*In the last chapter I wrote Karra but it should be Kara*
The name Kara sounded familiar to Mina. She was sure she had heard it before. Belle hugged Mina a moment more before going to Jayden and demanding he pick her up—which he did—while Violet didn't let go of Mina.
A conversation Mina had with Caesar came to her mind, and her eyes widened. "You are Caesar's sister!" Mina said excitedly.
Kara bit her bottom lip. "Well, half-sister. I don't want to appear rude, but I am new to this house. I just arrived yesterday, and I don't know everyone. Would you be kind enough to let me know who you are?"
Jayden, holding Belle with his left arm, put his right one around Mina's waist. "I am Jayden, and this is my mate, Mina."
Kara frowned slightly—as if the names meant something to her but couldn't remember why—and gave Mina and Jayden a curt nod.
Jayden closed the door before he helped Belle stand.
"I hope the journey to Athea wasn't too difficult, given that you are, umm, pregnant. Is your mate with you?" asked Jayden.
Kara's cheeks turned red with embarrassment while her eyes shined with unshed tears. A sob escaped her lips, and Mina rushed to her side, put an arm around her shoulders, and glared at Jayden. She ran her hand up and down Kara's arm and pressed her lips together. It wasn't Jayden's fault Kara was crying, but Mina knew how easily women got emotional during pregnancies.
He looked apologetically at Kara and took out a handkerchief from his pocket. "I did not mean to upset you," he said as he handed Kara the handkerchief. "I thought your mate was with you since males rarely leave their pregnant mates unattended," he said, and Kara sobbed some more while Mina did her best to calm her down.
Jayden stood in front of the two women, looking very uncomfortable, unsure of what to do or say. Belle tugged on his pants, confusion was written on her face, and he petted her hair, trying to comfort her. Kara finally stopped crying, and Jayden rubbed the back of his neck and was about to say something when Mina shook her head. "Don't!" she whispered to him.
Kara cleaned her face and wanted to return the handkerchief to Jayden. His nostrils flared. "You better keep it!" he said, and Kara gave him an apologetic smile before shoving it in a pocket.
Violet and Belle looked at Kara with curious eyes. "Jay-Jay, why Kala cry?" Belle asked.
Jayden crouched in front of Belle and ruffled her hair. "Sometimes adults are sad and cry. How about we ask Caesar to prepare some tea?" he asked.
Belle nodded. Jayden stood, grabbed Belle's hand in a soft grip, and disappeared quickly down the hall.
Jayden had told Mina nothing scared him. Even the way he talked to the King revealed that not even death scared Jayden. But from his reaction, Mina knew Jayden feared tears. If not for Kara, who was still upset, Mina would have laughed.
"Caesar makes an excellent tea. And usually has freshly baked cookies. I am sure you will feel better after having some," Mina said as she ran her hand up and down Kara's arm while guiding her to the kitchen.
"He is not coming," Kara whispered, her voice full of pain.
Mina understood what Kara meant. Kara's mate left her, and her child would be a bastard.
"It will be alright," Mina said.
Violet grabbed Kara's hand. "He will come for you." She tilted her head and knitted her brows, thinking.
Kara stumbled and stopped suddenly. "He is coming for our baby and me?" Her voice was full of emotions. "How do you know?"
"Violet can 'see' things before they happen," replied Mina.
Violet stared into Kara's grey eyes. "You will be the bridge between humans and ocxoas, a golden crown on top of your head. He will wipe away your tears, and you will teach him how to love again. Your son will be his son. Fear the scorpion, for she will try to kill you!"
"What?" Kara asked, confused.
Violet smiled. "He will come for you. Be patient!" Violet said before letting go of Kara's hand and disappearing inside the children's room.
Mina was sure there was more to Violet's words, but other thoughts distracted her.
Kara straightened her shoulders, wiped away the rest of her tears, and put on a big smile. "I should have never doubted him. I will wait as long as it takes!"
Jayden—with his arms folded and his gaze fixed on Belle, who was playing with the kittens—was talking to Caesar in low tones. A kettle was on the stove, and four cups were on the table. A plate with cookies sat next to the fruit basket.
As soon as Mina and Kara entered the kitchen, Jayden turned his attention to them. He waited until the women sat at the table before speaking.
"Kara, Caesar told me you are unmated. The man who fathered your child threw you out on the street as soon as he learned you were expecting. Unless you find a mate, I am afraid your child will be a bastard. Even if that happens, I want you to know that you and the baby will always have a roof over your head and food on the table!" he promised.
Kara shook her head. "He is coming for me!" Caesar turned to look at her, his eyes full of anger. "Violet is a Seer. Mina told me!"
"You will refer to Lady Mina with respect, as she is our Andarra!" Caesar hissed. "And if that man shows up around here, I will kill him for touching you!"
A look of horror appeared on Kara's face as she realized who Mina and Jayden were. "Uzgaia! Andarra! I am sorry for not realizing it until now!" she said and gave them a deep bow before she looked at her brother. "When my mate comes for me, you will behave!"
Caesar snorted. "Mate! He is no mate, for a real male would never throw his pregnant female on the street!"
"He had no choice; his family would have disowned him if he refused to do as they asked," Kara explained.
"He is a coward!" Caesar hissed.
"Caesar, enough!" Jayden said. "I had enough drama in the Royal Place, and I don't want to have more in my house! Kara is not the first female to be pregnant and unmated. It is not the end of the world! Now you will serve the tea, and we will drink it in peace." Kara looked at Jayden with gratitude in her eyes. "After that, Mina and I will rest for a few hours because last night was a nightmare!"
"Everything alright?" Caesar asked, concerned.
Kara grabbed a cookie from the plate while the kittens ran into the garden, and Belle chased after them.
Jayden sat next to Mina and took her hand in his. The lightest touch made her heart beat faster, and she craved more. "For now. Where is Aksel? I need to talk to him."
"He, um, went to the market," Caesar replied.
Jayden's eyebrows shot up so fast it made Mina giggle. "To the market? What for? That male can't tell the difference between a potato and an onion!"
"Lady Ivy dropped by earlier, wanting to see Lady Mina. Since you were still at the Royal Palace, she insisted Aksel help her run some errands. He said no, but Lady Ivy was very persistent," Caesar explained as he prepared the tea.
Jayden muttered something under his breath, and Caesar froze. His eyes traveled from Jayden to Mina and back to Jayden. He said nothing as his face filled with concern.
Even Kara looked preoccupied as she stared at Mina.
Mina wondered what Jayden could have said to make Caesar and Kara look at her with worry in their eyes.
"And the others?" Jayden asked. "Searching for the pickpocket thieves?"
"Einar and Arald were talking to Shin yesterday, and today they left together to patrol around the port while the others went to the mansion," replied Caesar.
Mina wasn't concerned about Shin; she knew he could take care of himself.
Jayden drank from his tea. "Good! As soon as the repairs to the house are done, I will sell the Ruxman Mansion! When Mina and I are bonded, we are leaving! I am tired of this city and the people living here!"
Caesar nodded.
"Did the Ar—?" Kara started asking, but when Jayden growled, she stopped speaking.
"I don't want to hear his name spoken in this house!" Jayden's eyes were as icy as his tone.
Kara dropped her eyes, and silence fell around the table. Mina wondered what Jayden was keeping from her. It was true they barely knew each other, but she hoped he would trust her more.
"Xander and Landon?" asked Mina, wanting to change the subject.
"They were curious about the mansion, while Violet and Belle wanted to help Kara finish decorating the house for the Yeltane Festival," Caesar's answer followed a moment later.
Jayden finished his tea. "Kara, I haven't asked you. In which room are you staying?"
"Caesar and—" Kara frowned. "I don't remember their names, but they have been kind enough to let me have their room for myself."
"Andres and Herron," said Caesar.
Jayden drummed his fingers on the table. "This house is too small for everyone living here. I will have to rent a bigger one until we leave."
Mina finished her tea, and Jayden stood and helped her with the chair. Belle entered the kitchen holding one of the kittens on her right arm while tugging Andres after her.
"Jay-Jay, Andles came to play with me!" Belle giggled happily.
Andres chuckled. "Actually, I only came to give Commander Jay-Jay a parchment," he said, and Mina barely contained her laughter while Jayden growled. "Glad to see you are home. Aksel and Herron were worried when you didn't come home last night. Xander wanted to go and snoop around the Palace, but then Shaun mentioned the basement, and Landon and Xander ended up looking around there instead," said Andres as he took out the parchment from his pocket and handed it to Jayden—who took it without saying a word, his jaw clenched hard, anger written on his face. The wax seal was intact, and Mina saw the head of a wolf on it before Jayden shoved it into his pocket.
"What's in the basement?" asked Mina, but no one replied.
"Things got complicated at the Palace," Jayden said absently to Andres. "Tell the others not to worry."
Andres nodded and left to return to the mansion.
Jayden seemed to be lost in his thoughts while Caesar started cleaning the table, and Kara took Belle to finish arranging the flowers in the foyer.
Mina took Jayden to their room, and as soon as he entered, he took out the parchment, sat on the bed, and looked at it.
"What is it?" Mina asked and sat next to him.
Jayden swallowed hard. "It's from him."
Mina wasn't sure to whom Jayden was referring, but she waited for him to keep speaking. She leaned her head on his shoulder, but he was so tense she was afraid he would snap like the strings of a violin. She placed her hand on his back and rubbed it gently until he relaxed.
"I am sorry," he finally said.
"For?"
"Yesterday had been a terrible day for you, between your uncle, Count Dickless, and Rosalyn. And not to mention last night. I am sure you are very tired. We should sleep," he said, before shoving the parchment back into his pocket.
"Jayden, who sent you the parchment?" Mina dared to ask.
Jayden fisted his palms so hard his knuckles turned white, and he gritted his teeth. "My father," he spat.
"Don't you want to read it?"
Jayden laughed bitterly. "He probably said he changed his mind and won't give me the family name that truly belongs to me!"
Mina sat on her knees on the bed and grabbed Jayden's face between her palms, forcing him to look at her. Pain and anger reflected in his eyes. "Unless you read it, you won't know what it says. It might be something else," Mina said. "Do you want me to read it for you?"
Jayden pulled Mina into his lap, put his arms around her waist, and buried his face in the hollow of her neck, and inhaled her scent. She played with his hair while he peppered kisses on her skin.
She could feel his pain and anger. But also his fear. And she tried to comfort him as best as she could. When his lips found her mouth, she kissed him back with all she had. When he put her on the bed, and his hands roamed her body, she tried to touch him as much as she could.
'It will be alright,' she wanted to tell him, but he was devouring her mouth with his hungry kisses. 'I am right here!'
He stopped after a while and rested his head on her shoulder, breathing hard. She put her palms on his back and ran them up and down. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she closed her eyes.
Right before she fell into a deep sleep, she thought she heard him say, "I don't deserve you." More words reached her ears, but their meaning was lost to her.
The sound of the chimney clock woke Mina up from her deep slumber. She was still wearing the dress she received at the Royal Palace, and the duvet covered her. The room was dark, and Jayden was not in bed with her. She looked at the window and frowned, wondering how long she had been sleeping when the magic crystal on Jayden's side of the bed suddenly came to life. Mina jumped out of bed, tripping over the duvet, and was about to fall and hit the wall when Jayden suddenly appeared next to the bed and caught her. Once Mina was safe in his warm embrace, he stood on the bed with her on his lap.
"Gods, Jayden! You scared me!"
"I am sorry. It wasn't my intention," he said as he stroked her hair.
Mina took a minute to calm her racing heart before looking into Jayden's eyes. "What were you doing in the dark?"
"Thinking." He licked his lips. "After you fell asleep, I stared at the damn letter for hours until I had the courage to read it."
"Did you sleep?" Mina asked, and he shook his head. She sighed. "What did it say?"
"The papers that recognize me as his heir are waiting for me in Ora Dorei. Once I sign them, everything he has will become mine. But I am so conflicted because this man left my mother when she most needed him. She died heartbroken because of him. On one hand, I don't want anything from him, but on the other hand, I know I can use his money to make the life of bastards and ocxoas easier." He stared into her eyes. "What do I do, Mina?"
She put her palm on his chest, and it was only then that she noticed he was wearing only a pair of cotton pants and was freshly shaved. "Follow your heart, Jayden. It will always guide you well!"
Jayden nodded. "There's another thing. I told my father about you, and he is very pleased to know I chose you as my mate. Then he said something about your father, and then it hit me."
Mina didn't like Jayden's tone. "What about my father?"
"He knew my mother. He visited her a few times at the brothel. I think I was six or seven at that time." Horror must have shown on Mina's face because Jayden added quickly, "Not in that way! My mother never sold her body! I know they spoke a few times, but my mother asked me to wait outside the door. I tried to eavesdrop a few times, but, umm," he shrugged, "other things distracted me." He cleared his throat. "On one occasion, I remember hearing them talk about Fherax."
Mina frowned. "That's the name of the Mercenary King."
Jayden slowly nodded. "And he just sent my father a black parchment."
Everyone knew what that meant. Jayden's father, whoever he was, would be killed sooner or later. Sometimes the Black Mercenaries killed the person who received the black parchment after a day, while on other occasions, years passed.
"Let me get this right. My father knew your mother, and they talked a few times at the brothel," Mina said, and Jayden nodded. "And at least on one occasion, they mentioned the name Fherax. And now the Mercenary King is after your father. Can I ask who he is?"
Jayden looked out the window at the starry sky. "He is a very important man, Mina. And very rich."
"But I don't understand why the Mercenary King wants him dead."
"My father killed Fherax's heir."