Warrior (5 page)

His jaw locked tight. “I know, and now get rid of him so we can finish this thing.”

I reached for the brass knob. Opening the door wide, I flattened Silas to wall behind so he couldn’t be seen. “Hey, Maslin.”

Wearing navy pants and a shimmery gray shirt, he held out a snow-white rose, its petals in a tight bud. “It’s from the rose garden at the palace. I know you like these. I snuck back for it so you’d have a little home away from home since you can’t travel there because of Alexo’s request.”

It was a sweet gesture. I took it from him and breathed in the delicate fragrance. “This is my favorite color. I’ve read white roses signify the beginning of time.”

“Me too. Yellow roses are for the gift of friendship.”

“I’ve heard that.” I gave him a smile. “And red, the oblivion of love.”

He leaned against the doorjamb and chuckled. “My father gives my mother red roses all the time. Too sappy. Are you ready for dinner?”

Silas raised his blade, which meant no.

“Not yet.” I pushed Maslin and backed him into the hallway. “I promise I’ll be down shortly. Wait for me there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I reversed into my room and shut the door, releasing a deep sigh. “That was close.”

Silas sheathed his sword. “This residence is filled with warriors.”

“Ah, yeah, that kind of happens in a Wincrest home. Not much I can do about that.” I fingered the rose in my hand.

Silas took it. “Does he bring you flowers all the time?”

“No.” I snatched it back. “No one’s given me a flower before, unless you count my father and the gardener at the palace.”

Leaning in, he speared me with a narrowed look. “You want to explain why Maslin Sol did?”

I shoved one hip to the side. “Yeah, I think he said it’s a little bit of home away from home. You truly do have a hearing problem.”

He blew a breath into my face. “No, I have a mated-bond problem. You.”

“I’m not a problem.” I stared him in the eyes.

His nose touched mine, his gaze fixed. “I want to kiss you so bad.”

“What?” I froze.

“Do you have a hearing problem?”

I dragged air into my lungs. “I think I have a mated-bond problem. You.”

His nostrils flared and he backed up. “Give me your acceptance we end our relationship now. I need to walk away.”

I touched my lips. “Um, I’m liking the kissing idea. Do you think we could do that? You know, kiss. Just this once?”

“Hell, no.” He paced, clicking his fingers. “I’m waiting.”

“For my acceptance?”

“Bingo, Miss Bright-spark.”

I smirked. “Right, Mr. Hot-head.”

“Are you being smart?”

With a silly grin, I crossed to him. “Absolutely. Now, your acceptance.” It was best to get on with it. “Silas, I wish for you to live and to love...to find the woman of your dreams.” I reached out and tweaked his nose. “For her to be completely nosy and anyone other than me. Okay, how’s that for our agreed release?”

“Damn near perfect.”

“Okay, you have your freedom. Go and be happy.” My vision swam. Oh no, I was not going to cry. This was good he was going.

Wiping his thumb across my cheek, he drew away a tear. “You’re crying.”

“Tears of happiness.” I plastered a smile on my face.

He searched my gaze. “Your sister will be my constant reminder of you.”

I clutched the rose tight. “I hope she takes a blade to you, and sets you in your place. After she does, know I wish it were me.”

He laughed. “Jeez, she would slice me up quick-smart if she could. But at least I will be safe from you.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I breathed out. “Goodbye, Silas.”

His lips pressed to my forehead then a soft breeze fluttered.

He was gone.

A knock sounded on my door.

“Just a second.” I set the white rose on my bedside table. It was time to live. Without my mate.

Maslin offered his arm and I took it. “I was in the hallway. Sorry, I couldn’t leave, not when I thought I sensed another in your room. I was worried it was the protector, and I’m afraid I heard parts of the conversation. Do you need to talk?”

“I don’t want to talk about him. Ever. Talk about something else. Anything else.”

He directed me down the stairs. “I was there the day Goldie moved through her rising. You have the same strength she does, though you hold no skills. Your decision to absolve the bond was right.”

At Goldie’s rising a massive crowd had gathered and packed the spectator’s seating, eager to see what level of strength Donaldo’s daughter held. Down on the sandy-floored arena, Goldie had worn her skin-tight black combat leathers and knee-high boots. With one’s rising came three-times the strength, and her power that day had been phenomenal.

One’s rising was the most spectacular event to watch, and Goldie’s just so, as she’d drawn her sword around in an arc of precise movements. Dad, the best, had trained her.

“Hope, the choice you just made will return Saunder’s father to him.”

I dropped my chin as we walked. “I need some time to get over Silas.”

“I’ll give you a day.”

My gaze darted to his. “Huh? A day?”

“That’s right.”

We entered the wide-open foyer on the first floor, my heels tapping on diagonal tiles of midnight blue. Recessed lighting showcased rich burgundy walls filled with breathtaking landscapes of Dralion. I always slowed to admire them, and Maslin did the same. I stopped before my favorite.

“The black granite cliffs of home.” Maslin studied the fine piece of work. The cliffs, an impenetrable force and a natural wonder beside the ocean, stood like sentinels and ran unbroken for ninety miles either side of the palace. “During training, we practiced on the edge of those cliffs. I love being near water.”

“Tell me about your water skill. Something I don’t know.”

He set his hand over mine. “My family came from No-Man’s Land forty years ago.”

The thin band of shifting sands lay between Peacio and Dralion, effectively dividing the two warring nations.

“You’ve never said how they made the move to Dralion before the dome was created.” For now, no one could enter unless they had the teleporting image, one strictly reserved for Wincrests and warriors.

“My father was a young man when the dome was created. He was one of the few who volunteered his services to the warriors to confirm the field was impassable. When they returned from scouting the border between No-Man’s Land and Dralion, they discovered what we call the gray area on Sol land.”

“What’s a gray area?”

“There are certain parts of No-Man’s Land the Sol tribe can’t access. Or I should say, we can but our skills are ineffective there. I’m still learning about my Sol–” He scrunched up his neck, his eyes rolling until the whites showed, and he slithered to the floor.

“Maslin.” I reached for him as Silas jumped over his prone body out of nowhere and whipped a hand over my mouth.

“Shh. Don’t scream.”

Not a chance. I bit his palm and he released me. I glared. “What do you think you’re doing?”

He blew on his hand, running his thumb over his palm. “You have sharp teeth, and don’t go drawing attention to me, to us.”

I looked in all directions. “There’s no one around but us.”

“There’re others on the other side of this homestead. I checked.” He crouched and pressed two fingers to Maslin’s neck.

“Did you kill him?” I dropped to my knees then pressed an ear to Maslin’s chest, checking for a heartbeat.

“No,” he said, pulling me back to his side. “But I wish I had.”

Another warrior lay across the floor of the sitting room’s entrance a bare five feet away.

I gasped. “That’s Saunder’s father. Did you kill him too?”

He followed my gaze with his. “I had to knock him out to bring him here. Neither of your warriors are dead.”

Kneeling, I tilted Tawson’s face toward me. “Oh my.” I touched the man’s bristly beard. His skin was sallow, his jeans and shirt torn, ragged and hanging from his gaunt frame. But he was back. “Don’t you feed your prisoners?”

Silas drew me to my feet. “We have to keep them weak.”

“I can certainly see that.” My gaze bounced between Tawson and Maslin.

“Look at me.” Silas caught my face between his hands. “I’ve kept my end of our bargain.”

“I knew you would.” A strange heaviness invaded my mind. Weird.

“Hey.” Silas brought my attention back to him. “Maslin Sol is not to touch you again. I heard you both speaking and came to investigate. He has intentions toward you.”

“You released me.”

He rubbed his thumbs over my cheeks. “I’m asking this of you because I can’t have a visual in my mind of the man you choose. Surely you...”

His words were lost to me. My head felt like lead.

“Did you hear me?”

“Maslin’s considerate and kind. He’s my friend. Because of our bond, you hold my soul. I can never have more than a friendship with him, but I will take what I can.”

“As you hold my soul.” His blue eyes made my heart ache for what couldn’t be.

My mind splintered, pushing outward. I clutched my head at the burst of pain. My mind reached for his and connected.

Mind-merge, Faith’s skill, the one Dad had spoken of, the one which ran through the Sol line.

Oh hell.

Chapter 3

“What did you just do?” Silas stumbled back.

“Ah, I couldn’t stop it. My mind wanted to merge.”

He scrubbed both hands over his face, mumbling under his breath, “That didn’t just happen. No, it didn’t.” He marched from one side of the wide entranceway to the other. “Damn it. I should have left the prisoner in your room and not come searching for you.”

“Obviously.” Although right now this mind-merge didn’t feel deadly like he’d said. Merging within his mind felt sweetly calm, quite at odds with his current state of being.

He snorted. “There has to be a way out of this. I can’t have your life tied to mine. This is your skill, not mine.”

“I know so little about it. Can we undo what’s been done?”

“We’ll speak to Davio. He’s mated to your sister and used to her mind-merge. He’ll know more.”

My legs wobbled. “I have a skill.” I should have been elated, only I sighed. “I have a crappy skill.”

“The worst possible one.”

My mind stirred and stretched within his, wanting to deepen its hold. “This can’t be real.”

He groaned. “I think it is. I can certainly feel you merged within my mind.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to ask you to take me to Loveria, but we should go and seek more answers.”

“He’ll be in the castle’s rec room at this time of the evening. Or if not, he won’t be far away.” He gripped my arm. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” Dark encompassed us then we were there. Loveria Castle, the last place in the world I’d ever thought to be.

The rec room, around fifty feet long and wide, housed a pool table set with colorful balls and an assortment of pool cues hung in a wooden frame on the wall. The polished floor gave way to thick cream carpet and four white leather couches faced each other. Centered between them was a chunky wooden coffee table.

Silas backed away. “I’m not sure it’s wise for you to continue to be merged and to deepen our connection. Since Faith can’t hold the mind-merge over the distance of this room, I’ll head over there.”

My mind clutched his. “I don’t know. I feel like I need more time.” I held onto the pool table, and didn’t dare grab him. He moved farther away, and as he did, my mind pressed outward, needing to maintain the hold.