Cold Mark (17 page)

With my lips thin in determination, I tore the note into tiny pieces and quickly stuffed them into my mouth. I scrunched my nose in distaste as I chewed the wad for a gruesome minute. I swallowed it down.

It sure as hell didn't taste like candy.

More like paste and cardboard. But the deed was done.

I removed the rest of my clothing and lifted my left leg to step into the bathtub.

And froze.

One leg still up in the air, I stared down between my naked thighs.

And
screamed
as if the room were on fire.

It sure felt like my vision was.

"What in the mother fucking hell?" I shouted.

My eyes were glued between my legs.

I patted my intimate flesh repeatedly, even wiping back and forth.

Nothing changed.

That just wasn't
right
.

The gawking couldn't be helped—
hell, no
—but reality brazenly intruded when I heard the door bash open to the Plumas' bedroom. Moving like a panther, I lowered my leg and grabbed my large towel. I would not be caught naked with a blatant ... issue. Using lightning-quick actions, I had it wrapped around my bare body just as the bathroom door ripped off its hinges and flew inside, slamming like a rocket against the double vanity. The halo-mirror above the sinks vibrated and then wavered as the two Plumas entered the silent bathroom, making their reflections appear like they were deadly spirits straight from the pits of the underworld.

The door teetered further to the side and hit the tile floor with a resounding
thunk
at my feet.

Phila and Killeg's eyes smoldered, the glow so harsh in the contained room, I almost lifted one of my hands to shield my own gaze. Wrath permeated the air like I was caught in a sticky web, and a petrified shiver wracked down my spine. I would never want to be on their bad side—ripped limb from limb with no real effort on their part. Their chests heaved as their blazing eyes took in my person from head to toe, and then swung across the room, scanning the area for an enemy—a foe they wouldn't find.

I held perfectly still in light of their fury, though my thoughts started to calm as a suspicious awareness hit. My regard altered between each of them, focusing on their hair, silently analyzing the bold, white hue—until their glowing gazes slammed back in my direction. My eyelashes swept down as I blinked ever so slowly.

Holy ...
shit
. I couldn't be right. There was no way. No ... way.

But if I were, I held one hell of a power chip over their heads. One that could end their lives.

And quite possibly wreck mine even further than it already was—which was a valid reason to keep my mouth shut on this assumption. It was only a speculation needing further assessment—not to mention, a cunning scheme on how to complete said assessment.

Bless Mother Joyal, I was trained in tactics and had scored high on all tests involving stratagem.

This night was either the beautiful beginning of many possibilities. Or my ruin.

Staring into their radiant eyes, I decided I wanted to go back to bed. And stay there.

It was too damn early in the evening to act a cool-headed role.

And, apparently, I sucked at lying. Joyal teachers really should have a technical course on it.

Killeg's brows snapped together. His breathing had relaxed. "Why did you scream?"

I stayed silent for a moment, collecting my thoughts. I needed to play it cool. Lie better than I had ever lied before. This meant ... I kept my mouth shut. I lifted a finger and pointed at the toilet.

Both blinked in confusion staring at the harmless white bowl. Phila asked, "Yes?"

With overly exaggerated, cautious steps, I walked to the toilet. Flushed it.

The water roared to life inside it with suction that could take my hand with it if it were down in the bowl. Quick thinking. The 'dangerous' toilet was all I could come up with. Though, on an honest note, the sound it made the first time I used it
had
frightened me enough causing me to jump off it. The story wasn't too farfetched.

They watched me like I had lost my blessed mind.

Hmm
. It would probably be smart to keep my eyes wide in terror for this 'show.'

And damned if they didn't buy it. Poor defenseless Braita.

After staring into my doe eyes, Killeg's head tipped back. He bellowed with deep laughter.

Phila—at least—managed to contain his hilarity with a hard snort behind a fisted hand.

I narrowed my eyes and then jammed a finger at the exit. "Get out."

Killeg's lips were tilted up in the most delectable grin. He held up both his hands. "We're leaving." A slight head tip toward the toilet. "Don't fall in next time."

Another jab to the exit. I growled, "Now."

On silent feet, though their amusement of their 'dangerous' toilet wasn't as quiet, they both left the bathroom without another word said. When I heard their bedroom door close, I walked to the halo-mirror, the reflection now steady. Ever so deliberately, I peeled my towel away from my body.

I stared.

While the hair on top of my head was a profound black, the color I had been born with, the hair at the juncture of my thighs no longer matched.

It was now snow white.

Pulling Killeg's gifted cloak tighter around my body, I stilled as he approached. He wore one of his spare cloaks, which billowed out from his brisk stride. Underneath it, however, he was attired in all black, very chic in appearance, contrasting greatly with Phila's borrowed oversized linen white pants and white t-shirt I was trying to cover. I had no clothes of my own here that were wearable—other than my boots—so I was stuck in apparel likely to agitate my Vaq when they saw me.

Me, wearing clothes of the Plumas of the east. Yes, my Plumas would not appreciate it.

"Jax is opening the doors." Killeg pulled the hood of my cloak up over the top of my head. His warm fingers lingered as they brushed against my cheeks. I locked my knees so I wouldn't squirm as heat unfurled in my gut. He bent at the waist, leveling his glowing crystal blue gaze with my chocolate browns. His words were quiet, unassuming. "Are you ready?" Too bad I could read right through him on this account.

Are you ready?
He meant, don't you dare attempt to flee.

I snorted. "I'm not going to escape." Not right now.

His head was slightly cocked, his chaotic white hair in perfect disarray. I wondered vaguely if he styled his hair like that on purpose to keep others off-balance. It was definitely eye-catching. His lips curved up at one corner, more than mischievous in nature. "Do I need to use my own drugging potion on you again to get you to a safe location?"

The blush burning my cheeks was welcome. At least, while we were still on this hov-craft, anyway. He was flirting with me. This ... wasn't so bad. I tilted my head forward a few inches, getting just that much closer to his face before I grinned and whispered, "Killeg, you can kiss my Human ass."

His resulting smile was just as radiant as his glowing eyes. Though, he paused with his lips parted, ready to rejoinder, when his attention altered to the kitchen bar where Stiller sat. The purple-haired Mian was silently sipping on a bottle of water, gazing directly at us. Blatantly staring. Killeg straightened and narrowed his crystal blue eyes on his best friend. He hitched a thumb in the direction of the parlor. "Why don't you see if Jax needs anything?"

Stiller merely shrugged, not moving from the bar. "Jax flew us here. I'm sure he can handle opening the door." His purple brows rose, and he pointed his water bottle directly at me with his regard still on Killeg. "I feel it is my duty to inform you, this is the most stupid action you and Phila have ever made."

My back straightened at the implication. Even if it were true.

Killeg slid with a gentle glide, barring Stiller's view from me. He didn't say anything. He just continued to hold his best friend's gaze with a dominating glare only a Pluma could enact. I was thoroughly content with not being on the receiving end of it.

The look was enough. Stiller bowed his head in a respectful manner and jumped off the bar. Although his casual stride halted at the parlor door. In a soft tone, he stated, "I hope you two know what the fuck you're doing. She's not worth our extinction and you both know it." With those parting words, he went to check on Jax.

My lips thinned, and my own words were soft. "Well said."

Out of view, Stiller still shouted, "You stupid fucks, even the damn Human knows it!"

A gentle, sardonic chuckle from behind had me spinning in a flurry.

I had no clue when Phila had exited their bedroom, but he stood only a foot away from me. The corners of his eyes were crinkled as he peered down, holding my gaze. Black eyes so intriguing in their complexities were full of merriment. He admonished gently, "Braita ... how do you know we won't start a war if you choose your Plumas over us—not the other way around?" My jaw gaped as he tsked gently, brushing his long hair over his shoulders and showing the tips of his pointed ears in sharp relief. "Or will we?" He hummed ever so quietly, his attention honed solely on me. "It is a conundrum, is it not?"

I snapped my mouth closed. "Riddles are not helping this situation."

He shook his head and lowered his face to mine. "Oh, but this is a riddle ... yes?"

My black brows gradually furrowed because he was more right than he knew. "Perhaps."

He leaned forward, his eyes wholly capturing mine.

I held perfectly still, curious as to what he was planning.

Sweetly, he kissed the tip of my nose. "You know it is, Human."

A seven-foot-tall Mian peered down at me. It was the delegate of Triaz I had first encountered when my name had been called on Joyal. He was also the litigator currently handling the transaction—me—between the Plumas of the east and the west. His blue glowing eyes stood out from the darkness of his imperial hooded cloak which sported the Triaz symbol—even though he clearly wore the mark of the west on his left temple, a circle with a line through it. His expression was blank, hiding all thoughts of what he was truly thinking as we stood outside the hov-craft deep in the dark woods, surrounded by the Plumas of easts' bodyguards. They had arrived at this location before we had landed. He asked, "Are you well, Ms. Valorn?"

"I am." Even though there was a cool breeze ruffling all the bodyguards' colorful hair, Phila and Killeg stood on either side of me, their body heat warming my arms.

He tilted his tall frame in my direction and took an exaggerated sniff above my head. He pulled out a small bottle of perfume from his cloak. I jerked in surprise, tucking my head down when he began spraying it all over me. It was a fragrant scent, but also, surprisingly clean. I choked at the overwhelming smell filtering through my nostrils, coughing loudly in agitation until he stopped. He put the perfume back in his cloak, his words simple. "You don't want to see your Vaq smelling of the east, do you?"

I barely kept from blushing, though my tone was strong to hide all indiscretions that had occurred on the hov-craft. "I was on their ship. How else do you expect me to smell?"

I could have sworn his lips twitched before he turned and started walking, and I know I heard him mutter under his breath, "
Less of them, Ms. Valorn
.
Definitely less of them."

I stuck my tongue out at his back. No one could see with my hood up as it was. He was a smart ass, which was as interesting as the man himself. I quickly put my feet into motion as our group followed behind him, trekking through the underbrush. I spoke in careful Mianese to his back. "Sir? What is your name? I've never caught it."

"Rule."

I blinked. "Rule?"

He didn't glance back. "Yes, Ms. Valorn. I go by the name Rule."

"So ... Mr. Rule, then."

"No. Just, Rule."

I stepped over a large root dipping out of the hard ground. "Rule."

Patience kept his posture relaxed. "Yes, Ms. Valorn."

My head teetered back and forth in thought. "That's neat." I grinned. "Rule."

Monotone. "Thank you, Ms. Valorn."