Because in two seconds flat, I was delirious.
Belle coughed. “Okay, you two. I have to put an end to this. It’s dangerous for an empath to be saturated in your overabundant kinds of feelings. It makes me get all mushy when I don’t have a mate to get mushy with.”
I stared into Davio’s eyes. “You want to tell me how you slaughtered Silas then?”
“I did no such thing.” He grinned and it was such a telling lie.
Drat. I should have been watching him with my forethought. No scrub that, perhaps I should have been watching my adult parents. Maybe I should zip home for a moment and check on Mum. Argh, I couldn’t do that. I needed to fight the urge and leave them be for a bit longer. I clamped my teeth together.
“Hey.” Davio ran his finger under my chin. “Why the sour look?”
“Ah, nothing.” Couldn’t exactly delve into any of that. I wrinkled my nose. “I can smell dinner. Silvie did say ten minutes and that time’s about up.”
“I’ll take a quick shower first. Tell her I won’t be long, and behave while I’m gone.” He swatted my backside and turned, orders once again dispersed.
Only I followed him and I couldn’t stop myself.
Belle snatched my arm as she caught up. “The dining room’s this way.”
I looked in the direction I wanted to go, toward Davio’s room and that shower. Grumbling at Belle, I muttered, “Davio needs to send you back to Peacio. Pronto. I can’t see what use you are here anymore.”
She laughed as she yanked me behind her.
At the kitchen bench, Silas lifted his head, arrowing a look at me.
I smiled. “Ah, Silas. It’s a shame you fast-heal.” I just couldn’t help myself.
A grunt. “I’m also sneaky so watch out.”
Silvie pursed her lips and flicked him in the arm with a tea towel. “Go and sit down.” She walked up to me. “And you, you promised me this morning we’d talk.”
I took the seat next to hers, inhaling the smell of cooked beef plated right under my nose. “This looks wonderful.”
“I made cupcakes for desert.”
I grinned. “No wonder I haven’t seen you all afternoon. I’ve been busy studying by the way.”
“Cooking is my form of study.” She was right, for her grades were already there, and her acceptance a given for the university’s food technology course.
“There’s no change in your plans for next year?” We’d always talked about studying at the same campus, just different courses.
“Nope.”
“I apologize for keeping everyone waiting.” Davio eased into the leather-backed seat at the head, then he arched a brow and looked down the table at me. With his jaw smooth and shaved, his white button-down shirt pressed to perfection, he looked better than cupcakes. “Is there a reason you’re seated so far away from me?”
“Ah.” I tapped my fingers on the varnished tabletop. “Silvie and I are catching up.”
He folded his arms and gave a quick nod. “Then let’s eat.”
Lifting the fork to my lips, the scent of spiced pumpkin and baby potatoes with rich dark gravy drizzled over the roast beef, made my mouth water.
“We’re leaving.”
“Dad?” I held my fork steady. “You have the worst timing. How’s Mum? And leave for where?” Oh, my father couldn’t mean Dralion? Surely not so soon.
Belle squeezed my hand from beside me. “What’s wrong?” she whispered in my ear.
“Give me a minute.”
She shrugged and picked up her water glass.
“I asked about Mum.” I straightened in my chair. “Is she okay?”
“Kate’s fine or at least as fine as can be in these trying circumstances. But as I said, we’re leaving.”
“Mum’s agreed to go? Like right now?”
“She’s wary, but I’ve assured her she can speak to you first. We’ll meet in my apartment. Don’t be long.”
“I can tell when someone’s chatting telepathically with another.” Silvie set her cutlery down with a glare. “That had to be your father since he’s the only one, other than Belle, who you’ve created a link with. What does Wincrest want now?”
I scrunched up my face as everyone around the table stared at me.
I hated this.
“C’mon, speak to me,” she urged.
“It’s not so bad.” I looked at my food, and my stomach did a slow dive.
I’d known this moment would come, but having it arrive so quickly, well, I wasn’t quite ready for it. I dragged in a deep breath. “My mother’s agreed to go. She needs to speak to me.”
The chair at the head of the table scraped and I closed my eyes as Davio gripped my shoulders from behind. “To Dralion. When?”
Holding on with every fiber of my soul, I spread my mind deeper through my mate’s. “You knew this was going to happen, just as you know I can return. My father promised that would be so.”
“A damn Wincrest’s promise.” He pulled out my chair, all four legs gouging into the wooden floorboards.
Once on my feet, I spun and met his darkened gaze. “You were okay with this all earlier today. We compromised.”
“I realize that.” His jaw clenched, his mind a turbulent storm of thoughts and all coming directly at me. “We haven’t had enough time to speak of the finer details, of you knowing exactly where the dome’s entry point is before Wincrest takes you and to make certain you don’t allow the man to blindfold you. I have to know you’ll have access to the image and can safety return. I can’t risk allowing you to leave otherwise.”
“I’ve already been told where the location is.”
He slid one hand around the back of my neck, and drew me closer. “Then where is it?”
Palming his chest, his heartbeat racing under my palm, I answered, “I won’t allow any blindfolding. I promise you.”
“I asked where it was.” His fingers tightened. “Damn, if only I held the skill of forethought or mind-merge as you do. I need to be able to read your thoughts.”
“I’d still block as you usually do with me.” I tapped his chest. “Besides, the dome protects Dralion for a reason. Peacians can’t know the image of where to get in.”
He snorted. “I can’t stand this.”
Shaking my head, I pushed up onto my toes. “Stop freaking out, just this once.”
Silas snuck around the table, and motioned for Zac to take Davio’s other side. He eyed me. “I know the signs. My cousin is preparing to take you from here.”
Fingers biting even deeper into my skin, Davio glared at Silas. “One day you’ll have a mate and feel what I feel.” With a low growl, he pulled me back toward the solid pine wall behind us, although with Silas on one side and Zac on the other, there was no escape.
“I need to go,” I urged him. “Please.”
“I can’t let you go yet. I want more time with you.”
Silas narrowed his gaze on me. “We’re going with your plan of making it in and out of Dralion on your own steam.” He released a thought. Duck. Now.
I dropped, scrambled back as Silas and Zac slammed Davio into the wall.
“Get off me,” Davio bellowed, both his shoulders pinned. “You bull-headed protectors derive far too much pleasure from this.” He appealed to Zac. “I hunger for her, as you do for Viv. Give me more time with her. I’m not leaving yet.”
Zac didn’t move, not one muscle. “Your protection comes first.”
“I don’t care about my damned protection right now, only being with her. She holds the other half of my soul.”
“Which proves you’re not thinking clearly. She needs to go, and you need to go, but in different directions.”
“Don’t even try to force me back to Peacio against my will again.” Davio shoved into Zac.
Silas tightened his hold on his cousin, feet planted wide. “We hardly need a contingency of warriors hard after your hide, Davio. Your mate already has a workable plan that’s the best I’ve heard. Remember, the
plan where King Donaldo need never know of your relationship with his granddaughter? Do you not think an all-out war should be evaded when tensions between our two countries are already so inflamed? Because that is what will happen if you don’t let her go. Donaldo Wincrest wouldn’t rest if he knew a Loveria cavorted with one of his own. We need to take every precaution, which means taking you back to Peacio where there is a larger safety net of protectors in place.”
The air seemed to crackle and snap, and Davio narrowed his gaze on me. “Come here and ignore them.”
I inched forward, needing to touch him one last time.
Silas snarled. “Stay there, Faith.”
“I can’t.” Not when Davio needed me the same way I needed him.
Davio grunted, hooked one foot out and snagged it around my knees. I toppled forward, hit his chest, and he wrenched one arm free of Zac and wrapped it around me. Silas forced him back to the wall, and Zac pulled at me, shoved me clear.
Viv joined the fray, snatching Davio’s legs. She twisted and sent them all careening to the floor, only before they hit the ground, they were gone—all four of them, gone.
Blinking, I stared at the spot where they’d been.
No. This wasn’t happening. I needed to say goodbye to him properly. I dropped my head into my palms and sobbed. Pushing my forethought forward, I brought his image into my mind. He was on his back, pinned to the ground within an indoor training hall with steel-bladed weapons lining the block walls. He bucked and Silas and Zac held him tight, Viv still on his legs.
“He’s not happy, but that’s to be expected,” Belle murmured in my ear. “They’ve taken him to the castle where he’s safest, so you can leave without issue.”
“You’re saying I can’t go to him?” I locked down the training hall’s image for ’porting, my fingernails biting into my palms. Davio’s pain right now ricocheted through me as if it were my own, only Belle was right. I needed to leave for Dralion and I couldn’t forget that, or my mother.
“Silas protects him. That’s his job. Don’t make it harder for him,” Belle urged.
Silvie wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “You can see he’s safe. Go now. The moment you do, Silas will release him.”
The vision melted away, and I wiped my cheeks. “Take notes for me in class.” I hugged her. “And tell Davio that I appreciate the fight.”
Her lips lifted a smidgeon. “You’ll have more than a fight on your hands if you don’t keep your word and return to him. Try not to take three days next time.”
“I’ll be back before you know it.” I looked at Belle and drew in a long breath. “Look after him for me.”
She squeezed my hand. “Silas is in my head and telling me you better hurry. I’m the only one who can keep in contact with you, and also calm Davio. I’m needed there now.”
“I’m going to speak to my mother first, before we leave. I’ll let you know when.” I stood back, raised my hand in farewell and flashed away.
Seconds later, I arrived in the dark of Alexo’s safe room and opened the connecting door to the suite. The familiar screeching sound of metal on metal assaulted my ears.
“I’ll get the light.” Dad flipped the switch and beckoned me in. He’d changed and now wore dark leather pants and a silver threaded loose shirt, a leather jacket slung over his arm.
“My mother?”
“In the living room.” He steered me down the hallway. “I’ve been gone for hours and Donaldo and several warriors are tapping at my head to be heard. I need to make contact with Donaldo soon.”
“Are you sure everything will be all right?”
“Yes.” He set a hand on my shoulder. “Donaldo will want you, and he’ll accept Kate since she’s given birth to a highly skilled daughter. There’s no more hiding.” He paused. “Although there is one more thing I need to mention before we leave.”
I let out a breath, preparing myself. “I’m listening.”
“During my time on Earth, I went by the name of Alexo Stryker.”
I groaned, rather loudly. “You made up my last name?”
“Yes, but you’ll have it no longer—for obvious reasons. You’re now a Wincrest.”
I turned the corner and strode into the living room, eager to reach my mother. She sat on the gray couch, then stood the second she saw me.
I ran to her, meeting her in the center of the room, her arms banding tightly about me and mine around her. I hugged her hard, shaking because I’d finally reconnected with her again, the past few hours of worry settling at least a little within me.
“I’m sorry, honey.” Mum’s voice wobbled. “For everything. The lies. For whom Silvie and Seriah are. I can barely believe all Alexo has told me.”
Dad cleared his throat. “Don’t take Silvie and Seriah’s involvement upon yourself. I saw the same forewarning as Carlisio did at Faith’s birth, that our child would somehow have an impact on Loveria’s family. I knew there would be some kind of future link, only it wasn’t one I could halt, not after I returned to Dralion and found every single move I made followed so closely. I couldn’t even sneeze without a warrior reporting it to my father. It wasn’t an easy time.”
And he’d been my age at the time, which somehow brought an element of light to things.
My mother’s embrace tightened, her cream cardigan flapping to her knees. “I should never have withheld my knowledge of your father from you. He clearly loves you, only I never knew.” She released a deep breath and her hands shook. “I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe. Even if that means living in Dralion and acting as his wife.”
My heart squeezed. “Did you say acting?”
“Yes.”
Dad grimaced. “That is her decision, and I will be content with it for now.”
My mother crossed her arms. “That’s right—you will.”
Dad let out a rush of air, took Mum by the shoulders, his gaze softening with her. “You need to relax around me. I’m certain Donaldo will be distracted by Faith, but no one must think you’re not fully committed to us being back together, and that includes around my sister, Goldwyn, for she has the sight of a hawk and misses next to nothing.
I frowned. “I have an aunt? Are there other family there as well?”
Dad turned to me. “I have only the one sibling. Goldie was my parents’ late surprise, and at nineteen, she is only a year older than you. Although Goldie comes and goes from Dralion.”
“And where does she come and go to?”
“Goldie’s chaperoning Hope in Australia, although Hope hardly considers it chaperoning. She’s eighteen and an absolute delight.”
My mother’s brows rose. “You haven’t mentioned Hope before. Who’s she?”
His jaw clenched. “We’ll speak of Hope another time, when we’re not dealing with quite so much, but she is family. Now, we are deviating, and I must speak to Donaldo and prepare him for what’s to come. We’ll leave this Mount apartment once I’ve notified him.” Walking into the adjacent kitchen, he began his communication.
Releasing a sigh, my mother moved to the couch. “He’s hiding something, but right now, sit. I need to know about Davio Loveria. Your father told me who he truly is, a prince of Peacio.”
“He’s also my mate.” Sitting, I clasped my hands in my lap. “The bond builds between us fast, and he has the same feelings for me that I have for him.”
“Then I’m doing the right thing?” She cast a glance across the room at Dad.
I nodded. “I don’t see there being any other choice.”
“Donaldo’s expecting us.”
Those three words from my father made me freeze.
And in that instant, my life changed forever.
I stood, my heart pounding. “I need to use my forethought to collect the image of the dome room, and before we go.”
“Yes. Take it from my mind.” He didn’t question my request.
I connected and pulled the image, my eyes widening. “Truly? That’s the dome room?”<
br />
It was dark and dungeon-like. There were no doors, just four gloomy walls constructed of a gray-black brick with slabs of floor-stones in a dull gray-green. Aged cracks in the floor’s surface oozed with slimy green moss. So repulsive.
“Ick. Does no one care to clean the place up?”
“It must remain the way it is. No one would ever imagine such an image as the secured point in and out of Dralion, and that in itself adds a level of safety we require.”
“Does anyone guard it? Should I expect someone to jump out at me when I arrive?”
“No. It’s completely blocked off and well below ground level. You see the walls?”
I returned to the image. “Yes, but what of that old well in the center. Does that not lead somewhere?” The yucky green stuff trailed over the blackened brick edging of the well.
“The well is deep and we’ve never found the end of it. The energy within that well is what the enchanter, Gilles Moyer, tapped into. He spelled the dome into existence using his skill.”
I screwed up my forehead. “Where to from there?”
“We’ll move quickly since the dome room smells as bad as it appears. We’ll meet Donaldo at my personal apartments on the eastern third floor. The palace is a large residence with over four-hundred rooms. It’s a fortress and has stood the test of time for hundreds of centuries.”
My mouth popped open. I should have expected this, yet because I hadn’t seen it, I hadn’t truly comprehended it. Now I did.
“We are running out of time. Donaldo has never been a patient man and knowing whom I bring, makes him even more so.” My father tapped his head. “I see him pacing the receiving room.” He took my mother’s arm and looked at me. “The last image you’ll need is the main reception room of my apartments.”
He flicked up the image and I gasped. So beautiful. Stunning white and blue diagonal floor tiles captivated with a central motif of a massive “W.” The area was ballroom like in size. Elegant sitting chairs covered in a white-gold detailed fabric, the legs and arms a polished golden wood, were tucked against the walls in sets of four, at least twenty separate sets in total around the perimeter of the room. Separating each set, a white marble arch framed double doors which led away from the area in varying directions.
Protector: A Young Adult / New Adult Fantasy Novel Page 19