“So soon? What’s his court like? Should we move quicker? Should we go tonight?”
Westin sighed at her impatience. “I'm sorry, but we can't risk it. You need more training, and we need more time to prepare.”
Noelani looked like she wanted to argue, but refrained, and began tying her hair into tiny knots. “What about the court?”
“I’m not going to lie, they’re brutal. The king's second-in-command, Cerise, is the worst, but none of them are good people. They will do anything and betray anyone to get what they need.”
Noelani blanched. “They won’t hurt her, will they?”
“Not if the king is there—they wouldn’t risk offending him.”
Again, she looked relieved and closed her eyes briefly.
"Oh, um," Westin started awkwardly. "I bought you some clothes."
He walked over to the bags and pulled out the neutral tan-colored sweats and T-shirts he'd bought.
"And I got you this," he said, handing her a cheap contact he'd bought her. "I just thought if you ever needed to get ahold of me you could send me a message. I added both our numbers into each contact already, but I put you under my brother's name for obvious reasons."
When Westin looked back at her, he didn't expect to see a frown on her face. “As nice as all of this is. . .I can't take it.”
He knew by the stubborn set of her jaw that she didn't want to take anything for free. It was as if she was keeping score in her head, and that he was in the lead. Westin could tell she didn't want to owe anyone anything.
“Look, I don't mind. Just pay me back when you get the chance.” He didn't care about the funds, but he knew saying that was the only way she would take it.
Resigned, she nodded and Westin was surprised to see some of her devilish grin coming back to life. “So I'm your brother now?” At his nod, she said, "Dirty. . .I like it."
Snickering, she walked over to the clothing on the table, looking at some of the undergarments he'd gotten her.
"How do you know my bra size?"
Westin wanted to tell her he had sisters and was good at guessing sizes because that was the truth, but when he thought about it, he realized it would sound as if he was good at guessing his sister's bra size and that was just plain creepy.
Westin's thoughts must've shown clearly on his face because Noelani suddenly laughed.
"Relax," she said, laying a hand on his arm. "I'm glad you got me these things. Thank you." She took the clothes to the bathroom with a grin on her face. When she emerged, Westin was pleased to see the sizes were close; the clothes were only a bit too big.
"How did you know my favorite color was beige?" Westin heard the humor in her voice.
“Is there a problem with the color beige?” he replied. She snickered as she came forward and brought a hand up to lightly pat his cheek.
"No, no. You're just sweet, that's all."
Why is she always calling me sweet?
"I really appreciate all of this. Checking on my sister, the clothes, the contact. Thank you."
"It's the least I could do." Their gazes locked, and Westin felt that pull that was damn near impossible to fight. He cleared his throat and looked away first.
He told himself it was for the best.
Noelani looked down then she frowned, “I meant to ask you earlier. . . if the king is such a horrible person, then how did you become his general?”
Westin stiffened. He’d been hoping she wouldn’t ask that. He was still ashamed of everything that had happened because of his weakness. But he could tell by the set of her shoulders that she wouldn’t back down without an answer. He wouldn’t either if he was counting on him to save his family.
“My father was a soldier for the last queen of Ettria, and I guess I felt it was my duty to follow in his footsteps. My parents never pressured me to join the military, but the older I got, the stronger I got. Stronger even than my dad, and I felt like it was what everyone expected of me. I loved it. I felt. . .worthy. There would be no job more honorable than to lay down my life for the king, the most important person in Ettria. A noble king that was good to his people. With my speed and strength and tactical thinking, I rose quickly through the ranks, so when the king asked me to be his general, of course I said yes." He gave a humorless laugh. It all seemed ridiculous now.
Westin was still trying to figure out how he’d gotten his memories back. That wasn't supposed to happen, and he didn't know who he could ask about it.
“The king was brainwashing me, using me for my Gift and strategic thinking before wiping my mind. I only recently found out all that he’s done, all that has happened because I couldn’t defend my own mind. There’s blood on my hands, Noelani, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to get rid of it. Though I’ve learned to shield my mind, he still has control over me, and I know that if I try and run, he’ll go after my family.”
He met Noelani’s gaze, afraid of the disgust he knew would be there. But, instead, there was understanding. Even more, he felt that understanding and it soothed him.
She reached out and laid her hand on his, his own skin tingling in response.
“Whether you’re willing to believe it or not, it’s not your fault.”
Westin could only stare at her for several moments before quietly saying, “Promise me something.”
“Anything,” she said earnestly.
“As a Thief, you can use your sister and the king’s Gifts. Promise me you’ll never use them on me, that you’ll never take away my right to choose.”
A brief look of surprise crossed her face before she replied, “I promise.”
Chapter 27
Sunny
Writhia, 5219
Ettria
Three days later, Sunny and Westin had already developed a routine.
Every morning one of them would prepare breakfast while the other made Kahv. This morning Sunny was making breakfast and reached behind her to take the cup she knew Westin was handing her without looking. She sat it on the counter and picked up a plate to hand him, which he also took without looking. Sunny wanted to think it was Westin’s Gift giving them both advanced warning of the other's position, but it wasn’t. She’d learned to block his Gift out days ago. They just worked well together.
After eating and washing the dishes, they headed to Westin’s training room, because of course someone as fit as Westin had their own in-home gym.
The first day they’d started training, Westin had told her to take a jog on the treadmill while he did his own morning run. He said he began each workout without using his Gift so that it wouldn’t be a handicap for him if it were taken away in the field.
Sunny had grinned at his expression as she’d turned up the speed on her treadmill to match his pace. She had laughed at his increasing look of surprise the longer she ran next to him, until they’d both run what she assumed was about five miles.
Westin had wiped the sweat from his brow and grinned. “I knew you were in shape, but you exceeded my expectations.”
Sunny had smiled. “You don’t get to go to nationals if you slack off,” she told him. “I’ve run at least that distance every morning since I was a kid. Not to mention, I’m capable of dancing for hours on end without stopping.”
Westin had shaken his head, “I suppose not. You’re one of the most committed people I’ve ever met, you know.”
She looked down. “Only when it comes to the important things,” she said, brushing it off. But inside she was beaming. She was proud of her capability as a dancer and her commitment to making her passion into a career, and it made her feel even more pleased that someone as dedicated as Westin had acknowledged it.
Now, days later, Westin was testing her, pushing her to see how far she could go. She tapped into his Gift and ran at speeds she hadn’t thought possible. Westin spotted her as she bench-pressed hundreds of pounds, getting a feel for the strength she had access to through him.
After they finished warming up, it was time to spa
r. Sunny had some previous self-defense training, so she wasn’t completely clueless, but the difference between hitting someone to defend yourself and hitting someone with the intention to hurt them was something she was still getting used to. She was determined to push through it, though.
Imagining that she was hitting the evil king’s face made it a lot easier.
“Remember,” Westin told her, “use their Gifts against them. If a Wind Elemental blasts you with air, you use their Gift to dispel it. If an Electro tries to zap you, remember that they’re invulnerable to electricity and tap into that. Whatever someone uses against you, you use it right back.” He took a swing towards her head, and she ducked and swept out her foot trying to trip him, but he easily dodged it.
“What about the King?” she asked. “How do I use his ability against him?”
She jumped back, narrowly dodging his kick. They were going slow, still getting a feel for the moves he was teaching her, but he got faster and faster each time, and it was getting difficult to ask questions and fight at the same time.
“Today I’ll start teaching you to shield your thoughts. I only just started learning myself, but I’ll teach you what I know.” Sunny nodded and fell quiet as they sparred.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Westin said as if just remembering. “The King walks with a slight limp. I don’t know what happened, but his left leg is weak. If it comes to a physical altercation, strike there.”
Sunny nodded, storing the information for later.
The footwork was her favorite part and the part she was best at, most likely due to her background in dancing. She was light on her feet, and it helped her to dodge Westin’s blows, but he still had experience on his side and knocked her on her butt at least ten times per practice.
She spun out of his reach, or at least she thought she did, but Westin swept her legs out from under her. She landed on her back with a hard thud, adding to the bruises she’d already accumulated over the last week.
“You need to watch my feet as well as my hands. You’re incredibly light on your feet, so as long as you keep track of where my feet are they should be easy for you to dodge. You just have to remember to pay attention.” Westin reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet. “You’re getting better, though,” he said. “Just remember, if you're observant enough, you'll notice that everyone has a tell. Some people step forward before they throw a punch. Sometimes, it's in the eyes. People will look to where they want to aim next, and if you watch for it you can be ready to intercept them."
Sunny nodded, and they were back at it. She landed blows on him, but they barely made an impact, which frustrated her. She wanted to be strong enough without his Gift to knock him down for a change.
“Don’t hold back,” he told her. “You’re angry—use it. That bastard took your sister, and you’re the one who’s going to get her back. When you punch, you’re punching him, not me. Better yet, use your legs. Your legs are more powerful than your arms. So kick me.”
Sunny took a deep breath. It helped if she thought of it as a dance, so she counted in her head, choreographing a routine to knock Westin on his ass. She moved forward as if to punch him, but at the last second, she twisted, kicking out her leg and brought it up in an arc. She was short, but flexible, and her foot connected with the base of Westin’s throat, sending him stumbling back and causing him to trip backward.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” she asked, running up to him.
Westin put his hand to his throat and coughed several times before making a low noise in the back of his throat.
“I’m fine,” he told her, his voice only a bit raspy. “Nice kick.”
Sunny grabbed his arm to help him to his feet, “Are you sure you’re alright?”
Westin chuckled, “I’ve been a soldier for thirty years, Noelani. Trust me, I’ve had worse.” He smiled at her worried expression and for a moment that was all she saw. Westin didn’t smile too often, especially the soft, sweet smile he wore right then, and the effect was a little disorienting.
Westin arched a brow, and she realized she’d missed whatever he was saying. She shook her head and turned, pretending to stretch as she felt the blush creeping up her neck.
Why does he have this effect on me? she wondered. Sunny Corvinus does not blush.
“How old are you, anyway?” she asked, trying to distract herself.
“One hundred and thirty,” Westin said, and she felt her face go white.
“For real?”
Westin frowned, “Do I not look one hundred and thirty?”
Sunny snorted. “Not where I come from.”
She explained that people on earth aged differently. “So even though I’m over one hundred here, I’m only twenty-four on earth,” she told him.
“Twenty-four,” Westin said, looking her up and down as if trying to digest that fact. “Twenty-four is only a child here.”
Sunny smiled, “So I’ve been told. But trust me, I’m definitely an adult back on earth. I have the overdue rent statements to prove it.”
Westin nodded and seemed to relax a bit, and Sunny wondered if he’d been panicking over their kiss, wondering if he’d made out with a minor. And she suddenly had to think about math equations and other equally boring things so that she wouldn't burst into laughter.
She was still grinning as he took up position again and told her to try and land another kick like the one she just had.
They sparred for a few more rounds. Sunny wasn’t able to knock Westin back down again, now that he knew she was capable of kicking that high, but her punches were getting stronger, which pleased her.
When they were finished, Westin told her to “hit the showers,” even though there was only one shower and they had to take turns. He was turned away from her, walking toward the door, when Sunny got an idea.
She took off running, as fast as she could, hoping to get in a sneak attack. She had almost reached him when, at the last possible second, he turned and caught her, mid-leap.
To keep them from tumbling over, he turned with the force of her jump and Sunny ended up with her back against the wall.
Wide-eyed, and caged in by his arms on either side of her, Sunny’s eyes met Westin’s and they burst into laughter.
“You have to admit, I almost had you,”
Sunny said in between breaths.
Westin snorted. “Please, I heard your heavy breathing the moment you took off.”
“Was I breathing that loud?” she asked. “You’re always breathing that loud,” Westin laughed, causing her to break into another fit of hysterics.
As their laughter died out, Sunny became acutely aware of the position they were in. Westin was still holding her up against the wall, his body flush against hers, so that they were eye to eye and Sunny’s palms were against his chest.
His gaze met hers, and he slowly lifted his hand to brush a stray hair from her cheek. She couldn’t help but shiver as his fingers trailed across her skin and his warm breath tickled her ear as he whispered, “You are so beautiful.”
Sunny wanted to tell him that he was more than beautiful. That he was a steady center in this crazy universe that seemed to get more out of control each day she was there. But she didn’t know how to form the words in a way that made sense.
So, instead, she watched her hands as they traveled up, over his broad chest to clasp behind his neck. She wasn’t the only one who was breathing hard now. She could see the desire in his eyes, could feel it rising up to meet her own.
She slowly began to lean in, closer and closer. He was like a magnet. She felt his pull all day, every day. Even when they were in separate rooms at night, she could feel him there, the strength and the vitality coursing through him.
Westin’s eyes were molten gold as they stared into hers before dropping to her lips and fighting their way back up.
And then she was kissing him, pulling him to her like she had at the ball. Westin’s kiss was slow and deep, almost lazy, as he explored her mo
uth. He pressed her harder against the wall and his hands roamed across her body, one down to her waist and the other up to cup her face.
Her senses went into overdrive, consumed by him. His scent of leather and steel. His taste was richer than the finest wine she'd ever had.
Intoxicating.
He was intoxicating.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, needing to get closer. She liked everything about Westin, from the way he spoke and moved to the way he made her feel. If they were back on earth, Sunny was sure she could easily fall for him. Bring him home, spend holidays with him and Jo.
Jo.
What would Jo think of her? Her sister was imprisoned by a maniac, and Sunny was making out with some guy.
She flinched internally as her mind whispered, he’s not just some guy. She told her brain to be quiet, Jo was in trouble, and she should be doing everything she could to help her sister.
Sunny pulled back as guilt washed through her, turning her entire body cold. She pushed against Westin’s chest, and he immediately let her slide to the ground.
“Are you alright?” he asked, “Did I—”
“It’s not you,” Sunny told him, “I’m sorry, I just, I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t have. . . um. . . I’m sorry.”
She practically ran from the training room. She went straight to the bathroom and started the shower.
She told herself that she wasn’t crying, that the drops of water running down her face were from the shower. But the tears fell as she slid down the wall to sit on the tiled floor.
It was too much: this place, her sister being taken, trying to be strong, this connection with Westin.
Too much.
What am I doing? she asked herself.
She didn’t have an answer.
When she left the shower and dried off, she peeked out the door before heading to her room.
She didn’t want to face Westin so soon after acting like such a lunatic.
When she got to the guest room she’d been staying in, she curled up on the bed and took out the paper she’d found. She had found it a few days before while cleaning.
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