, but hopefully this dedication is a start.

  Huge thanks are in order for the wonderful women of Enclave—Miranda Honfleur, Ryan Muree, Emerald Dodge, and Emily Allen West. It’s taken years, but your honesty when something wasn’t quite right and your support of my vision have taken this from a simple story to an actual novel. Thank you for all the late-nigh
t brainstorming sessions, the word sprints, the re-reads, the laughter, and even the tears. I’m so grateful to know you all. Additionally, I’d like to thank my critiquers, Sarah Steinke, Renee Harvey, Deidre Huesmann, S.A. Hendrix, and Theodora Zajac. Your feedback was invaluable.

  None of my writing would be possible without my husband, Jared. When I needed time to write, he made sure I had it. When I needed support or encouragement, he was there. Nora, Tobin, Jasper, and Annabel would still be figments of my imagination were it not for him. My parents’ unabashed, enthusiastic support helped me believe I just might be able to make a career out of these crazy stories of mine. And my siblings, particularly my sisters, have dropped everything to hear me pitch my crazy ideas, they’ve read more rough drafts than I care to admit, and their spirited discussion of character likenesses has helped me see these characters all the more clearly. Hopefully, I have made you all proud.

  Finally, I’d like to thank you, my readers! Sharing these characters with you has been an honor. I love hearing from you, so please feel free to email me or to find me on Facebook or Twitter. Thank you so much for reading.

  About the Author

  Katherine is a military wife and mother of four kids, who loves all things sci fi, fantasy, and action packed. Home is wherever the Air Force sends her, and right now, that happens to be Colorado Springs.

  She writes speculative fiction with strong characters and relatable struggles. Since she’s always been inspired by the burst of creativity that happens when science, politics, and the human element collide, you can expect colossal adventures to ensue with a touch of romance to make the journey sweeter.

  When she’s not at her kids' school, church, or sporting events, you can find her either cozied up with her kindle or writing on her laptop—always with a big cup of coffee.

  Reach Katherine at:

  www.katherinebennet.com

  [email protected]