Chapter 54
Bastian looked around at the plants filling the corners of the solarium. When they mentioned food and they were going to the palace, he’d expected an ornate dining room, not this charming glass space.
Tor sat down beside him; his plate heaped with food.
Bastian gave him a curious look.
He shrugged. “It all looked good.” Tor grinned and motioned to the room. “See, some families do things together.”
Bastian snorted, “Can you see Elyas sitting here conversing with us over a plate of finger food?”
Tor reached into his pocket and pulled out an elastic, then quickly tucked his long hair into it. “Nope.”
Troy came over and sat down in the chair across from him. Bastian had been patient through all the transport and chatter but decided his limit had been reached. “Well? Piece it together yet?”
Troy took a sip from the mug in his hand and then set it down. “He really didn’t think a great deal about anything—except getting out of there.” He motioned to Kara across the room. “As Kara said.” He leaned on the table and held his look for a moment. “I believe he has seen the one facilitating all of it on your end though.”
“And?” Bastian was ready to stand up and demand he stop stalling. Waiting was driving him crazy. He had much better things to do. Glancing at Nova briefly, he turned back to the king.
“The image in his head wasn’t helpful, black eyes, dark-colored eyebrows; he wore a hood and a mask that covered the rest of his face.”
Bastian sat back and shook his head. “So, half of Solrelm then?”
Troy nodded.
Tor shrugged. “That eliminates any with fair-colored hair.”
Bastian and Troy both looked at him. “Tor likes to be an optimist when he’s not bitching about everything else.”
Tor scowled. “I was just saying that those we’ve been watching, that work in the control room, any fair-haired ones aren’t suspect now.”
Bastian picked up his cup and stared at the coffee in it. “Everyone is suspect until we end this.”
Tor paused in taking a bite and then shrugged.
Michael came into the room and paused to look around, Bastian surmised he was looking for his mate, but Autumn hadn’t returned yet. He walked by the table of food and came over to Troy.
“What did Aireese have to say?”
His expression didn’t instill any hope in Bastian.
“That Belford, Florin, and Satine are common names in their realm, but she’d start looking into them."
“Has she been able to see Glen since he was moved?”
Michael shook his head. “No, she thought giving him time with his child and her mother would be the best method to help his mental health.”
“Well, if the one in charge wears a mask, I don’t know if he’s going to know anything helpful.” Bastian nodded to Troy and then stood up. He wanted to be closer to Nova—of course as long as she was wearing that pendant, being as close as he wanted might render him a vegetable.
He watched Crissy nod to something Nova said and then she jumped up and darted out of the room. Nova glanced at Liri from a table away and then nodded to her. His cousin smiled in response.
“Someone is plotting,” Chase smirked at him as he went past.
Bastian had just been thinking the same thing. He wanted to sit at the table with her but wasn’t sure that would be far enough from her. He’d never been one to back down from a challenge, so he went around to the other side of the table and sat in the chair Crissy had vacated. He could feel the pull immediately, her soul seeking his. In turn, his own felt like it was trapped in a box, with the electrifying jolts traveling through him from the magic of the stone around her throat. He caught the look Tor sent him from across the room and decided to ignore it. They both knew he was a little crazy.
Nova’s expression wasn’t judging him the way his friends were, instead, she was smirking at him, with a defiant look in her eyes. “I can feel it from here, so I’m sure you are too.”
He nodded. “Along with the warning system that you’re wearing.”
She touched it. “Do you want me to take it off?”
Bastian glanced around at the many bodies in the room. Did he want it off? Yes. Not in a room filled with people. “I’ll be fine.” He glanced at Liri and then gave Nova a serious look. “I’ll wait until we’re alone for that.” Her cheeks heating at his words made him want to risk the consequences and go pull her from the chair into his arms. She was a miracle to him. Truly. After living as long as he had, to feel such passion and yearning again was the most amazing gift.
Nova gave him a patient look as if she knew he was occupied with internal dialogue. Raising his eyebrows, he silently told her his mind was present again.
“I’m not staying here.” She stated it without a tone that would challenge him to argue.
He kept his mouth closed, which was a difficult task for him at any time.
“I’m going home.” She leaned forward and he almost gasped out loud as the jolts running through him increased. “We’re going to explore the tunnels tonight.” She nodded.
“Tonight?” He needed a few more moments to work out how he was going to survive her going back to her little underground home where he couldn’t be there to watch over her every moment.
Nova smiled. “Leone and Rafael are going over some diagrams of them to formulate a plan.”
Bastian looked around to see that both men were absent from the room. He couldn’t argue with the brothers’ making plans, this was what they did, execute raids and navigate battle. He turned back to look into her colorful eyes and realized if he could hand her the moon, he would, just to see her smile. “If you’re going back, you will need someone with you at all times. No wandering around the city.”
“I’ll go,” Liri blurted out.
Bastian couldn’t mask his surprise. “I was thinking more of a guard or—”
“I’ll call Ava,” Nova said abruptly.
Bastian snapped his head back so quickly that he was surprised he didn’t hear the crunch of bones. “Ava?”
Nova nodded. “Yes, if I need to go anywhere, and to keep an eye on things above.”
“Above what?” Liri was leaning over the table.
Bastian smirked. “Nova’s home is beneath the ground, an entire house sits above her.”
Liri frowned, then recovered quickly. “That’s fine.” She shrugged. “I just don’t want to go back to Solrelm.”
Crissy came racing into the room and right for them. She practically slid to a stop and then huffed out a breath. In her hand were two of the larger porter bracelets the Alterealm royals wore. Not the basic model they’d given Nova originally. “Okay.” She looked at one and then held it out to Liri. “It goes to the acclimation chamber.” She held out the other one to Nova, “it brings you here. Not here, here, but in the courtyard.” She pointed out the window and then sucked in a breath. “Have you met Tawny?” She excitedly moved toward the door.
Bastian turned to see a young mountain lion roaming in the courtyard. They had a mountain lion for a pet? Half the women in the room were up and headed to the door.
“Little scamp, I don’t know how she keeps getting out,” Kara said as she went out the door ahead of the others.
Things really were an adventure in this realm. Each time he thought he understood the dynamics, something changed, and he found it invigorating.