CHAPTER TEN #2
I smiled. “You and I do not want the same things. But we’re friends, right? Friends give advice to each other.”
“And meddle in their business?”
“And meddle in their business.”
His mouth curved. “Yeah, friends for sure.”
I gave a satisfied nod. “Now stop being a coward and go after Layna.”
“Hey, I’m no coward.”
“Prove it,” I dared.
Halting as we reached the stables, he shot me a frown of mock annoyance. “Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow at some point.”
“Good night.” We parted ways as I headed inside. Walking down the aisle, I slowed my pace as particular sounds reached me. Sounds coming from the feed room up ahead.
Moans. Grunts. Flesh smacking flesh. Voices begging or urging someone on.
I knew those voices. They belonged to the stable hands. Feeling my lips curve, I shook my head. It had seemed inevitable that they’d end up pouncing on each other eventually—I’d caught them exchanging many heated looks.
I continued down the aisle and walked into the tack room. There, I stopped, my mouth dropping open in surprise. A Laelap pup was hanging from leather reins, busy chewing on them while letting out the most adorable growl.
I put my hands on my hips. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be in here.”
At the sound of my voice, it released the reins and ungracefully dropped to its butt. It tilted its head, its tongue lolling out.
“Oh, you’re just the cutest thing.” My system melted. Simply melted. “Come on, let’s get you back to your den.”
Hoping it wouldn’t decide to sink its little teeth into me, I carefully scooped up the pup. A pup I then realized was a ‘he.’ He started licking my face and sniffing me.
I smiled. “I’d keep you if your Alphas wouldn’t eat me alive.” I walked to the opposite end of the aisle, pausing a mere step before the entrance of the barn. “If I get bitten by any of your pack for touching you, I will totally hold you responsible.”
I crouched down and placed him on the floor. He didn’t pad into the barn, though. He tried leaping onto my lap. “I’m sorry, you can’t stay with me.”
He barked, his tail wagging. And then there was a rustle inside the barn. The sound of claws clicking against wood became louder and louder. A huge-ass Laelap that was only slightly shorter than Chief appeared. I was guessing she was the Alpha female.
I remained very still as, her black gaze fixed on me, she padded closer. A tension in her frame, she sniffed at me. Her muscles relaxed slightly. Still, she nudged the pup away from me and guided him back into the barn.
I let out a relieved breath. Well, that could have gone worse.
A loud bang came from far behind me, followed by a barked, “What the hell?”
I pushed to my feet and pivoted. The shocked voice belonged to Justus. Frowning, I took a single step forward … right as Talon came moodily striding out of the feed room. He stopped when he spotted me, and his glower kicked up tenfold.
“You didn’t walk in on them going at it, did you?” I asked. He had to have known—heard—that they were having sex.
He glared at me, clenching his fists.
“What did I do now?”
More glaring.
“I didn’t go into the barn, if that’s what you’re thinking. I was just guiding a stray pup back to his pack.”
Talon sharply tipped his chin at the stable’s exit and then stalked out.
I followed with a pained sigh. Clearly Xalbia wasn’t quite over for the day. “Do you often storm into rooms while people are doing the dirty?”
He tossed me a hard look over his shoulder.
“I was just asking.” I glanced around, noticing that everyone was still gathered near the bonfire at the opposite side of the garrison. “Why did you order me out here?”
He pointed at the tower and then made a beeline for the garrison’s exit.
A shard of panic stabbed my chest as I came to a sharp halt. “The Sovereigns want to speak to me?”
He only grunted in response, not breaking stride.
“Why?” Unease laced every syllable.
Nothing.
My pulse kicking up, I pushed, “What’s this about?”
Still nothing.
I ground my teeth. “Dammit, Talon, at least give me a heads-up if I’m about to walk into a dangerous situation.”
He halted, sighing, and turned to face me. For once, he wasn’t glowering. His features smooth and reassuring, he raised his hands slightly in a calming gesture, though a glint of impatience lit his eyes. Message delivered, he continued walking toward the garrison’s exit.
Inwardly cursing, I reluctantly caught up to him. “What’s this about?” I again asked, unable to imagine what could have sparked the Sovereigns to essentially summon me.
A shrug was his only response.
My every step reluctant, I allowed him to lead me out of the garrison and over to the tower.
All the while, I struggled to make sense of this—and not merely because my anxiety made it harder to reason it through.
Where was the actual point in them requesting a face to face meeting?
Why take time out of their day to speak with me when they could attain whatever answers they needed simply by asking Talon?
Sparing him a quick look, I bit into the inside of my cheek. Maybe he had reported something about me that interested them. But what? I hadn’t done anything notable. I hadn’t shown any outward signs of power.
The only thing that could have piqued their interest was that I’d demonstrated an immunity to lamiae venom. But they would have learned of that way before today, and I didn’t think it something they would feel inclined to speak with me about anyway.
So what, then?
I just didn’t know. Inwardly cursing yet again, I drew in a deep breath. The edginess building in my system made my fingers flex and my heart beat faster.
When we reached the tower, Talon turned to me and cuffed my twitching fingers. His gaze sober, he shook his head. His message came through loud and clear: Don’t let them see you’re anxious; show no weakness.
I heaved in a centering breath, stilled my fingers, and gave a long nod.
He released my hand, opened the door of the tower, and ushered me inside. The walk up the winding staircase was no more pleasant this time than it had been last time, but it didn’t hurt my legs quite as much, and I didn’t lose my breath.
My treks around the Pines had clearly toughened my body up some. A realization that would have made me smile if I wasn’t about to see the Sovereigns again.
Once we reached the same floor as we had on our previous visit to the tower, Talon led me down a familiar hallway and directly to the audience chamber. Only the three ruling half-bloods and Ariadne were present.
“Ah, here you are,” Minos said to Talon, planting his hands on the armrests of his throne.
The constant purr of power within me … dimmed. No, withdrew. As if it reflexively shied away from the Sovereigns or something.
What the—
“Anara,” Minos intoned, his rich voice almost a rattle in my bones. “How are you this evening?”
I mirrored Talon in coming to a halt several feet before the platform of thrones. “Fine, thank you.” My voice came out stilted.
Minos lifted a calming hand. “Be at ease. There is nothing for you to fear.”
I inwardly snorted.
While Minos wore a jovial smile, Rhad regarded me through narrowed eyes as he absently tugged at his beard. Eacus stared at me blankly, one ankle resting over the knee of his other leg.
“Tell me, Anara,” began Minos, “what do you think of our city?”
I blinked. Was this a trick question or an attempt at idle chit-chat? “It’s more wondrous than I could have imagined,” I replied, figuring a little flattery couldn’t hurt. “I am sure there is no place like it.”
“You are right. Nowhere on Earth could compare to it. And yet, human offerings are never pleased to be sent here, are they?”
Well, obviously not. “We’re told … stories.”
“Yes. And so no one knows what to expect when they come here. People, human or non-human, like to know what they should expect. So it can often be annoying when something keeps us guessing.” He paused. “I had hoped to have answers where you’re concerned at this point, but I do not.”
You and me both.
“I have always pitied humans,” he commented with a sigh, seeming to view himself as so very compassionate for that.
“To be such easy prey must be supremely difficult. Predators will always come. Take you, for example. I heard earlier that another candidate made an attempt on your life. How frightening that must have been for you.”
I fought a frown. They had only learned of it today? “Yes, it was very frightening,” I lied.
My peripheral vision sensed Talon’s head ever so slightly twitch in my direction. He was probably thinking that I was full of shit. He’d be right. I hadn’t been scared, I’d been infuriated.
“And yet, you did not quit Xalbia,” Rhad cut in, still plucking at his beard. “In fact, you are still here even now, beyond its halfway point.”
That bothered him quite a bit, I realized. He had thought I would quit, and he didn’t like that he was wrong. I would need to be sneaky here. I would need to act as though he shouldn’t consider it an indication of power or strength that I hadn’t dropped out.
“Blame my being mortal. As you can imagine, being around you or your descendants makes us feel very insignificant. I mean, we’re very vulnerable in comparison.
It can cause us to feel that we have something to prove.
We might put ourselves through all sorts of misery to do so.
A weakness, I suppose. But a weakness can be drawn on to give us strength. ”
His brow pinched in thought, Eacus idly brushed the pad of his thumb over that of his forefinger again and again. “Hmm, I suppose. Lamiae venom had no effect on you, I hear.”
“I would have to credit the ichor with that.”
“Yes, it likely helped your system fight it off. Mortal makeup never would,” Eacus added with utter flippancy.
“I was surprised to hear that you had managed to successfully ingest the ichor,” Rhad interjected.
“Have you felt any stirrings of power within you?” asked Minos.
My nape tingled. I’d have to be careful here. “Some.”
Minos cocked his head. “Has any of it manifested itself into an ability of any kind?”
“I heal faster. That’s really it so far.” I went very still as Minos pushed off his throne. It was a supreme effort not to tense up when he made a slow beeline for me.
Minos paid no attention to Talon as he stood before me, studying me closely. “There is power inside you. Faint but there. Perhaps too faint to surface.” He sighed. “That would be a shame.”
He didn’t sound as though he’d find it disappointing. He seemed to feel reassured by the idea that nothing about me posed a threat. I was exactly what, despite being also a Sayer, I appeared to be—a mortal. Harmless. Inconsequential. Interchangeable.
“Do you believe that you have a hope of surviving Xalbia and seeing it through to the end?” Eacus asked me as Minos returned to the platform.
“I believe I will give it everything that I have,” I replied carefully. “I can only hope it will be enough. But without the ichor, I would never have gotten this far.”
Rhad gave a short nod. “I would have to agree with that.”
It really was incredible how easily these beings could be put at ease just listening to me natter on about how they were all power and greatness while I was little ole me.
“I have a question,” Minos piped up as he resettled on his throne. “If you were to pass Xalbia and join the Tapestry, you would be the only human. We would prefer all officiates to be immortal. Would you ever accept the offer of longevity?”
I almost jerked in surprise. There wasn’t a chance these beings would give me any rewards, let alone prolong my lifespan. “I would.”
“So decisive,” Minos commented. “Why no hesitation?”
“I’m content with the life I have now,” I replied. “Why would I want it to pass me by quickly?”
Beside me, Talon stiffened … and I realized what I might have implied with my answer. Crap.
Minos briefly slid an amused look at the Cardinal. “Why indeed.” He straightened in his seat and flapped a hand. “You may both go. And Talon, be sure to keep us better informed.”
Hmm, it was looking like the Cardinal wasn’t giving them as regular reports as I’d expected. Then again, he was a busy person. Going back and forth to the Sovereigns with little anecdotes about me was probably the last thing he needed or wanted to do.
No wonder he was always scowling at me.
As he and I left the audience chamber, the power purring beneath my skin came back to the forefront. Which was plain weird.
Or was it?
Maybe this happened to everyone. Maybe it was a natural thing. I was tempted to ask Talon, but I wasn’t sure that I wanted to share this little phenomenon with anyone yet. Besides, I had something else I wished to say to him.
Once we’d exited the tower, I turned to him. “What I said in there about why I’d say yes to longevity … I didn’t mean to imply that Eva isn’t content with you. I realized how it sounded after I said it, and I just wanted—” Cutting off my ramble, I shook my head. “Never mind.”
He stared down at me, so many emotions flickering across his features. All were there and gone too fast for me to identify them.
His eyes dropped to my mouth. Hovered there for a few moments. When they shot back up to meet mine, there was a gleam of need in their depths that almost stole my breath.
Something built in the air. Something warm and muggy. Something with enough umph it could zap my body as effectively as the cuff I’d thankfully had removed from my wrist. I swallowed hard, feeling—
An alarm rang out. Loud. Piercing. Incessant.
It was the same alarm that had sounded when the hounds and lamiae attacked.
Shit.