"You okay?" His concerned eyes searched her face.
Liliana nodded. A small thrill at being home again went through her body. It had been four years. The portal room in Legba was bright. The glass walls let in the blue skies and light from their sun. Built off the ground, everything in Legba was high enough where the green of the forest could not interfere with the beautiful sights of the sky. Their wings were useless, so their stories say the Eshu built Legba in the air to give them the feeling of flying.
Liliana was surprised when Leo did not head straight for the door leading to the transports. Trade capital for the Demis, Legba's portal building was bustling. They pushed through the crowds, passing a line of people waiting at the check-in station. The guard working stood and saluted. Leo pressed his hand to a glowing crystal, standing still for the retinal scan. The guard nodded when it changed color to purple in acceptance. They both stared at Liliana and nervously, she pressed her shaking hand on the stone, blinking as the bright laser scanned her eyes. The crystal warmed beneath her palm and turned red. Her heart stopped.
The guard looked down at his screen. Her name glowed, instructions underneath. He cleared his throat. "Mistress Marcolev, you are to be escorted immediately to the royal house."
Gods, Xavier was sending her straight to the Queen. No! Not yet, she couldn’t face him.
"I will escort her to her father's house. You can log it." Leo ordered.
The soldier looked agitated, unsure of what he should do.
"Just log it." Leo pulled Liliana behind him to the exit.
She fought to keep the relief off her face, and her breathing normal. She didn’t know how long her respite would be, but she would take it. She’d come back a failure and soon as the prince received word, he would hunt her down.
Chapter 7
LEO LOOKED DOWN at Liliana. Her hands were shaking in his grip, fine tremors moving through her body. She'd been that way since they had checked in at the portal. It tugged at protective instincts he'd long suppressed. He could understand her reluctance, he himself dreaded this trip. He hadn’t been in Legba since his mother dragged him here at the age of seventeen. Almost three centuries ago, the memory burned and he fought to push down on his fury.
He looked around the sky lift station and sighed, he hated having to check in, but it was necessary. One: he wanted the royal family to know they had arrived. He was not skulking and sneaking onto their realm. And two: never let it be said that he was afraid of the royal family or what they could do to him. Xavier's instructions to him were clear. While his brother held no fear of the Queen, the inconvenience of pissing her off was not something Xavier wanted to deal with. Seeing the way Liliana paled at the portal officer’s instruction, he couldn’t do it. His brother would be pissed, probably accuse him of once again doing things the hard way. He’d take the dressing down from his brother in order to spare his mate the fear wafting from her.
Stepping into the sky lift, he watched as Liliana punched in the code for her parent's home. Her mounting fear pulled him from his unsettling thoughts, the need to comfort her a compulsion. His hand reached automatically to rub her back. The contact with her skin tingled. She sighed and moved closer, settling her head onto his shoulder. Leo leaned down and laid a small kiss to her hair, inhaling her scent and allowing it to push away his anxiety at being back in this realm.
The ride was done in tense silence. The portal station was situated in the metropolitan area of the realm. It needed to have close access to the market square, which was central to Legba. They sped through the realm’s business districts, and the bigger buildings gave way to small neighborhoods. The Eshu neighborhoods, were large floating pods, on which multiple houses were built. Each pod was usually occupied by a family from immediate to second and sometimes third generations. Sometimes the wealthier families had individual pods for each family’s home, and a central pod on which they gathered and the children played. As the air lift continued, the groupings of houses were more sporadic, the space in between the pods where the Eshu lived wider. Leo tipped his head in curiosity, wondering how far outside of the city they would travel.
His eyebrows winged high on his forehead when the lift came to a stop. Leo took his first look at the home where Liliana grew up. The large oval structure was white with large windows from the roof to the ground. Their yard was lush, native shrubbery lining the iridescent tiles that cut a path from their front door to the air lift pad. Their house stood well apart from the others in the neighborhood, floating along its own pod. It spoke of her family’s wealth, that they were not connected to any others. It gave the family privacy and exclusivity. No one could simply ‘walk’ or stroll onto their land, they would need permission or would plunge thousands of feet in the attempt. Their nearest neighbor was barely visible on the horizon.
“You’re awfully far from your neighbors.” He kept his voice casual as he held out his hand to help her from the lift.
She grimaced. “Yeah. My father’s an only child, and he and my mother’s family don’t get along. The family pod is the one we passed a moment ago.” She pointed to the neighborhood to the east of them. If my father could be further from them, I’m sure he would be. He wanted to live in the city, closer to his investments. My mother wanted to live close to her family. This is their compromise.”
“A mansion…near the edge of the realm no one can access.”
She smiled at his dry tone. “Did I mention my father could be petty?”
"Oh Gods, Lily. We are saved." Her mother’s cry interrupted them. She descended the front steps, her stride unrushed.
In a simple long sheath of gold, Liliana’s mother was elegant. Her aqua tresses were pinned atop her head in a series of tiny braids. Gold bangles jingled on her wrist as she glided to them. Her eyes, large and tilted at the corners, glowed from her caramel face. With the push of a few buttons on the control pad in the yard, the tiles on their walkway extended, connecting the airlift pad to the front yard and bringing her the rest of the way. She grasped her daughter's hands and kissed Liliana's cheeks.
"Do you have any idea how worried we have been?" She examined his mate, her expression anxious, and relief plain on her beautiful face.
Something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Her mother made all the correct motions, said all the right words, but an air of falseness surrounded the woman. Leo wondered what she hid.
"I'm sorry, mother," Liliana whispered, tears streaming.
The sight pulled at Leo and he stepped closer to her. He slid an arm around her shoulder. Her mother stepped back and eyed him from toe to head, disdain curling her lips. Could be his human skin, or the fact he was touching her daughter, the Eshu were strict about propriety. Openly touching her daughter in public was frowned upon. Only his uniform kept her from saying the nasty words glowing in her eyes.
Leo smirked. The fireworks would fly when she realized he was her daughter's mate. Suddenly the trip was looking up. Yeah, he was petty, but anything that took his mind off of where he was, he'd take.
Her mother bent her legs in a small dip he assumed was supposed to be a curtsy. "Thank you for bringing my daughter home. If you will come in, my mate will be home soon to thank you properly."
Liliana's eyes met his entreating him not to say anything. He nodded and her mother escorted them both into the two story glass structure. A large painting of who he recognized as the lost daughter dominated the wall directly across from the front door, he gave a surreptitious look around for one of Liliana. Finding none, he made a mental note to ask Liliana about the clear preference her parents had of Kita. It could explain the falseness he felt around her mother.
The place was well kept. The Eshu nobles were known for their exquisite taste…and the tendency to show off. He could hardly see the paint on the walls through all their 'good taste'. Expensive artwork littered the table surfaces and covered the walls. Leo sat in the plush leather armchair and controlled his urge to roll his eyes at the trappings o
f wealth.
"Would you like some tea?" Her politeness was forced, her hands white knuckled in fists at her side. Evidently Liliana's mother didn't think much of him either. But then he imagined no noble would like feeling beholden to an Amanda soldier. Though they ranked high in status in most realms, the Eshu regarded anyone in service as lower.
Leo nodded and the woman turned to leave, but turned back quickly to hug her daughter once again. They were left alone and an awkward silence descended. Liliana looked at him. He could almost read the thoughts crossing her face. Doubt and fear were the clear winners as she worried her bottom lip with her teeth. She opened her mouth to speak when the door crashed open.
"Arian, is it true?" Her father rounded the corner of the room and came to a halt. "Lily, my darling." Her father crushed her into a tight hug. "You've had us worried to death. The prince and his family will be over soon to greet you."
Leo cleared his throat.
Emerald eyes the same as Liliana's stared at him from over her shoulder. An older version of her, Liliana's father had hair the same colors but muted with age. His hair, pulled back into a neat queue, revealed his narrow face and stubborn chin, the twin of his daughter's. His skin was a darker brown, its pallor dull. Worry had taken its toll on her father. Compassion welled unbidden.
"I cannot thank the Amanda enough for finding my daughter." He held out his hand.
Leo shook it, giving Liliana a pointed look.
"Sit, baba, I have news." She grabbed her father's shoulders and guided him into a chair.
Her mother rounded the corner with the tea service. "I've ordered the maid to bring in tea cakes once they’re ready."
"I'm mated." Liliana blurted.
The teakettle crashed against the tile floor, sending shards of ceramic skittering under the table and chairs. Tea splashed on the surface of a table, the leaves landing scattered in a pattern like an ominous warning.
Her mother looked down and saw the glowing Sanskrit on Liliana's wrist. "No. You would not be so reckless." Arian turned to her husband. "Evan, this can't be true. The Eminzu approved the bonding to Prince Kedric."
Evan's shoulders slumped. The resigned look on his face emphasized the wrinkles around his mouth. "Lily, even for you, this is too much."
"Baba, I didn't do this on purpose."
Leo cringed at her statement. Maybe she hadn’t done it on purpose, but the fact was, had she followed Eshu customs and remained celibate until mated, she wouldn’t be in this predicament.
Leo's eyes darted between mother and daughter. Both held a stricken expression, Arian's hair and body lit in her fury, a blue halo surrounding her body. He wondered if he would need to step in.
Arian straightened her back, rigid with anger. "I think you did exactly that. Goddess, the shame. Why can’t you do anything without embarrassing this family?" She paced the room muttering under her breath. She stopped and turned to Evan. "The Eminzu promised we would be joined with the royal family. I'll protest the mating straightaway."
Ah, he began to see the real problem. "That won't be necessary."
"Is that right? What would you know about the situation? As a matter of fact, you've done your job and escorted my daughter home. You may leave." Frost dripped from Arian's tone.
A small smiled tilted his lips. "As your daughter's mate, it's best I stay."
"Excuse you?" Arian stopped pacing. The look she gave him could cut through steel.
Leo squelched the urge to check his chest for stab marks. "Your daughter and I are mated."
Silence descended, and lasted exactly three seconds before the situation exploded.
Her parent’s shouts drowned out her apologies. She couldn't get a word in edgewise as they took turns screaming their displeasure. Oh Gods, this was bad.
"You are responsible for this, Evan. You spoiled her entirely too much." Arian shouted into her mate's face. Their magic blended, blue and yellow halos merged, battled and green sparks crackled in the air between them.
Her father brushed past her mother, pushing her aside. "Lily, do you have any idea what you've done?"
Arian slumped into a chair, her magic withdrawing. "Oh gods, we'll never be able to show our faces in public again."
"You." Evan faced Leo. "Show me your true form now."
Liliana held her breath, praying he didn’t go off on her father. Leo shrugged seemingly unconcerned and shed his human skin with a simple spell.
Her heartbeat spiked, and heat flooded her body. He stood before them shirtless in the flowing Eshu lounging pants. His chisled chest and rock hard abs made her sigh in longing. His skin was a beautiful mahogany, marbled as with most Cagyns, with hints of bronze lines flowing through his skin. Black hair flowed to the middle of his back. Every shade of black from a shade slightly darker than gray, to a color so black it was blue. The light loved his hair, playing in the midnight strands, highlighting them.
Her body heated, melted, as a fierce craving moved through her. Liliana put a hand to her stomach. Why did her chest hurt? Oh, yeah, she'd forgotten to breathe. Power tingled along her fingertips as she fought to keep her composure in front of her parents. She stepped closer to Leo, an involuntary step, her body demanding his nearness.
"The Eminzu have given you what you asked for. Your family will join with the Eshu royal house." He turned his back to them.
Her hands shook as she pushed his hair to the side. The soft downy strands flowed through her fingers and she fought the urge to wrap the length around her body. Wings covered his back, black and bronze, very dark lines from his shoulders to hips. Oh Gods, he was half Eshu. Sitting between his shoulder blades, a crown, the mark of the royal family glowed. His mixed heritage showed in his hair color and the copper colored lines that flowed throughout his skin. Cagyns as a rule were ebony skinned with jet black hair.
“Gods above, he’s half Cagyn, how do we know didn’t-”
“Arian, stop it.” Evan sliced a hand in the air to cut off her mother. “They are marked. Pheromones or not, the Eminzu wouldn’t have marked them if they were not meant to be together.”
She licked her lips, tuning out her parents arguing. “Why… why didn’t you tell me?” Her voice trembled, confusion and shock taking turns with the butterflies in her stomach.
“You’re not the only one running from family duty.” His voice carried no further than her.
“Oh Gods.”
Her mother’s hoarse whisper spun her around. Her father stood with his mouth open. He wiped a hand across his face. Guilt stabbed Liliana. She’d put those worry lines on her father’s face. Would he forgive her for this?
Evan cleared his throat. “I’ll contact the royal family. The di êjê must take place immediately, the new moon is barely three weeks away.”
“What has happened?” Arian sat on the edge of the sofa, her eyes dull with shock.
Her father started to leave, but turned back, with a weary sigh. “Who are you? I don’t know you, or your family name." He closed his eyes. "My baby is to be bonded to a man I know nothing about.”
His weary tone ripped her apart. How did everything go so wrong?
“I am Leonalph Tegan.”
Her heart stuttered, and she reached blindly for a chair. She plunked down as her knees gave out. Oh Gods. She didn't think… she'd forgotten about the king's illegitimate son. Foolishly when she saw the crown, she'd thought of a cousin, but never…
Her family was done. There would be no living this down.
Arian gasped. Her eyes speared Evan, her finger shaking, pointing in accusation. “Liliana is your daughter. You allowed her too much freedom and this is the result. We'll be ostracized.”
“Arian, hush and go make plans for a di êjê befitting our station. My wealth assures we will not be put out of society.” Her father was one of the richest merchants on Legba, which guaranteed the ceremony would have to be a large affair. There’d be no brushing this under the rug. She lowered her head, how she wished Leo had bound them at H
aven.
With one last look at Liliana, Arian did as bid, leaving the room with a ruffle of skirts.
“Baba,” she whispered, aching to find a way to fix this.
Her father ignored her, instead, his attention wholly on Leo. “You are Leonalph, Death’s Messenger, and the king's bastard?”
She flinched at her father’s callous question. Leo’s sharp nod was his only answer.
“And your brother, Xavier is leader of the Amanda?”
“He is.” Pride straightened his shoulders and Liliana's heart contracted, squeezing painfully as a rush of longing pervaded her body.
She didn't think it possible for her to be more attracted to him as he stood before her father unapologetic for who he was.
“Then my daughter is in good hands. We will not shame you with the di êjê.” He turned to her. “And you…” Evan shook his head, a heavy sigh moving his shoulders. “For once act appropriately and show your mate to the sleeping quarters he’ll be using until you're mated. Though, it seems that ship has sailed.”
Liliana blinked. Her father's words stung. He'd never in her life raised his voice or said a harsh word to her. His disappointment shamed her. It was no less than she deserved though. Because of her recklessness, her family would be cast out of the society her mother relished. Embarrassment, anger and heat burned her cheeks.
She motioned for Leo to follow her and walked stiffly down the hallway she'd romped through as a child. This was really happening. She would be mated, and for all intents and purposes she knew nothing about Leo. He was Death's Messenger, one of the most powerful hunters in all seven realms. Gods, just the thought of it made her faint. How could she not put that together when she saw him in the office with his brother? How could she keep up with him? He would run her life. She’d be no better off with him, than with the prince. And her family's money would give her no leverage with him. His family ran the Amanda, and had done so for as long as written history dictated. Their wealth far outweighed her father’s.
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