Dark Side of the Moon (The Lost Royals Saga Book 2)

by Rachel Jonas

  “Been waiting long?” I asked, feeling myself warm up to him almost as soon as I put the other thoughts aside.

  The smile he returned was more natural than my own. He pushed away from the wall and we fell into a slow, even-paced stroll toward the gym before he answered.

  “Well, if you’re asking if I’ve been standing outside your door long, the answer is no. However, if you were to ask in general,” he teased, “I’d have a very different answer.”

  A gentle flutter in my stomach made me wish I hadn’t asked. From the corner of my eye, I looked him over—a pair of the dark cargo pants and black boots all staff wore, but he’d decided against the logoed t-shirt they issued. Instead, a gray, ribbed tank that hugged the ridges of his chest and crags of his abdomen tightly.

  The exposed ink on his arms reminded me of the first night I visited him in my dreams on purpose. I still remembered the meanings of each. Next, my eyes settled on the two leather bands on his wrist. They were latched with a peculiar knot and I couldn’t remember a time I’d seen him without them. Not even before we technically met.

  Back when he was simply some random guy I dreamed about.

  Back before I knew he was significant.

  Important.

  “Feeling okay?”

  The question had me nodding profusely to cover my tracks. I needed him to see me as nothing but brave this morning as we went to spar. If he knew my mind was in a thousand different places he’d make me talk about it and I didn’t want that right now.

  “Yes! Perfect,” I added with a smile. “You?”

  He seemed to buy the act. “No complaints. I’ve been trying to figure out where we should start. There’s a lot of ground to cover.”

  I laughed. “Especially seeing as how I have the self-defense skills of a gnat.”

  He laughed, too, but he shook his head in disagreement. “You’ve just gotta learn. It’ll come more naturally than you think it will. Mostly, I’ve been trying to decide if our focus needs to be on combat or the abilities you possess in your shifted form.”

  I had a preference, so I voiced it. “I need to know how to shift on my own.”

  The last time I turned completely was the night we stood against the mutts. And, then, the only way I managed to turn was with a bit of … help from Liam.

  That kiss, the only one ever shared between us, made me breathe heavier every time I thought about it.

  “Then, it’s settled,” he replied. “We’ll focus on that and then move on to something else next time.”

  I nearly grinned when he said that. Next time. It meant we’d be doing this more often than just today, and I liked the sound of it.

  We were quite a ways from our quarters in the Gold Sector and almost to the gym. Rounding the corner, I think Liam and I were both shocked to see Mei, the monitor who occupied the room beside mine, coming toward us. It was early, but, apparently, some of the staff walked the halls at this hour, probably to make sure no one got out of line.

  Mei’s eyes flickered toward me when the three of us stopped. However, it was Liam she focused on before speaking. “Good morning.”

  He seemed way more relaxed than she did. “Morning.”

  Mei’s face twitched as she took in Liam’s nonchalant attitude, leaving me with the distinct impression she believed she ‘caught’ us.

  Like, he and I weren’t supposed to be walking around the facility right now. I also believed she thought Liam was getting ready to make an excuse for why we were together at this hour. Instead, all he did was respond to her greeting.

  “Well, you two are certainly up early,” she said with a forced grin. “Shouldn’t you still be asleep, young lady?” That part was addressed to me.

  “I … well, we …”

  “We’re headed to the gym,” Liam cut in, saving me from myself. “We know each other from before, so I offered to help her with a few things.”

  He seemed irritated having to explain. I had a feeling that, had it not been for me still being in the position of having to answer to these people, Liam would’ve ignored her prying altogether.

  Mei only seemed slightly less suspicious, but honestly, it wouldn’t have been her business if there was more to whatever Liam and I were up to. This wasn’t a school by any traditional means; therefore, traditional rules didn’t apply. The evergreen nature of shifters made the concept of age less black and white than with humans. And, if her issue was that I, a student, was going to be alone with Liam, an instructor, then that wouldn’t hold up either.

  Yes, he’d gotten roped into sharing his knowledge with the young shifters here, but he always made it very clear to me, and everyone else, his main focus and priority was me.

  I tried to ignore the way pride seemed to swell in my chest when I acknowledged this. There was something about knowing he, this fearless warrior from the past, this man who went full-on machine when it came to battle, was so in tune with me. I breathed deep to dispel the buzz that followed.

  “Well, have a good one,” Liam said dismissively, making it clear he cared very little what she thought as he placed his hand at the small of my back. When we passed Mei, I was sure her eyes were glued to that very spot, assuming whatever she wanted about the nature me and Liam’s relationship.

  We came to the gym and I stood quietly while Liam unlocked it with the swipe of a card. His looked different from those the other instructors carried. Most were white with a blue ‘Damascus Facility’ logo in the center. His, solid black with a silver logo.

  The dark space came to life with the flip of a switch and then the door closed behind us. Our steps echoed against the hard surfaces of the walls and floor without there being extra bodies around to absorb some of the sound. Liam had me stretch and I did so while watching him unroll the large, blue mat in the center.

  He was hard not to watch.

  His hair was down today, and I came so close to telling him I prefer it that way, but who was I to say such a thing? To have a preference? Why was I even thinking like that? Today was about honing my skills, or rather, finding my skills. Seeing as how I had none.

  Get focused, girl.

  My mind needed to be less fixated on what a beautiful work of man-art Liam was, and more on how to, you know, not die. Should things actually get as bad as we’ve been told they could in the near future, I’m guessing not dying would be a useful skill.

  I’d loosened up and was back on my feet. I met Liam in the center of the mat and did everything I could to ignore the twisting and turning in my gut. The last thing I wanted to do was embarrass myself in front of him, but this was the only way I’d learn—letting him see how clumsy and awkward I was.

  “Okay, we’ll start by closing our eyes,” he instructed.

  His lids lowered and then mine.

  “Breathe deep and focus on the sound of it.”

  Several surges of air filled my lungs and I pushed them out slowly. With each one, I made myself set aside all I was carrying—the sadness, the fear, the anxiety. There was no place for any of it here. Not if I stood a chance at getting this right.

  “Keep your hands at your sides,” he said next. I wiggled my fingers. “There’s a pulse of energy in your hands. It’s always there. It’s subtle enough to ignore when you want to, but you should feel it.”

  A slight thrumming in my palms made me nod. “I do.”

  “Good. That’s where your energy is centered. It’s why most of us, when we experience the initial shift, our hands catch first. It was like that for your mother, too, when she turned the children in Ars-en-Ré.”

  At mention of Elise, I lost a bit of focus. I didn’t want to think about her. Actually, I’d gone out of my way not to let her occupy space inside my head, because she didn’t deserve it.

  Releasing another deep breath, I pushed Liam’s reference aside, letting it drop off with everything else.

  “Let that sensation spread through your fingertips, up your arm…”

  A bright glow penetrated my eyelids
and I opened them. “Oh snap! I freakin’ did it!”

  Smiling, Liam opened his eyes, too.

  I couldn’t believe it worked. I half expected today to be a complete failure, but I managed to get it right on the first try.

  “Good. Now see if you can get it to stretch to your shoulders, but stop there.”

  I stared at the base of the flames where they rose from my skin, and somehow willed them to go further. A huge grin had my cheeks aching as I watched them do exactly what I wanted, when I wanted.

  A far cry from the random outbursts I experienced in the recent past.

  i.e. last night.

  “Can I go further?” I asked, sounding like a kid asking her parent for permission to ride her bike all the way around the block.

  Liam laughed. “Of course. If you’re comfortable.”

  Warmth moved over my skin and the flames followed. My chest, my neck, until I was completely covered. My clothes were intact this time, too, which was no small feat.

  “Now, see if you can extinguish them on your own,” were his next instructions.

  That part was a bit trickier. He noticed I had trouble and smiled again. “Just… relax. That’s the first step.”

  I recalled how safe and comfortable I felt when he held me last night. That had been the key to putting the flames out then, and was essential now, too.

  “Let yourself remember the control you just exuded to ignite. Remember, you commanded them to move from one part of your body to the next. Because they are you,” he added. Those words resonated with me and put things into perspective.

  I could control them because they were me.

  My face was the first thing to cool, then my neck, shoulders and chest. Everything else followed, leaving only my hands to burn a few seconds longer. Traces of smoke thinned and disappeared and all that was left behind was the huge grin on my face.

  “Very cool,” I beamed.

  Liam nodded. “I can honestly say it never gets old.”

  I imagined that to be true. I felt alive and free in ways I didn’t otherwise. I felt like, when I shifted, I was myself. More ‘me’ than any other time, and I remembered Liam once stating that my shifted form was my true form.

  “So, when do I get to fly?” I asked.

  The question made him laugh, but I didn’t see anything funny. “Baby steps.”

  There was a twinge of disappointment when he shot down the idea, but I guessed it was kind of soon to trust myself hundreds of feet in the air. It’d be my luck to get distracted by something shiny on the ground and plummet back to Earth.

  “But maybe you can fly with me one day in the meantime.” I blinked when he offered. “It might not be as exhilarating as attempting it on your own, but it’ll at least give you a feel for what it’s like being up there.”

  I tried to imagine it.

  “I mean, if you’re comfortable being carried, that is,” he added with a chuckle. “I’d put you on my back, but, you know … wings.”

  It wasn’t lost on me how I got all topsy-turvy on the inside when he did the slightest things. This time, it was the boyish grin he gave. The one that made his eyes crinkle in the corners, warming the hardened glare that usually resided there. Sometimes, he was just too much to handle and it was usually with little to no effort. Like now.

  “It’d be fun,” I answered, distracted by the imagery of him holding me close while we rose above the tall trees I’d seen topside.

  I had to look away from him. “Can you help me with the combat stuff now?”

  He seemed just as distracted when he nodded. I stretched my neck again, needing to regain focus.

  Liam set his feet apart and crouched, lowering his center of gravity like a football player bracing himself as his opponent charged toward him.

  “Come at me.”

  The words caught me off guard. I was expecting to be taught how to throw a punch, not how to throw myself at a brick wall. That’d always been my perception of him. Not only because of his size. He just seemed impenetrable. Solid. Indestructible.

  Loose, dark waves that curled slightly at the ends swept his shoulders. He stared expectantly and one corner of his mouth tugged up with a smile. “Ready whenever you are.”

  I sucked in a breath, trying to shift my mindset. Running into his arms this time had nothing to do with how part of me always wanted to be in them. This was a training exercise and I had to make that sink in. Once it did, I darted toward him. His expression stayed calm and even because, at half his size, I wasn’t any kind of threat.

  I got about a foot away and was snatched right off my feet by my waist. I breathed wildly as he held me against him—my back to his chest and stomach as I dangled in the air. If I’d been a guy, it would’ve been humiliating how easily he overpowered me, but … as a girl … it was only frustrating.

  He set me down. “Again.”

  With a huff and both hands on my waist, I faced him. “Why? I’m never gonna get you down on this mat,” I reasoned.

  Not that I minded the trying part all that much.

  “Not as long as you think you can’t,” he countered.

  We stood there, locked in a stare-down until I gave in. “Fine.”

  I went back to my post and Liam took his stance. I focused on that energy source he brought to my attention a moment ago, the one that pulsated in my hands. Drawing from that, I clenched my fists and rocketed toward him. I had plans to shove my shoulder against his chest, but instead of tackling him to the mat, the room turned upside down. After a moment of disorientation, I realize I’d been captured again. This time, he tossed me over his shoulder and held me there. If I’d been an actual opponent, I was positive he would’ve dropped me on my back, but the one thing I knew he’d never do was hurt me.

  With his arm locked behind my knees, I hung over his back. It dawned on me as I stared at my braid swinging above my head … he was laughing.

  The sound of it burned through the frustration.

  “Glad I can amuse you.” The words came out strained due to there being a huge shoulder pressed into my abdomen.

  “You’ll get the hang of it,” he promised.

  I wasn’t so sure.

  Two large hands were placed on my back as he crouched to the ground, setting my feet on the mat. Next, those same hands rested on my hips as he made sure I was steady before backing away. His tattoos were glistening and I gave myself points for at least making him break a sweat. Lord knows I didn’t accomplish much else.

  “Let’s sit while you catch your breath,” he suggested and, seeing as how I was winded from failure, I didn’t object.

  We stepped up onto the bleachers and propped our feet on the row just below us. Like always, he sat close and I was starting to get used to it. I hardly remembered the time when he felt like a stranger. It was more like we were old friends who lost touch for a while, but had recently reconnected. I guess that was almost accurate, only, I knew we were once much more than friends.

  I stared at his hands—elbows on knees, fingers loosely interlaced.

  Love. Lost. Never. Dies.

  The tattoos between his digits used to be a mystery to me, but I was now positive they spoke of the bond we once shared before my first life was taken.

  Our love was what never died.

  My eyes trailed past the compass with veins and tendons beneath it that made the ink seem to come alive on his skin. My gaze settled on the leather bands on his wrist again. Without thinking, I reached to touch them. His head shifted there the second my fingertips made contact.

  “Are these important to you?” I asked, recalling how they’d always been a part of my visions of him, although I never thought to ask if they meant anything.

  When he didn’t answer right away, I looked at his face, catching a fleeting glimpse of sadness before he quickly hid it away.

  “They’re … yeah. You could say they’re important.”

  My eyes drifted back to the bands when he went quiet. They were worn with age
, but not tattered. He still didn’t offer much more of an explanation than that.

  “Were they a gift?” was my next thought.

  He shook his head, again not offering much of a response other than, “They’re Hercules knots.” A half-smile surfaced. “And, yes, they’re as ancient as they look.”

  I smiled back although he wasn’t watching. His eyes were glued to the bands and I left him alone about them. If he didn’t want to discuss it, I wouldn’t make him.

  “There’s something I want to run past you,” I blurted, suddenly remembering Beth’s recording on my phone. I found it and pressed play, not bothering to explain first. His brow pulled together as he concentrated on the words.

  My words, despite the fact that I’d never spoken French in my entire life.

  The phone went silent again and I lowered it, trying to breathe easy while waiting for an interpretation. Assuming he could even give one. I wasn’t sure whether I’d said anything embarrassing or maybe it was just nonsense.

  “Do you understand it?” I asked, shoving fear aside. Liam took a moment to nod, but when he did, my heart leapt with intrigue.

  “Some of it was muffled,” he began, “but the part I did hear might seem kind of strange to you.”

  My brow tensed. “Strange why? What’d I say?”

  His serious expression faded, and one corner of his mouth tugged upward. “You were chastising your brother, Josiah, for doing something reckless. I distinctly heard the words ‘idiot’ and ‘chalice’ in there.”

  My face went blank. The words sounded so elegant, although I didn’t understand them, but … that’s what I was mumbling? I was sure my face was bright red because it felt hotter than the surface of the sun. I should have just kept it to myself.

  “Do you actually remember that day?” There was hope in Liam’s eyes when he asked, but all I felt was confusion.

  “Remember what day?”

  He smiled a bit and a peaceful look came over him. I soon recognized it as nostalgia. It contrasted the shock that rocked me when it became clear the random babble I muttered in my sleep was an actual reference.

  “Your parents hosted foreign dignitaries all the time,” he started. “One Emperor, in particular, managed to get on Josiah’s bad side one time too many during his visit. So, Josiah retaliated,” he added. “ … By urinating in the guy’s wine before it was taken to the dinner table.” Liam let out a laugh. One I imagined paled in comparison to the one he let out that day.