Authors: Nicole MacDonald
‘We swear it’s true!’ Kassie cried indignantly from behind Loi. Tears welled up again and I pulled back to stare at her.
‘HOW?’
‘You and Alek,’ Loi’s beautiful doe-like brown eyes shimmered with tears and a shy smile spread. Her eyes looked past me and I saw Sabyn watching, his expression of adoration and joy so intense it felt inappropriate to observe. Then his eyes moved to my face and the smile lightened.
‘Cousin! Good to see you up.’
I grinned while pulling Loi in for another hug and she groaned, rolling her eyes while everyone laughed.
‘Don’t tease,’ I said feeling my throat hitch. ‘Watching you die was bloody awful.’
‘You should have seen their faces when I sat up,’ Loi said, with a hint of dark humor. ‘They were all ready to put me back down again.’
‘Were not,’ Sian called from where she sat with Daron. ‘We just thought you might need an exorcism.’
‘Or a stake,’ muttered Kassie, making Loi and I laugh.
‘So how?’ I asked again, still not understanding. Kassie hopped up and came over, wriggling her way between us with a smile, an arm around our waists.
‘When Alek helped to kick that witch out of your body, Cat, it released Loi’s energy. Worked a treat.’
I shook my head in amazement.
‘Only on Gar’nyse.’
‘Indeed,’ agreed Kassie.
‘And how are you feeling, Your Highness?’ The resonant voice made me crane my neck, spotting Gredel before my eyes rested on Chaieth.
‘Chaieth! You made it,’ I beamed at the centaur. ‘Where’s Belsesus?’
The moment the name left my lips I knew it. All eyes dimmed and Chaieth shook his head.
‘Didn’t make it. Larvaste and Oomoth too.’
Cat’s face went still and Alek stepped to her side, nodding to the girls who walked back to their respective seats with Sabyn and Rumal.
‘We lost most. Around a fifth survived,’ he explained in a quiet voice, the mood somber while most looked down in respect to those gone. ‘That’s why we’re travelling back by the ships and not just flying home. Those who managed to get back to the ships deserve the full honors that await our arrival.’
‘Their lives were not wasted, Highness,’ a Rodhite centaur stepped up beside Chaieth, face calm through the grief. ‘For we won!’
Those near to the centaur stamped their feet, the noise picked up by all on the deck, hollering, clapping, and stamping their feet to a rising crescendo. Alek grinned, tucking his arms around Cat and she leaned back against him, watching the cheering soldiers and allies with a smile.
‘Where are Sito and Nesha?’ Cat asked, twisting to look and staring at the ship on the right.
‘Nesha is off stretching his wings,’ Daron called. ‘As is Sito.’
‘What about the other ships?’
‘Not enough to man them all,’ Alek explained. ‘Two is all we needed and that’s being generous.’
‘We’d be bored otherwise, Your Highness,’ a Draoth called to him, causing a few smiles from those gathered.
They sat within the crowd, Cat between his legs on the wide bench seat, watching but not talking much. Her face moved through emotions like he watched an enchanted frame; joy, sorrow, grief and occasionally a flash of apprehension. It gave him such pleasure and Alek didn’t hear much of what the others said, eyes fixed on his beautiful girl. He reached to sweep the hair back from her ear and bent to kiss the side of her face, feeling his throat thicken.
‘Love you, kitten,’ he whispered gruffly.
Her head turned, eyes glimmering, and a tear ran down her cheek when she reached for his face, pulling him close. The hum of her energy rang through his body while her lips danced over his, calling his energy forth in an instant. Alek ignored the hoots from those around them and pulled her closer still, lips parting to deepen the kiss and his fingers wove into her hair. The pure intoxicating blend of their energies felt like it lit the very darkest areas of his being, obliterating the awful sufferings at the hands of that witch and Yakov. The most painful of which, the promise to kill the woman he now held. Those long dark nights and hellish, pain ridden days, now only existed as unpleasant memories. It felt truly exhilarating to know he’d fulfilled the promise to his father and to know he returned to his and Cat’s kingdom. When the kiss finished he gathered her close, sweeping her legs to the side, her torso pressed to his, one arm firm around her back and the other hand cupping the side of her face, the cheekbones seeming sharper than usual.
‘Hungry?’
The rumble her stomach gave made him chuckle and he kissed her swiftly then called out for dinner.
Little things like that made me uncomfortable as Alek casually arranged the meal. Mainly because I knew that’s what we sailed back to—a life with servants and massive responsibilities.
And no Yakov, I thought, feeling a weird mix of grief and betrayal. He’d been such a fantastic advisor, so genuine—or so it seemed. Yet he’d been personally responsible for my parents’ deaths, directly aiding Jenviet. I wonder what Al will tell Elena? I almost shuddered. What an awkward thought and there appeared such a genuine attraction too, on Elena’s side at least.
I pushed the thoughts away when the smell of food reached us, my stomach rumbling in approval. The cooks brought out a range of dishes, all simple but it looked like far too much for our small group. Still, it surprised me, how much I managed to eat.
‘I’m looking forward to red meat,’ I commented while working my way through another fish dish. Alek shrugged and winked at me.
‘I’m just enjoying food.
It wasn’t said with anything other than sincerity but it made me feel guilty—knowing he’d gone so many weeks with next to no food. Then another wave of guilt hit at the thought of those who would never again share a meal with us. A sigh slipped out and Alek’s eyes probed my face.
‘What?’
I shrugged, trying to keep the tears back, and squeezed out the words past the lump in my throat.
‘Feel bad. Belsesus. Ignatius. All those lost. Just hard,’ I finished, wrinkling my nose.
Out the corner of my eye I saw Kassie bob her head, looking at Loi and Sian, and I reached out to them, finding the link between us clear and sharp, like we spoke aloud.
It’s weird, huh?
Hard,
agreed Sian.
Wish we could have saved them all.
Not how battle works,
Kassie thought gently.
I’m just grateful you lot didn’t burn me at the stake or something,
Loi thought dourly making the rest of us smile like she’d intended, the glimpse of pleasure at our smiles flashing through her link.
I sighed again and glanced at Alek to see if he’d finished eating. He put the plate down instantly and opened his arms.
‘No, finish eating,’ I protested but he shook his head, eyes slanting in affection and that hint of a smile.
‘Come here, kitten,’ he ordered softly. I didn’t need any more encouragement, climbing back on the wide seat—too wide for me, but perfect for the two of us—and this time the sigh was of satisfaction when he folded his arms around me. I snuggled my face into the crook of his neck, unable to resist kissing the spot where his pulse throbbed and felt the slight laugh he gave before he stroked a hand over my hair, rocking us gently on the seat.
‘Love you,’ he whispered in my ear and a flush rose while I cuddled closer, reaching a hand around the back of his neck. I kissed that spot again before whispering the words to him, smiling when he pulled back to glance at me, those navy eyes reflecting his words.
‘Always and forever,’ he promised in a quiet voice, entwining his fingers with mine.
‘Soon to be official,’ I said wryly.
He arched an eyebrow at me.
‘Not getting cold feet?’
‘No! It’s just.’ I pursed my lips, blowing a breath out. ‘It’s going to be crazy when we get back, isn’t it?’
She said it lightly but the gloomy look in her eyes said more. Alek cocked his head, bemused and a little concerned.
‘Cat, we’ve finally dealt to the DeNaga threat. A threat that’s loomed over every creature in Gar’nyse for thousands of years. There is going to be a decent amount of excitement.’
Rumal, sitting close with Kassie, laughed.
‘That’s an understatement if ever there was.’
‘I get that,’ Cat interjected. ‘So call me selfish if you want, but I don’t want any responsibilities at the moment. I want to hide away in a giant hole with you.’ She scowled fiercely at that and laughing, Sian, Kassie, and Loi, raised their mugs.
‘Hear, hear!’ cried Kassie.
‘It’ll be crazy for a couple of months,’ conceded Gredel from where he sat with Rashid, protecting the Lieutenant from the baleful gaze of Leseach’s ardwyr, the Northerner sitting on Gredel’s other side. ‘But once the wedding—’
Catcalls and whoops filled the air along with feet stamping from the centaurs, interrupting Gredel, and Alek laughed while Cat rolled her eyes, a smile lighting her face.
‘Once the wedding and coronation takes place,’ Gredel continued with an arched look at the noisy ones. ‘And Elena arranges a regent, then you’ll have time.’
Cat sat up with a concerned look.
‘Why would Elena arrange a regent?’
‘Where is she going?’ demanded Loi.
‘And why will they have time?’
The men looked surprised and Rumal explained, ‘When a royal marries they travel for the first eighteen months. Visit all the realms that ally with Elion or are considered part of the realm. It means visiting most of Gar’nyse, so a regent has to be in place before we leave.’
‘We?’ Kassie said in a shocked voice.
‘Griffon Guard,’ Gredel said in the manner of speaking to a child. ‘Still our job, Kass.’
The astonished looks on all four girls’ faces made Alek laugh, then Loi asked in an anxious voice, ‘But what about us?’
‘What about you, goddess?’ Sabyn teased. ‘Are you worried you’ll get left behind? All of you come along. Will Citaan come?’ he turned to Gredel whose eyes widened speculatively.
‘I hope so. It means bringing Rirae but she’s still young enough to keep in a carry pack, out of harms way.’
My mouth hung wide while a sense of absolute delight spread and I felt it ring through the link from the other girls too. Alek looked down to me, while discussing places he looked forward to seeing with the other men, and paused mid sentence, then started to laugh, a deep belly shaking laugh and hugged me tight, grinning widely.
‘Can’t wait to escape already, kitten?’
I shook my head, beaming.
‘Two months of chaos then eighteen of travelling? Bring on the wedding!’
Everyone burst into laughter and I snuggled back against his chest feeling exhausted all of a sudden. I realized how late it was when I spotted the still so foreign star constellations winking down at us and yawned, rubbing my eyes. Alek spotted the motion and he lifted me to my feet. We said goodnight to the others and I hugged the girls and then the guys tight, about to continue on to everyone else before Alek rolled his eyes and caught my hand.
‘She hugs you all,’ he declared with a magnanimous gesture, causing more laughter while he led me downstairs. The door shut behind us, our cabin seeming both tiny and serene to the raucous noise above and I smiled at Alek when he caught me by the hips, pulling me close.