Portal to Passion

by Nina, Tara

“That’s a given,” Griswaldin replied. The look he gave Tor issued a silent message he understood without Tor having to ask directly about whether the women within the palace would be safe. “The palace guards have been doubled. Our troops are many in number and itch for a good fight. You will be notified when Visuvius’ transport is ready to proceed.”

  “Thank you.”

  Tor released Griswaldin’s elbow. The older man nodded, then turned and left. He snorted heavily through his nose. He knew Griswaldin’s men were ready. The man kept those troops in top form. Many a time, Tor practiced with Griswaldin and knew the tough taskmaster firsthand. The readiness of the troops wasn’t what worried him. The Proprius Bestia concerned him. They held no remorse and knew no limits.

  The possibility of losing lives to them irritated and frightened him most.

  The moment the door closed behind Griswaldin, Sven moved closer to his brother and inhaled in an over-exaggerated manner. One eyebrow arched and an odd look plastered his face. Tor readied for the verbal attack from his brother. Instead, his brother’s next words surprised him.

  “Do you feel you should go at a time like this?” Sven asked. “Send me in your stead.”

  It amazed Tor that Sven offered. Shouldering such responsibility didn’t fit Sven’s nature. His brother never walked away or backed down from a fight. He was not a coward. But he never chose to take the lead either. Tor stared him up and down. Had he changed? Sven’s offer touched him.

  “No, brother. As ruler, I must go and see to the breach in the shield.”

  “The clans would understand your absence,” Gawyn interrupted. “It’s not every day one of us is lucky enough to mate.”

  Tor straightened on the edge of his desk and stared wide-eyed at Gawyn. How’d he know? He’d done everything magically possible to mask his scent. Gawyn laughed and held his hand out to Tor to congratulate him.

  “Do not think only bears can smell your mated stench. We hawks have a great sense of smell as well and at the moment,” he made a face as if a foul odor filled his nose, “I could use some fresh air. You’re potent.”

  “I…” Tor was at a loss as he stood and reached for Gawyn’s hand. He had wanted to share the evidence that the magi Maven’s idea of bringing females from the outside equaled a plausible theory at the Gathering of the Clans. But now his smell revealed the secret. After a few seconds, he found his voice and said, “Thank you.”

  “Who is she? Where did you find this woman? Last I heard, there were no new female additions to the bears,” Gawyn questioned as he and Tor held their right hands in a fisted grip, tugged each other close and clapped each other on the back with their free hands in a brotherly greeting.

  “She’s not from here,” Tor explained. “Deveney is from a place called Earth.”

  “Earth?” Gawyn’s brows furrowed.

  “Yeah, we’re not quite sure where that’s located,” Sven said as he settled on the edge of the desk beside Tor. “But I for one am sure glad she’s here. She’s proof Maven’s idea works.”

  Gawyn straightened. Hope filled his eyes and his expression. “This Deveney…” He paused as he seemed to gather his thoughts. “She traveled through the Mirror of Azure?”

  Before Sven answered, Tor cut him off.

  “She did,” Tor said. “There is a possible way to save us. But right now,” he laid a hand on Gawyn’s left shoulder, “I need your word this does not leave this room. Think of the chaos this would cause if not done properly. As it is, I fear for her safety. Her existence has become known by another clansman whose intentions are unclear.”

  “Obinu,” Gawyn guessed immediately. Tor didn’t need to answer, but simply nodded. The snake clan brought many of the hatreds from the other clans upon themselves with their actions. The Redtail Hawks were no exception.

  Gawyn laid his hand on Tor’s left shoulder. “You have my word and can count on me to protect the new female of Bjorn Palace until my dying breath.”

  They fisted a hand over their hearts to seal the promise, and then released each other. Tor knew Gawyn’s word was solid. The mic on Tor’s desk beeped and when he answered it, Griswaldin informed him that all was ready. Tor turned to Sven. “I leave my mate in your care, my brother. Keep her safe.”

  Sven clapped a hand on Tor’s left shoulder and fisted his other hand over his heart. Standing tall, chin lifted, he replied, “With my dying breath.”

  Heaviness settled in Tor’s chest as he followed Gawyn out of his office. He hated not being able to speak with Deveney before he left. But there was no time. This matter had to be handled immediately. It was imperative the shield be sealed before the Proprius Bestia found the hole.

  As he descended the front palace steps, he looked up at the wing that housed his chambers. In silence, he issued a prayer.

  By the Goddess Nirvana, keep her safe. Please give Sven the strength to protect her should harm fall in their path while I am gone.

  He turned and boarded the golden snàmh-cèaird and stood beside Griswaldin at the helm of the flying machine. The hatchway closed behind him, sealing the clear bubble that encased the large golden disc. Visuvius sat beside one of his assistants, Sirius, pouring over notes and surrounded by odd pieces of equipment and gadgets. Tor hoped Visuvius had a method to repair the tear. In the past, Maven used magic to seal the rips. But now… Tor exhaled on a deep breath. He wasn’t sure there were enough magical resources left to make the vital repair. As it was, they were stressing the magic by using the snàmh-cèairds, which depended on magic to fly.

  Gawyn chose not to ride with them. Instead, he shifted into a huge Redtail Hawk and led the way. Tor inspected the snàmh-cèairds around him. On either side, there were two others filled with a dozen warriors. Behind those, there were four more golden snàmh-cèairds and ten others in a multitude of colors. Pride filled his chest as he took stock of the battle troops. The different breeds among the Bear clan united quickly and each sent warriors to help.

  At the sight of a silver snàmh-cèaird with red streaks down its sides, he snorted. The Kodiaks sent warriors. If any of the Bear clan breeds were merciless killers, it was that breed. Gladness filled him to know they were on his side. A thin smile graced his lips. With any luck, they’d succeed without having a confrontation with the Proprius Bestia. But he doubted it.

  * * * * *

  Deveney touched the door and smiled. Not locked. No longer a prisoner. He’d finally accepted her as his mate. Warmth spread through her on that thought and made her shiver. The realization she had a family, a husband and a baby on the way both scared and thrilled her. A dream come true. She sighed and wished the door open. No more magical mayhem. She grinned, staring at her hand, amazed at the power it held. Maven was right. Finding her mate gave her total control.

  Now to find Tor and have him make good on his promise, she decided. Anticipation filled her. Hunger for his touch fueled to life in her core. But a second later, as she stepped into the hall, a cold chill graced her skin.

  Something wasn’t right in the palace. No one was present that she noticed as she made her way toward the kitchen. A strange mood lingered in the air and stirred fear to life. She sensed Tor wasn’t in the palace. On instinct, her pace quickened. Instead of turning at the base of the stairs and going to the kitchen, she hurried to the huge, golden double doors at the end of the entrance hall.

  With a swipe of her hand, one of the doors swung open, nearly knocking a guard on the outside to his knees. She ran down the wide, marble front stairs and came to a halt at the base. The sight of a fleet of strange-looking vehicles floating in the air stole her breath as her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Never had she seen anything like it except in a sci-fi movie.

  Large, circular discs levitated in the sky then flew away without a sound. She saw the faces of soldiers through the octagon windows. A parade of colors disappeared in the distance. Deveney blinked and they were gone. Had she truly seen them at all? She swallowed hard. Yes, she knew she had. Things were diffe
rent here. Maybe that was their mode of transportation. She tried to convince herself, but she doubted it. Something didn’t feel right about this.

  A hand cupped her elbow and startled her. She jerked free and spun to face the person. At first glimpse, she thought it was Tor, but immediately realized it was Sven. She closed her eyes, caught her breath and willed the rapid race of her heart to slow, then opened her eyes.

  “Good morning, Deveney.” Sven gave her a curt nod. “Tor hoped they would be away before you woke.”

  “What was that? Where are they going? What’s going on?” Deveney issued one question after the other in a rapid-fire method. She needed to know. She locked her gaze on his face and read the indecision in his eyes. It seemed to her as if he was uncertain how he should answer so she took the options away. “Don’t lie to me, Sven. I want the truth.”

  “Sister, I would never lie to you,” Sven stated, staring directly into her eyes. “But here in the courtyard is no place to discuss this. Come, let’s retire to the rear gardens and have breakfast on the veranda.”

  The mention of food caused her stomach to growl, even though she’d already eaten half the tray of food in her room. At this rate, she’d be huge by the time this pregnancy ended. Taking the elbow Sven offered, she followed him to a path to the left of the front courtyard. He did not rush. Instead, he let her set the pace.

  The palace wall hugged one side of the cobblestoned walkway. The other side was lined with tall, thick evergreens, which shielded them from view. A glance across her shoulder at the entrance and it appeared as if the trees cloaked the opening once they entered.

  “Did the trees move?” Deveney asked in a hushed tone as she leaned close to Sven, hoping no one heard her question.

  “Not completely.” Sven chuckled. “You will learn everything here in Eximius Mundus is alive and contains some form of magic. The branches simply shielded the entrance once we entered the path. And don’t fear being heard, Deveney. Our words do not leave the air around us. No one hears what’s said but you and I.”

  “Oh,” Deveney stated. There was so much she needed to learn. She took a deep breath. “What were those things I saw in the air? Is that how the people of Eximius Mundus travel?”

  Sven’s hand covered hers as it rested in the crook of his elbow. He attempted to appear at ease, but Deveney sensed otherwise. The casual air she’d recognized when they first met wasn’t present in his stance at the moment. He hid something, but what?

  “The people of Eximius Mundus do not use the snàmh-cèairds you saw to travel. They require too much natural magic to operate and are only used in a time of necessity.”

  “Oh, so they are emergency vehicles?”

  “You could say that.”

  Sven didn’t look at her. Suspicion grew in her gut as she continued her line of questioning. “What sort of emergency occurred that required Tor leave the palace surrounded by a flock of those things?” Deveney waited and watched Sven’s face carefully. She sensed he chose his answers as if he were shielding her from something. But she intended to find out the truth.

  “There was a breach in the security shield that protects Eximius Mundus from the Proprius Bestia who reside in Dystopia. As ruler, Tor has to see to its repair.”

  An unavoidable gasp escaped. Her hand slid down his chest and dropped to her side as her gaze lowered to the ground. Men turned into beasts on their birthday, she knew. Tor neared one hundred, but he was now mated.

  That left… Deveney returned her eyes to Sven’s.

  “Sven, I’m sorry,” Deveney stammered. “I…”

  She didn’t get to finish. Sven cupped her chin in a brotherly gesture and forced a smile. “I would have it no other way. My brother deserved a mate and got you. Whatever my destiny will be…will be.”

  “But we’ve found a way to save you.”

  “If it is in the Goddess Nirvana’s will I receive a mate,” he sighed as he spoke, “then it will happen. If not, then I too will suffer the fate of the Proprius Bestia curse.”

  “I won’t let that happen to you,” Deveney stated in a rush. “I’ll contact Maven and have her send someone through the mirror for you today. I’ll…”

  “Deveney.” Sven stopped her in mid-ramble. “It doesn’t work that way. The woman must have magical powers within her soul. Mates are chosen by their chakra. You have no decision in who is chosen as your mate. The mating magic guides you to the one you belong with for eternity. Your and Tor’s chakras led you to one another. The mating ritual is guided by the magic. You did not choose Tor. The magic chose Tor for you.”

  Deveney swallowed hard, trying to digest Sven’s words. Thinking it through, she realized the truth. The magic between them was too strong for it to have been any other way. Still, there had to be something she could do to save Sven. Determination steeled her spine. She would not lose her new brother to some Proprius Bestia curse.

  No, she decided. As soon as she could, she planned to return to her room and contact Maven. The parade of women with magical properties from Earth would start immediately. She bit the edge of her lower lip. That was, if there were others on Earth like her.

  Ideas spun through her head at a rapid rate as they continued to walk. Something he said resurfaced, realigning her thoughts. They didn’t use those aircrafts—or snàmh-cèairds as Sven called them—except at a time of necessity. From the amount of men she guessed were in each one, this was more than just a repair operation. And why was it necessary to have a shield around Eximius Mundus if the Proprius Bestia were simply men turned into their inner beast? A sense of dread pitted in her stomach.

  “Are the Proprius Bestia violent? Is that why there’s a shield to keep them out?”

  “The Proprius Bestia are men trapped in their animal forms not by choice. Anger and hatred rule them. Violence becomes their nature.”

  “A time of necessity.” Deveney halted their movements again. Her eyebrow arched and her lips tightened. She fisted the front of Sven’s golden robe and tugged him down to eye level. “Are we at war with the Proprius Bestia?”

  “At the moment,” Sven replied, “we are not. But that is subject to change should they fail to seal the shield.”

  * * * * *

  Her second breakfast didn’t sit well in her stomach. Too many factors clogged her brain. Tor led a mission to seal a rip in the shield that protected their world from invasion. Worst in her mind, Tor’s clan protected themselves against former Morphionians. Thinking things through, she decided the Proprius Bestia were simply shapeshifters whose magic had gotten the better of them.

  There had to be a way to help them, to correct the wrong the magic caused to their bodies. Could the curse be reversed? At the top of the stairs and deep in thought, she forgot about the door, but it somehow opened without her thinking about it. She glanced from the door to her reflection in the Mirror of Azure.

  How had that happened? It just opened without so much as a thought. Deveney swallowed hard. There had to be some sort of sensor that recognized her and opened. She’d have to ask Nona later.

  Deveney stood in front of the mirror. She needed Maven.

  “Maven,” she called. When the magi didn’t appear, she called again. “Maven.”

  This time the older woman visualized. She seemed out of breath. “Are you okay?” she whispered.

  “I’m fine,” Deveney replied, then smiled. “And you don’t have to whisper. Tor is not in the palace. There is much I need to discuss with you. Tor has claimed me as his mate and knows about the baby.”

  “That’s wonderful news,” Maven exclaimed. Joy filled her words. “So has he accepted the idea others should come as well?”

  “In my opinion,” Deveney stated with a shake of her head, “his acceptance of the idea is no longer an option. These men need mates. Are there others like me on Earth?”

  “There are, my child.” Maven’s colorless eyes glowed bright with a hint of excitement as she continued. “One even closer than you or I realized. I’
ve spent many years researching possibilities. Did you think you stumbled into my store by chance?”

  Deveney opened her mouth, then closed it. She wasn’t sure how she ended up in Maven’s store, but she was happy she had. Returning her gaze to Maven’s, she listened to what the magi had to say.

  “I searched for the perfect answer to Tor’s stubbornness. That answer was you. Without proof this idea would work, I knew he’d never agree. And what better proof than a mate for him.”

  “What about Sven?” Deveney asked. “Have you found his mate? Is there anyone who may be right for him?”

  “Oh,” she said, shaking her head. Her tone hinted of something funny, but she did not reveal what humored her as she spoke. “I believe I found the perfect woman for him. This pairing deserves one another. I sense she’ll set him straight. But she needs substantial guidance before she’s ready to make the journey. I need more time.”

  “Unfortunately,” Deveney wrung her hands, “time is something we do not have.”

  * * * * *

  Tor stood in the background while Visuvius and Sirius studied the opening. He examined the surroundings. Trackers were scattered in the forest searching for any sign the Proprius Bestia slipped through unnoticed before the hole was discovered. From where he stood on an incline, he had an unobstructed view of the destruction. His brows bunched as he studied the rip. It seemed odd such vibrant shades emanated from the smooth oval fissure.

  In the past, the tears appeared jagged and the edges sizzled with spent magical force. No bright colors lingered, only pale shades of gray and white. Maven’s explanation of prior rips in the shield had been that the area became thinned or magically strained, causing the magic to fray and separate.

  A peculiar odor filtered in the air, making everyone’s stomach churn in disgust. A foul mixture smelled heavily of sulfur and singed each breath with its stench. Was it the Proprius Bestia closing in on them? He doubted their odor preceded them by long distances. It had to be something else that reeked of death. The hairs on the back of Tor’s neck stood on end. This whole thing didn’t feel right.