“Sure I can. What do you usually eat for breakfast?”
“You choose.” I squeezed the thin feather mattress as he stepped back and ’ported.
Right, the outhouse.
I strolled outside and gawked as the rain fell. Large, fat drops splattered into my palm as I held it out from under the eaves of the small porch.
Oh, amazing.
Fresh water.
I sipped it. Across the small clearing, two other closed-up cabins sat, surrounded by giant pines.
Above, a lush green canopy drooped under the weight of the night’s rainfall and tree trunks glistened as water streamed down their sides. Everywhere, so much water.
In the distance, the river roared.
As I jumped off the top step, water splashed over the bottoms of my jeans and toes.
I was away, twirling around and skipping toward the river so close.
Dirt and grass squished around my feet, and I grinned as I came out from under the trees. White water tumbled over wide gray boulders and rocks. Oh, this was not the idle outback river I was used to. No. This was an art form in motion, nature at its most chaotic, singing of life.
I scrambled over the slick rocks at the sides and stood on the highest point, mesmerized by the pounding water and the spray coating my bare arms.
The water pebbled as I tickled my fingers over my skin. More. I wanted more.
Beaming, I looked over the rapids. Dad would be experiencing a forewarning if I shouldn’t be here. I’d always had an affinity for water, despairing over the outback’s drought, yet I took every opportunity to swim wherever possible in Dralion. “Dad, you know I’m a super strong swimmer, and I can’t miss this.”
I waited, jiggling about.
No one appeared, not Dad to forestall me, nor a warrior he’d sent.
I was good to go.
I dove, and the current shot me to the surface. Water dumped over my head then swelled under and tossed me back up. Over and over, I was volleyed about.
I giggled whenever I broke for air, and my squeals echoed all around. It was bliss. Goldie should be here to enjoy the fun. She would love this.
I gulped rain-scented air while the scenery rushed past. An occasional deer flashed by, prancing along the bank, drinking from the surging water. The rumbling, gushing river raced me down the valley. As the forest vanished, cattle grazed in glistening pastures below a blue sky dotted with gray bubbling clouds.
What a sight. If only this stormy weather would hit the station.
The station? Heck, I had work and I should be there.
I eyed the river ahead. An area pooled to one side. I had to make that. Kicking out, I headed away from the center. Finally, I made the shallows. I splashed about as I found my feet, the rocky bed sharp. “Ouch.” I jumped as the stones cut the underside of my foot.
I dragged myself onto the sandy shore and flopped onto my back. My jeans clung to my legs, and the borrowed shirt had been stretched beyond repair.
“There. You. Are.”
Goldie’s tone was low and her gaze intimidating as she stood over me. Next to her Dad stood, his arms crossed and his thick black leather coat flapping heavily around his ankles.
“Hey.” Okay, I was in trouble.
Two sets of violet eyes, the exact shade as mine, mirrored frustration. Dad stepped forward and lent me a hand. “I watched.”
He drew me up, and I wobbled as I kept off my sore foot. “Is the protector, Silas Carver, the one you want?” he asked.
Goldie hissed in a sharp breath. “No, Hope. The plan was to get Saunder’s father then go your separate ways. What happened to the plan?”
“It’s gotten a little lost.” I glanced between the two of them. “Neither of you can hurt Silas. He’s the other half of my soul and you know how deep the–”
“No, no, no,” Goldie snapped. “You said you were ending it.”
Dad grunted. “It’s not possible, Goldie. Hope holds the skill of mind-merge as her sister does. I had forewarning days ago which I couldn’t speak of, and as we’ve now discovered, Faith can’t survive more than three days without merging her mind with Loveria’s. The same goes for Hope. Death follows, and damn it, both my daughters now hold this rare skill.”
Goldie paced. “Argh, so that’s why you allowed her to meet the protector.”
Well, wasn’t this a lovely family reunion. “Ah, perhaps I should point out there is some good news in all of this.”
“And that would be?” Goldie kicked at the pebbles lining the river’s edge.
“I have a skill, which means there might be more to come. I will also document all I’m learning on mind-merge. Which is now firsthand. It can’t all be doom and gloom. I won’t allow it.”
Dad tilted his blond head. “I do feel you hold the key. That emotion came through strongly during my first forewarning. Obviously, we can do nothing about the protector. I would never stand in your way as Donaldo stood between your mother and me. We’ll have to hide your relationship with Carver, as we do for Faith.”
Goldie gritted her teeth. “This is such a mess, Alexo.”
“I know.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “But we are keeping the news contained to just a few. Maslin, Lieska and Guy Moyer. Faith searches for Guy’s father and our other captured warriors as she can, provided Guy keeps quiet. Which he will. I too have spoken to him since Lieska did.”
Goldie nodded. “They are all loyal.”
“Although, the less who know, the better.” Dad regarded me. “I would dearly love to know where you disappear to soon, but my forewarning only shows I lose sight of you, along with the strong feeling that it must happen.” He pulled me into his arms. “Take the utmost care.”
“I will,” I said, my words muffled by his shirt.
He eased back, taking my arms. “I see Carver searching for you now, but before I go, you should know your mother still adapts to our world and I can’t be far from her side.”
“Why do you wait to tell her of me?” There must be more, and it frustrated me that I didn’t know.
He exhaled, ever so slowly. “She has gone through so much since her arrival in Dralion. She’s been spellbound and can never return to Earth. Then there’s all that’s happened to Faith, with your sister’s mated bond to Loveria and near death because we were unaware her skill could kill. Kate now knows her mother, Katerin Sol, took her to Earth, abandoning her so far away from her Magioling people. The news shook her.” He paused, rubbing his jaw. “When I first found Kate on Earth she’d just spent eighteen years in an orphanage. All she wanted was a family of her own to love, and I longed to give her that, no matter the length of time we had together.”
“Did you always know it wouldn’t be long?”
He squeezed his eyes shut then opened them again. “I cannot have visions of myself, and I made the mistake of telling Donaldo about Kate. From that moment, the risks to her became obvious. Donaldo would never allow me to have an Earthling for a wife and weaken our skilled line. He’d never harm a child of mine, although your mother’s death was a certainty in order to see me married to another. He wanted full-blooded heirs, which is why I hid my comings and goings to Earth. Except, your grandfather caught on.”
“Oh.” I understood.
“I couldn’t expose Kate’s whereabouts to Donaldo. As my soul-bound mate, her protection came first. I also had to take care not to activate the blood-bond between you girls and me. That link is as strong as the mated relationship except your bound one holds your soul. I held off, deciding to leave the moment you were born, and I watched your birth with my forethought from close by.
He pushed a hand deep into his hair. “Only, I did not see your death until it was too late. You were so tiny, so cold, and I had to take you with me. I chose that moment to bring you home and to bury you somewhere close to me.”
Arms shaking, I hugged him. “You saved my life by doing so. I’ve always known that.”
“I should have returned you to your
mother when you took your first breath. Except your heart was so weak, and I wasn’t sure what another teleport jump would do.”
“I know, and my mother had Faith. She did not need us both.” The depth of our blood-bond drove my need to ease his pain now. Dad had loved and raised me by his own hand.
“Faith was born with a minor form of the blockage you had. The doctors operated on your sister after your death. They did not want to see Kate lose both her babies.”
I gasped. “Tell me everything.”
He looked skyward. “Carver is searching, but I will speak of what I can. After Faith’s eighteenth, when her forethought developed, I knew I’d been given a highly skilled child. I’ve always believed you girls to be Halflings and I had not expected such a thing. But the mated bond had prevailed and given me a child with full-strength. Donaldo would accept that, because our line would continue strongly. When Faith came into her skill of mind-merge, one that’s not carried within our Wincrest line, we knew Kate was not of Earth.”
“I see.” My mother had been abandoned, left in an orphanage on a foreign world, never knowing where her family had come from. “How did Faith come to be with Loveria?”
“He tracked her through their mated bond, and before I knew she held the highest strength skills. At the time, I still kept my distance. Within days, he’d laid claim to her. I couldn’t reverse what was already done.”
“Their bond had taken.”
“Yes, it develops fast, as you’re discovering. Even Carver cannot set your mated relationship aside. He hunts for you now.”
I rubbed my chest. “He said we have a non-relationship. I can’t push him for more. I don’t even want to.”
“Davio Loveria hides Faith’s true identity. He cleared Peacio of Donaldo’s spies to ensure Faith could safely travel here, but Faith stays low. She doesn’t venture too far from the castle or from Loveria, and she heeds my warnings. It’s imperative you do the same. Never take your safety for granted here. Donaldo has sent more spies into the lower ranks of our enemy protectors. Right now they seek acceptance where they can.”
It could take months or upward to a year for them to gain access. I’d entered a battlefield. “I’ll be careful.”
“Good.” He squeezed my arms as he stepped back. “Carver’s pursuit is closing in. Goldie and I must leave.”
Goldie groaned as she hugged me. “With these changes, I’ll need to talk to Maslin and Lieska. Guy too. I expect you at the station soon.”
“Yes, I’ll be there.” I shivered as the wind picked up and my sodden clothing clung to my skin.
Her lips flattened into a tight white line as she glanced toward the forest upstream. “I hear horses. Carver must have bought reinforcements.”
“Go. Silas and I need to talk.” Three horses galloped free of the trees two-hundred feet away, two men and a woman riding. “I’ll be fine.”
Dad held Goldie’s arm. “Carver will watch over Hope.” To me, he said, “We will talk soon. By the way, there is a mess in your hair.”
They flashed away.
I felt my head, my fingers catching in a mass of tangles. Oh, so now he tells me. With a low growl, I plucked out bits of leaves and pine needles. Yuck. No girl wanted to look her worst. As the female rider closed in, I flicked the debris to the ground.
Dark brown hair blew over her shoulders, inky, skintight pants encased her legs and a leather vest covered a ruffled white shirt. She wore knee-high, black leather boots and a sword belted at her side. She pulled her horse up in front of me. “Silas told the truth. Faith does have a twin. An identical one.”
“Apparently.” I eyed her. She was a protector and I was the enemy. That I would never forget.
The second horseman rode in, his animal snorting. This protector was huge, broad-shouldered and dressed as most of their battle-hardened were in dark leathers. He gripped his horse’s reins, stilling him with one simple command as he glowered at me then the woman at his side. “Another Wincrest, Viv. We should kill this one before Silas gets here.”
They drew their swords.
“Put your weapons away!” Silas bellowed as he thundered in. He slid to the ground then stood firmly in front of me as he faced the others. “Zac, Wincrest or not, she is still the other half of my soul. You will never harm a hair on her head.”
The protector grunted. “She is a true Wincrest. Unlike Faith, this one grew up in Dralion.”
“I get that.”
I stepped in beside Silas, spearing him a look. “Why’d you bring them?”
Waving a torn piece of cloth, he said, “I found this from your t-shirt upstream, snagged around a rock. I thought the worst and needed reinforcements to search for you. Zac and Viv are loyal friends.” He pulled off his dark leather jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders then zipped it up. “You shouldn’t have moved from the cabin. It’s my job to keep you safe.”
Encased in warmth all the way to my knees, I sucked in a deep breath. “I’m not a job.” I found the armholes from within my leather cocoon and shoved my hands through. The sleeves swamped me.
“You feel like one.” He rolled one cuff to the wrist, and then the other. “Zac and Viv know who Faith is.”
“I got that part.” While hauling my damp hair free of the collar, I found another small twig and flicked it to the ground. “You still didn’t have to search for me.”
“I had no choice. You were missing when I returned. Anything could have happened.”
“Like what?”
“You could have drowned.”
“Huh, with a father who has forewarning? That’s so unlikely as to be impossible.”
He took the edges of my collar and brought us nose to nose. “Your father never warned you off me. So far, in my opinion, he’s not of the right mind.”
“I think we both remember I have mind-merge, which is why we’re together. He’s not so dumb after all now, huh?”
Viv laughed. “Oh, she’s good. She has a bite to her tongue. Faith will like her.”
“Will those two truly keep our secret? I don’t trust protectors.”
“They are loyal, without a doubt.”
Zac cleared his throat. “I will accept your presence because you are his mate. That is the only reason.”
Viv jumped to the ground and crossed to me. “Silas told us of your ability to mind-merge. We understand a little of your skill because Faith holds it.”
Zac groaned, rather loudly. “I can’t believe we have to deal with two Wincrests now. What did we do to deserve this?”
“Excuse Zac,” Viv said to me. “My mate is barely used to Faith. It will take him some time to adapt to you as well.”
“No one needs to get used to me. I am a Wincrest, after all.”
Silas caught me around the waist, and drew me toward his horse. “Let’s get you back.” He caged me between the animal and him then bent to my ear. “Merge your mind with mine.”
Merging, I sank deep into my space, finding more comfort than I could have imagined. It was bliss in his mind. “I like swimming. The water calls to me.”
“I see you’re fascinated by it.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead as he reached past me and grabbed his horse’s reins. “Let’s return to the castle rather than the cabin. Faith was there last night but left for school this morning, so all is clear.” He swung up into his saddle and offered his hand.
I put my hand in his and he drew me up in front of him. The breeze stirred my drying hair, and I raised my face to the sunshine streaming through the broken layer of clouds. “This is a lovely spot.”
Arms wrapped around me, he held the reins. “It’s one of my favorite places.” He called to Zac and Viv. “My mate needs to warm up. We’ll meet you at the castle.” He nudged the horse’s flanks and snapped the reins. We were off, heading across the grassy green field dotted with tiny yellow flowers.
The cattle bawled as we skirted in and around them.
Sinking deeper into his mind, I smiled as the wind rush
ed at me. “Alexo and Goldie came to the river.”
“You were in trouble then?” His question was demanding, his voice raspy.
“No, not in the way you mean.” Turning, I glanced at him. “Alexo fully explained what happened at the time of my birth. His words reassured me and gave me a deeper understanding of what he went through, of why he still needs more time before speaking to my mother.”
Silas pushed me down in the saddle then wrapped his arms around me and the horse’s neck. “I see. Speak to me after I ’port us back. You don’t fast-heal and I won’t have you getting a cold.”
He made the leap, galloping smoothly from one grassy meadow to another, the blast of added speed from the horse making my pulse jump. “I love that. I wish I could ’port.”
The castle loomed high on the hill, puffy cotton-ball clouds breezing overtop a massive, gray, stone wall. Loveria Castle spread over several acres, and Silas urged his horse toward the northern end, where a twin-towered gatehouse stood three-stories high.
Underneath the curved archway we rode, and into an inner courtyard. He slowed as we neared a tidy run of stone stables. Zac and Viv rode in beside us, having also ’ported.
Silas eased back and slid from the saddle as he brought his horse to a halt. He passed the reins to a young stable hand and thanked him. “The gravel is sharp and you’re not wearing any footwear. I’ll help you down.”
“I can handle it.”
“Don’t argue.” He lifted me off.
“I like arguing.” I tapped his nose.
“Silas,” Zac called out. “Viv and I are heading to the arena for training. We’ll catch up with you later.”
“Sure thing.” Silas waved to them as he led me to a side entrance. To me, he said, “Don’t speak to anyone I don’t authorize you to, particularly the sentry guards.”
Stationed at the base of the stone steps to the castle, a protector stood, military-still. His dark hair was clipped close to his scalp and a scrolled engraving of the letter P was tattooed down the side of his neck, the tail end of the letter disappearing beneath the neckline of his vested white shirt. Over both biceps, throwing knives were strapped, and poking from his right boot a polished dagger gleamed. He nodded at Silas as he guided me inside.
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