Chapter 17
I manage to nod. “I’ll get packed.”
“Wait,” Harper says. “Like right now?” I turn to her.
“You’re going with him right now. To his kingdom.
” Her words are statements, not questions; but I nod anyway.
Her gaze bounces around the room, and I watch as that stubborn look settles on her face.
I will her not to say or do anything to make this worse.
“Fine, but I’m going with then.” Her words couldn’t shock me more.
“Really?”
She meets my gaze and nods. “Yes.”
“The friend is coming too?” I don’t even have to turn to see who’s talking. It’s the woman that held a knife to my throat. I haven’t noticed it until now, but her head’s almost shaved. It makes her look as ferocious as her attitude.
“Yeah, she is,” Harper says, matching the woman in tone and intensity. “I’ll be there to make sure she’s safe.”
“You don’t think I would keep my mate safe?” The low words from Kaldar may sound calm on the surface, but anybody who believes there’s no threat in them is sadly mistaken.
Harper turns to Kaldar, and I wonder if I should intervene. “No offense to you. It’s not you I’m worried about. You’re not the one that held a knife to my friend’s throat.”
Kaldar turns to me, his eyes flashing dangerously. “Somebody held a knife to your throat?”
I nod once but don’t say anything. I’m not going to withhold the truth, but I’m also not going to rat out one of his people.
“It was dealt with,” I tell him without looking away.
His jaw tightens, and I can tell he’s ready to make a big deal of this.
I reach out and touch his arm and give him just the smallest headshake.
He studies my face. I can almost see when he makes a decision.
He looks back at Harper. “You are welcome in our kingdom. Any of Kinsley’s friends are, but we leave within the hour.”
“I’d better go pack.” I leave the room and head towards the stairs.
I hear his voice continue behind me, and it sounds like he’s giving his warriors the plan.
I get almost to my door when I hear booted steps behind me.
I step into my room and start to close the door, but a hand stops it.
Kaldar steps inside and closes the door behind him.
My eyes widen in surprise. “Are you here to help me pack?” I ask, trying to keep things light.
“I’ll deal with Reika when we get back.”
“You know who it was.”
He crosses his arms across his chest. “Yes, and she will be dealt with accordingly.”
I wave a hand of dismissal. “Let her be. She was protecting you.”
He looks at me skeptically. “From my mate?”
“Hey, I can be dangerous.” When he doesn’t say anything, I sigh.
“It’s over and done with. It was a little scary for a moment as I thought a huge fight was going to break out between Rysden’s people and your people, but it’s all settled.
” He doesn’t look happy, and I try to smooth things over.
“Look, Kaldar. I'm going to go with you to your kingdom. I don’t want to start any problems.”
“About that.”
His ominous words catch and hold my attention. “When we get to my kingdom, we’re going to have to act a certain way.” He holds my gaze.
“What certain way?”
He waits a moment. “Like we're in love, fully mated, and completely in line with each other.”
I blink. “Oh.”
“Our kingdom has had a turbulent few years. My father and mother were killed two years ago, and that was the start of a period of unrest. We’re just now starting to get things under control.
We will want to present a united front. Passing the Spirit Rites together will give us just that.
I’m not asking you to lie, or to pretend to be something you’re not.
I know you’re not in love with me. I’m just asking that we present it that way.
” He continues to stare at me with that unrelenting stare.
I take a deep breath, and it pulls at my sides. His eyes narrow. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine. I’m just still healing from the jaguar attack.”
“You were attacked by a jaguar?”
I frown at him. “You don’t remember? You threw a knife at it.” When it’s clear to me that he doesn’t remember, I add, “Well, you were pretty out of it.”
“You killed it?” he asks in a quiet voice.
“I had to. It was either me or it.”
“Good. Where did it get you?” he asks, his eyes scanning my body.
“My sides, but it’s okay. Hector has been using his nasty healing stuff on it.”
“Let me see.”
I blink up at him. “Uh, no. I’m good. Better than new.”
“Let me see your wounds, Kinsley,” he tries again.
“Nope. I’m good. Instead, I would like to get out of these nasty clothes and get a bath. You could probably use one too. Not probably. You need one.”
He grimaces. “Yeah. I’ll leave you, so we can both do that.” He says that, and yet he doesn’t move.
“Is there something you needed?” Now that I know he’s not going to die, I really want that bath.
“You did good...in the Rites.”
His compliment surprises me. “Thank you. You weren’t so bad yourself.”
He doesn’t smile. “Thank you for keeping me alive. I owe you my life.”
“No, you don’t, and I’m just glad you’re alive and well. Well, and that we made it out of there.”
He nods. “Okay. I’ll get out. I’ll see you in a little bit.”
He leaves, and it’s oddly quiet. I’ve gotten used to being around him.
I shake off my melancholy thoughts and head to the bathroom.
I can’t wait to get clean and soak in hot water.
Before I can get there, the door opens and Harper steps inside with Farrah right on her heels.
I barely hold in a groan. They both sit on the bed and look at me expectantly. “What?” I finally ask.
“Well,” Farrah begins. “The King of the Jaguar Kingdom just left your room; we could start there.”
I shake my head. “He was just checking on my injuries.”
Harper groans. “Please tell me we’re not going to have another Farrah situation on our hands.”
Farrah scowls at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that the entire kingdom knew that Rysden was in love with you, but you refused to see it.”
“I did not,” Farrah argues.
I don’t pick a side, even though I agree with Harper.
When they both turn back to me, I raise my hands in surrender.
“It’s not like that. Kaldar and I aren’t.
..” I don’t get to finish the thought before Harper groans again and falls back on the bed.
“Okay, well, I have to get a bath because I’m covered in grime. ”
“And you stink too,” Harper says from her reclining position.
I wait for Farrah to protest, but she gives me an apologetic shrug. “You kinda do.”
“All right. I’m heading into the bath.” I take a few steps and stop. “Are you both just going to sit there?”
“Pretty much,” Harper, who hasn’t sat up yet, says.
Farrah nods. “We need to catch up on everything before you leave again.”
My impending departure makes my nerves flare again, and I decide to focus on the hot bath.
While the water is filling the tub, I pull off my grimy, destroyed clothes, vowing to burn them.
When I climb into the tub, I don’t even bother to contain my groan.
I’m not sure when, if ever, anything has felt so good.
Thankfully, the girls let me soak in peace.
Only after the water begins to cool, do I finally wash my hair and body and then get out.
I feel like a new person, an exhausted one.
I move into the room I share with Harper and look through the few articles of clothing I have.
Rysden was gracious to get us some clothes for the Trials.
The other clothes I came with are all threadbare.
I pull on a pair of black, stretchy pants and a cream tunic.
It’s pretty standard, but it works, especially if we’re going to be traveling today.
I comb my long blonde hair and braid it, so it doesn’t drip water everywhere.
Once I’m dressed, I feel ready to face the girls.
“All right.” I sit on the other side of the bed. “What questions do you have?”
Farrah doesn’t waste a minute. “What happened to you guys that you both had so many injuries? One minute you were there, the next you were gone. It was so crazy! And why were you gone so long? And—”
“Let her answer one before you keep piling them on,” Harper says without any emotion.
“Let me start at the beginning. So, I didn’t know this, but as soon as I touched Kaldar, it sucked us into the Spirit Rites.
Well, it was supposed to just be my trial; but he hung on and came with.
The Spirit Rites are a Jaguar Kingdom thing.
They’re basically a way of proving you’re worthy of leading.
Kaldar had his when he became king; these were for me.
But he didn’t want me to do it by myself.
I for one am grateful. It was a series of challenges or tests, not unsimilar to the Trials, just all at once though.
We were there six days in that world at least; I guess the time works different there. ”
“Where was there?” Farrah asks.
“It’s not a real place. I mean it is. There were living things there, but it’s a place created just for the Rites.”
Farrah’s eyebrows lift. “Somebody has a lot of magic.”
“Yeah, Kaldar made it sound like it’s magic from their kingdom. I think it’s always been this way. Anyway, we had several things that tried to kill us. Well, actually, everything wanted to kill us. But the short of it is, we survived. We’re back here, and we passed.”
“What got you that you were bleeding everywhere when you showed back up?” Farrah asks.
“That was a jaguar.”
They both stare at me in surprise. “You fought a jaguar?” Farrah asks.
“And won?” Harper asks.
“Well, it was either it or us. I had to kill it. It was trying to get to Kaldar.” Sorrow fills me at the memory of taking the jaguar’s life. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“Hey.” Farrah’s hand covers mine. “We’re not blaming you. Of course, you had to kill it if it was attacking you guys. And then the poison thing?”
“Yeah, that was scary. Not that everything else wasn’t, but when he told me that if you’re bitten you only have twenty-four hours to live...” I shake my head. “That was terrifying.”
Farrah cocks her head to the side, taking all this in. “So, I take it they have those creatures in their kingdom because they had an antidote.”
“Yes, apparently, they have mirelings in the Jaguar Kingdom and everybody has an antidote in their home.”
“That’s dumb,” Harper pipes up. “Why don’t they just get rid of them if they’re that dangerous?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “Maybe it’s easier said than done.” Harper looks skeptical at that.
“So, here’s the big question. Are you sure you want to go to his kingdom? You don’t have to, you know. You can stay here with Rysden and me.” Farrah’s voice is full of compassion, and it almost undoes me.
“I gave him my word that I would go.”
“Were you in your right mind when you gave him your word?” Harper asks dryly.
“Well, actually, he was sort of dying. I mean I really thought he was going to.”
“Kinsley,” Farrah starts, but I interrupt her.
“But I need to.”
“Why?” she asks.
“Because whether it’s now or later, it’s going to happen. Our jaguars are mated; we’re intertwined whether we want to be or not.”