Riftkeepers: Pursuit

by Carrie Whitethorne

  Her head snapped round as he murmured in her ear, “I'm going to check the kids. You check your temper. That fork's knackered.”

  The fork clattered down onto her plate as she dropped it.

  “Dursek, a fresh fork,” Dane said quietly as he strode from the room.

  Callan glared at the bent silverware, then looked at her face. A muscle twitched along his jaw and he looked away, continuing his meal.

  “I see you have excellent control, Charlotte. Well done,” Markus smiled as Lukas stifled a laugh. “I'm considerably less concerned about singed eyebrows in the morning.”

  “Sorry,” she muttered as Dursek handed her a fresh fork. She continued her meal in silence.

  “They're in bed.” Dane announced as he returned to the table. “I introduced Zander and Enya to Vlasta this morning, Father.”

  “Oh? Did it go well?”

  “Indeed, she was quite taken with them. Zander especially.”

  “How did she respond to you, Charlotte?” Markus asked.

  “Well, she didn't swallow me whole,” she replied, dryly.

  Markus laughed, “Vlasta is an unusual worm. She forms strong bonds with her keepers. She has a very kind spirit.”

  “You're all clearly very fond of her, she was very good with the children, I must admit. I thought she was going to roll onto her back for a tummy rub at one point.”

  “That wouldn't surprise me,” Markus smiled. “She's been deeply affected by the disturbances recently. Restless. I hope that the reinforcements young Zander makes tomorrow help settle her.”

  Me too. She could do some damage if she got upset.

  The table was cleared, fresh goblets laid out, dessert wine poured as the servants filed in.

  “Cherry rum cake,” Dursek informed her as she examined her dessert.

  She watched Callan for the rest of the meal. He chatted with Markus, Dane and Lukas about training and other such topics. Charlotte was silent, Nyja maintained her watch of Callan.

  “Excuse me,” she muttered as she left the table and approached the door, murmuring to Dursek, “cloakroom?”

  He led her to small bathroom a few doors up from the dining room and left her.

  What the hell is he doing? He's stared at her all night!

  She's clearly goading me.

  I need to calm down. The last thing any of us need is for me to set the whole castle on fire in temper.

  Washing and drying her hands, she examined her palms. Not a mark was left by the fork she'd crushed in her angry fist.

  How did that happen?

  With a deep breath, she returned to the dining room. The table had been cleared and everyone was standing by the large fireplace at the end of the room. Lukas had gone, Dane was talking to his father and Callan had Nyja leaning in close, a hand on his chest, murmuring something in his ear. She slammed the door shut behind her and Callan jumped.

  Stop pawing my husband!

  A wall of shadow sprang between them, knocking Nyja to the floor and Callan back several steps. He recovered and took a step toward her, stopping dead as violet flame licked up her arms. “Charlotte,” he murmured.

  “Well you had that coming,” Dane drawled, looking down at his cousin.

  She sprang from the floor, a snarl tearing from her twisted mouth. “You dare?”

  “Nyja, please consider your position,” Markus said softly. “Charlotte could sear the flesh from your bones with a single thought. By all means test her. But I would not recommend it.”

  “Charlotte…” Callan said, louder this time.

  Unable to find the words, she turned and left the room. She had no idea where she was going, the castle was a labyrinth of long halls and corridors but she walked as quickly as she could, looking for an exit.

  Footsteps sounded behind her. Not turning to see who it was, she saw a door to her right and pushed it open, finding herself outside. A garden sprawled before her, blanketed in snow. Despite the cold, she walked out into the darkness. It was eerily quiet, the only sound that of her own feet crunching into the undisturbed pure white snow gleaming in the moonlight.

  Callan appeared in front of her, “Charlotte, please, listen.”

  She didn't answer as she stepped around him and walked on.

  “I'd just told her that if she touched me again I'd throw her from the room.”

  Snow crunched beneath her frozen feet. Angry, hot breaths clouding in the cold air, she marched toward the line of trees at the end of the garden.

  “Charlotte,” he bellowed, gripping her arm. “Listen.”

  She flinched and he released her, sighing as she walked away, his own footsteps crunching in the snow behind her.

  Careful to keep the rising anger from his tone, he said, “She's chased me for years. I'm not interested, I've never been interested. I'm polite, I keep her at arm's length, but, I must be diplomatic. Charlotte.”

  They reached the tree line and still she kept walking. Darkness swallowed her, the moonlight unable to penetrate the trees. The crunch of snow turned to the crunch of old dry leaves, tree roots spread at her feet, threatening to trip her.

  Shit, I can't see.

  Fire!

  A small fire sprang at her feet and she leaned against a tree. “You could have warned me,” she panted, catching her breath.

  “I didn't know she'd be there.” He kept his distance, eyeing the fire she'd summoned. “Honestly, I didn't. She was furious when she heard we'd married. She's…”

  “Mental!”

  “Yes. She's cruel and twisted, Charlotte,” he said gently as he stepped closer.

  “So why were you staring at her all night?” she snapped.

  “I wasn't sure what she was going to say or do. It doesn't really matter now because she managed to piss you off enough for you to attack her.” His voice rose as he pointed back toward the castle.

  “I didn't attack her, I moved her away,” she mumbled. “If I'd wanted to hurt her I would have.”

  Slapper.

  “I'm sorry. I should have just ignored her. Made excuses and left. I shouldn't have let her… do that.” He hung his head.

  “You could have just told her to leave you alone.” Her voice shook, tears pricking at her eyes as she leaned her head back on the trunk of the tree. “Why was she there anyway?”

  “I don't know. I don't care. I don't want to talk about her,” he said, his voice rough. He leaned in and kissed her exposed neck, “I don't want to think about anyone but you.”

  Warm kisses trailing down, round to the hollow of her throat, down her chest pushed all thought of the other woman from her mind. She moaned quietly, arching into him.

  “Only you, Charlotte,” he whispered, moving back up to find her mouth.

  The anger ebbed away with every touch. The hot fury replaced with a different heat. Callan dropped to his knees, hands sliding around the backs of her thighs, pushing the skirt of her dress higher. Lifting one foot into his lap, he dipped his head and nipped the soft flesh of her inner thigh.

  Charlotte gasped. The cold air on her skin, the warmth of his mouth and the familiar tug low down making her head buzz. Her skirt hitched higher, kisses following until he could go no further. Meeting black lace, he gave a low murmur of approval. The sound broke the silence of the surrounding forest as he ripped the flimsy underwear from her, tossing the scraps of lace into the flames at his side.

  Her knees buckled as he met her. His hands gripping her bare hips, holding her steady, he didn't relent. Gentle sucks, swift flicks of his tongue nudging her to the edge.

  A soft, barely audible moan passed her lips as she trembled, a wave of chills rushing through her body, prickling in her veins.

  Digging her hands into his hair, she tumbled into oblivion, heat flooding her. The flames she'd summoned shot skyward.

  Callan laughed against her, the low rumble tipping her over again. Pushing herself into the trunk of the tree, eyes closed, she willed herself to stay upright as her legs threatened to buc
kle again.

  Then she was rising, his strong hands supporting her as she wrapped her legs around him. “I love you,” she gasped into his mouth as he entered her with a swift, easy movement.

  His hips ground into her, every one of his deep, pounding, thrusts spilling anger, love, apology, everything he'd felt and thought in the last hour, into her. Another wave crested and she tensed, pulling him with her. His strong hands gripped tighter, his body pushing her hard into the bark of the tree. Sinking his sharp teeth into her bare shoulder, he found release.

  She sucked in a breath through clenched teeth, trembling in his arms.

  “Sorry,” he murmured, kissing the broken patch of skin.

  She laughed, her breath shaky, as she panted into his neck. When she'd steadied herself, she murmured, “I'm sorry.”

  “You've nothing to be sorry for.” He kissed her deeply and lowered her to the ground. His eyes flicked to the fire as he straightened his clothes, “I thought you were going to set the forest alight for a minute.”

  “Yeah. So, did I.” she smirked, meeting his gaze.

  Kissing her again he murmured, “We should go.”

  The flames died away and darkness closed in around them.

  “Everything okay?” Dane asked from the sofa. Alayna looked straight at her.

  “Yeah, I managed to… calm her down,” she heard Callan mumble as she ducked into their bedroom quickly, not sure what she looked like. She heard Dane laugh, more mumbled conversation and then silence.

  “I'll run you a bath,” he said, closing their bedroom door behind him. “She's been banished from the castle until we leave.”

  Good! Whore.

  “Oh?” She rubbed her ice-cold feet.

  “Yeah, Markus doesn't want the mess,” he smirked leaving her on the bed while he turned on the bath.

  Charlotte's thoughts turned to the way she'd used her power to get between Callan and Nyja.

  How did I do that? It didn't come from my hands like it usually does, it just jumped up between them. No wonder she ended up on the floor.

  Callan returned returning a few minutes later with a towel wrapped around his hips. “Let's get you warmed up,” he smiled, inviting her to turn around so he could unzip her dress.

  He ran his thumb over the place he'd bitten her. “That looks painful. I'm sorry.”

  “It's fine. It doesn't hurt.” She slid the dress down and stepped out of it. Facing him, she ran a finger along the band of the towel, grinning. “My turn.”

  Chapter 9

  In daylight, the lawned area she'd marched through the night before looked bigger, the tree line was much further away than she'd realised as she ran towards it.

  “Come on,” Callan called, jogging backwards, laughing at her.

  Her lungs wouldn't work. The searing heat that came with every panted breath was agony.

  Piss off.

  “Don't look like that. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

  She hadn't made one lap of the garden yet, he'd told her three laps.

  “Callan, I can't!” She stopped, hands on her knees, sucking in breath after breath.

  He jogged back to her, placing a hand on her back. “You can. If you don't push yourself, you won't make any progress. Walk it off, catch your breath. Just keep moving.”

  Forcing herself upright, she walked with him, clutching her side.

  “I have a stitch,” she complained.

  “A what?” He looked her way, “Oh. Keep walking, it'll ease off. It takes time, just keep pushing.”

  That easy enough for you to say, Mr. Super Fit!

  She glanced to the center of the lawn. Enya and Zander were building a snowman.

  “I don't see why I need this,” she panted.

  “I need you to be able to get away. After last time,” he lowered his voice, glancing at Enya and Zander, “if you need to run, I know you can. Slow jog.”

  Sighing, she sped up, the pain in her side was excruciating. The snow made it so difficult to move, her feet catching as her legs burned, tripping her. “No. I can't. Not in this,” she complained, rolling onto her back in the snow. “I'll use the treadmill when we get home. Bring it here! But I can't run in this.”

  “Fine. Lukas should arrive any time now anyway,” he laughed, offering her a hand and dragging her up.

  “Where will I be training?” she asked, brushing snow from her thin hooded jacket.

  “I've no idea. Lukas knows the castle inside out, he probably has somewhere in mind.”

  Why does that make me feel nervous?

  Right on time, Lukas appeared at her side. “Good morning. Are you ready?”

  “I think so. Where will we be training today?”

  “In there,” he pointed to the forest.

  She glanced to Callan, who cocked a brow and smirked. Flushing, she quickly turned away.

  “I'll be back soon. Be good!” she called to Zander and Enya and set off toward the trees.

  Lukas caught her up and said, “I am sorry for my cousin's behaviour last night.”

  “You don't need to apologise, Lukas. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that.”

  “A pity I missed it.” She looked over to him and he was grinning at her. He added, “Father sent her home as soon as you left. She was furious.”

  “Why are we in here?” she asked, more to change the subject than out of genuine curiosity.

  “It's darker in here, there are obstacles,” he shrugged. “I brought you a training dagger.” He held it by the blade, offering it to her.

  She took the dagger from him, instinctively positioning her hand around the hilt as she'd been shown in previous sessions. Lukas smiled his approval.

  “Here is okay,” he said, assessing the ground, “are you warm enough? If not, you can put a fire down.”

  She was frozen. A fire sprang up a few feet away and she moved closer to warm herself.

  “You will need to control that while you train. You are to use both physical and magical abilities together,” he nodded to the flames.

  I didn't burn the forest down last night.

  Smirking at the memory, she said, “Okay. I think I can manage that.”

  Lukas walked away from her, she readied herself and followed. Before he had time to turn she was on him, dagger angled in his side.

  “Good. Dirty, but good,” he grinned and disappeared.

  “Lukas that's cheating,” she complained.

  She listened carefully.

  He won't be far away, there must be some sign that he's moving.

  Turning slowly, she concentrated. There was no sound but that of the crackling fire and her breathing. No birds singing. No wind. Just absolute quiet.

  Her skin tingled at her left shoulder and she spun, knees slightly bent, dagger angled upwards. It collided with the one Lukas held, sliding blade to blade and slamming to a halt at the hilt. The force almost knocked her to the floor.

  Well that's interesting.

  He stepped back, eyes wide. “How?”

  “I felt you. I don't know,” she shrugged, “I can't explain it.”

  He considered her for a moment then disappeared.

  Great.

  The fire faded out as she concentrated harder, the small amount of extra light it had provided dying with it. Not listening this time, but feeling for him, she waited. A buzz of energy to her right, then behind her. He was moving, unseen. She tracked him, moving carefully so as not to trip on tree roots and uneven ground.

  He'll move now…

  Another hum of energy above her, she dropped into a crouch and kicked out a leg as he appeared. Lukas stumbled backwards. “You have had extra lessons,” he laughed.

  “No, I haven't. I've just seen a lot of films.”

  They continued like this for the better part of an hour, until she began to feel tired.

  “I think I'm done, Lukas.”

  He held out a hand, “Very good. Come, Father will be waiting.”

  They ar
rived in a ball room. The red marble floor shone and glimmered in the weak sunlight that filtered through the arched windows along the entire left side of the room. The walls were the same thick, grey stone as the rest of the castle. There was no warmth in the room, no hearths with warm fires, no candle light giving off its warm glow. Tapestries and portraits hung from the cold, stark walls, an unlit chandelier dominated the domed ceiling.

  “Charlotte,” Markus said in greeting as he leaned to kiss her cheek gently.

  She bowed her head slightly, “Markus, I…”

  He held up a hand. “I won't hear any apology from you. The appalling behaviour of my niece at my table was inexcusable. She's banished from my court.” Noticing her discomfort at his tone, he softened, smiling kindly and said, “I was, however, impressed at the level of restraint you showed

  “Thank you,” she said quietly, bowing her head.

  “Am I needed father?” Lukas asked.

  “No, thank you. You may leave us. Check on the progress with the portal. I shall return Charlotte to her suite when we are done here.”

  Lukas gave a stiff nod and was gone.

  “How long have you been aware of your talents, Charlotte?” Markus asked after a few moments.

  “Umm, couple of months. If that,” she said as he paced slowly up and down in front of her.

  “And how did you discover them?”

  He knows how.

  “I thought…”

  “I want to hear it from you,” he said, in a smooth tone.

  “Well, he kidnapped me, beat be to a pulp, burned me alive with shadow-fire and rifled through my mind looking for whatever I had. There was a sort of barrier, stopping him getting in. He shattered it,” she shrugged.

  “Go on.”

  “And that's it.”

  “Clearly not. He did not find your power, he did not take it. You are alive and well here in my court. What happened?”

  She didn't want to go over it. She hated going over it. She'd been avoiding the topic since she got home. The council meeting was bad enough.

  What's the point in this?

  “I was dying. I knew I was dying. When the barrier, thing, shattered I sort of… I don't know.” She paused, trying to put the experience into words. “I sort of turned inwards, to my own mind and tried to find what he wanted. Tried to keep it safe from him. I didn't think it really happened. I just thought it was my brain trying to handle the whole dying thing.”