Chapter 21

I’d never been in a bathing suit before, probably because I’d never been swimming. I looked around as the rest of the women stepped down into the hot tub, which was closer to the size of a pool than a tub.

They looked so good in their suits. I was thankful for one thing as I undid the soft robe. I’d shaved my legs that first day in the fancy tub. On odd thing, yes, but I would have looked like an ape standing next to them if I hadn’t.

“You look great.” Bethany said with an encouraging smile.

I looked down at the blue one-piece suit they’d chosen for me. “Thanks.” I said, not really meaning it. “I’ve never been,” I motioned to the hot tub, “in this much water before.”

Autumn held her hand up to me. “We won’t let you go under.” She grinned at me.

I believed her and accepted help into the warm water. When I sat down, I couldn’t help closing my eyes. It felt wonderful. If something could wash away stress, this was it. When I opened them Alona held a fancy glass in front of my face.

“It’s very mellow.” She told me with a smile.

I took the glass and a small sip. I wasn’t sure how it was mellow, it was tangy and tart to me.

“It tastes better after the first glass.” Crissy nodded.

I set it down and turned back to the women. “I’m,” lifted a dripping hand, “struggling.” I gave Daxx a hopeful look, “and I’m hoping I’m drawing all the wrong conclusions.”

She snorted, “Doubtful, but let’s find out.”

Paisley nodded. “What conclusions?”

I looked at the tattoo on her arm. “The tattoos. The Mates? Tattoos.”

Paisley lifted her arm and looked at it. “They are something, aren’t they? Arius and mine are identical. I don’t know how it does it.”

Beth nodded. “And no two couples are ever the same.”

I looked at the glass and wondered if another sip was warranted. I wasn’t sure but found the glass in my hand anyway. “You get tattoos when you get married?” I cringed. How would that be a good way to start a marriage?

“Ah,” Alona sighed, “so much to explain.”

“Again.” Daxx murmured.

Autumn gave me a serious look. “We don’t get them, they appear on their own.”

I watched her, then took a drink. “Appear.

She nodded. “I know it sounds whack—and it is, but yes. They’re not there one minute, then they are.”

“Just like that?” I took a few more sips and looked to see all the women nodding. “Okay.” I couldn’t doubt all of them. “How?”

“Only true mates’ tattoos will appear.” Crissy said with a smile, “and finding your true mate is rare.” She nodded, looking serious.

“Mitz said the king had two.” I had to know.

Daxx frowned. “It is. I’d rather shoot myself in the foot than have two.”

Alona smirked. “Thankfully none of our prophecies have foretold of us having more than one.”

“I don’t even know how that would work. The connection with Leone is strong…” Bethany frowned, “the idea of two like that is exhausting.”

Paisley nodded, “their father wouldn’t have had an easy time.”

Daxx snorted, “Fidelity is so ingrained after the tattoo, I’m sure he must have thought he’d lost it.”

“Fidelity?” I took another sip, wondering how that had anything to do with a tattoo.

Alona smiled. “Yes. Once true mates are bound, there is no cheating or unfaithfulness.”

I paused on that. There was nothing bad I could think of for that. “That’s—” I didn’t have a word for it. Something Crissy had said popped into my head. “Why do I need gloves?”

Crissy rolled her eyes at me. “So Rafael can’t mark you until you are ready.”

The sip of wine I’d taken went down the wrong way. I coughed and sputtered, almost spitting it out again. “What?” Was all I could squeak out as my throat burned.

“Rafael is your mate.” Crissy smiled at me. “The prophecy says the last brother of nine will stand stronger with his arcus mate at his side. Only she will be able to bring him the peace he’s long sought.” Crissy nodded. “I wasn’t sure until I found out that arcus is Latin for archer,” she frowned, “I wonder why Raf needs peace? Peace from what?”

Daxx pointed at her. “You knew all this time and didn’t tell us?”

“I didn’t put it together until the men asked if Kara was going to council meeting.” Alona said quietly.

“Same.” Bethany nodded.

“It was a done deal for me when I saw her sash.” Autumn grinned.

I finished the glass in one gulp and then held up my hand. “What do you mean? I’m-I’m Rafael’s mate? Do I get a say in this?” I paused when Alona got up and filled the glass I was waving around. “I don’t-I can’t—” I closed my eyes for a moment to regroup. I opened them and looked at Alona. “I can’t even be near men, never mind this mated as one thing—”

Alona smirked. “I’ve never thought of it that way,” she looked at Daxx, “I suppose with the bond we’re quite similar to mated as one.”

Daxx nodded. “Just don’t tell the guys that.”

I found myself taking another sip. “Bonds? There’s a bond?”

Paisley nodded. “Mates bond. We can tap into what other is feeling, although the guys most of the time don’t transmit any feeling.”

I laughed, only it came out sounding more like a giggle. “There won’t be any bond between Rafael and me. He threw a fit when I accidentally heard what he was thinking earlier.”

“Oh? Was it bad?” Bethany asked.

I thought about it. “No. But he still hit the wall, literally with his hand, and told me to stay out of his head.”

“Rafael did that?” Daxx asked.

I bobbed my head, feeling a little like jello for some reason.

“That doesn’t sound like Rafael.” Crissy frowned.

Alona raised her glass in a dramatic ay. “Being close to ones’ mate tends to bring out the worst traits in a person.”

Autumn laughed abruptly. “I’ll drink to that.” She raised her glass and then took a drink.

“It’s true.” Bethany said giving me a sympathetic look.

I took another drink, thinking briefly that Crissy had been right, this did taste better after the first glass. “I think he’s hiding something.” I hadn’t meant to say that out loud, then froze when they all looked at me suddenly.

“Oh? Have you heard what?” Alona leaned closer.

I shook my head. “No. I try not to hear, but a few things aren’t adding up.” I stopped and laughed loudly. Louder than I’d intended. “Okay. None,” I waved my hand around, “of this adds up, but he is hiding something.”

Daxx toasted in the air. “They all hide something.” She paused with the glass near her mouth. “I think fate brought you to us,” She motioned with the glass around to the other women, “to even the odds because you can hear when the men are full of it.” She nodded, “you can give us a heads up.”

I shrugged. “If I could hear half of them, maybe, but I can’t.” I looked at the inhibitor on my wrist, hoping it was okay that it got wet. “I’ve heard Emil, Chase—when he wanted me to,” Alona smiled at that. “Michael,” I grinned at Autumn, “who was less than impressed he’d had a moment of weakness and let his guard down. And Rafael,” I frowned, “a few partial thoughts in the meeting when I took,” I held up my arm, “this off, but other than that, their minds have walls of steel.”

“Damn.” Daxx took a drink. “That’s so annoying.”

“I’m glad we don’t know everything they think.” Paisley said. “It would be boring then.”

Bethany grinned at her. “Says the woman that calls her mate beast.”

Paisley blushed.

I went to take another sip and realized the glass was empty. My head was fuzzy, I didn’t remember drinking it. I set down the glass before Alona filled it again.

“Rafael doesn’t want this,” I motioned in the air, “mates’ stuff. He told me.” I shrugged. “He just doesn’t know what to do about it yet.”

“I don’t think it’s optional.” Daxx glanced to Alona.

Alona rolled her eyes. “Michael didn’t either and look how that ended.”

Autumn grinned. “It was a few rough rounds.”

“You almost dying a few times didn’t make it easier on him.” Bethany tilted her glass at Autumn.

“Dying?” I looked at Autumn.

She bobbed her head, “Blade through the gut, that poison…”

“Don’t forget about the elixir when you broke your ribs.” Paisley added.

Autumn snorted. “As if I could forget that.” She looked at Bethany, “your near-death incident made your life less smooth too, I’ve heard.”

I looked form Autumn to Bethany.

Bethany sighed. “I fell off a fire escape and broke,” she motioned up and down her half-emerged body, “everything.”

My mouth dropped open.

“Here’s to the magic of the royal blood.” Alona lifted her glass in the air. The other women motioned with their glasses too.

“Magic blood?” I was trying to use logic in computing that, which was a mistake, because nothing related to any of this was logical.

“Their blood heals,” Crissy nodded, “fast.”

“But,” Bethany pointed at me, “be warned there’s a bond between you if you ingest it.”

Paisley snorted. “Yeah that one needs to be in bold print in the ‘welcome to Alterealm’ manual.”

“Manual?” I gave her a hopeful look.

She sighed. “The book we keep talking about writing.”

“Oh. I’d hoped for a moment there was some sort of instruction manual on all of this. Not that I think I need to worry about it, but,” I glanced to Crissy, “what kind of gloves?” There was no way I was going sign on for the mate thing. I didn’t know how it happened, but if gloves somehow prevented it, I was wearing gloves.

“Oh,” Crissy jumped up, splashing water all over. “I have some.” She got out of the tub and went over to her pack. “I always carry them, so the cable doesn’t cut my hands.”

I opened my mouth to ask what cable, then decided I didn’t want to know.

Crissy held up a pair of black fingerless gloves. “I’ll set them with your robe.” She put them down beside the white fluffy material, then turned back to the tub. As she went to get in, her foot hit her phone and it dropped to the bottom of the tub. “Oh.” She looked at Daxx. “I just got that one.”

Daxx grinned. “I told Troy we need water, sword and axe proof boxes for our phones.” As soon as she finished her phone rang. She looked at it. “Speak of my devil.” She set her glass down and hit the button. “Hey mate.” She must have turned it on speaker, because we could hear Troy talk.

“Are you in the chambers or palace? We were just coming to find you.”

“Chambers.” She looked around and grinned. “Hot tub.”

“Oh?” There was someone talking we couldn’t hear. “Is there wine involved?”

Daxx smiled. “Yes, but we’re all mostly sober.”

“Mmm, mostly.”

There were more voices in the background.

“Why are you looking for us?” she asked.

“Prince Bastian is coming over for a private meeting and in lieu of everything, we thought you ladies would like to be included.”

“Smart man.” Daxx nodded. “When and where do you need us?”

“It takes an hour for him to acclimate to our realm, so we’ll meet at the elder’s chambers.” He cleared his throat. “This isn’t a meeting with the elders however.”

Daxx nodded. “We’ll be there soon.” She hung up.

Alona finished what was in her glass and stood up. “Are they hoping he can just zero in on Willis Hubert’s soul, so we can go retrieve him?”

Daxx sighed. “I don’t know, but if he can, then I say let’s take it.” She got out of the tub.

“I don’t like cheating,” Autumn climbed out, “but if he can, I’m all for stopping this.”

I got out, wobbling a little and picked up my robe. Putting it on, I tucked the gloves in my pocket. “As long as his focus isn’t on my soul again, I don’t care what he does with others.” My head was pleasantly buzzing, not in a bad way, just a different way then I’d ever felt before.

“I’m going to use the port device to go back and change.” Bethany grinned. “My head is a bit fuzzy and porting is bad enough, never mind if I end up in the wrong place.”

I looked at the device on my wrist. “How do I get to the Elder Chambers after I get dressed?”

“We’ll meet at the solarium and go together.” Autumn said then vanished.

“Here goes.” Bethany held her wrist up and then pushed the device and was gone.

Opening mine, I looked at it, hoping I picked the right button I hovered my finger over it and closed my eyes.