Reaching corridor’s end, she was blinded by a bright light. It wasn’t the golden light of a natural fire, instead it glowed pure white. She squinted until her vision cleared. The light came from torches held high above the tree-lined streets by immense, unmoving figures. Each stone statue depicted a different species.
“They’re magnificent.” She motioned to the statues and craned her neck. The path twisted again and Summer Flame trotted under the spread wings of a polished onyx phoenix. Not every statue was the same dark color. Some bore shades of translucent greens, others brown, and some with a reddish luster.
“They’re old as the city itself.” Sorntar’s voice formed out of the darkness behind, stronger now, almost back to his usual mesmerizing tone. “A statue for each member race of the Elementals.”
Ashayna took in the line of statues, pretending Sorntar’s nearness didn’t affect her. Some species she recognized—lupwyn, santhyrian, phoenix—but there were others she hoped never to meet. One looked to be a winged lupwyn-like creature, another a dragon out of ancient legend. Her study of the statues ended abruptly when several ranks of guards surrounded them. She cast Sorntar a questioning look.
“My mother has sent her Guard to escort us,” Sorntar said, his tone unvaried.
The Guard circled them and Summer Flame continued on up. A large palace complex reared above them, blocking her view to the rest of Grey Spires. Soon she would be within that immense structure, forced to face the king and queen of the phoenix, and confront her future. A sense of dread, one she’d first felt upon the Wild Path, returned. No amount of distractions could dispel it. A shiver racked her body. Exhaustion and fear would have drained away all her warmth long ago if it wasn’t for Sorntar’s plentiful heat.
Gates opened at their approach, allowing them entrance to the palace. Summer Flame walked at a sedate pace through the corridors, his hooves echoing on the polished stone floors. The dim glow of mage globes revealed beautiful frescoes covering both walls and ceiling. Most depicted landscapes and wildlife. Some so real it was like looking out a window.
Summer Flame halted in front of large, oak doors where four guards stood watch. Sorntar slid his good leg over the santhyrian’s back and dropped to the floor, where he swayed until he gained his balance.
Ashayna slid down beside him and patted the santhyrian in thanks before joining Sorntar at the doors. They swung inwards, opening smoothly at a guard’s slight touch. She followed behind Sorntar as he hobbled through the door.
Her first sighting of councilors and royals surprised her. There were only seven present, sitting to one side, well away from a pair of imposing, formal thrones. The first creature she studied looked as if some power had fashioned a hybrid between lupwyn and phoenix. She couldn’t be certain of its gender, but it had the head, wings, and tail of a bird blended with the body of a lupwyn. Fur and feathers of a matching shade flowed seamlessly together to create a surprisingly handsome-looking specimen.
Now she regretted blocking Sorntar from her thoughts. She could benefit from his mind-reading about now. Brushing Sorntar’s arm, she inclined her head in the new creature’s direction.
“Gryphon.” A smile accompanied his silent reply.
“Thank you.”
While she had been staring at this new species, two of the phoenixes stood. The other councilors rose and, by some unheard signal, they filed out using a side entrance. The two strangers approached Sorntar, their talons making faint clicking sounds against the polished stone floor. They did not wear crowns or hold scepters, nor did they wear great robes of office, but the way these two carried themselves told Ashayna they were royalty. She recognized that regal elevation of head, that expectant look in the eye, and the air of assurance which said, ‘I am law, cross me at your peril.’
“Ashayna, this is my mother, Queen Talnarra, and my father, King Kysoran.” Sorntar’s voice held a cold formality.
Ashayna wondered at his unease. Surely it wasn’t on her account. They might not have struck an accord upon first meeting, but he knew much less of her character than she thought if he worried she would say or do anything to bring shame to him.
The king nodded his head at Ashayna, a glint of humor in his dark, reflective eyes. His night-sky feathers were a shade darker than Sorntar’s. He was also a hand’s span taller, with paler skin. Though Kysoran lacked Sorntar’s dramatic handsomeness, there was no mistaking blood. She glanced at the queen to see her looking her son in the eye. The high cheekbones and a narrow blade of a nose seemed to be the only traits mother and son shared. Her deep-red wings with their golden markings contrasted against Sorntar’s indigo plumage.
The queen cupped her hands above Sorntar’s wound. “There is wardlen poison running through your veins. Why haven’t you had this healed?”
“Vinarah bound it closed,” Sorntar replied. “We couldn’t risk using strong magic and drawing more wardlen to our location. I’ve suffered worse wounds.”
“With your Larnkin on the edge of waking? I think not.” Queen Talnarra turned so fast, her pleated skirt slapped Sorntar’s shins. She paced away from him before whirling back, her expression thunderous. “Have you learned nothing about the volatility of Larnkins? They perceive injury as weakness, and a weakened host as something in need of protection.” The queen sighed. “And a Larnkin protecting its host is more dangerous than a wardlen.”
“I am sorry, Mother.” Sorntar bowed awkwardly. “The danger was past. I did not think.”
“Talnarra, leave the boy alone.” King Kysoran inclined his head in Ashayna’s direction. “There is another we need to speak with.”
“Kysoran is right.” Talnarra’s stony expression softened a notch. “Go have this looked at, we will talk later.” She signaled a guard forward. A lupwyn glided over, barely ruffling his cloak as he moved. The guard placed his shoulder under Sorntar’s arm and threaded an arm under his wings. Together they started to make a shuffling exit. Ashayna didn’t follow. She hadn’t been dismissed and would remain standing there until her legs turned to stone rather than show weakness to this queen.
Piercing, black eyes, solemn with ancient knowledge, bored into Ashayna. “You are not injured and are capable of answering my questions.”
The sharp crack of a whip would have been gentler than Queen Talnarra’s tone. Ashayna only squared her shoulders and met the queen’s eyes.
“Ashayna is my responsibility.” Sorntar shook free of the guard’s hold. “I will stay until you are finished.”
Queen Talnarra locked her gaze with Sorntar. Ashayna could hear the sound of their soft breathing. Neither moved nor spoke, at least not aloud. Then between one blink and the next, magic-scent filled the room.
“That’s enough of that.” King Kysoran’s jovial expression faltered for a moment. “Sorntar, control your Larnkin.”
Sorntar hissed. His eyes glinting with a predator’s unblinking stare, he stepped between Ashayna and his parents.
“So very protective, and you haven’t even known her two days.” Kysoran laughed, the sound more forced than natural. “Talnarra, let these two find healing and rest, or else we will have an enraged Larnkin on our hands.”
“It is regrettable when my mate must remind me of hospitality.” Talnarra’s expression didn’t soften enough to allow a hint of a smile, though it seemed somewhat less chilled. “Welcome, Ashayna. It pleases me the gods have destined such a powerful bondmate for my son.”
Talk of bondmates soured Ashayna’s stomach, but she scrounged for a polite response. “Thank you. I will endeavor to learn your ways.” She sneaked a glance at Sorntar. Intelligence had returned to his eyes, his crest and wings more relaxed. The tension between her shoulder blades eased as well.
“Ah, she speaks, and so solemnly. The perfect bondmate for my son. Perhaps you will make him seem less dower in comparison.” Kysoran’s lips curved, suggesting he wasn’t finished yet.
Ashayna let the corners of her mouth creep up the tiniest amount in answer.
When Sorntar took his leave, Ashayna followed.
***
With Ashayna’s help, Sorntar managed to make slow progress to the healer’s quarters. He looked down on her dark hair. His bondmate. That thought should have inspired joy. Instead, it haunted him until it eclipsed all else. Ashayna’s mistrust of magic was so deeply embedded, he doubted she would ever completely overcome her fear. Other things ate at his confidence. Why had his Larnkin flared with such violence? He could not be certain, but something did not feel right with it. With a shake of his head, Sorntar gathered his thoughts and acknowledged he could do nothing else this night with his strength depleted.
At last, they arrived at the healer’s. He fell upon the nearest bed with a groan. Ashayna stayed close until a healer came to attend him, then she took up a position along one wall and stared off into space, her posture rigid as if her knees were incapable of bending. So fierce. The sight made him smile. How long would it take her to settle into one of the nearby chairs?
The healer, a gryphon of the Greywaters Clan, removed soiled bandages, inhaling sharply and clicked his beak when he saw the bite of a wardlen. Sorntar relaxed against the table while the healer used magic to mend the ugly wound until only a shiny scar remained. When finished, the healer subjected him to a foul herbal drink. Sorntar felt the first effects of the drink within moments of swallowing. He didn’t fight it and slipped into a deep slumber.
***
Waking, Sorntar blinked blurriness from his sight. Instinct guided his gaze in Ashayna’s direction. Exhaustion must have overcome her. She slept in a nearby chair. After testing his leg’s stability and finding it adequate, he went over and gathered her up. Even under the layers of her clothes and armor, a male would have to be blind not to realize she was lovely. When she snuggled into his shoulder, something tightened in his chest.
He buried his powerful emotions to mull over later, and followed a familiar corridor in the semidarkness, only stopping to whisper a few magic-laced words when she nearly stirred awake. He arrived at the rooms prepared for her. The first chamber was warm, a fire still burned in the hearth. He continued to the next room with its human-type bed, complete with pillows and blankets.
He laid her in her nest, then removed her cloak and boots. Her belt and pants gave him a little trouble, but he managed without waking her. Sorntar was unlacing her vest when he noticed a silver chain around her neck. A familiar silver clasp nestled between the upper swell of her breasts. The lower portion of the necklace was hidden behind a band of tightly wrapped fabric that flattened her breasts. Even without seeing her necklace in its entirety, he could remember it well enough. He’d worn it since he’d crossed into manhood.
Using one talon, he cut through the restricting cloth. She drew in a deep lungful of air, and then with a contented sound, rolled onto her side and murmured softly. The necklace shifted and the feather fluttered down onto the sheet. He sat on the edge of the bed and touched a fingertip to the silver chain, just to be certain.
Yes, this was his courtship gift, same one he’d spent days making when his hormones had first awoken and declared him mature. Apparently, he hadn’t lost it during weapons practice like he’d thought.
Ashayna didn’t have a right to wear it. He hadn’t offered it to her. He should reclaim it...and yet…it looked right circling his bondmate’s neck.
Unable to resist, he brushed his hand against her arm. Her skin, warm and silky, so human, yet not so different compared to a female of his species. He traced a finger up her arm to the curve of a shoulder, then leisurely back down. She slurred his name and intertwined her fingers with his, drawing their clasped hands to rest between the swell of her breasts.
His heart pounded, blood rushed to his extremities and his wings quivered as they unfurled. At first he didn’t know what was wrong, and then an intense heat having nothing to do with his elemental fire flooded his body. He closed his eyes, surprised by the fierce spike of desire. A tempting image formed on the backs of his lids. In it Ashayna was still asleep on a bed, but it wasn’t this one. No, it looked suspiciously like his own.
Reason returned moments later. What was he doing? Ashayna would pluck him.
After he tugged his hand free, he tucked blankets up around her shoulders before he retreated. At the entrance, he looked back, frowning in thought. With sleep gentling her, she looked delicate, defenseless, in need of protection, though he knew it was a lie. Ashayna was anything but gentle and defenseless.
“What were the gods thinking to make us bondmates? We would make better adversaries.” Sorntar shook his head and closed the door.
Chapter Eight
Ashayna awoke in an unfamiliar room. By the slant of the light, it was late afternoon. Ornate metal head and foot railings framed a wide bed, and an abundance of silky covers kept her warm. Too warm, as if the one who’d brought her here was uncertain of a human’s needs. She lifted the blankets and her stomach fluttered with nerves. The only thing she still wore was the strange necklace with its indigo feather. How had she come to be naked?
She stroked the feather absently and Sorntar’s warm scent engulfed her. It must belong to him. She promised herself she’d return it to him soon, if her Larnkin was agreeable.
The last thing she remembered was half-dragging Sorntar to a healer’s quarters, then falling into a chair to rest for a few moments. The realization someone had carried her here, and then undressed her, left an uneasy feeling in her stomach. There was no possible way someone could carry her without her waking. She frowned. Not unless someone used magic. And there was one particular someone her Larnkin trusted.
She continued to scowl as she got out of bed.
Crown Prince Sorntar had some explaining to do.
A quick search of her room revealed clean clothes of an unfamiliar style. After several attempts to wrap the ankle-length robe securely, she succeeded in dressing. Obviously designed for someone with wings, it wasn’t particularly modest, allowing an alarming amount of cool air to caress her exposed back. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
“Come in,” she called and was surprised to see Sorntar enter.
“Greetings of the day.” His tone was pleasant yet a touch neutral, as if uncertain of his welcome. “I thought you might be ready for a bath and some food.”
“How’d you know I was awake?” she asked with suspicion. More bondmate crap? Was it possible he could detect if she was awake or asleep?
“Mother left guards at your door. I asked one of them to let me know when they heard you stirring.”
“And did a guard help me out of all my clothing last night?”
“No…” Sorntar held up his hands defensively. “It’s not what you think. I just wanted to make you comfortable.”
“I don’t believe that for a moment. Lucky for you, I’m happy to be alive after all that’s happened, and I’m feeling forgiving today.”
He looked completely refreshed. Apparently, he’d recovered from his ordeal. She could use twice as much sleep and still not look half as good. He even smelled nice. He caught her looking, or he read her thoughts. She wasn’t sure which, but a knowing smile curved his lips. To cover her embarrassment, she motioned towards the door. “I reek. A bath is a requirement, but you can answer some questions on the way.” She motioned him forward. Relief flooded her when he led the way without comment.
Sorntar made his way through the warren of corridors, his longer legs lending him an ease of movement Ashayna lacked. She lengthened her stride and came alongside the phoenix, unanswered questions crowding her mind. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she studied his features. He continued without notice. She stared openly.
He made no comment, so sh
e cleared her throat.
They rounded another turn in silence.
Coming to a halt, Ashayna glared at Sorntar’s back. “What’s to become of me?”
He faced her with a swiftness that flared his robe around him, then he chuckled. “I thought you’d ambush me with questions before we’d covered a dozen paces.” He gave her an elegant little bow. “You’ve done better than I would have, had our positions been reversed.”
“Glad to entertain you.”
“Sorry. What would you like to know?”
“What’s my future going to be?”
“Your future is what you make of it; being host to a Larnkin doesn’t change that. We’ll talk more of this later. For now, a bath. Afterward, I’ll answer every question you can think up. Perhaps we should find some better-fitting clothes first.” He tugged at the material of her robe. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to collect your possessions. I feared staying there longer might give our Larnkins another chance to jeopardize the treaty.”
Ashayna was still too unsettled to find humor in his chagrined look, but some of the tension between her shoulders eased. The corridor came to an abrupt end. Three wide arches—two smaller ones flanking a larger central one—framed a world of hazy greens accented with flashes of silvery water. More water tumbled over ledges to fall into swirling pools below, where it churned up great shrouds of mist.
“Ah, I thought this was a bath area, not a garden,” she commented.
She followed in the shadow of Sorntar’s broad wings. A haze rose out of the pools to swirl around her ankles. Each pool had its own small waterfall. A thick blanket of greenery functioned as both boundary and screen for added privacy. It was beautiful.
“You like it?” he asked with a shy smile while he ducked around a vine covered trellis.
“Yes,” Ashayna replied. “However, I’m sure I’ll appreciate its beauty far more after I’m clean.” Rounding a corner, she found a private bathing area, complete with more vine covered screens.
In Deception's Shadow Box Set: Book 1-3 Page 9