Chapter 16

I stood in the middle of my room looking around slowly. The level of comfort I had in this room was gone. Now I was afraid to move anywhere I hadn’t stepped since they’d told me.

Someone knocked on the door.

“It’s open.” I called out.

Arius came in and closed the door. He stopped and looked at me. “They removed it. Warded it. You are completely safe in here.”

I gave him a blank look.

He shrugged. “I can feel how uncomfortable you are.”

I waved my hand, motioning to the room. “They had a—magical trap in here.” I frowned. “Anyone could have stepped in it. What if it was,” I looked around, “whoever cleans this room and they had no one to call?”

His brows furrowed, “you’re mad because someone else could have tripped it?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Well, I’m not happy it was me, but I had you to call—and the entirety of good team.”

He grinned. “Raf’s doing, naming our chat call that.” He sobered, “what happened in ten minutes? You were okay when I left.”

“I was left alone with my head.”

He grinned. “I’ll have to remember that.”

I stopped, just noticing he was in all black leather, his hair braided and weapons all over his body. I put my hand to my chest. We were going to the island soon. “I’m nervous.” I admitted. “You look good like that, I didn’t tell you last time because we were on a roof.”

With long strides he came toward me.

My brain was saying ‘wow’ as I watched him. So much confidence in that stride, not to mention he looked so hot.

As he reached me, one eyebrow went up. “Don’t be thinking like that right now. I have to focus.”

I gave him a ‘huh’ look.

He chuckled, “I can feel hormonal urges as well as I can sense anxiety or fear.”

I pouted, “It’s not fair! I can’t work this bond stuff and I’ve told you before not to look so damn good.”

With a smirk, he shrugged, “it is better you don’t feel everything I do.” He tapped his forehead, “it’s a mess of rage up here more often than not.” His eyes moved slowly over me. “You look sexy in that. Mitz chose well for you.”

I turned and looked in the mirror. Mitz had brought me a short leather jacket with some sort of ribbing made into it to protect me. The sleeves were loose all the way to the cuff, it emphasized my hands, which I’m sure she planned. “I like it.” I looked at him in the mirror.

“I’ve brought you three things.” He said, his eyes still locked on my reflection.

“Oh?”

He nodded and stepped up behind me. Reaching around, he held out a device. “This one is programmed for the girl’s cave. So if anything happens today, you hit that button and get out of there.” I held up my arm and he put it on. Straightening, he held up a small knife in a black case.

I cringed. “I’ve never really used a knife.” I held my hands up. “I have these.”

He nodded. “I know, but just make a paranoid man happy and agree to carry it.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

“Right or left leg?” He asked.

I looked down at my feet. “Right.”

He knelt beside my leg and lifted my pant leg and wrapped a strap around my ankle, then adjusted it so it wouldn’t interfere with my movement.

I lifted my foot and looked at it. “If I stab the wrong person, I’m blaming you.”

Standing up he grinned. “Try to miss all of my brothers please, I don’t need to hear that for hundreds of years,” he rolled his eyes, “remember that time your mate stabbed me.”

I laughed. “Okay I’ll try not to.”

The smile on his face faded, a nervous look appeared on his face.

I went to turn to ask what the problem was when he placed his hands on my shoulders and looked at me in the mirror instead.

“I don’t know if you remember when we went to the Elder’s chamber, when Elder Roan wanted to know why a royal medallion didn’t adorn your neck—”

I nodded.

“I know it’s not official,” he ran his hand down my left arm, “But I’d like you to wear mine today.”

His grey eyes held mine in the reflection, a hesitant and vulnerable look in them.

I nodded.

His stance visibly relaxed.

He reached into his pocket. “I had them add something to it. On the back. The front is the same as mine.” He held up a chain with a pendant on the end. He opened it, reaching around me, and put it around my neck. When he clasped it, he leaned over my shoulder and held it up.

I held it in my palm and looked down at it. It was the same as what he wore, just smaller. A symbol of scales the center a sword pointing down, a sun on one side and moon on the other. I turned it over to see the face of a small clock had been etched into the back. Turning my head, I met his hesitant look. “I love it, thank you.”

Reaching around me, he hugged me against his body, kissing the side of my neck as he did. I watched how he looked at me in the mirror. He had that look often, when he looked at me. It made me feel cherished and special. A feeling I hadn’t felt often in my life.

He moved his hand to touch where his bite mark was hidden. “Is it sore?”

I shook my head, “not in a bad way.” I met his eyes in the mirror again. “It’s a constant reminder, in a good way.” My cheeks heated.

With a soft growl, he turned me into his arms. “We can’t keep doing that.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and looked up at him. “Why?”

“Because my control has been pushed to its limit both times—and knowing there’s a mark on your body bothers me, even if I put it there.” He leaned down and lightly kissed my mouth.

“I like it. Maybe someday we can use a different part of my body.”

He gave me a heated look. “You are killing me.” Grasping the back of my head, he pulled until I was on my toes and attacked my mouth.

A knock on the door startled both of us. Huffing out a breath, I moved back from him a few inches. “It’s open.” I called out.

The door opened, and Elder Roan stepped in. “If this is a bad time, I can return later.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. We’ll be going shortly.”

He clasped his hands in front of him and stood very stiffly. I had to wonder if he was always so tense and formal. “I’ve just come from the lab and wanted to share the results with you in person.”

I leaned into Arius, not sure how I felt about that. The idea that I may have a relative from another realm…”

“What were the results?” Arius asked.

He could probably sense my apprehension.

Elder Roan gave a small smile. “It seems,” he cleared his throat, “that we are, in fact, related.”

I put my hands over my mouth.

“It appears—that I am your great-great-grandfather. That you are my great-great-granddaughter.” He smiled. “My son was the only member of my family to go to the other side—he never mated here.” He cleared his throat. “Your age fits when you consider the average human life span, then adjust for when he disappeared, it is great-great.”

I dropped my hands, but still didn’t know what to say. I had family.

He cleared his throat. “You have many, many cousins and aunts, uncles—quite a large family here.” He glanced to Arius, then back to me. “I can introduce you at the ball.” He nodded abruptly.

“Yes, please.” I turned and looked up at Arius. “I have family.”

He smiled down at me.

I turned and rushed toward my great-great-grandfather, then stopped right before I reached him. I nodded. “I would like that.”

His smile was genuine, and it changed his hard appearance, the only one I’d seen him have. He glanced at the pendant hanging over my jacket, his eyes flicked to Arius, then his eyes reflected his emotions. “It’s a great honor for us to have one of our princes join the family.”

Arius snorted as he walked over. “I’m sure that’s not what they’ll say when you tell them which prince.”

Elder Roan shook his head, “you have always held honor in this realm, warden. No one will speak otherwise from my family line.”

Arius inclined his head slightly. “We need to get going shortly.”

The aged brown eyes moved over him, then he turned to me. “Paisley is going with you?”

Arius put his arm around me. “She is just as much a warrior, able to protect the realms as I am.”

I glanced up at him, a little surprised.

Elder Roan inclined his head. “As you say.” He straightened and gave a polite smile. “I will leave you to make your preparations and wish you much success.” He bowed formally, then stepped back several steps before turning and going back out the door.

Arius blew out a breath. “Chase is going to try to spin this to earn favors, or forgiveness, from the Elders.”

I smirked, “I was thinking the same thing. After his initial reaction to meeting me.”

Arius laughed. “That scene is etched in my mind forever.” He looked down at me. “Ready? We decided to get over there and organized earlier. There are a lot of guards to take over. We have to meet the others at the armory.”

I looked up and down at the weapons already on his person. “You can’t possibly carry any more.”

He chuckled. “No, that’s just where we port from.”

I took a deep breath. “I’m nervous, but let’s go get those women.”