by Amy Miles
“Do you want to return home?” He asks over the top of my head.
When in his arms I find myself hating the weight of the responsibility that I feel. Although I realize the world will continue to revolve without my immediate help, I do know that certain things need to be done in a specific order and timeframe. The longer we linger here, despite the fact that it is entirely within our rights to do so, I know the workload will only mount. Aminah, Zahra and Toren will be doing their best to keep everything running smoothly, but there is only so far their official authority can stretch without my presence.
I place my lips against his chest in a gentle kiss, just over his heart. “You know me too well,” I whisper.
His arms tighten around me for a quick squeeze. He lingers, seeming to be unwilling to step away. “I’m going to miss this.”
“You’ll be near me at all times,” I laugh.
“Not like this,” he murmurs into my hair. “I don’t like to share.”
“I know.” The past week has been a blur, filled with happiness, laughter and the near constant union of our love. It has been perfect.
“Just promise me we can come back again soon.” Eamon reaches down to lift my chin so he can brush his lips against mine.
I instantly feel my resolve waver as my knees grow weak. Am I crazy to want to leave early? To give up these precious few moments we can have without tripping over well-meaning guards or fighting to snatch a kiss in a vacant room before I’m whisked off to another meeting?
“I can’t,” I whisper, hating the way the light in his eyes dulls with regret. I reach up and lock my arms around his neck, holding him close. “Right now is a precarious time for us. We need to firmly establish the new order before I disappear again. I hear Rome wasn’t built in a day, and I’m pretty sure its leaders didn’t trot off for a vacation when things got hectic.”
Eamon’s upper lip tucks behind his lower one, creating an endearing pout. “I’m beginning to think you don’t enjoy spending time with me.”
“Hardly.” I trail off as the sobering feeling that has been plaguing my dreams seeps back in. “I just feel like we need to be home right now. Something is coming and whether you or Kyan agree with me, I know it’s something big.”
“Big and bad no doubt,” he mutters, lowering his hands to lace them behind my back. “That usually seems to be the way of things for us.”
I nod, knowing all too well just how true that statement is. “Everyone is looking to me to lead them. What if I can’t do it?”
Eamon’s warm smile chases away the chilling fear that threatens to immobilize me. “You’re not alone in this. I’ll be right here by your side, ready to help in any way that I can.”
“I just wish I could stop worrying.”
With a smirk, Eamon twines his fingers through mine and begins to draw me back toward the bed. By now the covers have slumped completely onto the floor but I don’t care as I step over their silken layers and allow Eamon to pull me down beside him. His caress is gentle yet I can feel his restraint as he trails his fingers along my cheekbone.
“I think I can help with that,” he whispers as he presses his lips against the sensitive skin of my neck. As I roll my head back, closing my eyes to savor each touch, I realize just how right he is.
TWO
Calisted has a very distinctive scent, one filled with blooming flowers and the sweet hint of caramelized candy on the air. As I walk down the ramp from our craft I breathe in deep and feel instantly right again. This is my home now, for better or worse.
Eamon’s hand tightens around mine as he draws me close. I can’t help but wonder if this is the last moment of privacy we will have in the coming days. I am sure to have a pile of paperwork on my desk and assistants ready to badger me to death with appointments, but for now I do not care. I still have these final few moments of freedom.
“Kyan will be furious that we didn’t inform him of our early arrival,” my husband muses, pressing his lips to my temple.
“No doubt I’m in for a stern lecture on security protocol.” I wind my arms around his back and press into him, savoring the memories of our time together. Night has fallen heavily around us. I can feel the damp dew from the grass beginning to cling to the hem of my dress. Moisture seeps through the thin fabric of my slippers as I rise up to press a kiss against the corner of his lips. “It will be worth it to see Aminah’s face when we waltz in unexpected.”
Eamon smiles. He knows that part of my drive to return tonight had everything to do with surprising our friends. It is Toren and Aminah’s anniversary—unofficial of course, since they have yet to set a date for the wedding. My mood dampens a bit at the reminder of how they have put their lives on hold for me these past few months, and they aren’t alone. Zahra and Kyan have postponed their union as well for the greater good. Although Zahra hasn’t come right out and said anything, I can sense her unspoken frustration, though it does give evidence of how much she has grown as a person over the past year. In times past Zahra would have made sure the entire city knew she was upset.
Clasping Eamon’s hand tightly, I draw him away from the craft. We landed beyond the walls of the palace, in a clearing not far from the private beach that I have claimed as my own. I go there as often as I am able just to be alone, to think, to search into the void that is my future. It is a rare treat to be able to look upon the lavender waves that lap against the pristine white shores. At first it was hard to erase Aloysius’ memory from this place, but over time I have replaced those memories with new ones.
“We need to reward our friends,” I say as I keep pace with Eamon’s long strides. Now that we have returned I can tell that he is anxious to be home as well. Normally we would never make this long trek on foot. I long to sit astride Edana, the one gift that I actually kept from my time with my deceased husband. The Inara are beautiful winged horses that appear to have leaped off the very pages of ancient Greek mythology and into being. My Edana is the finest animal I have ever known. An ache in my chest begins to grow at the thought of letting her run full out, my hair lashing against my cheeks. She makes me feel free.
“How so?” Eamon asks, drawing me back to the present.
I scrunch up my nose, thinking. After a moment an idea strikes me that I can’t ignore. “A double wedding!” I yank him to a halt and wait for him to turn to look at me. “Oh, Eamon it would be perfect! Our friends deserve the same happiness that we have. It could be our gift to them.”
I watch as Eamon begins to nod but I can tell it’s not in agreement; more that he is trying to roll the idea around in his mind. Finally he settles into a frown. “Toren and Aminah might be able to pull it off, but you know Kyan would never allow it. He is too rigid about protecting you. That man won’t take a day off for the rest of his life!”
A sly grin draws my lips. “Unless I command it.”
Eamon blinks and then begins to laugh. “Oh, you are devious.” He pinches my side before tugging me forward. I follow his lead with a skip in my step, sure that I will be able to convince Kyan.
“No. Absolutely not,” Kyan roars the following morning. His voice echoes off the towering stone walls of his office with enough volume to wake any who may yet still be asleep in this wing of the palace. “First you sneak in here without any warning, which I might add was a very foolish thing for Eamon to allow you to do, and now you expect me to run off on a honeymoon and leave you unguarded? You know it’s not possible, so why even bring up the matter?”
With my arms crossed over my chest and my foot tapping out a staccato of growing annoyance, I frown back at him. “Don’t you want to take Zahra away? You know she would love it more than anything.”
“Of course I do.”
“Then why are you denying her this one thing? She has been patient, and we both know that is a huge task for someone like her.”
Kyan smirks and nods in instant agreement. Zahra has always had a temper, especially when it comes to love. Whether she was bickering with me
over Eamon’s affections or challenging Kyan in front of a room filled with people about being late for a date night in Calahorra, she has always made her opinions clearly known.
“I know that you are bonded, and on this planet that is as good as being married, but Zahra isn’t from this planet. At least not originally. Weddings allow a girl to have one day to dress up and feel special.”
My friend rolls his eyes as he shifts in his seat to straighten a stack of papers. I press my hand down upon them and refuse to budge until he glances up at me. “You may think it is a foolish gesture, but I guarantee you that Zahra wants this. The girl has been playing wedding dress up for as long as I can remember. Are you really willing to take this special moment away from her?”
Kyan sighs and sinks back into his chair, forgetting his pressing work for the time being. I realize as he rubs his forehead that he looks as if he has aged since I came into power. The stress on him is far greater than even I realized. I shift to walk around his great wooden desk, trailing my fingers across its glossy surface before I sink down before him. I place my hands upon his knees and wait for him to look at me.
“You are tired. I can see it written in the lines on your face and the stoop of your shoulders. You need a break, Kyan.” I smile up at him, filled with gratitude for his loyalty. “Let me give you this time to rest and have some fun. All I ask for is a week. One tiny week. What good will you be to me if you run yourself into the ground, after all?”
Kyan snorts and curls his fingers around the armrests of his chair. He stares at me with a knowing gaze. We have spent enough time together to no longer need to look into each other’s thoughts to know what the other is thinking. “I knew you would make an excellent queen. Your ability to twist circumstances to your own purpose is brilliant.”
I grin and sink back onto my heels. “I learned from the best.”
My friend dips his head in acknowledgement though I know the battle is not won yet. “I will see to all of the arrangements. All you have to do is show up and look devilishly handsome. Eamon can stand in as best man for both of you and I can be the flower girl who obnoxiously chucks petals at the guests instead of the floor.”
A wry smile crosses his face, brightening the dullness in his eyes. I hate to see him like this, a ghost of the man I once knew. The burden he bears is far too great. I must find someone else to help cover some of his tasks. Maybe I should speak with Carleon this afternoon.
“You really feel strongly about this?”
I nod. “Yes, I do. You know Zahra and Aminah would be thrilled to have a double wedding. We can do something small, something intimate that won’t attract a lot of attention. We can invite close friends and family.” I can already begin to feel my excitement brewing at the thought of planning this wedding. I know all too well how dearly my friends long for this special day and I’ll be darned if my hard headed friend will find a way to weasel out. “Both you and Toren have waited long enough. Besides, it’s time you settled down and started a family.”
“Whoa.” He raises his hands in defense. “I’m not that old, Illyria. No one is talking about babies anytime soon.”
I laugh, amused at my friend’s panic. “I’m just saying it is an option.”
“I know.” He swivels back and forth in his chair, contemplating. “Things have been fairly quiet on the outer rim.”
“See.” I jump at the chance to prove myself right. “What better time to go away when there is nothing going on?”
Kyan’s brow furrows. “There is always something going on, Illyria.”
I bite on my lower lip, scolding myself for allowing this backslide. “Perhaps, but you know that Eamon and I will both see an attack before it happens and I think I’ve proven that I can take care of myself numerous times.”
His smile returns although this time I can see that it is slightly pained. “Yes, though I pray that you never have need to tap into your powers again.”
I grasp my skirts and rise, knowing that I should already be in a council meeting. I suppose that is the benefit of being me. The meeting can’t begin until I am present. “Two weeks, Kyan. That’s more than enough time to get your fill of security training drills and a horde of men in place. I’ll even succumb to a personal body guard for one week if it will convince you to go.”
A shadow appears to cross Kyan’s face. I hesitate, confused by his sudden withdrawal. I half expect him to flat out refuse my offer but he surprises me by nodding. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good.” I smile, knowing that if he were to glance up at me he would see triumph gleaming from my goofy grin, but he does not. Instead, he keeps his gaze turned downward as I slip out of the room. I hardly think he even notices my departure.
I pause just outside his door, listening as his chair squeaks when he leans. I hear his fingers upon the keyboard that is hidden in a drop down compartment in the center of his desk. The hum of the monitor draws me back toward the doorway. I peer around the corner, grateful to see Kyan has turned to face the screen, leaving me an uninhibited view.
The screen flickers around the edges, distorted for a moment before coming into clarity. A young man with a strong jaw and slicked back hair bows when he appears before Kyan. When my friend speaks, his voice sounds strained. “I need to speak with him, and Callum...don’t let him tell you no this time.”
THREE
Tears well along my lower eyelids as I stare at my best friend. Aminah turns slowly in front of a floor-length mirror, staring at each fine detail of her dress. Her hair has been drawn up off her neck with elegant pearl studded combs. Soft tendrils of hair fall about her face, brushing against her cheeks. A pale gloss coats her lips and lavender shadows her eyes.
“You are stunning,” I whisper as I step forward to take my friend’s hand and help her step off the raised platform. Aminah’s form fitting white dress shimmers like diamonds as she dips low to tuck her feet into her heels.
“I feel amazing,” she whispers as she rises back up, now three inches taller than before. Her cheeks are flushed a natural pink from delight. Her hands boast the tiniest quiver to them.
“As you should.” I can’t seem to stop grinning as I pull her close and wrap my arms about her. Countless memories from our life on Earth flood back into my mind. Apart from Eamon, Aminah was the only one who was there for me. The one with the kind, gentle heart that I know will someday open to embrace a small child of her own. I’ve always known Aminah would be a great mother. Being able to look into the future and see her four children at her side is a priceless gift, one that I gave to her just a short time ago.
Tears of joy had streaked from my best friend’s eyes as I shared the mental image with her. Zahra had been slightly annoyed that I damaged all of her intricate work on Aminah’s make-up but neither of us paid her any mind.
“Thank you,” Aminah whispers as she hugs me tight. “For everything.”
I release my friend and step back, forced to dab at my puffy eyes yet again. “Look at us,” I laugh as I look in the mirror. “The guys are going to think we are a sobbing mess when we walk down that aisle.”
“It’s true.”
I reach out and grasp a small golden box that I brought with me. It is only slightly bigger than the palm of my hand. Beautiful jewels inlaid in the lid sparkle in the late afternoon light that spills in through the window. “I got you a gift.”
“Oh,” she shakes her head, grinning from ear to ear, “you didn’t have to do that.”
“Please,” I wave her off as I offer the box to her. She glances at me once before she opens the lid and I’m rewarded with a look of pure excitement. I knew this day, this gift, this moment would be perfect.
Now all I can hope is that Kyan will rein himself in long enough not to spoil it for everyone. I had to send Eamon out to find Kyan less than half an hour ago. Eamon reported back that he found the preoccupied groom on the back veranda giving final instructions to the guard he selected for me. Although I am yet again grateful
for Kyan’s thoroughness, I am also amused at his inability to give over control. And Eamon says I’m a control freak!
Aminah’s breath catches as she sets the box aside and draws out the delicate sapphire bracelet that matches perfectly with the coin sized jewel resting in the hollow of her neck that Toren gave her on their anniversary two weeks prior.
“It’s gorgeous,” she whispers, running her fingertips over the smooth stones.
“It is customary for a bride to have something new and something blue on her wedding day. I felt that it was only right to bring a small slice of Earth’s tradition back today.”
Tears slip past Aminah’s closed eyes as she clutches the bracelet close. I smile, pleased that my friend likes her gift so much, but after a moment I realize that her tears have continued to fall.
“Aminah?” I step forward and reach out to her. “Are you alright?”
“Yes,” she whispers, wiping at her tears. “I’m fine. I just…I feel a bit out of sorts at the moment.”
“Oh,” I pat her arm as I pull the bracelet from her grasp and clasp it around her slender wrist, “that is perfectly natural on your wedding day. I thought I was going to be ill all over the planter of tiger lilies just outside the throne room before I walked down the aisle to meet Eamon.”
Aminah’s curls bounce against her face as she shakes her head. “No, it’s something more than that. I have the most curious feeling.”
My hand stills on her wrist. The bracelet falls free from my grasp, swinging in place but I don’t release her hand. “What sort of feeling?”
Feelings are something that I no longer take lightly. Growing up in the woods, I learned to listen to my gut instinct. Then later when I developed the ability to read thoughts and see the future I discovered an even deeper need to pay attention to odd feelings.