Authors: Rosalie Redd
Saar and the warriors who stayed to clean up worked on the larger pieces of wreckage. They were out of earshot, so Melissa took the opportunity to ask Gaetan the question that burned in her mind.
“Why did you want me to stay?” She picked up another rose and tossed the flower onto the heap.
He shrugged. “Maybe I thought you should help clean up.”
“Really? Not sure I buy that.”
Gaetan’s eyes lit up, and his mouth formed into a quirky grin. “You picked up on that, did you? I’m not surprised. I thought you might need to talk.”
“About?”
“Oh, I don’t know. A certain king, maybe?”
Melissa’s words exploded from her mouth before she could stop them. “He’s so infuriating. I don’t appreciate being locked up. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Why do you think he’s doing that?”
“To push my buttons, no doubt.” She pressed her lips together. “Fine, supposedly to protect me, but what, I’m supposed to stay locked up for how long? Forever? What’s that going to accomplish?”
“I didn’t say I agreed with his methods, but his heart is in the right place. He doesn’t want anything to happen to you or anyone else. As evidenced here tonight, bad things can happen.”
The possibility she was responsible crushed her. A small sob escaped her lips. Gaetan’s comforting hand on her shoulder couldn’t stop the single tear that rolled down her face. “Noeh’s right, isn’t he? Those two males are dead because of me.”
Gaetan enveloped Melissa in his strong arms. She shuddered as pain hit her square in the chest. He comforted her with soothing words, and she relaxed in his embrace, thankful for his friendship.
“Why did he kill Torbin?” she asked.
Gaetan pulled away and ran his finger down the side of her face to wipe away a tear. “Ever since the great scourge, our kind hasn’t been able to transform back from our beast state. Uncontrolled beasts caused many deaths and much destruction. We tried everything. Execution was our last resort. Noeh insisted he be the one to perform the task.”
“That’s terrible.” Melissa’s chest constricted. She ached for Noeh and all those who had died.
“Our beasts helped us win many battles against the Gossum, but once we couldn’t change back, we started losing more battles than we won. Many lost hope. Noeh did his best to keep everyone going, but even he lost faith. The evidence was plain in his fading mark.” Gaetan winced and rubbed his knee.
“Please, sit down.” Melissa grabbed the soap vendor’s nearby chair.
Gaetan sat, and the lines in his face relaxed.
“To kill one of his own today must have been hard for Noeh.” She swallowed and tried to absorb the depth of pain and anguish that Noeh had gone through.
“He did what he had to do.”
She touched the marking on Gaetan’s right hand, the one that snaked down his arm and ended at his fingers. “What about your marking?”
Gaetan placed his palm on top of Melissa’s, her hand sandwiched between his. He sighed and didn’t speak until she thought he wouldn’t.
“My lines are best saved for another day, but I will tell you something about markings, something you may find interesting.” He squeezed her hand. “When a male bonds with a female, she takes on the mirror image of his sign.”
Melissa raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Noeh’s marking is around his right eye. Once he bonds to his queen, she will receive the same pattern around her left eye.”
Melissa touched the skin over her eyebrow. Gaetan’s smile made heat rise up her neck and into her cheeks.
“Why do the females receive the mark? And how?” The questions burned in her gut and she had to know.
“The marking has a dual purpose—one as a sign of possession. All the other males know the female is off limits and who she is bonded to. Second—she takes on his values and helps him to maintain them.” Gaetan rubbed his fingers over his own hand, his face empty of expression. He blinked and refocused on Melissa.
“All Stiyaha males have a sac under their tongue. When a male intends to bond with a female, the pouch will enlarge and fill with his personal ink. During a kiss, the male will break the sac and release the fluid to share with his female. The opposite marking will appear on her skin within a few hours. This physical bonding occurs in the couple’s private chamber after the bonding ceremony.”
“Why haven’t I seen many females with markings?”
“Many of the bonded females died from the scourge, and as a result, so did their mates. The process doesn’t work the other way, though. If a bonded male dies his mate can survive, although most elect to go with their mates. Even so, the scourge left few available females.” Gaetan shrugged. “Besides, Noeh hasn’t bonded, and I think the other males follow his lead.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
Melissa stared at what remained of the wreckage. Saar and the other warriors had cleaned up the majority of the debris. She grabbed a few remaining pieces of a broken wheel and threw them on the pile. After all that had happened tonight, she needed time to think, time to process all she’d learned.
“I’m ready to go back to my room.” At the moment, she didn’t have any desire to fight Noeh or his demands.
“As you wish.” Gaetan grabbed his cane and stood. His body swayed for a moment before he headed for the corridor.
A new sense of urgency and determination filled her, incited by her desire to make amends for the calamity in the market.
I can’t believe there’s no hope. I won’t believe it.
Chapter Thirty
The air in the training center reeked of sweat, and the stench bit into Noeh’s sensitive nose. He assessed his opponent’s movements, checking for any sign of weakness. Demir crouched, as if ready to spring into action, his muscles bunched beneath his black T-shirt. His eyes burned a vibrant shade of yellow. Their eerie glow made Noeh question whether he’d underestimated the Panthera leader.
“Anytime you want to begin, go right ahead,” Noeh goaded his adversary.
Demir raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to regret this.” He launched a throwing star.
The blade grazed the tip of Noeh’s ear, a line of blood welling from the cut. His ear stung, and the pain spurned him on.
Demir raced toward Noeh, his dagger gripped in his palm. Noeh readied for the attack. He held his hands away from his body, his sparring sword moving gracefully as if in a dance.
He dodged the dagger, kicked out, and knocked Demir into a sparring dummy. Demir fell to the ground. A loud whoosh of air escaped his lips. Noeh stood over his rival and brought the tip of his sword to his adversary’s throat. The skin dimpled under the pressure. Demir squirmed.
“Submit to me.”
“Never.” Demir hissed the words through clenched teeth.
He changed before Noeh could blink. A black panther twisted out from under his blade. Demir circled him. The sleek cat panted, his yellow eyes watching every move.
“You will not win. Give up before you hurt yourself,” Noeh taunted.
Demir’s lips curled around his sharp fangs. He lunged, and his canines clanked against Noeh’s metal cuff, knocking his sword from his hand. The weapon cried out from the loss of its owner as it landed on the floor.
Grunts and groans echoed from the group of warriors who’d gathered to watch. Stiyaha and Panthera alike crowded closer, eager to see their two leaders battle.
Noeh wrapped Demir in an embrace and squeezed, knocking the air out of the giant cat. The male was heavier and stronger than he anticipated.
“Submit now,” Noeh grunted.
Demir relaxed against him. Noeh took this as resignation and loosened his hold.
That was too easy.
The thought came a second too late.
Craya
.
Demir shifted back into human form and slipped through his grasp. Noeh tried to grab the slippery male, but Demir was too fast. He slid behind Noeh, taking him down with a sweep of his legs. Demir’s weight on Noeh’s back had him pinned.
“Now who will submit?” Demir held a throwing star at Noeh’s throat. He nicked him, and blood dribbled onto Noeh’s white shirt. Demir laughed. The sound burned deep in Noeh’s gut.
Demir stood and brushed the dust off his black T-shirt, casually running his hands over each sleeve like a cat preening itself. The clothes were clean despite being absorbed into his panther form during the fight.
“Well done.” The line on Noeh’s forehead for truth pulsed under his skin. He didn’t care. Demir didn’t know about his marking, and that was fine with him.
Noeh turned to his warriors and assessed the group who’d observed his humiliation. “We can learn much from the Panthera, like how not to underestimate them.”
Demir peered at his own soldiers. “Pay attention. Learn from our new
friends
. Remember, we fight a common enemy.”
“Saar, demonstrate proper sword technique to our
brothers
,” Noeh said.
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Saar raised his sword. “Listen up. This is a short sword and—”
Noeh motioned to Demir. “Walk with me.”
Demir studied his fingernails and rubbed them against the sleeve of his shirt. “You need to get over yourself. I don’t take orders, I give them.”
Noeh raised an eyebrow. “We should talk. Come with me if you want to hear what I have to say.” He turned away, a smirk playing on his mouth. The cat wouldn’t be able to resist.
Demir caught up with Noeh, his quick steps matching Noeh’s strides as they headed down the corridor.
Noeh smiled to himself. “You’re stronger and faster than I anticipated.”
“Well, thank you for noticing.” Demir rolled his eyes.
“The training is going well. Your thoughts?”
“Agreed. We’ve made progress but still need more time.”
Noeh stopped at the Hall of Warriors. “Tomorrow night is the parting ceremony for our fallen soldiers. You are welcome to attend and honor your lost ones as well.”
“That isn’t necessary. We mourn in private.” Demir headed down the corridor, his arrogant attitude filling the hallway. His ponytail swung from side to side. The long hair grated on Noeh’s nerves.
He sighed. The weight of his commitments bore down on him, anchoring him to the spot. He let his mind wander, in search of some relief, but his thoughts took him where he didn’t want to go—to Melissa. That was just what he didn’t need, or so he told himself.
*****
“Let me out!” Melissa rattled the doorknob for the umpteenth time. She’d tried to pick the new lock during the long hours of the day but gave up and fell into a fitful sleep on the large bed. The softness of the comforter had helped her drift off, but her ire and desire for a tall, gorgeous king had woken her up, several times.
She pushed away from the door and punched the air with her fists, a vision of Noeh’s blond hair and blue eyes providing the perfect target. She should never have let Gaetan put her back in here.
Stupid, Mel, very stupid.
She pounded her fists against the wood. The scratches she’d sustained in the confrontation with Torbin and Niko reopened. Warm blood trickled down her skin, and she wiped the wetness on her pants. The knot in her stomach only tightened at the memory of Torbin. She could’ve helped him.
The air in the room warmed, in part due to her agitation, in part due to the Keep. Heat pumped out in steady streams from the sunstones embedded in the walls and ceiling. She touched one of the crystals. The warmth the stone emitted sent a tendril of peace into her being. She sighed and let the glow ease her aching heart.
She looked around the room, her new prison, and one of the tapestries caught her attention. A battle scene covered the canvas, but unlike many of the others, this one had large hairy beasts fighting a band of Gossum. Several of the vile creatures lay dead, scattered among the rocks and trees in the surrounding landscape. A few warriors pounded their chests, heads held high, victory evident in their fierce, triumphant faces. The gruesome battle made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Why hadn’t she noticed this picture before?
A knock on the door brought her out of her preoccupation with the tapestries.
“Melissa?” a female asked in a soft voice.
“Ginnia, is that you?” Melissa raced to the door.
“Sure, it’s me. Who else would I be?”
“Ginnia, what are you doing here?”
“Well, I came to get you.” Ginnia’s tone was full of excitement.
A quick shot of adrenaline ran along Melissa’s spine. “You can get me out?”
“Of course, silly.”
Melissa held her breath. The wood creaked, and the doorknob turned fiery red.
Pop
. The latch broke. The door swung open.
Relief flooded through Melissa’s veins.
Ginnia poked her head through the opening and giggled.
“How did you do that?” Melissa pulled open the door just in time to see Ginnia stuffing a couple of sunstones into the pocket of her dress.
Ginnia raised her eyebrows and glanced down the hall. “You ready?”
“Ready—for what?”
“To go. We have to hurry. Why do you always make me hurry?” Ginnia scrunched up her nose and shook her head. “Silly, Melissa.”
Melissa couldn’t help but smile at the innocent female with scraggly brown hair and gray eyes. “Where are we going?”
“To the parting ceremony.” Ginnia pulled on Melissa’s arm, urging her forward.
“Noeh will be angry you let me out. I don’t want you to get in trouble.” Melissa moved a stray curl covering one of Ginnia’s eyes. “There, that’s better.”