He straightened and his lips parted. “Okay, make that three.”
Son of a bitch. Seriously? She fisted her hand. She was faster now. Surely she could get at least one jab in before he stopped her.
His lips curled into a shit-eating grin.
Screw that. She’d go for a right hook.
“In my defense, there’s not an unmated female Myren alive who knows the third secret, so sharing that one’s non-negotiable.” He resumed his trek up the hill.
She hustled to catch up. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means exactly what I said.”
“Sounds like a whomping pile of crap to me.”
He shrugged and kept moving, but cast a wicked wink over his shoulder. “Human kids believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, but I don’t see you yakkin’ that up. We’re Myren. We have our traditions.” He snatched her wrist, tugged her closer, and wrapped his arm along her shoulder. “May as well get used to it.” He dropped a kiss to the top of her head as they reached the highest peak.
Wow. Just, wow. A deep valley ran below them, water the color of the sky back home running down its center with happy whitecaps bubbling against smooth gray boulders. At either side, black-trunked trees with violet leaves covered the mountain slopes. One thing was certain. Color schemes definitely ran the gamut in Eden.
“I love this spot.” Eryx pulled her in front of him. With a contented sigh, he hugged her close and rested his chin on top of her head. “Graylin brought me here not too long after he built his place. Said every man needed a place to be quiet.”
“Have you ever brought anyone else here?” She sounded about as foolish as she felt, but figured what the hell.
His lips grazed her temple. “Never wanted to.”
God she wanted him. Skin to skin and sweaty as hell like they’d been this morning. Then again, she wouldn’t mind kicking him in the shins a few times either. She tamped her chaotic emotions down. This place, this moment, was special. Sacred. She’d get her answers when Eryx was ready. Now was a quiet time for them. Maybe even a beginning. So peaceful, the slow steady rhythm of Eryx’s heartbeat against her back. A hint of something floral on the wind. Honeysuckle maybe, but a little sharper.
Prickles danced beneath her skin. Unexpected and out of place. The same cautionary flare that had saved her bacon off and on her whole life, only bigger. More pronounced and accompanied by the taste of burnt toast. Where the hell did that come from?
Eryx stared at the rushing waters below, his gaze distant. Despite his relaxed shoulders and easy embrace, sharpness marred his features. More the look of a troubled man than one in sync with an idyllic landscape.
“Everything okay?”
He blinked, mildly startled, and refocused on her. “I was thinking about Graylin. I caught him with an odd look on his face while he was watching Orla this morning. I haven’t seen that expression since before his baineann died.” His eyes darkened. “She’s been with The Great One for a long time.”
“A baineann’s a mate, right? But I thought Myrens lived a long time.”
He turned her and pulled her close. “Doesn’t make us exempt from tragedy. Ludan’s uncle killed her. Went crazy one day and murdered her in cold blood.”
“What made him do it?”
He shook his head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “No one got a chance to find out. Ludan found him minutes after it happened and snapped his neck.”
“Ludan could have looked, right? Scanned his memories like he did mine?”
“He claims he acted on impulse, trying to save his mother.” Eryx’s mouth twitched. “I’m pretty sure he knows though. He was always a little harder than everyone else growing up, but after that he was different. Colder.”
Lexi stroked his arms and shoulders. The sadness coming off of him made her want to fidget. “I caught Orla looking at Graylin pretty intently too.” Okay, not her smoothest redirect.
He froze. “Intently as in angry? Or intently like waiting for something?”
The world around her blurred and her senses drifted. The memory replayed with a clarity she’d never experienced before, though with it came emotions she felt as though they were her own. “Like she saw the raw man underneath.”
He cupped her shoulders and edged her back. “That’s a pretty precise observation.”
Lexi shrugged and stepped away, uncomfortable with the whole petri dish level scrutiny. “I guess. It just came to me.” She looked out over the beautiful scene, but couldn’t focus on a bit of it. Not with his stare so heavy at her side.
“Fair enough.” He nodded. “Then let’s get on with what I brought you here for.”
Thank God. “I though you brought me for the view.”
He shook his head and a wicked grin crept across his face. “I thought you might like to learn to fly.”
Chapter 13
Eryx swept Lexi into his arms and shot to the skies before she had time to argue.
Her garbled shriek rang in his ear, and it was a damned good thing he knew exactly where he was headed because the way she’d coiled her arms around his neck made turning his head impossible. “Relax.” He wedged a hand between her arm and his chest and shifted her down an inch or two. “This is supposed to be fun.”
Lexi kept her face notched in the crook of his neck, her breath a steady pant against his skin.
He rolled so the ground lay below him and the slow, steady rush of wind would hit her face. “Come on, hellcat. I felt you in your dreams. You loved flying there.”
The fingers fisted at his shoulders eased a bit, and she lifted her head into the breeze. She peeked at the tall gray mountains below with their violet treetops and shivered. “That’s a long way down.” Fear lent a huskiness to her voice, but a tad of her snarky bite was back in play.
“You’re safe.” He squeezed his arm tight around her waist. “I promise.”
She swallowed and edged out another inch. “I can really do this?”
“You’re Myren. It’s a birthright. Though some are better at it than others.”
The way she chewed on her lip said she wasn’t altogether convinced. “How?”
Laughter rumbled from his chest, the sensation that went with it lighter than he’d felt in years. “Always with the details.” He rolled again so they were side-by-side and aimed toward their destination. “Trust me when I tell you, details will only make it harder. Go with your gut and you’ll be fine.”
“You’re not going to drop me are you?” Her grip strengthened to the point he could barely breathe. “Kick me out of the nest, so to speak?”
“I think I have enough strikes on your naughty list without adding cruel and unusual punishment.” He was playing with her. Joking and teasing without a care for the world, and he liked it. “We’re headed to a flat stretch of land. I figured slopes and water weren’t such a good idea for day one.”
She nodded, but her eyes were clouded with wariness. Eventually, she craned her neck to look out behind them then below to watch the view pass by.
He kept his silence, giving her the time to assimilate, and him time to check on Ludan and Ramsay. “Everyone’s in place?”
“Yep.” Ludan, always the talkative one.
“We’ve got five men at all points scanning for signs of movement.” At least Ramsay was willing to give details. “We’ve had men on point since last night and no noted activity outside of wildlife. She’s safe.”
“And where are you?” Eryx scouted the perimeter of their route as they flew. Bit by bit, the mountains behind them gave way to weathered boulders, crumpled and veined with evergreen moss.
“We’re a good quarter mile out. Ludan’s the only one up close.” Ramsay hesitated for a second. “You think she’ll sense us?”
Eryx wasn’t sure what to think. Her quip about secrets rattled in his head
and his sense of judgment hiccupped. Everything about her scattered his rational thoughts, muddying paths he’d long thought certain. “We’re about to find out.”
A long swath of emerald green with shards of silver stretched out before them. “I’ll never get used to this.” The awe in Lexi’s voice filled him with a ridiculous amount of pride.
He shifted them both so their feet were aimed at the ground, slowed his descent, and held Lexi up so he’d take the brunt of the landing.
The ground rushed closer and Lexi tensed.
He landed with no more impact than a jump off a chair. “See? Not so bad.” He lowered her to the ground. “Ready to give it a try?”
Her breath gushed out with a shaky laugh. “Maybe after my insides are settled back where they’re supposed to be.” Rubbing her bare arms, she scrutinized the low sloping hills in the distance.
“Cold?” Galena always favored the tank-styled tunic and leggings Lexi had chosen this morning, so he hadn’t thought to suggest anything else.
She shook her head and scanned the lush valley in the opposite direction. Tiny white flowers dotted the rich green grass and wiggled in the steady breeze. “Do you feel that?”
“Feel what? Put words behind it.”
She curled her arms across her chest, elbows tucked in tight, shoulders tense. “I feel like I’m in the middle of a packed football stadium and everyone’s watching me.”
“Can you tell me where it’s coming from?”
Lexi faced him. “That’s a pretty leading question. Is there something I should know?”
Well, histus. He should’ve known she’d jump straight to suspicion. Considering everything she’d been through, he couldn’t blame her. “No, I’m telling you to work with me and let me teach you.”
She straightened, opened her mouth then shut it, sighed and closed her eyes. She pointed. “Over there.”
Well, what do you know? Eryx turned toward Ludan’s masked form. “You’re busted.”
Ludan wavered into view, his trademark disinterested scowl in place.
Lexi pursed her lips and glared at them. “You could have told me I’d have a test.”
“Defeats the purpose.” Eryx hugged her. “The ability to sense other Myrens is a valuable gift. Not everyone can do it.” He stroked her back, hoping to ease the tension.
She pushed away, turned in a slow circuit, and scanned the horizon. “Ludan isn’t the only one, is he?”
Ludan stepped forward, eyes sharp on the skyline and arms poised for action.
Eryx eased in behind her. “How many do you sense?”
“A handful. Four or Five. Maybe six?” She faced him again.
No way. She was a woman, not a warrior. “Can you sense anything else? Reach out with your mind and see what information it brings to you.”
She closed her eyes and the wind blew a strand of dark hair across her face. “I know one of them. It feels like you, but not. So I’m guessing Ramsay. The others are strangers. At least to me. But I don’t feel anything bad. Just….loyalty?” Her eyes popped open. “Who are they?”
“That’s fucking impressive.” Ludan scratched his chin.
Eryx couldn’t blame him. Assimilating what she’d pulled off was taking him awhile too. “You’re right. Six men surround this area, one of them Ramsay, and they’re a good distance out. Outside of the Forte family and mine, I don’t know of anyone who can do what you did.”
She might have been angry at the way he’d approached the lesson, but her stance shifted to something barely short of a preening peacock—one still gaining confidence its feathers were worth showing off.
Maybe he’d been right to stick with the traditional approach. “So are you ready to give flying a go?”
Lexi glanced at the landscape behind her. “In front of everyone?”
Eryx edged closer, but didn’t crowd. He stroked her cheekbone. “They’re to keep you safe. Until we find Maxis, we need them.”
She wrinkled her nose and scowled. “Am I going to flop on my face?”
“Tell her about your first try.” Ludan smirked and crossed his arms.
“Can it.” Eryx said, but kept his focus on Lexi. “Picture it in your mind and let the energy do the rest.”
She nodded and sucked in a breath.
He stepped back.
Her eyelids fluttered shut and her hands fisted at her sides. The soft drone of nature hummed and wind swirled between them.
He held his breath, anxiety wrenching the muscles along his forearms.
“Yeah, not working.” Her shoulders slumped and she ducked her chin.
“At least you’re not jumping off of rocks or tall ledges,” Ludan said.
Eryx glared at Ludan and stepped between them. “You’re not helping.”
Lexi sidestepped and asked Ludan, “Who did that?”
Ludan didn’t respond, but the way Lexi’s lips spread into a sly smile told him Ludan had pointed at him.
Interfering family and friends. He couldn’t wait until Ludan found someone he gave a shit about impressing. Payback would be a bitch. He turned Lexi away from his somo. “You need to relax. If you tense up it gets harder.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one learning with a bunch of strangers watching.”
“Forget about them.” He cupped her shoulders and lowered his voice. “Close your eyes and think about your dreams. Remember how it felt to fly.”
The wind around them stirred, nothing too strong, but more than what Mother Nature generated on her own and crackling with untrained energy.
He eased back. “Just like that. Remember the feelings. How you took off. How you turned. What the wind felt like on your skin.”
Lexi relaxed her head, faced aimed at the sky with her eyes still closed. Peaceful looking with the barest smile on her lips.
He lifted off the ground and hovered a few stories above her. Pale silver shimmers danced in a fine halo around her head and shoulders, power ready for release. “Now open your eyes and come with me.”
Her chest lifted on a slow, deep breath and she opened her eyes. For a split second, her gaze clouded, then sharpened. She took two steps forward and shot into the sky. Overshooting his position, she squeaked and began to fall.
“Whoa!” Eryx snatched and steadied her against him. “You have to keep thinking. Autopilot doesn’t kick in right away. It’s like driving a car. When you’ve been doing it for years, you don’t even think about it. But when you first start, it’s all you can think about.”
She laughed, not the least bit concerned she’d nearly tumbled to the Earth. “I did it.” She braced her hands on his chest, the smile on her face enough to grip his heart and lock on tight. “I really did it.”
Her warm breath fanned against his face. His thoughts scrambled and a raw, achy need pushed to the surface.
Her mouth softened and she rubbed her hand, slow against his heart. “You okay?”
Reason batted at the back of his head, shrieking to get back in the game. Now wasn’t the time or place for selfish impulse. “I’m fine.”
She lifted an eyebrow.
“I like seeing you smile.” It was only a sliver of the truth, a speck of the impact she had on his heart.
Her face glowed, the tips of her cheeks a pale pink. She glanced at Ludan, still on the ground, but poised for action. “Can we do it again?”
“That’s what we’re here for.” What he really wanted was to cart her home and practice at something much more carnal. He faced her forward. “Ludan will cover from below. I’ll stay close.”
She shot from his arms without a beat of hesitation. With every minute her movements smoothed. Her confidence radiated against his senses hot and heavy, slipping into its Myren nature as easy as a river found its course.
If she knew the type of relationship he craved
from her, would she adjust to the idea of him as easily? He shoved the idea away before it could take root and tightened his distance to Lexi. He should be focused on her training, not postulating relationship suicide.
Every task he gave her she tackled, her enthusiasm and tenacity unhindered by the realm she’d left behind. And it was rubbing off. Not just on him, but Ludan and Ramsay too if the awe-filled commentary via link was any indication. Most people balked when it came to learning to land, but Lexi? She laughed and plowed toward it like she did everything else.
Her latest approach was faster than previous landings, arms high and opened for balance.
Eryx balanced on the balls of his feet, ready to catch her if she faltered.
Her energy sputtered.
He darted forward and swept her into his arms just as her knees buckled. “I let you go too long.” His voice was gruff, the angry beat of his heart and the fact that his stomach was lodged in his throat making a lighthearted tone impossible.
Lexi draped her arms around his neck. “Hardly.” A contented sigh hummed past her lips and her head relaxed against his shoulder. “But I am tired.”
Eryx lowered her to the ground, but kept an arm around her waist. “That’s burnout. Just like you had too much before, now you’re running low. You need food and rest. Once you’ve acclimated, the extremes won’t be so great.”
Stomach rumbling in agreement, she pressed a hand against her belly. “I love it.” Huffing, she leaned over and rested her hands on her knees, and looked up at him. Her eyes twinkled and she smiled wide enough to show perfect white teeth. “For the first time in my life, I feel right. I think I could handle just about anything you throw at me today.”
Could you handle the idea of being my mate? The thought leapt up along with a growl he barely kept in check.
Lexi straightened, slow and purposeful, lines of concentration furrowing between her brows. “What was that?”
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