Chapter 3
Violet Rose Tavern, Realm of Calderre
T he courtyard of the Violet Rose was just crowded enough to be exciting without causing Celina to feel claustrophobic. Cold was setting in, but the canopy of heat kept them warm enough that she had shed her coat.
Dual fires roared in the twin hearths at either end of the courtyard, allowing people to dance in the warm, shadowed center. Glowing orbs were strung across the area, spilling light and shadow onto the dancers as they swayed in the gentle night air.
It was a space for moonlight and promises. Good friends and laughter. Positive energy flowed into every corner, encouraging people to relax and enjoy. It had a touch of magic, if truth be told.
The Violet Rose was the hearthstone of the close-knit Ravensmere community that consisted of the small towns surrounding Celina’s keep. The inn and tavern had long been a gathering place for their people and had held strong through dark times in their history. Originally the inn’s garden, the courtyard was still bordered by the violet roses, giving the establishment its name.
It was one of Celina’s favorite places to visit when she needed to be a person rather than any of her titles. She had been coming with several of her close friends ever since they met years ago as angry and traumatized young girls who had experienced catastrophic events that had taken their loved ones.
Fifteen years later, they had healed somewhat, grown into themselves, and developed a true friendship despite vast differences.
This particular evening, there were only three of them, and they had claimed a large table near one of the fires. It was farther from the tavern and a bit quieter, allowing them to talk and actually hear one another.
Listening to the laughter and comradery bolstered her as it always did. The constant edge of tension Celina had been struggling with finally softened enough to let her breathe again.
“I wish Cass had made it home for this. Do you know when she’s due back?” Alayna asked.
“Soon, I hope.” Celina missed her best friend dearly. “She said she’d return before the first snow, and that’s fast approaching.”
Cass was a Wolflumen—part of a special clan of warriors who operated entirely on their own outside of the military. They helped people over the world but made their home in the snowy mountains of Calderre. It meant that she disappeared for long stretches of time on hunts—the equivalent of the classified military missions Connor and his team took.
But more, she was a sister in Celina’s heart. One she desperately missed and needed in this time of doubt and fear. If she were here, Cass would probably tell her not to worry, that she could sneak into any vault—or locked office—and find the information they needed.
Celina smiled at that thought. If only it were that simple.
She’d reached out to everyone she knew in Eldridge, but no one had reported anything unusual. Except an increase in young mage abductions. She didn’t think it was related to what had happened to Connor, but she wouldn’t know for sure until she conferred with their friend, Morgan.
As a commanding officer for the refugee division of the Lightning Forces, he would know. His teams performed the dangerous rescue work in other realms. Highly exacting in his expectations, Morgan was out on a short mission with a newly sanctioned team to vet their skills just after she’d received the news about Connor. She was eager to confer with him and see if any of his contacts had responded to his own inquiries. Someone had to know something.
“Um, Celina…” Alayna bumped her shoulder, interrupting her thoughts. “Are you sure you don’t want to dance tonight?”
“Of course not, it’s our night together.”
“Mmm.” Alayna’s eyes sparkled with mirth as she took a sip of her drink. “Well, maybe you should make an exception. Just this once.”
Following her friend’s eyes, Celina glanced toward the dance floor. A pair of well-worn boots headed her way, each step slow and steady. A broad chest showed obvious strength, not unlike the warriors she worked with, but carried differently somehow. His presence was commanding, maintaining his personal space in the crowded courtyard. There was just enough light to make out a sharp jaw and dark hair pulled back from his face.
“Warrior?” she asked quietly.
The air rustled as Alayna shook her head. “He moves differently. Almost like an ice leopard.”
The Calderran breed of snow cat was a ferocious beast, highly protective of their mountain territories. It was exactly the right description. He was deliberate in his movements, as if each one counted.
There was a stillness about him that was different, untouched by the flow of energy around him. A stalking hunter—wild and untamed. At ease and in harmony with the surrounding environment, yet smoldering with a fierceness under the surface.
Dark green eyes met hers, causing a spark of intense awareness to zip through her. There was no way she could pretend to be unaffected by him. He already knew.
R odric had finally succeeded in getting directions to go with the name of a family to pursue for information— Blackwood . Though his conversation with the Violet Rose’s barkeeper had been short and friendly, Rodric had the odd sensation that he’d been thoroughly interrogated.
Exhausted from the fast journey into the mountainous heart of Calderre, he’d been about to turn in early when the entire tone of the tavern had shifted in a single heartbeat. A beautiful woman had walked in, causing whispers to ignite in the crowd. Rodric’s eyes had lingered on her curiously as she’d greeted the tavern staff with affection and familiarity and acknowledged a number of patrons with a practiced nod. A zealous staff person had immediately poured drinks for her and her companions and then shepherded them out into the courtyard, almost as if trying to protect them from the watchful patrons.
After she faded from his sight, Rodric had turned back to find the barkeeper watching him intently. The man had brought Rodric a new drink on the house, smiling like he knew an amusing secret. “You should take this outside. Trust your instincts, hunter. You just might find what you need .”
With an audacious wink, the man had disappeared, leaving Rodric slightly stunned and unsettled by the strange encounter. And yet, almost by compulsion, he’d followed the unusual advice, going out to the courtyard and slipping into a darkened table in the corner, which hid him but gave him a perfect line of sight to the mysterious woman.
The barkeeper either fancied himself a matchmaker or knew something Rodric didn’t. He chose to believe the former because the latter left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was a feeling that he’d been getting all too often since he entered the realm. His nerves were constantly ablaze, tingling with awareness that magic had free rein here.
Nevertheless, he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off the intriguing woman. There was a small possibility she had access to the type of information he needed. At least, he told himself that was why he remained seated, watching her intently. Something deep inside him flared, awakening a new sense that was riveted to a single point of significance. Instincts honed by years of hunting as a Preddari told him to keep her in his sights.
She was here to spend time with friends, but a few had tried to coax her onto the dance floor. She had declined them all without hesitation, yet was moving in time to the music where she was seated. Her gaze drifted to the couples on the floor often, an expression of longing barely hidden on her face. He wanted to know why.
Her presence shone brightly, almost regally, among those gathered. A high-ranking noble, someone of importance. A Blackwood? The bartender had looked awfully sure of himself. Was it possible she was the daughter of the family he sought?
Decided, he rose from his chair. Perhaps the stars would shine upon him, and she would know something worthwhile, perhaps not. He was intent on approaching her either way.
People moved out of his way, feeling his energy and instinctively shifting out of the path of the hunter without even realizing it.
She glanced up when he was still a dozen feet away, looking him directly in the eyes. Once caught, he held her gaze steadily as he approached. Her eyes were the palest blend of green and blue he had ever seen. The unusual turquoise color sparked, combining with her wild auburn hair to give her an ethereal look.
He held out his hand, palm up in request, never breaking eye contact as he waited. She studied him for a long moment before reaching out to take it. Slowly.
Gentle pressure on her hand had her rising, coming toward him. He didn't immediately back away to lead her where he wanted. Instead, he stayed still, pulling her into his space, even with him. Seconds passed as he fell into her eyes, giving her time to step away. The hunter within him roared in victory when she didn’t.
“My lady,” he said quietly. “You're not dancing, but you want to.”
“I…” She hesitated, but desire sparked in her eyes, even stronger than before. He was right. She very much wanted to dance. With him.
“Let me.” Keeping hold of her right hand, his left settled on her lower back so he could turn and propel her in front of him toward the dance floor.
She went, leading them to a shadowed corner of the floor, drawing them into the privacy and intimacy the darkness offered. He approved. She turned back toward him, hesitating just slightly as she put her hand on his shoulder. The surprised stares of those around them supported his perception that her choice to dance with him was significantly unusual.
“Let me,” he said again, his words melting into her hair as he pulled her close, his breath brushing her ear.
The music was different than what he was used to, more lyrical, but the underlying rhythm was thankfully close to something he knew. The couples they’d passed on the floor were mixed, with either partner leading, so he did what came naturally and stepped into her space to begin the dance. He moved confidently, leading her in the steps he had learned as a youth. She responded well, not fighting with him to lead the steps.
The snug fit of her dress accentuated her lithe curves, hinting at a dancer’s body. He appreciated that her heeled boots were worn, not for show, allowing her to be sure of her steps as she moved with him. He wanted to talk to her, ask her questions, but was enjoying just holding her, absorbing her presence.
A quiet battle raged inside him. He fought to let his instincts rule while his mind posed a threatening question—did the woman in his arms have magic?
Golden light spilled from the strings above, making her glow. She was vivid. Tonight, the hunter led, taking over his decision making, and he didn’t care to know the answer.
“You're not from here,” she stated in a non-challenging way that he liked. Most of the women he knew were Eldrin and more docile, unlike here in Calderre, where women reigned over the realm.
“No, I'm not.”
“Mmm. But you are a man of purpose. What brings you here?”
Something stirred inside him, urging him to glance down to confirm that no joining bracelet from a mate adorned her wrist. Satisfaction sparked a flame to glow in his chest at the sight of her bare arm.
Shaking off the odd sensation, he refocused on the reason for his rushed journey into a place that scared him. “I'm looking for information that could help me rescue someone in trouble.”
“Someone you care for?”
Everything pointed toward her providing a compassionate ear, yet emotion tightened his chest and held him mute.
Her hand shifted, fingers brushing lightly over his arm. “Tell me.” She mimicked his commanding tone from earlier, her gaze meeting his with clear intensity.
A hint of a smile ghosted his lips. He liked that she commanded instead of asked, gentle authority in her tone. But it was authority nonetheless.
He was surprised by how much he wanted to share with her. For the sake of engaging emotionally and sharing this burden with someone, not simply to gather necessary intel. The desire burned through the restraints locking the words away.
“Yes. Someone I care for very much. My soul-daughter, Brenna. A ten-year-old girl. My little ball of sunshine. But she’s… trapped and in danger. Taken from her home by those that mean her harm.”
A troubled expression crossed her features, marring the sweetness that had been there a moment ago. He watched her closely for a reaction, but nothing gave away her thoughts except a deliberate and controlled breath.
A deep, primal instinct drove him to pull her in closer. His few extra inches of height gave him the option of tucking her head under his, onto his chest, or leaning down to intimately speak into her ear. He chose the latter, almost kissing her hair as he did so.
Her citrusy scent enveloped him, filling him with her presence and sending a light wave of peacefulness through him. It was the first moment of calm he’d had in weeks, and he soaked up everything she had to give him like it was the first ray of sun after a dark, cold winter.
“How awful. You’re trying to free her from this… situation?” She emphasized the last word, making him wonder what her mind had imagined.
“Yes. She’s being held captive somewhere. I intend to bring her home, but I require assistance.” He decided to press a little further. “I’m looking for information. Some specialized resources, if anyone is willing.”
Holding her so close meant he couldn’t see her expression, but he felt a very slight, very telling tension run through her. Someone less attuned would have missed it.
“Do you know where she was taken?”
“No. I was able to follow their trail for quite a ways until it disappeared altogether. Not a single trace. I find that rather hard to believe. Don’t you?” He loosened his hold, putting a slight distance between them without letting go so that he could see her expression.
Eyes meeting his steadily, she took another deep breath, letting it out slowly. She was skilled at controlling her reactions, which was an unusual occurrence and informative in and of itself. Hope ignited with a flicker in his heart at the hint that she knew something.
Finally, she looked away, sadness filling her voice as she spoke. “I’ve had some experience with loved ones being in dangerous, even deadly, situations. The weight of it is a lot to bear. Even more so as the one responsible for their well-being. I imagine, as her soul-guardian, you feel the same. Especially if you are alone in your search.” She brushed her hand over his arm again, a caress this time, and shifted infinitesimally closer.
He said nothing, mind overtaken once again by confusing emotion. It was as if she were reaching into him and caressing his soul with warmth and light, lifting the heavy darkness with her touch and her words. His heart reacted as if he were starved, grasping for the compassion she offered.
His mind balked at the odd feeling, while his heart yearned for more. Did it matter that she was possibly a mage, embraced things he never could, if she was able to cause such a tremendous response in him? If she was able to help him save Brenna?
“I’m very familiar with that. Recently, in fact.” Weariness edged out the sadness in her voice and her muscles tensed further under his hands. “I don’t think I’ve slept well since the last moon. Having such… complications… arise in your hunt must be stressful. How are you holding up?”
That was not the response he had expected. Concern for him, rather than for his soul-daughter or his hunt. Her turquoise eyes encouraged him to open up. His solitary nature warred with the new desire that had filled him earlier, wanting to engage with her. Her sincere attention pulled an honest answer from him.
“I’ve had a difficult time sleeping as well. I’m worried for her. The longer she is with them…” He fought to block the troubling images that assaulted his mind whenever he dropped his guard. “I can’t sleep for imagining what she might be suffering.”
“Have you—”
She was cut off as one of her friends approached, steps purposeful. “Celina, I’m so sorry to interrupt, but we need to go.”
“What’s wrong? Is someone hurt?”
“No, it’s not that.” The dark-haired woman waved the concern away and offered Rodric an apologetic smile before nodding her head toward the official-looking messenger behind her. “Your presence has been requested at the keep. Something official, I gather.”
Celina took a trembling breath before turning back to Rodric. “I’m sorry. I have to leave immediately.”
His hand tightened reflexively where it still rested on her back, not wanting to let go of her. There was suddenly fear and worry in her eyes, tenfold from her concern for him before. Whatever awaited her was clearly important. He nodded in understanding.
Her hand tightened on his arm. “I hope you find the answers you need.”
The inward roll of her lips told him there was more she wanted to say but held back. He wondered what she knew. What she would have said had they not been interrupted. He was certain her questions had been leading somewhere significant.
Frustration for Brenna’s sake and disappointment for his own made him restless.
With a final lingering look, she let go of him and walked away, posture tight and regal. At least now he knew her name. Celina.
It finally occurred to him to wonder why she had never asked his.