《Endless Magic (Star-Crossed #4)》


 Page 1

    Chapter One


    The door slammed loudly behind him and I slumped back into my leather sitting chair exhausted from the constant argument that seemed to be our only interaction. Kiran left again, infuriated with my stubbornness and claiming he had some palace business that would keep him away probably through the night.


    I knew there was no real business. But I was thankful for the quiet, thankful for the momentary reprieve.


    My eyelids fluttered, trying desperately to fall back asleep. I forced myself to stand, and move around. My joints cracked with the effort and my muscles protested from the movement. I rubbed at my weary eyes, knowing how desperately they needed eyeliner.


    I paced the empty bedroom; I felt more alone than seemed humanly possible. The ancient stone of the castle had been overlaid with polished, dark wood, and the floor stung ice cold against my bare feet.


    I sighed into the silence, frustrated with my captivity and angry at my captors. This was not how I expected my surrender to play out. For a brief, fleeting moment, I glanced at the picture window behind me and contemplated jumping through it. But even suicide felt too exhausting.


    For the last month I had been held prisoner not only to this castle, but to Kiran''s bedroom. He was furious when I lost my magic, so enraged that he lost the ability to speak to me about anything but the energy I gave to Avalon. Well, I didn''t think he actually lost the capability to speak, but every time he looked at me he seethed with silent anger and frustration.


    After I offered myself in place for my magicless brother and then in secret surrendered our precious magic back to Avalon, I expected Kiran to march me straight to his father and demand that I face the guillotine in the morning, or something as equally dramatic and deserved. Instead, Kiran demanded I stay put in his bedroom. Not allowed beyond his door, I even ate my meals in the solitude of his empty room. This prison, the price I paid for offering my life for my brother''s life.


    I paused, weary from walking, and bored with nowhere to go. I stared out the picture window that spanned the length of the back wall that wrapped around the Citadel. The Carpathian Mountains, the only sight visible from my vantage point, remained breathtaking, despite the bleakness of my situation. Kiran''s room sat higher than the stone wall that surrounded the Citadel and faced the wilderness tumbling across the earth for miles and miles. The trees were thick and wild, tangling together in savage union.


    They were my only companions, my constant friends and solitary escape, although they lived a different life than me. They enjoyed utter freedom, their ceiling the sky and their floor the raw earth that welcomed their growth.


    I slowly suffocated in the emptiness of isolation, imprisoned by cold stone walls and neglected by a man who no longer loved me. I sighed again, thinking about Jericho and the warmth and safety he symbolized. What had I done? Even martyrdom became wishful thinking opposed to the lonely boredom eternity now held.


    My thoughts moved from Jericho to my brother, Avalon, and then to the Resistance I knew he was building with my loved ones and more. Avalon protected my magic now, and took the rightful place as leader of the Rebellion. As much as I hated it, I belonged here, I belonged in this castle. Death or no death, I gave up my freedom so that my people could one day possess a universal liberty instead.


    ¡°Well, well, well, how the tables have turned.¡± The door opened and Sebastian''s familiar voice filled the silent room. My heart jumped and I whirled around to face the one person I was previously convinced I would never be happy to see.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I gasped, smiling for the first time since my imprisonment.


    ¡°I thought you might need someone to walk you through how terribly dreadful it is to be mortal,¡± he teased. He crossed the room in a few long strides and pulled me into a hug.


    ¡°It is dreadful,¡± I agreed, my voice muffled in his broad shoulder. He engulfed me; his large frame forced me to feel tiny pressed against his muscular chest. ¡°This is the worst thing ever! How on earth did you survive it for all that time?¡±


    ¡°I probably have a stronger disposition than you,¡± he joked. He released his tight hug, but stayed close, smiling at me with boyish mischief. His chocolate brown hair, messy and out of place, showed evidence of travel.


    ¡°I don''t think it would be so bad though, if I could leave.... if I could get out of this godforsaken room!¡± I whined, hoping Sebastian would at least supervise a walk through some empty hallways.


    ¡°No, you can''t do that....¡± Sebastian mumbled. His tone turned severe, and even his golden brown eyes clouded with gravity. He reached out his fingers rubbing at the mark of the Resistance that glowed bright blue on my pallid skin. Even though the magic disappeared, the tattoo still shimmered with color. More a scar now, than a symbol of rebellion, it contrasted with my once tan skin as a reminder of the immortality lost.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I crossed my arms, but with lackluster defiance. There was no more electricity in my blood, no more spark of magic to ignite my attitude, I felt tired.... just plain tired all of the time.


    ¡°You''ll get lost,¡± he continued to mumble, ushering me to one of the brown leather chairs near the window. I plopped down, too fatigued to argue and he sat down in an identical chair across from me.


    ¡°So, really, what are you doing here?¡± I asked, excited to have some company for a change.


    ¡°I''ve been summoned.¡± Sebastian sat up, speaking with fancy dictation and mock importance. ¡°My uncle is very concerned about our education, you see. He has decided that Kiran and I will be tutored here instead of sending us off to school again. I don''t know if you heard, but the last time Kiran was sent away, things did not turn out so well for the future of the monarchy.¡± Sebastian smiled, flashing his perfect white teeth at me, his golden brown eyes sparkling with life. Our roles had reversed.


    ¡°Um, as I remember, it turned out great for your side! Not so great for me....¡± I rolled my eyes, and sighed again. There had to be more to my existence than this room.


    ¡°Hmmm.... Good point,¡± Sebastian winked at me. ¡°Look at the bright side, you have me now, so it can''t be all bad, Rapunzel.¡±


    ¡°Oh, because I''m locked in a tower?¡± I laughed at his joke.


    ¡°I think you''re actually smarter without magic!¡± He teased and I leaned forward to kick him in the shin, but I moved too slowly without magic and he swung his legs out of the way before my foot even got close.


    We both started laughing. It felt so good to have a friend, or the closest thing to a friend I had, here. Suddenly exile didn''t seem so eternally impossible.


    The door opened and we both turned to face Kiran. He paused in the doorway looking at us. Our laughter died down immediately, but the smile stayed in Sebastian''s expression. Kiran''s deep blue eyes, that were rarely turquoise at all anymore, flashed with something I should recognize, but couldn''t. He stood, fumbling in front of the door for a minute, trying to figure us out.


    ¡°Cousin,¡± Sebastian greeted him happily. He stood up and walked to Kiran to offer a friendly handshake. Kiran barely returned the gesture and the relaxed moment Sebastian and I previously enjoyed turned very awkward.


    ¡°Sebastian, I thought you were coming to see me when you arrived,¡± Kiran accused gently, his eyes flickering to me for a brief second. He ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair, a gesture of irritation I had come to recognize all too well.


    ¡°And I did,¡± Sebastian defended, ¡°I came to your room to find you. Obviously you were not here.¡± Sebastian turned around to face me, shaking his head ever so slightly to indicate that he was lying and I couldn''t help but laugh at him again.


    ¡°I see,¡± Kiran mumbled, missing Sebastian''s gesture, but not my laughter. His expression grew harder. He stood looking over me in a way that made me feel unexplainably guilty for interacting with his cousin. ¡°I''m glad you''re here, Bastion.¡± Kiran shook his head and approached his cousin with better manners.


    ¡°And why is that?¡± Sebastian sat back down again, next to me and Kiran moved to sit on the corner of his king-size bed facing us.


    ¡°Since, Eden and you seem to be such good friends, maybe you can be the one to convince her to get her magic back,¡± Kiran sighed, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Yes, that is important,¡± Sebastian agreed, his expression turning serious. He stared at me, holding my eyes with his, and I couldn''t help but notice how worried he looked.


    ¡°She has been completely impossible about it, but it is absolutely necessary. You have to convince her,¡± Kiran implored with urgency and I wondered if I would try harder if he would address me with the same concern instead of just demanding that I get it back and then storming off like a petulant child whenever he didn''t get his way.


    ¡°Stop talking about me like I''m not here!¡± I huffed, crossing my arms again. ¡°I can''t get it back. I''ve tried. Besides, I told Avalon to keep it! He probably doesn''t even know I want it back and he definitely won''t let me have it, even if he did know!¡± I rushed through my argument for the hundredth time. This was a daily conversation between Kiran and me, and always ended with him walking out and leaving me alone for the night.


    ¡°You need to try harder!¡± Kiran demanded. He didn''t look at me, but I watched him clench his hands together in frustration.


    ¡°I am trying as hard as I can!¡± I lied. I hadn''t tried at all. Every once in a while I would pretend to try. I would sit still and concentrate silently working to summon the magic I banished forever. And sometimes the effort to argue outweighed the effort to look like I was attempting to get my magic back and so I would close my eyes and drift off knowing Kiran would be gone when I woke again.


    ¡°Eden, I know that this is some game to you, or worse, that you are hoping for the easy way out, but I promise you, my father will never allow that. Stop being selfish and get the damn magic back!¡± Kiran stood up, enraged beyond what I had experienced.


    Instead of frightening me into obedience, his words only solidified my decision. ¡°I''m the one being selfish?¡± I shouted, standing up to accept his challenge. ¡°You want me to get my magic back so that you can have it! Please, tell me how protecting the kingdom from your eternal rule is selfish? I''m doing everyone a huge favor!¡±


    ¡°I don''t want your cursed magic!¡± Kiran shouted back, but I couldn''t believe him. Even without magic, his lies were barely concealed.


    ¡°Eden, really, it''s best if you just get it back.¡± Sebastian put a hand soothingly on my arm. I flinched from his touch, offended that he would take Kiran''s side after everything we went through together.


    ¡°What''s best is if you would just put me out of my misery now,¡± I growled, narrowing my gaze at Sebastian but then turning to Kiran and forcing his eyes to mine. I was determined to get my way and then Kiran looked back at me, his deep blue eyes flashed turquoise for just a moment wincing from my words. My heart jumped unexpectedly from his look and I found myself silenced. I cleared my throat and turned toward the window, unwilling to analyze either his or my reaction.


    I cleared my throat and rolled my head around my neck. The boys moved together behind me and furtively whispered in harsh tones that I didn''t bother to pay attention to. I walked to the large windows and stared out across the afternoon sky. The sun seemed hot at the beginning of June, warming the forests and the rock of the mountains, but not this room, not ever penetrating the clear glass with its brilliant rays.

 Page 2

    A knock at the door brought out my sarcasm. ¡°We sure are busy today,¡± I mumbled, turning around, ready to greet the next visitor.


    Talbott walked through the door, in a smart, pressed black collared shirt and black dress pants. His black hair was slicked back, away from his face and his olive-toned skin seemed darker than usual, as if he were spending a lot of time in the sun. His almost black eyes immediately found mine and squinted into a bizarre compassion before searching out Kiran''s and bowing respectfully. When he stood straight again, he shook his head negatively and Kiran''s shoulders slumped immediately.


    ¡°You''d better pray for mercy,¡± Kiran hissed, looking over his shoulder at me. His eyes hardened and his jaw tightened. I was not afraid of death, in fact I wished for it, but between his posture and his tone I gulped in fear.


    ¡°I''m not afraid,¡± I tried, but my voice was weak and shaky. I straightened and cleared my throat before continuing, ¡°I''m not afraid of your father, or anything you can do to me.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Kiran snarled, and then moved toward me. He stopped just inches from my face, his hands trembling at his side and his eyes narrowed slits of hatred. ¡°We all know just how unafraid you truly are. But Eden, not everything is about you! Not everything in the world revolves solely around you and your fickle emotions! They are my people too, and I will be damned before I let you hurt even one of them!¡±


    ¡°Hurt them? What are you....?¡± I stuttered, confused by his angry accusations. But before I could form a full sentence, there was another knock on the door.


    Kiran stared at me for a moment longer, finding his composure and tugging at the collar of his charcoal dress shirt. He nodded his head, while turning around and Talbott opened the door he still stood next to.


    A Titan Guard, I remembered, was part of Lucan''s personal entourage, walked into the room dressed in the standard Titan uniform when there was nothing happening in the castle, a black polo and black dress pants. He glanced at me for a moment, his eyes registering shock first and then snide amusement.


    ¡°The King requests the honor of your presence immediately.¡± His consonants were crisply clipped and he bowed respectfully to Kiran while speaking.


    ¡°All right,¡± Kiran grumbled, stepping away from me and nodding his head for Talbott to follow.


    ¡°Excuse me, Your Majesty,¡± the Guard carefully spoke again, ¡°The King would like to see the prince and the prisoner as well.¡±


    ¡°Then I will need a few minutes. You can tell him we will be there shortly.¡± Kiran cracked his neck and waited for the Guard to remove himself from the room before he moved again. ¡°Talbott, Sebastian, please go entertain my father until Eden and I arrive.¡±


    ¡°Kiran, what are you going to do?¡± Sebastian asked, and the anxiety in his voice sent shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Bastian, buy us some time,¡± Kiran commanded and without another word Sebastian and Talbott left the room.


    The door closed with finality behind Sebastian and Talbott. A feeling worse than death, worse than exhaustion washed over me, a horrifying foreboding feeling that I could not place. I fidgeted with my black tank top, clothes that Kiran provided, and found myself looking everywhere but in his direction.


    ¡°I can''t hide you anymore, you''ll need to change,¡± Kiran commented with gravity. He walked over to the closet that was meant for me and rifled through some outfits before tossing a knee-length gray boat-neck dress over to me. The dress was sleeveless, but modest and tied around the waist with a chunky black belt. I would match Kiran and I wondered if he chose this dress on purpose or just grabbed the first one he saw.


    I shut myself in the bathroom without arguing and changed quickly. Makeup lay on the counter that had been there since I moved in. Assuming it was meant for Seraphina, I had abstained from using it for that very reason until now. I quickly worked at my face, fumbling with the product and smudging my eyeliner, but eventually I came out looking less tired and more put together. I rubbed some foundation on my glowing neck tattoo, but it did little to dim the radiant blue. My hair, an impossible mess of curls, hung wild and untamed, so I twirled it into a low, side ponytail covering the mark and pinned the loose curls away from my face. I looked more like Kiran''s secretary than his future bride, but at least Lucan wouldn''t assume I just woke from a coma.


    I opened the door of the bathroom to find Kiran staring out the window, his jaw clenched and his arms crossed pensively. He turned at the sound of the door and paused to take me in. His expression changed. Somehow his eyes were impossibly harder and his mouth turned into a worried thin line, as if my outward transformation would never satisfy him.


    I looked away from him, feeling stupid and vain for wanting his approval. It didn''t matter what I looked like or how I felt; my outcome would be the same, my fate surely already decided.


    ¡°I''m ready,¡± I mumbled. Suddenly nervous, I straightened my dress out with my hands and walked toward the door.


    Wait,¡± he commanded and I obeyed.


    I leaned back against a bare wall, while he crossed the room. He stood a foot away from me for a few minutes, staring at me curiously as if waiting for something to happen or thinking something very important through. I grew awkward with the silence, and was struggling to figure out something sarcastic to say when he startled me, closing the distance between us and pressing both of his hands tightly against my arms.


    Before I could move away, his magic built in his veins and I instinctively knew he would release it against me. Too nervous to react, I stayed in his arms, a limp ragdoll against his intensity. His magic pressed against me ardently demanding mine respond. Even with my mortal blood, I could feel the force of his magic rushing around me, weighing me down and crushing me in its stringent grasp.


    When he finally relinquished his hold, I stumbled sideways, gasping for breath. I was dizzy and unbalanced, not from the power of his strong grasp or uncharacteristic closeness, but from the suppressing hold of his magic desperately searching my nonexistent energy out.


    Kiran brushed his hands together, as if touching me were a disgusting act. ¡°You didn''t fight me.¡±


    ¡°How could I?¡± I panted. ¡°You''re magic was trying to kill me!¡± I couldn''t help but accuse him, realizing that I should have fought back, even against his oppressive magic.


    ¡°No, it wasn''t. I was.... I was trying to give it to you. I''m sorry if I hurt you,¡± he mumbled apologetically.


    ¡°It doesn''t work like that! You can''t give your magic to someone, they have to take it! And you can only take magic if you already have magic. Unless it was yours to begin with, then you can take it back, but only then!¡± I exclaimed, still breathless.


    ¡°I know that!¡± he snapped, turning from me. ¡°But I had to try something!¡±


    He opened the door and held it for me, impatiently tapping his foot until I walked through it. It was the first time I had been out into the hallway in over a month and I was very surprised to see not only the entire hallway, but the stairwell down to the main floor of the castle, lined with Titan Guards. Apparently, I was not as trusted as my solitary confinement would suggest.


    ¡°You should never have come. Avalon and I had a plan,¡± Kiran whispered harshly as we approached the throne room.


    ¡°Kiran, I''m not afraid of death,¡± I repeated simply, assuming he meant the sacrifice of my brother on what should have been Kiran''s wedding day with Seraphina.


    ¡°Eden, when are you going to understand that you are not the one who will have to face death?¡± he growled.


    I opened my mouth to question him, but we were already through the double brass doors of the throne room and face to face with his father, the king.


    Chapter Two


    Lucan rose from his throne as soon as we entered the stately room. His red velvet robes flared out behind him and his extravagant, golden crown sat tilted on his head like always. His closely-cropped goatee twitched with anger, but what concerned me most was the steely, ice cold glare his eyes had formed, their dark blue penetrating through me as if holding his stare for much longer would shatter me into a million pieces.


    His wife, seated next to him, rose too. Her delicate mouth turned downward in a concerned frown and her hands, gripped tightly together, shook ever so slightly. Her dark, auburn hair fell over her shoulders and around her face in a way that reminded me of my mother. I stopped for a moment, taken back by the similarity between the two women.


    Queen Analisa was very pretty; objectively I couldn''t say if she was equal to my mother, but still she was strikingly beautiful. However, she definitely lacked the independent spirit that Delia possessed, the quiet determination that radiated from her. Analisa was reserved, and submissive, hardly making herself known at all. She stayed loyally by Lucan''s side, an accessory to his crown and nothing more.


    I stood still for a moment longer, missing my mother and working hard to find my composure. I was halfway to Lucan and, even without acknowledging him, I could feel his hateful eyes on me. Kiran took the opportunity to step in front of me and bow to his father, clearing his throat suggestively so that I would follow suit.


    I didn''t.


    ¡°You wicked child!¡± Lucan shouted, breaking the tense silence.


    ¡°Father, please,¡± Kiran started, but Lucan cut him off with a wave of his hand.


    Lucan rushed at me, down the stairs from his royal seat. He pushed Kiran out of the way and stood in front of me before I could flinch. His angry hand closed tightly around my throat and he picked me aggressively off the ground as if I weighed nothing. His hand, rough around my neck, felt like it could snap me in half with only a little more pressure. He tightened his iron grip, his strong fingers pressing themselves cruelly against my skin, leaving long, thin bruises. My eyes fluttered, my vision blurred and to the sound of a man screaming something incoherent I lost consciousness.


    ----


    My head pounded as if it were being banged violently against a wall and the sound of shouting did nothing to alleviate the migraine. I brought my hand to my ear hoping to drown out the sound, but even the touch of my own skin sent me reeling in agony.


    Slowly the memories came back, the events that led to the blackout. Lucan with his hand around my throat, closing off the oxygen I needed so vitally without magic to stay alive. I pulled my knees to my chest, realizing I was on the ground, my head on something soft, while my body shivered against the cool, hard stone floor.


    The more awake I became, the more my head throbbed, a searing pain demanding my attention on the back of my head. My head swam, nauseous and dizzy. I wanted desperately to open my eyes and ask those in the room to keep it down, but it was all I could do to keep from vomiting. I moved my hand to my neck where it came away sticky and soaked with hot blood.


    ¡°Careful,¡± a soothing voice warned me, taking my soiled hand and wiping it clean.


    I rolled over, daring to open my eyes and recognized Sebastian. He held me in his lap, gently stroking my hair away from my forehead. I winced from the pain even the dim light of this throne room glared into my sensitive eyes. I gasped; it was an uncontrollable sound that escaped my lips from sheer agony before I could think through a reaction.


    The room immediately fell silent. Even with my eyes shut tight, I could feel the focus of the room shift to me. I dared not move from Sebastian''s care and not just out of fear of another one of Lucan''s tantrums. He had clearly thrown me once I blacked out and either the wall or the floor caught my poor head, splitting it open and cursing me with this sickening pain. What was it about this room and me getting thrown around?

 Page 3

    ¡°Oh, you''re pathetic!¡± Lucan cried out, and I felt his words directed at me. ¡°You''re truly the most rebellious creature God has ever created, aren''t you? And now look at you, so helpless, so.... mortal! Such talent.... such.... potential wasted. And for what? Misery? You disgust me. There''s no other way to say it. You, more than any other Immortal, make me regret the very day I first met you. It''s not enough that you try to turn my kingdom against me, or that you blow up my favorite palace! No, it''s not even enough that you have ruined the happiness of my son! Now this? How did you do it Eden? How did you manipulate the blood oath?¡± His voice turned gravelly with disgust.


    I cringed, but forced myself to open my eyes and face the brightness of the room. I struggled to prop myself up on one elbow so that I could stare into his eyes and summon the small bits of rebellion I still held deep inside, deep enough that no amount of exhaustion or pain would ever take them away from me.


    ¡°I don''t remember,¡± I growled, lying obviously. Lucan''s face flushed red and his eyes bulged out of his head in a way that made me hope he was suffering from a heart attack.


    ¡°You stupid girl!¡± he shouted, lifting me roughly off the ground with his magic and shaking me violently.


    A scream involuntarily escaped my lips and I shut my eyes tight to hold off the crippling nausea.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Kiran yelled, interrupting whatever abusive deed Lucan planned next for me. ¡°Enough, father, she can get it back. She is trying to get it back. She just needs more time, that''s all.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I found my voice. I opened my black eyes and screamed at the evil king holding me in the air. ¡°I will not get it back! I do not want it back! Do what you want with me, but that magic is protected!¡±


    ¡°You spoiled, petulant child,¡± Lucan scolded, setting me back on the ground while seeming to come back to himself. He calmed down, smoothing out his black tunic and clearing his throat. Now more than ever, Kiran resembled him, his blue eyes piercing me, his blonde hair tussled but kept. The way his anger was carefully concealed, masked by strong self-control reminded me too much of his son. Lucan stared at me for a minute, while I struggled to stand and his eyes softened from pure hatred into intense determination.


    I was more afraid of his wit than his anger, but I held my ground, tilting my chin and squaring my shoulders. No amount of pain would weaken my resolve.


    ¡°Fetch me a prisoner,¡± Lucan commanded calmly, his hand stroking his goatee. ¡°Get the mother of that Transmogrifier she''s so fond of. Do it quickly.¡± Lucan turned on his heel and walked back to his throne, settling into his seat with renewed arrogance.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demanded, moving to the base of the throne.


    ¡°Teaching you a lesson,¡± he answered simply.


    I was swept away with fear. I turned on my heel, hoping to enlist the aid of someone else in the room. I realized then that this was Kiran''s fear too, and Sebastian''s. They were never concerned for my safety, but knowing the wrath of Lucan more intimately than me, they understood what he was capable of.


    I paced the room anxiously, unconcerned with propriety and forgetful of the migraine and the still dripping wound to the back of my head. There was nothing I could do, nothing to save Lilly''s mother from whatever cruel fate Lucan intended for her. I was weak without magic, and helpless to make any difference. Even ideas for diversions were lost in my muddled brain. There was nothing I could do for her.


    And whatever happened would be my fault.


    I came to this castle to protect those that I loved. I offered myself in place of everyone else, and yet here I stood, a powerless witness to more bloodshed at my expense.


    ¡°You can''t do this! You can''t hurt someone else just because of me!¡± I cried out, accusing Lucan in my very tone of his tyrannical blood-lust.


    ¡°Dearest child, I can do whatever I want,¡± he chided me gently, his voice sickly sweet and churning my stomach. ¡°Lest you have forgotten, I am the king!¡± He jumped up, shouting at me with more aggressive force, spit sprayed from his lips and his eyes turned wild with hatred and evil.


    ¡°Kiran,¡± I turned to him, pleading with him to intervene. ¡°Please, you have to do something; you have to reason with your father.¡±


    He held my eyes for a moment, his face oppressed with grief and I knew that he tried to warn me. I felt his admonitions and his daily pleading like a knife in my heart. He broke his gaze, looking away ashamed and emotional.


    ¡°My son has done enough, hiding you away in his bedroom, lying to me, manipulating me. So, let this be a warning to you both,¡± Lucan began lecturing once Lilly''s mother was dragged into the throne room. ¡°You will learn to obey, child. When I give a command, you will follow it. When I tell you to do something, you will honor it without hesitation. I am your king and you will treat me as such. And if you cannot follow these very simple directions then there will be consequences. It is your disobedience that has cost this woman her life, and if you are not in full possession of your magic by tomorrow morning at dawn, then I will execute every other prisoner held here, one by one, while you watch helpless and mortal. Is that clear?¡±


    Tears started to stream down my face at the gravity of his words. And as much as I wanted to blame him for his cruelty, he was right, this was my fault. ¡°It''s impossible, I''ve tried to get it back,¡± I whimpered, pathetically, looking at Lilly''s mother who had just started to understand what was about to happen to her.


    She was a beautiful woman, with more auburn hair than Lilly''s fiery red, and it fell in delicate waves down her back. Her green eyes sparkled with magic, after the suffocating prisons that deteriorated one''s power. Her skin was as porcelain as Lilly''s and she radiated the self-sacrifice any mother would gladly give for the freedom of her child.


    ¡°Obviously, you have not tried hard enough,¡± Lucan snapped. ¡°You have until tomorrow morning at dawn, Eden, or this Shape-shifter will not be the only victim of your insubordination.¡±


    Lucan stood from his royal seat and walked slowly over to a Titan Guard, reaching for his decorative sword and pulling it from its placeholder at his side. I screamed something even I didn''t understand and went blind with a fight that I didn''t think I still had in me. Strong hands, forceful against my arms, held me back, and pulled me to the corner of the room. I struggled desperately against them, fighting with everything I held on to, to save the innocent.


    Lucan turned on Lilly''s mother, as she stood tall and still, held by two Guards that were not necessary. She was ready for death, determined to be martyred with dignity and grace. Lucan tilted his head and sighed with pity before plunging the sword forcibly through her heart.


    The room fell silent; even I gasped with horror and then found no sounds to express my outraged sorrow. The Titans that held her, let go so that she could slump to the ground, impaled by the ornamental sword. She held on to the hilt, agony constricting her face, and her magic floating from her body in a visible energy field of soft lavender. She was dying slowly, too slowly not to feel the pain as her violet magic drifted out of her.


    ¡°Tomorrow at dawn, Eden, or you will relive this moment one hundred times,¡± Lucan vowed, staring me down with arrogant resolve.


    I believed him.


    He left the room, his robes sweeping out behind him and his Titan Guard was close at his heels. Analisa sat in stunned silence for a few more minutes, her face paling with the horror of Lucan''s punishment. She eventually stood and left the room in silence, her own Guard trailing after her.


    Left alone with just the dying woman, Talbott, Sebastian and Kiran, Sebastian and Talbott let go of me and I too sunk to the floor, weeping in heartache for the unnecessary murder of another guiltless victim. I let my head fall into my hands and my weeping turned into deep moaning as I felt the weight of this war more severely than ever before.


    I had been naive, too innocent to understand what I fought against. I had interacted with Lucan and seen what he did to Avalon, but I justified the cruelty to his pursuit for immortality. I witnessed the murder of my grandfather, but I credited an ancient rivalry to the hatred between the two men. This was something different; truly my imagination could never have conjured up this kind of cruelty, the senseless killing of innocent Immortals. I believed too much in the goodness of others to ever anticipate these kinds of repercussions. And now, not just one woman would suffer at my fate, but Lucan promised a hundred. A hundred prisoners, as innocent as Lilly''s mother, would die because of my stupidity and stubbornness.


    I heard the sword pulled from her chest, and the morbid sound itself, the sharp blade slicing against hot flesh, sent me into a deeper hysteria. I wailed, rocking back and forth, unwilling to look at the woman whose blood now stained my hands.


    ¡°Eden, look!¡± Sebastian demanded but I refused, burying my face further into my arms ¡°Seriously, Eden, look!¡±


    Something like hope in Sebastian''s voice tugged at my resolve and I lifted my eyes, carefully finding Lilly''s mother and bracing myself against the rising nausea. But instead of a purple energy field moving toward the heavens, the room filled with blue smoke.


    The blue smoke, moved in wisps and soft movements, surrounding the woman and wrapping her up in its billowy folds. She gasped, as if being revived from the hold of death and the lavender electricity slowly returned to her. Her chest stopped hemorrhaging and her skin returned from the ghostly white of death to the pale pink of life.


    I stood up, slowly, noticing that the gash on the back of my head had stopped throbbing. I stumbled toward Lilly''s mom in unbelieving awe. She sat up, rubbing at her healed chest and eying me with intense curiosity.


    The room was still filled with smoke, and I took careful steps through it. Now that the smoke had finished healing, it spread across the stone floor in playful movements, swirling in and out of my legs as I walked. I breathed again, a thankful sigh of relief and my heart swelled with the impossibility of the miracle. I had banished the magic and with it I assumed the smoke, but here it stayed, released from some secret part of me, capable of healing and unwilling to leave me.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Kiran asked, breaking the silence and voicing the question on everyone''s mind.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± I answered honestly.


    ¡°It is not bound to your magic?¡± Kiran questioned, more pointedly, demanding an explanation.


    ¡°Kiran, I don''t know.¡± I replied with more force. ¡°This doesn''t make sense to me either. But you could tell your father about it, just in case it''s enough to convince him I''m at least trying to get my magic back....¡± I mumbled, finishing halfheartedly. The room stayed silent, nobody offering to tell Lucan anything.


    Lilly''s mother, stayed still on the ground, unsure what to do or if she should move.


    ¡°I''m Eden,¡± I introduced myself to her, offering my hand and helping her stand. ¡°I''m a friend of your daughter¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know who you are.¡± She smiled at me, a thankful, genuine smile, her eyes brimming with tears and I felt loved. ¡°I''m Rosalind.¡±


    ¡°I''m so sorry for all of this,¡± I apologized, humbled by the horrifying event of her almost death.


    ¡°No, please, I should be thanking you!¡± She reached out for my hand again, holding it between hers; the look of gratitude displayed on her face was identical to one I had seen on Lilly''s numerous times.

 Page 4

    ¡°Well, I don''t know if you should be thanking me,¡± I admitted. ¡°We kind of got lucky with the whole smoke thing....¡±


    ¡°Very true,¡± Kiran interrupted. ¡°Sebastian, can you still get a hold of that friend of yours?¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely,¡± Sebastian replied, pulling out a cell phone and immediately dialing a number.


    ¡°We''re going to need to meet. Tonight. And tell him that Avalon must come. I will not let Eden destroy a hundred plus lives tomorrow morning because of her stubborn unwillingness to help,¡± Kiran commanded.


    I looked at him, truly hurt by his words, but he responded with only a glance of mild disgust. Then he turned to Talbott and gave quiet instructions about what to do with Rosalind.


    I fell silent, reluctant to argue with Kiran and not ready to admit to myself the truth of what would happen tomorrow morning. There was hope in meeting Avalon tonight, and in being reunited with him, but unless I could get the magic back, hope meant nothing at the cost of so many lives.


    Talbott led Rosalind away, and Sebastian took my arm, guiding me back to Kiran''s room. I leaned on him, exhausted from the day already. How could I have let things get so bad?


    ¡°Did you call Titus?¡± I whispered.


    We were walking up the stairs to Kiran''s room. Sebastian put his arm around me, holding me tightly to him. Kiran followed silently after us. Even without my own magic, I could feel his angry electricity swirling around the stairwell. I was too afraid of him to even turn around, so I snuggled closer to Sebastian, letting his friendly presence shield me from more royal wrath.


    ¡°Yes, they will meet us tonight,¡± he whispered back, his tone thick and serious. ¡°Eden, you have to get your magic back. No more messing around, all right?¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± I agreed, although I no longer needed convincing. ¡°I''m sorry for all of this,¡± I apologized to Sebastian because he was the only one who could hear me right now. He kissed the top of my head and deposited me into Kiran''s room, staying outside to speak quietly with Kiran.


    I sat down on the edge of Kiran''s bed and felt myself crumble from the weight of my role. Lives were at stake, a hundred lives, with a countdown clock ticking away the precious last minutes of their existence. I put my hope in Avalon, and seeing him. Surely our twin connection would make the process smooth and quick. He was able to get his magic back from me. I would be able to do the same. And I would return in the morning to offer my magic again for the safety of my people. Only this time, I would be offering more than my magic. I was offering my obedience, my loyalty, to a king that would use me for his monstrous intentions. I would not be martyred. I would not be given an easy way out. Whatever Lucan manipulated me into doing for him, I would have to live with the consequences for the rest of my life.


    Chapter Three


    A knock at the door roused me from a deep sleep. I was curled up underneath Kiran''s thick comforters. I tried for several hours this afternoon to get a head start on the magic, but nothing happened except exhausting myself.


    I opened my eyes and met Kiran''s gaze from across the room. He was sitting in one of his leather chairs watching me. His face partially masked by the darkness of the room, his fingers pressed together in a sign of silent concentration.


    The knock at the door sounded again, but neither of us moved to answer it. He did not remove his eyes from mine and I could not have looked away if I wanted to.


    I was afraid of him, and his penetrating gaze sent shivers down my spine. I wasn''t afraid that he would hurt me, and I could hardly even believe he would go through with our upcoming wedding. But something about his change of demeanor frightened me.


    Slowly, over the course of the last few months he changed. He was more concerned about the well-being of others and his kingdom than anything else. He stayed consistently somber and serious, never smiling and seldom softening his eyes. He cast me aside, as if he might a small child that he was forced to take care of and couldn''t bother to pay attention to.


    Until now. With the full power of his stare holding me captive, I couldn''t even begin to guess what he was thinking. But I knew that I did not want to know, I did not want to hear more cruel words or more anger directed at me, even if it was from somebody I didn''t care about either. I was fragile since my magic was gone. Or maybe I had always been fragile; at this point it was hard to tell.


    The door opened; the knocker impatient for one of us to answer. Kiran released his piercing hold, greeting Sebastian as he walked through the door. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked, his voice hoarse and rough.


    ¡°Yes, everything is in motion. Talbott is waiting for us,¡± Sebastian explained somberly.


    I stretched underneath the covers, frustrated with how slow and tired no magic left me. But that would change tonight. It had to change tonight.


    ¡°I need to.... freshen up,¡± I announced crawling from beneath the covers and standing up unsteadily. ¡°How should I dress?¡±


    ¡°Comfortably,¡± Kiran answered. ¡°And cool. It''s sweltering out.¡±


    ¡°Dark colors would be best,¡± Sebastian offered.


    I walked to my closet and pulled a pair of black yoga pants and a black t-shirt and then took them to the bathroom. I rested against the door for a minute, finding the courage to face the night. So much rested on my ability to recall my magic; the weight of the task felt too impossible to carry. But I remembered Kiran''s instructions to have Avalon there, wherever there was, and that gave me courage. I was going to get to see my brother tonight. We would be in the same room and that alone was enough reason to get dressed and find motivation.


    I pulled my hair off my neck and into a high, messy bun. The tattoo at the base of my earlobe sent an iridescent finger of light down my neck like a colorful shadow. I touched my finger to the small snake, curled around eating its own tail and rubbed at it. The illuminated blue still shined with me, just like the blue smoke. Even without magic I was still an Immortal. Even without the strength of my supernatural electricity I was still meant to be ruler of this kingdom.


    Getting rid of my magic was immature and rash. I realized that now as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I needed my magic to win this war. I needed it to stand up against Lucan and fight for the rights of my people. I would not let another victim die because I was too mortal to save them.


    I shook my head and forced myself to focus. It was time to go, ready or not....


    I opened the door of the bathroom and found Kiran and Sebastian in a heated conversation that silenced as soon as I stepped through the door. The moment felt so plainly tense and awkward, I almost retreated right back into the bathroom.


    ¡°It''s not like that, and you should know me well enough not to assume otherwise,¡± Sebastian growled at Kiran, getting the final word in.


    ¡°I''m ready,¡± I blurted out, stating the obvious.


    ¡°Sebastian, I need a word with Eden,¡± Kiran announced gruffly, dismissing his cousin with a spoiled wave of his hand.


    Sebastian shook his head and walked out the door mumbling, ¡°Then what were you doing all day?¡±


    ¡°Kiran, I promise, I won''t be difficult anymore. I''m going to get my magic back, you can trust me,¡± I explained before he had the chance to lecture me.


    His dark blue eyes bore through me from across the room. He had that same look on his face, the one that I couldn''t identify and I shifted uneasily on my feet.


    ¡°Good,¡± he replied, walking toward me until we were only a foot apart. ¡°I shouldn''t need to explain to you how much I''m risking tonight. If my father were ever to find out that I let you come face to face with your brother, he would kill us both. Is that understood?¡±


    I nodded, feeling the gravity of his words.


    ¡°Please remember, that you need your magic, Eden. And not just for the sake of those lives facing death tomorrow, you''re too.... You''re very delicate like this.¡± Darkness passed over Kiran''s face and he reached out and touched his thumb to my revealed tattoo, subconsciously.


    ¡°Let''s go!¡± Sebastian popped his head back into the room and Kiran came back to himself, clearing his throat and dropping his hand.


    He turned on his heel, leaving me to follow after him. Sebastian held the door for Kiran and then for me.


    Sebastian and I walked side by side down a dark hallway after Kiran. It was a back hallway, out of the main areas of traffic, and something that servants would use to stay discretely out of the King''s way.


    ¡°Sebastian,¡± I whispered, curiosity winning over the need to stay quiet. ¡°I thought the only way for Immortals to die was for another Immortal to take their magic and then kill them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s true,¡± he agreed, his voice equally as soft in the dark corridor. After a while of walking through a maze of hallways and dimly lit passages we came upon a dark stairwell and descended into the blackness.


    ¡°Then how did that sword almost kill Lilly''s mother?¡± Even my hushed voice echoed off the narrowed walls of the stairs, my question reverberating into the dark void and repeated a dozen times. The stairwell wound around with stone walls rising on either side and with no alternate exits except for the top of the stairs and wherever it was leading us to at the bottom.


    ¡°It''s magic, Eden,¡± Sebastian explained gravely. ¡°Their swords hold ancient magic, so that when one is stabbed with it, it opens an unsealable wound that drains the victim''s energy. The original Titan army made them from those Immortals that King Derrick murdered first. They are made from the blood of our people to take the blood of our people.¡±


    ¡°That''s awful,¡± I nearly choked on the words. I remembered the first time I saw the swords, when I met the Titans taking names at the gates before the All Saints Festival last fall. I thought them decorative and ornamental, not lethal, not drenched in the innocence of an oppressed people.


    ¡°Warn her Sebastian,¡± Kiran instructed from a few stairs below us.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Sebastian obeyed immediately, ¡°we have to walk through the prisons. You have to remember that the only way to help these people is to get your magic back. You cannot save them now; you cannot even speak to them. We have to be absolutely inconspicuous, even from the prisoners, or we will never make it to your brother. All right?¡± he finished sweetly, coddling me with gentle explanations.


    I nodded my head and reaffirmed my resolve to get to Avalon. I had to trust Sebastian, trust that I would be able to save these people if I got to my magic.


    At the bottom of the stairs we walked through a crumbling arched passageway. The stairwell was uncomfortably dark, and the darkness of the prison we entered turned oppressive. Even without magic I could feel the weight of a mystical force that would strip away the energy of any Immortal spirit.


    I gripped Sebastian''s hand, allowing him to pull me along, but even he slowed his step and seemed weighed down by the presence of an unknown force. And then I remembered that his magic would be restricted too. Kiran, Sebastian and I became equal in this place.


    The prison smelled terrible, the filth of countless Immortals bathing the rough dirt ground and cold stone walls in thousands of years of captivity. The air was cold down here, frigid and stale. I shivered from the oppression though, not the temperature. This would truly be a miserable, hopeless place to be imprisoned.

 Page 5

    We stayed close to a stone wall that lined the length of the jail. I clung to Sebastian but I could faintly hear Kiran move his hand along the wall and use it as a guide. My feet stumbled over the uneven terrain and I struggled from the long, exhausting walk.


    I felt Sebastian slump from the effort of moving without his magic and then shiver involuntarily. I wondered if being down here reminded him of the months he lived without magic or if it was the thought of so many tormented souls that bothered him now.


    We turned a corner and the invisible oppression grew worse. I could hear the moans of the prisoners in their cells, crying out for reprieve or water. If Titans were down here, they did not make their presence known and so the deeper into the prisons we walked, the louder the cries for help grew.


    I shuddered from the chorus of voices that rang out in a unified agony. Tears streamed down my face as I recited Sebastian''s instructions in my head over and over again, remembering my purpose, remembering the greater goal. I could not help them now, but soon, very soon, I would set them free from this tyrannical bondage. Sebastian tugged on my hand, pulling me along with him, passed the desperate voices both young and old, and through the heavy air of the prison physically weighing me down.


    Sebastian squeezed my hand tighter, as if preparing me for something extra terrible. The air began to thin, but just barely. I could feel the other side of this torment only steps away but not before we walked by the last cell.


    I could hear him inside, the soft whimpers of a little boy. His faint cries for help and his childish voice joining the crowd of others asking for relief. The Guard gave him some mercy and placed him on the outer border of the cells, but still his suffering remained evident and his helplessness heartbreaking.


    My hand flew to my mouth, stifling the scream that so desperately wanted to escape. I looked back, into the darkness, determined to rescue the small child that no more deserved to be down here than any of the innocent Immortals living under Lucan''s inhumane reign.


    Sebastian grabbed my arm before I could take a step toward the little boy, my feet moving without my permission, unwilling to walk by that level of disgusting suffering. Sebastian shoved me through another arched passageway and I stumbled forward, falling into Kiran''s arms. He leaned against a cool stone wall finding his breath and reached out his hands instinctively to catch me.


    The knowledge of what was down here and the memory of that little boy''s soft crying were suddenly too much. I buried my face in Kiran''s chest, simply because he was the nearest warm body, and my emotions boiled over. He held me to him and patiently let me cry. I stayed as quiet as I could, but I couldn''t escape the haunting depression that consumed me.


    After a few minutes, Kiran straightened up, coming back to himself and recovering the extent of his magic. He put his hands on my arms as if to comfort me, but then instead, pushed me into Sebastian as if depositing the burden of caring for me to his cousin.


    Sebastian caught me, but I was over the raw memory of our journey by now and stood up to find my composure. We stayed there for an awkward minute more, while I wiped my eyes and cleared my throat and the boys counted the seconds waiting for well-rehearsed timing.


    And then at exactly the same moment, Kiran and Sebastian walked through another archway. A few feet into the corridor, Kiran pressed against the stone wall in movements that reminded me so clearly of Amory that I had to catch my breath and work to stay the sweeping grief.


    My heartache over my dead grandfather was not as constant as it used to be, but when it did come, it was violent stabbing to a broken heart. The sorrow came swift and consuming, memories suddenly too painful to hold.


    I recovered by repressing the thoughts and focusing on Avalon and the task at hand and then followed Kiran through a secret doorway that opened from his touch. Once Sebastian was through and the secret passageway closed again we were left in utter darkness. The quiet of the room was so still that it rang irrationally in my ears.


    A soft glow of gray magic, an orb barely brighter than the darkness of the passageway, lit up our surroundings for just a moment before it was used to light a torch. The fire burst to life at the end of a stick and was then used to light two others that were passed to me first and then to Sebastian.


    I lifted my torch to take in my surroundings and realized we stood in familiar territory. We had entered the cave where a rushing river once flowed. A river that, until my destruction of the tunnel entrance over a month ago, would have had to be paddled against backward for several hours for us to escape.


    Sebastian and I followed Kiran to the ledge of the platform and to the rusted ladder that led down into a dried riverbed. Kiran jumped over the side of the platform, not bothering with the ladder, but I was too nervous to follow suit without my magic.


    I handed my torch to Sebastian and then swung my legs over the side, turning around and crawling down the shaky ladder that creaked against my weight. My feet reached the bottom of the ladder, and with no other place to step and the darkness obscuring how far the jump down would be, I hesitated nervously in place.


    I heard an aggravated sigh and then in a curt British accent, ¡°Just hang on to the last rung and I''ll help you down.¡±


    I followed Kiran''s instructions, holding weakly to the last rung while he reached up and placed his hands on either side of my waist. Once I was confident he had me, I let go of the ladder and he gently placed me on the ground, his hands not lingering on me for even a second longer than necessary.


    After Sebastian jumped down to join us, we started walking upstream, or what would have been upstream if the river had not drained. I found it very surreal to be walking this same ground, without magic and with Kiran. It somehow felt contradictory to anything else I experienced yet.


    ¡°This used to be a river,¡± I commented quietly after what felt like hours of quiet walking. I was tired of the silence, the loneliness, and felt like I should be giving Sebastian and Kiran the tour.


    ¡°I know,¡± Kiran remarked dryly.


    ¡°What happened to it?¡± Sebastian asked curiously, and suddenly I was too embarrassed to explain I was the one that destroyed the entrance so that I wouldn''t lose my resolve in offering myself in place of my brother. I annihilated any chance of escape because I convinced myself I was marching to my own death and I couldn''t give myself an option of turning around. Then all my plotting, all my planning backfired.


    ¡°You know, obliterating the cave was absolutely ridiculous,¡± Kiran scolded, turning to me with a look of pure irritation on his face. ¡°It has really made my life unnecessarily complicated.¡± He was so annoyed with me that I actually found him entertaining.


    ¡°I''m sorry, your majesty,¡± I mocked gently, ¡°I assumed I was the only one that used this entrance.¡±


    ¡°And that''s exactly your problem, isn''t it?¡± Kiran turned, walking backward and chiding me seriously. ¡°You only, ever, think about yourself.¡±


    I gasped at his accusation, feeling as though my very presence with him testified of self-sacrifice for the good of others. ¡°How do you know about this exit anyway? What are you using it for?¡± I questioned, turning the attention off myself.


    ¡°Business,¡± he mumbled, turning back around to lead the way.


    ¡°What kind of business?¡± I pressed further, demanding an answer


    ¡°Kiran has been-¡± Sebastian started, but Kiran interrupted him.


    ¡°Just business, it''s not really any of your concern,¡± Kiran growled and Sebastian instantly fell silent.


    ¡°Sebastian, what? What is he doing down here?¡± I asked sweetly. I played on our friendship, curiosity getting the best of me.


    ¡°Let me remind you, Bastian, your loyalty is to me first, no matter how special of a relationship you two have.¡± Kiran''s voice was cold and biting, leaving Sebastian even quieter.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I challenged, not giving Kiran the opportunity for the last word, ¡°but someday soon, you''ll have to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Oh really, and why is that?¡± Kiran glanced backward at me, his eyes flashing turquoise in the dim light of his torch.


    ¡°Because I''ll be your wife and all. I mean, then, it will be your obligation to tell me!¡± I reasoned, believing in my argument completely.


    ¡°Ha!¡± His short laughter echoed off the cavernous rock walls, mocking me in a way that unexplainably hurt my feelings. ¡°Don''t fool yourself. I have no intention of seeing that wedding through.¡±


    I fell silent, confused and hurt. Kiran walked faster into the darkness ahead of us, his light disappearing into the dark void ahead. I leaned into Sebastian, the weight of my torch becoming too much.


    ¡°I know that he hates me,¡± I confessed quietly. ¡°But, I don''t know why he has to be so cruel about it.¡±


    Sebastian laughed unexpectedly, not the cruel kind of laughter like Kiran, but a gentle, genuinely entertained laughter that made me look at him.


    ¡°Kiran doesn''t hate you!¡± he exclaimed in an amused whisper.


    ¡°Yeah, right!¡± I argued. I didn''t need Sebastian to paint me a pretty picture, I wasn''t even looking for encouragement. I just wanted to complain to someone.


    ¡°Eden, I think there are only so many times a man can be rejected before his pride takes over,¡± he insisted even softer.


    ¡°You don''t have to be nice about it, Sebastian. It''s Ok that he hates me, I''m not very fond of him either.¡± I admitted, brushing off Sebastian''s explanation.


    ¡°I think what you''re witnessing is something more like self-preservation.¡± Sebastian nudged me with his elbow as we approached the cave mouth.


    I fell silent with Kiran waiting for us at the entrance to a man-made tunnel in the middle of the wreckage of collapsed boulders and trees. He eyed us over with that same look I had seen a dozen times from him in the past twenty four hours, not knowing how to explain it or do anything but shudder from the severity of it.


    Sebastian helped me climb over the large rocks and then lifted me up to Kiran who helped with the last portion before the tunnel. Once at the tunnel''s level, I followed Kiran into the dark, narrow passageway, crouching against the low ceiling and in fear of a collapse.


    The tunnel was not very long, and we were to the other side in no time. We emerged into the fresh air and midnight sky, the sound of the river that ran along the bank greeting us and a million stars twinkling above.


    Talbott was there too, waiting for us patiently. And with him Rosalind, Lilly''s mother, unbound and free. I realized then that Kiran was taking her with us, releasing her into my brother''s care and the freedom her assumed death granted her.


    Chapter Four


    ¡°They should be here by now! Where are they?¡± Talbott demanded. He paced in the darkness, his feet stomping heavily across the wilderness floor, snapping twigs and shifting dead leaves.


    ¡°Relax, they''ll be here,¡± Sebastian reassured him calmly. He sat with his back against a tree and eyes closed trying to squeeze in some sleep. Talbott shot him an aggravated look and kept pacing.


    I sat on the ground too, leaning against a tree. Even in the midnight hours, the air was still feverishly hot and the trek here had left me exhausted and overworked. Sweat dripped from my forehead and soaked my shirt. The rest of my group had the advantage of magic to cool them, but I suffered through the heat, wishing we stayed close enough to the river for water.

 Page 6

    We were high in the mountains, meeting at a previously decided place. We hiked for hours through the midnight sky, deep into the Romanian wilderness and far from the ominous castle. I couldn''t remember exactly where Amory and I waited for Avalon and Jericho and if this was it or if this was some place new entirely. The forest muddled together in my memory, it was all a beautiful haze of thick trees and rough terrain.


    ¡°Will you be all right?¡± Rosalind asked with concern. She stopped her own silent vigil to sit down next to me. Freedom for her rested only moments away and not only that, she would be reunited with her daughter. I felt her joy, and saw the anxious excitement on her face and felt satisfied. I could be miserable a few more minutes to give her peace.


    I could be miserable the rest of my life to give my people peace.


    ¡°I''ll be fine,¡± I promised. I wiped the sweat away from my forehead with the back of my hand. ¡°It''s only a little heat. Besides, I''ll have my magic back in no time and I''ll hardly remember feeling hot at all.¡± I smiled with forced confidence, wondering how I would find the strength to pull my own magic from my brother.


    ¡°Will it be very hard?¡± Rosalind asked, referring to the task of reclaiming my magic.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°I''ve never done it before.¡± When her brow furrowed with concern, I continued quickly, ¡°But, Sebastian has, and so has Avalon, so I know that it is possible. I just have to figure it out for myself.¡±


    ¡°And in enough time so we can get to the castle before dawn,¡± Kiran mumbled, unconvinced.


    ¡°What''s your husband''s first name?¡± I changed the subject quickly, unwilling to let Rosalind think Kiran''s doubts all the way through. ¡°I know who you are, but Lilly never gave me either of your first names.¡±


    ¡°My husband''s name is Allister,¡± she answered.


    ¡°He will be Ok,¡± I promised, believing my words as much as I wanted her to. ¡°I''ll find a way to let him know that you''re free, and make sure he is taken care of. I promise,¡± I whispered the last of my words, not wanting Kiran to hear them and shoot down my commitment with negativity. I knew he could hear me despite my soft tones, but all he did was look at me. He didn''t try to dissuade Rosalind or tell her the truth.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she gushed, a single tear escaping the corner of her eye.


    ¡°Eden?¡± a quiet voice called from a distance.


    ¡°I''m here,¡± I answered back, equally as quiet.


    ¡°And you''re Ok?¡± Avalon called carefully from his vantage point at a safe distance.


    ¡°Will you just get down here!¡± I sighed, exasperated. We were on a schedule.


    Six figures walked through the trees, spreading out in a semicircle around our small group. They were imposing and cloaked and if I didn''t know better I would have felt very intimidated. At least until the smallest of the figures broke rank, crying out in happiness, her vibrant red curls bouncing in the moonlight as she rushed to her mother with arms open.


    Lilly and Rosalind found each other, both crying hysterically and squeezing each other tightly. I found myself crying, too, at the joy of watching them reunite. I looked into the distance, wondering where my own mother was but knowing she would have to stay far away from this castle as long as Lucan was alive and ruling.


    I was surprisingly swept off my feet and into a tight bear hug. I threw my arms around Avalon in return, finding absolute bliss in being near him and so many others that I loved. He held me to him for a long time, struggling not to cry, while I didn''t even bother to stop the flood of tears that drenched my face and his shirt.


    ¡°Jericho''s here,¡± he whispered into my ear and I pulled away from him.


    ¡°Where?¡± I demanded, looking beyond him at the men who became recognizable now that they were close.


    And then he was there, standing back from the crowd, watching me. I pulled Avalon down to me, kissing his cheek quickly and then pushed him out of the way roughly. I found energy that had been missing for more than a month, ran toward Jericho, frantic to get to him.


    Abruptly I was stopped. I pushed angrily against the magical force-field Kiran put into place, frustrated with endless boundaries and constant arguments. I fought against the wall, but Kiran remained unrelenting, torturing me. I turned on him, desperate to get to Jericho and ready to expel my wrath against Kiran.


    ¡°I can''t let you wander off in the dark,¡± he defended himself quickly. ¡°Jericho is more than welcome to join our circle. But Eden, you have to understand what a liability you are.¡±


    I opened my mouth to tell him exactly what I understood, but Sebastian beat me to it, ¡°Kiran, I''ll keep an eye on her. She''s a big girl; she understands what''s at risk.¡±


    The force-field dropped with Sebastian''s logic and I resumed my elated journey to Jericho. I threw my arms around his neck, while he picked me off the ground, spinning me in a circle. I kept my body pressed against his, my face buried in his neck, inhaling him and reveling in being held by someone who truly loved me.


    He set me down on the ground, pulling away ever so slightly. His hazel eyes, glinting with brilliant green, took my own eyes captive in his. His dimples held his smile in place, pure joy marking his angular face. There were no words spoken between us, nothing needed to be said that wasn''t communicated in our gaze. His lips found mine then, soft but furtive as he kissed me passionately underneath the Romanian full moon.


    I sighed in sweet surrender, feeling his magic wrap around me and press me even tighter to him. I felt the eyes of the crowd watch us and after a few moments, my cheeks flushed red and I couldn''t stop the giggle from escaping my lips. I promised myself there would be more of these moments, and at least one more before I left him tonight.


    He looked down at me, feeling the urge to get things started tonight as well. He didn''t let go right away, but kissed my forehead and whispered gently, ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too,¡± I whispered back, slipping my hand into his and pulling him toward the crowd.


    I left his hand though, once we were back with the others. I hugged Lilly for a long time, sharing in her happiness and promising to send her father soon. I hugged Titus and Gabriel too, both of whom appeared very happy to see that I was all right. I even hugged Silas, who was not exactly sure what to do with me; he hugged me back awkwardly and then said something about being happy I wasn''t dead.


    ¡°Eden, if you''re quite finished, we have a deadline,¡± Kiran admonished. I shot him a dirty glare, frustrated with how task-oriented he was acting, and how callously he forgot my feelings.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I mumbled, walking over to Avalon, taking his hands. The tattoos that covered his arms were faint shadows in the darkness, but I knew them by heart. I held his hand and pictured the snake wrapped around his forearm, eating its own tail, I pictured the tree that wrapped itself around his torso and wound its barren branches down his arm. I pictured the phoenix rising from the ashes and tonight it symbolized more than immortality, tonight it symbolized the Resistance and the continual effort to survive in a kingdom where we remained hunted.


    We stood there for a minute, looking at each other and growing awkward as nothing happened. I assumed foolishly that as soon as our hands connected I would feel my magic jump to the surface, that my blood would spark to life, and that I would recognize my lost magic immediately. But nothing happened.


    I tried to pull at something, to use my practiced skills of taking others'' magic to find my own, but still nothing happened except I started sweating even worse. I let out a frustrated sigh and stomped my foot impatiently.


    ¡°Ok, obviously I don''t know how this works!¡± I declared with a raised voice.


    ¡°Just relax, Eden, it will come, it just takes a little time,¡± Avalon soothed, narrowing his emerald green eyes in concentration.


    ¡°You have to let go of it,¡± I instructed, irritated. ¡°Are you letting go of it?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, you are so not fun to be around without magic,¡± Avalon joked and I had the urge to kick him in the shin.


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Kiran grumbled and I turned around ready for a fight.


    Avalon let out an uncontrollable snicker and then Sebastian joined in the laughter.


    ¡°Are you kidding me right now?¡± I demanded. I was more than irritated, I was irate.


    ¡°Ok, Ok, let''s get serious,¡± Avalon scolded with mock gravity.


    I turned around and reached for Avalon''s hands again, waiting for the spark of life I knew my energy was capable of. But still nothing.


    ¡°How did you do it?¡± I asked Avalon humbly. I quieted my frustration and focused on the magic I knew was floating around me.


    ¡°I found our connection,¡± he whispered as if it were a sacred place that only we knew about. And in reality, it was. ¡°Once I found it, I opened it, finding the place in our consciousness that we share.¡±


    I closed my eyes again, leaving the search for my magic and replacing it with the search for my twin connection. With Avalon so close it was relatively easy, exhausting, but easy. Even without shared magic, it was as though I could see through his eyes and feel through his senses. We were joined, united from birth and we shared a connection that was deeper than even magic.


    Once I focused on the bond between us, I felt the magic there too. As a mortal, the magic felt peculiar, highly charged and dangerously electric. It would take courage to pull at it, to command it be mine once again. But this wasn''t an unfamiliar fear. As I stood convincing myself to try, I realized that I had always been afraid of my magic in one way or the other; afraid of what it was capable of, afraid of how it would change this kingdom, and most afraid of how it would change me.


    I took a slow breath and then pulled at the reluctant electricity. Even though Avalon and I shared magic, his half remained unwilling to let mine go. I pulled again at the invisible chain that linked my blood to my supernatural electricity mingled with Avalon''s.


    Still nothing happened.


    ¡°Why isn''t it working?¡± I whined, keeping my eyes shut tight.


    ¡°It will,¡± Avalon promised, ¡°just give it some time.


    ¡°I''m so tired,¡± I grumbled, shifting my weight and shaking my head.


    I worked at the magic for several more minutes without progress. I knew where it was, I knew how to find it but that did not make repossessing it any easier. I grew dizzy from the effort and I eventually had to try with my eyes open for fear that I would fall asleep.


    ¡°I need a break!¡± I declared after wobbling unsteadily. I dropped Avalon''s hands and a unified sound of disappointment escaped from everyone watching us.


    I walked over to a tree and slid down to the ground, pulling my knees to my chest and dropping my forehead on to them. Jericho walked over, sitting down next to me and rubbing my back gently.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked sweetly. I turned my head toward him, too tired to lift it from my knees and nodded. ¡°You can do this, you are strong enough.¡± He smiled encouragingly and I nodded again, hoping he was right.


    ¡°The last thing she needs right now is to be coddled,¡± Kiran interrupted, stomping over to us. He grabbed my hands roughly and pulled me forcefully to my feet, staring into my eyes and commanding my attention. ¡°Eden, there are lives at stake, lots of lives. And my father will not hesitate to murder every last one and more if you do not get the magic back right now, do you understand?¡± I nodded, but he did not wait for more of a response before he rushed on, ¡°Sebastian has done this, Avalon has done this, you will stop acting like a spoiled child and you will get your magic back so we can return to the castle before dawn.¡±

 Page 7

    I was silenced by the truth of Kiran''s words and he knew it. He let go of my wrists and pushed me toward Avalon, who was waiting with an amused smile and readied hands, his long hair pulled into a knot at the nape of his neck.


    This time when I reached for Avalon''s hands I remembered Kiran''s words. I remembered the lives that were counting on me and that I was not the first to be asked to accomplish this task. If Avalon could do it, so could I. If Sebastian could do it, then I definitely could. I straightened my back and squared my shoulders and then found the place in my consciousness that was shared with Avalon.


    With confidence and determination I pulled the stubborn magic and demanded a response. This time I was not met with nothing; there was not even a wall to keep me from receiving what was mine. This time when I pulled, my magic came with me.


    It flowed slowly at first. Reclaiming my magic became exhausting, tenuous work that tested my internal strength more than any other task in my entire life. I stayed focused and determined however, and eventually found the half-way point. After that it was smooth sailing and soon my blood popped and sizzled with the boiling electricity that gave me a complete life.


    The transformation inside of me felt incredible. I possessed energy and strength again. My magic surged inside of me, elated to be home. It joined with the blue smoke and I could feel all of the stolen magics and Amory''s magic mixed with my original electricity, all working in unison to fuel my immortality.


    But best of all was the open connection between Avalon and me. I could feel him again, I could breathe with him. I would know that he was all right and we would be able to speak to each other freely. Even if our magic was more at risk now than ever, at least we had each other through this. And at least the prisoner''s would be saved from tomorrow''s wrath.


    Everyone congratulated us after we finished the job. But somehow that bothered me. I watched Kiran shake Avalon''s hand in friendly reunion and stiffened with irritation. They stood talking quietly together in private whispers and with serious glances and I decided I should know what was going on.


    I thought you were going to bring the little one? Avalon asked Kiran who shook his head and glanced at Lilly''s mom.


    There was a change of plans. He answered. He''s next on my list though, the next time-


    Avalon cut Kiran off with a shake of his head and a look in my direction before smiling at me from across the distance. I felt the wall between our thoughts raised and bristled at the idea of being shut out of something.


    ¡°Wow, you''re amazing,¡± Jericho was next to me, pulling my attention from Kiran and Avalon''s secret affairs.


    ¡°Me? No way, it was more work for Avalon than it was for me,¡± I smiled, not knowing if that was the complete truth, but from experience I understood how much work it was for him.


    ¡°So, I suppose we have to part ways again....¡± Jericho trailed off and I felt the question in his words.


    ¡°If I went with you tonight, all those people.... Lucan would murder all of those....¡± I couldn''t finish a sentence, realizing I would have to make the choice between my own happiness and the good of my people again tonight and now with the full arsenal of my magic back in my possession, every night from here on out.


    I leaned into Jericho, breathing him in and cherishing the few moments we still had together. I wanted to cry, to mourn this goodbye again, but I couldn''t. I was too intoxicated with the fresh magic to let sorrow consume me and so I stayed simply in Jericho''s embrace. I let him wrap his arms tightly around me, our magics locking together in a bond of unbreakable union.


    ¡°Do you think I''ll get to see you again?¡± I mumbled into his chest, my heart breaking at the thought that this would be the last time we touched.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he insisted, pulling away to look directly in my eyes. ¡°Actually, I believe it more now than ever. You have your magic now, Lucan can''t hurt you. And we are working daily to bring the Rebellion together, and unite the kingdom. Lucan is worried, and hiding in fear of us behind the Citadel walls. It''s only a matter of time before you and I are together again. Only a few more hours, I promise.¡± His voice was thick and gravelly as he whispered into my hair the truth that I would cling to until his promise was fulfilled.


    ¡°That is all I need to hear,¡± I smiled, thinking of my impending wedding date, but refusing to give Jericho a deadline. In the event of a war, it would not matter if I was married or not. When we took over the kingdom, I would choose who I wanted to be with, and not let my future be decided by some exiled king that I was determined to kill at the end of this anyway.


    ¡°You better go say goodbye to your brother, he''s kind of lost without you,¡± Jericho pulled away and I knew he was right. There were others I wanted to say goodbye to and we needed to leave soon. ¡°I love you, Eden, I always will.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Jericho.¡± I leaned on my tiptoes and kissed him on the lips again. ¡°Remember that. Remember that I love you.¡±


    I reluctantly let go of his hands and walked over to Avalon who was still in deep conversation with Kiran. They had been watching me, whispering whatever secrets the two of them shared, but watching me all the same. Kiran looked at me for a moment, with that look back on his face; his eyes were dark and his face a mask of tumultuous emotion. Even with my magic, I still couldn''t recognize the expression. I smiled at Avalon, avoiding Kiran''s gaze and he stopped talking in mid-sentence and left the two of us alone.


    ¡°So you''re what? You''re friends now?¡± I accused Avalon, expecting him to deny it.


    ¡°Listen, the guy took care of me, Ok. I kind of owe him my life,¡± Avalon confessed, the sincerity behind his voice making my stomach churn.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± I crossed my arms defiantly, ¡°You owe me your life! Or did you forget who broke into an Indian palace to save you? Or who healed you with my magical blue smoke? Or did you fail to remember that I am the one who made him promise to take care of you?¡±


    ¡°Geez, you''re kind of crazy tonight, you know that?¡± Avalon crossed his arms too, irritated with my irrational behavior.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± I grunted, frustrated that I had to explain myself to my own brother. ¡°It''s just, I mean, I feel like you forgot that he''s the enemy. He''s the one that got you captured in the first place, remember? He''s the reason Amory is dead! You should want him dead as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°Eden, trust me, I want to see the end of the monarchy more than anyone else, but he is kind of taking care of my sister right now. He did just help rescue Lilly''s mom and he has promised to-¡±


    ¡°Eden, it''s time to go!¡± Kiran interrupted Avalon from across the clearing, shouting much louder than I thought was necessary.


    I love you, be safe. I instructed using our telepathic connection. I leaned into Avalon, and he wrapped his strong arms around me. The best part of tonight was that I wasn''t really saying goodbye to my brother; we would always be able to communicate with each other and I knew then that my captivity would not be so hopeless.


    I love you too. He reciprocated, letting me go. Hey, just try listening to Kiran every once in a while. I''m not asking you to like the guy, but it might do you some good.


    ¡°I feel like you''ve been abducted by aliens!¡± I mocked Avalon out loud, seriously wondering if Kiran performed some kind of mind control thing on him while he was imprisoned, but he just waved me off.


    I hugged Lilly quickly, while Kiran, Talbott and Sebastian waited very impatiently for me to join them. Tears fell down her alabaster cheeks and more words were communicated between us in the silence than could ever be spoken aloud. And then I waved goodbye to everyone, rejoining my captors by choice and parting ways with all those that I loved.


    Again.


    We walked in silence back to the castle. The night had been long and we hurried to make our dawn deadline in anxious contemplation. Things weren''t hopeless now that I commanded my magic. My life''s blood might be in more danger than ever, but I wasn''t helpless to fight or to stand up for myself. I was determined to save the prisoner''s and somehow I knew I would escape Lucan and his oppression.


    Chapter Five


    ¡°Let me handle this,¡± I snarled, approaching Lucan''s den in a part of the castle I had never been before. Kiran explained how his father ritually spent his early mornings in his den, surrounded by Guards, but otherwise alone. I rested in Kiran''s confidence and familiar knowledge of his father. I followed Avalon''s advice and trusted him, although I didn''t have another choice.


    ¡°Eden, please be careful!¡± Sebastian begged.


    Anger and disgust radiated off me in waves of electricity rolling forcefully through the long hallway. I shuddered with hatred, convincing myself this was not the right time to attack the king, but falling short of inner sincerity. With my magic fully intact, and my connection to Avalon restored, I felt more powerful than ever. The determination to destroy the royal family reached a fevered-pitch and I could hardly control my vengeful magic, nor did I want to.


    ¡°Yes, please be careful!¡± Talbott piped up anxiously. ¡°He will not hesitate to lock you up, Eden, so if you like this freedom than you¡¯d better try to be respectful.¡±


    ¡°What freedom?¡± I mumbled.


    I found Talbott''s warning completely obnoxious. His threat of imprisonment only fueled my restored, angry magic, so when I finally reached the doors to the den, I threw them open with boiling energy, sending them off their hinges and splintering the ancient wood. Lucan looked up from a steaming cup only slightly surprised. He sat at the back end of a long room, a fireplace blazing with life to his right and the rest of the wall space lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases laden with all variety of reading material.


    He raised a porcelain coffee cup carefully to his mouth and took a long drink, glaring at me with his icy blue eyes. His stare did not stay long and when he looked back down to a pile of official paperwork scattered across a sturdy, oak desk, I reached a new level of irritation. Several Titan Guards lined the expansive room, and perked up at my outburst, stepping forward to restrain me, but with a single, annoyed wave of the hand Lucan dismissed them back to their posts.


    A sound escaped my lips that I wasn''t entirely familiar with, something like pure hatred mixed with the building frustration for the entire Immortal year since I began this journey. I threw caution and respect to the wind and lifted my hand toward the ceiling where an expansive chandelier made out of impressive antlers hung, tying the rustic room together. With a burst of magic that left my hand like a shock wave against the atmosphere, I pulled the light fixture from its lofty place and crashed it onto Lucan''s desk, severing it in half, spilling Lucan''s coffee all over his lap and scattering his papers.


    The tension in the room grew palpable, every eye turning angrily on me, weapons were drawn and even Talbott stepped into place by the unhinged doors to prevent my escape. The Titans began to move against me, not bothering to wait for orders, but Lucan stood from his chair, his wrath thickening the air with violent electricity.


    Lucan crossed the room in a second, moving toward me with terrifying purpose. I held my ground ready to meet him, but Kiran stepped in front of me before Lucan got too close. I prickled at Kiran''s protection, ignorantly defiant enough to welcome a fight with this king, the same king I came to beg mercy from.

 Page 8

    ¡°Father, she only meant to demonstrate clearly that she is in full possession of her magic, she intended no harm,¡± Kiran explained in soothing tones.


    ¡°Is that true, Eden?¡± Lucan asked, the challenge evident in his voice. He knew very well that I was incapable of backing down. ¡°Or were you trying to make a different point?¡±


    I swallowed my biting remarks that came to the surface faster than my next breath. I clenched my fists, forcing my arms to remain at my sides, knowing that crossing them against my chest was my obvious tell.


    ¡°Eden, is it true!¡± Lucan shouted at me, impatient with my silence. With his magic, he picked up the antler adorned chandelier and threw it violently against a bookshelf. Two Titans scattered out of the way just in time to escape being staked through by the smooth but dangerous horns. Books and splintered wood were thrown from their places as the chandelier impaled the wall instead of the Titan Guards who had been standing vigilant only a moment ago.


    ¡°Yes, it''s true!¡± I shouted back, finding reprieve in volume of voice rather than direct insult. ¡°I have my magic back; it''s at your disposal. Please, nobody needs to die tomorrow.¡± My voice broke with desperation and turned into humbled pleading. I stepped around Kiran, beseeching Lucan to honor his promise.


    ¡°How did you get it back, child? How did you make it yours again?¡± Lucan avoided my question, demanding the answer to his own query nagging him.


    I thought about lying. I thought about answering with a short sarcastic retort, but I knew that he would see through me and then demand blood for disobedience. He was testing me, deciding if he broke my spirit or if I would continue to challenge his every breath. This was information I wanted to keep secret, it was valuable and sacred, yet I wondered what he could do with it. I wondered if he would ever be in a position to want to give someone back their magic, or even care that it was possible. He paced in circles around me, waiting out my resolve, growing more confident with every moment that I struggled. If I told him the truth, he would believe that he won; he would believe that I learned my lesson. And I would buy time until he threatened me again with a life that was not mine to bargain with.


    ¡°I''ll tell you, but I want your word that no one will die today. I want your word that you will honor your side of this arrangement. I have my magic back, no one dies,¡± I worked very hard to maintain the measured tone masking my utter hatred for this man, knowing that today was all I could ask for.


    ¡°No one will die today by my hands or my edict, you have my word,¡± Lucan promised, nodding his head, while the corners of his thin lips curled into an evil snarl.


    ¡°It is not the task of the taker, but the one who has lost the magic; they must reclaim it on their own. The other person, the person who took the magic, has to be willing to let it go, but they cannot physically give it back. It doesn''t work like that, only the initial holder of magic can recover their own. It is as hard on the person pulling their magic out as it is for the person who has to let it go. Once the stolen magic has bonded with the blood, it is nearly impossible to separate the two. But with patience and hard work, it can be done,¡± I finished enthusiastically, having just gone through the experience myself.


    ¡°There, that was easy, Eden,¡± Lucan''s forehead creased in self-satisfaction. I shivered from his thirst for control, and from his desperation to own everything in this world. ¡°You''re going to comply now. You know what''s at risk. You understand that every decision you make, every thought in that pretty head has consequences. If you step out of line again, if you so much as roll your eyes in defiance, I will break you. I will round up everyone you hold dear and take their lives as if I were blowing out a candle!¡± He finished by stepping forward and screaming in my face.


    He stepped back, composing himself. His expression, a reflection of hatred and disgust only moments ago was masked with a cool tranquility that read stately and forgiving. My stomach lurched at his ability to retract his wrath in seconds, at his manipulation of forgiveness and benevolence.


    ¡°The Summer Solstice is approaching,¡± Lucan continued. ¡°In one week, the Citadel will be filled with Immortals ready to enjoy the feast and the newly engaged couple. I have taken the liberty to include your engagement celebration during those days and I expect you both to be on your best behavior. However, Eden, I speak to you specifically. If you do not utterly dote upon my son, if your eyes leave his for even a moment, if your hand finds even a reason to leave his grasp, if there is any reason why my people will not assume that the two of you are so exhaustively in love that you cannot for even a moment be separated, then for an engagement present I will start this all over. I will line the prisoners up one by one and toast each of their deaths as a special matrimonial tribute to you. Let us not play games any longer, child, you are a prisoner here. You will bend at my every command or the people that you love so dearly will die at your expense. Do you understand?¡± His voice turned sinister, he stood over me a menacing presence and all of the teenage rebellion in the world could not have stopped me from shrinking in fear. I was face to face with pure evil, a man that would kill an innocent Immortal just to keep me in line, just to keep up the pretense that his son had claimed his love interest.


    ¡°I understand,¡± I whispered, not able to dispel the terror from my tone.


    Even as my hands trembled with fear, and I fought against the urge to step back behind Kiran, my purpose was strengthened. I would play Lucan''s game. I would obey his commands, and pretend to love Kiran for the sake of his kingdom and I would wait. I would wait until that perfect moment when prideful and reveling in a united kingdom he would forget that I was his enemy. He would forget that I wished him dead, and plotted his downfall. I would strike when he was comfortable, when his aspirations for his kingdom and bloodline seemed to be in his grasp. I would take his life with the same callousness that he took so many others and I would end his bloodline so that mine could rule in its rightful place.


    ¡°Good.¡± Lucan smiled triumphantly at me.


    And so it started.


    ¡°Even still, Kiran, do you trust her?¡± Lucan turned to his son.


    Kiran turned his eyes on me and watched me for a few moments. He stood in pensive silence, while I fidgeted uncomfortably from the intensity of his gaze. Hardness crossed his face in an expression that sent a shiver tingling down my spine.


    ¡°No, I absolutely do not trust her,¡± Kiran confessed in a cold tone that stole the fresh warmth of my magic in a heartbeat.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lucan asked, amused by his son. ¡°Then she will be bound, unless you object?¡± Lucan turned toward his son gauging Kiran''s reaction, but his face remained a stoic statue of indifference.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Kiran scoffed.


    I shifted on my feet wanting desperately to protest, to voice my outrage and then run from this place. But I thought of the lives holding on by mere threads of miserable existence buried beneath this room and stood my ground. I tipped my chin in firm resolve and stopped my feet from shifting. I knew this life would not be easy, I had talked myself through death a thousand times; I couldn''t let something as simple as binding, whatever that meant, let me question my purpose.


    Lucan snapped his finger and a Titan disappeared into the hallway.


    ¡°Kiran, I''ve been meaning to ask you, what happened to the Transmogrifier from yesterday? When Alexander returned to clean up the mess, he said that she was gone,¡± Lucan inquired of his son casually, while his eyes scrutinized Kiran''s reaction with expert skill.


    ¡°I had Talbott take care of her,¡± Kiran explained simply.


    ¡°We can always count on Talbott,¡± Lucan smiled genially at Talbott who had yet to move from the doorway.


    The Titan returned carrying similar handcuffs that had chained Jericho when Talbott handed him over to me. I remembered how tired Jericho was, how suppressed his magic was because of the iridescent metal that bound his hands. I swallowed my fears, and bit my tongue, working as hard as I could to silence my objections. I wasn''t worried about the lackluster magic or the exhaustion caused by the restraining metal, nothing could be worse than no magic. I believed that. But the inconvenience of having my hands constantly tied together was more than I could handle, and I felt it was completely unnecessary. How would I change shirts? Take a shower? They couldn''t seriously believe I was going to let them get away with this.


    ¡°No, absolutely not,¡± I stomped my foot and crossed my arms defiantly when the Titan holding the handcuffs approached me. I tucked my wrists under my arms and held them tightly to my body.


    ¡°Don''t make this difficult,¡± Kiran sighed, turning away from me and running his hand through his hair.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± I scoffed, backing away from the Titan who now wore a satisfied grin across his face. ¡°You cannot possibly expect me to wear those! I won''t be able to do anything!¡± I whined, beseeching Kiran rather than Lucan.


    ¡°That''s the idea,¡± Kiran mumbled.


    I clasped my hands behind me, willing to physically fight for my freedom and walked backward away from the approaching Titan who seemed to think this more of a game than an ordered task.


    ¡°I''m not going to do it, plain and simple. The consequences of disobedience were made clear, I don''t need to have my hands tied together to do what I''m told.¡± I bumped into Talbott who blocked the escape route behind me. He gently placed his hands on my wrist, but the threat was there, the silent warning that he could hold me down if he needed to.


    I searched for Sebastian, hoping he would take my side and stand up for me, but he was no help. He stood in the corner of the room, staring down at the floor, and if I didn''t know better, trying to hide a smile that was very close to turning into a laugh.


    ¡°It''s too uncomfortable! How can I possibly pretend to love Kiran with those.... those.... things around my wrists!¡± I stomped my foot again, only this time a ripple of magic dispersed across the floor, causing the ancient stone to tremor underneath us. I shrunk further into Talbott, embarrassed by my temper and understanding that I was in no way building my case.


    ¡°She has a point,¡± Lucan smirked, the corners of his mouth disappearing into his cropped goatee. ¡°Cut them in half.¡±


    The Titan walked toward me with slumped shoulders, his face falling with obvious disappointment. He didn''t say anything but held out the handcuffs in front of him, stretched out so the chain that linked the two cuffs was straight. Talbott, standing close behind me, drew his sword and sliced through the thick metal swiftly. I screamed involuntarily, afraid of the fast blade only inches from my skin. The metals clanged together and a surge of magic like hot sparks burst forward before the handcuffs were separated, each dangling a short chain from them.


    ¡°Satisfied?¡± Kiran asked, rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Really?¡± I mimicked his sarcasm but held out my arms while Talbott and the other Titan fastened the cuffs around my wrists. ¡°Yes, I am totally satisfied with this arrangement. I love wearing heavy metal handcuffs around my wrists and I especially love when my magic is restricted.¡±


    ¡°Are you really not going to take any of the blame? Have you forgotten what was at stake just an hour ago? Or what my father has threatened you with?¡± Kiran stepped forward, outraged by my biting humor.

 Page 9

    ¡°Kiran''s right, Eden,¡± Lucan intervened, amused by his son''s assertion. ¡°Handcuffs or not, if you even breathe in disagreement, I will make you personally choose which prisoner will die first.¡± Lucan silenced me, but I possessed no more will to fight against him. He turned to his son, ¡°Kiran, she belongs to you; keep her under control.¡±


    Lucan leveled his son''s gaze, silently commanding that Kiran carry the burden of reining me in. I expected him to protest, or even simply accept his father''s order, but the look of pain that crossed his face made my stomach jump in fear. I wanted to run from the room, not for the first time during this exhausting interchange, but this time because of Kiran, not his father, or even the stipulations to my prison sentence. My throat tightened and my palms started sweating, locked in the heavy silver bracelets that weighed my magic down and reminded me that Kiran''s hate for me infiltrated his magic so thickly that the thought of dealing with me was painful for him. I shuddered involuntarily and Kiran turned his eyes on me, the painful expression replaced with the one that I simply didn''t understand.


    Lucan snapped his fingers and the Guard followed from the messy study. ¡°You have a week to figure out how to love each other again,¡± Lucan called, stern and serious.


    My shoulders fell and my chest heaved in the breathlessness of panic. Prickles of heat stabbed the underside of my skin and the room lost focus. I acutely remembered what it felt like to be in love with Kiran, how I looked at him with utter adoration, how my stomach fluttered with every one of his touches, how his mouth passionately pressed against mine to take all of my soul in a shared breath. But those feelings were gone. My eyes were opened, my stomach sick with the memories of his betrayal and my lips dry and lonely, a side effect of neglected captivity.


    I crossed my arms in the middle of the damaged study, and stomped my foot, a defiant gesture directed at my own stubbornness. Lives hung in the balance, the fate of others rested in my ability to perform, in my talent to disguise my true feelings and turn them into a charming act. Lucan wanted the kingdom to believe Kiran scorned Seraphina for a second time because of me, that we were madly in love, that the future of the kingdom was solidified in our two perfect magics coming together in a kind of perverse treaty. If Mrs. Woodsen were here, she would be so very worried for the future of the Immortal race, knowing it was left in my shaky and incapable hands. She would have remembered how I stumbled through prose and poems and how my acting skills were less effortless and more.... terribly awkward.


    From the silence in the room, the thick tension that stifled my breathing and set the hairs on the back of my neck straight I understood I was not the only person afraid of my ability to mislead. Hiding my feelings was, in reality, something I had never been capable of before.


    I hoped the memory of walking through the oppressive prison would be enough to start a fire inside of me strong enough to be confused with unquestioning love. I turned to Kiran, hoping for encouragement, but he was wearing that look again, the one that turned his deep blue eyes all too intense, the one that set his mouth in a straight, hard line so devoid of his trademark smirk that a ripple of fear worked slowly from the bottom of my hairline to the base of my spine.


    ¡°We are going to need to practice,¡± I stated simply. I wasn''t the only one that needed to work at fake affection.


    ¡°I suppose you''re right,¡± Kiran sighed, sounding exhausted. He ran his hand through his tussled hair, the tell-tale sign he was frustrated with me.


    I determined in that moment that no matter what happened during our engagement party, no matter how much I hated Kiran or his family, I would not be the reason someone died. I would play my part perfectly and without hesitation until Kiran himself believed I was in love with him. I would continue to play Lucan''s game until the moment was right, until the opportunity arrived to kill him. Or Kiran. Whichever came first.


    Chapter Six


    Are you Ok? Avalon opened our shared consciousness and I breathed with relief.


    The morning had been a whirl-wind in Lucan''s office and between reclaiming my magic from Avalon and then having it stifled again from the handcuffs, I entirely spaced out the open communication I shared with my twin brother.


    Yes.... No.... I don''t know anymore, Avalon. At least no one is going to die today. I sunk heavily into one of Kiran''s leather chairs and turned myself toward the picture window. The sun glistened brightly over the greenery and tumbling mountainside, its rays like long fingers shimmering through the glass pane and onto Kiran''s wood floor. I trailed my toe across the warm sunlight and sighed wistfully at the idea of stepping outside this castle and tipping my chin into its magnanimous warmth.


    And for that, we are grateful. What''s your plan here Ede? What do you want us to do? Avalon tensed with concern for me. I recognized the feeling, the despairing hopelessness and consuming anxiety. I remembered what freedom felt like while my twin was captured, held prisoner, tortured....


    I don''t want you to worry. I felt Avalon inwardly reject the idea, as if I suggested something ludicrous. I''m serious Avalon, it''s not like it was when you were in here. I''m safe. I am well taken care of, and other than having to pretend I''m madly in love with the prince, I have nothing to worry about.


    The prince? Avalon could not stifle his laughter at the reference and sarcasm he usually used to apply to Kiran''s title. I felt his satisfaction that it was now the term that I utilized, but even still I knew he would never refer to Kiran with that much disrespect again. I could feel his friendship with Kiran, his loyalty; I could feel how much he felt he owed Kiran deep down in his bones and it confused me. Why didn''t he remember that Kiran was the one who got us into this mess? Ok, seriously, what is your plan?


    I''m going to go along with all of this. I''m going to play their game. If they want me in love with Kiran, I''ll be in love with Kiran. If they want me to sing and dance, I''ll sing and dance. I don''t know what is going to be asked of me Avalon, but I''m done fighting a battle of the wills with Lucan. I''m not going to give that tyrant a reason to murder an innocent. And in the meantime I''m just going to trust that you and the Resistance will find a way to kill him before May first. I was sincere and straightforward with Avalon. There was no more reason to waver or think things over, I knew my role now. I chose this martyrdom. And I knew to my core, how much Avalon agreed with me.


    What''s May first? Avalon asked, but I felt his confidence in the matter of assassinating a king.


    ¡°Eden, are you listening?¡± Kiran interrupted my internal conversation and I turned to face him along with Sebastian and Talbott who had fallen silent next to him. I gave him a perplexed smile and he asked again, ¡°Are you all right with accompanying me this afternoon?¡±


    At the same time, Avalon repeated his question rather impatiently, Eden, what''s May first?


    ¡°My wedding day,¡± I mumbled aloud. My face flushed red and I hurriedly explained to Avalon, Oh good lord, I''ll talk to you later. ¡°Never mind! What? What was the question?¡±


    All three boys stood staring at me with a mixture of amusement and confusion plastered on their faces. I stood up, and smoothed out my black t-shirt, trying to hide my embarrassment.


    ¡°I can talk to Avalon again,¡± I confessed, clearing my throat and bravely lifting my eyes to theirs.


    ¡°We assumed,¡± Kiran grumbled, his hard blue eyes narrowing. ¡°Did you hear anything we discussed?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I growled. I cracked my neck and then straightened my posture. Pretending to love him might be a harder task than I wanted to believe.


    Kiran sighed irritably, and then raked his hand roughly through his hair, ¡°I asked-¡±


    ¡°Remember, you''re in love!¡± Sebastian piped up, giving both Kiran and me an admonishing glance.


    ¡°Right.... Eden, I was wondering if you would accompany me today while I visited some sick Guards around the Citadel?¡± Kiran''s voice tightened with the strained effort of sounding chivalrous, I could feel it in the waves of tension emanating from his stiff body how violently he did not want me to go with him. I smiled at the chance to irritate him, but more so at the opportunity to leave the castle during the day. Exploring the Citadel on a gorgeous summer day like today sounded perfect, even if it was with Kiran.


    ¡°I would love to!¡± I squeaked. I bounded over to him and kissed him on the cheek before he could react and then turned toward the bathroom. ¡°I just have to take a quick shower,¡± I called before slamming the door and breathing deeply. Once the door was closed, I noticed that the handcuffs hardly had any effect on me. I wondered if it had anything to do with the open flow of magic between Avalon and me, or if it was just the excitement for the prospect of getting out of Kiran''s bedroom. Either way, I jumped into the shower, hardly caring at all that I would be spending the day with him.


    ----


    ¡°Should I hold your hand?¡± I whispered to Kiran as we walked through the empty castle hallways.


    ¡°Although, I appreciate you taking this seriously, I don''t think it''s important for you to pretend to be so in love until guests actually start arriving,¡± Kiran said with an air of irritated dignity.


    ¡°Oh, I mean, I know. I just need practice. I''m not very good at hiding my real feelings,¡± I admitted. Kiran''s indifference and coolness threw me off and I felt the continual need to defend myself as if he were constantly accusing me of ruining his life.


    And then I wondered if that was exactly what he was doing. But was his animosity for me because I wouldn''t fall willingly into his arms after my grandfather was murdered in front of me and my brother sat waiting for execution, or because he thought he had an actual chance of happiness with Seraphina, and when I interrupted his wedding day, I also interrupted his future wedded bliss?


    ¡°I am fully aware,¡± Kiran mumbled, holding the heavy wooden door to the outside open for me.


    I breathed in deeply, stepping outside into the sunlight that instantly warmed my face. The stifling heat pulled prickles of sweat out of my skin and tightened my breathing for the few moments it took me to get used to the roasting summer air. I closed my eyes and lifted my face toward the sun. In a moment I would use magic to regulate my body temperature and stay comfortable. But I missed the sun. I missed the fresh air and so for this moment, I would stand human against the elements and relish the power of a hot summer day.


    Eventually I opened my eyes, squinting them when the sunlight was too bright to cope with. I expected Kiran to sigh impatiently, or say something biting, but he stood there quietly staring at me, his expression softened and his eyes turquoise, deeply turquoise.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± I offered, not at all apologetic, ¡°there was a while there that I never thought I would get to feel the sun again.¡± I smiled bashfully, for some reason confessing my fear felt like sharing something personal with Kiran.


    ¡°You should cover your mark,¡± Kiran ignored my confession and gestured at my neck. ¡°The Titans we are going to see are on their death beds already; you shouldn''t startle them with magical tattoos.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t realize it was scary.¡± I admitted, pulling my still damp hair over my shoulder and securing it in place with a hair-tie I kept around my wrist.


    ¡°It''s off-putting,¡± Kiran replied bluntly, turning on his heel and walking with purpose across the courtyard in front of the castle.

 Page 10

    His comment pushed me into silence, I couldn''t read him anymore. At one time we shared a genuine openness and ease. Now, even our conversations were forced and awkward. How were we ever going to convince the kingdom that we were in love?


    I followed Kiran through the Citadel, marveling at the ancient architecture and delicacy of the manicured stone. The city could have held thousands of people, but most of the buildings remained empty. There were stores and apartments, little cottages and places for gathering. There were public markets and an elegant outdoor music hall, with a tall balcony and private seats. The roads were not big enough for vehicles, but the antiquated city didn''t feel as though it would allow such modern convenience on its dainty roads and inside its old-world walls.


    When we passed by an enormous fountain in the middle of the city, I stopped, moved by the structure and in need of a minute to catch my breath. Kiran paused too, waiting quietly for me to graze my fingers across the polished stone and gaze up at the ornate statues. Four Immortals stood in a circle facing each other, two men and two women alternating. Thick, stone robes flowed down in realistic wraps of fabric and four delicate and elaborate crowns adorned their heads. They held one hand casually at their side, while their right hands extended forward to strongly grasp at two enormous snakes, intertwined together, each curled around eating their own tail, one''s head at the top of the circle, and one''s head at the bottom hovering just above the bubbling pool. Water trickled down from the snakes into an elegant waterfall that hit the pool of water circling the feet of Immortal''s in graceful musical chimes.


    ¡°What does it mean, Kiran?¡± I asked, breaking my reverent silence. I couldn''t tear my eyes from the statue; it held meaning for me, even if I wasn''t sure what that meaning was yet.


    ¡°The statue?¡± Kiran took a step closer to me, his fingers resting casually on the stone next to mine.


    ¡°The snake, I''ve seen it countless times, but I still don''t know what it means,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°It''s the symbol of immortality. It was given to our people when there first became a distinction between humanity and Immortals. The monarchy still uses it today, but even humans recognize it. In fact, your tattoo is very controversial. In the kingdom, only the royal bloodline is allowed to use the symbol, which is why I think your grandfather chose it for his rebellion,¡± Kiran explained. I pretended not to hear the venerating tone to his voice as he explained the meaning or when he spoke of Amory. I planned on killing him at the end of this, and for my own sake, I couldn''t associate him with feelings, especially not with emotional ties to our people or my family.


    ¡°So what does the statue mean?¡± I pressed, knowing these polite moments between us were rare.


    ¡°The statue is of the Oracles, Amory is that one over there,¡± Kiran pointed to a young man with strong arms and a dignified face. Even in stone, his hair could easily be described as dark and unruly and his eyes still held that deep mystery that proved he was more than human. ¡°Before there was a castle on this land, before there were walls, this was simply a city and the fountain erected to remind our people of their equality. But now.... Well, now it''s just an ancient landmark protected by magic so that none of the kings can destroy it.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± I whispered, picturing the thousands of years between when this fountain was built and today where kings throughout the centuries, looking just like Lucan, tried with the entire power of their Titan Guard to demolish something so meaningful and symbolic.


    ¡°Yes, it''s true. They''ve all tried, just like they all tried to kill Amory,¡± Kiran mumbled, tracing the lines of the stone with absent fingers.


    At another mention of my grandfather, I couldn''t help but lump Kiran in with his ancestors, ¡°So will you try to? Will you try to destroy this fountain?¡± I demanded, turning toward him with crossed arms and leaning my hip against the cold, wet stone. There was a part of me, a strong but new part, that felt tied to this statue, determined to protect it.


    ¡°I''m not my father, Eden,¡± he said quietly, but confidently. He lifted his eyes from his fingers and turned their deep aqua intensity on me, ¡°And unless you do something about my father, I will never be king.¡±


    ¡°I''m-¡± I started to defend myself against what sounded like a ringing accusation but Kiran cut me off.


    ¡°Listen, the Titans we are going to see all have the King''s Curse and are deathly ill. I am hoping, I mean, if you will cooperate.... What I would like to try is your blue smoke on them.¡± Kiran paused, flinching, bracing himself for an argument with me, but after a few moments of silence he continued. ¡°I know that they are Titans and you probably think of them like enemies, but I would rather not see any Immortal die if there is an alternative. I am hoping that you will want to help them.¡±


    ¡°I will help them,¡± I answered humbly. I agreed with Kiran, they were my enemies, but my fight was with Lucan, not with the Titans. I wanted our entire kingdom to be united. I wanted to end the bloodshed, and if I could, end the Curse as well. So I would do what I could and hope that if I could save them, they might change their mind about me. ¡°If I can,¡± I added quickly. I didn''t want to make promises that I couldn''t keep. My blue smoke saved Avalon and I once from the King''s Curse, but I didn''t know what kind of power it had on others, yet.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kiran answered and stood there for a moment longer staring at me. His lips curved, and then twisted in the corner as if he were going to say something witty, but then a cloud of emotion crossed his face and he turned around instead, leading me to the outer walls of the Citadel and toward housing built into the fortification.


    Kiran knocked on the first wooden door with excited anticipation. A middle-aged looking woman with long waves of thick black hair answered the door, relief flooding her face at the sight of him. She bowed respectfully and then her navy blue eyes flickered to mine in confused distrust.


    ¡°Callea, how is he?¡± Kiran asked, stepping inside the door. He pulled me inside after him, and then slipped his arm around my waist. I was startled at first, but then relaxed, realizing this was part of our game. It wasn''t just guests, but current tenants we needed to convince.


    ¡°Not well, I''m afraid he is in the last hours. He will be so happy you''ve come, Your Majesty. You will lift his spirits.


    ¡°I hope to do more than that,¡± Kiran whispered, hope tinting his voice. ¡°I''ve brought help.¡± Kiran looked down at me and instinctively I looked up. I stood stunned in his gaze for a few moments, trying to reconcile the indifference I knew he felt for me and the unnerving adoration displayed across his face now. His eyes twinkled in brilliant turquoise, while his full lips were curled into a loving smile.


    ¡°Is this she?¡± Callea asked, turning the fullness of her gaze on me for the first time. Her eyes could have easily been mistaken for black; their deeply dark tone shimmered in curiosity. But when the light hit them at just the perfect angle, the slightness in contrast between her black hair and navy blue eyes made all the difference. Her long slender fingers curled around her throat in anxious wariness as if I were a dangerous enemy and I watched her throat constrict while struggling to swallow underneath carefully manicured nails.


    ¡°Callea, this is Eden,¡± Kiran introduced us. He pulled me closer to him, his body pressing protectively against mine. ¡°She can help Elio; otherwise I wouldn''t have brought her.¡±


    ¡°I know who she is Your Highness, but I don''t want her help,¡± Callea spat the words out angrily. I flinched from her hatred, from her narrowed eyes and obvious distrust.


    ¡°I promise that you do,¡± Kiran said levelly.


    Kiran pressed his hand into my lower back and pushed me forward, leading me into an adjoining room bare except for a single bed that lay in the corner. An older man slept fitfully, tangled in sheets, sweating profusely and with a magical current I could feel tormented and dwindling.


    I shuddered at his evident pain, his tortured magic choking the air, and his flailing arms terrifying reminders of what I felt suffering from the King''s Curse. Full of compassion, I left Kiran''s arms and rushed to the man''s side. Hot tears stung against my eyelids as I tried to mask the knowing fear of how much pain he suffered with confident purpose.


    I didn''t wait for instructions. I couldn''t. I needed to act, to relieve his pain even just a little bit. I quickly knelt at his side, and reached out for his stiff hand, tensed and outstretched from the pain. My stomach lurched as I listened to his staggered and gasping breath and smelled the acrid stench I didn''t know whether to attribute to the disease or from a bed-ridden life.


    ¡°His name is Elio,¡± Kiran offered softly from the corner of the room where he stood with a comforting arm around Callea.


    I nodded in acknowledgment and then released the blue smoke. The smoke rushed out of me, just waiting for my approval, and flew across Elio in quick, purposed movements. I gasped at the intensity of the healing process; somehow this felt different, more intense. I rescued others from the brink of death, Angelica, Rosalind, but this was different. The smoke thickened until Elio was completely wrapped and hidden in the dense healing air. And I felt more connected to it now than I had in the past. Often, the smoke would leave me, acting on its own accord and I would not even notice what was happening. While Elio choked on aggressive wisps of air and writhed in agony from his deadly disease, I felt the furtive movements and anxious determination; I was connected to this process, and I was an active participant.


    Elio arched his back in desperate opposition to the smoke that held him tightly in its grasp. I winced in simultaneous pain, feeling the smoke absorb the sickness into itself. Elio let out a tortured cry of agony, gasping for breath, drowning in the thick folds of aggressive air.


    ¡°She''s killing him!¡± Callea shouted, struggling against the tightened hold Kiran kept on her. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched her fight against Kiran, pounding him with her fists until she fell against his chest in hysterical sobs.


    ¡°There now,¡± I heard Kiran whisper in soothing tones, ¡°Without her, he will die before the end of the hour. She can save him, Callea; she can heal him.¡±


    The smoke continued to thicken, turning black with the heaviness of the illness. I sunk down next to the bed, feeling the weight of the King''s Curse in the deadened smoke and acrid air. I began to think it was hopeless, a million excuses ringing through my ears, but then a clear, clean gasp of air, the sound of a full breath into healthy lungs snapped my head to attention. Elio''s stiff hand relaxed into a firm but softened grasp around my hand and the dark, ugly smoke scattered away from him to the corners of the room where I hoped it would disappear in seconds.


    Elio lay on his bed, his face ashen, but relaxed and expressive. His eyes were a dull gray, and his magic barely pulsing in his weakened bloodstream, but he was alive. He was healed.


    ¡°Diana?¡± he asked, in a raspy voice, shaken with the evidence of a man once at death''s door.


    I shook my head, looking down at our still clasped hands and wondered if he referred to my grandmother. ¡°I''m Eden,¡± I explained, daring to meet his inquisitive eyes.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered, his lips turning up just a fraction into a smile. I shook my head again, moved by the gratitude in his small expression, knowing it was all he could give me in his current state.

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    ¡°Eden,¡± Kiran started and I turned my face to him. He walked over to me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. ¡°Will you wait outside for a moment; I would like to talk to Callea and Elio alone please.¡±


    I nodded my consent and stood to leave. Callea remained huddled in the corner of the room, her arms wrapped tightly around her in a state of subdued shock. Our eyes met as I left the room, and she flinched back to reality nodding to me graciously. I nodded back, acknowledging her fears and forgiving her for them. In that moment we came to understand each other, I was the dangerous outsider that threatened everything familiar about this kingdom and she was a loving wife desperate to save her husband. She hated me because she thought she could protect her husband that way.


    In that small moment, her mind changed and I watched it happen. I wasn''t to be feared anymore. She recognized me now. She recognized the Oracle inside of me. She recognized the true heir to the throne.


    Chapter Seven


    I stood outside the cottage, breathless and exhausted. Kiran and I had visited four different residents where a Titan lay in the last hours of the King''s Curse. I played idly with the silver handcuff that hung loosely around my wrist like an oversized bangle and wondered how many more houses he wanted to visit today.


    It wasn''t that I didn''t want to help others. I did. More than any other ability I possessed, the healing smoke gave me unfathomable joy and with every King''s Curse lifted I felt the victory of this war that much closer to my possession. But, the last Titan had taken everything out of me. The smoke struggled against the severity of his disease and I was close to collapse even now, alone for the first time all day.


    The sun burned in the afternoon sky, still scorching as it set lower on the horizon, casting long shadows on the worn cobblestone streets. I stood up purposefully, taking a deep breath and determining that I could help as many Titans as Kiran could offer. A little exhaustion on my part was nothing compared to the agonizing last moments of life these men were facing.


    I crossed my arms and rolled my head around my neck ready to face any challenge Kiran had to offer. And that is how Kiran found me when he walked from the small cottage, closing the door carefully behind him. He paused for a moment, taking in my resolute stance and expectant eyes. He stood there staring at me, relief painting his expression and his eyes warm pools of aqua, like the ocean near the shore.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered simply.


    ¡°Are there any more?¡± I asked. I ignored his gratitude; it unnerved me and reminded me that he had feelings. I was on a mission now, and I needed a task, I needed to move out of his intense gaze.


    ¡°Yes, but they can wait a day or two. Those were the most dire cases and I know you''re exhausted.¡± Kiran moved forward, walking with purpose in my direction. His eyes moved passed me and when he brushed by me, headed in the direction of the castle, I unclenched my jaw and released a breath I subconsciously sucked in, wondering what I had been afraid of.


    I turned on my heel, chasing after him. ¡°No, really, Kiran, if there are more, I can help them. We don''t have to go back to the castle yet,¡± I pleaded, not ready to be locked up again.


    ¡°Eden, it''s obvious how tired you are. I''m not going to push you, there is always tomorrow,¡± Kiran explained without slowing his pace. ¡°Besides, I hadn''t realized how late it was.¡±


    ¡°More palace business?¡± I grumbled, not meaning to sound regretful but unable to stop myself. The prospect of spending the night locked in his empty bedroom and alone was depressing and I couldn''t pretend to feel anything less.


    ¡°Actually, not tonight,¡± Kiran answered, amused.


    ¡°So why are we in such a hurry?¡± I pressed.


    ¡°I have plans,¡± Kiran responded curtly.


    The castle was in view now and if I wasn''t desperate to know what Kiran was up to, my feet would have slowed from the sheer dread of walking up those cold stone steps to his bedroom.


    ¡°Kiran, I can''t do it!¡± I shrieked, gripping his bicep with both my hands. We were only a few feet from the castle doors and I couldn''t make myself go inside them right now. I couldn''t face more isolation and emptiness. ¡°Please don''t make me go inside yet! I know I promised to cooperate, and I will, I just need a little bit more time, just a little bit more sunlight.¡±


    Kiran spun around to face me, his magic flaring beneath my skin and his eyes hardening into steely dark blue orbs. His muscle flexed beneath my fingertips and I wanted to let go of him, to appease him before he called his father and informed him of my defiance, but I couldn''t. I forced my gaze to his and begged him silently to help me.


    ¡°We''re going swimming,¡± Kiran stated and then shook his head as if clearing it. ¡°What I mean to say, is that Talbott, Sebastian and I are going swimming. If you would like to join us that would be Ok with me.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I gushed. I took a step forward, my hands still gripped around his bicep. ¡°I don''t have to go back to your room?¡±


    ¡°If you want to go swimming,¡± Kiran clarified. ¡°You have to stay with me, obviously, but if you want to come with us, you can.¡±


    ¡°I do! I want to go with you!¡± The idea of not only, spending the evening away from the castle, but the opportunity to do something as recreational as swimming was purely joyous. I couldn''t stop the smile from widening across my face, or my magic from soaring with happiness.


    ¡°We will have to go upstairs though, Eden. I mean, we need to change,¡± Kiran explained carefully, waiting for me to object.


    ¡°Do you have a swimming suit for me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, the closets were selected for Seraphina and they contain everything you could need,¡± Kiran confirmed my earlier suspicions robotically, as if replying from a cheat sheet he had been given. ¡°If you are seriously opposed to going upstairs I can leave you with a Guard on the main level and retrieve one for you.¡±


    ¡°No, really, as long as I know we''re going to leave again, I''ll be fine.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief and released Kiran''s arm from my hold. He turned toward the castle and I trotted after him, excited for the prospect of the evening.


    ¡°You agreed to go swimming before you knew if you had a swimming suit?¡± Kiran inquired, looking at me over his shoulder.


    ¡°Listen, I will do anything to stay out of that room, even if that meant skinny dipping with a bunch of boys,¡± I laughed, completely serious.


    Kiran snapped his head forward, not commenting on my confession. I followed him upstairs and to his bedroom where he showed me a drawer that was full of skimpy two piece bikinis with mere strings to tie them closed. I realized I might prefer skinny dipping over Seraphina''s slutty selection. I dug around in the drawer for a few minutes until something far in the back caught my attention. The black nylon stood out against the bright florals, or sheer whites of the two pieces. Whispering a silent prayer, I reached for it, holding it in the air and confirming that it was, in fact, a one piece.


    I clutched it to my chest and turned around triumphantly. Kiran gave me only a fleeting glance before I bounded into the bathroom happy that Seraphina had some semblance of modesty. I tied my hair high on top of my head in a messy knot before undressing quickly. I was thankful I had the foresight to shave earlier in the day as I slid the black one piece on, expecting simple sophistication. The suit was half way up my legs when I realized it was anything but simple.


    ¡°Oh good grief,¡± I sighed, tugging the deceivingly skimpy swimsuit over my shoulders and then stretching it over all of the appropriate places.


    Instead of the modest one piece I expected to cover all of me, it was generously cut out at the sides, providing only a slim piece of material over my stomach and tying bikini style in the back just below my shoulder blades. Other than the thin string that tied the suit together and kept it in place, my back was completely exposed until it graciously covered everything below my last vertebrate. I tugged at the scooped bust-line, trying to cover my sudden voluptuous-looking d¨¦colletage to no avail.


    I stood staring at myself for several minutes, wondering if I had the courage to wear this suit in public. I promised myself that the innate self-conscious feelings stemmed from the curse of being a girl, and not because any one of those boys meant anything to me. Still, I had to give Seraphina credit for being vain enough to wear something like this in public. I convinced myself it was better than one of the other skimpy two-pieces with mere triangles and string to cover myself with and took a deep breath before opening the bathroom door and thrusting myself into the coolness of Kiran''s bedroom.


    I stumbled through the door more mortified than ever as Kiran, just finished tying his shorts closed, stood before me bare-chested in the twilight that the setting sun had turned his room into. We stared at each other for a moment, jarred by my sudden entrance; neither of us ready to witness the other half-dressed. His chiseled muscles glistened in the soft light of the room, flexed in tension with the awkwardness of the moment.


    We stayed there a second longer before he reached for his t-shirt lying on the bed and threw it forcefully at me. I received his silent order to cover up loud and clear, but instead of rebelling at the idea of an arrogant command, I caught it gratefully and threw it on over my exposed body. When I poked my head through the neck of his too-big t-shirt, he was already pulling on a different shirt. And both ready at the same time, we stood there for another clumsy moment more.


    ¡°Um, is this Ok?¡± I asked meekly. Kiran snapped his head up, with an open mouth to say something but then caught sight of my finger pointing to my exposed tattoo and stopped himself.


    ¡°Yeah, it''s fine. We''re just going over the hill. No one else will be around.¡± Kiran explained and I didn''t think anything of it until he continued quickly, ¡°I mean, Sebastian and Talbott will be there of course, but they already know about the mark. I mean, they''ve seen your tattoo, so it won''t be a big deal. I mean, it''s fine. Of course, it''s fine.¡± Kiran rambled nervously.


    ¡°Good.¡± I wasn''t sure what to make of Kiran, but when he turned on his heel I had to hurry to catch up with him.


    I grabbed some flip-flops near the door and slid them on, realizing too late that they were his and much too big for my medium-sized girl feet. I didn''t have time to exchange them now though, as he raced down the stairs with me trailing behind him.


    I continued to follow him out a back entrance of the castle. We walked straight into a maze of gardens with twenty-foot hedged walls and blossoms of every shape and color in full bloom. He led me purposefully along an unkempt dirt path with frenzied flowers and delicate bushes growing possessively in our way.


    ¡°Isn''t there a gardener?¡± I questioned when an angry white rose reached out and scratched my bare leg. I winced in pain and bent down to put my hand over the bleeding cut.


    ¡°My mother prefers it this way,¡± Kiran explained, turning around to wait for me. When I winced again and pulled my hand away soaked with blood, he bent down to examine the gash. ¡°She insists that the flowers have complete freedom.¡± His hand moved over the cut and he pressed it firmly to my leg. My magic responded to his touch in a way that brought it immediately forward to heal the wound.


    Kiran looked up at me then, flinching as though he had revealed something too private. His gaze lingered on mine, waiting for me to react, but all I could do was stand in stunned silence at the thought of his mother wanting the flowers to have freedom. I looked into Kiran''s turquoise eyes, replicas of his mother''s and remembered her cool indifference with Lucan, her subtle aloofness and careful concern when called for. I didn''t hate Analisa in that moment, I sympathized for her. She was a prisoner too. A martyr also. And whether she held her crown because she thirsted for an influential marriage the way Seraphina had or because Lucan simply commanded her to be his wife and she didn''t have the courage my mother possessed, she lived a life that no woman deserved.

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    ¡°Your mother is truly remarkable,¡± I commented distractedly, tearing my eyes from Kiran and admiring the raw earthly beauty of the gardens again.


    Kiran stood immediately, disturbed by my comment. I turned back to him, ready to explain but the anger that flashed across his face, turning it into a volatile storm of emotions, held my tongue.


    ¡°They''re waiting for us,¡± Kiran snapped, spinning on his heel and stalking through the gardens, trampling wayward stems and delicate buds until he was face to face with a stone door obscured from view by thick climbing vines.


    He pressed his hand through the gnarled vines and I watched the stone glow against the greenery as his magic pressed the door open. I followed Kiran through the door and then paused to breathe deeply of the Romanian mountainside. The hills tumbled before us in waves of ungovernable creation. Each tree, among clusters of others, seemed to be painted its very own shade of green and in the setting sun shimmered brilliantly against the rough mountain rock interspersed throughout. The breeze picked up on the outside of the walls, sending goose bumps across my bare skin, but not from the coolness of the night, rather the emotion conjured by the spellbinding magnificence of the earth.


    ¡°Come on, Eden, I don''t have time to stop for you every time you find something pretty,¡± Kiran growled. He was already stomping up the mountainside to our left and I had to believe he was right.


    I hiked after him, breathless and panting when we reached the top of a steep incline. Kiran stood waiting for me, his gaze stretched out and appreciating. When I joined him at the top, I turned to look at what he was watching and my hand flew instinctively to my throat in a gesture of pure admiration. Before me was a wide, long lake that glistened in the softening sunlight and surrounded by tall, ancient trees mirrored in the perfect clarity of the water below. The crystal clear lake lapped against the soft earth that surrounded it, pushing against its God-made boundaries.


    Kiran stood, drinking in the view, his body stilled in awe and his breath labored just the slightest amount. I looked down at Sebastian and Talbott who splashed around excitedly in the water, like two little boys left alone for the first time. Kiran hadn''t noticed them yet, or if he had, he was choosing to keep his eyes on the serenity of the lake beyond the wild ripples and waves made by his two closest friends.


    Standing next to Kiran made the moment feel religious, as if the hill we stood on was a secluded house of worship. A shiver ran down my spine and suddenly I didn''t like sharing this picture of perfection with him. Suddenly, I felt like I was invading an intimate moment that only he was worthy of and I couldn''t bare the way our magic had started to move in the gentle breeze.


    ¡°Come on, Kiran, I don''t have time to stop for you every time you find something pretty,¡± I repeated sarcastically, running down the hill recklessly.


    My haphazard decent down the hill caught Sebastian and Talbott''s attention and they looked up extremely happy to see me. I stopped near the edge of the water, not ready to take my shirt off while an audience of teenage boys watched on.


    ¡°So the prison warden finally let you out?¡± Talbott asked, in uncharacteristic sarcasm.


    ¡°Yes, he finally did!¡± I sighed exasperatedly. I felt Kiran walk up behind me, his magic tense and confrontational.


    ¡°After she begged!¡± he defended himself incredulously, ¡°I am so tired of tears, seriously, I just can''t take it anymore.¡±


    ¡°I have never cried,¡± I stated clearly, ruffled at his accusation and frustrated that he made me out to be such a huge nuisance. I ripped off his borrowed shirt and threw it backward at him, slipping off his sandals and stepping bravely forward into the ice cold mountain water.


    I sucked in a sharp breath, unprepared for the chilling temperature of the lake and stood awkwardly frozen waiting for my feet to acclimate to the icy temperature. Goose bumps rose drastically on my skin and I crossed my arms over my exposed stomach, impatiently waiting for the chilling shock to subside.


    ¡°Eden....?¡± Sebastian started. The mischievousness in his voice should have alerted me, but I was too frozen to think things through. I stood shivering in the shallow waters, finding the guts to step further into their depths.


    ¡°What?¡± My teeth chattered violently in my mouth and my jaw clenched tightly together.


    ¡°You do remember that you can use magic, don''t you?¡± Sebastian asked and understanding finally dawned on me, but before I could get a chance to send a magical burst of electricity to warm my body, a strong hand roughly gripped my ankle and pulled hard against my leg so that I was dragged into the water before I had a chance to react.


    Sebastian hauled me quickly beneath the surface and my whole body was plunged into the icy cold depths of the crystal clear lake. I struggled against Sebastian''s vice grip, kicking my way to the surface and gasping for air once I reached it. I sent a frantic wave of magic through my blood warming my frozen veins and raised skin that turned sore to the touch from the chilling temperature of the water.


    ¡°Sebastian!¡± I shrieked, splashing water in his face as he surfaced too. ¡°That was so uncalled for!¡± I splashed more water angrily in his direction, although I had already forgiven him for the good-humored prank.


    With magic heating my blood the water felt amazing against my skin and the privacy of the lake reminded me of absolute freedom. But then the handcuffs around my wrists jingled beneath the surface while I treaded water and I was painfully reminded that even in the purity of this lake, I remained a prisoner.


    I heard a splash behind me, and turned to see Kiran emerging to the surface. A rope swing, attached to a tower-like tree swung back and forth over his head. He ran his hand through his hair, but not in irritation this time; the smile that grew across his face lifted his eyes and there was trouble there before he dipped beneath the glassy lake.


    He surfaced again, closer to the three of us and treaded water in tight circles, clearly enjoying himself.


    ¡°You should feel special, Eden,¡± Sebastian explained, giving Kiran an amused sideways glance. ¡°Kiran''s never brought a girl here before.¡±


    Kiran averted his eyes, clearly embarrassed, and to save the awkward moment, I offered, ¡°I suppose he''s never had a girl locked in his room for months at a time either.¡±


    ¡°Oh you''d be surprised,¡± Sebastian laughed sarcastically.


    Kiran splashed water in his face before leaping forward through the water and dunking Sebastian roughly. Sebastian splashed and fought his way to the top only to attack Kiran in revenge. Soon the interaction became a full on wrestling match with Talbott jumping in to assert his own manhood. I watched on, wonderfully entertained while shielding my eyes from the excessive splashing. Kiran caught my eye through the tumult, his impish look turning absolutely wicked before he disappeared beneath the lake''s depths. Sebastian and Talbott were left to fight things out between themselves, while I wondered what Kiran plotted against them. I began to conclude that something must have happened to him when two hands gripped my feet firmly, dragging me roughly beneath the water. I didn''t even have time for a scream before Kiran was pulling me speedily downward with him. Forgetting magic, I began to panic, struggling against his arms that slid from my feet to my waist.


    Our fight became a contest then, pushing each other down, while the other one fought to get to the top. I pressed my hands on his shoulders, pushing him beneath me, thinking I had the upper hand, but then his hands were around my exposed waist and he was pushing himself ahead of me. I took his lead and grabbed him around his waist, my fingers hot against his skin from the magic that heated my blood. He paused in the water, tiny white bubbles soaring toward the surface from our flailing struggle, and stared at me. Even against the dark backdrop of the water, Kiran''s eyes were starkly turquoise. We seemed suspended under water, my hands against his waist, his hands holding my arms.


    I realized then that one of us had subconsciously time-slowed our struggle. I wanted to blame Kiran, I wanted to believe that it was his left over feelings for me that kept us suspended closely together under water, but when I pushed against Kiran''s body toward the surface and I fluttered forward with effortless ease. Once I broke free of the water, the world sped up to real time and Kiran was only a half a second behind me. Talbott and Sebastian slowed their hoarse play, realizing what happened, but not understanding why.


    They weren''t the only ones.


    ¡°I won,¡± I quipped, splashing the smallest wave of water in Kiran''s confused face.


    Rather than sorting through what happened or dealing with Kiran''s accusing eyes, I turned my back on him and swam to the shore. Stepping out of the water and reaching for his shirt, I dried myself automatically with magic and slipped my feet back into his shoes. I looked back at him, trying to find an explanation to offer, but his gaze was at my feet, that indefinable look marking his expression.


    ¡°I think I''m ready to go now,¡± I explained uneasily, slipping Kiran''s shirt over my head. ¡°I''m tired from the day. Can I go back by myself, or does someone need to go with me?¡±


    ¡°Talbott will go,¡± Kiran growled; his unexplainable look replaced with anger and hate.


    Talbott swam to the shore obediently, his chocolate eyes set firmly in disappointment and I waited patiently for him to dry off and grab his things. At least I pretended to be patient. I forced myself into calm resolve, although inwardly I cringed from the intensity of Kiran''s anger. When Talbott was ready, I turned silently to follow him, finally allowing myself to close my eyes in embarrassing regret. Whatever steps Kiran and I had taken today, I just set us back an infinite amount by trapping him under water. I sighed heavily, disappointed to leave the lake and frustrated with how much harder I was going to have to work to pretend to be in love with Kiran.


    Chapter Eight


    ¡°You have got to be quiet though,¡± Sebastian warned. I followed behind him, trying my hardest not to giggle, but his stooped-over walk on his tip-toes like a little boy sneaking down to wait for Santa Claus was hard to ignore.


    ¡°I am being quiet!¡± I whispered harshly. A sharp giggle threatened to explode from my mouth as Sebastian looked over his shoulder at me with his pointer finger pressed firmly against his mouth.


    I suppressed the urge to laugh and worked consciously to sober my face. I was so thankful for Sebastian and his friendship that I willingly let him get me into all kinds of trouble. Tonight we were in search of a midnight snack and so far made it passed the guards outside Kiran''s room. The kitchens, located on the main level of the castle, were still a long way off according to Sebastian, and if we wanted to reach our destination, we needed to be quiet.


    Our secret mission was abruptly cut short however, when we rounded the corner and ran directly into Kiran, Lucan and Talbott. The three of them stood together, obviously waiting to ambush us. Sebastian straightened, his expression falling into humbled defeat and I once again had to stifle the explosive laughter the deflated look on Sebastian''s face demanded. The midnight hours and long imprisonment made me giddy and immature and even if Lucan was furious with me, I knew I would have a terrible time taking him seriously.


    ¡°I''m sorry, sir,¡± Sebastian offered first, in a rush of apology and respect. ¡°We planned only to visit the kitchens and nothing more.¡± Sebastian kept his eyes lowered, staring at Lucan''s feet.

 Page 13

    I couldn''t find the humility in me to even pretend to feel guilty, so I met all three sets of eyes with determined pride. Kiran glowered at me from the other side of Lucan and I could feel the tension radiating off Talbot in waves of annoyed anger. Lucan looked me over with cool indifference, his eyes sweeping over my pink tank top and striped pajama pants, with furry slippers sticking out underneath in a sort of amused frustration.


    ¡°The kitchens?¡± Lucan repeated, turning his stern gaze back to Sebastian.


    ¡°Yes, the kitchens,¡± I snapped, ¡°I''m starving.¡±


    ¡°Then you should have ordered something be brought up,¡± Kiran retorted back. ¡°You can''t just disappear, Eden! How am I supposed to know where you are?¡±


    I threw Kiran a dangerous glance, frustrated with his accusation. For the last few days I had become a shining example of obedience. I followed Kiran around, helped the sick Titans he took me to visit and always hid my hatred for him whenever someone else was around. I knew that sneaking off to the kitchens was wrong, but it wasn''t like I packed my bags, scaled the castle walls and they found me at the nearest bus station.


    ¡°I don''t know! Why don''t you put a tracking collar on me like before!¡± I spat, buried hatred tumbling out my mouth.


    ¡°A tracking collar?¡± Kiran asked, realizing too late I was referring to the onyx pendant he gave me that was infused with a tracking device made from magic and disguised as a meaningful gift.


    ¡°Don''t even pretend like you don''t know what I''m talking about,¡± my tone turned to venom. I crossed my arms on my chest, willing him to argue with me.


    ¡°That''s actually a brilliant idea,¡± Lucan interrupted. He put a fatherly hand on Kiran''s shoulder. ¡°We can hardly have her walking about the castle unsupervised.¡±


    ¡°I wasn''t unsupervised! I was with Sebastian!¡± I defended myself adamantly.


    ¡°But we didn''t know that!¡± Kiran raised his voice at me. ¡°You could have been anywhere, Eden! You could have left, or worse, someone could have kidnapped you!¡±


    I opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind, something about how I wished I would get kidnapped, but Lucan cut me off with a wave of his hand. ¡°Let her pick whatever she likes from the jewels and have one of the Witches prepare it,¡± Lucan instructed of Kiran. He turned to me, his eyes still hard and steely. ¡°Eden, I can see that you are making a concerted effort to follow my rules, but guests will begin arriving in two days and I don''t have time for your incessant arguing. Fall in line, child, I believe you understand perfectly what is at stake for you.¡±


    I closed my mouth abruptly, having forgotten that it was open. Lucan swept passed Sebastian and me with an irritated sigh and I was left facing a riled up Talbott and an infuriated Kiran. Instead of indulging Kiran with fake humility and hated obedience, I turned on my heel, storming back toward his bedroom with all three boys hurrying after me.


    At his bedroom, I swung the door open and then slammed it shut on Kiran''s face. I heard him in a menacingly angry voice give the order for Talbott and Sebastian to leave us and I readied myself for battle. Off the bed I grabbed a sweatshirt, which happened to be his, and threw it on over my tank top, feeling ill prepared to go to verbal-war with bear arms.


    The door opened and I deliberately walked to the window. Instinctive fear urged me to lock myself in the bathroom, but my pride wouldn''t let me take the coward''s escape. When the door closed behind Kiran, I heard the click of the lock but nothing more. I felt his presence, leaning against the wall, watching me silently. I felt his silent brooding, his fuming ire and it sent a chill tingling down my spine.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Kiran growled, ¡°we need to talk.¡± His voice was low and serious, threatening me carefully.


    I turned to face him, careful to remove any unease from my expression. With my tangled hair falling wildly over my shoulders, I hoped I looked poised and unshaken. I walked forward slowly, acknowledging his command with only a slight lift of my chin and sat down in one of his leather chairs. He followed suit, walking from across the room to sit next to me in an adjacent and identical chair.


    The magic between us waged its own war. Our electricity swirled around the room in a violent storm of disagreement. I pulled my legs underneath me and then brushed at my knee casually, inwardly willing my magic into control.


    ¡°I owe you an apology,¡± Kiran began. I jumped at his words that broke the heavy silence between us and jarred me from the edge of fury.


    ¡°You think?¡± I laughed sarcastically.


    ¡°For not explaining things clearly before,¡± he continued. I realized this was a different kind of apology than I had thought for a moment he was ready to give. ¡°I know that I asked you to heal the Titans and I am responsible for taking you house to house, but I left important information out that means a lot to your safety. My father doesn''t know that I''m helping these Titans, he doesn''t know about your.... gift. He has his suspicions of course, but nothing concrete. And so, with each Titan that you heal, I risk exposing this talent of yours to my father. I have weighed the consequences in my mind, and from what I know about Lucan, even if he were to find out, I am not sure much would change. As of now, he views you as his own special trophy, and your healing ability would be more of a crowning jewel than anything else. Although, I cannot be positive, those are my gut feelings.¡±


    Kiran paused for a minute to let his words sink in and measure my reaction. I sat with cool indifference, deciding whether or not to believe him. His eyes had found a medium shade between his serious dark blue and the warm turquoise that shimmered like the ocean. I wondered why he was confiding in me, but decided to hold my tongue until he finished.


    ¡°While father would certainly complicate things, my real concern is in those that you are helping,¡± Kiran continued. ¡°With each Titan you cure, I have to trust that they can also keep your secret. If word got around too quickly about what you were capable of we''d have a line of Immortals outside our door a mile long.¡±


    ¡°So what? I would help them! In fact, why don''t you tell everyone?¡± I demanded, realizing how much good I could do.


    ¡°Yes, but you''re not that strong yet. I''ve seen how you work. By the third sickness you''re exhausted and when you push yourself to do one more you''re almost delirious with the effort. If the general population knew about your gift, they would kill you in one day by demanding too much of you. And you would just give yourself away to them, without even thinking twice about the consequences.¡± Kiran finished by throwing his back against his chair and running his fingers through his tussled hair.


    I thought over his warning for a few silent moments, deciding that his threat was not so scary after all. In fact, his idea of a life-ending scenario sounded pretty epic and I was carefully planning my argument in my head and how to get my way when he interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°No, Eden, there is more than just your life at stake here. I can see where your thoughts are headed and I know what that damned confident smile on your face means.¡± I sat up straight and shifted my face back to stoic stillness, realizing I had been caught. Kiran continued, ¡°There are other things to worry about besides the kingdom demanding you to play God. We have to also consider those that you are healing as a potential risk. I was serious when I said you could have been kidnapped. You are very valuable to my father, and the Resistance is not the only group of people out there that hate him. What if a group of disgruntled Titans, recently healed from the King''s Curse, got together and decided to make an example out of you, or use your magic for worse purposes than even my father can think of?¡±


    ¡°Then they would die because of the blood oath, we all know that,¡± I argued, unwilling to believe that any of the people I helped would turn on me in their own greedy pursuit.


    ¡°We''re not fools here, Eden. Once those Titans saw what you were capable of, doubt was erased from their minds about who the real blood oath is in allegiance to.¡± Kiran stood up abruptly and walked over to the windows. The light from Kiran''s bedroom did not pierce the heavy darkness that lay just outside the cool glass and the window reacted like a mirror, reflecting Kiran''s pained and tired expression back at him.


    ¡°If they think I''m the rightful ruler, then why on earth would they kidnap me, Kiran? Your argument isn''t making any sense.¡± My arms crossed without my permission.


    ¡°Eden, enough of this, I cannot save you from your own naivety. Beckton knew who you were; he figured it out all by himself and did he bow down in reverent worship, singing your praise and clearing the way to your throne?¡± Kiran paused, waiting for my rebuttal. It took me a moment to place Beckton, and then I remembered his sneering presence, making himself known from the shadows of the buildings in downtown Omaha. He stepped from the darkness and took my magic violently. If Avalon and I weren''t bonded together with an open flow of magic between us, he would have succeeded. I shuddered at the memory. ¡°There are evil people in this world that simply want to possess the power that you hold and couldn¡¯t care less about consequences and blood oaths.¡±


    ¡°And those are the people that I''ve been helping?¡± I countered in disbelief. All of the Titans I had helped were gracious and thankful beyond belief.


    ¡°I hope not, but I can''t be certain. And I''m not only worried about them; I''m worried about the people they will tell and the rumors that will spread. My father is not the only Immortal you should be afraid of until you can secure your place on the throne.¡± Kiran flinched at his own words and quickly clarified, ¡°If you can secure your place on the throne.¡±


    ¡°Either way, I can take care of myself.¡± I stood up to challenge him.


    ¡°No, you can''t,¡± Kiran answered solemnly, ¡°You care too much about life and death. Otherwise you would not be here.¡±


    His words rang in my ears, echoing down into the pit of my heart. I knew that he was right. My forced obedience in this very castle was given because I couldn''t bear to see even one Immortal die. And I was too easily a martyr.


    ¡°So your solution is to slap a tracking bracelet on me and monitor my every move!¡± I couldn''t back down from this fight, the memory of the first onyx pendant he tricked me into wearing with tenderness and the pretense of love burned against my chest and I refused to be branded again.


    ¡°You''ve left me no choice!¡± he countered, raising his voice and taking a step forward. ¡°Because you cannot follow the very simple rules I''ve laid out for you, you are forcing my hand!¡±


    ¡°What are my other options?¡± I demanded facetiously. ¡°To stay by your side, day and night, or locked away in your room until you''ve decided to grace me with your presence? Is this your idea of-¡±


    ¡°Protection!¡± he shouted back. ¡°This is my idea of protection!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± I calmed down, taking on an icy demeanor that chilled the room. ¡°I forgot how protective you are. I forgot that you always know what''s best for me, even if that means the death of my grandfather!¡± I finished with a raised voice, unable to control the emotion thick in my throat.


    ¡°All I have ever tried to do is protect you,¡± Kiran snapped, his volume level under control. ¡°That has been my only concern from the first day I met you. And it will continue to be my concern until the day you and your brother win this war or until you get yourself killed, whichever comes first.¡± With that he stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

 Page 14

    I slumped back in the chair, bemused at his attitude with me. On one hand, I was infuriated with him for treating me like a child and shouting at me. On the other hand, I could finally understand his concern and anger and I rested in the fact that he was finally honest and up front with me. I pulled my knees to my chest and thought over his words, his claim of protection from day one. But then I remembered Avalon being ripped away from me, my grandfather dead at my feet and the feeling of betrayal when he left me standing alone at the farmhouse in February. We had different ideas of what it meant to protect somebody.


    The door opened again, slowly this time, and Kiran walked back in the room, his magic spreading across the expanse between us carefully, tentatively. He held his head like a naughty puppy and his blonde hair fell in his eye endearingly.


    ¡°Why must you always argue with me?¡± he asked, amusement playing in his sparkling eyes.


    ¡°I don''t know....¡± I admitted, soothed by the few minutes of peace his absence had given me. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, I argue with everybody.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that is true.... And to think, I was going to take you away from here tomorrow night....¡± Kiran let his words drift off in pensive thoughtfulness, but by the way his lips turned up in the corners I knew he did it on purpose.


    ¡°Take me where?¡± I brightened. The possibility of not just leaving the castle but the Citadel entirely was extremely enticing.


    ¡°Well, I don''t know now.... I mean, the scene in front of my father¡­. dragging Sebastian into your shenanigans.... arguing with me! I''m not sure you deserve it anymore.¡± Kiran tilted his head down to study his shoes intently, trying to hide the slight smile playing at his lips.


    I stood up and walked over to him, determined to win this without arguing. I stopped a foot away from him and waited for him to lift his head and look me in the eyes before I spoke.


    ¡°I am truly sorry that I caused you such dismay,¡± I confessed, over-dramatically. I reached out for his hands, clasping them in mine and continued, ¡°It will never happen again, as long as I live, I swear it!¡±


    ¡°We both know you''re full of it,¡± Kiran laughed. He smirked at me then, his old smile reminding me of the first moments I started to fall in love with him. A small tingle of alarm pricked at the back of my neck, but then he artfully removed his hands from mine as if respectfully not wanting to be touched and I erased the feeling that he was still in love with me from my mind. ¡°But all right, I will not cancel our plans, under one condition,¡± he demanded and I nodded my head furiously. ¡°Tomorrow we are to have lunch with my parents and my aunt and uncle. If you can pull it off without causing any trouble or making a scene and while convincing everyone that you are mildly in love with me,¡± when I started to protest, he held up his finger to silence me, ¡°just mildly, not madly. We''ll save madly for the festival. If you can pull it all off, I will still take you away from here tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°You''re asking an awful lot,¡± I sighed glumly. I sunk down on the corner of the bed, but decided I could do it. I just had to get through lunch. And I could get through lunch. It wasn''t really so much to ask. ¡°Ok, I''ll do it! You might not even be able to tell the difference between mildly and madly!¡± I promised, smiling my most charming smile at him.


    ¡°I think I''ll be able to tell,¡± he mumbled. He turned around and put his hand on the doorknob.


    ¡°Wait, where are you taking me after I dazzle your relatives and make even you think I have actually fallen in love with you?¡± I quipped, hoping to get the truth out of him.


    ¡°Someplace you''d never expect,¡± he turned to grin at me, and I could already see the self-satisfaction lighting his eyes with confidence.


    ¡°Kiran,¡± I spoke up before he could get through the door and disappear for the night, ¡°I won''t disappoint you tomorrow. I mean, whether you take me any place or not, I do understand my responsibility.¡±


    He stood staring at me for a pensive moment, deciding whether or not to trust me. He nodded his reply and then left the room, closing the door behind him and locking it. I lay back on his bed and considered the stone ceiling above my head. Lunch would not be easy tomorrow, especially when the last time I was face to face with Sebastian''s parents, his mother not only begged me for the life of her son, but made it perfectly clear she preferred me dead.


    However, her son was not dead. Maybe because of that she would overlook the months of captivity and misery I forced Sebastian into. Maybe she would remember that I gave Sebastian back his magic.


    Or more likely, she wouldn''t.


    Chapter Nine


    I clutched Kiran''s arm, holding desperately to him as if he were the one thing that could keep me from Bianca''s wrath. He walked slowly, deliberately by my side glancing down occasionally as if the afternoon sun picked up my beauty in a way he''d never noticed before. My fingers dug deeply into his muscular bicep and I smoothed my strapless, pale pink eyelet sun dress of its nonexistent wrinkles.


    Lucan, Analisa, Bianca and Jean Cartier waited for us patiently at an elegant outdoor patio table set up for lunch in the middle of Analisa''s garden. This particular area of the garden, tucked behind the castle and in the middle of a maze of dirt pathways and overgrown flowers, was more delicately manicured. The round rosewood table sat in the center of the hedged maze with several dirt paths opening into the clearing. The twenty-foot hedged bushes encircled the space, with wild, vibrant roses and delicate pastel hydrangea and chrysanthemums alternating in the thick greenery, providing welcoming splashes of color. The flowers, like the rest of the garden, were clustered and chaotic, spreading frantically throughout the garden with no direction or discipline, the symbol of utter freedom inside walls that choked on the very idea.


    Despite the tall hedges, the wall of bushes did not block out the sun shining above and so the table was covered with a white satin umbrella providing just enough shade for the guests around the table. The table itself was decorated with an ivory lace tablecloth and an elaborate display of flowers picked from this same garden where we sat. Place settings of fine china and expensive silver made the table come alive like a living piece of art, and pretty pink, champagne cocktails helped the guests quench their thirst.


    I leaned into Kiran, pressing my face against his arm. I tried to breathe steadily, but the memories of Bianca begging me to save her only son in the upstairs office of an underground French nightclub had haunted me for months now. Even though Sebastian was healthy and alive today, I still couldn''t forget her determined pleading and ice-cold gaze with which, if she could have simply wished me dead, I would have been. Her long, golden hair had thrashed about her like ocean waves in the middle of a storm and her icy blue eyes, identical to Lucan''s, bore through my soul.


    Her inexpressive, nonverbal and aloof husband, Duke Jean Cartier, was no better. His cool, indifferent silence was disconcerting at first, but any feeling of dread or anxiety quickly turned to outright fear as soon as he opened his mouth and leveled his threats.


    At the club, with the help of adrenaline, I never felt fear or panic. There was no need. At that time, the only thing I had to lose was Avalon and part of me had already grieved his loss while the other part fought like a madman to save him. Now, with innocent people locked away in a filthy, horrifying prison, only kept alive by Lucan''s good grace and my ability not to screw up, I faced a lot more to fear. I prayed I would be able to bite my tongue, to resist from arguing and portray the kind of Oscar-winning performance I knew it would take to convince anyone near that Kiran and I were in love. Even mildly.


    Kiran, noticing my staggered breathing and reluctant steps, took a detour into a small alcove just off the path. The whole table had been watching our approach and I wondered what they would think of his action. I dropped my arm from his the second we were hidden from view and put my hands on my hips firmly, letting out a slow, measured breath to steady my nerves.


    ¡°Oh, God,¡± I sighed. I looked up at Kiran, hoping to borrow some of his unshakable confidence.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± he asked. He smiled gently at me, amused with my nerves.


    ¡°Ugh.... I don''t know!¡± I groaned. ¡°It''s your aunt, she just.... I don''t know what it is about her, but she unnerves me.¡± I wiped at my forehead with the back of my hand, removing the small droplets of perspiration that had been drawn out by the exhaustive heat of the late June afternoon.


    ¡°Eden, magic....¡± Kiran reminded me sweetly, rubbing his thumb across my temple, catching a bead of sweat. I relaxed a little, thankful for his reminder and sent the boiling magic through my blood working the electricity in my magical Immortal way that cooled my inner body temperature and forced my body to relax. The same gesture, in extreme cold, would heat my body just as quickly. ¡°What is it about my Aunt Bianca that is so disturbing to you?¡±


    Kiran worked undauntedly at pretending to be in love with me all morning. Ever since he knocked on his own bedroom door and offered the pink sundress as a gift, I could see the concerted effort he put forth to make being in ¡°pretend¡± love with him easy. I knew he was as protective and worried for the prisoner''s as I was and that made today feel more like a truce than anything else. We were working together today, with the same goal in mind. When I thought about it like that, and appreciated his sensitive discretion in the moment, I could breathe easier, relax a little more, turn my eyes at him with faux adoration and slip my hand into his as if it eternally belonged there.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± I admitted, thinking it over thoroughly. ¡°I think it actually all has to do with Sebastian.... She begged me, Kiran, literally begged me, to give Sebastian back his magic and I looked her in the eyes and coldly told her I planned on killing him instead.¡± A shiver ran down my back at the memory of it and I involuntarily shuttered. Kiran put his hands soothingly on my forearms and pulled me forward until I was only inches from him. ¡°Obviously, I didn''t follow through with my threat, but still I promised a mother that I planned on killing her only son in cold blood. That''s why she bothers me.¡±


    ¡°I don''t think she so much bothers you as the memory of your intended actions do. In that moment, you remember yourself as a cold-blooded killer, even if you didn''t follow through. And not only that, you were cruel to her. I''m not saying you didn''t have a right, because you obviously had just been through hell, but generally threats and murderous intentions are not in your nature.¡± He smiled down at me, lifting my chin with his finger.


    ¡°This is quite the performance!¡± Sebastian popped his head into our alcove utterly amused with our private pep talk. ¡°Too bad, none of them can see you, so it''s all utterly pointless!¡± Sebastian jerked his thumb toward the still waiting group of adults and gave us a disapproving glare.


    ¡°Are you sure murderous intentions are not in my nature?¡± I turned back to Kiran. I couldn''t hold back any longer and broke out into a smile.


    He gave a barking laugh and then pulled me into his arms, surprising me with a familiar kiss on the top of the head. I stood there stunned in the moment, my face pressed against his chest and his arms around my shoulder. Abruptly, he pushed me away as if he had just come back to himself and stared awkwardly at my white, strappy stilettos that were sinking into the dirt ground.

 Page 15

    ¡°He''s right,¡± I agreed with Sebastian, although his interruption had unexplainably gotten under my skin, ¡°we better save the good stuff for your dad.¡±


    I linked my arm with his again, only this time it was natural. Our truce continued today and after his encouragement I felt myself relax and rest against him. Lunch, no matter how cold and aloof these people were, was going to be difficult, and even if Kiran and I were not on the same side of this war, today we were fighting the same battle.


    We approached the table with effortless magnetism, as if we had rehearsed this scene a hundred times. I waited patiently for Kiran to pull out my chair, and when I sat down, he gallantly pushed me forward and then bent forward to press an intimate kiss on my earlobe. His lips lingered against my skin for a few uncomfortable moments until I placed a gentle hand against his cheek to remind him we were in the presence of others. He stood up reluctantly then, and took the seat to my left.


    Once we were seated, the servants rushed forward through the open spaces of the hedges with covered silver platters and served us. Champagne was refilled for the adults who had been waiting and lunch respectfully began with Lucan''s first bite and nod for everyone to join him. I pushed the salad around my cold appetizer plate, mentally hating the idea of trying to look ladylike while shoving drooping, dressing drenched lettuce into my mouth. Salad was hardly an attractive course to eat while trying to impress people.


    ¡°I trust you had a safe and pleasant trip, sister?¡± Lucan broke the silence first, looking at his sister with revered admiration.


    ¡°Yes, perfectly pleasant. Thank you for hosting us brother, it makes our journey so convenient.¡± She smiled back at her younger brother, King of the Immortals, and I wondered if I was the only one who noticed her smile not reach her eyes.


    The conversation broke up then, Lucan turning specifically to Jean Cartier and entering a conversation about the game available to hunt in the mountains during this season, while Analisa turned to Bianca and whispered polite conversational pieces I imagined all royalty were capable of filling awkward silences with. I breathed a sigh of relief and sunk back into my chair a little, happy to not be the center of attention for once.


    The servants returned after a while to clear our salad plates and replace them with dainty cold sandwiches. These seemed a little easier to eat while pretending to be polite and so I started to pick up a triangle stuffed with ham salad and a pickle when Kiran coughed gently to my left and I turned to him. He glanced down at his plate and when I followed his gaze I saw him cut the sandwich with a knife and fork and bring it elegantly to his mouth. I smiled with genuine gratitude, feeling incredibly foolish, following suit with the same knife and fork setting he used.


    The adults continued to talk, hardly paying any attention to our side of the table. Sebastian sat to my right and I had expected him to engage me at any moment with amusing conversation but he sat stoically still watching his mother with a kind of pained nervousness on his face.


    ¡°In three seconds my father will change the subject to fishing,¡± Kiran leaned toward me, whispering conspiratorially. He made a show of tapping his finger on the delicate lace tablecloth counting the seconds and at the exact moment his finger hit the table a third time, his father changed the subject to the variety of stream fishing the mountains had to offer.


    I suppressed a laugh, by lifting my cloth napkin and covering my mouth ¡°How did you do that?¡± I whispered, leaning toward Kiran so that our bodies were now inclined toward each other.


    ¡°It''s a gift,¡± he admitted with a gleam in his twinkling turquoise eyes. ¡°In exactly four and a half minutes the subject will change to the expected weather for the festival and in exactly six minutes and thirty three seconds after that Uncle Jean will ask about my father''s problem with the Shape-shifter infestation.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± I gasped. ¡°You cannot possibly know the direction of the conversation down to the second!¡± I leaned in even closer so that my disbelief would not be heard over the polite conversation that was happening around the rest of the table.


    ¡°Well, Ok, maybe not down to the exact second, but I swear, these two men have held the exact same conversation since before I was born and I''m starting to believe if they didn''t follow this unspoken agenda, their eyeballs would burst into flames and they would fall over dead,¡± Kiran finished dramatically.


    I couldn''t stop the laughter then, so I grabbed my napkin and dipped my head down. ¡°Is that all it would take?¡± I struggled to whisper against my napkin, ¡°I might as well give it a shot!¡±


    I opened my mouth to interrupt Lucan without any hesitation, when Kiran suddenly put his arm around my shoulders and tilted his mouth against my ear. ¡°You wouldn''t dare....¡± he pleaded good-humoredly and I was thankful that he knew I was joking.


    ¡°Maybe I would,¡± I teased. His thumb moved back and forth across my shoulder in a possessive gesture of affection and I remembered that we were supposed to be pretending to be in love.


    I turned my head, trying to think of something romantic to whisper to Kiran louder than I intended to, but his eyes met mine in an intense gaze that stunned me for a moment. I racked my brain trying to decipher what he could be trying to tell me, but until that moment I thought we were flying through lunch casually in love.


    ¡°Eden, I was so happy to hear you joined Kiran in the Citadel,¡± Bianca''s voice rang out like a bell from across the table.


    I jerked my head around and sat befuddled for a moment. I was frustrated with her obvious lack of real knowledge about anything in this kingdom and still cowering beneath her stone-cold gaze, her crystal clear blue eyes scrutinizing my every breath. In an attempt to comfort me and assure his father, Kiran pulled me closer against his body, his opposite arm reaching across his chest to hold my hand and then pressed his lips against my hair in meditative stillness. All eyes turned to us and if the party around us hadn''t known better we would have appeared to be an emphatically in love young couple.


    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± I responded to Bianca automatically. I could not afford to ruffle Lucan''s feathers and so instead of responding with sarcasm, I traced my thumb across Kiran''s palm to drive in the point that I would do anything it took to keep my people safe.


    ¡°I believe I, I mean, we owe you a great deal of gratitude for the health of our son,¡± Bianca continued, her voice lacking the conviction a true expression of gratitude would have conveyed.


    ¡°Let us not forget who took his magic to begin with,¡± Lucan reprimanded loudly, interrupting Bianca before she had a chance to say more.


    ¡°Oh, but those days are behind her! Let''s not hold it against her any longer!¡± Sebastian spoke for the first time all lunch and when he did it was with such obvious good humor that even Lucan smiled.


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Bianca asked. Her eyes narrowed into scrutinizing slits of distrust and I decided to try startling her into moving her conversation beyond me.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I answered, lifting my free hand to the table and dropping it loudly on to the rosewood, my cut-in-half handcuff pulled roughly against the delicate lace tablecloth and immediately removed any lasting of doubt about why those days were behind me.


    Lucan gave a strained but patient smile from across the table. I drew my hand underneath, remembering Lucan''s warnings to me and I exhaled the breath I hadn''t realized I was holding. Kiran''s hand relaxed on my shoulder just a bit and Sebastian finished moving the bite that lay idle on his fork and hung awkwardly in-between the plate and his mouth.


    ¡°Now, that we''ve gotten the formalities out of the way, Bianca, please tell me where my favorite niece is!¡± Lucan demanded in the most polished and sincere way possible, but this time the impatience flickering in his eyes was not so carefully concealed.


    ¡°Yes, Aunt Bianca, I was looking forward to catching up with Mimi, why didn''t she travel with you?¡± Kiran agreed with his father congenially, smoothing the tense moment as Bianca tried to recover from her brother''s barely concealed frustration.


    ¡°There was a special opening at the Louvre over this weekend and she decided that she simply could not miss it,¡± Bianca explained candidly. ¡°That girl and her art, really, it''s rather a nuisance, but dear brother, I am trying to encourage her with her talents and interests like you suggested.¡±


    Something in Bianca''s veiled way of speaking alerted my senses that she was trying desperately to keep something from her brother, but unfortunately he sensed it as well and his eyes shifted from vain concern to deathly panic and then to firm resolve in the matter of a second. Lucan''s face was a storm of heavy, masculine indecision and I pressed closer to Kiran, afraid of his father''s anger, but more so of his manipulation.


    ¡°Is she planning on joining us at all during the festival?¡± Lucan pressed. His face was calm tranquility but he sliced through his sandwich with frustrated force.


    ¡°No, I''m afraid not,¡± Bianca continued, turning her own attention back to her food. ¡°Actually, if I can confide in you, dearest brother, I think she is more than interested in the Louvre, I think she is a bit sick at the idea of leaving home for the first time to attend school here.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Lucan grumbled, although his blue eyes turned dark, ¡°just not that long ago she was telling us how she couldn''t wait to join Sebastian and Kiran at school. Isn''t that right, Kiran? And this isn''t half as far as Kingsley.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aunt Bianca, when we were in India last December it sounded as if she couldn¡¯t wait to join us, although now that the reality of leaving home has finally hit her, she might be less excited than she originally was. I''m sure she is nervous,¡± Kiran spoke pleasantly and easily appeased both sides of the argument with his casual observation. I glanced up at him in surprise, and he looked back at me, questioning my expression with his eyes. ¡°Really, Aunt B,¡± Kiran continued, turning his gaze reluctantly back to his father''s guests, ¡°you''re probably more hysterical about the idea of her leaving than she is!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I''m sure you''re right,¡± Bianca conceded, smiling at him with genuine graciousness. ¡°Besides, she will have you and Bastian and I suppose a mother could not ask for better spies.¡± She smiled then, a radiant smile that lit up her face and softened her eyes. She looked like a mother in that moment, not a princess, or a Kendrick by birth, but a mother that loved her children and wanted only what was best for them.


    ¡°And she''ll have Eden,¡± Sebastian put in. ¡°Mimi loves Eden. I know she is absolutely ecstatic to spend time with her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I''m flattered,¡± I gushed, truly hoping Sebastian''s words were true and that Amelia wanted to spend time with me and this wasn''t just an effort to cover my aggressive personality during lunch. ¡°Another girl will make all the difference!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I''m sure you''ll get quite close to Amelia,¡± Kiran agreed, although his voice was tainted with mischief and when I turned toward him, determined to get to the bottom of it, he just shook his head and made an ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later¡± face.


    ¡°Will you bring her back personally?¡± Lucan addressed Bianca again. I noticed with a sort of deranged amusement that both of the spouses were conveniently ignored during a group discussion. Both Analisa and Jean Cartier sat staring off into space knowing their opinion would not be welcome no matter what the topic of conversation.

 Page 16

    ¡°No, I don''t think so. I''ll be too busy with plans for the bridal shower.¡± At the mention of an event that obviously revolved around me, she turned to me with a humble smile playing at her lips and I returned it gracefully, although the fear of that far off event had already made roots in the pit of my stomach. ¡°I''ll send Silviu with her.¡±


    ¡°No, don''t bother,¡± Lucan countered, ¡°I''ll send Alexander. It won''t be any trouble and I''d feel better with my own Guard near her.¡±


    Bianca opened her mouth to argue, but Sebastian cut her off before she could utter a sound, ¡°Actually, Uncle Lucan, what if you let us go get her?¡±


    ¡°I assume you mean Kiran and yourself?¡± Lucan turned his incredulous attention to Sebastian.


    ¡°And Talbott, of course,¡± Kiran added.


    ¡°I don''t know....¡± Lucan stalled, narrowing his eyes at Kiran.


    ¡°Please Father, we''ve made the trip hundreds of times and we will keep Amelia perfectly safe. You can even send the old car if you want, for discretion purposes of course,¡± Kiran insisted humbly, bravely staring his father in the eyes across the table, not faltering no matter how hard Lucan''s gaze turned.


    ¡°And you''ll want to take her?¡± Lucan accused his son carefully, his eyes drifting to mine in an unreadable cruel expression that made me skin crawl.


    ¡°I haven''t decided yet,¡± Kiran replied carefully. He unwrapped his arm from around my shoulders and sat forward in his chair, pensively considering an accusation that Kiran had casually turned into an offer from his father to let Kiran decide.


    ¡°You haven''t decided yet?¡± I asked with gentle caution, still amazed at the way Kiran manipulated his father. The servants appeared to clear our plates and replace them with a quaint sherbet with delicious red raspberries that sweated in the warming heat.


    ¡°No, I haven''t,¡± Kiran leaned forward, his eyes teasing. ¡°We''ll see how this weekend goes,¡± he reprimanded me sternly, but I could tell it was for his father''s sake more than anything else and then he leaned against my cheek, pretending to whisper sweet nothings into my ear that made me blush from his closeness, ¡°and how you behave tonight when we go off campus.¡±


    My heart soared at the idea of getting out of the Citadel and with thoughts about an adventurous night ahead of me I finished the luncheon with polite ease and a charming smile. I noticed Lucan''s watchful eye on me and when we finally rose to retire into our own wings of the castle, he put a firm hand on Kiran''s shoulder and squeezed it in a way that any proud father would.


    Chapter Ten


    ¡°Eden, just pick something!¡± Sebastian sighed while pacing the room impatiently.


    ¡°It would help if I knew where we were going!¡± I retorted. I pushed hangers out of my way, sliding them roughly over the wooden bar that held a plethora of clothing designated for me. Or Seraphina. I still wasn¡¯t sure who the closets full of clothes were for.


    ¡°Does it really matter? Just look at how I¡¯m dressed, doesn¡¯t that help you?¡± Sebastian offered.


    ¡°Shorts and a polo? Really inspired Sebastian... You''re not helping! These clothes do not seem like Seraphina¡¯s style at all, by the way,¡± I groaned. I settled on a long, navy blue maxi dress, deciding it was the girl''s version of khaki shorts and a polo.


    ¡°Those clothes weren¡¯t for Seraphina, Kiran had them picked out according to your style,¡± Sebastian explained nonchalantly.


    ¡°What? When?¡± I racked my brain trying to remember a time when the closet had been changed while I was here.


    ¡°Obviously before the wedding,¡± He rolled his eyes at me as if it were obvious.


    ¡°But before the wedding, he didn¡¯t know I was coming here,¡± I reminded him, turning around with the dress in my hand.


    ¡°Uh, he knew you would come,¡± Sebastian assured me.


    ¡°Then why was he so mad when I actually showed up?¡± I pressed. Kiran was furious when we came face to face and I interrupted his wedding. At first I thought it was because he wanted to marry Seraphina, but he told me later that Avalon and he had a plan and that I messed everything up.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say he hoped you would come. I said he knew you would come,¡± Sebastian clarified.


    ¡°Still if he knew, then why did he get so mad?¡± I turned indignantly for the bathroom to change into my clothes that apparently were handpicked for me.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Sebastian laughed. ¡°Eden, he wanted you to marry him. Do you remember any of this? Not show up last minute in a last-ditch effort to save your brother because you were out of every other option! You not only hurt his pride, but you broke the poor guy¡¯s heart!¡±


    I didn¡¯t dignify Sebastian with an answer, but turned on my heel and slammed the bathroom door behind me. I loved Sebastian as a friend, but if he kept fighting this non-existent battle for Kiran, I was going to end up smacking him. Kiran didn¡¯t love me anymore and I didn¡¯t love him anymore. And in some ironic sick twist of fate, we still had to prove to the rest of the kingdom we were madly in love until the Resistance could come crashing through the Citadel gates and change all that.


    What is taking so long? I demanded of Avalon, snapping him out of a phone call. He hung up his cell phone instinctively and turned his attention to me.


    Are you Ok? Is something wrong? Avalon sounded very concerned, and I suddenly felt bad for barging in on his consciousness.


    No, nothing¡¯s wrong.... I inwardly sighed and slumped down in a high-backed chair that sat against the wall of Kiran¡¯s enormous bathroom. Sometimes this place gets to be too much. How much longer before you think the Resistance is ready to storm the castle?


    Before May, I promise. Avalon assured me. I should have been thankful for his confidence, but his time-line felt forever away.


    So, then, not like tomorrow? I joked, relaxing a little and deciding that I could and would do my part in this.


    No, not tomorrow. Avalon laughed. Do you want to talk about whatever is bothering you?


    I heard the door open in the bedroom and Kiran and Talbott walk in. No, not now. We¡¯re leaving the castle for a little bit tonight, so I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll feel better once I get outside these walls.


    Yes, I¡¯m sure you will. Avalon smiled. Just relax Ede, everything is going to work out. We have people involved with the Festival, working surveillance and such. So this weekend, just know, you won¡¯t be alone and I won¡¯t be far away either.


    That makes me feel better. I conceded. Ok, I¡¯d better get ready.


    Have fun tonight! Avalon said enthusiastically.


    Why do I get the feeling you already know where I¡¯m going? I pushed. I realized he wasn¡¯t drilling me with a thousand questions about my evening plans and I found that strange.


    Oh.... because I do know. I mean, Sebastian and Titus talk all the time, so Titus told me. Avalon explained, but I didn¡¯t like his answer, it didn''t feel genuine.


    Whatever; those two are so weird. I sighed, attributing his cover-up story to wanting to keep unnecessary information from me just in case I were to accidentally leak something to Lucan.


    I changed into my dress. It flowed down in folds of silk fabric, covering my silver, gladiator sandals. The dress was all one color except for a thin silver belt that cinched the billowy dress in at my waist. I freshened up my makeup, thickening my eye liner and replenishing my pink lip gloss. Since I didn¡¯t know exactly where we were going, I decided I¡¯d better cover up my glowing tattoo, so I pulled my hair over my shoulder and tied it into a loose ponytail that hung in tousled curls down my arm.


    I stood back to examine my look and decided I looked a bit over-casual, so if we were going somewhere fancy I probably wouldn¡¯t fit in. I never fit in though, so it probably wouldn¡¯t matter what I was wearing. I jangled the handcuffs around my wrists, deciding all over that they were ugly and unnecessary, but they didn¡¯t seem to be bothering my magic so, for now I would put up with them.


    When I joined the boys back in the bedroom, the sun was setting over the mountains and the sky outside Kiran¡¯s window turning into a deep pink with purple clouds scattering across the horizon. Kiran, Talbott and Sebastian were huddled in a quiet conference near the door and immediately stopped talking when I entered the room.


    ¡°Eden, you¡¯re beautiful,¡± Kiran admitted softly after he turned to look at me.


    I felt the heat rise to my cheeks and then remembered we were in love all day and he was probably still practicing, ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend around Talbott and Sebastian; they don¡¯t care.¡± I smiled graciously at him.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kiran replied curtly.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, Eden! I care!¡± Sebastian teased. I rolled my eyes in response. He put his arm on Kiran¡¯s shoulder and I knew he was headed for more mischief but I couldn¡¯t stop him, ¡°Besides, who says he¡¯s pretending? It was just a compliment, Eden. I doubt it had anything to do with his pretend feelings for you. Right, Kiran?¡±


    ¡°No, Sebastian, I forgot where we were. I just, um, today went so smoothly that I forgot my audience tonight,¡± Kiran explained, feeling ambushed by his cousin.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t think she looks beautiful?¡± Sebastian asked, furrowing his eyebrows as if it were the most ridiculous idea.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. Of course, Eden is beautiful,¡± Kiran sighed in frustration at his cousin and then turned to me, ¡°Eden, really, you look striking tonight. I mean that sincerely.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I lowered my eyes, feeling more self-conscious than ever.


    ¡°Well, now that that¡¯s out of the way, let¡¯s go!¡± Sebastian grinned roguishly at me and then opened the door so the rest of us could file out.


    We walked quietly through the castle. The hallways were lit with soft golden sconces and the whole building seemed more alive in preparation for tomorrow¡¯s festivities. The Summer Solstice Celebration lasted for two nights. My engagement party was scheduled for tomorrow night; a carnival and concert were planned for the next day and then a ball that evening. If I didn¡¯t hate the monarchy, hate my fianc¨¦ and fully intend on inciting a civil war, the weekend would have actually sounded fun.


    ¡°Are we sneaking out?¡± I inquired casually. I found it hard to believe Lucan gave us permission to leave, but at the same time, none of the boys acted particularly inconspicuous.


    ¡°No,¡± Talbott replied gruffly.


    In the courtyard of the castle three motorcycles waited for us. The last time I rode on a motorcycle had been with Jericho in Peru and we were running from the Titans. The memory of that day stung my heart and made my head swim. Jericho. I left him so that I could play pretend with my ex-boyfriend. He had to be hurting.


    I thought he would hate me forever after I abandoned our original plan to attack the castle and rescue Avalon, but he didn''t seem overly upset when I saw him last week. Was it only last week? It felt like an eternity since we spent time together and the endless days that stretched out before me reminded me that I might never see him again.


    ¡°Have you ever been on a motorcycle before?¡± Kiran asked. His soft voice drew me from my thoughts and I looked up at him.


    ¡°Yes, just once,¡± I smiled and then felt the need to explain. ¡°When Talbott gave me Jericho back, last March, we escaped the Titans on one.¡±

 Page 17

    Kiran flinched at Jericho¡¯s name and I instantly regretted sharing the memory until I realized that it shouldn¡¯t matter to Kiran if I talk about Jericho. I should be able to talk about him whenever I wanted. And I planned on talking about him all the time.


    ¡°You can ride with Talbott,¡± Kiran instructed, his voice taking on a harsh tone.


    Sebastian passed out sleek, black helmets and I was thankful I had worn my hair down and to the side; helmet hair would be much more manageable this way. I climbed onto the slender motorcycle behind Talbott by pulling my maxi-dress up to my knees, a little unladylike, and secured my arms around his waist. The boys started their engines simultaneously and took off abruptly through the narrow, cobblestone streets of the Citadel.


    The gates to the city were open and we flew threw them, driving fast on the paved road that led away from the castle and through the mountains. Talbott drove expertly over the winding mountain roads and I was able to relax and sit back a little, keeping a loose grasp on his sides.


    The drive through the mountains stilled my anxiety for whatever lay ahead tonight. The thick canopy of trees darkened the already twilighted sky and bursts of gleaming pink and purple flashed through holes in the trees up above. The wind whipped against my arms as Kiran sped behind Talbott over the smooth pavement.


    We rode for an hour, through well-aged villages and picture-perfect antique towns, before coming to a dirt road leading away from the main highway. I bunched my dress further up my legs, away from the splattering mud the motorcycle flung against my shins as we kept pace with Kiran and Sebastian.


    The moon shined above by now, a full orb of luminous light, and we rode through the night with only the lone headlight of each of the bikes leading the way. The boys seemed to know where they were headed though, so I tried not to conjure up images of what could be waiting for us at the end of this getaway.


    Eventually lights came into view in the distance, not electric house lights, or even lamps, but the strong flames of a large campfire and torches. The motorcycles slowed down and we entered a primitive village. Tiny huts made of anything from scrap metal to broken pieces of wood outlined a village with naked, dark-haired gypsy children running around rowdily. Adults dressed in layers of ragged clothes milled about the campfire, eating a stew of sorts on tin plates or talking expressively with each other. From the other side of the campfire, deep, somber melodies played, keeping a fast tempo, and in a minor key that made my heart beat with it and the electricity in my blood soar.


    I stepped off the motorcycle grabbing Kiran¡¯s outstretched hand for support, barely acknowledging his gesture. I was mesmerized by the gypsy camp, wholly consumed with curiosity and a quiet awe. There was a growing feeling building inside of me that tonight could be life-changing if I let it, if I let the music take me away and let down my guard. I turned to Kiran with bright, ready eyes and he smiled back at me in a way that made my heart jump. His expression confirmed my eager suspicions and I let him lead him further into the camp.


    Several of the gypsies gathered to greet Kiran, shaking his hand and speaking in the flowing Romanian dialect I began to recognize. Kiran relaxed here too; he spoke with each person familiarly, as if he knew everyone by name and I stood at his side in awe of his ability to transform from spoiled prince to the charismatic conversationalist standing next to me now.


    ¡°How do you do it?¡± I asked, unable to hold back my curiosity. We were alone for the moment. Sebastian and Talbott wondered off in search of food and Kiran seemed to be looking for someone while he led me around the camp. The sky brightened above our heads, millions of sparkling stars came to life the later the hour. The moon was bright and full, shining down on us with warm welcome, inviting us to dance.


    ¡°Do what?¡± he laughed, turning to me. His eyes were deep pools of the ocean tonight, brilliant aqua that twinkled in the darkness.


    ¡°How can you be so stiff at the castle, so.... royal? And then here, it¡¯s like, I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s like you¡¯re a completely different person....¡± I trailed off, not able to verbalize the difference between his two personalities.


    ¡°I¡¯m not two people, Eden. When we''re not at the castle.... I mean, here.... I don¡¯t have to pretend to be perfect here.¡± He smiled at me, too embarrassed to admit that there were two sides to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that though,¡± I tried to explain; ¡°It was the same way in India.¡±


    ¡°How was I in India?¡± he pressed. He stopped walking to listen to me, his back was to the fire and his soft tussled hair glowed against the firelight.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.... you were different.... you were.... charming. There¡¯s something about you when you¡¯re away from.... I don¡¯t know, maybe your title or something. You change,¡± I admitted, waiting for him to scoff at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to remember that,¡± he whispered conspiratorially and then we were interrupted.


    A little boy, maybe six years old, wearing only shorts made from old brown pants that were much too big for him, started tugging on Kiran¡¯s shirt. The little boy had thick waves of unruly dark hair that fell into his chocolate, oversized eyes. He brushed it away, irritated with the nuisance and tugged on Kiran¡¯s shirt again.


    Kiran bent over to give the little boy his full attention, speaking to him in fast Romanian, while the little boy lit up with all of Kiran¡¯s attention on him. Kiran laughed when the little boy talked back and I admired the difference in him for the second time tonight.


    Kiran¡¯s hair was loose tonight, pushed back out of his eyes, but nothing like the untamed dark hair of the gypsies that emanated an earthly attachment to their lifestyle. He wore a white-collared button-up shirt, rolled at the sleeves, and gray knee-length shorts, with designer sandals. He was casual but still managed to look polished and well-bred. Still, he looked at home near the campfire, in the middle of a gypsy village.


    The little boy asked him more questions, with which he answered in fast Romanian and an amused smile. When Kiran stood up and the little boy ran away, Kiran was still laughing.


    ¡°That was Emilian,¡± Kiran offered, watching the little boy run to his friends retelling them everything Kiran said.


    ¡°What did he ask you?¡± I couldn¡¯t hold back my curiosity, especially watching the excited way Emilian was talking with his friends.


    Kiran turned to me, his eyes growing just the tiniest bit darker. ¡°He wanted to know if you were my wife.¡± He smirked at me, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes and for some unexplainable reason my heart slammed into my chest.


    ¡°What is it with all these little kids?¡± I laughed, the sick feeling spreading from my heart to my stomach. I looked back at the animated Emilian as the other children laughed at his story. ¡°They are always trying to marry us off, I swear!¡±


    ¡°In his culture, we are too old not to be married. He¡¯s known me for a long a time, and I¡¯ve never brought a girl here before, so he naturally assumed I gave up my long life of bachelorhood,¡± Kiran joked, relaxing again.


    ¡°We¡¯re only seventeen!¡± I gasped, wondering how on earth seventeen was a long life of being single.


    ¡°And tonight we are attending the wedding feast for Pesha and Florika. Pesha is fourteen and Florika just turned thirteen,¡± Kiran explained seriously.


    ¡°You can''t be serious! They are too young to be married!¡± I gasped.


    ¡°Not in their culture,¡± Kiran reminded me. ¡°So you see, I am much too old to still be alone.¡±


    ¡°Well, what did Emilian say when you told him we weren¡¯t married?¡± Emilian had finished his retelling of his conversation with Kiran to his friends and now stood across the camp from me waving excitedly.


    ¡°He told me, that if I didn¡¯t marry you soon, he was going to win your heart and bring you back to his home and make you his wife.¡± Kiran turned to face me, somber and thoughtful so that I would take Emilian¡¯s decision seriously. I tried to hide my smile.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± I nodded along, ¡°and did you break his heart and tell him we¡¯re engaged?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not! He was so determined, I couldn¡¯t let him down. But he did say that if I married you first, he would never be able to even look at another woman because he would always compare their disappointing looks to your beauty.¡± Kiran took a step toward me, and my hands began to tremble just the slightest.


    ¡°You should have told him how easy it is to get over me!¡± I laughed nervously, trying to make a joke.


    Kiran opened his mouth to say something, something I was sure I didn¡¯t want to hear. I took a step back, wrapping my arms around myself and trying to tear my eyes away from the hypnotic gaze he had pulled me into.


    ¡°Finally!¡± an old woman with a crackly voice cried out and I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. ¡°You have finally brought her to me!¡±


    I turned then and greeted an old gypsy woman with violet eyes and a large gold nose ring. She was the same gypsy woman from the train last October. The same gypsy woman that promised me I would be the next Oracle.


    Chapter Eleven


    ¡°Yes, finally I have brought her to you,¡± Kiran agreed, slipping back into his relaxed smile. ¡°Eden, allow me to introduce you to Ileana Lovari, the Gypsy Queen.¡±


    The old woman, still dressed in her layers of rags and scarf that covered her wispy dark hair, stepped forward and grabbed my hand, clasping it tightly between hers while the dozens of gold bangles on her wrists jingled in harmony. Her violet eyes sparkled in the dark night and her face lit up with the same youthful mischief I remembered from the train.


    ¡°We¡¯ve met,¡± I mumbled and she gave out a cackling laugh that pierced through the loud music and laughter of the rest of the camp.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯ve met!¡± She danced excitedly from one foot to the other and I had to laugh with her.


    ¡°On my way to the Citadel last fall,¡± I explained to Kiran who looked between us with poorly masked amusement.


    ¡°But you did not look nearly so pretty!¡± She reminded me. She lifted a hand to my cheek and patted me roughly, her hand smacking against my cheek. I blushed, even under the red mark her hand left, from the memory of my greasy, tangled hair and my ill-fitting cruise wear. ¡°I wondered how you would win our prince¡¯s heart.¡±


    ¡°Ileana,¡± Kiran scolded, ¡°do you think I¡¯m so shallow?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, my dear, not at all,¡± She let go of me to grab Kiran¡¯s face roughly and pull him down for a wet kiss on the cheek. He looked at her for a moment, a silent thought passing between the two of them. ¡°Not shallow at all. But, I think, maybe there is more work than you hoped for.¡± She winked at him conspiratorially and then turned back to me.


    She linked her arm with mine and began pulling me toward a set of three folding chairs near the fire. Kiran patted my arm and informed me he was going to check on Sebastian and Talbott, whom we hadn¡¯t seen for a while. Ileana led me to my chair, while she took hers in the middle. The chairs very much reminded me of the throne room at the castle, only instead of gold, they were made from plastic. Still the reverence associated with them insinuated that this was a very special place of honor.

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    ¡°Queen of all the gypsies?¡± I asked, trying to find her magical current. Nothing about her felt human, her secret knowledge of things, her violet eyes, but at the same time, nothing felt Immortal about her either. She was a puzzle to me.


    ¡°Not all the gypsies!¡± She scolded, ¡°Only queen of my gypsies!¡± She flung her arms forward enthusiastically and then her outstretched hands swished back and forth in time to the music.


    That was not an explanation for me, but I smiled along as if I understood, assuming she meant just this village. People had started to dance near the music, and I watched as Sebastian and Kiran found partners to join them in a cultural dance that was expressive and fast. They swung their partners around, clapping on beat and then passing them off to another man just as eager to receive them. Talbott reluctantly was pulled in also and soon all three boys were laughing, breathing heavy and dancing the elaborate steps like experts.


    ¡°And so you would like to ask me a question,¡± Ileana broke our silence and my watchful stare of Kiran who had just lifted a young girl in a long peasant skirt by the waist, twirling her in a circle and then set her down only to pass her off to Talbott.


    ¡°Well, I guess, I do have a question....¡± I hesitated, not wanting to offend the Gypsy Queen. ¡°I cannot feel any magic in your blood, Ileana, but still I know you¡¯re not.... human.¡±


    She let out her crackling laugh that rang with ear-piercing pitch through the village. ¡°No, I am not human and I am glad that you noticed!¡± When I blushed in embarrassment, she continued, ¡°I am not Immortal either, I am both.¡± She let the novelty of what she said sink in and I turned to listen to her, hoping she would explain. ¡°My mother was a gypsy princess, and my father was an Immortal Witch. So you see, I am both.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Immortals married humans,¡± I said with rapt attention.


    ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± she snapped and her face tightened into an expression of hate totally out of character for her and absolutely terrifying to me, before relaxing back into the woman I recognized. ¡°My father and mother met in these mountains and fell in love. Their relationship was, of course, forbidden, but they had fallen for each other. There is nothing a man will not risk when he falls in love, isn¡¯t that true?¡± She turned to me, her violet eyes dancing in the firelight, and waited for my answer.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± I mumbled. I shifted uncomfortably under her direct stare and still she waited. ¡°It was true for my parents,¡± I finally conceded having the terrible feeling she wanted me to acknowledge Kiran.


    ¡°That is true,¡± she answered happily. ¡°So, my parents, much like yours, married in secret, and my father left the Citadel. At that time, he had been at school with your king. They were happy here. They were free. When your king found my father months later, the Guards killed him. In front of this village, they killed him. But they left my mother alone, for it is not intended that Immortals kill Mortals, even your monstrous kings believe that. She did not know she was pregnant at that time. And when she birthed me, half human, half Immortal, she raised me here. I am close to both people here, but I only belong to one. Just like you, Eden, you feel more human than Immortal, I think, but you do not belong in this world. No, child, you are an Immortal.¡±


    I sat back and thought about her words. She was right, I felt more human than Immortal. Thrust into a world I hardly understood and expected to live a fairytale life I could barely take seriously, my feet stayed grounded in the human world. But my blood resonated with magic and my heart beat in tune with a people I scarcely knew. I would be their leader one day, it was time to let go of my bond with humanity.


    Well, my bond with everything but Aunt Syl.


    ¡°Does Lucan know about you now?¡± I asked, wondering how he would treat her if he did. I knew he did not hurt humans, no Immortal did. As far as Immortals were concerned we shared the same planet, but their existence was sacred and our destinies never needed to intertwine. Well, until me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s heard rumors, and I cannot be the only one out there like me, but he leaves this village alone now. He got what he came for more than a hundred years ago; there has been no reason to come back. I am half human after all,¡± she admitted sadly.


    ¡°If Lucan hasn¡¯t been back, then how did Kiran come to know your village so well?¡± I questioned as I watched in disbelief as he danced with an elderly woman who was keeping a very fast tempo. He pretended to struggle to keep up with her, and at the same time treated her very gently, with the absolute care and respect.


    ¡°Amory started bringing the prince and his bodyguard here when they were just little things, barely up to my knees. After Lucan released Amory and they signed their truce, Amory visited the castle and our village often. When the prince was born, Amory made regular journeys to spend time with him and as he grew, Amory included him in everything he did while he stayed in Romania.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean my grandfather? Amory?¡± I gasped in disbelief. Neither Kiran nor Amory had ever mentioned that they spent so much time together or that their relationship existed before Kingsley.


    ¡°Yes, your grandfather, of course!¡± She slapped my knee as if I were being ridiculous. ¡°Kiran grew up worshiping Amory, following him around like a shadow when he was here. This village is as much a part of Kiran¡¯s childhood as that old castle is.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true!¡± I argued, forgetting my manners.


    ¡°Now is the time to get to know him, Oracle,¡± she answered me with patience. ¡°There is much to learn before you decide how to end this. Much to discover.¡±


    I stayed silent for a few minutes, thinking over her story. I couldn¡¯t believe that Kiran ever respected Amory as much as she claimed. Kiran was the reason my grandfather was dead, the reason Amory sacrificed his life! Besides, if their relationship was so strong, why hadn¡¯t they ever told me about it? Why hadn¡¯t I heard one memory from either of them that included the other? It didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°But you will rise to the throne. You will end Lucan, yes?¡± She asked more as a command than a question.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I promised. I could have answered with uncertainty, or explained my difficult situation, but there was no doubt left in me that I would be the one to kill Lucan and end his tyranny.


    ¡°Good,¡± she whispered with dark ferociousness. Her face hardened and I could see the years of hatred, the years of desired revenge for the death of her father. I agreed with her. I felt her pain and then I added her injustice to the long list of others for reasons this war was being fought.


    ¡°Enough business for tonight!¡± She exclaimed. She jumped to her feet with the spryness of youth and I laughed aloud at her energy. ¡°You are too beautiful to keep company with an ugly old hag! You must dance!¡±


    I started to protest, but she pulled me out of my chair with surprising strength and shoved me into the crowd of dancers. The large group danced with their arms around each other in a circle around the bonfire. Their feet moved in intricate steps, twisting around each other and back and forth before they would reverse directions and the entire circle would jerk to a stop, clap their hands and then begin again in the opposite direction.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand, I can¡¯t dance!¡± I shrieked as she tried to pass me off into a dark-eyed, shirtless teenager¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± she laughed at me. ¡°First you need tuica!¡± She snapped her fingers and motioned to a group of men passing around a clay pitcher, drinking from the lip of it.


    ¡°I need what?¡± I asked, horrified as she passed the bottle to me, lifting it to my lips.


    ¡°Tuica! Drink!¡± she commanded.


    I tipped the pitcher, intending to just taste the mysterious liquid, but she bumped the bottom of the jug so that it flowed forcefully into my mouth. I swallowed the burning liquid hinting of dried fruit, choked on the powerful liquor. The incredibly strong gypsy moonshine brought tears to my eyes and sent a shiver down my back. I glanced back at the dancers who were now moving in foursomes with elbows linked in complex patterns and elaborate lifts and spins and brought the tuica back to my mouth, gulping down more than I could handle.


    I passed the pitcher back to the men, wiping my hand savagely against my mouth while they laughed at me. I took a big breath and then walked into the crowd of dancers hoping magic would lead the way. The tuica warmed my blood and made me dizzy, giving me courage that I did not entirely trust. But I smiled from the adventure of the night and sought out Sebastian bravely.


    Before I could reach Sebastian, a curly-haired gypsy youth stepped in front of me, picking me off the ground and lifting me in the circle the dance required. I grabbed his shoulders, laughing at the absurdity of being swung about. He set me down at the appropriate time and then passed me off into the arms of another young gypsy.


    I tried to keep time and follow along, but I was helplessly awful. The only thing I was good at was holding tightly to whichever male was twirling me in the air. It was fun though and soon I was laughing and having a good time. The music ended with the crowd clapping their hands and shouting ¡°Oompa,¡± in a joyful, unified voice, but started immediately with the low, melancholy excitement that made my blood pump faster.


    I turned to find another willing partner, hoping to find someone patient and slow, when I bumped into Kiran who was just about to tap me on the shoulder. He smiled at me, his eyes full of delight and took my hands before I could protest.


    We danced wildly with the music. He gently pushed me into the right place and then lifted and spun me with practiced care. He laughed at my missteps until we were both out of breath and unable to keep up with the quickness of the dance. Tears of laughter fell from my eyes until he led me by the hand to the side where we sat down and rested for a little bit, letting the hilarity subside.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m just awful!¡± I sighed, leaning in to him and nudging him with my shoulder.


    ¡°You really are!¡± he agreed, still laughing.


    Someone walked by and handed Kiran a pitcher of tuica which he took and said a few words in Romanian. He offered the pitcher to me and I politely accepted, taking a small drink. The liquid burned my throat and heated my stomach, but it was not altogether bad. I passed it back to Kiran and he took a long swig of it, quenching his thirst.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I gushed genuinely. ¡°Thank you for bringing me here.¡±


    He didn''t reply; he just looked at me. He leaned forward on his elbows that rested on bent knees, with his head cocked my way, just looking at me. I felt his decision to say something to me. His eyes flickered with a burning desire to share something with me and I held my breath in anticipation.


    ¡°Eden....¡± he started and then paused reluctantly. He leaned toward me, and reached out to my glowing tattoo that became exposed during the dancing. ¡°I, uh, this is my most favorite place to come.¡±


    I let out a long breath of relief, and I knew my eyes showed my obvious concern for what I thought was going to be shared. He turned away from me, leaning his forehead against his knees, staring down at the ground. I felt bad for a moment, just one moment and then I saw the knowing smile on his lips. He knew what he was doing to me, making me worry. This was still a game to him. I was still a game to him.

 Page 19

    ¡°I can see why,¡± I agreed honestly. ¡°This village is magical.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the gypsy village is magical,¡± he answered sarcastically. ¡°Not the castle you are currently living in that is actually magic.¡± He lifted his eyes to meet mine and I paused for a moment, unsure what to make of his expression. I thought he would be amused, entertained by the continuance of his games, but he wasn''t. His smile was there, but his eyes were disappointed, frustrated even.


    ¡°Definitely not the castle!¡± I argued. ¡°I am pretty sure that castle is the seventh circle of hell.¡±


    ¡°You might be right,¡± he sighed. ¡°How are we going to get you out of here?¡± He sounded exasperated; he threw his head back to admire the stars and groaned with an amused laughter. ¡°Do you think Jericho is lying on his death bed like I did after you left? Or just pining away, hoping one day you''ll walk back into his life and forget all about this crazy war?¡±


    I stayed silent for a minute, not knowing what to make of Kiran''s questions or even how to respond to them. I decided to avoid direct answers all together because I got the distinct impression that his questions were actually insults. ¡°Why did you almost die after we broke up?¡±


    He laughed a derisive, angry laugh and then stood to his feet. He offered me his hands with a look of pure contempt altering his good-natured face. Out of growing anxiety, I let him have my hands. He pulled me to my feet a little roughly and when I stumbled forward, he caught me in his arms, holding me firmly close to him.


    ¡°Your magic, Eden, is rather addicting,¡± he whispered with a raspy voice. ¡°You promise immortality and then you rip it from us leaving mankind helpless victims in your aftermath. And then you expect us to recover as if we can breathe without you.¡±


    ¡°I hope you''re not including Jericho in this fantasy,¡± I spat, wrenching my arms out of his tight grasp.


    ¡°Absolutely. Your adoring eyes have already moved beyond him. You''re not capable of true love, Eden. Only convenient relationships that further your purpose.¡± His entire body accused me, from his glaring eyes to his clenched fists. ¡°If Jericho isn''t bedridden, then maybe he is the lucky one. Maybe he lost you before it was too late.¡±


    ¡°Don''t talk to me like that!¡± I demanded in a low growl. I crossed my arms and swallowed my fear. I felt the defiance flaring in my blood as strong as any magic ever had, but Kiran''s cool belief in his own words shook me, terrified me. And so I retaliated, ¡°I loved you once. I loved you with everything that I was. Everything that I was capable of, in the truest sense of love. And you betrayed me. Or have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°How could I forget when you accuse me with every one of your looks, every word that comes out of your mouth? I am fully aware of exactly how I betrayed you and you will never let me forget it, no matter how I beg for your forgiveness.¡± Kiran''s voice grew quieter, his words ringing painfully true to the core of my being.


    ¡°As long as we agree,¡± I conceded, narrowing my eyes at him.


    Sebastian joined us, approaching from the dark void beyond the fire. His eyes were squinted with anxiety and he glanced nervously between us as if we were both about to explode.


    ¡°It''s about time to go, isn''t it?¡± Sebastian approached Kiran carefully.


    Kiran glanced down at his watch and then stalked away from us mumbling something about giving his best to the bride and groom.


    ¡°I hope he doesn''t try to give them any marital advice,¡± Sebastian joked, but I couldn''t find the humor so I stood silently next to him. ¡°He doesn''t mean it,¡± he defended his cousin. He placed a comforting hand on my arm and I leaned in to him and rested my forehead on his shoulder, thankful for his friendship.


    ¡°He''s right though,¡± I admitted. Sebastian must have heard us, and I couldn''t deny the facts. I did blame Kiran. And he would never have my forgiveness.


    ¡°I mean how angry he gets, he doesn''t mean that,¡± Sebastian insisted, putting an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into a half-hug. ¡°He''s a prince, and a spoiled one at that, and he''s used to having everything handed to him. You know for a minute I thought you two were falling in love again.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± I let out a scathing bark of laughter; but that insistent look on Kiran''s face, the decision I watched him make blazed in my memory. Before I had held my breath in fear, before my eyes became wild and afraid. ¡°Oh my goodness, is everyone in your family delusional?¡± I asked sarcastically, shaking those thoughts from my mind.


    ¡°Yes, I''m afraid so,¡± he conceded laughingly.


    I looked up at Sebastian from his shoulder, his golden brown hair lay perfectly styled on his handsome head and his golden brown eyes sparkled at me with the constant amusement he seemed to live with. Objectively he was almost as good-looking as Kiran and had the same pompous air of royalty. Only, I liked Sebastian.


    ¡°Did Amory really bring Kiran here?¡± I ventured. I didn''t want to think good of Kiran, and I certainly didn''t want to link him with memories of my grandfather, but I couldn''t get Ileana''s words out of my head. They rang with resounding curiosity that Amory could have been closer with Kiran than he was with me. The thought made my stomach churn from violent recollection that Kiran was responsible for Amory''s death. At the same time, I couldn''t completely dispel the notion that if Kiran held some childish hero-worship for Amory than he would be as heartbroken as I was.


    ¡°Amory brought us all here,¡± Sebastian confessed, sighing despondently remembering the grief. ¡°He would come to the Citadel just to spend time with Kiran, just to take him away from the castle. Now that I''m older, I realize he was taking Kiran away from his father too. Amory loved Kiran, and Talbott and even me. I suppose Amory felt like he failed at making Lucan a better man, so he was determined to try again with Kiran.¡±


    ¡°Too bad he failed there too,¡± I sighed, wishing Amory had spent more time with me growing up than the man eventually responsible for his death.


    ¡°Did he fail, though?¡± Sebastian asked carefully. ¡°He obviously approved of your relationship, so he must have believed he did something right.¡±


    ¡°Something right? He got himself killed.¡± I spat bitterly.


    ¡°Don''t forget, Eden, it was Lucan that took Amory''s life, not Kiran.¡± Sebastian stepped away from me as if that opinion of mine were disgusting.


    Kiran appeared then, with Talbott by his side. Talbott still had half a smile on his face; he clearly enjoyed the evening. But Kiran''s eyes were dark with anger and his jaw twitched with impatience.


    ¡°Talbott will take you back to the castle, Eden. Sebastian and I have business to attend to,¡± Kiran declared.


    The two of them turned away from me and I got the distinct impression that neither one of them could stand me right now. I likewise turned away from them and followed Talbott back to the motorcycles wanting very much to jump on one of the abandoned bikes and get the hell out of here. My magic ached with the impulse to flee, but I repressed the desire.


    I was utterly determined to win this war and save as many Immortals as I could. If I left tonight, Lucan would murder everyone he could tomorrow morning. I had no choice but to stay. No other option. And if being held against my will by threat of extreme genocide wasn''t enough, my engagement party was tomorrow night.


    My engagement party.


    That I had to attend with my fianc¨¦.


    And pretend to love.


    Chapter Twelve


    More gowns. More silk. More stilettos. More makeup. More. More. More.


    The thought of changing into my engagement gown and putting on a happy, adoring, in-love face in front of hundreds of Immortals I didn''t even know made my skin crawl. I was a puppet. A plastic mannequin that was put on display for Lucan''s own sinister plot to manipulate the kingdom. I faced the elegant black evening dress with a halter top, and a pencil thin racer back that met the waistline at the lowest possible point on my back before it became indecent. The soft silk shimmered in the light and the full skirt flowed effortlessly on the hanger.


    How dare he dress me up like a doll to show off to company and flatter his son''s arm!


    Still what choice did I have?


    Kiran would be here in a half an hour to escort me to our party, our engagement party where everyone important in the kingdom would toast to our happiness and congratulate our endless love. I shivered at the thought, at the fake smile I needed to plaster on my face and at the puppy-dog eyes I needed to follow Kiran with until we both threw up from the audacity of it.


    I realized in that moment how important I was to Lucan. He put up with my tempestuous defiance and the embarrassment of scorning Seraphina not once, but twice. My grandfather had been an important member of this community, a pillar that existed in this realm before anything else. And I was Amory Saint¡¯s granddaughter.


    The next Oracle.


    Surely more people than just the Resistance and Lucan knew that; there must be people who might believe it to be true, but were afraid of the consequences of what it meant. Still, Lucan had paired me with his son as though I might provide a true immortal bloodline for the Kendrick name and save Kiran from the death Lucan had eluded, because of the murder of my own grandfather.


    I took a step forward, toward the gown and pulled it from the hanger. Avalon remained a rumor. His presence as Lucan''s prisoner kept somewhat of a secret and for those that heard the whispers about Lucan''s magicless prisoner they were afraid to believe the truth of where his magic had gone.


    But they knew who I was.


    One look at me and doubt would vanish. I was a replica of my mother: my dark, tangled hair, my onyx eyes, too big for my face, every part of me, down to my defiance of everything royal.


    I was Delia''s daughter. Amory''s granddaughter. And I stood on Kiran''s arm as the future queen of our kingdom.


    Lucan planned on showing me off as his next conquest, the next jewel in his bloodstained crown. But his pride was his downfall.


    His pride would be his downfall.


    I tipped my chin up and pulled the dress down with determination. Twenty minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom looking every bit as glamorous as Lucan could have hoped for. My hair braided in a loose fish-tail braid with stray curls framing my face, casually hiding my tattoo. I kept my makeup simple and fresh, afraid the black of the dress and the black of my eyes would overpower my face. I stepped into tall black stilettos and admired myself in the mirror.


    The knock at the door signaled Kiran had arrived to pick me up; I opened the door for him and stepped back so that he could admire my work tonight. He stood there for a moment, frozen in the doorway, but he didn''t say anything. He just looked.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± I asked awkwardly, feeling as though he should be the one asking me.


    ¡°Uh, almost,¡± he grunted, sweeping past me in a crisp gray suit with a royal blue shirt, that brought out the ever-changing color of his eyes, open at the collar. ¡°I have something for you. Actually, a couple of things for you.¡±


    I gave him a look of curiosity but then noticed two black velvet boxes in his hand. Before revealing what was in either one, he took a tiny key from his pocket and nodded to my handcuffs.


    ¡°Oh, thank God,¡± I sighed, happy I wouldn''t have to try to make clunky silver half-handcuffs look fashionable tonight.

 Page 20

    ¡°Listen, Eden,¡± Kiran began. He took a step forward and my outstretched hand into his to unfasten the handcuff, ¡°I wanted to apologize for last night. We were having a fantastic time and I picked a fight with you. I''m sorry for that.¡±


    I looked up, surprised by the sincerity in his voice and relaxed a little. ¡°I forgive you,¡± I conceded with the tone of a true diplomat. ¡°I also apologize, for letting you antagonize me. I really should know better.¡±


    ¡°You really should,¡± he mumbled, trying to hide his amusement. He took my other hand in his and unlocked that handcuff as well.


    I rubbed at my wrists, thinking they should be raw or tired, but thankful to find neither true. Kiran reached for the first velvet box he had set on the bed and opened it for me. Inside was a gorgeous bracelet, twelve rows wide, of tiny black diamond studs that glimmered in the light.


    Kiran showed it to me in the box, before taking it out and offering it for my hand. I let him clasp it around my wrist, wondering at its shimmering beauty and exorbitant price tag. I had never worn anything that expensive in my life.


    ¡°It''s stunning,¡± I gasped, holding up my hand to better light.


    ¡°Eden, it''s full of the same magic that those handcuffs have, so at least try to pretend that it bothers you around my father,¡± Kiran chided. I whirled on him, expecting him to be angry or that I would need to defend myself, but he was already reaching for the other box trying to hide traces of laughter from his face.


    ¡°I''ll try.¡± I gritted my teeth in irritation, although I couldn''t be sure if I was irritated with his flippant attitude or Lucan''s ugly, manipulative schemes to hide the fact that I was a prisoner.


    ¡°Don''t be angry when I open this next box,¡± Kiran warned. His jaw clenched and the look in his aquamarine eyes told me he was bracing himself for a fight. ¡°I asked Sebastian to pass the word along to Titus, who in turn asked your brother, who then asked Sylvia if she could return the onyx necklace and your engagement ring. So, Sylvia passed the jewels along to Avalon who passed them along to Titus who recently found a way to smuggle them to Sebastian. That is how they got here, there is no reason for you to panic or accuse me of violating your trust or Sylvia''s house and so forth and so on,¡± Kiran explained in a droll voice that demonstrated his distaste for my protective spirit over Aunt Syl and my family.


    ¡°If only I believed you,¡± I mumbled, even though I did.


    I suspected Kiran called my bluff too because instead of arguing with me, he opened the box and removed the ring and necklace. He handed me the necklace and I slipped it over my head automatically, the dark pendant falling in between the low-cut neckline of my gown and matching perfectly with the soft silk of my bodice.


    ¡°If you don''t mind....¡± Kiran stepped closer to me and I instinctively drew my hand behind my back. ¡°It feels more believable if you let me put it on,¡± Kiran explained.


    With mild hesitation, I offered my hand which he took into his own. A shaky, measured breath exhaled from him and he slipped the ring onto my finger. For a moment, I was taken back to the first time he gave me this ring, alone in his apartment, laying on the floor together, the perfect evening and all the love in the world.


    A few hours later that memory turned into a cruel nightmare and I lost everything I loved.


    Although I got some of what I loved back and even more if you count Jericho, Kiran''s betrayal would never be forgotten. The pain of that night and the ensuing nights would never go away. Even through this humiliating charade tonight, I would not forget how Kiran used my love to manipulate and then betray me.


    I tried to mask the contempt I felt for the large emerald glistening on my ring finger. It represented something far worse than handcuffs or a tracking necklace; this was something of emotional value that I let define my future. The ring defined me.


    I cleared my throat and Kiran stepped away from me, dropping my hand that he had held so gently. He looked up at me, recognized the traces of disgust I desperately tried to hide, and smiled ruefully.


    ¡°Let''s go so we can get this over with.¡± He held out his elbow to me and I hooked my arm with his, allowing him to lead me out of his room and down the winding staircase.


    ¡°Kiran, I know this might sound weird coming from me....¡± Kiran tensed next to me, waiting for whatever trivial thing I chose to argue with him about this time. ¡°I just, I''m new to all of this, and I need to know if there are any like rules or mannerism things I need to know about. I don''t want to embarrass you,¡± I finished sincerely, thinking of Lucan''s much needed approval.


    Kiran paused at the base of the staircase and looked at me like I had been abducted by aliens. ¡°You don''t want to embarrass me?¡±


    ¡°Come on, I''m taking this seriously! From this point on, I am the doting, adoring fianc¨¦. You can trust me,¡± I whispered, already taking on the affectionate tone I used with him once upon a time.


    Kiran hesitated. I watched him shift uncomfortably back and forth, unnerved by my dedication to the role. ¡°Of course,¡± he agreed in a throaty voice. ¡°I don''t think there is much to know that you don''t already know. Curtsy to my mother and father the first time you are presented to them, but after that there is no need to continue curtsying. Tonight is only an hors d''oeuvres reception so as far as food goes, just don''t pick anything up with your hands. Always eat everything, no matter how small or inconvenient, in several bites with your knife and fork. Other than that, no one will bow or curtsy to you or anything and you are free to talk with anyone that is at the reception because they are all invited guests.¡±


    ¡°Sounds easy enough,¡± I agreed, feeling a small amount of the pressure of the night lift. ¡°But you aren''t going to leave me, right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kiran smiled, lifting his arm for me to take it. ¡°I won''t leave you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, one more thing!¡± I remembered enthusiastically. ¡°How often should I, uh, kiss you?¡±


    ¡°Pardon me?¡± Kiran asked, his eyes flashing with mirth at my expense.


    My voice dropped and my face flushed with embarrassment, ¡°You know.... because we''re in love, how much kissing is, um, acceptable?¡±


    ¡°That depends,¡± Kiran answered shyly. ¡°How often are you planning on kissing me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d better practice,¡± I decided. I pulled Kiran into the nearest set of brass doors.


    I had unknowingly picked the empty courtroom. The large room was perfectly still and quiet. I jumped when the doors thudded closed behind us and turned to Kiran who stared at me with a mixture of shock and pure amusement.


    The still-setting sun flooded the room with soft, dusk-like light through the stained glass windows that took up one whole wall of the hexagonal room. The golden thrones facing us glittered in the dancing light, looking less judgmental and infinitely more alluring. I had the sudden urge to sit in Lucan''s seat but suppressed it, knowing we were going to be late to our own party if I didn''t get down to business.


    I tore my eyes away from the box where the accused sat to be judged, expecting to feel anger at the very purpose of this room. But instead, I slowly admitted to myself that this room held very fond memories for me. This was the room Kiran had stepped up to protect me in, begging Amory to help me escape. In the room just off this one, he had kissed me, a kiss so fierce, so passionate, that I spent the next several hours on the run with only his kiss to fuel my plight. In this room I realized that my feelings for him were love. True love. Even if that love was immature and misguided, as I''d come to believe it was, it was still love. And I recognized it here.


    ¡°Are we really going to practice kissing, Eden?¡± Kiran inquired sarcastically, bringing my attention back to his expectant turquoise eyes. ¡°Surely, it cannot be that hard to remember!¡±


    ¡°Not like make-out kissing!¡± I hissed, slapping his bicep playfully. ¡°I need to know what''s acceptable in front of all your.... our.... guests. And I want to make sure I react¡­. appropriately.¡± I couldn¡¯t say out loud that I didn¡¯t want to recoil from his touch, disgusted and angry in front of everyone important in the kingdom.


    Kiran started to protest, but I was determined to walk into this party prepared. The entire time I had known I was Immortal had been a series of events that I was never prepared for and most of the time off the mark.


    ¡°I mean, is it Ok to kiss you during the party?¡± I asked, suddenly wondering if maybe I should refrain from physical affection all together. ¡°Because if it isn''t-¡±


    ¡°No, it''s perfectly fine,¡± Kiran assured me. ¡°One might even say it''s expected from a couple that is supposed to be so in love as us.¡±


    ¡°That''s what I thought,¡± I agreed and decided to just jump right in. ¡°So, I was thinking something like this might be acceptable and affectionate enough....¡± I linked my arm with his again, pretending to stand how we would most likely be standing during the party. I leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek, letting my lips linger against his soft skin and hard jawline.


    Kiran''s magic soared next to me. I felt it take off away from him in a swirling frenzy of surprise. He cleared his throat and looked down at the ground before explaining, ¡°The magic is part of it, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± I nodded enthusiastically, remembering how our magic used to seek each other out and connect in a palpable way. ¡°Good thinking.¡±


    I turned my body into him, and he slipped his arm around my waist naturally. I stepped forward on my tiptoes, kissing his ear lobe and neck gently, shyly. He jerked a little bit, from the tickling sensation of my breath hot against his neck and we laughed, our magics mingling in a casual truce around us.


    I reached over and put my hand on his waist, turning my body into him completely. I dipped my face into his neck, a little mortified from our practice, but more dreading the hours of this ahead of us and groaned softly. His skin, hot against my face, felt comforting and familiar and for the first time since the first night we got engaged I inhaled his herbal, masculine scent. Electricity burst to life underneath my skin, racing through my blood in an angry protest of longing. His hand began to shake against my back, holding it back from pressing me against him and I realized for the first time I had taken us into dangerous territory.


    Too familiar with each other, casual touches could easily become so much more out of the habit we built when there was actual love between us. I lifted my head, forcing my cheek from the curve of where his neck met his shoulder and breathed evenly, trying to protect my pride and my insistence to practice.


    ¡°So, stuff like that is all Ok?¡± I asked casually.


    ¡°Yep,¡± he answered and the tremor in his voice was unmistakable. ¡°Yes, all of that is perfectly acceptable.¡±


    I stepped away from him and the canyon between us felt like a million miles. I smiled bravely at him and he returned mine with a courageous one of his own. He withdrew his hand from my waist and walked to the brass door leading out into the hallway and held it open for me.


    We walked in silence the rest of the way, not bothering to link arms until we were out the castle doors and a few steps from the main square of the Citadel. I marveled at the plaza that on regular days was just an open square with a cobblestone ground.

 Page 21

    Tonight, it was an elegant venue, trendy and modern. The rough, ancient ground was covered with a sharp bamboo overlay that expanded across the length of the piazza with a busy dance floor in the middle. A sheer white tent, with open sides, positioned just over the dance floor glimmered from a brushed silver chandelier hung from the raised center.


    A jazz band played soft, upbeat music on a stage set off the dance floor where several couples danced under the twilight sky. Cocktail tables encircled the inner boarders of the plaza, with delectable appetizer trays interspersed among them. The tables were covered with long, sheer, silver tablecloths and on each was an antique pewter pitcher turned into a vase with cascades of white lilies that dripped down the sides in a lavish arrangement. Hundreds of floating silver and white lanterns hung overhead, suspended magically at varying heights. More silver lanterns scattered the boarder of the plaza intending to light up the sky when the sun set on the long summer day.


    I gasped at the unexpected beauty of the party and felt Kiran lean in closer, pressing his smiling lips against my hair in a perfect production of a future groom utterly content with the evening ahead.


    On our arrival the gathered Immortals, intending to celebrate our upcoming nuptials, turned to us and began clapping out of joyful anticipation. I smiled at them, playing the part of the blushing bride. Kiran pulled me with him into the square and when the applause continued with more intensity, he looked at me, his turquoise eyes blazing.


    ¡°We didn''t practice this,¡± he whispered, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me against his chest.


    I wanted to demand an explanation before he tried anything that hadn''t been previously discussed between us, but I couldn''t vocalize my concerns against the hypnotic effect of his eyes. He smiled at me, a gentle smile that asked for my trust, before his hand slid up my bare back and he dipped me in his arms while simultaneously pressing his lips against mine in a fevered kiss meant for couples on the brink of eternal bliss.


    The crowd broke out into exhaustive clapping, but I forgot about them. My mind fought against the heady, loss of senses his hand splayed across my bare skin induced. His lips moved against mine in an invitation for me to open my mouth completely and lose myself in the moment. I hesitated for a second, trying to find my equilibrium. My magic had already met his somewhere beyond my body and it was reacquainting itself with Kiran''s electricity against my will.


    Kiran drew me up closer to him and I knew it was a plea to cooperate in front of such a large crowd, so with an inexcusable sigh that sounded more like a gentle moan, I opened my mouth to his. In front of his father and the rest of the kingdom, Kiran publicly claimed me as his bride-to-be with an innocent kiss that when it was finished left me feeling guilty and compromised. But more so, I felt moved, as if I just lived through a religious experience not meant for anything less than angels. Never mind that my hands started to tremble and my breathing was drastically uneven.


    When it was finished, when we stood together in front of the crowd, with my cheeks flamed red and the proud smirk across Kiran''s face, I realized, pretending or not, I could never let that happen again.


    In that moment I had forgotten my grandfather, and the war, and everything I was working for. In Kiran''s arms, with his body pressed against mine, I had been pushed into another universe, where only we existed, where only a love that died months ago ruled our lives and our hearts.


    I slipped my hand into Kiran''s and pressed my body against his as though my actions were born of the natural inclination to never leave his side. He pulled me forward to greet his father, but not before he turned to give me an encouraging smile. His eyes flashed with terror and uncertainty, the acute knowledge that everything I feared and felt resonated inside him too.


    I swallowed difficultly and then searched for courage. I just had to get through tonight. I just had to keep up the pretense of this for a little while longer.


    I could figure the rest out tomorrow.


    Chapter Thirteen


    ¡°You gave us quite the scare with your illness, Pprince,¡± the African Regent, a tall, thick man with pure midnight skin and forest green eyes, laughed. He looked over Kiran with a mixture of mistrust and fatherly concern.


    ¡°Yes, I''m told it was rather terrible. I hardly remember anything, to be honest,¡± Kiran smiled encouragingly at his loyal subject. The noble and dignitary were discussing the drastic decline in Kiran¡¯s health after he and I broke up. I still didn''t understand why he nearly died after I removed my magic from him, but nevertheless, I had broken into the London palace last April to finish the job the disease began and instead found myself saving him. ¡°Except of course, Eden. I remember Eden.¡± Kiran turned his attention and the full force of his intense gaze on me. I let him pull me closer, our magics intertwining like clasped hands around us. ¡°She was my savior,¡± he finished softly.


    I cleared my throat, desperately trying not to let Kiran sweep me away with his pretend sweetness. I felt foolish and naive from the effect his attention had on me tonight. We had circled the crowd for hours, his hands never leaving me, his magic never untangling from mine and his eyes always searching mine out to make sure I felt the force of his love. A love that didn''t exist.


    I grew angry just thinking about my immature feelings. Why couldn''t I remember his sins against me, or my meaningful, albeit difficult, long-distance relationship with Jericho? Even Kiran''s magic was irritating tonight. As happy as my own seemed to be locked away in the folds of his electricity, his magic felt different from what I remembered. It was lighter more full of life, and frustratingly more alluring than it ever had been before.


    ¡°I think your father would like to speak to you,¡± I lied. Suddenly, I needed a break. I needed to separate myself from him for just a little while and breathe.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked, catching my deception.


    ¡°Yes, absolutely. He probably just wants to speak to you for a few minutes,¡± I explained. I hoped he would take the hint. I tried pleading silently with my eyes and when he still seemed reluctant to leave, I leaned forward kissing him on the cheek. ¡°I''ll explain later,¡± I whispered in a slightly panicked voice.


    ¡°If you''ll excuse me, then,¡± he nodded to the African Regent and then walked off, leaving us alone.


    I shifted awkwardly on my feet, realizing my timing might not have been the best as I stood alone with the imposing Immortal politician, but I smiled anyway.


    ¡°So,¡± Solomon Camera started, his voice booming and demanding, ¡°You are who they say you are.¡± He stated a fact, not a question. I understood why Lucan appointed this large, muscular man in charge of all of Africa. Besides his physically dominating presence, he commanded the attention of those around him with a quiet strength that demanded obedience, yet he radiated a charisma that defied his overpowering virility. I also believed that Lucan would only promote those that he believed were truly loyal to him, so this man must be one of his most loyal subjects.


    Although there was Amory....


    The phrase, ¡°Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer,¡± came to mind. Still, I didn''t know Solomon Camera. I never heard Avalon or Jericho or anybody mention him. I knew the Resistance kept spies all over the kingdom in all of kinds of royal positions, but there was no possible way for me to know if he was Resistance without seeing his tattoo. Besides, if he was Resistance, he would know who I was with certainty.


    ¡°Who do they say I am?¡± I asked, side-stepping his direct insinuation.


    ¡°They say you are Delia''s daughter, is this true?¡± Solomon narrowed his forest green eyes at me.


    I looked down at the bracelet Kiran gave me, the one that was supposed to interfere with my magic but didn''t. I twirled it around my wrist, running my fingers across the dozens of stones, wondering how much trouble I was about to get myself into.


    ¡°That is true,¡± I conceded. ¡°I am her daughter.¡±


    Solomon stared at me for a moment, his face clouding with emotion that I couldn''t read. His eyes narrowed into something like anger, but his lips twisted into what I considered a smile of triumph. He considered me for a moment, a long moment in which I fidgeted under his searching stare. And then he lifted his gaze across the plaza and signaled someone with the slightest nod of the head.


    I cleared my throat and crossed my arms. This was it. I said something I wasn''t supposed to and at any minute Lucan was going to have a prisoner brought to center stage to be murdered. I mentally calculated the exits from the plaza, ready to grab whoever they decided to sacrifice and attempt to run for it.


    A middle-aged lady in perfect shape approached us. She was black like Solomon, with silky ebony skin and muscular arms, defined to perfection and resting casually against her white ivory cocktail dress. She carried a champagne glass in one hand, and hooked her other through Solomon''s bent elbow.


    ¡°Eden, may I introduce you to my wife, Zaphira.¡± Solomon gestured between us. Zaphira stretched out a muscular but elegant hand and shook mine with warm affection. Solomon continued, ¡°Eden is Delia''s daughter.¡±


    I flinched, ready for more attention to be called to me, but Zaphira only commented nonchalantly, ¡°If you are Delia''s daughter, then how on earth are you engaged to a prince?¡±


    ¡°I, um....¡± I wasn''t sure how to answer her. I couldn''t tell her I wasn''t really engaged to Kiran. At the same time I couldn''t betray my mother and lie about being in love with Kiran. I glanced around, wishing I hadn''t sent Kiran away and then decided to tell the truth, well half the truth, ¡°Kiran and I met at Kingsley, before I knew that he was a prince.¡±


    ¡°Before you knew that he was a prince?¡± Zaphira lost her composure, and leaned forward not believing me.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I should be more embarrassed of my history,¡± I stumbled through another half-truth. I wasn''t embarrassed at all about how I was raised, but I was definitely embarrassed that I fell in love with Kiran and in essence got myself into this whole mess. ¡°I was raised by a human guardian. It wasn''t until recently that I was introduced into Immortal society. I don''t know my mother, or my father.¡± Another half truth, I met them once, but still, I don''t really know them.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Solomon gasped.


    ¡°Believe me, I ask myself that question every day....¡± I smiled and tried to play off the truth with casual amusement, but Solomon and Zaphira just stared at me in the strangest way.


    I turned my head again, searching for Kiran. I hoped he was watching me somewhere and if I kept looking for him, maybe he would get the hint. I craned my neck over the crowd, making a desperate search of the plaza and then froze at the sound of both Solomon and Zaphira gasping.


    My tattoo. In my effort to find Kiran, I exposed my tattoo.


    Dang it.


    I swirled my head back around to face them, intending to find a polite excuse to leave and find Kiran. But when I faced them Solomon''s expression turned into pure joy, as if I were a miracle playing out before him and Zaphira''s eyes were wet with tears. She stretched her elegant hand forward, carefully lifting my hair and examining the tattoo.


    ¡°It can''t be,¡± she whispered in reverent consideration.


    I lifted my hand quickly to my hair and brushed it over the glowing mark. I knew there would be trouble now. Lucan knew about the tattoo, but trusted me to keep it hidden. When he found out I showed it not just to his subjects, but his employees, he was sure to overreact.

 Page 22

    ¡°That''s not what you think it is,¡± I gushed, finding a place on the ground to stare at.


    ¡°Amory tried to convince me that change was coming, that we had a chance. But I didn''t believe him. And then he was gone....¡± Solomon trailed off, staring at the place on my neck where the tattoo hid beneath thick layers of hair.


    ¡°And if you are Delia''s daughter....¡± Zaphira filled in a blank.


    I watched their eyes put the pieces together. Amory spoke with them before he died about the Resistance, about a possibility for overtaking the throne. And then he was killed. And now, here I stood with a royal blue, glowing serpentine tattoo as the last Oracle''s granddaughter. It didn''t take a genius to figure out who I was.


    I mean, it would have taken me a lot longer to jump from A to Z. But these people were immersed in the culture, with a full knowledge of the history of our people. They didn''t need someone to walk them through it.


    They were also apparently trustworthy enough for Amory to approach. I wondered if I should trust them too. I wondered if I should connect them with Avalon. But how?


    I smiled. I didn''t know what else to do. They smiled back, also unsure what to do or say. I could see the questions in their faces, but now was not the right time. Now was absolutely the wrong time. I saw Kiran approaching from a short distance and decided to play things a little risky.


    ¡°Do you know who Gabriel is? Uh, the priest from Peru?¡± I clarified, just in case there were several Gabriels.


    ¡°Yes, we do, of course we do,¡± Solomon agreed quickly. ¡°I heard he disappeared not that long ago.¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± I agreed. I nodded my head enthusiastically, hoping they would pay attention and follow my rabbit trail. ¡°With me,¡± I added, giving them a meaningful glance and then Kiran was with us again.


    Kiran slipped his arm around my waist immediately, drawing me to him. Our magics entwined themselves together naturally and he buried his lips in my hair for a tender kiss letting everyone around us know how difficult it was for him to leave me even for a moment.


    ¡°How did you get along without me?¡± Kiran gazed at me affectionately, his hand gently sliding back and forth along my side. ¡°Hello, Zaphira,¡± he greeted the Regent''s wife graciously.


    ¡°Just fine,¡± I answered, my mind already on the goal, ¡°Kiran, we were just talking about some of our old teachers from Kingsley. Did you know that Charles Lambert is good friends with Gabriel? Gabriel told me so himself,¡± I finished bravely, turning back to Solomon and Zaphira with serious eyes.


    ¡°Well, darling, I don''t know if they''re still good friends,¡± Kiran tried to cover for Mr. Lambert. I could feel his anxiety in how his arm tensed around me and his cheeks turned just a shade darker. ¡°They went to school together of course, but that was two hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°No, they are still good friends!¡± I exclaimed adamantly. ¡°They must have something in common to have kept in touch after all this time!¡±


    ¡°You''re probably right, Eden, but Gabriel disappeared not that long ago. Did you forget?¡± Kiran''s voice grew tight and strained, his message was clear.


    ¡°Yes, I did forget. I apologize,¡± I smiled humbly, trying to read Solomon''s expression. I decided to stretch my luck one more time and then leave it up to Solomon and Zaphira. I didn''t say anything that could condemn me or Charles Lambert, on the other hand if they were looking for the Resistance, I had given them enough clues. Or just damned the Resistance. Either way, ¡°Isn''t Mr. Lambert here tonight?¡±


    Kiran looked at me dumbfounded for a moment, trying to figure out what I was up to. He was speechless, and he turned to Solomon, wanting to explain me away, but no words came out.


    ¡°I think you''re right, Eden. I think I see him standing not far from here,¡± Solomon''s rich voice lightened the mood. ¡°If you''ll excuse us, I think we''ll go say hello.¡±


    I nodded my approval, and tried desperately to keep the smug smile off my face. I might have just sent Mr. Lambert to his death, or successfully recruited important people into my cause, assuming Mr. Lambert was still connected to Avalon. The most I knew about his involvement in the Resistance was an empty French apartment, but Gabriel had spoken of him as if he had been helping Amory for years. I would not know for a while either way, but I couldn''t help but be proud of my cunning conversational skills.


    Solomon took my hand and kissed it reverently, and Zaphira held my gaze for one long moment before bowing imperceptibly to me. Their gestures were not so grand that they were noticed by those around us, but the heaviness with which they displayed gratitude and hope felt staggering to me. I did not expect any kind of veneration from them; I just merely wanted to show them the right side of the war. I stood stupefied, forgetting how to breath until they walked into the crowd, leaving Kiran and I alone.


    ¡°What did you do, Eden?¡± Kiran sighed. He leaned against a tall table and looked like something terrible was just about to happen.


    ¡°I didn''t do anything,¡± I insisted. I leaned into him, and ran my fingers across his brow, brushing a stray strand of hair into obedience that had fallen across his eyebrow. His magic flared next to me in nervous anticipation. He wanted a kiss, and it was more than his magic telling me so, his eyes gazed intently into mine willing me to take another step forward.


    I obeyed his silent request, deciding this was the kind of show people wanted to see. I tipped my chin toward him innocently and as he dipped his mouth down to mine, our lips pressed against each other in soft familiarity. The world stopped spinning in that brief moment; the only thing existing in all of the universe was our kiss. Our lips, barely touching, felt as if there had never been a more connected moment between us. His lighter-magic tugged at mine, demanding more intimacy. I fought against the urge to wrap my arms around his neck and pull his face to me and never let go.


    I stepped away from him, reaching out to hold his hand, instead of pushing my body against his as we had stood all night. I shook my head, trying to recall my senses, my devout dedication to the Resistance and.... Jericho.


    The attraction between Kiran and me was absolutely ludicrous, and I desperately needed to stop indulging my impulses. He cleared his throat next to me, and tried to catch my eye, but I was determined to focus on something else.


    Anything else.


    ¡°There you two are!¡± a pleasant, elderly voice tinged with a light German accent exclaimed. I lifted my eyes to see a blonde-haired woman who looked to be about sixty in human years, so she was probably at least four hundred Immortal ones, approaching us. Sophisticated and chic in a long lemon chiffon gown, her hair pinned up elegantly and her sapphire blue eyes sparking, she approached us with an air of dignity and grace, but stern discipline at the same time. ¡°I''ve waited patiently for others to pay their dues, but honestly I couldn''t wait any longer to meet the bride-to-be!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Anastasia, how are you?¡± Kiran greeted the woman graciously. He was generous with everyone we spoke to, always indulging anyone who wanted to carry on a conversation, no matter how dull or tedious, for as long as they wanted an audience with him. I lost my patience infinitely sooner than he even seemed to grow bored. I wondered if I would be taught the same mental fortification to talk nonstop with people who were in love with themselves, or if it came with practice.


    ¡°Delightful darling,¡± she gushed, kissing his cheek. ¡°Now, introduce me to your bride before I steal her away and learn all her dirty secrets myself!¡± She smiled at her joke, and her face glowed with contagious good humor. Her German accent dignified the happy lilt in her voice.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kiran bowed his head out of respect for her, ¡°Eden, this is Anastasia Gandler, she is the headmistress of Briar-Rose, our Swiss boarding school.¡±


    ¡°Kiran''s old school, before his father shipped him off to the America''s,¡± she laughed and I joined in with her politely. ¡°I suppose we''ll forgive his highness though, if it meant he found you there.¡±


    Neither Kiran nor I responded to her. We both knew what that meeting had brought about, and neither one of us wanted to remember all of the inbetween.


    ¡°You did meet at Kingsley, didn''t you?¡± she clarified, feeling our awkward tension.


    ¡°Yes, we did,¡± I found my manners, ¡°it''s a pleasure to meet you. I still have so much to learn; I wasn''t aware there was a boarding school in Switzerland.¡±


    ¡°That''s right, darling,¡± Anastasia looked me over with a new interest at my lack of knowledge. ¡°You didn''t know because you were raised human, is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s right,¡± I agreed. I felt Kiran''s hand tighten over mine, but we were already involved in the conversation, I couldn''t walk away now.


    ¡°After your mother left you with your grandfather? Do I have that right?¡± She asked with courage and a flawless audacity that I had to admire. I smiled, proud that this crowd didn''t seem as stuffy as I thought they would be.


    ¡°Have you seen Eden''s ring?¡± Kiran burst out, trying to change the subject before I could answer. ¡°It was my grandmother''s.¡± He extended our intertwined hand forward and then let her take my hand to inspect the emerald on my finger. Our magics met each other then and she snapped her head up at me as if I slapped her.


    ¡°Lovely, Dear,¡± she mumbled, barely concentrating on me at all anymore. ¡°Oh, there''s Charles Lambert, I think I''ll go say hi!¡± She looked back to us then and into my eyes. Her face was the same confused jumble of questions that Solomon and Zaphira had worn and I swallowed nervously under her scrutinizing glare. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, Eden.¡± She clasped my hand between the two of hers and held it tightly to her for a few more moments before leaving us. We watched after her as she sought out Charles Lambert.


    ¡°Our English teacher sure is popular tonight,¡± Kiran commented dryly.


    ¡°Who would have thought?¡± I mumbled. ¡°Personally, I hated his class.¡±


    ¡°That''s too bad,¡± Kiran sighed. ¡°He¡¯s moving into the castle in two weeks. Father hired him to be our tutor. He''s going to run our schooling here.¡±


    I just looked at Kiran, unwilling to believe the words that came casually out of his mouth. Mr. Lambert, although a secret part of the Resistance, hated me. He really hated me.


    And I suspected he wasn''t the only one tonight that hated me. Mr. Lambert, in a few very short weeks, would be my full-time teacher. My magic wouldn''t leave Kiran''s alone and actually seemed to enjoy the close proximity of his electricity. Likewise, Kiran''s magic seemed to be enjoying the connection just as much. I was in the middle of an engagement party toasting the fake happiness to my fake marriage. And tomorrow I would have to go through it all over again.


    No, Mr. Lambert wasn''t the only one who hated me.


    The entire universe hated me.


    Chapter Fourteen


    Out of breath and out of excuses, I let Kiran lead me to the dance floor for the fifth time tonight. I tried to avoid eye contact as he took my hand in his and slipped his other arm around my waist. I looked out on the sea of dancers, all dressed in exquisite gowns or crisp tuxedos and marveled at my place in the middle of it all.


    I let Kiran lead, barely thinking about the steps at all, as he moved me around the floor, he was an expert dancer and there was no use in trying to even pretend I knew what I was doing. Although our engagement party had very much felt like a bad dream, the Summer Solstice Ball felt much like a fairy tale. The ballroom of the castle glimmered in opulence with the lofty golden chandeliers decorated in streaming golden flowers draping down in thin ribbons to cascading bouquets laid flat against the walls. A full orchestra guided dancers across a matching golden floor after they had feasted on some of the finest delicacies I had ever eaten.

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    I even felt like a princess in my rose pink gown, held in the arms of an actual prince. My Chantilly lace strapless corset top draped down just below my drop waist into an angled tier over folds and folds of a chrysanthemum organza blossom skirt. Kiran presented me with a thin silver tiara, tucked into piles of tamed curls a palace hair dresser spent hours perfecting. Pink sapphires glistened against my neck and wrists in antique royal jewelry, and dangled from my ears as dainty accessories testifying to the wealth of the royal family. I never felt more elegant. More beautiful.


    More like an imposter.


    Even my relationship was a lie. The stolen kisses, the dreamy look in my eyes, the secret whispers between a prince and his future bride encouraged the illusion that Kiran and I were soul mates after all. With his hand around my waist even now, and his eyes desperately searching out mine, I was even tempted to believe that he still loved me.


    I laughed at myself, invoking curiosity from my already confused partner. I couldn''t explain to him the audacity of my situation, of my imprisonment. I didn''t want to. I didn''t owe Kiran anything, certainly not an explanation on every thought that flew through my head.


    ¡°Are you having a good time?¡± Kiran asked, sensing my reserve.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered simply. His eyes stayed on me as I let him move me around the floor, drawing me ever closer to him.


    ¡°You are lovely tonight, Eden,¡± he whispered. My eyes found his then, irritating me that he wasted a sweet moment in a whisper.


    ¡°I know, you''ve told me at least ten times already,¡± I snapped. He flinched and I instantly regretted my outburst. As frustrated as I felt with my situation, I needed a reminder that I got myself into this mess. Kiran was actually behaving himself, and had gone out of his way to help make sure I didn''t do anything that drew negative attention or Lucan''s watchful eye. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± I gave in and watched his stormy blue eyes fade into brilliant turquoise.


    ¡°You''re sorry?¡± Kiran pressed, ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For being short with you,¡± I conceded. ¡°Thank you, I feel like a fraud.¡±


    ¡°Because you''re here against your will?¡± Kiran''s eyes searched mine for the truth, but I was reluctant to give it to him.


    ¡°No, that''s not why. I don''t think it would matter if I came here as a prisoner or really in love with you.... I mean, look at this place, it can''t be real. And this dress? I''m not this girl. I don''t think this girl exists anywhere except fairy tales and Disney movies,¡± I finished sincerely. Ileana''s words ran through my head; it was time to choose to be Immortal. We both had our feet in two worlds, but unlike Ileana, I really was only Immortal, and it was time to come to terms with that.


    ¡°What girl?¡± Kiran asked, his brow furrowing with concern.


    I paused as a dignified, elderly couple stopped dancing to pay us compliments on what a wonderful couple we were. When they moved on, I continued, ¡°The girl from the middle of America that gets swept off her feet, and thrown into a fantasy where princes are real and she falls in love at a ball wearing a tiara. That girl doesn''t exist, does she? I mean, this can''t really be happening....¡± I trailed off, looking around at the magnificence of the room.


    ¡°That depends,¡± Kiran teased, ¡°I didn''t realize I had to make you fall in love with me tonight.... I might have done things differently if I had.¡±


    ¡°What would you have done differently?¡± Curiosity overcame common sense and I found myself asking the question before I could stop myself.


    ¡°Well, for starters, I wouldn''t have promised my father we would stay until the end,¡± Kiran confessed, his eyes full of mischief.


    ¡°And what would we have done instead?¡± I pressed. His eyes held me in their hypnotic gaze, and the rest of the dancers twirling around us seemed to disappear.


    ¡°I would have made you forget that you are my prisoner, and convinced you that you are here because you want to be. Because I want you to be.¡± His lips twisted into a playful smile and he drew me closer to him, moving across the dance floor with a suave grace.


    ¡°That might have been hard to do,¡± I sighed, thankful for the reminder that I was his prisoner.


    ¡°You''re probably right,¡± he conceded, but his eyes still twinkled and his lips still curved into his smirk. His tanned skin stood in smooth union with his crisp tux, complete with tails and a bow time. His hair slicked back and out of his face, and his golden crown tilted on the top of his head. I could feel the eyes of every girl in the room watching him, lusting after him. And for a second, I couldn¡¯t blame them.


    ¡°Besides, you no more want to make me fall in love with you than I want to fall in love with you,¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°I don''t know if that''s true, this dress is doing funny things to my resolve,¡± he whispered seductively.


    My mouth dropped open just a little bit from disbelief at the same time the music finished. We stood near the edge of the dance floor, and when other couples started to move from the floor, Kiran leaned down and kissed me sweetly, very sweetly..... too sweetly.... on the cheek. I closed my mouth, unable to think of anything to say and he took my arm and led me away from the dance floor.


    Still bewildered, Kiran walked us to the far corner of the ballroom where dignitaries and old friends of the king milled about together in polite conversation. He seemed to be searching someone in particular out, so I took the silence to gather my senses and reinforce my own resolve that seemed to be faltering under the glamour of the evening.


    ¡°Eden, this is Kate and Jonathan Summer. Jon was just a few years older than me at Briar-Rose. Kate was his high school sweetheart, but now she¡¯s the mother of his children,¡± Kiran introduced us with warm affection and I couldn''t help but be intrigued by the gorgeous couple.


    Jonathan, roughly the same height as Kiran, seemed reserved, but gentle. His silver eyes sparkled against his especially tanned skin and his light blonde hair was slicked back in formal style. He held his arm affectionately around Kate, gazing down at her as if she were his whole world. Kate was more interested in me, scrutinizing me with clear green eyes, the color of my emerald engagement ring. She was one of the few women present to wear her hair down, and her long auburn locks fell in waves over her bare shoulders and striking crimson ball gown.


    I fidgeted nervously under Kate''s stare. They were a stunning couple, with a regal air about them. But Jonathon looked at Kiran with all of the respect in the world, and I relaxed a little knowing they held Kiran in such high esteem.


    ¡°It''s wonderful to meet you, Eden, we''ve heard so much about you,¡± Kate gushed, in a crisp British accent.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, wondering if it was Kiran who had talked about me or just kingdom gossip in general. ¡°It''s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Eden, would you mind terribly if I left you with Kate for a few minutes? Jon and I have some business to discuss,¡± Kiran approached carefully, lowering his voice and asking gently with his eyes.


    I didn''t have any real objections, and decided it would be nice to separate our magics for a while. I smiled and replied, ¡°I don''t mind.¡±


    ¡°I''ll just be a moment,¡± Kiran leaned down to kiss me on the cheek again, before turning me over to Kate.


    Kate took my arm and led me away from the crowds of people pressing together in the full ballroom. We found our way to the outer walls of the room and onto a stone balcony, open to the night air and moonlight, before either of us tried to say anything.


    Kate let go of my arm and walked over to the edge of the balcony, resting her delicate hands on the cool stone. She looked out into the gardens, a curious look on her face. I couldn''t quite read her. I wasn''t sure what she thought of me or even what she thought about being alone with me, so I decided to join her at the balconies edge and find out.


    ¡°Beautiful night,¡± I remarked casually, hoping to draw her into conversation.


    ¡°Mmm....¡± she agreed and then fell silent for another minute.


    ¡°How long have you known Kiran?¡± I tried again and then realized my mistake; he was the prince. She had always known him. ¡°I mean, how long have you been friends with him?¡±


    ¡°Jonathan and Kiran have been friends since childhood. Jon''s father is the European Regent. So I suppose, I met Kiran when he arrived at Briar-Rose his freshman year. Jonathan and I were already seeing each other, so I got to know him that way.¡±


    ¡°So, Jonathan and Kiran are good friends?¡± I pressed.


    ¡°Yes, very good friends. Or as good of friends as their positions in the kingdom will allow them to be,¡± she admitted. ¡°We certainly know Kiran very well.¡±


    She finished with such certainty that I wasn''t sure how to respond. It felt as though she were accusing me of something, so all I could say in return was, ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°But I guess not well enough to know why, since he is your fianc¨¦, he is trying so hard to appear not to be in love with you.¡± Kate turned to me, her eyes taking in my dazed expression as I slowly understood the meaning of her words.


    ¡°No, you have it wrong,¡± I insisted. ¡°He is in love with me, I mean, he''s pretending... I mean.... he''s not pretending anything. He is in love with me. We are in love with each other.¡± I fumbled through an explanation before realizing he was supposed to be in love with me. There was no need to defend myself, because Kiran and I wanted people to believe that we were in love.


    ¡°Right, that''s what I meant,¡± she agreed, but I didn''t like the sparkle in her eyes all of a sudden. ¡°Did you know, that it''s rumored your parents fell in love in those very gardens?¡± Her gaze fell to the chaotically overgrown maze of flowers and hedges stretched out below the balcony, and bathed in the soft moonlight.


    ¡°My parents?¡± I gasped, wondering what to make of the abrupt change of subject.


    ¡°Yes, as the story goes, your mother would come out here at night, in the moonlight and walk for hours through the maze just to escape Lucan''s constant attentions. Lucan naturally sent Justice to look after her well-being and that is how the romance began,¡± she whispered conspiratorially.


    ¡°I didn''t know that,¡± I mumbled, looking down at the gardens with a new interest. I pictured Analisa''s neglect of the gardens as her silent plea for freedom, but maybe it was the memory of my mother that encouraged her to let them run wild. Or maybe it was both of those reasons.


    ¡°Well, I suppose it''s just a rumor,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Do people talk about my parents often?¡± I asked, wondering how the general population perceived my parents. ¡°I mean, are there lots of rumors?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Kate exclaimed, ¡°There are always rumors with scandals. But for a long while they weren''t spoken of. People stopped believing in the girl that defied the king. She was replaced with the coward that abandoned her people.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I realized then that what I heard was right, people were angry with my mother.


    ¡°Until recently that is,¡± she lifted her emerald eyes to mine and accused me silently for the second time of an offense I couldn''t understand.


    ¡°Why until recently?¡± I asked in a hushed tone, afraid of others from the ballroom overhearing our conversation.

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    ¡°Recently her daughter appeared, and shook this kingdom to the core.¡± Her eyes let up then, and she dazzled me with a perfect smile. ¡°You, Eden, have caused quite the stir, befriending a Shape-shifter and then fighting for her life. You''ve defied the king in front of his entire court. You organized a resistance movement and then went to actual battle with the Titan Guard. You stole the magic from India and then destroyed the Summer Palace. And in all that rebellion, you''ve still managed to save the prince''s life several times and get him to fall in love with you. That''s quite the list for someone just recently introduced to our society.¡±


    ¡°No, you give me too much credit,¡± I insisted. ¡°Most of those things were done by accident!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? The kingdom is moved by you, Eden. You have called them to action and the dividing line has been drawn. You did in a few short months, what your grandfather tried to do for centuries,¡± she finished with a quiet respect for Amory that allowed me to accept her words with kindness and trust her in a way that I had been reluctant to do so far.


    ¡°Really, I''m not the one responsible for any of that. My br-, there are others that are far more involved in this scheme than me. I am here for a reason,¡± I looked into the ballroom, my expression falling into the realization that tonight was still imprisonment, as enchanting as the ball was, it was still hosted by an evil tyrant and I was still his prisoner.


    ¡°And I expect it''s not to marry our dear Kiran,¡± Kate conjectured.


    ¡°Actually, that''s exactly why I''m here,¡± I confessed.


    We turned at the sound of male voices in the doorway. Kiran and Jonathan had appeared, but were finishing their conversation in hushed tones. I turned to Kate, hoping she would move beyond our dangerous conversation and into safer territory before Kiran joined us.


    She smiled at me, a roguish smile that instantly made me skeptical. ¡°Kiran,¡± she called, reaching out for my forearm and patting it gently. ¡°Eden, was just commenting on how beautiful the gardens are at night.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Kiran left Jonathan in mid-conversation and walked over to me, taking my arm from Kate. ¡°Would you like to take a walk?¡±


    ¡°Won''t your father miss us?¡± I hinted, reminding him of his promise that we wouldn''t leave. I didn''t want to get into trouble tonight, but still the thought of suffocating in the middle of an over-crowded room full of Immortals was less than alluring.


    ¡°The night is nearly over,¡± he coaxed. He pulled me with him toward a staircase that led from the ballroom balcony to the gardens two stories below.


    ¡°It was nice meeting you, Kate,¡± I called. Jonathan was by her side though, and they were speaking intimately to each other and gazing lovingly into each other¡¯s eyes. I watched them for a moment, having the familiar pain of wanting something so pure, so honest, as a love like that. Jonathan pulled Kate into a kiss then and his hands cradled her face gently between them. She lifted her hand over his and there was a flicker then, a bright glow of sunburst yellow just below Kate''s right ear, and then it was gone.


    I turned back to Kiran, wanting desperately to ask him if they were involved in the Resistance. He looked down at me with a curious expression on his face and I remembered I couldn''t ask him. He was the enemy. And if he found out his closest friends were involved in the very group that was out to kill him and his family, he would take the initiative before they could.


    Still, he didn''t feel so cruel, holding my arm gently next to his muscular torso, leading me down the stairs. And Kate didn''t feel like she was capable of manipulating anyone. In fact, she seemed almost too honest. Kiran''s closest friends wouldn''t be a part of a movement bent on his death. I decided it was just my imagination, only wishful thinking. With all of the bizarre interactions over the last two days and people so interested in my history, I was drawing hopeful, but farfetched conclusions.


    At the base of the stairs, I breathed in deeply for the first time all night, despite the tight corset of my ball gown. I leaned my head against Kiran''s shoulder, realizing how exhausted this weekend had been. I was glad for a day off tomorrow from the constant smiling and polite conversation, even if that meant back to being locked in my tower, alone and isolated.


    ¡°Did you get along with Kate?¡± Kiran asked, breaking our silence. We walked through the hedged pathways, still arm and arm. Our magic had reunited all around, encircling us with familiar affection.


    ¡°Yes, she''s very sweet,¡± I admitted, realizing I really did like her.


    ¡°No, she''s not!¡± Kiran laughed. ¡°She''s not sweet at all and she rarely likes anyone.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I responded with dejection. Maybe I misinterpreted the whole conversation.


    ¡°But she liked you,¡± he continued, thinking over what that actually meant.


    We had come to a private alcove, with a stone bench set in between climbing roses. The moonlight illuminated the small space like an invitation to enter. Kiran paused in the middle of the space, looking down at me.


    The magic between us became magnetic. Our eyes locked on each other, frozen in place by the sheer desire between us. The urge to tip my lips up to him became almost impossible to fight, and my blood heated to a quick boil, knowing the twitch in his smile revealed the same battle.


    Kiran let out a shaky breath and took a step toward me. The scent of the flowers at night, and the warmth of the summer breeze floating over my bear arms drugged my senses. I was lost in him, swept away from the memory of what used to be between us and the pretense of our flawless lie over the weekend.


    He dipped his face toward me just a fraction of an inch, subconsciously, my lips having their own gravitational pull and he was helpless in a fight he had already lost. But I couldn''t let this continue. We were alone, with no audience to pretend for and if we kissed now simply out of desire, I couldn''t justify my actions to myself. Or to Jericho for that matter.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I breathed without confidence when his lips moved even closer to mine. ¡°Wait, we, um, we need to talk.¡±


    ¡°We need to talk?¡± Kiran asked, the disappointment obvious in his voice.


    ¡°Yes, we need to talk,¡± I gasped for air, and took several steps away from him.


    He watched me with a new amusement in his eyes before taking a seat on the stone bench with legs extended and arms folded across his chest. ¡°All right, talk,¡± he directed.


    ¡°I think we can both agree.... I mean, between us.... There is this obvious.... unmistakable even, attraction between us, Kiran,¡± I explained slowly, in case he didn''t know why he wanted to kiss me all night long. ¡°I think it''s clear to both of us that there is something here.... something undeniable. Wouldn''t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I would agree,¡± Kiran affirmed casually, his eyes smoldering. ¡°How did you say it? Obvious and unmistakable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, obvious and unmistakable,¡± I sighed, finding myself a little exasperated by his seductive tone and the sudden trembling in my hands.


    ¡°Undeniable¡­.¡± He pressed.


    I cleared my throat and nodded, ¡°But, I think we can also agree that this feeling.... this.... magnetism between us is because of our history together more than anything else. It''s more habit than anything else.¡± I avoided his eyes, his brilliant turquoise eyes, piercing through the darkness and watching me without reserve.


    ¡°Mmmm.....¡± he agreed, noncommittally.


    ¡°But, if we were to kiss here, tonight, that might ruin this friendship we''ve carefully built over the last few weeks. And it would definitely complicate things,¡± I explained further.


    ¡°It would definitely complicate things,¡± Kiran agreed in a husky voice, but the expression on his face told me he wouldn''t mind the complications.


    ¡°Besides,¡± I continued, reaching desperately for a foothold to reason, ¡°you have your pride to think about.¡± I lifted my eyes to his, determined to see his reaction; but I didn''t get one. If anything the amusement dancing across his face made him more alluring, not less.


    ¡°And you have your principles,¡± he offered, to which I nodded enthusiastically.


    ¡°Exactly, my principles!¡± It was the perfect response, he remembered my reasons for ending things between us and he still held on to his pride that kept us apart.


    ¡°And Jericho.¡±


    I cleared my throat, willing Jericho to my mind''s eye, ¡°And Jericho, of course.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don''t have to worry about me,¡± Kiran vowed, standing up from the bench. ¡°I''ll be on my best behavior.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered and tried to ignore the disappointment sweeping over me. ¡°I think it''s this castle anyway,¡± I mumbled more to myself than to him, ¡°we''re too isolated.¡±


    ¡°Well, then I have good news for you,¡± Kiran announced cheerfully. ¡°I have business for the next week, so I will be away from the castle for a while, but next weekend I will meet you and Sebastian in Paris, where we will pick up Amelia and bring her back home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that is good news!¡± I tried to sound excited. And I was thrilled at the prospect of a Paris vacation. But there was something else bothering me, something that weighed down my spirit and dampened my mood.


    Kiran took my arm and led me silently back through the gardens and up the stairs. We joined the ball again, dancing the rest of the evening away at a careful distance. The gathered Immortals looked on at us as the happiest, most in love couple of the century. But even as Kiran kept his gaze riveted on my eyes, and his hand tight around my waist, we knew the truth. This was all pretend, all a facade to reassure the kingdom that the Crown Prince would have true eternal life; an alliance made between my family and his. There was no real love between us, only a frustrating physical attraction in which neither of us wanted to indulge.


    I remained in love with someone else. And Kiran remained a part of a Royal Bloodline that came with an expiration date.


    Chapter Fifteen


    ¡°I''m going for a walk,¡± I declared loudly. I flung open Kiran''s bedroom door and stared down the ten Titan Guards posted directly outside. ¡°You are more than welcome to join me, but I can''t stay cooped up in that room for one more second.¡±


    I crossed my arms defiantly, and waited for them to challenge me. Kiran had been gone for four days and had taken Talbott with him. When Sebastian could get away from whatever palace business Lucan had him running around doing, he would visit me, but I hadn''t seen him in twenty-four hours and hadn''t left Kiran''s bedroom since the Summer Solstice Ball.


    ¡°Well, you can''t go by yourself,¡± a younger Titan spoke up. He looked me over with reserved malice, eyes that promised he would love a physical fight.


    ¡°I know that,¡± I snapped. ¡°I wasn''t planning on it.¡±


    ¡°We can''t trust you to cooperate; it''s not a good idea,¡± an older Titan, with a jagged scar running across his throat, declared.


    ¡°You don''t have a choice,¡± I threatened, truly meaning every one of my words. ¡°If you don''t let me out of this room, I''m going to jump through Kiran''s windows and leave you to explain how you lost your prisoner to Lucan.¡±


    The Titans surrounding me came to a stricter attention, standing up straight and glowering down at me as if anyone of them was willing to physically restrain me right this second.

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    ¡°You wouldn''t do that,¡± the older Titan spoke again. ¡°You know what''s at stake, just as clearly as we do.¡±


    ¡°Right now, I am willing to do anything to get out of that room, trust me.¡± I tapped my foot impatiently against the stone floor and stared down my captors. They were on high alert, their magic flaring with the protective, battle-ready instincts that made them superhuman Immortals. Threatening well-trained, armed Titans was not going to get me anywhere, I realized a little late, and so I dropped my arms to my sides, sighed heavily and tried a different approach, ¡°Please, I am going stir crazy in there.... I won''t leave the castle, and I just want to walk around for a little bit. Nothing crazy I promise.¡±


    I lifted my eyes to the older Titan that seemed to be in charge, pleading with him in what I hoped looked like a covert, grown-up version of puppy-dog-eyes. He looked down at me and then at his fellow Titans and raised his hands exasperatedly, letting them fall heavily.


    ¡°If you try anything funny you know what happens to those prisoners,¡± he threatened. I physically felt his resolve break in the form of his magic relaxing and then he stepped out of my way.


    ¡°I know, I know!'' I agreed.


    I bounded down the stairs enthusiastically with ten Titans following me. I didn''t have any idea where I was going, but it felt so good to be out of Kiran''s empty bedroom and walking around that I didn''t really care.


    ¡°Are there any places in the castle that I can''t go?¡± I turned to the older Titan with the scar, questioning carefully.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered definitively.


    ¡°Ok, where are they?¡± I pressed, realizing I was going to have to work for every answer I got out of this guy.


    ¡°We won''t let you go there, don''t worry,¡± he laughed confidently.


    ¡°What''s your name?¡± I asked, not wanting to make conversation with him, but I hadn''t talked in four days, except with Sebastian and that was only briefly, so I couldn''t stop myself.


    ¡°Jedrec,¡± he answered.


    ¡°How did you get that scar across your neck, Jedrec?¡± I inquired out of pure curiosity. ¡°I thought we healed from all of that stuff?¡±


    ¡°How did you get a tattoo on your neck that defies your king and glows in the dark?¡± He countered, demonstrating how inappropriate my prying was. Still, I was determined to extract an answer from him and I had nothing to lose.


    ¡°I did it myself, and obviously, I did it wrong,¡± I explained sheepishly. ¡°And if you remember correctly, my very existence defies your king.¡± I finished with firm confidence and Jedrec gave me a sidelong glance of disbelief.


    ¡°Your grandfather gave it to me, if you must know,¡± he offered honestly.


    ¡°Amory?¡± I gasped. ¡°But how?


    ¡°With my own weapon,¡± He patted the hilt of his magical sword that dangled from his hip.


    ¡°I''m sorry?¡± I tried to sound sincere, but it came out more like a question.


    ¡°Don''t be!¡± Jedrec barked a laugh, tilting his head back in good humor. ¡°I deserved it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked carefully, not expecting him to answer.


    ¡°I was trying to kill him,¡± Jedrec answered in an obvious tone that I found amusing.


    ¡°And by the looks of it, he was trying to kill you to,¡± I commented with feeling.


    ¡°No, he wasn''t. If he had been, he would have succeeded. This is mercy,¡± he tapped the ugly scar that wrapped around his thick neck. ¡°Your grandfather was a skilled warrior, nothing and nobody could kill him.¡±


    ¡°Somebody killed him,¡± I reminded him. My blood soared with fresh pain from the memory of his death and I swallowed back the tears threatening to flood my vision.


    ¡°Only because he wanted to die,¡± Jedrec commented dryly and I had to turn my head to make sure I heard him right. There were suddenly a million questions I wanted to interrogate him with, but he shot me a warning look that I felt to my bones. This was not the place to press him for information. ¡°This is the library,¡± he abruptly changed the subject and lifted his eyes to double brass doors. ¡°It''s an extensive collection, if you would care to look around.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I smiled politely and then swung open a heavy door and let myself in. The Titans remained outside the library and gave me privacy.


    We had wandered through the castle on the first floor, passed the courtroom and somewhere below the ballroom. For some reason, I expected the library to be set up like a public library back home, with rows and rows of tall bookshelves arranged by the Dewy Decimal System and with cards on the inside cover of each book allowing you to check them out. But the castle, as I was frequently reminded, was more than a public gathering place, it was a personal residence for a family.


    Although the room was very large, and there were bookshelves in the middle of the room set up in orderly rows and extending toward the back, the majority of the books were placed on floor to ceiling built-in bookshelves that lined the walls of the room. The upper shelves were accessible by a tall ladder that rolled along the wall, attached with wheels and a track to the rosewood paneled extremely vaulted ceiling.


    The library was warm and plush, with a deep green carpet overlaying the cold stone floor I knew lay underneath. A long, boardroom-style mahogany table sat centered in the only open space not containing additional bookshelves. High-backed matching chairs encircled it, inviting any visitor to grab a book and spend hours at that table, shutting oneself off from the rest of the world.


    I stepped cautiously forward, not wanting to disturb the peace of the room, and wondered if the books were shelved in any particular order. I turned right and ran my fingers over the ancient, worn book bindings of a shoulder-high shelf. Most of the titles were in different languages and seemed hundreds of years old. I was too afraid to move anything from its place and disturb the careful order of the library.


    I spent the next hour just walking around, trying to read titles or wondering if the title I made out was actually the original copy of a book that seemed like it belonged in a museum under and airtight case and behind armed guards. My heart felt lighter in this room, relieved that even though I was fighting pure evil, there was an educated sophistication about the whole thing, a real history that belonged to the people as well as the illusive freedom I was determined to give them.


    The room made me trust Jedrec in an unexplainable way. He fought my grandfather, but conceded that Amory was a skilled fighter and saved his life. He took in my tattoo with mild humor. And he brought me here, to a room that felt very much like escape.


    Trusting a Titan was dangerous and I knew that. They swore their allegiance to Lucan and even if my plan for freedom included them, as of right now they were my enemy. They would do anything to protect Lucan for fear of their own lives and I had to remember that, because of that, I was their enemy too.


    Yet I also trusted Talbott.


    The door opened and I turned, thinking it would be Jedrec calling me from the books back to the confined space of Kiran''s empty bedroom. Instead, Lucan stepped through the door, looking surprised to see me. We stared at each for only a moment, before I turned my attention back to the books my fingers rested on without bothering to bow or even acknowledge him.


    I felt him stand in the doorway and stare at me. I didn''t dare turn around and assess his expression, but I realized then that my defiance might have cost me something. I swallowed the lump in my throat and willed my defensive magic into control, realizing the broken handcuffs around my wrists should make me at least appear exhausted. I slumped my shoulders in an effort to look run down and sighed obviously.


    Quick, heavy footsteps headed my direction and when Lucan''s towering figure loomed over me, I had to drop my hand from the bookshelf to hide my trembling anxiety.


    ¡°Eden,¡± he greeted me curtly.


    I turned toward him for the second time and nodded my head, forcing my lips into a smile so fake I felt like a cartoon. In general I tried to avoid addressing him all together. I couldn''t bring myself to call him, ¡°Your Highness,¡± or ¡°Your Majesty.¡± I also knew that calling him ¡°Lucan¡± or any of the other foul words I had rattling around in my head would get me into serious trouble.


    ¡°I''m glad you''re here,¡± Lucan continued, still standing over me. ¡°I wanted to congratulate you on your good behavior over the weekend. I appreciate your obedience. I understand that it is not in your nature to adhere to any kind of rules, let alone orders or commands.¡± Lucan''s tone was purely factual, but still it was obvious he never thought I could pull it off.


    A burst of short, derisive laughter escaped me and I turned on my heel to face the monster that thought he actually knew what I was capable of, or what my personality was like. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. I am so happy to know that my efforts didn''t go unnoticed,¡± I spat out sarcastically and then quickly added, ¡°and that no innocent Immortal has to die today.¡±


    I watched his eyes harden into steely slits of anger and he clasped his arms behind his back as if he were going to start a long lecture now. He was wearing a casual, but immaculately tailored suit and his royal robes were missing today. His crown, always tilted on his head, looked down at me mockingly, promising me I would never get one of my own.


    ¡°Despite what you think, or what I have led you to believe, I do not enjoy taking the lives of my people,¡± he answered tersely.


    ¡°Yeah, Ok,¡± I mumbled and stopped myself from rolling my eyes. I turned back to the books, and pretended not to pay him any attention.


    ¡°I know you do not have a high opinion of me, Eden, and let me be clear; I am not seeking one from you. But I do know your intention for me, for my family. I know you have your own aspirations for this crown, as foolish as they may be, and I would just like to understand how you think a kingdom should be ruled.¡± He stood beside me waiting for my response. The silence that settled over us was charged with intense expectation and I wouldn''t have been able to keep my mouth shut even if I wanted to. His question demanded a response, not because the question came from a king, but because of the moral responsibility attached to it.


    ¡°With fairness,¡± I said simply and then added quickly but with more conviction, ¡°with freedom.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. What is this imagined freedom you speak of?¡± Lucan snapped coldly. ¡°My people have freedom. You had freedom until you started this idiotic mission that left me no choice but to strip you of it.¡±


    ¡°What about the Shape-shifters?¡± I accused. I saw on his face how fair he thought he ruled, how righteously and benevolently he believed he treated his people and I stood dumbfounded.


    ¡°What about them? Since you lack any knowledge of our history, let me enlighten you. They earned their exile; do not be fooled. From the beginning they opposed the monarchy and they could not be trusted. Later, there was peace between our two sides, or at least non-violence; but they are the ones who interrupted the balance, not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°My grandmother?¡± I pressed bravely. ¡°Is that who you mean?¡±


    ¡°Of course, that''s who I mean!¡± Lucan shouted at me, his anger flaring to life without warning. I took a step back impulsively, but he composed himself, tugging at his collar and then running his hand over his goatee. ¡°Cecily destroyed any balance the rest of the kingdom had come to know. If you want to blame anyone for the cruelty those animals face today, blame her, not me.¡±

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    ¡°Is that what you tell yourself?¡± I hissed, appalled at his racist flippancy.


    ¡°That is the truth,¡± he leveled his gaze at me, daring me to push him farther. When I remained silent, he continued, ¡°Besides, this is an ancient belief, and a popular opinion that is ingrained throughout the kingdom. You, my dear, are a lonely minority. And it is your rebellious human upbringing that whispers everyone has the right to be free and equal, not the truths of the world, of our world.¡±


    ¡°You''re wrong,¡± I stated simply. ¡°It doesn''t have anything to do with being raised human, or being rebellious. Freedom is an inherent right bestowed upon every living, breathing thing by God Himself. Even animals deserve to be free.¡± I finished with deep sincerity and Lucan tipped his chin at me, thinking over my words carefully.


    ¡°But they are free, aren''t they? Those animals you love so dearly.¡± His use of the word animals meant something entirely different from mine. ¡°I don''t hunt them. I don''t bother them at all; they are free to live in peace within their own kind, as long as they stay away from my kingdom.¡±


    ¡°You mean they are free to stay in hiding. Your kingdom expands across the globe and your tyranny follows it,¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°Well, if that''s how you want to look at it,¡± he conceded, almost smiling.


    ¡°And besides, by restricting interracial marriage, you are depriving our people freedom,¡± I continued. He pulled me into this argument and I was determined to get everything out.


    ¡°Their freedom? Ha!¡± Lucan mocked me, his eyes hardening again. ¡°I have provided them with wealth and abundance. You will not find these complaints in the general population. Only a fool would reach beyond the extravagance of this life and defy me.¡±


    ¡°My parents are not fools,¡± I growled angrily before I could stop myself.


    ¡°Do not talk about your parents in front of me!¡± He shouted at me again, only louder this time, and with wild eyes that sent a shiver of fear tingling down my back. ¡°How dare you even acknowledge their existence!¡±


    ¡°If you hate them so much, then why am I here?¡± I demanded, rising to his challenge. ¡°Why are you forcing me into a marriage with your son? Why don''t you just kill me and get it over with?¡±


    A slow smile turned his unrestrained angry expression purely sinister and this time when the fear clutched at my throat, it was because of the indisputable evil that ran through his veins. ¡°Eden, you are an abomination, a direct smear of defiance across my perfect kingdom, and yet look at what you are worth. That loathsome magic of yours is like nothing this kingdom has ever seen, purely unique and utterly invaluable. And as much as I want to drain every last ounce of it from your cold, writhing body, I have a son to think about. His future must be secured as well. Truly, I would like to watch him come to his senses and take that magic from you by force, and add it to his own as his rightful property. But there is a love there that even I cannot deny, and eternity is a long time to live in regret.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± I demanded, not believing him for a second, ¡°You''re telling me that you aren''t going to kill me because you think Kiran''s in love with me?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lucan nodded. A serene, confident calm relaxed his ice blue eyes and I trusted this look even less.


    ¡°And you expect me to believe that you actually care about someone other than yourself?¡± I mocked, and this time I couldn''t stop my eye roll.


    The calm immediately disappeared from Lucan''s disposition and his body became a rock-hard statue of grave earnestness. ¡°Never question my relationship with my son. Do you understand?¡±


    So violent were Lucan''s mood swings, and so suffocatingly powerful was his magic that all I could do was nod my understanding and struggle to breathe through the oppression of his angry energy.


    When I found my courage and my voice again, I continued, ¡°Then you should be acutely aware there is no love between Kiran and me anymore. There was a time not that long ago, that I would have faced anything before I hurt him. But now, you will die together. Now, I will gladly kill you both.¡±


    I expected a dangerous confrontation between us. I expected Lucan to fly off the handle and slap me, or murder me, or something. But instead of getting angry he broke into laughter. He tipped his head back, exposing his throat, and laughed at me.


    When the hilarity of my words subsided, he returned his gaze back to me and his eyes grew serious, ¡°The time to kill me has come and gone. Your threats mean nothing. And in a few short months, there will be nothing you can do that will harm my son either. You will have your own magic to thank for that,¡± he finished arrogantly, referring to my upcoming wedding.


    I recognized his pride, his disgusting self-assurance that promised him his immortality was secure, and I felt sick, ¡°Your son will never get my magic. I will never give it to him. And don''t forget that Amory died. You count on his magic to ensure your invincibility, but he died to give it to you,¡± I explained coldly.


    ¡°I am not your weak grandfather,¡± Lucan replied flatly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that. And my son will get your magic Eden, it''s only a matter of time,¡± he walked around to the other side of me, inspecting books at his eye level. ¡°Are you aware of what Kiran''s favorite pastime is?¡± he asked casually. I shook my head, wondering where he was going with this. ¡°Kiran is an avid hunter. And he is excellent at it. He has hunted ever since he was a little boy, and his skill has developed into a powerful instinct that is incredible for even Immortal standards. There has never been a beast that has escaped him, not a prey that he set his mind on capturing that he did not eventually possess. His mind works in skillful ways to find his prey''s weakness and then utilizes it to ensnare the beast. He''s brilliant really. In Africa he claims dozens of lions, cheetahs, and all manner of wild beasts to his credit. Here in these mountains he keeps a lodge filled with his trophies. He is cunning and smart and when he puts his mind to capturing something that he wants to possess, he stops at nothing until it is his.¡±


    Lucan paused for a moment, letting his words sit heavily in the air. I pretended to be interested more in the books on the shelves than Lucan''s menacing threats, but I couldn''t stop my hands from trembling or the lump from rising in my throat.


    ¡°Do not think you are anything less than a prize to be won, a prize that my son has decided he wants. You are the prey that he is hunting now. And it may be done out of love, but it is still a game, it is still an obsessive desire to win. I have no doubt of my son''s ability, in his perfect readiness, to capture what he wants when the time is right.¡± He paused so that I could feel the full effect of his threat. I swallowed uneasily, unable to turn my gaze to meet Lucan''s eyes that scrutinized me from only a foot away. ¡°You are already in his trap, Eden, and soon you will be in his possession, another trophy for his hunting lodge. Child, we have already won.¡±


    And with that, Lucan turned around and marched from the room. When he was gone, I collapsed against the bookshelf, my heart beating wildly and my pulse pounding against my neck. I refused to believe anything that he said, any threat that he made, or any lie he promised was truth. Still, my magic flared with an ominous warning. I steadied my staggered breathing and forced myself to remember that I wasn''t an animal running from a hunter. I was capable of fighting back, of thinking clearly and of taking down this monarchy.


    They hadn''t won anything yet.


    Chapter Sixteen


    Sebastian and I stepped off the palace jet onto a small airstrip outside of Paris after a short flight from Timisoara. Our security detail surrounded us immediately and followed us to a waiting black sedan, the driver standing at attention and ready to open our door. Someone from the palace flight staff unloaded our bags from the jet and transferred them to the trunk of the sedan as we walked through the hot summer humidity and climbed into the cool, air-conditioned backseat, leaving our accompanying Titans to pile into two other cars that would escort us to the Paris Palace.


    ¡°Oh, my gosh, it is so nice to be out of the Citadel!¡± I shrieked, once inside the privacy of the car.


    Sebastian just smiled at me, and glanced down at the two handcuffs I still wore. The chains that linked them together at one time had been sawed off and so they looked more like chunky, iridescent bracelets than shackles, but still, they were reminders that I was a prisoner on leave for good behavior and nothing else.


    ¡°Where are we staying?¡± I asked, unable to hold back my excitement as the car left the airstrip and headed toward the City of Lights.


    ¡°You and I are staying with my parents, in the Paris Palace. Kiran has a flat here that he will stay at.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we will get to do any sightseeing while we''re here?¡± I asked, hopefullly. Last time I was in Paris, I only stayed for one night and instead of sightseeing I kidnapped Sebastian. It wasn''t the ideal trip, although it ended successfully.


    ¡°I think Kiran is planning to take you around the city tomorrow,¡± Sebastian answered nonchalantly.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I sighed. ¡°Are you coming?¡± I turned to him and let the full force of what I hoped to be pleading, but alluring eyes on him.


    ¡°I don''t think that''s quite what Kiran had in mind,¡± Sebastian laughed. ¡°What are you worried about anyway? I thought he made it clear how he felt about you.¡±


    ¡°No, he did.... I''m not worried,¡± I admitted, feeling encouraged by Sebastian''s comment. ¡°It''s just something Lucan said last week....¡± I trailed off and Sebastian was prepared to let the subject drop, but I couldn''t hold my question back. ¡°Sebastian, is Kiran a hunter? Like, a really good one?¡±


    ¡°What did my uncle say to you?¡± Sebastian dissolved into good-natured laughter and I saw the absurdity of my question.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I''m being ridiculous,¡± I admitted, feeling the heat paint my cheeks.


    ¡°I don''t think you should think of sightseeing as anything more than an act of gratitude for your excellent behavior over the holiday last week,¡± Sebastian explained. ¡°I''m the one who told him how much you wanted to see Paris the last time you were here. He''s seen it a thousand times and could care less, really.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief. When Sebastian put it like that I felt less threatened, less like a hurt animal caught in a trap. We continued to have light-hearted conversation while Sebastian pointed out as much as he could from the car. We drove along the Seine, and I marveled at the people packing the sidewalks. Elegant Parisian women in stilettos and with designer handbags mingled with sweaty tourists, pushing their way through the crowds. Street artists dressed in the casual chic European style stopped excited pedestrians on the street to sketch their faces, and on every corner there was either a cathedral of some great importance or a landmark, some ancient statue from Napoleon¡¯s time or a monument to honor Louis XIV.


    As we drove slowly through the slow summer traffic we passed Notre Dame on an island in the middle of the Seine, with a courtyard filled with tourists waiting to enter. The Gothic cathedral loomed over them, creating reprieve from the sun in the shade of its historic spires and portentous-looking gargoyles. The Sainte Chapelle just a few miles down attracted its own line of patrons to admire the intricate, colorful stained glass windows and ivory stone. With its large center spire reaching toward the heaven in an elegant, narrow point towering over the crowds below, the chapel beckoned its visitors inside to pray reverently in the light of colored glass and burning candles lit for the souls of others.

 Page 27

    I sat, with hands pressed against the window and eyes glued to the busy city. With so much to see, and no Titans chasing after me, I could finally take in the illustrious City of Lights and fall in love.


    ¡°Sebastian, it''s beautiful,¡± I sighed wistfully.


    ¡°I''m glad you like it,¡± he murmured with amusement in his tone.


    We arrived at his parent¡¯s house an hour later, after fighting traffic and winding our way around half the city. Sebastian''s parents, the Duke and Duchess of Canesburry, greeted us at the door of their enormous, lavish townhouse that overlooked the gardens of the Eiffel Tower. Princess Bianca pulled me into a surprise hug as soon as I climbed the stairs leading up to the ornate wrought iron doors. Taken back by her affection, I hugged her awkwardly in return.


    After bestowing even greater affection on her son, she led us inside and I gasped at the parquet floors, and wall panels with pearl inlay. The entire town home was decorated in a mid-nineteenth century style that made the house feel lavishly beautiful and delicately fragile at the same time. I turned to Sebastian in utter awe of the ¡°palace¡± but he just shrugged his shoulders as if I were overreacting.


    ¡°Your house is stunning,¡± I gasped when Bianca joined us in the foyer.


    ¡°Oh, you think so?¡± she asked casually in her clipped British accent. ¡°I prefer the country estate personally, but I suppose there is a certain charm to the place.¡±


    I nodded my head slowly, trying to cover my shock and watched Sebastian laugh at me from behind his mother''s back.


    ¡°Eden, Bastion, you''re here!¡± Amelia exclaimed excitedly flying down the staircase and sliding across the slick floor crashing into her brother who opened his arms to catch her and then swung her around in a loving hug.


    ¡°Let me see you,¡± Sebastian demanded, suddenly very stern. He set her down and then seemed to inspect her with a strict, scrutinizing stare. She fidgeted uncomfortably under his assessment, smoothing out her shoulder length brunette hair and fidgeting with the wrinkles in her cashmere tank top and silk shorts. ¡°Hmmm....¡± he thought pensively, not looking at all happy, and then declared, ¡°Mother! She is much too pretty. Much, much too pretty. I thought you were going to put an end to that.¡±


    ¡°Sebastian!¡± I gasped, refusing to let her ornery older brother torment Amelia. ¡°You would rather her be ugly?¡± I glanced at Amelia sheepishly, afraid she might be mad at me. We hadn''t seen each other since the night I broke into the London palace, where I not only told her I was planning on killing her beloved cousin, but her as well. I didn''t end up following through on either case, but that didn''t mean I wouldn''t keep my word at a future date. Still, she was so sweet, so magnetically charming that I loved her despite myself. Just as I loved Sebastian, even though he stood starkly on the opposite side of this war. Besides all that, she was much too young to understand the necessity of murder, especially of all those that she loved dearly.


    ¡°I would rather her be ugly,¡± Sebastian declared. ¡°Then, at least I wouldn''t have to worry about all the boys chasing after her.¡±


    ¡°What boys?¡± Amelia mumbled and then turned her attention to me. ¡°Are you angry with me, Eden?¡±


    ¡°Angry with you?¡± I shrieked, ¡°What could I possibly be angry with you about! Are you mad at me?¡±


    ¡°Eden, I could never be made at you!¡± She exclaimed, her big golden brown eyes grew to the size of saucers and then she rushed over to me to throw her arms around my neck.


    ¡°Really?¡± Sebastian teased. ¡°I could. I could easily be mad at Eden. In fact, I''m mad at her right now.¡±


    ¡°Me too, but I''m always mad at her,¡± Kiran echoed from the doorway. We all spun around to greet him, the Crown Prince, in all his glory. He stood in the doorway in white linen trousers and a light blue polo, the sun illuminating the space around him, making his hair glint like gold and his tanned skin contrasting starkly with the light colors of his clothes.


    Amelia left my arms and flew to Kiran. He held her close, lifting her off the ground and treating her like a little sister. When he put her down, she stayed at his side, slipping her hand into his and pulling him toward Sebastian and I. Bianca had disappeared into the recesses of the house a while ago.


    ¡°Kiran, are you really mad at Eden?¡± Amelia asked innocently.


    ¡°Would it matter if I were?¡± he asked her, the good-nature evident in his voice, but his eyes serious and penetrating were on mine.


    ¡°Well, that depends,¡± Amelia explained sternly, educating us in the proper way to be angry with someone, ¡°what are you mad at her for?¡±


    ¡°Loads of things,¡± Kiran confessed, but walked toward me with purpose, his smirk twisting the corners of his lips and his eyes twinkling with mischief. ¡°For starters, she is my fianc¨¦, yet I''ve been away from her for an entire week and she hasn''t even bothered to kiss me yet!¡±


    I jumped back, looking between Kiran and Sebastian frantically. I couldn''t remember if we were supposed to pretend in front of the Cartiers and furthermore I didn''t know if Amelia counted as an audience we had to pretend in front of. Plus, since Lucan wasn''t even here to witness any of this display, I didn''t feel like it was necessary, and the look on Kiran''s face told me he was simply up to no good. I kept my magic carefully restrained, but I felt his searching for mine relentlessly.


    ¡°Well, I, um, I didn''t want to embarrass you,¡± I found an excuse and went for it, but he was next to me, staring down at me with those damned turquoise eyes, asking me to comply.


    ¡°You won''t embarrass me, Love,¡± he murmured, lifting his knuckles to my cheek and brushing it affectionately.


    ¡°Also,¡± I improvised quickly, ¡°I don''t just give away my kisses for no reason at all. You have to earn them.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Kiran laughed at me. ¡°Anything, just tell me what to do.¡± His voice was suddenly rough with emotion and his eyes burned into mine, taking my soul in his gaze and demanding an answer.


    I couldn''t reply to him, I couldn''t find my voice. I stood, lost in his gaze, trying to work out reality from pretend without much success.


    ¡°For starters, you could carry my bag to my room,¡± I whispered, unable to find more strength than that and desperately trying to remove myself from this awkward situation. Sebastian stood eyeing us with a mixture of suspicion and amusement and Amelia stood with her hands clasped together waiting for the fireworks that would explode in the background as soon as our lips touched.


    ¡°Excellent idea,¡± Kiran winked roguishly at me, and I realized then what my request might have sounded like. Tearing his eyes off me he turned to his cousin, ¡°Bastion, where is Eden staying?¡±


    ¡°The blue room,¡± Sebastian answered.


    Kiran picked up my bag that still waited next to the front door and began walking toward the staircase expecting me to follow. I smiled at Amelia, rolled my eyes at Sebastian and started after him, but Sebastian caught me by the arm to whisper in my ear.


    ¡°Don''t start falling in love with him now, Eden, if you remember you told me yourself he doesn''t love you anymore,¡± Sebastian reprimanded casually.


    ¡°Don''t be ridiculous!¡± I laughed and slapped him on the arm before I joined Kiran on the carpeted staircase.


    I followed Kiran up two flights of stairs and down a long, paneled hallway with carved ivory wall settings and matching floors. At the end of the hallway he opened a rosewood door that led into a guest suite beyond anything I ever dreamed of.


    The blue room was an expansive suite decorated in every shade of blue imaginable. A four-poster bed sat raised on a carpeted dais complete with wrap-around pull curtain that would leave the bed in complete darkness if the curtains were closed. There was a large sitting room with overstuffed sapphire blue couches, a giant flat screen TV hung on the wall, and fully stocked bar on another. The bathroom door was just opened enough so I could see tiled floors extending far beyond the doorway and a magnificent ivory bathtub calling my name. Glassed French doors led out to a balcony that overlooked the Eiffel Tower and I abruptly, albeit sarcastically, forgot my cause and decided I could stay here forever.


    ¡°This is so much better than your room back at the Citadel,¡± I exclaimed jokingly, stepping inside and turning around slowly just in case I missed anything.


    ¡°May I remind you that my room at the Citadel has one very important thing that this room doesn¡¯t?¡± Kiran leaned against the door-frame and looked at me seriously.


    ¡°What''s that?¡± I asked, falling easily into his trap.


    ¡°Me,¡± he stated simply and then broke into a boyish grin that demanded to be reciprocated.


    ¡°Maybe, but you''re never in that room either,¡± I reminded him and he flinched a little, not out of hurt but out of surprise. I wondered what I said that could cause him to react like that, but I didn''t want to press it. I wanted him to leave so I could explore this glorious room by myself, and step out onto the balcony and watch Paris for the next eight hours, forgetting about the world I was thrown into and all of its problems.


    All of my problems.


    ¡°Where would you like your bag?¡± Kiran cleared his throat and regained my attention.


    ¡°Just anywhere, thank you,¡± I replied, looking around the room and trying to memorize every intricate wall carving, every detailed Oriental rug or silk furniture covering.


    Kiran set my bag down on a large foot stool near the bed and then stood awkwardly next to it like he was waiting for something. I started fidgeting nervously wondering what he could be waiting for.


    ¡°Where''s Talbott?¡± I asked, realizing he hadn''t even accompanied Kiran to the house.


    ¡°He''s back at my flat, unpacking,¡± Kiran explained.


    ¡°Unpacking?¡± I blurted, surprised at the menial task Kiran left him with. ¡°Wasn''t he worried that you would be abducted on your way here, maybe assassinated on the front stoop, or possibly poisoned while ordering your coffee?¡± I demanded, intending to sound over-dramatic.


    ¡°No, he is absolutely not worried about any of those things!¡± Kiran laughed at me.


    ¡°Well, he should be, there are dangerous people out there,¡± I lectured and walked over to the floor-length windows that looked down on the busy street and bustling cafes.


    ¡°Yes, but no one I need to worry about,¡± he promised, with a funny catch of confidence in his voice.


    I wanted to argue, to remind him that the Resistance still lived as strong as ever. I wanted to argue, but I didn''t. In the end, I shouldn''t give him a heads up. If he wanted to believe he was safe, who was I to destroy that utopia of naivety?


    ¡°Hmmm....¡± I turned back around; he was still there, still waiting for something. ¡°Kiran, what are the rules when we''re in Paris? I mean, as an engaged couple.... are there people here that need to be.... convinced?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I''m afraid so,¡± he sighed, and a light went out in his eyes. ¡°I am not sure what my father has shared with my aunt, but the rest of the household is under the impression that you are my bride, not my prisoner and there are plenty of Immortals in Paris that could see us. I''m afraid the charade must go on.¡±


    He stood up then and walked over to me in the middle of the room. I stiffened at the relaxed way he approached me, the possessive way his hand reached out for my arm to soothe it with a serene gentleness. Suddenly I was the trapped animal and he was the hunter circling his prey. I lost just a little bit of self-control and gulped in fear, afraid of what he was thinking and of what I was not thinking.

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    ¡°I''m sorry, I thought Paris would be a getaway for you, I didn''t think far enough ahead to realize you would have to go through more of this excruciating facade,¡± his turquoise eyes were pools of sympathy and his face a mask of deep concern. The blue tones of the room reflected in his shirt and eyes and I decided, objectively, that he had never looked more relaxed, more confident.... more gorgeous.


    ¡°It''s all right, I''ll survive!¡± I smiled confidently. ¡°I guess, I should have expected it.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± he laughed and I felt encouraged by his light-heartedness. ¡°I won''t be staying for dinner tonight; I have business in the city. But, tomorrow I was hoping to take you sight-seeing. Would you be up for that?¡± He asked casually, giving me the chance to decline. I truly appreciated it, it was my first chance to say ¡°no¡± in a long, long time.


    ¡°I would love to go sight-seeing!¡± I exclaimed, and that was the truth. Finally, I would get to see Paris, walk its crowded streets with leisure and experience every little detail that tugged at my heart and enticed my hope.


    ¡°Sebastian told me you might,¡± Kiran smiled down at me. ¡°All right, I''ll be here early tomorrow morning and I''ll take you to my favorite breakfast shop. If you aren''t already, I am going to make you fall in love with chocolate croissants.


    I laughed at his enthusiasm and stood on my tiptoes so that I could kiss his cheek. I gently, but quickly, pressed my lips against his tensed jaw and felt him incline his face to mine wanting more than that; but I was finished.


    Somewhere in the last five minutes I became aware of what Kiran was waiting for and found it ridiculous that he was so patiently waiting for me to offer him a kiss when the whole thing had just been a scam to avoid giving him a kiss in front of an audience.


    ¡°There, you earned it,¡± I mumbled sarcastically, taking a step back from him.


    ¡°I suppose I did,¡± Kiran looked up at me from under thick eyelashes and I had to stop myself from smiling at the seductive tones in his voice. ¡°I will see you tomorrow morning.¡±


    Chapter Seventeen


    A knock at the door pulled me away from the window. I tried to stop the smile from spreading across my face, but it was no use. I couldn''t wait to step outside and wander the streets of Paris. My heart beat faster with excited anticipation for the day ahead.


    I glanced in the floor length mirror just inside the spacious bathroom just to make sure I looked as chic as I hoped I did. My floor length, white racerback maxi dress with a scooped neck and narrow shoulder straps made me feel older, more mature, but I still wasn''t convinced I could pull it off. I sighed, and added a few more bangles to my wrists to hide the handcuffs and then threw on the black onyx necklace, a contrast from the pure white of the dress and also the tracking device. My hair was down and disorderly, so I pulled on a ponytail holder with the bangles, prepared for the inevitable moment when I would get tired of my hair and pull it up.


    I took one more big breath, preparing myself for a day spent alone with Kiran and then walked over to the door. He stood on the other side leaning casually against the doorframe. He wore light gray trousers and a white crisp-collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up on his forearms. His hair was loose and a little wild and his lips were curled into a gentle, but slightly alluring smile. I took a step back and swallowed instinctively afraid of how absolutely good he looked. I needed to pull it together.


    ¡°You look nice,¡± I blurted awkwardly, the opposite of pulling it together.


    ¡°I''m supposed to say that to you,¡± Kiran scolded.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I laughed, tossing my head back and avoiding his serious eyes. ¡°I meant to say, you look nice for sight-seeing.¡±


    ¡°Just because we are playing tourists today, doesn''t mean we have to look like them,¡± he said firmly, in his crisp British accent and I decided he was right.


    ¡°Do I look like a tourist?¡± I asked self-consciously.


    ¡°No,¡± he answered seriously enough that I believed him.


    ¡°Well, are you ready? I''m starving,¡± I confessed.


    ¡°Yes I am, but first....¡± Kiran reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny key that I instantly recognized.


    ¡°Really?¡± I gushed, excited to be free from the awkward bracelets. I held out my wrists to him one at a time. He took my first hand, holding it gently in his and unlocked the handcuff, sliding it off my arm and then went to work on the other. I ignored his closeness, his warm skin against mine and especially his eyes that seemed to be constantly searching out mine.


    ¡°I don''t think these do anything anyway,¡± Kiran mumbled.


    ¡°Oh they do, they totally make me super tired,¡± I lied, sounding obvious. I faked a yawn and when he removed the second one, I declared, ¡°Wow. That is so much better!¡±


    ¡°That''s what I thought,¡± Kiran looked up at me clearly amused. ¡°I have to speak with my aunt quickly before we leave, is that all right with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s fine,¡± I answered, appreciating the option to say no again.


    We walked downstairs and to a dining room on the main floor where the entire Cartier family sat eating breakfast together. I felt uncomfortable with our intrusion, but Kiran seemed perfectly at ease stepping inside the open doorway and pulling me to his side, with a strong arm wrapped around my waist.


    ¡°Oh, don''t you two look lovely?¡± Bianca gasped. She surprised me this morning with her blonde hair piled casually on top of her head and minimal makeup on. The entire table looked up at us then and Amelia sighed at the sight of us together. Sebastian who could barely contain his mirth seemed only amused at my anxiety.


    As soon as we got back to the Citadel, I needed to have a conversation with Amelia and explain our situation. Although, the girl was a hopeless romantic and even when I told her I was going to kill Kiran last spring she didn''t believe me, so I didn''t know if it would do any good, but I was determined to sit her down anyway.


    ¡°Aunt B, I know I promised to stay for supper, but I''ve decided to take Eden somewhere special for the night, I hope you understand,¡± Kiran flashed a charming smile and ignored me when I turned to him in alarm. ¡°We''ll be back tomorrow in plenty of time to visit before we escort Amelia back to Romania.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Dear,¡± Bianca smiled in return, ¡°Have a splendid time; we''ll see you tomorrow, then.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Eden,¡± Sebastian called, ¡°enjoy that someplace special.¡±


    I shot Sebastian a hateful glance and then recovered quickly to smile and wave at the rest of his family. Kiran slipped his hand into mine and pulled me from the room and out the door where I was suddenly very reluctant to go.


    On the sidewalk, I couldn''t hold my anxiety back anymore, ¡°Kiran, um, what do you mean you''re taking me somewhere special tonight?¡± The fear, evident in my voice, also appeared in the trembling of my hand, still intertwined with his.


    ¡°Eden, don''t be ridiculous,¡± Kiran chided and I felt something like irritation shudder in his magic, ¡°I told you we have to pretend in Paris, but please tell me you know me better than that.¡±


    ¡°You''re right, I do. No, you''re right, I''m sorry,¡± I apologized, embarrassed by my gross assumption. Still, we weren''t going back to Sebastian''s house tonight, so we were going somewhere mysterious. I suppressed the majority of my fears, but the one that I couldn''t ignore was the fear of being fine with going somewhere alone with him.


    Kiran offered to hail a cab for us, but I asked to walk for as long as we could. The sun was excessively warm today, but it was also bright and shining down on the city of Paris, inviting me to explore. I wanted to walk every inch of this city, get to know every monument, museum and cathedral intimately. I wanted to sit in every cafe and try as many cups of espresso as I could stomach. I wanted Paris to become a part of me.


    I sighed happily and leaned into Kiran without even realizing how happy Paris made me until I caught Kiran''s watchful eyes staring down at me. I smiled up at him, unwilling to explain my fascination with the city or my relief from being away from the Citadel. I didn''t want to spoil anything today, I just wanted to walk around in blissful freedom and pretend for the day that I was human and without any problems.


    We walked to the Eiffel Tower and found Kiran''s favorite patisserie not far from it. We munched on delicious chocolate croissants and sipped heavenly, rich cappuccino on the patio. We people-watched, laughing together about the obvious Americans whom I regarded with fondness, but Kiran could only laugh at.


    We spent the next several hours climbing the steps of the illustrious monument, and taking the elevator to the top, overlooking the city from an incredibly high vantage point. I got lost looking out over the city at the ivory buildings and gray roofs that flowed together in a sea of architecture and stone.


    Kiran ordered a cab to take us to the Champs Elysees where we wandered underneath the Arc de Triumph and strolled up and down the famous street, meandering in designer stores where I felt very out of place, but Kiran fit in perfectly.


    We lunched at a sidewalk cafe, where Kiran ordered for me in perfect French. We had thin crust pizza with fresh mozzarella and ripe tomatoes and shared a bottle of expensive wine. We watched more people and talked about memories from Kingsley, the good ones. He was the perfect gentleman and I laughed at his jokes until I cried.


    After lunch, on my insistence, we walked to the Louvre where we spent the rest of the afternoon admiring every kind of art and architecture the world seemed to offer, from antique royal bedrooms to Picasso, Rembrandt and Da Vinci. We fought the crowds that moved quickly and without much interest, and examined each room, each piece of sacred art.


    Kiran seemed to share my awe of the creative, the beauty in which humanity creates something so moving that the soul is forced to respond to it and the history of the world when wealthy kings still ruled over surfs and peasants in opulent palaces and fancy costumes.


    ¡°Did we play no part in their history?¡± I whispered to Kiran as we examined a lifelike portrait by Titian.


    ¡°What makes you think he wasn''t Immortal?¡± Kiran nudged me with his elbow and lowered his voice.


    ¡°Because he respects humanity,¡± I answered simply, resisting the urge to reach out and touch the painting, to run my fingers over the brush strokes and memorize the way the face was formed with infinite care and precision.


    ¡°Hmmm....¡± Kiran mused, turning to me. ¡°Are you ready for supper?¡±


    ¡°And then off to our mysterious destination?¡± I probed. Suddenly a ball of nervous energy, I clasped my hands together, ignoring the trembling. He promised our night away would hold nothing out of the ordinary, but the secrecy of the whole affair kept me in agonizing suspense.


    ¡°Yes, then off to our mysterious destination,¡± he murmured, pulling me close to him and burying his lips in my hair. ¡°But after our day today, I am seriously reconsidering what I have planned.¡±


    I looked up at him trying to understand his meaning, but his face was a mask of gentle amusement and I couldn''t read anything. He stared down at me, and there was something in his eyes, that look that used to be constantly across his face, the one that I couldn''t define. And then it was gone, and he took my hand, leading me out of the museum, away from the glass triangle and to a cab that took us to his favorite Parisian restaurant.

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    He ordered for us again, a deliciously elegant dinner of filet mignon and roasted potatoes accompanied by bottles of wine and for dessert champagne and Cr¨¨me Brule that he let me crack with a spoon. While we nibbled on our shared dessert, he seemed very reluctant to leave and so I took the opportunity to ask him a few questions that had been nagging at the back of my mind.


    ¡°Kiran?¡± I approached carefully. He shifted his eyes from watching the busy street outside and waited for me to continue. ¡°Did you know my grandfather very well, I mean as a child?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± he avoided my question with one of his own. I could feel his reserve; see the careful hesitation in his eyes as if he were waiting for me to start a fight.


    ¡°It''s something that Ileana said to me. It''s just that, I mean, I didn''t know him at all growing up and I just wanted to know what kind of a man he was before I met him,¡± I explained, hoping to assure him it was mere curiosity pressing me to interrogate him and not malice or anger.


    Kiran smiled sadly, and then answered, ¡°I knew him very well; and he was much like a grandfather to me actually. After his peace treaty with father, after your parents disappeared, father installed him at Kingsley as the headmaster. But even still, he seemed to be a permanent fixture in our home. From what I understand after my own grandfather died, Amory stepped in to help my father run the kingdom until he understood things better. From everything I''ve heard they were very close until Delia disappeared and my father lost his mind,¡± Kiran smiled sadly, a cloud settled over his eyes for a brief moment but when he continued speaking it was replaced with true admiration, ¡°For as long as I can remember Amory was a part of my life, he probably spent more time with me as a child than my father did. He would take me everywhere with him while he visited, to meetings, to trials, to public events. It used to drive my father mad, but he let Amory get away with it. I think he knew that in Amory''s own way he was preparing me to be king one day. He talked to me for hours on every topic that faced my father, helping me come to my own conclusions on how I would deal with different situations. He would make me spend time with our people, promising me I would understand kingdom issues better if I understood our people better. He would take me for weeks at a time hiking and camping during the summer. He taught me how to fight.... how to hunt.....¡± Kiran trailed off and turned away from me, hiding the emotion that flooded his eyes. ¡°You''re so much like him, Eden. You have this thirst for life, this love of all things that radiated from him. You believe in everything and everyone means something, that everything has a unique purpose. I know my father thinks you get that from your human upbringing, but I know that it comes from Amory.¡±


    I sat there stunned. It was very possible Kiran was closer to my grandfather than I was. He certainly knew him better than I did. I wanted to question him further, to demand an answer to his betrayal but I felt moved by his story and the perfection of the day and so I stayed silent.


    After several more moments of silence, Kiran turned to me and I knew without a doubt that whatever he was about to tell me was the truth, ¡°Eden, I never meant for Amory to die that night, you have to believe me. I loved him like a grandfather, maybe even more like a father, and if I would have known that my father was going to kill him, I would have fought to stop that. I would have done anything to stop that from happening. Honestly, I didn''t think anything or anyone was capable of killing him. I was shocked by his death.... devastated. Please believe me,¡± Kiran insisted, his eyes big turquoise pools of sorrow. He reached across the table and took my hand in his. I felt his magic then, sincere and desperate, destroyed by his own loss.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± I whispered, hardly able to keep my composure.


    ¡°Will you forgive me?¡± he pressed. I watched his eyes want to look away, ashamed to even ask me for forgiveness, but he bravely kept them focused on me.


    ¡°Kiran, there is more to that night than Amory. There is more to your.... betrayal than the death of my grandfather. And I cannot forgive you for that night, or what has happened since,¡± I confessed. I broke the gaze, shifting my eyes to the uneaten dessert growing warm in the summer night.


    ¡°Of course there is,¡± he resigned, pulling his hand away from mine. ¡°But if it means anything to you, I was naive, blinded by my love for you. I never meant to hurt you or take away your family. I was just trying to find a way for us to be together.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I get all that. I was naive too,¡± when Kiran flinched, I continued quickly, ¡°I mean about love. I know it was not even a year ago, but honestly it feels like a decade has gone by since I fell in love with you and I am not that same girl. I was just as blinded, just as..... immature. We fell in love too fast; it couldn''t have all been real. Obviously, it ended worse than anyone could have ever imagined, and in the worst way possible, but we''re both better off now, don''t you think?¡±


    ¡°Eden,¡± Kiran sobered a little, the traces of remorse and regret replaced with cold honesty, ¡°how are things better now? We''re in the same position we were then only now we don''t love each other.¡±


    ¡°But it''s different now, I think we''ve both become different people.... better people. I was lost and painfully immature. I''ve grown. I know what I want now, and I didn''t before. ¡± I explained carefully.


    ¡°And you want Jericho,¡± Kiran stated, misunderstanding my point.


    ¡°No, I mean yes, I am with Jericho, but what I mean is that I know where I stand in this war, I know where my place is. I belong with the Resistance. I belong fighting against your father.¡± I looked up at him then, so he could see the sincerity in my eyes and read the determined expression on my face.


    ¡°You''re wrong about that,¡± Kiran countered and his face reflected the same honest sincerity that mine did. ¡°Of course you''re fighting on the right side of this whole thing, but you do not belong in some covert safe-house, running missions and taking orders. You belong in the palace, where you can interact with others and convince them they''re wrong, that what they believe is wrong.¡±


    I blushed at his belief in me. His words moved me, his complete sincerity that I could actually make a difference with others stirred my soul and I knew that he was right.


    ¡°I hope you''re right about that because it''s the only place I can be right now,¡± I mumbled humbly.


    ¡°Eden, look at me,¡± Kiran demanded gently and when my eyes met his, he continued, ¡°You are right about all that other stuff, we fell in love too fast, I was painfully immature as well, but what you have to understand is that you are not just someone I fell in love with. You are a belief system, a theology all of your own that demands faith and loyalty. I am not the only one helpless to follow your call. Everyone who meets you is moved to join your cause because you call them to it. You find that moral, innate responsibility in others and draw it to the surface. After meeting you, there is no choice but to seek the same truth that you do.¡±


    I sat speechless for a minute, not knowing how to respond. Kiran smiled at me in a sheepish version of his smirk and then looked away before clarifying, ¡°Was helpless, I was helpless before, but I''m not anymore. I know all you''re tricks by now....¡±


    ¡°How long before the rest of the kingdom figures them out too?¡± I joked, glad he lightened the mood.


    ¡°Hopefully not until you''ve destroyed my father,¡± he was serious, more serious than I had ever seen him and he silenced me as I mentally chewed on his words, trying to make sense of them. When I opened my mouth to speak, he continued quickly, ¡°Don''t ask me, Eden. I can''t give you an explanation.¡±


    ¡°You can''t, or you won''t?¡± I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear it from him.


    ¡°I won''t,¡± he replied with finality. He raised his hand for the check to be brought to us and after he paid he stood to leave, taking my arm and leading me to the curb where he hailed a taxi.


    Earlier today I was terrified of where he planned to take me tonight, but as we climbed into the backseat of the taxi I felt nothing but peace. He answered more of my questions today than I believed he ever would and at the end of it came real answers, real truth. I knew our relationship was over, the love between us died months ago and now with honest communication opened we could continue a friendship. Or maybe not a friendship, but a relationship not built on past feelings or lies. I didn''t love him. And he didn''t love me. That much was clear.


    It didn''t even matter that I just spent the best day of my life with him, or found him charming and perfect when he was away from the palace, away from his title. We both moved on months ago.


    Chapter Eighteen


    The cab left Paris and drove into the country while the sun set low on the horizon. Kiran and I sat in the backseat in pensive silence. The sunflowers were in full bloom this time of year and they drooped their golden heads, saying goodnight to the world and falling asleep with the sun.


    ¡°Kiran,¡± I broke our silence, wanting to express my gratitude for the day, ¡°thank you for today. I had the best time and I appreciate what you did for me.¡±


    ¡°You are welcome, Love,¡± Kiran turned to me, his face marked with that look, his eyes deep blue and heavy with some emotion I couldn''t for the life of me figure out.


    ¡°It''s easy to be with you like this,¡± when his face twisted into confusion, I continued, ¡°I mean, away from everything, away from responsibility and.... fate I suppose. But life isn''t really like this, is it?¡±


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± Kiran agreed. ¡°Although if you''re going to talk about fate then there is no real way to know if this day was part of Fate''s greater plan or not.¡±


    I smiled at him, knowing he didn''t expect an answer, knowing that neither of us believed that was true. ¡°No, this is just a vacation,¡± I replied anyway.


    We drove farther into the country and I started to feel like I recognized this area. Eventually we pulled off the main highway and onto a little country road. At the end of the road was a farmhouse obscured by the darkness and surrounded by sunflower fields that went on for miles. A large barn sat to the side of the house and a paved road that looked a lot like a runway led out to it.


    Finally, it hit me. Gabriel''s house. We were at Gabriel''s. I grabbed Kiran''s arm roughly, squeezing it excitedly in my grasp. And then I tuned in to Avalon and realized he was in France, in that very house.


    ¡°Kiran, is he here?¡± I asked, needing confirmation.


    ¡°Yes, they''re all here,¡± he replied, his cheeks burning with embarrassment from my exhilaration.


    As soon as the cab pulled up to the house, I jumped out, racing for the door and bursting it open with magic. Avalon was on the other side waiting for me with arms open. I threw myself at him, hugging him close and letting the tears fall. I couldn''t believe he was here, that I could touch him, and talk to him face to face.


    I had plans to kill Lucan and be reunited with my family again. I plotted and thought things through constantly. Still, every time I left Avalon, a part of me always said goodbye to him forever. We went through too much, there was too much pain in our life for me to confidently believe I could win this war and keep intact everything that I held dear. I had lost too much already to believe that.

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    Each time I saw him again ever since he was first taken from the farm, was a miracle. Tonight was a miracle. The tears fell hot and fast against my cheek, knowing when I left here in the morning I would say goodbye again. My heart would silently memorize his face and let go of him to the path we both separately chose and I would hold on to my plans and plotting, knowing they had to be worth all of this, in my very soul, until I met with him again.


    ¡°You know you could just talk to me more. Then you might have some idea of what is going on....¡± Avalon mumbled into my hair which only made me cry more.


    ¡°I know,¡± I sobbed in a not at all pleasant voice, ¡°but I can''t help it, I forget! You know I was raised-¡±


    ¡°Human!¡± a chorus of voices rang out behind Avalon and then dissolved into all different voices declaring over-dramatically, ¡°We know, we know....¡±


    I lifted my head off Avalon''s shoulder and took in the rest of the group gathered. All of the boys were here, Titus, Xander, Xavier, Gabriel and Silas and then Lilly too, standing next to the tall men as petite as ever, her red hair burning as if on fire in chin-length ringlets. I left Avalon''s arms and found Lilly and held her close to me. She started crying too, and then it was all over. I noticed immediately that Jericho was missing but I was so grateful to see everyone else that I didn''t want to spoil my joy by asking where he could be. I turned my head and saw that Kiran had stepped inside the door and was already deeply involved in a conversation with Avalon. I tilted my head at him, asking if he minded if Lilly and I went into the other room to talk and he waved me on.


    Lilly and I found a place in Gabriel''s living room. Xander, Xavier and Titus followed us, taking their own seats while Gabriel and Silas stayed with Avalon to talk with Kiran who had moved into the kitchen.


    ¡°Oh, my gosh, I cannot believe you are here!¡± I gushed, mostly talking to Lilly, but including the boys too.


    ¡°I know! Sometimes I think I''m never going to see you again. I missed you so much!¡± Lilly said softly, trying not to let her concern weigh too heavy on her words.


    ¡°I feel the same way,¡± I admitted and watched Xander roll his eyes.


    ¡°Girls are so sappy!¡± Xavier crowed. ¡°Guys would never say anything like that!¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± I turned on him. ¡°Ok, what do guys say when they haven''t seen each other for a while?¡±


    ¡°Well, we don''t really say anything....¡± Xander admitted. I remembered what they were all like when Jericho and I showed up at Mr. Lambert''s townhouse last spring after they thought he was dead and I knew that wasn''t true, but I let them have their side of the argument.


    ¡°Except maybe, we would want to know what''s going on with the mission or something like that,¡± Titus answered, his voice overly gruff as if trying to prove that although they would ask questions, it would be of the very manly variety.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± I consented, trying not to roll my eyes.


    ¡°So how are things going in the palace?¡± Xander asked seriously and his eyes softened with concern for me.


    ¡°Awesome, as usual,¡± I lied and Lilly took my hand and squeezed it. ¡°Hey, that reminds me, is Mr. Lambert like on our side or what? Because if he''s not, he has definitely been getting a bunch of weird visits from people sent by me.¡±


    ¡°No, he definitely is,¡± Titus confirmed. ¡°Yeah, he''s sent them along to Avalon. Whatever you''re doing seems to be working. After the Summer Solstice Ball last week we had a record number of people join our cause. It seems like putting you out in the open is making an impact on the kingdom, E.¡±


    That was the highest compliment Titus had ever given me and I blushed with gratitude. ¡°Glad, I can help,¡± I smiled, trying to hide my embarrassment.


    ¡°So what''s happening, on this side of everything?¡± I asked the group and Xander launched an in-depth account of how Solomon Camera had approached Charles Lambert at the engagement party and almost blown the whole cover. Suddenly I was distracted by Avalon''s conversation in the kitchen. Now that we were so close, I was having a hard time separating our thoughts.


    ¡°He is coming, isn''t he?¡± Kiran was asking Avalon. Kiran paced the small kitchen obviously irritated.


    ¡°Yes, he''s coming,¡± Avalon reassured him.


    ¡°He¡¯d better be,¡± Kiran grumbled. ¡°I''m risking a lot here, Avalon, and he needs to understand that.¡±


    ¡°Relax dude, he''ll be here,¡± Avalon promised. ¡°Why are you doing this if you''re risking so much? She seems to be doing fine; it wasn''t like she was begging to see us or anything....¡±


    ¡°Can''t you guess?¡± Kiran sighed. He stopped pacing to lean against the counter and run his hand through his hair.


    ¡°I''m afraid to guess,¡± Avalon mumbled. I tried to push deeper into Avalon''s thoughts to find out what he was thinking but I didn''t want to alert him that I was eavesdropping.


    ¡°I don''t blame you,¡± Kiran muttered. ¡°If he''s not here soon, I''m going to break his nose.¡±


    ¡°N,o you''re not,¡± Avalon commanded, and Kiran looked up letting Avalon know there was no way Avalon could stop him.


    ¡°Who''s side are you on Avalon?¡± Kiran demanded.


    ¡°Her side,¡± Avalon growled in a low voice that sounded very much like a threat.


    The front door opened and I left Avalon''s kitchen conversation and lifted my eyes to Jericho who was standing in the entryway looking at me with a mixture of disbelief and veiled hope. I jumped to my feet, not even pretending to pay attention to Xander anymore and ran across the room throwing myself at Jericho.


    I let my magic find his immediately and wrap itself up in Jericho''s reserved energy. He held me to him, cradling my head against his chest and breathing out in relief as if he didn''t expect that I would want to be near him. I looked up at him, and when he looked down at me there was something between us, something that needed to be talked about privately.


    ¡°Nice of you to join us,¡± Kiran hollered, walking out of the kitchen with arms crossed and nostrils flared, ready to fight.


    ¡°Don''t start with me,¡± Jericho barked. His large hands held me closer to him as if he were protecting me. But I wasn''t a little girl, and I didn''t need him to shield me from Kiran or anyone else. I turned around to face Kiran too, realizing his conversation with Avalon had been about Jericho.


    ¡°Do you know how risky it is coming here after we already arrived?¡± Kiran demanded an answer, stopping just a few feet from us. ¡°If you were followed we''re all screwed! All of us, do you get that?¡±


    ¡°I know what''s at stake!¡± Jericho shouted back. ¡°Do you need to be reminded that this was your idea! So if we get caught, I think we can all safely put the blame on you!¡±


    ¡°My idea? That''s laughable,¡± Kiran softened his voice, but hardened his tone. ¡°Were you followed?¡±


    ¡°I do this all the time, Your Royal Highness,¡± Jericho retorted sarcastically. ¡°I know what I''m doing.¡±


    ¡°You meet girls at isolated farmhouses all the time?¡± Kiran asked pointedly.


    ¡°That is not what I meant,¡± Jericho defended himself and his anger reached a new level.


    I burst out laughing, I couldn''t help it. I knew they hated each other, I even understood why, but they were being ridiculous and I found it hilarious. Jericho bristled behind me, angry that I found them funny and Kiran shot me a warning glance not to cross him.


    ¡°Listen, I''m going to go upstairs, would you care to join me?¡± I looked up into Jericho''s hazel eyes and waggled my eyebrows. He ran a hand through his short brown hair that matched the deep color of his eyes and sighed his response.


    I slipped my hand into his and pulled him upstairs with me. I desperately wanted to spend time with Lilly and Avalon, but both Kiran and Jericho needed to settle down first. Besides a little alone time with Jericho sounded too amazing to pass up, especially after my day with Kiran.


    I led him into the bedroom I occupied during our one night stay here with Gabriel months ago. That was the same night I decided I couldn''t let Kiran die from his horrible disease. The same night I decided to save him.


    I shook my head, erasing those memories and sat down on the twin bed pushed against the wall in the small upstairs bedroom. The bed was still made from when I slept in it; nothing had been touched since I was here last.


    Jericho didn''t sit down with me. He closed the door and then leaned against it, focusing intently on something in the middle of the floor. I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but the feeling that I already knew tugged at the back of my neck and so I waited for him to bring it up.


    ¡°So, I, uh, I ran surveillance on the Summer Solstice Celebration....¡± Jericho explained quietly after several moments of silence.


    ¡°Ah,¡± I said simply, letting his words hang there until he could justify to me why that might be a problem.


    ¡°I probably won''t do that ever again....¡± He couldn''t look at me. I wanted to feel guilty and apologize for my behavior that weekend, but I didn''t do anything wrong. I had a part to play to make sure people didn''t die and I had to be convincing down to the very smallest detail or Lucan would hurt others just to teach me a lesson.


    ¡°That might be a good idea,¡± I agreed, knowing I wouldn''t change my behavior just because he was watching. ¡°Jericho, I can''t even pretend to be sorry for that. I am alive for one reason only and that is because Lucan is determined that Kiran possesses my magic. And because of that Lucan has this deranged idea that the kingdom needs to believe we''re in love so he doesn''t look weak because he spared my life. If I don''t pull this off.... If Kiran and I don''t pull this off, people will die. Lucan will murder those prisoners and more. This is definitely not what I wanted, believe me. I went there fully willing to be martyred. If I would have known that this pretense of a fake engagement would be my death sentence, I might have seriously reconsidered!¡±


    ¡°I know all of that, Eden. And I know that your death, if it''s even possible for you to die, would have been a horrifying alternative, but that doesn''t make this whole watching you be in love with your ex-boyfriend thing any easier for me, while I sit on the sidelines not even able to talk to you,¡± Jericho argued.


    ¡°I can''t do this Jericho; I can''t try to do what''s best for the kingdom if I''m worried about making you jealous....¡± I snapped, more brutally honest than I intended to be.


    ¡°Then don''t go back, stay with me instead. We''ll figure it out, we''re working on getting the prisoner''s out of there, it''s only a matter of time....¡± Jericho sat down beside me, pleading a case I knew he didn''t even believe in.


    ¡°Don''t,¡± I stopped him. ¡°Don''t say those things, you know I can''t and it''s not fair to put that option in front of me. I''m glad to hear you''re getting them out of there but until there is no one left and everyone else in this damned kingdom is completely out of Lucan''s reach then I can''t even entertain an idea like that. And it''s not nice of you to try to tempt me.¡±


    ¡°You''re right, I''m sorry,¡± Jericho lamented immediately, sighing with frustration.


    I met his eyes and then sank into him, letting him hold me closely and wrap his arms around me. We sat there for a while, all of the unsaid things between us hanging heavily in the air. I knew he wanted me to apologize for a convincing performance with Kiran and he knew I never would.

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    ¡°This is the worst, isn''t it?¡± I grumbled, laughing a little at the absurdity of our situation. ¡°Some couple we make....¡±


    ¡°We will get through this,¡± Jericho promised, and for the first time all night I heard the optimism in his voice. ¡°It won''t be much longer before we make a move on the Citadel and when this is all over you, and I can be together and this season of our lives will become only a memory.¡±


    I tipped my chin up to his mouth and invited him to kiss me. He closed the space between our lips, taking my mouth in his and kissing me passionately. His magic finally released in a sigh of relief that surged against mine. I kissed him back with confidence and security. Unlike when I kissed Kiran for show, with Jericho, I knew I was supposed to kiss him, I knew his arms were supposed to be wrapped around me and it felt right. It felt acceptable.


    Still, with Kiran there was a.....


    I couldn''t think it, I couldn''t entertain the thought and so I threw myself further into Jericho, pushing him backward on the bed and running my hand over his muscular chest reminding him with my body that I belonged to him, that I promised myself to him.... that I loved him.


    He took my initiative with a sigh of longing, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer to him so that nothing remained between our bodies or our magic. His mouth moved against mine in a fevered passion, desperate to take all of me in that kiss, to remind me there was chemistry between us.


    I gasped for breath, refusing to leave his arms, or remove my lips from his. Like so many other events in my life, being separated from Jericho after just starting something serious with him was another unfairness I had to live with. Only, I reminded myself, I willingly walked away from Jericho believing I had a bigger responsibility to a greater cause.


    I loved Jericho, but circumstances had to line up perfectly in order for us to be together permanently. I would continue my role at the castle and if for some terrible reason Avalon and the Resistance weren''t able to get to me before May first, I would walk down the aisle to Kiran and wait it out on the other side of marriage.


    Having just realized I was willing to go as far as marriage with Kiran to protect others, I slowed my mouth against Jericho and relaxed my body. With one final, gentle kiss I laid my head against his chest and listened to his heart beat slowly. The realization that Jericho and I probably had no future together set into my blood like a slow-working poison and I didn''t know what to do. I kept my head firmly nestled into the nook of where his arm met his chest and tried to banish the ominous feeling that our relationship came with our own expiration date. He ran his fingers through my hair, working carefully through the tangles and I wondered if he was having the same thoughts, the same vision of a love that would not last.


    Another love that wouldn''t last.


    And then I sat up and looked at him. I wasn''t fickle. I wasn''t some immature girl anymore that had time to spare and love to throw away. I refused to be the girl that flip-flopped between boys because circumstances dictated who I spent time with.


    I held his confused gaze in mine and ran my hand across his angular jaw. ¡°Jericho, I love you,¡± I whispered with conviction.


    His eyes relaxed and he responded sweetly, ¡°I love you too.¡±


    ¡°This is dismal.... this situation we''re in, I get that, but it doesn''t have to be. I mean, you have to know and always remember that I love you and that''s all that matters. I mean, even if we get to May first and.... and there''s nothing we can do to stop the wedding, you need to know that I love you and I always will.¡± Tears came to the back of my eyes and I fought against them, not wanting to seem over-dramatic.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Jericho propped himself up on his elbows so that I would take him seriously, ¡°I know that you love me. I don''t ever doubt that..... How do I say this,¡± he asked himself and then continued, ¡°But you loved me before you uh.... loved me. Does that make sense? You loved me as a friend before you loved me as a boyfriend, Ok? And the thing is our relationship started over the most emotional time in your life.... Look, what I''m trying to say is that if you stop.... if you go back to just loving me like a friend, I need you to be honest with me. I know what you had with Kiran was real, even if you don''t want to admit it, but I deserve to be treated fairly.... Ok?¡± Jericho sat up all the way and held my face in his hands asking me to agree.


    ¡°Do you think that''s what''s going to happen?¡± I mumbled, depressed that he thought so little of my ability to love him.


    ¡°Eden, I don''t know what''s going to happen, no one does. Lucan could kill us all first thing in the morning, or we could win this thing and start a new way of life for our people together.... Either way, I know what I want to happen and I know how I feel about you. I just wanted you to hear my side of this whole mess.... But know, Eden, that I love you with all that I am.¡± He smiled encouragingly at me and I felt it then, the gentle way he was trying to give me a way out if I wanted one. He was the best kind of man and I was lucky he loved me, and that he was willing to put up with me.


    ¡°Good,¡± I teased, kissing him on the mouth again.


    A knock at the door interrupted our moment and Avalon''s voice could be heard on the other side of it asking us to hurry up.


    ¡°Come in, Avalon,¡± Jericho demanded. ¡°Do you know it was just like this at Canesburry, too?¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± I shrieked at the insinuation that he was constantly behind closed doors making out with other girls, but instead of encouragement he just winked at me.


    ¡°Hey, are you going to keep her up here all night, or do I get to see her too?¡± Avalon stuck his head in the door and eyed Jericho over with uncharacteristic suspicion.


    ¡°We were just about to come downstairs,¡± Jericho lied, and Avalon saw right through him.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± Avalon commanded, opening the door all the way and waiting for us to move, ¡°Eden and I have a lot of strategic planning to go over, lots of important Resistance things to discuss. We''re very important people, Jericho, and you''re taking up our very valuable time,¡± Avalon scolded Jericho with strong sarcastic tones and I couldn''t stop laughing.


    ¡°Is that true Avalon? Do we have a lot to discuss?¡± I asked in between gasps for breath.


    ¡°No, not at all, but I want to talk to you, too, and all Jericho wants to do is steal your virtue. I couldn''t, in good conscience, and while you''re engaged to another man, let that happen,¡± Avalon pushed me down the hallway playfully and Jericho turned on Avalon with a look of pure ire.


    ¡°Avalon!¡± I gasped, embarrassed at his insinuation. ¡°My virtue is perfectly protected!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Avalon bellowed.


    We walked downstairs and into the living room where the rest of the group waited for us. I sat down close to Lilly on the couch and let her talk my ear off. Her mother was fine and Avalon had been able to get her father out somehow, too. Avalon got me up to speed on the rest of the Resistance that was working around the world to recruit others and gather the Shape-shifters that lived in isolated, hidden societies all over. The Shape-shifters were the most difficult to find, but usually the most ready to join the fight. Gabriel and Silas interjected when they felt like it, but mostly kept an inconspicuous lookout position, always walking through the house to make sure everything was in order.


    We talked and laughed well into the early morning hours. Kiran disappeared before I even came downstairs and I assumed he left and that''s why everyone felt so free to talk about what was going on. Eventually the boys started to drift to the guest bedrooms upstairs and when only Jericho and I were left, he pulled me into his arms and I laid my head down on his beating heart and fell asleep in the comfort of a happiness I didn''t think would ever exist in my life again.


    Chapter Nineteen


    Surrounded by almost everyone I held dear, I couldn¡¯t find the willpower to say goodbye. Still early morning, a fog blanketed the sunflower fields with golden buds just lifting their faces toward the rising sun. A cab waited to take Kiran and I back to the city and Kiran stood in the midst of us all as if he belonged here, with the Resistance.


    ¡°Eden, don¡¯t make this all emotional, just get over here and give me a hug!¡± Avalon demanded, lightening my mood with his sarcastic attitude.


    I walked over to him and let him envelope me in his wide wingspan. He lifted me off the ground, hugging me gruffly before setting me down and patting my head like a small child.


    ¡°We will get to see each other again, Ok?¡± he comforted soothingly. ¡°If not very soon, then at least by May first. I won¡¯t let you marry his royal douchebag, don¡¯t you worry.¡± Avalon laughed at his own joke, and Kiran scowled at him from across the circle. I knew better than to believe Avalon still disliked Kiran, but I appreciated his willingness to come to my rescue. ¡°And in the meantime, try talking to me a little bit more, huh? I¡¯m actually pretty good company.¡± Avalon pushed his long hair behind one ear and looked every bit of bad company. His green eyes sparkled at me, testifying to his sincerity.


    ¡°I will,¡± I promised. ¡°And hey, will you call Syl for me and just let her know that I¡¯m Ok?¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Avalon agreed.


    ¡°Eden, honestly,¡± Kiran chided, ¡°if you would like to talk to Sylvia, all you have to do is ask. You can use my cell phone anytime you want.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± I gasped, turning to face Kiran to gauge his expression.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re not as much of a martyr as you like to believe you are,¡± Kiran laughed and Avalon gave me an ¡°I told you so¡± look that I didn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°And you¡¯re really not that much of a hero,¡± Jericho mumbled.


    ¡°Is that what you think this is?¡± Kiran¡¯s face hardened into an angry mask and he faced Jericho with even more hate than was between them last night.


    ¡°I know what this is,¡± Jericho growled. I left Avalon¡¯s side and walked over to Jericho, slipping my arm around his waist, attempting to comfort him.


    ¡°You and I have two very different agendas Jericho, do not pretend to know what I¡¯m trying to accomplish,¡± Kiran threatened.


    ¡°As long as your agenda doesn¡¯t interfere with mine, I couldn¡¯t care less what you do,¡± Jericho finished threateningly, and for some reason that silenced Kiran.


    ¡°Well, you guys are super fun to be around in the morning,¡± I murmured leaving Jericho to hug Xander and then Xavier.


    ¡°Eden, may I have a word with you?¡± Gabriel asked, his orange eyes flaring like fire beneath lightly tinted aviator sun glasses.


    I nodded my head and we walked into the barn where his small plane sat in storage. I shuddered at the sight of the flying death trap, remembering our terrifying trip across the ocean. Silas followed us and stood next to Gabriel with arms folded and a severe frown. Together they looked more like a hit squad than friends.


    Gabriel, always dressed in his priestly robes, still managed to look more threatening than any non-clergyman I ever met with his shaved head and fiery eyes. Silas remained a mystical creature, his smooth black skin the exact tone of the panther he shifted into. There was something about Silas, a cool humor to life, but a dangerous mood swing that could easily be flipped if he thought he or anyone he cared for was in danger. Together they were more forbidding than any Titan I had ever fought and I was glad they were on my side.

 Page 32

    ¡°I am glad that you did not die,¡± Gabriel announced as soon as we found privacy.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I laughed.


    ¡°This is the right thing; your brother is much better than you were at leading us,¡± Gabriel continued and all I could do was smile at the complimentary insults I had forgotten about. ¡°But you are also much better where you¡¯re at.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I repeated, not sure where this was going.


    ¡°There are certain people we would like you to look for and feel out where they stand,¡± Silas took over, his gray eyes narrowing into serious slits while talking strategy. ¡°For instance any of the officials that might be invited to the palace. Word has spread about you and you need to be careful of those that visit the palace to learn more about you. We are rescuing prisoners often, but Lucan has started to round up more and more of our people every day. We are in a race; it seems, to see who can reach the Shape-shifter colonies first. Those that visit you might not always be your friend; you need to use discretion. And you cannot use Charles Lambert anymore, since he will be joining you at the Citadel; his position in our ranks has become very precarious. He must be utterly precise with his behavior.¡±


    ¡°All right, anyone specific you want me to look for?¡± I asked, crossing my arms and memorizing every detailed instruction.


    ¡°Not yet, but if we need to give you a name, we will have Avalon communicate with you,¡± Gabriel spoke up, his thick Peruvian accent marking his tone with passion. ¡°There is another thing. You need to start convincing the Titans in the palace that you and your brother are the rightful heirs. Although you are becoming quite famous all over the kingdom, the fact that you have a twin brother remains relatively unknown. You need to find a way to prove that is true. The Titans have to believe you belong on the throne if we ever want to end this war; otherwise we will fight each other till the end of time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be easier said than done; the Titans hate me,¡± I confessed. I sighed, wondering at the impossibility of the tasks ahead of me.


    ¡°We know, they despise you because you seek to uproot their king, so they must learn slowly that their allegiance belongs to you,¡± Silas explained. I bounced on the balls of my feet nervously.


    ¡°Ok.... Anything else?¡± I asked, just waiting for them to add to my already staggering list.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gabriel nodded his head seriously. ¡°Have you figured out a way to kill Lucan yet?¡±


    I wanted to laugh out loud at the idea, but I held back politely. ¡°No, he seems to always have the upper hand,¡± I admitted and a fury burned in my stomach so hot that I thought I would be sick for a minute.


    ¡°I know that it is hard for you to imagine taking a life, Eden,¡± Gabriel explained gently. I remembered the conversation we had in the car after I failed to kill Kiran the first time and the compassion in Gabriel¡¯s eyes when he asked me if I had ever killed anyone before. ¡°His life is an abomination; he cannot be allowed to go on living.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± I agreed and felt the power to kill him already spreading roots in my veins. ¡°When the time comes, I will be ready.¡±


    ¡°You and your brother are the only ones capable of carrying it through,¡± Silas reminded me and I nodded my approval of the idea.


    ¡°We won¡¯t fail,¡± I vowed and I thought I noticed both men relax a little.


    ¡°There is one final thing,¡± Gabriel announced and looked to Silas.


    ¡°He will get to your parents before the end of this,¡± Silas explained and an ominous chill turned my blood cold. ¡°You will have to decide if you are fighting for your people, or your family.¡± Silas¡¯s Jamaican accent had a happy lilt that betrayed the severity of his words.


    ¡°What are you saying,¡± I gasped, unwilling to believe him. I knew the ancient Shape-shifters could prophesy, and there were rumors of Silas and his ability, but this was too much.


    ¡°You faced this truth before, child,¡± Gabriel reminded me, ¡°but in the past both goals held mutual outcomes. It may not be so simple in the future.¡±


    ¡°Will I make the right choice?¡± I asked, hoping for some future encouragement.


    ¡°That is not for me to know,¡± Silas admitted softly.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Gabriel demanded my attention that had begun to drift from this conversation to a future nightmare. I looked at him, his eyes flaring to life in flames of bright orange, ¡°You are the Oracle. You will make the right choice because it is your destiny.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I forget all that,¡± I smiled, trying to lighten the mood.


    ¡°No, never forget that!¡± Gabriel commanded and I nodded my head in obedience.


    ¡°And now you must go,¡± Silas declared and if I didn¡¯t know better I would have been offended.


    I left the barn and said goodbye to Lilly who promised to call Syl for me, too.


    ¡°Tell your parents hello for me,¡± I instructed, pulling her in to a tight hug.


    ¡°I will,¡± she promised. ¡°Um, Eden.....¡± She started and then turned bright red.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked, curious about her sudden bashfulness.


    ¡°Could you give this to Talbott for me?¡± She passed me a sealed envelope with a folded piece of paper inside and my hands itched to know what her note said.


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± I teased. ¡°I cannot have you fraternizing with the enemy!¡±


    She blushed even redder and tried to grab the envelope from my hand when Kiran stepped in, ¡°I¡¯ll give it to him!¡± he snatched the note from me and tucked it into his pocket. ¡°But I might need to go over it first, just to make sure my faithful Talbott isn¡¯t turning into a spy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Lilly gasped and if possible her face turned three shades darker.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t!¡± I turned on Kiran, mortified that he would even entertain the idea.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dearest,¡± Kiran addressed Lilly, ¡°I have Eden to keep me honest. I¡¯ll make sure that he gets the letter, unopened.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lilly mumbled, not at all convinced.


    Jericho cleared his throat behind us so I turned from Kiran and went straight into his arms. I was saving his goodbye for last. Or almost last, I still had a few more things to say to Avalon. He held me close to him, burying his face in my hair.


    ¡°Yesterday, I said some things I didn¡¯t mean,¡± he apologized sweetly. ¡°Despite what I might have led you to believe, I know you¡¯re sacrificing for the cause and I want you to know that I trust you. No matter what you do, I trust that you are doing what¡¯s right for your people.¡±


    I looked up at him, moved by his words and wanting to live up to them. Most of the time I wasn¡¯t consciously deciding to do everything for the good of others, most of the time I reacted on selfish impulse. But Jericho¡¯s words settled on me like a calling and with the encouragement of his trust, I would walk forward and live up to them.


    ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered, staring deeply in his chocolate eyes and letting him face the force of my feelings.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± he whispered back and then dipped his head so that his lips met mine. He kissed me sweetly, his lips light and gentle against my mouth. It wasn¡¯t a goodbye kiss, it wasn¡¯t the longing of farewell; it was the promise that we would see each other again, that there was life beyond our separation. When we left each other, I felt confident in our relationship and encouraged by his belief in me.


    I walked over to the cab where Avalon waited with Kiran. They talked in hushed tones with serious expressions on their faces and I had to wonder what they were always whispering about.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m going to start eavesdropping on these conversations you two have. What could you possibly have to say to each other?¡± I demanded, crossing my arms when I reached them.


    ¡°We were just wondering, if Jericho loves you like he claims to, why he is so willing to let you go?¡± Kiran improvised, successfully turning my attention from what I really wanted to know.


    ¡°We have an adult relationship Kiran, it¡¯s built on trust and the belief that we¡¯re fighting for something bigger than ourselves,¡± I explained, my voice elevated and snotty.


    ¡°Ah, an adult relationship. Is that why he kisses you like you¡¯re his mother?¡± Kiran questioned, squinting his eyes at Jericho.


    I slapped his arm, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s disgusting! Is that how you would kiss your mother?¡±


    ¡°No, I suppose not. But that¡¯s not how I would kiss the woman I loved either,¡± he looked at me pointedly, and I knew from experience he was telling the truth.


    I ignored him and stepped into another hug with Avalon, ¡°Did you listen earlier, with Gabriel?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he acknowledged, ¡°they¡¯ve said those things to me before.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried?¡± I asked, unable to dispel the anxiety building inside of me.


    ¡°No, not now. There¡¯s nothing we can do now but be prepared and wait it out,¡± Avalon explained. ¡°They¡¯re right Eden, you and I both have to decide what¡¯s more important, even between us.¡±


    I squeezed him tighter, admitting that he was right. I love you. I said inside our heads.


    I love you, too. He said back. Be careful.


    You too. I demanded and then crawled in to the backseat of the cab with Kiran.


    My white dress, definitely worse for wear, gave the appearance we were out all night. I tried to smooth out the wrinkles, afraid of what Sebastian''s parents would think but it was no use. Kiran watched me from the corner of the cab and I wondered what he was thinking. I felt such gratitude for last night that I couldn''t even take the smile off my face.


    ¡°Thank you, Kiran, thank you for last night,¡± I whispered hoarsely, sincerely. I turned my face to him and let his eyes lock on mine.


    ¡°You''re welcome,¡± he replied with a seductive quality to his voice that I could not deny. ¡°I''m glad you had a good time. Although the whole twin thing with you and Avalon is bizarre. I can see it now, when you''re talking to each other inside your heads, and it is very off-putting.¡±


    ¡°Is it noticeable? We think we''re very clever about it,¡± I smiled, hiding the disappointment because I really did think we were sneaky.


    ¡°Only now that I know about it,¡± he assured me. ¡°If you only knew how jealous I used to be of him.... before I figured out who he was.¡±


    I fell silent, remembering what happened after Kiran figured out who Avalon was, how he sold him to his father for my magic. I played with a wrinkle in my dress trying desperately not to ruin the moment or start a fight.


    ¡°Eden, I''ve apologized for that, Avalon''s forgiven me, why can''t you?¡± Kiran read my mind.


    ¡°It''s not that simple, Kiran. Please, I don''t want to get into it right now,¡± I pleaded, refusing to meet his eye.


    ¡°It is that simple!¡± He argued further, ¡°If Avalon can get over the fact that by some act of blinded ignorance I handed him over to my father believing that you and I would be able to save his life later, once we were together and married, when our magics were combined and nearly invincible, with the help of your grandfather who was not supposed to be capable of dying, then why can''t you? Bloody hell, Eden!¡±

 Page 33

    ¡°You call it blinded ignorance; I call it betrayal, that''s why. You didn''t just kidnap my brother; you gave him to your father who tortured him senseless for months! And my grandfather did die, and everyone I loved was taken from me. And then you left me! You left me on that farm, in the wake of your destruction, alone! You promised me happiness, and eternal bliss and you gave me loneliness and overwhelming pain!¡± I seethed, realizing we probably sounded a little weird to the cab driver, but I didn¡¯t care. ¡°And to top it off, you held me next to you in your apartment only an hour before hand, put a ring on my finger and then asked me never to forget how happy we were! You asked me to always remember that moment! All the while my family, my friends, everyone I knew was being massacred! And you got your wish, I remember exactly how happy I was, how supremely happy I was in that moment and then everything was taken from me, my entire future was murdered and this remnant of existence, this life of imprisonment and heartache is all that I¡¯m left with.... And the last true moment of happiness I will ever have, the last perfect moment of my life was with you, before you destroyed everything else that I held dear. That is why I can''t forgive you, I don''t give a damn what Avalon has done or how he feels,¡± I finished angrily, but relieved. I had never said any of that aloud to anyone and it felt good, it felt like a weight lifted from my chest and I could breathe a little easier. There, we both knew what I was holding against him. I exhaled a satisfied sigh and waited for the backlash I knew would tumble from his mouth, still unable to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Eden, you are not the only one who entered into our relationship immature and naive, please understand that I am living a lifetime of penance for my behavior. I am not the same person, you are not the only one who has grown,¡± Kiran pleaded desperately.


    I turned to look at him and sat devastated by the gravity of his eyes. ¡°I understand that, but it doesn''t change anything. Besides, it doesn''t matter who you are now, or who I am now because we''ve both moved on,¡± I reminded him casually.


    ¡°Yes, we have,¡± he agreed and then we fell into a deafening silence with nothing more to be said and everything in between us.


    Chapter Twenty


    We arrived at the Citadel close to nightfall. Kiran carried my bags to his room and while we unpacked Sebastian and Amelia joined us, along with Talbott. I wanted to ask Kiran if he passed along Lilly''s note yet, but I wasn''t ready to open the lines of communication between us.


    The five of us sat awkwardly around the room, Amelia commenting on the clothes I pulled from my suitcase and the boys discussing an upcoming camping trip they were planning. Now that Amelia occupied a room in the castle, I could feel the way the boys relaxed because they didn''t think they had to babysit or entertain me constantly anymore.


    A knock at the door drew all of our attention and Talbott walked dutifully over to answer it. I couldn''t see who it was, but I heard the Titan that passed along the message that Ms. Van Curen had arrived and was on her way up.


    I dropped the hairbrush I packed for the trip and it clattered across the floor. ¡°Um, what did he just say?¡± I demanded of Talbott when he closed the door again.


    ¡°No, Kiran, please tell me you told her!¡± Sebastian sat back in one of the leather chairs and laughed.


    ¡°I was getting around to it....¡± Kiran confessed, looking very much like a child about to be scolded.


    ¡°You were getting around to what?¡± I demanded, turning on him and breaking the silent treatment.


    ¡°Now, if you''ll relax, I''ll tell you,¡± he tried to sound like the mature adult, but I wasn''t having it.


    ¡°Don''t patronize me, Kiran!¡± I growled, ¡°Why is Seraphina here?¡±


    ¡°She is, that is to say, my father thought it best, after I jilted her last May....¡± Kiran cleared his throat and shook his head to remind himself that he wasn''t afraid of me. ¡°Seraphina will be attending school with us, here, in the castle.¡±


    ¡°She will be doing what?¡± I shrieked.


    Neither Talbott nor Sebastian could withhold their laughter and Amelia looked on as if she had never been more entertained.


    ¡°Can I please remind you that she has tried to kill me! Twice!¡± I raised my voice and stomped my foot.


    ¡°Can''t we put that behind us already?¡± Seraphina''s snotty voice asked from the doorway.


    I whirled around to face her. She stood against the door looking like a goddess just down from heaven to grace us with her presence and not amused at all with my outburst. She wore a low cut, scoop necked yellow tank top, tucked tightly into a white and navy blue striped bubble skirt that ended mid-thigh revealing long, tanned, perfect legs. The yellow of her shirt, accentuated the blonde of her perfect hair and it shined in perfect waves from her perfect head. I had never been more ready to perfectly throw up.


    I grunted a sound I wasn''t quite familiar with and turned back around. I stomped to the bathroom and slammed the door behind me. I didn''t have any business in the bathroom so I paced back and forth, half afraid to leave because I was embarrassed of my immature behavior, and half too pissed off that I hadn''t been warned I would be attending school with my arch-nemesis.


    After a while the voices outside the room died down and a soft knock on the door pulled me from my fuming.


    ¡°Eden, you can come out now, everyone has gone downstairs,¡± Sebastian called gently.


    I waited for a few extra seconds trying to compose myself and then opened the door. I walked passed a very amused Sebastian and plopped down on the bed, wondering where they all went, and foolishly feeling left out.


    ¡°You can be absolutely bonkers sometimes,¡± Sebastian laughed, sitting down next to me and putting a comforting hand on my back. ¡°You don''t have to worry, he''s engaged to you.¡±


    I laughed at his joke, and then settled down a bit. ¡°Yeah right, just like Seraphina didn''t have to worry when he was engaged to her!¡± I joked, but Sebastian''s eyes lit up.


    ¡°I knew it!¡± He slapped me on the back. ¡°I knew you were jealous!¡±


    ¡°Sebastian! I''m not jealous,¡± I reprimanded, ¡°I''m honestly scared for my life! You have no idea what she''s tried to do to me! Once she had like this whirlwind of glass and she was going to impale me with it.... She''s certifiably crazy. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but she doesn''t look it, does she?¡± he murmured, with a sly grin across his face.


    ¡°You can''t be serious!¡± I shrieked.


    ¡°What? I''m just a man, leave me alone!¡± Sebastian laughed at my reaction.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, what am I doing here? There is an actual war going on outside of these walls and I''m about to warn you of the dangers of dating a crazy girl and you''re not even going to listen to me, are you?¡± I looked at him, appalled at the smile growing wider across his face and the distant look in his eyes.


    ¡°Hmmm? What did you say?¡± Sebastian asked and I punched him in the arm. ¡°I''m going to go downstairs and join them, are you coming? he asked, already moving toward the door.


    ¡°Ugh! No! And you can tell Kiran not to bother coming back here either.¡± I spat.


    ¡°Lover''s quarrel?¡± Sebastian asked, pausing at the door.


    ¡°Will you just get out of here?¡± I demanded looking forward to the peace and quiet I would get as soon as he left.


    ¡°You''re much prettier when you''re not biting my head off,¡± he mumbled and when I turned to throw something at him he continued quickly, ¡°Kiran left his cell phone on the bed stand with instructions how to call your aunt if you¡¯re interested.¡±


    I turned back around and ignored Sebastian as he left the room. I found the phone and the instructions and dialed immediately. On the third ring she picked up sounding groggy and confused.


    ¡°Aunt Syl?¡± I gasped, the tears already falling from just hearing her voice.


    ¡°Eden?¡± She whispered, not believing it was possible I was on the other end of the phone.


    We sat silent for a few minutes just listening to each other cry, thankful we were both alive and able to communicate. I spent the next three hours talking to her about everything that happened, how I decided to offer myself in place of Avalon, what happened after I gave Avalon my magic and then how I got it back from him. We talked about Lucan''s cruelty and his threats against others while I tried to be more obedient than I ever had been in my life. She listened and gave great advice and then listened some more.


    And then she talked about the normal stuff that occupied her life, the stuff that made me heart sick with jealousy. She talked about the hospital, and how busy she was, about how awful it was living alone and her non-existent dating life. She told me she tried to stay as much a part of my life as she could by housing my parents whenever they came through town, which had been twice since I left. She shared that she thought they wanted to remember a piece of me, too, and that''s why they stayed with her, even though it was risky for them both. Angelica came over frequently and they were becoming close friends; they shared Amory''s memory together and it helped ease both of their pain over that. And Avalon called her constantly and he would get furious with her when she didn''t answer, even if she was in the middle of surgery. I laughed at my brother and she talked about him with a mixture of motherly affection and annoyance.


    We talked well into the night, and even though it was the middle of the day for her in Omaha, she was on a sleep schedule from forty-eight hours straight at the hospital. So when the phones started to die, I told her how much I loved and missed her and said goodbye. And then I rolled over in Kiran''s bed and cried big, hysterical, exhausting sobs that shook my body and set my throat on fire. I was coping with this life, this new arrangement, but the hurt and sacrifice of what I suffered still pressed against me like a physical force determined to crush the life right out of me.


    After my argument with Kiran, getting to the bottom of why I couldn''t forgive him, seeing my brother, Lilly and Jericho and then talking to my aunt, the wall I erected to shield myself from the constant reminder of how much pain I felt crumbled. I faced the sorrow in big, gulping tears that blinded my sight and soaked the pillow I buried my face in.


    Eventually sleep found me and took me away to fight through my pain in a tumultuous dream world where I struggled to save my parents from Lucan''s deadly sword and get to my wedding with Kiran on time where Jericho was the officiate and Lilly and the rest of the Resistance stood waiting in line at a guillotine.


    I awoke in a panicked hysteria in a darkened room, sweaty and tangled in a blanket I didn¡¯t'' remember covering myself with. I smoothed my hair away from my face and then rolled over, determined to find some semblance of sleep and leave this horrible world behind me at least for a few hours. It was one thing to be afraid, it was an entirely different thing to let those fears rule my life, consume every breath I took.


    I was the Oracle.


    I needed to conquer the fear and face this world, even as horrible and hopeless as it felt. I was fully apart of it now. If my conversation with Aunt Syl had taught me nothing else, it was that I said goodbye to humanity last May and joined the Immortal world where my destiny resided.


    ----


    Eden, wake up! Avalon''s voice called to me from the peacefulness of nothing. Eden, wake up!


    ¡°What?¡± I said aloud, confused. What? I clarified inwardly to Avalon. The sun had just started to rise outside Kiran''s big windows and the horizon was painted pink in the early morning hue over the mountains, but the room remained obscured by darkness.

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    The Titans got Ronan this morning; they are taking him to Lucan. He''s already been to prison twice and escaped twice, so I''m positive Lucan is going to kill him. You have to do something! Avalon pleaded desperately and I was out of bed before he could finish his sentence.


    Are they taking him straight to Lucan or to prison first? I demanded, knocking over the bed side table and sending it crashing to the stone floor. Clumsy and confused, I fumbled through the dark room, trying to knot my hair into a messy bun on the top of my head. My tattoo glowed in the soft darkness, catching my eye with the brilliant blue that spilled across my collarbone.


    I heard Kiran stir from one of the leather chairs, but I didn''t have time to explain to him my mission or give him the opportunity to stop me. I grabbed a sweatshirt from the edge of the bed and threw it over my tank top on my way out the door.


    The Titans stood to attention from lazed, almost-slumber, on the other side, but there was no way in hell they were going to stop me. Jedrec stood across the hall, and I knew he remained my only hope.


    ¡°I can either take all of your magic and answer for the consequences later or you can let me go. I''m just taking a walk, I''m not going to leave and I¡¯m not going to get you into trouble ,¡± I growled a serious threat and an obvious lie, hoping to sound level-headed and convincing.


    ¡°I''m going with you, then,¡± Jedrec reasoned. He eyed me with something like a mixture of trust and terror but I was in too much of a hurry to dissect his expression now.


    The other Titans stood to attention, unwilling to let Jedrec dismiss me so casually, but Kiran stood in the doorway behind me and commanded them, ¡°Let her go, she''s with me.¡±


    He lied, and they knew it when he was the one left to follow after me as I ran down the winding staircase and then sprinted toward the throne room. If I had been more awake I might have tried the courtroom first, assuming Ronan would face some kind of trial before he faced execution. But instinct urged me to Lucan''s royal seat and I fled there with Jedrec and Kiran flanking me.


    The Titans standing guard on the outside of the double doors moved out of the way, not for me, but for Kiran and his determined gait next to mine. I burst through the brass doors and fell into a wall of Titan Guards that surrounded Ronan Hannigan, the Irish Immortal who had been sentenced to death first when he was part of Avalon¡¯s team that attacked Kiran on our camping trip last October and second after he was rounded up with the group of Immortals taken from the farm. The Titans surrounding him had forced him to his knees in front of the king, his hands bound behind his back, raw and bleeding, and his chin tipped defiantly toward the sky.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Lucan demanded of his son.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I gasped, not allowing Kiran to answer. I pushed through the Titans and stood beside Ronan, willing to join the condemned if Lucan wouldn¡¯t listen to me.


    ¡°How dare you interrupt me!¡± Lucan shouted. His cold blue eyes turned to me, hard slits of pure anger and hatred. ¡°He is an enemy of the crown and his punishment has been decided.¡±


    ¡°And what is that? What are you going to do to him?¡± I crossed my arms, refusing to bend to evil incarnated.


    ¡°This is none of your concern, you are a prisoner here and nothing else,¡± Lucan growled and he motioned for his Guards to restrain me.


    ¡°Don''t touch me!¡± I shouted and lashed out with my magic, knocking the two approaching Guards off their feet. ¡°What is his crime that you have sentenced him to death? Tell me what he has done!¡±


    ¡°Eden, if I have to warn you again what your insolence will cause, I will demonstrate with more than just this animal,¡± Lucan snarled with a viciousness I had surprisingly not heard before.


    I held up my hands conceding this one point and let the Guards hold onto me, knowing full well if I needed to break free there wouldn''t be any real struggle.


    ¡°Then tell me what he has done!¡± I pleaded, still keeping my chin tilted in stubborn defiance.


    ¡°I don''t have to answer to you, child. You do understand that, don''t you?¡± Lucan asked facetiously, but then seemed to calm down. He rose from his throne and walked down the small set of stairs to pace the floor in front of us. ¡°First and foremost he is a Shape-shifter and trespassed on my land, property his people have been exiled from. If that is not enough to condemn him, he has escaped from my prisons twice, with your help no doubt, and he was caught tonight in those same dungeons with what we can only assume an attempt to free other criminals.¡±


    ¡°And that deserves death? He is an Immortal! He is part of your kingdom, a kingdom that is on the way to extinction if you continue to kill everyone who disagrees with you! You would punish him with death?¡± I demanded and felt the eyes of everyone in the room fall to me in disbelief.


    ¡°I will punish him with death because that is what he deserves!¡± Lucan shouted at me full of rage and righteous vindication. ¡°I am not the fool you would have others believe, child. His death is not only deserved it is a message to the rest of his little rebellion that I will not be defied!¡± He grabbed the sword from the nearby Titan that stood poised to strike Ronan down at any moment.


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed back and sent the Titans flying back from me with a forceful burst of magic. I moved in front of him with lightening quick speed and shielded Ronan with my body.


    ¡°Eden, don''t!¡± Kiran yelled from somewhere behind me, but I ignored him. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him move into place beside me and then wait to protect me from his father. I ignored him, knowing this was my fight and nothing he could do would keep me from protecting Ronan.


    ¡°Do not tempt me!¡± Lucan hollered so forcefully I felt the spit fly from his mouth and land on my face.


    ¡°Throw him in prison, lock him up, keep him there for as long as you want, but he does not deserve death!¡± I pleaded, maintaining my stance of defiance.


    ¡°Throw him in prison? So that he can escape for a third time and leave me to look like an incompetent fool of a king?¡± Lucan demanded of me.


    ¡°Please don''t do this,¡± I begged, ignoring his question. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Eden, move out of my way before I pull every other prisoner I have detained downstairs and make you watch while I bury this sword into every one of their hearts, slowly and painfully,¡± Lucan threatened and I flinched under weight of his words.


    ¡°You''re bluffing,¡± I winced.


    ¡°I guess we''ll find out!¡± his voice grew to a shout and he turned on his guard, ¡°Bring them all up, every last one of them! We will start with the child and she can learn her lesson the hard way!¡±


    ¡°Eden,¡± Ronan''s calm voice reasoned from behind me with his soft, Irish accent marking every syllable. ¡°Let him do it, let him kill me. He has gained nothing by my death and you would never be able to live with yourself. Please, I''m ready to die. I''m not afraid.¡± His voice broke at the end, but not from fear, from something much more like determination. He was right, he was not afraid to die. He had faced tonight''s mission with the firm belief that his actions were worth giving his life for and I could not argue with him.


    I turned around to face him and forced my eyes to his. I desperately wanted to fall to my knees and weep, to throw my arms around his neck and beg for his forgiveness. But I knew that he needed strength more than anything. He needed confidence. So instead, I stood tall and nodded my approval, only allowing one tear to unforgivably escape down my cheek. I fell silent and held back my tears with fierce resolve. Ronan was ready, it was his determined acceptance while facing death that made me back down. Nothing that Lucan could have said or done would have calmed my behavior.


    I let the Guards remove me from Lucan''s reach and carefully restrain me. Kiran came to my side, and one of the Guards backed away so that he could stand next to me, supporting me with an arm around my waist.


    We watched together as Lucan retracted his sword and plunged it forcibly through Ronan''s heart without so much as acknowledging his non-resistance to the punishment. The sword made a sickening slicing sound as it plunged through Ronan''s chest cavity and he instantly fell forward onto it, his fiery red hair spilling across his ghost white face.


    The tragedy of the moment was too much for me and I lost the ability to think rationally, I lost complete reign of my senses. With a horrified scream and a stream of words I didn''t even understand I released the blue smoke in a thick cloud in one last attempt to save Ronan''s waning life. The smoke flew through the air with purpose, fighting through clustered Titans and toward the boy who lay in the last moments of his life on earth.


    Lucan, who had his back to Ronan wiping his hands off on a towel, turned around at the sound of the wind and commotion behind him. His face contorted into unadulterated rage and in one swift movement of his hand he sent his magic to meet my blue smoke in the air. His black magic became a wall of fury, stopping the blue smoke from getting anywhere near Ronan and sending it back against me so that everyone around me was knocked back from the force of it.


    ¡°This is your last lesson, child!¡± Lucan shouted at me, the satisfied calm that settled over him after Ronan¡¯s death gone. ¡°Cross me again and you will beg for my mercy whilst you watch every last one of your beloved rebels die at my hands. I will not continue to let you defy me. Break to my will or I will break you myself!¡± He let his words settle in the air over me before he turned to his son, ¡°Kiran, if you ever let her disrespect me like that again, I will spare nothing in my attempt to teach her the lessons she refuses to learn. You can watch by as your beloved bends under my thumb. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, father,¡± he answered, humbled by his father''s wrath. He pulled me closer to him protectively and I let him.


    Lucan left the room in a flurry of robes and wrath. Several Guards followed after him and those that didn''t picked Ronan''s empty body off the ground and carried him from the room silently.


    I turned into Kiran, and collapsed into his arms. The tears came again, angry, frustrated tears that would not let up or let me forget the peace in Ronan''s eyes as he looked toward the heavens and watched his wispy magic float heavenward as if his soul were soon to follow.


    Kiran caught me, holding me tightly against him. He rubbed my back, soothing the pain that would not lessen, that would not disappear. That would eventually turn into fuel for a fire that burned against Lucan, a fire that would eventually burn him to the ground. I let the pain consume me, the horror of what I had witnessed, the unfairness of watching an innocent Immortal suffer at Lucan''s evil hands. And I turned it into vengeful strength. The strength that I needed to one day take a life of my own.


    Lucan''s life.


    Chapter Twenty-One


    I sat at the window, staring unseeingly into the pounding rain that dampened the late summer''s day. Three weeks had gone by since I watched Ronan murdered. Three weeks of tragic mourning that frightened Kiran, angered Lucan and even worried Avalon.


    I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my cheek against them. I would have closed my eyes under normal circumstances and allowed the utter exhaustion to sweep me away, but his death reenacted for the hundredth time waited for me behind closed lids and frankly the thought of facing him again terrified me. I reached out to the window, pressing my hand against the cool glass and wondered if I would ever shake this devastation.

 Page 35

    I blamed myself for his death. Not just because I couldn''t stop Lucan''s sword from plunging forward and taking the life from him. No, I could trace my responsibility all the way back to the beginning. Standing in the woods without a clue as to what I was doing, I drained his magic then and left him vulnerable and captive. And then again at the farm, it was my failure to stop the Titans from taking him and everyone else. It was my failure to stop Lucan from murdering my grandfather that sent him to prison again.


    Had he been found trespassing this last time as his first offense, Lucan wouldn''t have killed him. Lucan would have sent him to prison where Avalon would have broken him out. Avalon asked me to save him and instead I watched his innocent life float violently from him in a nightmare I played over and over in my head.


    You can''t blame yourself. Avalon scolded, jumping into my thought train. Always with me lately, Avalon never let me think this all the way through.


    I can blame myself. And I''m going to. I countered, irrationally frustrated with his intrusion.


    Where is Kiran? He should be with you right now! I could feel Avalon pacing nervously back and forth across a wood floor, his hands tight and clenched together behind his back. A natural leader, he played the part of a general about to lead his troops to bloody battle perfectly.


    I sent him away. I murmured inside my head, remembering the way I ignored him until he got so worked up with anxiety that he stormed out of the room mumbling something about getting a doctor.


    Eden, you cannot go on living like this; we have a job to do, a job that is contingent on your willing cooperation. If you stay comatose, in a big ball of depression, Lucan has already won. Do you understand that? When I stayed silent, he continued. I let this go on for a while because I know you are.... sensitive.... you feel more than I do.... And because I am worried it might have traumatized you, but it can''t go on anymore. This whole blaming yourself for everything, will not do. You have to snap out of this, you have to use it to move you, to remind you of your purpose, but not to paralyze you. You''re stronger than this.


    I know that you''re right, Avalon. I have this conversation with myself all the time. But I can''t stop thinking about him. And how this is my fault. Just like it was my fault with Amory and with you.... and with Lilly and everybody! I destroy everything I touch. It''s me. I''m defective. I groaned, basking in the pity party and knowing that I sounded pathetic; it just added to my pile of offenses.


    Oh my gosh, this is the most miserable thing I''ve ever heard. Get over yourself, and get over what happened. Ronan was ready for death, ready to face Lucan. I know this, because I never would have sent him unless he understood perfectly the possible consequences of his actions. We''re all like that, Eden. We are all ready to die! You certainly are! Remember flying into the castle just in time to save your brother from his hour of doom? Or in the courtroom when you saved Lilly? How about in the Caves when you faced the wind? Why do you get to die and everybody else has to go on living just so you don''t feel bad? Avalon demanded and I started, although reluctantly, to see his point.


    Ok, yes.... I whined, not ready to give up yet. But that''s just it, I just keep on living, and everyone else just keeps on dying....


    That''s the thing with real immortality. I think it''s going to happen whether there''s a war or not, Ede. Yeah? He approached, carefully bringing humor to the conversation.


    Ok.... yeah.... I conceded, seeing already where he wanted to take his point.


    And that''s why it''s so important for us to open the magic and give everyone real immortality....? Having successfully made his point and hit a mark with me, I could feel him beam with arrogance and I desperately wished we were close enough so I could punch him.


    Fine, I''m over it. I lied. It wasn''t that simple. But Avalon''s words started something, a healing process.


    Good. Avalon cheered, knowing full well I had a long way to go. Although, you''re pissing Lucan off pretty good, so we''ve got that going for you. Kiran says he''s fuming around the castle the longer this takes. It''s fun for now, but he might overreact if you push him too hard, Eden. Avalon warned, but I stayed stuck on his comment about Kiran.


    How do you know what Kiran says? I demanded, starting to wonder about their friendship, and why they seemed to be in constant communication.


    Uh, he told me. He, uh, called because he was worried about you. And because he thought I would get a kick out of you pissing off his dad. Avalon explained quickly, and I felt him cover some memory or knowledge he wasn''t ready for me to uncover.


    Isn''t he mad I''m pissing his dad off? I tried to covertly get to the bottom of this.


    No, he hates his dad.


    Since when? I gasped, even inside my head I could hear my voice turn into a shriek.


    Hey, listen, this sounds like a conversation you should have with him, not me. Avalon moved quickly inside his head to cover all the places I suddenly wanted to dig into. He was keeping something from me and I needed to know what it was. Don''t, Eden, please stop. It''s not my place to tell you anything. This is seriously a conversation you need to have with him. Maybe, a little heart to heart would be good for you both.


    Um, yeah, that is so not going to happen. I sighed, giving Avalon his privacy. I knew what it felt like to have no mental space of my own, so I could hardly blame Avalon for not wanting to get into the middle of the disaster that was Kiran and me, by giving up information he tried to protect.


    Aw, you''re such a good sister. Avalon teased, following my thought train.


    Well, you suck as a brother. I grumbled, not meaning a single word.


    That really hurts, seriously, I don''t think I¡¯ll ever recover-


    ¡°Eden?¡± Jedrec called from the door, cutting Avalon off and bringing my attention back to reality.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked, turning from the window to face him.


    ¡°His Majesty would like to see you in the dining room. He has asked that you dress for dinner and a nice occasion and to let you know there will be guests so you need to be on good behavior tonight,¡± Jedrec instructed carefully, nervously.


    I sighed exasperatedly and stood up. Jedrec looked taken aback by my obedience, staring me over with renewed interest.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked self-consciously.


    ¡°It''s just that, excuse me for saying so, but I hardly expected you to obey a direct command after the last several weeks.....¡± Jedrec explained, stepping all the way into the room and closing the door behind him to muffle our conversation from the rest of the protective Guard outside the door.


    ¡°I think we both understand what he will do if I don''t obey,¡± I reminded him, pointedly.


    A look of comprehension flashed across Jedrec''s face, followed by one of sincere respect for me and I wasn''t quite sure where it came from.


    ¡°Did you know him well? The prisoner that died?¡± Jedrec asked gently, the soft Romanian accent tingeing his tone. He sounded just like all the rest of the Titans. Since coming to the castle, I learned that they are all born and raised in Romania, their training and schooling all happens here. Romania seems to be more magical to them for some reason, enabling extra strength to their abilities that seem more subdued everywhere else.


    ¡°A little,¡± I conceded, not wanting to go into every detail of our complicated past.


    ¡°And yet you treat him as though he were family, the way you mourn for him,¡± Jedrec pressed, his curiosity getting the best of him. I knew Lucan would be furious if he heard our conversation, and with that thought I pushed forward, through the fresh pain of Ronan''s death and toward a higher defiance.


    ¡°Ronan,¡± I said his name slowly, so that Jedrec would start putting a person with the death and not just a criminal. ¡°I am not just mourning for him; I''m mourning the cruel and unjustified way he had to die.¡±


    ¡°But he trespassed; he was a Shape-shifter. Eden, he was a criminal that defied our king,¡± Jedrec reasoned, sure I would agree.


    ¡°No,¡± I corrected, ¡°he defied your king. And what did he do that was so bad? I mean, he escaped prison twice, but the first time was to avoid another death sentence. I''ll give you that one, because that time he did actually make an attempt on the prince''s life and I''m sure there was no other choice but to give him death. But,¡± I reasoned, growing more animated the further into my explanation I got, ¡°the second time, Lucan only thinks he escaped. In reality, Kiran let him go. He was part of the trade for Sebastian, when Sebastian was in my custody,¡± I finished flippantly and Jedrec stood floored for a moment.


    ¡°Wait, Prince Kiran traded him for Sebastian?¡± he clarified.


    ¡°Yes, but Lucan doesn''t know that because Lucan stopped caring what happened to Sebastian the minute I took his magic,¡± I informed him. Seeing how confused Jedrec was becoming, and not having more time to explain I rushed forward to finish my list of crimes against Lucan. ¡°None of that matters anyway though, because Lucan would have killed Ronan anyway, just because he was a Shape-shifter and in his precious Citadel. But Ronan wasn''t even going after Lucan, he was just trying to rescue some of the other condemned that you have locked away until I act out and Lucan decides to kill them too! Jedrec, why are they down there? What have they done that''s so terrible that they rot away in prison, tormented by the magic of the land and just waiting on death?¡±


    ¡°They were plotting against the king,¡± Jedrec explained the were obvious, although I could feel more than hear the unsaid questions in his voice.


    ¡°There is a child down there, I''ve been down there, I know. You''re telling me that small boy plotted against Lucan with the intent to kill him?¡± I narrowed my eyes at Jedrec waiting for him to answer me. After several moments of silence I continued, ¡°Even still, suppose everyone else down there did want him dead. Don''t you think they have good reason? I mean look at our society. We''re all dying out. Or, I should say, you''re all dying out. I won''t die, I have all four types of magic, I''m truly immortal,¡± I finished casually, hoping to drive home how dire his situation was. I watched Jedrec process all of this since this may have been the first time he had ever thought any of this through. ¡°What I''m trying to say is that he and all his forefathers have restricted the magic, by restricting marriage and banning the Shape-shifters, your is growing shorter and shorter, the King''s Curse is almost guaranteed in everyone now and that is just awful, let me tell you.... And especially in your kind; there aren''t enough women to go around! Why shouldn''t they plot against the king? He''s slowly exterminating our people, and now that he has Amory''s magic and true immortality he can sit back and watch every single one of his people die while he rules from a golden throne all alone.¡±


    ¡°Eden, you cannot say any of those things,¡± Jedrec sobered, warning me with gravity. ¡°If Lucan, I mean, King Lucan were to find out you said any of that, surely he would punish you.¡±


    ¡°You''re probably right,¡± I agreed, standing up and walking over to my closet. ¡°Please don''t tell him,¡± I begged, pretending to be worried. ¡°I would never be able to live with myself if someone died because I have a hard time keeping my opinions to myself.¡± That was the fierce truth.


    ¡°Please, just hurry and get ready, by now they have been waiting on you,¡± Jedrec instructed and then excused himself from the room.


    I looked at my closet, trying to decide what to wear for only a few minutes before Kiran knocked softly and entered the room.

 Page 36

    I turned on him, speaking before he had a chance to scold me for holding up dinner, ¡°Oh, good, I''m glad you''re here. How nice should I dress tonight? What kind of dinner is it? Like, cocktail dress? Business casual? Rags and sackcloth....?¡± I joked, feeling elated after getting some of my opinions out in the open. Ronan still occupied the backspace of my brain, but I could get through the night. I was already plotting what kind of naive and innocent trouble I could get into at dinner.


    ¡°Uh, cocktail definitely,¡± Kiran explained and I still had no idea what that meant, so I turned to take in his appearance. He wore a smart navy blue suit, tailored to perfection with a crisp, white collared shirt underneath without a tie.


    I looked over him slowly, taking in the perfectly cut lines of his suit and the way it hung off his muscular body, my eyes drifted over his open collar and the way it revealed his attractive throat and then finally to his face where he stared at me with a mixture of curiosity and concern. I swallowed, shaking my head of the forbidden thoughts I was having about his appearance, promising myself I was only preparing to play the part of the engaged couple.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I mumbled, twirling back to my closet and selecting a short, strapless darker than Kiran''s color, navy blue dress with clean lines and an a-line skirt. The only embellishment was a fabric flower on the right hip. The dress was simple but elegant and I thought it would complement Kiran''s outfit nicely. ¡°We''ll match,¡± I held up the dress and smiled at him.


    ¡°What has gotten into you?¡± he asked, shocked by my turn of behavior.


    ¡°Uh, Avalon and I had a heart to heart....¡± I confessed, turning back around to face him. ¡°You should know, I''m in no way over what happened, but I am ready to move forward.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to Avalon,¡± Kiran whispered in disbelief. ¡°I''m apparently going to have to take lessons from him....¡±


    ¡°Don''t even think about it!¡± I gasped, afraid that he was serious. ¡°What Avalon does is done from the love of a brother and cannot be replicated under any circumstances. You are going to have to figure out your own methods from the perspective of a.....¡± I had been instructing him very formally but faltered when I actually had to name what he was to me.


    ¡°A loving fianc¨¦?¡± he finished and I nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Yes, a loving fianc¨¦. But since the love between us is only pretend, I''m just going to go ahead and wish you good luck,¡± I laughed sarcastically.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he murmured, growing more entertained by the second. ¡°Now go get dressed, we''re having dinner with two regents and my parents. I''ll wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don''t have to do that,¡± I protested, wanting very much to be as late as possible to this important dinner.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he answered and pointed toward the bathroom. ¡°And, please, cover your tattoo.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm....¡± I sighed, not at all pleased, although I would have anyway. ¡°I think you need more than luck.¡±


    When I emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, I couldn''t decide why I put so much effort into my look for these things. Maybe if I started looking bad at royal functions I would somehow attract better negative attention. And then I remembered Lucan''s cruelty and decided the dress that fit me like a glove, the nude six-inch pumps and the extravagant bun on the side of my neck, perfectly placed over my tattoo was necessary.


    I felt over-exposed though, standing in front of Kiran with my shoulders and legs bare. I looked around for a sweater, but I knew adding one to this dress would make it look dowdy and old and I grimaced in the name of fashion.


    ¡°Are you looking for this?¡± Kiran asked, holding up the black onyx necklace.


    ¡°Ugh! No!¡± I grunted, stomping over to him and turning around so that he could slip it over my head without messing up my hair.


    He paused behind me, his magic flaring in just the smallest way before he unclasped it, slipped it around my neck and then reclasped it in the back. His fingers brushed against the nape of my neck and I tilted my head and squirmed against the tickling effect his unconscious fingers had against my skin.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I grumbled, trying to hide my reaction with sarcasm. ¡°And my handcuffs? I suppose I need those too?¡±


    ¡°Not tonight....¡± He held up the black diamond bracelet, with rows of small stones infused with magic and I held out my hand.


    ¡°It doesn''t match,¡± I groaned, but he just rolled his eye. After the bracelet was fastened he lifted my hand to inspect it and his expression came away satisfied noticing my engagement ring was already on my finger. ¡°I, uh, um.... it''s the only thing you''ve given me that isn''t some magical tracking device or magic debilitater. I mean, I feel like it''s safer to wear than anything else. And in normal circumstances I don''t think girl''s take them off usually....¡± I fumbled through an explanation. I hadn''t thought anything weird about it before, but now that Kiran noticed I suddenly felt like maybe I should have been thinking about it more.


    ¡°Mmmm....¡± Kiran breathed. He slipped my hand through his arm to escort me down to the dining room. ¡°Now to play the part of two people in love.¡±


    ¡°Piece of cake,¡± I groaned and then leaned in to him a little, preparing my magic and less than enthusiastic attitude.


    He paused at my motion and turned me to face him. A roguish smirk lit up his face and his turquoise eyes sparkled with mischief, ¡°Did you need to practice before we head down?¡± He lifted his hand, to brush back a curl that fell rebelliously across my forehead. I caught my breath, surprised by the tenderness in his touch and then fought to remind myself that he was the one practicing. Although, it wouldn''t have mattered if he wasn''t.


    ¡°That should be good enough,¡± I conceded, exhaling slowly. His hand came down to my cheek and he held the back of his knuckles against my face debating whether to stay staring into my eyes or pull me into an endless kiss.


    ¡°That reminds me,¡± he leaned forward and my magic jumped back, startled by his movement and for once I was glad it was on my side and not tangling up in his with an agenda of its own.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I croaked, willing my body unsuccessfully to move away from his.


    ¡°What did you do to poor Jedrec? When I arrived, he looked as white as a ghost and I think he was mumbling to himself,¡± Kiran stood up straight and let some unnamed hope crash inside of me, disappointed and dejected.


    I smiled sheepishly and then flung the door open, not wanting to linger any longer answering his question or the questions protesting inside of me, demanding to know why I wanted him to kiss me.


    Chapter Twenty-Two


    I sat inclined toward Kiran, with my head tilted in well-rehearsed rapture as he entertained the Regent of Southeast Asia with the story of a recent kill he conquered in the mountains. A large brown bear that was bothering a gypsy village nearby proved to be much quicker than Kiran anticipated. Deven Joel sat captive to Kiran''s expressive story telling ability as well. A small, thin man with wire-rimmed glasses and tanned, coffee-colored skin he gave off a Gandhi-like vibe, but seemed very good humored all the same.


    Deven Joel, a lifelong bachelor and avid hunter bonded with Kiran as soon as dinner began. They seemed to be identical on every opinion, except the desire to get married, which I understood to be a little out of the ordinary for one of Lucan''s diplomats. The other Regent, also unmarried, was not nearly as easy to be around. Immediately I disliked him, simply for the fact that Lucan promoted him as Amory''s replacement, the North American Regent. Dmitri Terletov could not even claim American or Canadian citizenship. But I supposed Amory couldn''t at one point either, although Lucan could hardly have sent him to be the Regent of the Roman Empire.


    I thought it strange though that Dmitri now governed North America after spending his entire life alternating between the Baltic countries. Lucan''s usual protocol called for his dignitaries to be sent back to their home countries, or near their home countries, at least in the same region. I pushed my nerves aside though remembering that Jericho''s dad held the South American Regency and they were American. So maybe it didn''t matter.


    I decided to ignore the quiet man with his thin mustache and thick, dark hair that curled just at the ends. Well-built and not bad looking, something about his calm presence and the way his pale blue eyes leered over his wine at me sent the hairs on the back of my neck standing up and hot flashes of warning surging through my blood.


    I leaned into Kiran, instinctively, hiding behind him to avoid Dmitri¡¯s probing eyes. I didn''t want to alert Kiran over nothing, so I brushed the hair behind his ear so that he turned toward me. He looked down at me, distracted by my touch and our eyes found each other. He lost track of his story, mid-sentence and then exhaled unstably instead of delivering his punch line. I batted my lashes, smiled from true embarrassment and played the part of blushing bride to perfection.


    ¡°You were saying?¡± Deven prompted, anxious to hear the end of Kiran''s hunting story.


    ¡°What was I saying?¡± Kiran asked, laughing off his bad manners.


    ¡°You are quite the charming couple,¡± Dmitri commented from across the table. The large formal dining table had been replaced with a more intimate mahogany rectangular one. Kiran and I sat side by side with his mother occupying the end of the table and Deven to her right. Sebastian sat in between Deven and Dmitri, Amelia sat directly to my left, while Lucan watched us all from the head of the table. ¡°It''s rare love this strong is found in some so young,¡± he finished, raising his wine glass to us in acknowledgment.


    Kiran looked down at me with an ¡°I told you so¡± expression and I forced my lips into an adoring smile in return although I bristled with the insinuation that we were actually in love.


    ¡°We''re very lucky to have found each other,¡± Kiran never took his eyes from mine and his face softened from self-righteousness to endearing, although fake, sincerity.


    ¡°Or at least you are lucky to have found her,¡± Dmitri joked, and the table laughed in unison.


    ¡°Very true,¡± Kiran consented, putting a protective arm around me and rubbing my shoulder blade.


    ¡°Will you return to Kingsley for your schooling?¡± Dmitri asked casually. I realized, somewhat in alarm, that if we did, he would be very involved in our lives.


    ¡°No, father has graciously brought school to us. We will remain here for the rest of our education,¡± Kiran explained.


    ¡°That is gracious, Your Majesty,¡± Dmitri addressed Lucan humbly and received a benevolent nod in return.


    ¡°With the wedding quickly approaching and so much to be done, it only made sense,¡± Lucan admitted, conveniently leaving out the fact there was no way in hell he would ever let me that far out of his sight.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Analisa spoke up, turning to her son with loving eyes that glistened with the threat of tears, ¡°it''s hard to imagine that soon our only son will be married and off on his own adventure.¡±


    Kiran reached across the table and laid a comforting hand on his mother''s, reassuring with silent affection.


    ¡°What is it that they say?¡± Deven asked facetiously. ¡°You are not losing a son, but gaining a daughter.¡± And then he smiled at us as if this family would actually see the idea of me joining their family as a blessing.

 Page 37

    ¡°That we are,¡± Lucan agreed, his smile turning up in shadows of sinister evil.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mumbled, tipping my chin down, pretending to be embarrassed rather than near laughter at Lucan''s admission.


    ¡°And her magic,¡± Dmitri turned his eyes back to mine with an intense expression of some secret knowledge that I was starting to believe was not all that secret. ¡°Kiran will also gain her magic, which I understand is quite unprecedented.¡±


    I saw Lucan squirm just the slightest, with his hand fidgeting nervously on the bottom of his wine glass and for a moment, I gloated watching him be so uncomfortable. But then my eyes flickered to Dmitri''s menacing glare and I quickly lost any thoughts of misplaced pride.


    ¡°She is extraordinary,¡± Kiran sighed, pressing his hand firmer against my back. ¡°Although, I must confess that I fell in love with her long before I knew what she could do. She bewitched me the moment I laid eyes on her.¡±


    ¡°And was it the same for you?¡± Deven asked of me.


    I opened my mouth to answer, remembering for a moment how Kiran''s eyes transfixed me in the middle of the Administration building. How he held my gaze and my electricity instantly burst to life before we even knew each other¡¯s names. And while I paused, Kiran answered first, ¡°Absolutely not! She made me work harder for her than anything else I have ever had to work for in my entire life. She drove me half mad, trying to get her attention and win her affection. But some things, or at least one thing in this life, are worth risking everything for.¡±


    A shiver tingled down my spine as I had the ominous feeling Kiran wasn''t talking about our past anymore. Feeling me bristle, Kiran''s hand slid from my back to my side and he pulled me toward him to gently kiss me on the cheek and then released me from under the protection of his arm.


    ¡°But weren''t you betrothed to Van Curen''s daughter at the time?¡± Dmitri inquired. I wondered if anyone else felt as nervous with his inspection of my past.


    ¡°Yes, we were betrothed, but we hardly knew each other. It was arranged,¡± Kiran snapped defensively.


    ¡°Isn''t Van Curen taking over the headmaster position at Kingsley?¡± added Deven, sensing the dangerous territory we were headed into, diverted conversation.


    ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Lucan agreed. I flinched at the idea of Seraphina''s father occupying the same office as Amory. ¡°He''s had his eye on the job for quite a while, but we''re all acutely aware of how long it took that old man to step down.¡± My eyes found a knot in the table to concentrate fully on, while Lucan and Dmitri laughed at the joke and the rest of us fidgeted uncomfortably.


    ¡°Speaking of Amory,¡± Deven spoke up bravely. I lifted my eyes from the table and noticed his hand trembling slightly as he clutched his napkin to quell his fears. ¡°I don''t remember hearing of a memorial service for him.¡±


    ¡°There was not a memorial service for him,¡± Lucan snarled, looking over his Regent with new found contempt.


    ¡°Oh? Then where was he buried? I don''t remember his death ever announced formally, but Southeast Asia is desperate to pay their respects,¡± Deven explained carefully, his courage building with every word and his head bobbing methodically with each syllable.


    I smiled at him, this man with wire-rim glasses, and felt a surprising kinship. He obviously respected my grandfather enough to brave incurring Lucan''s wrath. His desire to honor Amory''s death touched me.


    Since the night on the farm when my grandfather died, not one person asked me what I did with his body. Not one person even asked me to take them to him. Immortals were obviously upset over his death, and they murmured words of encouragement to me; some had even felt his pain enough to cry with me or hold me while I lost my senses in grief. But, only one other person besides Deven, had worried enough about Amory¡¯s body to do anything about it. And that was Angelica, after I healed her from near death with the blue smoke. When she felt strong enough, she showed me a place in a snow covered field at the back of her property where he could be laid to rest. The ground was frozen solid and the wind had whipped across our faces as we used our magic to not only move Amory''s forever-sleeping body, but upturn the ground in which we placed him carefully down into.


    No marker announced his presence, and with every piece of dirt and snow replaced from where I removed it from, I wasn''t even sure if I could find the precise place where I buried him. But together, alone in that wintry field, we honored Amory''s memory and paid tribute to the greatest Immortal that ever lived. That was his memorial service. That was the formal announcement of his death.


    I opened my mouth to say something to Deven, to explain what happened, how Lucan murdered Amory in front of me. I wanted to tell him that the evil king left my grandfather''s cold, empty body in the wake of his destruction as he reveled in the last Oracle''s stolen magic and kidnapped my brother and everyone that I held dear. Kiran''s strong arm fell across my shoulders gently and pulled me into a side hug in an effort to comfort me. His touch stopped me from lashing out angrily, and brought me back to my senses. He surprised me with his gentle protectiveness. His hand curled around my shoulder wanting to shield me from the pain he instinctively knew pounded against my heart.


    Or maybe it was just a coincidence.


    ¡°I''m glad you brought this up, Deven,¡± Lucan lied with an air of benevolent patience. ¡°The circumstances of Amory''s death are still lacking precise details and until my investigation is concluded I hesitate to bring what little exact evidence I do have before our people. However, my intention is to hold a memorial service for him during the Winter Solstice. I thought about the All Saint¡¯s Festival approaching, but I think Amory deserves time where only he is honored. There, the entire kingdom can pay tribute to his memory and life.¡±


    I nearly choked on the bile that rose quickly in my throat. I sat back heavily in my chair, knocking Kiran''s arm off my shoulder, and bumping the table with my knee, clattering wine glasses and delicate china. A memorial service for my grandfather? For the same man that Lucan murdered in cold blood without remorse?


    How dare he.


    ¡°Eden, is everything all right?¡± Dmitri asked from across the table, where I got the feeling he had been waiting for a reaction from me. ¡°You look as pale as a ghost.¡±


    As the ghost of my dead grandfather?


    I tried to respond verbally to him, but if I opened my eyes the floodgate I struggled to keep in place over my tears would be ripped open and I knew I would not be able to stop the torrent of tears that spilled out. I nodded instead, indicating that everything was fine and held up my hand to wave it off, but instead I held it awkwardly midair, asking Dmitri to stop.


    ¡°Eden was very close to Amory,¡± Kiran explained, trying to cover my emotional response. ¡°Amory pulled her out of the human world and brought her into our society. He recognized her ability and knew she belonged with us. He was a mentor to her.¡±


    ¡°Almost like a grandfather,¡± I spat, finding my voice in the anger that washed over me. If Lucan really expected me to play pretend about my grandfather too, like it wasn''t obvious who my mother was, he had a different thing coming.


    ¡°He was your grandfather, wasn''t he?¡± Dmitri asked pointedly and I was both unnerved by his brazenness and in awe of the defiant way he flaunted it at the same time.


    ¡°Yes, he was,¡± Lucan agreed, not looking at all pleased. Although, when one dissected the inflection of his voice, he made it seem like he deeply cared about me and sounded worried because I seemed upset. ¡°Although, unfortunately, Eden didn''t find that out until after he died. I think Eden is so upset because she was robbed of what could have been a very special relationship for them both.¡±


    ¡°Robbed?¡± I choked, narrowing my eyes at Lucan and daring him to defy me. ¡°Oh, I think it was something much worse than that.¡±


    ¡°Eden, if you''re too upset, I would be happy to walk you to our room,¡± Kiran whispered into my ear, warning me not to go too far.


    I stretched my neck away from Kiran, not wanting to heed his warning. In fact, I wanted to do anything besides listen to his careful words that would keep me out of trouble. Across the table Sebastian smiled gently at me, his eyes nervous and intense. Amelia patted my knee from under the table and I breathed slowly, finding restraint, praying for undeserved grace to offer Lucan.


    Not permanent grace.


    Just grace for the moment.


    The dangerous moment he dragged us into.


    The servants came to clear dessert from the table and their interruption allowed some necessary moments for me to find my composure. By the time the conversation could appropriately resume I teetered on a very precarious precipice between blind rage and careful calm.


    I leaned into Kiran, releasing the magic I habitually kept restrained from his and prayed he could quiet my nerves and slow the frantic pulsing of electricity in my veins. I lifted my face to his and kissed the hard line of his jaw, desperate for the touch of his skin that could take away the raw inhumanity of it all.


    Lucan looked on with deranged amusement. I avoided his eyes, his cocky stare and his violent, ugly magic with every ounce of strength I possessed. I even pulled from Avalon who sat in the back of my mind incensed with strangling vengeance.


    I avoided Dmitri too, whose expression had turned into something like ravished hunger. I lived in the most dangerous scenario of my life; I lived in it. Day in and day out. My life and the life of others were at risk, and still Dmitri caused a chill in my blood that turned my electricity to ice and stopped my heart from beating in a regular rhythm. I felt convinced that he and Lucan were cut from the same evil, tyrannical, dangerous cloth.


    ¡°Eden, you are quite full of surprises, I think,¡± Dmitri broke the silence, his eyes never moving from me. ¡°One never knows what quite to expect with you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so surprising?¡± I smiled cynically, not able to stop myself. ¡°After all, the first time this I met his majesty, I stormed into his courtroom and tried to save a Shape-shifter,¡± I delivered my punch line to a perfectly attentive audience although where I expected gasps, there was only deafening silence. I thought it was a clever and innocent way to dig at Lucan, but by the replacement of Kiran''s hand on my shoulder, he urged me to instantly regret not being more careful with my tongue.


    ¡°If you''ll excuse us gentlemen, Mother, Amelia,¡± Kiran rose from the table, taking my arm to help me rise too, ¡°we will retire for the evening.¡± He smiled politely at his father''s guests and waited for his father to dismiss us.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucan nodded curtly, and I wondered if I had gone too far.


    ¡°It was lovely to meet you,¡± I gushed at Deven Joel, but included Dmitri Terletov politely with a nod of the head his direction.


    ¡°The pleasure was mine,¡± Deven smiled graciously at me, his eyes twinkling with pride. I had the feeling that he and I were cut from the same defiant cloth, the same cloth that recognized greatness, truth and honor and despised evil in every form.


    ¡°Eden, I do hope I will see you again in the very near future,¡± Dmitri purred with an excessively sweet voice. I held my shoulders forcefully still, wanting badly to shudder under those eyes, those yellow watchful, probing eyes. ¡°I hope you will do the honor of advising my new position. As your grandfather was the current occupant, I''m sure you have the insight I desperately long for in a confidant.¡±

 Page 38

    ¡°I apologize, sir, as Lucan said earlier, I only learned of his connection with me after his death. I would have nothing to offer you as far as advice, even the basic rules of this kingdom escape me,¡± I explained with as an adult voice as I could produce, hoping to convey the idea that I was a responsible, capable grown-up and would not be leered at all night.


    Dmitri nodded his head in comprehension and then Kiran swept me out of the room and into the hallway where instead of letting me go, he pulled me tighter to him, his hand holding mine firmly in his grasp as shaken by the dinner, as was I. I let him lead me upstairs; I let him hold my hand. I could feel the hysteria creeping back into my veins, opening the door to the abyss of agony I locked my memories of Amory in and the fears of people like Dmitri.


    We walked quickly upstairs and into his bedroom not even acknowledging Kiran''s Titans. The door closed, Kiran locked it and then it was just the two of us as if we were running from something. He wasn''t, but I knew better than to believe I wasn''t.


    Kiran turned to me and opened his arms. I hesitated for only a second, only a moment before the pain rang in my ears and my blood pumped with the haunting of the past and the imagined horrors of the future. I ran to his arms, letting him wrap them tightly around me and hold me to him. And then the tears came, tumbling out of me in waves of tortured anguish.


    I hated being weak. I hated that he was the only one here and that I trusted him with my sorrow, vulnerability and worst of all guilt. But I couldn''t pull away, his arms were too comforting, his touch too soothing. And I couldn''t slow the tears; the dam broke and the tears were determined to fall until there was none of them left.


    And so I let him hold me and I let him comfort me. But my magic stayed separate. Kiran protected me now against the horror of tonight. While my magic protected my heart against his strong arms holding me impossibly close against his chest, against his hot skin that pressed against my back, and against the gentle sympathy in which he stayed silent without offering advice or comfort. It was the silence I needed. It was the silence that soothed.


    And Kiran was the one to give it to me.


    Chapter Twenty-Three


    ¡°Question,¡± Sebastian declared. He barged into Kiran''s room unannounced and from the mischievous look he wore he seemed to be feeling very feisty. ¡°Who would you rather be trapped alone with for the weekend? Kiran or Seraphina?¡±


    Kiran smirked from across the room while packing his duffel bag for a guy¡¯s camping expedition. We officially started school next week, in the middle of August and the boys wanted to take full reign of their freedom while they still could. I couldn''t even pretend to hide my jealousy. While they were off enjoying the fresh air and uninhibited guy time, I was forced to stay in the castle, under lock and key, surrounded by Titan Guards at all times. And worst of all, my weekend was going to be spent with Seraphina of all people.


    Up until now, I successfully avoided ever running into her by basically staying locked up in Kiran''s room for a month straight. But Amelia came to me a few days ago begging to let her plan a girl''s night while the boys were gone. Since I could never say no to Amelia I reluctantly agreed, praying she didn''t include Seraphina. God did not answer that prayer in my favor.


    I huffed enviously as the boys strutted around in their camping gear, looking relaxed and anxious for the trip ahead of them. Sebastian wore warm up pants, a Kingsley t-shirt and well-worn hiking boots. His golden brown hair had barely been touched this morning, and his matching eyes sparkled with excitement. Kiran looked nearly identical to Sebastian, except his t-shirt hailed from Briar-Rose, and he had brushed his hair this morning at least. Sebastian''s backpack rose above his head and made him look like a model dressed for a camping advertorial rather than an actual camper off to enjoy the Romanian mountainside. I just had to trust that these two spoiled princes knew what they were doing out there in the great wilderness because I couldn''t imagine either one of them actually roughing it.


    ¡°Well?¡± Sebastian demanded.


    I groaned at his question, wanting to throw something at him. ¡°Neither,¡± I huffed, and rolled my eyes. When he lifted his brows at me and I could see the wheels turning in his head getting ready to say something smart, I continued quickly, ¡°Although Kiran has only tried to kill me once, so he might be the safer option.¡±


    ¡°When have I ever tried to kill you?¡± Kiran asked incredulously, looking up at me from a sleeping bag that he magically tightened in order to make it fit inside the narrow carrying-case.


    ¡°Uh, India,¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! I remember trying to save you in India! And your brother....¡± Kiran defended himself adamantly.


    ¡°Mmm... I remember it differently....¡± I retorted snidely. ¡°Oh and also Morocco!¡± I blurted out, feeling as though I won the argument.


    ¡°Love, you are wrong about India, but you are dead wrong about Morocco, I was definitely not trying to kill you. If you will be honest with yourself, I think you can remember my intentions,¡± Kiran implored. He looked at me from across the room with barely hidden desire. I blushed an unforgivable shade of red and turned away from him, remembering that fight. I wanted to pretend that all we did was fight, and that I hadn''t given in to him by pulling down to me and pressing my mouth against his. I wanted to convince myself that kiss had only been a ploy to get away from him; but thinking back on it now with more perspective and time in between, that kiss had been goodbye for me. A very passionate goodbye.


    ¡°So what you''re saying is that you want Talbott and me to take Seraphina camping so that you and Kiran can have a weekend alone together?¡± Sebastian teased.


    I turned around ready to agree to that. I knew how to handle Kiran. Seraphina was a ticking time bomb of inner rage ready to rip my head off at any moment. But when my eyes flickered to Kiran who stood poised above his suitcase waiting patiently for me to answer the question, his eyes smoldering and the corners of his lips turned into an expectant smirk, I quickly changed my mind.


    ¡°I''ll take my chances with Seraphina,¡± I mumbled, losing confidence that I knew how to handle Kiran after all. ¡°I am an Oracle for goodness sake; I should be able to contain her crazy!¡±


    ¡°Hey, there''s no need to call names!¡± Sebastian reprimanded me, and for a moment I thought he was actually mad at me.


    ¡°Oh, yeah right. I think Kiran can even agree the girl is on the mentally ill side of the debate!¡± I argued.


    ¡°First of all, Kiran doesn''t know her at all, and you can hardly claim a friendship with her, so I think you''re being very cruel, Eden. This jealous, spiteful side of you is not at all attractive,¡± Sebastian finished with conviction.


    ¡°Sebastian,¡± I whined defensively, ¡°it''s not like I''m making this stuff up! She actually tried to kill me. Twice!¡± I stood up, wanting to shake him out of his obscene devotion to her.


    ¡°Well, that''s all in the past, Eden. You, of all people, should know what it feels like to be misjudged. Instead of holding her mistakes against her, why don''t you try giving her a chance?¡± Sebastian finished in a very condescending tone that I absolutely did not appreciate.


    ¡°Sebastian! What is wrong with you?¡± I demanded, crossing my arms and stomping my foot.


    ¡°Eden, you can''t blame him,¡± Kiran jumped in, trying to bring reason to the discussion, ¡°love is blind after all.¡±


    ¡°And apparently stupid,¡± I snapped and then looked at Kiran to make sure he was serious. He was definitely serious and I don''t think I''d ever seen him look so amused. ¡°No, Sebastian, say it''s not true....¡±


    ¡°Eden, you just don''t know her like I do,¡± Sebastian explained, his cheeks flaming red. ¡°Is it so hard to believe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is!¡± Kiran laughed. ¡°Especially from our committed and determined lifelong bachelor! Does she feel the same way?¡±


    ¡°Not yet....¡± Sebastian grumbled and I tried to stifle my laugh. ¡°And that''s not entirely true, cousin, there was another girl that captured my heart once upon a time, but she was in love with a different prince.¡± Sebastian looked at me seriously. Memories flooded my thoughts of him showing up on my doorstep after I returned from my Eternal Walk, he asked me to the Winter Solstice Dance and confessed he couldn''t stop thinking of me. I didn''t take him seriously then, and I certainly wasn''t going to take him seriously now.


    ¡°Oh sure, Sebastian,¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Even the best of men have fallen under that one¡¯s spell and had our hearts broken,¡± Kiran mumbled with laughter and I shot him an irritated glance.


    ¡°I will deal with you later,¡± I pointed at Kiran threateningly, and then turned to Sebastian. ¡°You really like her? Like more than just her looks?¡±


    ¡°Eden, I really like her,¡± he replied seriously.


    ¡°But she doesn''t like you back?¡± I asked carefully. I didn''t want to hurt Sebastian''s feelings, but she was the enemy.


    ¡°No, she doesn''t,¡± he admitted, the tone of disappointment clear in his voice.


    ¡°Oh, thank God!¡± I beamed, without meaning to. ¡°Then we still have time before you lose your soul to the dark side.¡±


    ¡°The dark side? Eden, honestly! You''re not the only one with a tattoo around here! Just because yours glows in the dark and the rest of ours stay hidden, doesn''t mean you''re the only one risking everything!¡± Sebastian defended himself, appalled by my accusation.


    ¡°Sebastian, what are you talking about?¡± I gasped. ¡°I meant Seraphina¡­. she is the dark side.... because she''s basically Satan''s daughter! What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he kept the shape of the word with his mouth, and laughed a little. ¡°I can''t believe you didn''t already know though. You really need to talk to Avalon more.¡±


    ¡°Let me see it,¡± I commanded, walking over to him.


    He smirked at me with boyish mischief, his eyes twinkling conspiratorially. He lifted his finger to the place on his neck where it met his right ear lobe and injected just enough magic for a small snake circled around eating its own tail to glow in a soft gray before disappearing back into his neck. I gasped and then rubbed at the secret place with my thumb.


    ¡°Since when?¡± I breathed, filling with joy.


    ¡°I don''t know.... since before I came here,¡± he laughed, gesturing to Kiran''s bedroom.


    ¡°It hurts doesn''t it?¡± I smiled, feeling a brand new camaraderie with my friend.


    ¡°Like hell!¡± Sebastian agreed. ¡°Although, I had help.¡±


    ¡°I can''t believe Avalon didn''t tell me!¡± I grunted, sending the thought pointedly to my brother who shrunk away out of guilt in the recesses of my mind.


    ¡°I can,¡± he winked at me. ¡°And give Seraphina a second chance! Now that you realize we''re fighting on the same side, I think you owe me this. I''m a very important member of your organization. I mean, because of who I am, I have a lot of pull..... So when I say be nice to Sera, you better be nice.¡± He crossed his arms as if I were actually supposed to take him seriously but I couldn''t do anything except laugh.


    ¡°Please go on your camping trip now! You''re ridiculous!¡± I pushed him toward the door, still laughing. His eyes turned intense and I read the sincerity in his look, the bond we now shared because we were part of the same rebellion, fighting against the same tyrant, both risking our lives every day in this castle.

 Page 39

    ¡°Kiran, are you coming?¡± Sebastian called impatiently from the doorway.


    ¡°I''ll be right there, I''d like a word with my fianc¨¦ before I leave,¡± Kiran answered, half serious, half laughing at Sebastian with me.


    After Sebastian left us alone, I turned on Kiran, anxious to gage his reaction about Sebastian''s new found loyalties. He sat down on the edge of his bed and watched my excitement with amused intensity.


    ¡°Oh, no! You''re not mad at him are you?¡± I panicked.


    ¡°Mad at Sebastian? No. Why would I be?¡± he sounded confused.


    ¡°Because of the tattoo,¡± I whispered, dropping my voice so it wouldn¡¯t carry beyond the bedroom door. ¡°I mean, because he''s in the Resistance now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that what that tattoo means? I didn''t even know what you two were talking about,¡± Kiran answered dryly.


    ¡°Stop it! I''m serious,¡± I claimed, but relaxed at the smile twisting his lips.


    ¡°Eden, I''m glad Sebastian figured out what side of this he belongs on,¡± Kiran confessed and I felt the truth in his eyes.


    ¡°So did you know before now?¡±


    ¡°This was the first time I saw his tattoo,¡± Kiran admitted, but for some reason it didn''t feel like the whole truth.


    I almost called him on it, but I suddenly remembered something else Sebastian inferred. ¡°He said ''ours,''¡± I blurted out. ¡°Sebastian said ''our tattoos!'' Who else is in the Resistance?¡± I stood, just barely towering over Kiran, insisting that he answer me. He looked at me for a few minutes, really looked at me. He stared into my eyes and took in my hard expression, demanding that he answer and smiled.


    ¡°If Sebastian is in the Resistance than so is Amelia. And if he is that taken with Seraphina, than I would have to assume she is as well,¡± Kiran said, raking a relaxed hand through his hair.


    ¡°No way is Seraphina in the Resistance!¡± I immediately discredited that theory. ¡°There is just no way; sorry.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± Kiran agreed, his expression telling me how much I amused him right now.


    ¡°What about you? Are you in the Resistance?¡± I asked coyly, internally reprimanding myself for flirting with him.


    ¡°And if I was?¡± he asked, avoiding a direct answer.


    ¡°I would immediately tell your father! Think of the scandal....¡± I smiled at him, a friendly non flirtatious smile and turned around.


    ¡°Do you know that ever since I met you my life has seemed to explode into one giant scandal?¡± I heard him stand up from the bed and follow me over to the window where I stood admiring the view.


    ¡°Ever since you met me?¡± I laughed, ¡°Oh no, you were always a prince! Before I met you, I was just a perfectly normal human. I think you''re the problem, not me!¡± I backed up against the window feeling suffocated by his closeness.


    ¡°If you don''t want me to go, I''ll stay,¡± he offered out of the blue. I knew he was looking forward to this trip; the boys planned it weeks ago. He noticed the flicker of confusion across my face and clarified, ¡°If you''re worried about staying in the castle alone, or of spending time with Seraphina, I can stay. The trip can wait.¡±


    ¡°That''s very sweet of you, but I''ll be Ok, promise,¡± I smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°All right, then I suppose I should go,¡± he looked down at me, holding my eyes with his. My heart clenched for a minute, protesting against the idea of him leaving, and my magic flared in a failed attempt to connect with his.


    ¡°Yes, you should go!¡± I agreed, fearing my sudden desire to keep him near to me was more than fear of a weekend alone with psycho Seraphina. I shook my head, reminding myself of everything, from how he betrayed me to my plans for the future of this kingdom, in order to rid any lingering ideas that we could be together.


    Something was seriously wrong with me and I needed a break from him before he broke me.


    ¡°Goodbye, Eden, good luck this weekend,¡± he murmured seductively before walking backward to the bed wear his backpack waited for him.


    ¡°You too,¡± I croaked.


    And then he left me alone to quickly gather up the shattered pieces of my self-respect I still had and remind myself that I loved Jericho. I loved him. We had something real, something grown-up and mature. Jericho was the real man I needed to give me a real life and stand by my side at the end of all this. If I ever walked away from him, then there really was something wrong with me, some obsession with hurting myself. Jericho embodied stability, honesty and strength, everything a man should be, everything I wanted in a man.


    Then why did I suddenly feel like I was convincing myself to stay with him? Our relationship wasn''t in jeopardy; this argument with myself was for nothing!


    I stood up, determined to shake the feeling that Kiran posed a threat to Jericho and walked out of the bedroom. I decided to face the music and find Amelia and Seraphina and then regretfully realized I was looking for a distraction.


    Jedrec looked up from his post, smiling at me. ¡°Another walk through the castle?¡± he asked casually.


    ¡°Actually, yes,¡± I admitted, feeling a friendship blossoming between us. ¡°I want to find Amelia and Seraphina. Do you know where they are?¡±


    ¡°No, not exactly,¡± he answered. ¡°I can take you upstairs to where they are staying, though,¡± he offered and I felt instantly thankful that he didn''t plan on fighting me anymore.


    ¡°That would be awesome!¡± I squealed and started up the stairs. Jedrec and a group of Titans followed behind dutifully.


    I had never gone upstairs before. Kiran''s bedroom occupied the middle of a tall tower full of bedrooms and housing. The stairs were wide and wrapped around the inner wall, while the bedrooms took up the majority of each floor with windows to the Romanian wilderness. The next floor up had three bedrooms side by side, two of them designated for the girls. Jedrec informed me that Sebastian occupied the floor above this one and the top floor contained the royal apartment.


    I perked up at the mention of the royal apartment, ¡°What do you mean, royal apartment?¡±


    ¡°The housing designated for you and Prince Kiran after the wedding,¡± Jedrec explained carefully.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I gulped, simultaneously getting the chills and hot flashes at the same time. After the wedding.... I could never let that happen.


    ¡°There you are!¡± Amelia squealed, opening her door and pulling me inside her extravagantly girly room.


    I turned to give Jedrec an apologetic smile but he was already instructing his Guards how to stand in the hallway around Amelia''s door. I tumbled into the bedroom, tripping on her rug and coming face to face with Seraphina. She looked me over with the same contemptuous glare, a look I would not have recognized her face without and then walked passed me to an overstuffed white suede couch and plopped down. She pulled her feet underneath her and twirled her long blonde hair with her pointer finger.


    ¡°So,¡± she turned her cobalt eyes to mine and smiled dangerously, ¡°would you like me to paint your toenails first or braid your hair?¡±


    Chapter Twenty-Four


    ¡°Please, braid my hair,¡± I retorted sarcastically.


    ¡°Well, somebody needs to do something with it,¡± Seraphina laughed congenially. I looked up at her, meeting her eyes and noticed that she wasn''t nearly as hostile as I was. ¡°Come on, Eden, we''ve run out of every other option, the only thing left to do is become friends!¡± She patted the seat next to her in the middle of Amelia''s big room.


    The couch sat across from a large big screen TV mounted on the wall and was flanked by two matching pink paisley overstuffed chairs. Amelia''s king-size four poster bed sat off to one corner of the room, draped with white chiffon curtains and looked out over her view of the Carpathian Mountains. I could see through the open door that her bathroom was just as large as Kiran''s only with a Jacuzzi tub and triple head shower.


    ¡°This room is so much nicer than Kiran''s!¡± I declared, ignoring Seraphina''s offer of truce.


    ¡°I know,¡± Amelia agreed shyly, ¡°Uncle Lucan spoils me.¡±


    ¡°And Kiran has terrible taste,¡± Seraphina laughed.


    ¡°No he doesn''t! It''s just, um.... simple,¡± Amelia defended him quickly.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Seraphina looked pointedly at me and when I narrowed my eyes ready for a fight she threw up her hands and half shouted, ¡°Just kidding!¡±


    I stayed quiet, realizing I had no idea what kind of taste Kiran had. His apartment in Omaha had been modern and easy going and I suppose that was the way I would describe his bedroom downstairs; but it felt too generous to give the prince the benefit of simple taste. I wanted him to be extravagant and fussy, to like expensive things that didn''t have any purpose, or pay triple for whatever he wanted just because he could.


    ¡°So what''s the plan for tonight?¡± I asked carefully, walking further into the room.


    Amelia plopped down in one of the puffy chairs and curled up, tossing her long golden brown hair into a messy bun on the top of her head. ¡°Well, we were thinking chick fliks and pizza! What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Pizza?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°Where are we going to get pizza?¡±


    ¡°The chefs here can make anything!¡± Seraphina explained, ¡°They just don''t. They have something against unsophisticated food or something.... But that''s why we have our dearest Mimi; she can convince them to do anything!¡±


    ¡°Even pizza?¡± I asked, turning hopeful.


    ¡°Even pizza!¡± She squealed and suddenly I was so thankful to spend time with them.


    I couldn''t stop the smile from spreading across my face. Pizza, real pizza. Not roast chicken, or roast duck, or filet whatever, or creamed cauliflower or cold, fancy soup, just pizza. The thought of something so greasy, so gloriously cheesy and perfectly normal instantly lifted my spirits and I couldn¡¯t help but let my guard down just a little bit.


    I walked over to the empty chair and sat down, slipping off my slippers and pulling my knees to my chest. The girl¡¯s instantly jumped into conversation about the upcoming school year. Amelia¡¯s soft British accent contrasted starkly with Seraphina¡¯s snotty overtones to everything, but they seemed to be good friends. Nobody disliked Amelia though, not even Seraphina.


    ¡°But you will love Mr.Lambert,¡± Seraphina explained to Amelia, ¡°he is like the nicest teacher ever.¡±


    ¡°No, he is not!¡± I screeched, finally joining the conversation.


    ¡°Ok, he¡¯s not, but only if you¡¯re Eden. He¡¯ll like you, don¡¯t worry,¡± Seraphina assured her.


    ¡°Is he nice to you, Seraphina?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes. I couldn¡¯t be the only student he singled out; that would be too embarrassing.


    ¡°Yes, he is always nice to me. But I am always on time. I think he really hates it when people are late,¡± she mused out loud.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± I grumbled.


    ¡°And look at that! We agree on something, it¡¯s a miracle!¡± Seraphina laughed sarcastically.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a miracle,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°So you weren¡¯t friends at your old school?¡± Amelia asked innocently.


    I tried to stifle my laughter and closed my eyes to avoid an eye roll, but even Seraphina made a throaty noise that displayed her mockery of the idea.

 Page 40

    ¡°Absolutely not, Mi,¡± Seraphina called her affectionately. I found the idea of shortening her nickname obnoxious. ¡°Back home, Eden is a social outcast and I am¡­. Not.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not!¡± Amelia gasped focusing her overly large golden brown eyes on me.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I promised, laughing at the idea. ¡°I only have one friend and she¡¯s a Shape-shifter,¡± I finished dramatically.


    ¡°No, my cousin is in love with you! He would never let you be an outcast!¡± Amelia argued and I flinched at the mention of Kiran¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°Was in love with me,¡± I corrected quickly and when it looked like Amelia was going to protest I continued quickly, ¡°but he definitely wanted me to be an outcast, believe me. He loved the idea!¡±


    ¡°Why would he want that?¡± Amelia pressed.


    ¡°So that he could go on being engaged to Seraphina and keep me quiet and secret on the side,¡± I spat with much more venom than I intended to.


    ¡°No, he would never do that!¡± Amelia insisted, looking horrified. ¡°Eden, he fell in love with you as soon as he got to Kingsley, he wouldn¡¯t do that to someone he loved.¡±


    ¡°Mimi, it¡¯s sweet you think so highly of your cousin, but what Eden is saying is true,¡± Seraphina explained gently. ¡°In his defense though, he was afraid of your uncle and what he would do if he found out about Eden, or broke his engagement with me. And obviously he had good reason.¡± Seraphina looked up at me with an apologetic expression that stunned me.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for everything,¡± I gushed at her, afraid she would say something and the moment would be ruined. Suddenly, I was bombarded with guilt for ruining her future and her dreams. She tried to kill me, but I ruined her life and then didn¡¯t even want it when I got it. ¡°Seraphina, I shouldn¡¯t have let Kiran use me like that, I¡¯m sorry that I ruined your¡­. future.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about apologizing to me!¡± she scolded in good-humor, ¡°if you start listing your offenses than I¡¯m going to have to list mine and I can¡¯t even go down that road. We both handled things wrong. We were both bitches; now let¡¯s just move on.¡±


    ¡°What has gotten in to you?¡± I laughed, very ready to accept her proposal.


    ¡°It¡¯s this castle!¡± She whined. ¡°I think just that fact that we¡¯re all forced here against our will makes us all, like¡­. I don¡¯t know, like we¡¯re going through the same thing, like I can relate to you. Even though it totally grosses me out¡­.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be here, than why are you here?¡± I asked, trying not to sound snotty and ignoring her last comment. I assumed immediately that going to school here was her idea. I apparently misjudged her.


    ¡°My dad is making me,¡± she sighed heavily. ¡°He took over the job at Kingsley, but since technically I should be married right now, he didn¡¯t enroll me before the deadline and he doesn¡¯t want to be further embarrassed by begging the school board to let me in. Lucan pushed this school setup at him as a peace offering, hoping I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut about being passed over on my wedding day¡­.¡± She sighed exhausted by the idea. ¡°This is dad¡¯s idea of saving face.¡±


    ¡°Oh? So you don¡¯t want to be here either?¡± I asked carefully. I definitely assumed going to school with us was her last attempt to grab a crown.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? I am so over Kiran and you, it actually makes me sick to think about watching you two for the next year of my life. Besides, I¡¯d so rather be home in my own house with complete freedom and my real friends. This is punishment from my parents I suppose for not making the prince fall in love with me¡­.¡± she finished sadly.


    I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling like I might be the only kid involved in this whole thing that wasn¡¯t desperately trying to please a parent. Ok, my parents were completely absent from my life, but only because their survival depended on it. They weren¡¯t torturing me just for having my own ideas about my future.


    ¡°Seraphina, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I offered, not knowing what else to say.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare feel sorry for me!¡± She gasped like I smacked her. ¡°I can still walk around this castle without an army following me. And my senior year might be ruined, but I get to leave after this year and do whatever I want. We¡¯re still different. I don¡¯t have your life, and I don¡¯t want it,¡± she pointed out, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.


    She definitely did not get easier to like.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Amelia agreed sympathetically. ¡°You unquestionably have it the worst, Eden¡­. I mean, from my uncle. You still get to marry Kiran though, so it can¡¯t be all that bad¡­.¡± She recanted quickly and I had to stifle another eye roll.


    ¡°Amelia, where did you get this idea that I am so madly in love with your cousin?¡± I demanded, deciding to laugh instead.


    ¡°From everywhere!¡± she defended herself. ¡°When I met you in India, it was so obvious you loved my cousin and he loved you! And then, Kiran convinced my uncle to let him marry you instead of Seraphina. I mean, he had to love you in order to do that, right? And then when you came to the London palace, I could tell how hurt you were, but you still loved him. You loved him enough to save him and then as soon as he was healthy he spent every moment of his life devoted to getting you back. And at the very last moment he did! You came here to marry him and he left Seraphina again for you!¡± Amelia made a convincing case, but she definitely did not have the full story.


    ¡°That last time had absolutely nothing to do with whether he loved me or Seraphina,¡± I explained quietly, looking at Seraphina guiltily. ¡°We made a deal prior to that day, for my brother¡¯s life. I waited until the last minute¡­. Until there wasn¡¯t another option. I could have come at any time before the wedding day and his decision would have been the same,¡± I confessed, realizing how selfish I had been to wait so long. All of my planning, my plotting and scheming came to nothing in the end and I gave myself over to save my parents and Avalon. If I would have seen that months before, I don¡¯t think I would have waited that long, but I couldn¡¯t say that for sure either. If I came earlier, there would have been time to prepare for the wedding and I would be Mrs. Kiran Kendrick by now. ¡°Sorry, Seraphina. I guess I didn¡¯t think about your feelings at the time¡­.¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Seraphina grunted. ¡°It all worked out though, I mean our magic would have made the marriage work, but I don¡¯t want to end up like Analisa¡­. Nobody does,¡± she finished in a sad whisper. ¡°He would never have been committed to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I argued. ¡°He didn¡¯t want anything to do with me when I showed up. Trust me; he would have rather married you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please!¡± Seraphina laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure he was super disappointed you to see you!¡±


    ¡°He was! He even debated whether to kill me or make me his wife, for a long time! And honestly, I¡¯m pretty sure he got very close to picking murder!¡± I confessed, trying to forget that I hoped for death in those moments. ¡°Plus, then you came in all guns blazing trying to kill me and he totally took your side! He wanted nothing more to do with me. I ruined his life.¡± There I said it, everything I had been thinking since May. I laid it all out in the open and the truth wasn¡¯t as scary as I thought it would be when they were just words.


    ¡°That might be true,¡± Seraphina agreed sarcastically, ¡°but he never wanted to kill you. Trust me, as the ex-fianc¨¦, I know who he wants to stand with him in holy matrimony and it was never me.¡±


    ¡°Can we move on?¡± I asked. I didn¡¯t want to talk about Kiran for one more second, I was uncomfortable and doubting the wall I carefully built to protect me from this kind of stuff. Kiran didn¡¯t love me anymore, he made that abundantly clear. And I didn¡¯t love him anymore, that fact couldn¡¯t be more obvious to anyone. I didn¡¯t need to keep having these conversations over and over. I had a rebellion to worry about. A war to fight. An Immortal king to kill. There existed no time in my life for teenage romance.


    Except Jericho.


    The girls moved on to a discussion about the upcoming All Saints Festival. I sighed, already feeling exhausted from another busy weekend of balls and feasts. These Immortals were far too busy and involved in each other¡¯s lives for me. I had never even been to a high school dance before Kingsley and now there seemed to be one every month. And not just a dance, actual galas with royalty and ballroom dancing and gowns.


    And if this one didn¡¯t carry enough bad memories for me from last year, we were supposedly paying tribute to my dead grandfather. The thought of Lucan organizing some kind of memorial for the same man that he killed in front of me in cold blood made my heart clench in panicked waves of rage. I wondered if he would stage a casket, or if the kingdom possessed the common courtesy to move beyond such disgusting pretense. My temples instantly began to pound and I closed my eyes in frustration.


    The festival didn¡¯t happen for two more months; maybe I could be out of here by then. How much more planning did we need before I could just kill Lucan. I had decided not to leave the castle; Avalon wasn¡¯t trying to break me out anymore. What was the hold up?


    The prisoners. He responded instinctively, having heard my entire inner monologue.


    How long have you been there? I asked, feeling self-conscious.


    Since you walked into the same room as Seraphina. He admitted and I gagged on his thoughts about her.


    You are so gross. I accused. Besides you have major competition with Sebastian if you are remotely serious about her.


    Oh, no, I¡¯m not serious about her at all. I mean, come on, she¡¯s completely certifiable. But so damn hot! He laughed at my revolted reaction.


    Anyway. I changed the subject forcefully in our thoughts. What is the hold up here? Can¡¯t you just storm the castle tomorrow? This needs to end!


    Believe me; I have had these exact same thoughts, Ede. But here¡¯s the thing, as confident as I am in our movement, there is still the chance of failure. And right now if we make an attempt at Lucan¡¯s life and fail, the prisons are full of Immortals for him to take his revenge out on. Plus, you are still in his custody and I hate to think of what he could do to you-


    Avalon don¡¯t worry about me! I interrupted him to assure him that I would be fine. Just get the prisoner¡¯s out. I can take care of myself.


    Eden, you forget that I was where you are. I refuse to let you go through what I did. He will not hurt you like that. He growled his response, his conviction resounding inside our heads and with it I felt the scars of those months he suffered near the brink of death as Lucan¡¯s prisoner. He internally wore the wounds of a trauma I could never fully understand even with our twin connection. And still, even if I take you out of the equation, there are still the prisoners. Besides, he has his men moving around the globe, hunting others down. And I¡¯m afraid that if he doesn¡¯t find more Shape-shifters he¡¯s going to start collecting from the general population. He¡¯s a monster, Eden. When we strike, we have to do it perfectly, without flaw and with a one hundred percent success rate, or everything is going to backfire in our face. Besides, it would help if you could recruit a few more Titans. We need them on our side.

 Page 41

    A few more? Who do you have now? I asked, shocked that he would credit me with recruiting anybody.


    Well, all the ones that you saved from the King¡¯s Curse. And then Talbott¡­. Uh¡­ not Talbott, I mean Sebastian says the one that is in charge of you, what¡¯s his name? Avalon asked, and I could sense him feel flustered.


    Jedrec? I asked, shocked that Sebastian would know anything about him.


    Yes, Jedrec is very close¡­. Avalon trailed off.


    Huh¡­. I pondered internally, trying to repress my curiosity with Avalon¡¯s slip and why he wanted to hide his mistake form me.


    ¡°Eden!¡± Seraphina shouted and I snapped my head up to look at her. ¡°Hello! I¡¯ve only been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes!¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry¡­.¡± I apologized, internally saying goodbye to Avalon.


    ¡°I swear, if you weren¡¯t my only option for a friend here¡­..¡± she mumbled and I almost laughed at her. ¡°Will you send one of your guards to go check on the pizzas? They are taking forever!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± I jumped up and rubbed my hands against my cold arms. ¡°I want to grab a sweatshirt anyway.¡±


    I stood up and walked out into the hallway where the Guard waited for me looking bored. Jedrec tried to smile at me, but I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. This was a perfectly good waste of a Titan¡¯s time.


    ¡°Hey, will one of you check on the pizzas in the kitchen for us please?¡± I asked casually.


    A Titan about my age stepped forward eagerly and looked to Jedrec with hopeful eyes. Jedrec nodded his approval and the Titan seemed about ready to run down the staircase just for something to do.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go with him,¡± I announced clearly, lest they confuse my statement with a question. ¡°I¡¯m just going to grab my sweatshirt quickly and I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Alex, go with her, but you can wait outside of the room,¡± Jedrec instructed, ignoring my silent command for alone-time.


    ¡°Jedrec, seriously! I¡¯m just going downstairs for a minute. I will be right back, nothing can keep me from that pizza, I promise you that,¡± I contended sincerely.


    ¡°I believe that, Eden, but we have our orders,¡± Jedrec nodded to Alex and I gave in with a sigh.


    We walked down the flight of stairs quickly. Alex didn¡¯t try to make any conversation but the walk didn¡¯t take long, so I didn¡¯t worry about it. When we got to Kiran¡¯s bedroom we both stopped short, mutually feeling the flare of magic alerting us that another Immortal occupied Kiran¡¯s bedroom.


    Alex waved at me to wait for him to open the door and check it out. I obeyed, curious more than anything as to who would be on the other side of the door. He opened the door carefully and then looked back at me even more confused.


    I understood why when Dmitri Terletov stepped out of the room and gave me a welcoming smile. My blood heated to a fast boil and my electricity screamed warnings at me, but I couldn¡¯t just turn around and run. No, I wouldn¡¯t turn around and run. He was a thug and nothing more. He couldn¡¯t intimidate me.


    ¡°Eden, I was just coming to find you,¡± he purred, his gloved hands clasped together in front of him.


    ¡°Well¡­. You found me,¡± I mumbled dryly.


    ¡°Yes, I have,¡± he agreed, giggling with glee. I shivered uncontrollably with disgust. ¡°Will you join me for a walk in the gardens? There is something I would like to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you for the offer though,¡± I smiled politely. ¡°I have to get back.¡± I looked longingly upstairs and then back at the sinister eyes looking over me with new interest. Next to me, Alex flexed with carefully harnessed strength and took a step closer to me.


    ¡°They won¡¯t miss you. I¡¯ll just keep you a few minutes. Your Guard is welcome to join us,¡± Dmitri gestured toward the robust Titan whose jaw tightened and fists balled.


    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m not supposed to go outside without all of my Guards,¡± I explained weakly.


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we wait here while this one goes to fetch the others?¡± he suggested and the thought of being alone with him made my skin crawl.


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think so,¡± In alarm I lost my manners. I needed to get back upstairs and in the protective care of the rest of the Guards.


    I turned on my heel and Alex followed after, the sweatshirt forgotten. We made it to the stairs when I heard a sound like the air had been sliced with a knife and Alex fell to his knees next to me. In a panic I turned to see what had caused him to fall and my eyes immediately fell on the bullet hole in his white polo and the blood seeping from it, staining his shirt and spreading across his back. The bullet was perfectly placed where his heart used to beat.


    ¡°A bullet?¡± I demanded, kneeling down next to Alex and pressing my hand against the wound drawing out the blue smoke to heal him. Slowly it dawned on me that Dmitri was responsible for the silenced gun shot. ¡°But that won¡¯t kill him!¡± I argued, pointlessly.


    ¡°No, but it will knock him unconscious until we get out of here,¡± he answered menacingly and I realized what he intended to do. He wounded my one Guard so he could kidnap me.


    I opened my mouth to scream, but his finger moved to the trigger before a sound came out. The bullet hit me in the chest like a fireball of anger. I flinched violently backward from the force and my hand instantly found the hole. If I could heal the wound before I lost consciousness I could still call for help. I crumpled to the floor, my body giving out uselessly from the blinding pain that seared through my torso. The blackness closed around me faster than my mouth could move and the ringing in my ears swallowed the rest of the world, while the pain in my chest sucked the breath from my struggling lungs. Avalon¡¯s internal shouts accompanied me to the blissful silence and then there was nothing.


    Chapter Twenty-Five


    Darkness.


    I struggled from oblivion gasping for breath, clutching at the searing pain twisting at my chest and retching from violent nausea. I forced myself to sit up, and vomited again on the hard dirt floor. I reeled from the pain; the aching agony that spread across my chest like bars of a cage constricted my breathing and coaxed me toward the blackness, the deep void of unconsciousness again.


    I sent the magic rushing through my blood in a ferocious attempt to regain my senses. The electricity heated my shivering body to a manageable temperature. My head stopped pounding and I inhaled a deep breath for what felt like the first time in a long time. My magic worked quickly against the fighting exhaustion and throbbing discomfort.


    Finally, I came back to myself, back to reality. A puff of blue smoke exhaled from my body, wrapping me in its wispy healing powers and extracting the bullet from my heart. The smoke with finger-like tendrils reached into the bloody wound and pulled a small, iridescent pellet from my chest. The bullet dropped to the floor next to me.


    My heart.


    He shot me right in the heart.


    Son of a-


    Eden! Holy hell, Eden, you¡¯re Ok! Avalon shouted into my mind. I covered my ears impulsively and sent more magic to the last of the sore limbs of my body.


    Am I Ok? I asked sarcastically, realizing I was shaking with rage. That bastard shot me! I screamed at Avalon. He shot me!


    Where are you? Kiran is coming after you. Do you remember anything other than being shot? Is there anything in that room that will help us find you? Avalon spoke calmly, soothingly, trying to bring out the reasonable part of me. But I could feel in his very blood how panicked he felt and how he surged with the same anger I did. He couldn¡¯t see anything in the room, until I looked up, even with our shared consciousness and that frustrated him. At the same time though, he could finally breathe again, knowing that a bullet wasn¡¯t enough to seriously injure me, even a bullet straight to the heart.


    Kiran? Where are you? I demanded. A wave of relief washed over me that the cavalry had been sent out, but I wanted Avalon. He would know where to find me, and I wanted his magic here with me when I confronted Dmitri Terletov for shooting me.


    He didn¡¯t need to answer me. I felt him then, far away. Too far away to be part of a rescue mission. He was traveling, well on his way. But Kiran would be here first. Long before Avalon even arrived on the same continent as me.


    Am I still in Romania? I asked, trying to piece together what happened.


    No, Latvia. Avalon answered.


    Latvia? I gasped. What in the world? What does he want with me?


    What everyone wants¡­. Your magic. Or revenge on Lucan. Honestly, we don¡¯t know a whole lot yet. You¡¯ve only been gone for¡­. Almost eight hours. He admitted reluctantly.


    Only eight hours¡­. I echoed, feeling the memory of every cop show, every missing person special I had ever seen rush through my blood, reminding me that the first twenty-four hours are the most important.


    Eden, relax. You have me; I know how to find you. He lied and it took me a second to realize that he didn¡¯t know where I was.


    Avalon, why don¡¯t you know where I am? I demanded. I steadied my breathing and focused on the room. I sat in complete darkness, so I used magic to heighten my vision and recognize a basement with dirt walls and a dirt floor empty except for me. In the corner, a rickety, wooden staircase led to a heavy metal door with a panel of locks that ran the length of the door.


    Good. Avalon coaxed, taking in the room with me. Now explore a little, tell me what else there is.


    Avalon, you¡¯d better answer my question. Why don¡¯t you know exactly where I am? I stood up, a little weakly, and so I sent more magic rushing through my veins. I ran my hand along the cold wall as I walked the perimeter of the room looking for anything besides dirt and more dirt.


    I don¡¯t know why, Eden. As soon as you lost consciousness I lost the ability to find you. I could still feel you, I just couldn¡¯t find you. It took me several hours to pinpoint Latvia. Terletov has several estates there, so Kiran took off for his most rural and I¡¯m supposed to call him when I can identify your exact location¡­. It¡¯s just that¡­. Something seems to be blocking me from a total connection with you.


    I felt it too, once he explained it. I could feel how far away Avalon was, but I had no idea where he that was. Frustration threatened to cloud all of my reason and judgment, but I swallowed it, forcing myself to think levelly, to prepare to fight.


    I think he used special bullets. I explained, finding the shining silver bullet on the ground when my exploratory walk came full circle. It glimmered in the darkness, shimmering with magic and reminders of how painful being shot was.


    I think you¡¯re right. As soon as you got that thing out of you, I could read your thoughts again. Before, when it was lodged in your chest¡­. I couldn¡¯t hear you, I couldn¡¯t¡­. I didn¡¯t know what happened. Avalon admitted with the softest tone of agony that made me smile with affection.


    That¡¯s how it was for me when I had all your magic. It was awful¡­. I¡­. Don¡¯t feel bad, this is not your fault. I lectured, hating that he had to go through even a tiny bit of what I did.


    I don¡¯t feel bad. I¡¯m just pissed. What is this guy¡¯s game plan? Avalon growled in my head, ignoring my sympathy.


    No kidding! I shrieked. And why did he have to shoot me? I added, my hand finding the hole in my blood-stained shirt where the bullet ripped through.

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    I think it¡¯s time to find out. Are you up for a little game of Antagonize Whoever¡¯s Guarding You? Avalon asked and I could feel the smile on his face. He loved that I seethed with indignant ire, that my emotions matched his. And he couldn¡¯t wait to see how I handled myself all alone. Instead of wondering if my brother might be a little sick, I had to smile at how confident he was in me, how prematurely proud he felt.


    That sounds like a fun game. When will Kiran be here? If he can find me¡­. I added, grimacing at the thought of being trapped here any longer.


    Are you still wearing your necklace? Avalon asked. I reached passed the bullet hole I seemed so fascinated with and felt for the onyx stone under my shirt and found nothing.


    No, he must have taken it. I shivered at the thought of Dmitri¡¯s hands on my neck, lifting something from under my shirt. A new wave of angry determination washed over me.


    Well, hopefully he still has it with him. I doubt he realizes it¡¯s a tracking device. Avalon mumbled, more to himself than to me.


    I flinched, realizing my hope rested in Kiran saving me. I leaned against the damp, earthen wall of a basement somewhere in Latvia waiting to be rescued from one prison and taken back to another. I smiled cynically at the irony. Still, I knew that I belonged in the other prison. With Kiran, I was fighting for something, taking a stand and protecting my people. This bad guy represented nothing to me, and had not even bothered to explain what he wanted.


    And he shot me, the shock of which, I struggled to get over.


    Ok, I say you try to get out of this hole they have you in and figure out where you are. Avalon suggested.


    First of all, will Kiran be able to find me if Dmitri still has the necklace? How does it work? I asked, walking over to the staircase.


    Kiran created it. Avalon explained, and then I had to wonder how he knew so much. It¡¯s just Kiran¡¯s magic that he injected into a necklace. He¡¯s the only one that can find it, that knows where it is. But it works a lot like how you and I find each other. He can just instinctively know where his magic is.


    Oh, so there¡¯s not like a switchboard with a bunch of Titans watching my every move? I asked, suggesting the scenario I pictured in my mind. I paused for a moment, blocking Avalon out to go over his words. I knew it would feel strange to Avalon, but from the first moment I found out the necklace doubled as a tracking device, I assumed Kiran gave it to me for evil intent, always wanting to know where I was so that I couldn¡¯t escape him. And I had then associated it as collaboration between his father and. It hit me then that Kiran gave me the necklace shortly after I ran from the Citadel for the first time and Kiran had been desperate to hide my identity from his father. I stored these thoughts away, determined to have a discussion with Kiran about them as soon as I was free from my current predicament.


    Eden! Avalon shouted at me when I opened our connection again.


    Oh, sorry. I apologized meekly. He relaxed, realizing I had put up the barrier.


    Don¡¯t do that again. He snapped protectively.


    Sure. I promised. Ok, next question. Who am I up against, here? Will Dmitri have Titans? Or just a bunch of rogue Witches with him? Seriously, what can I expect on the other side of this door?


    I felt Avalon bristle with frustration before answering. I don¡¯t know. He answered with gritted teeth. I haven¡¯t been so na?ve to believe that we were the only rebellious faction in the kingdom, but I didn¡¯t suspect Terletov once. He has, up until now, been the model-like citizen for Lucan. It¡¯s no coincidence that Lucan appointed him to the position that he did. Terletov, honestly, deserved it. I doubt he is working on his own. Nobody, especially someone as intelligent as Terletov would go after Lucan by himself. But he won¡¯t have Titans, so I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ll find on the other side of that door.


    Ah. I replied, not knowing what else to say. Avalon wasn¡¯t exactly comforting.


    I¡¯m sorry. He grunted, reading my thoughts. Do you want me to coddle you, or help you get out of there?


    Nobody said anything about coddling me. I sighed, almost laughing at Avalon¡¯s totalitarian leadership style. I¡¯d better reevaluate my alliance here, you might be just as bad as Lucan when all is said and done.


    Don¡¯t even start with me. He growled and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from laughing. Ok, are you ready? He asked as I poised myself against the metal door and all of its bolts and locks.


    As ready as I¡¯ll ever be. I admitted and held my hands in front of me, readying them with magic.


    Eden, Avalon paused. Be careful.


    Always. I smiled and then released my magic against the door in a burst of white heat that sizzled against the cold metal. I heard the popping of locks and the creaking of steel as I pushed with determined force against the darkness and the inadequate prison I had been thrown into.


    I pushed more magic out with greater force and the door protested in loud screeching sounds that hurt my ears and reminded me of fingernails on a chalkboard. I gave myself the Oracle pep talk, I seemed to always need reminding of and with one last burst of energy the steel door and its panel of locks flew from the hinges and crashed heavily through a wall of rotted wood fifty feet away.


    I walked into the muted daylight shining onto a hay-covered floor from an open barn door. The rafters fluttered with the sounds of birds disturbed by my outburst. Outside the barn I could see lush farmland stretching for miles and a large housing structure that seemed more overly-large-rustic-cottage than wealthy-landowners-residence. And all around me men stood to their feet to watch me exit from the barn cellar turned prison with expressions menacing and evil.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the trick,¡± a gruff man, with a thick beard grunted in a British accent. ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    The threat of their magic sent surges of alarm prickling my blood and to the back of my neck. I tipped my chin and faced the eight grown men, ignoring the chill of fear hollowing out my stomach.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Dmitri?¡± I demanded in a voice much stronger than I felt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll take you to him,¡± another man answered. This one with thick, silvery hair shared Dmitri¡¯s Russian-like accent and had such unnerving white eyes that his pupils contained no color. ¡°He¡¯ll be very interested to know how you escaped his special room.¡±


    A shiver ran down my spine at the reference to ¡°his special room.¡± I stepped toward the man with no pupil pigmentation and let him lead the way from the barn toward the house. The rest of the men surrounded me, so that during our walk to the oversized cottage, my vision of the premises stayed severely restricted.


    I know where you are now. Avalon whispered in the recesses of my mind. That room must have somehow blocked your magic from the outside world. I internally felt him call Kiran on his cellphone and explain to him where Dmitri imprisoned me, but from Avalon¡¯s response, it sounded like Kiran already knew and was well on his way.


    I did find some courage in that. And then I reprimanded myself for not having more courage to begin with. I knew they couldn¡¯t kill me. If nothing else, the bullet to the heart had proved that. And even if they tried to kill me, I could take any or all of their magics if I wanted to. Although, the memory of the last time I took several magics at once in India reminded me to be careful and avoid over-collecting.


    We walked through a stylishly decorated house, with extravagant, antique detailing. I quieted the urge to knock over an expensive looking porcelain vase, hand painted with blue flowers, just to cause trouble. The white-eyed man led me up a set of wooden stairs and down a long hallway. He knocked on a door that opened at his pressure and revealed Dmitri standing over a table with papers spread out across it. My necklace lay in a careless pile on top of some of his documents. He looked up slightly annoyed, until he saw me, then his expression turned wrathful.


    ¡°Why did you let her out?¡± Dmitri demanded of the man who brought me upstairs.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t let her out, Terletov,¡± the man growled back. ¡°She broke out. She blew the door right off the hinges and sent it flying through the barn wall.¡±


    The man put his hand on my back and pushed me inside what appeared to be an office. I stood, taking in my surroundings, letting them argue back and forth. Bookshelves lined the walls, except for one where a large picture window overlooked the rolling farmland. Latvia, from my limited perspective, seemed breathtakingly quaint and undisturbed. The ground appeared fertile and green and the air, quiet and clean.


    ¡°That is impossible,¡± Dmitri hissed at his guard.


    ¡°Apparently not,¡± the other man snapped, irritated.


    ¡°He¡¯s not lying,¡± I offered innocently. ¡°Listen, if you want to keep me as your prisoner, than you¡¯re going to have to do better than that. Oh, and also, what¡¯s with shooting me? That kind of hurt!¡±


    ¡°It was supposed to do a hell of a lot more than hurt,¡± Dmitri snarled, turning his attention on me fully. I couldn¡¯t help but be intimidated by his eyes, eyes that seemed to roam over me like I was his property.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not going to kill me, if that¡¯s what you want,¡± I argued, crossing my arms, and hoping to regain my confidence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you either,¡± Dmitri softened his tone, smiling at me.


    ¡°Well, whatever you want, you¡¯re not going to get it from me,¡± I warned.


    ¡°Come, Eden, surely we want the same thing,¡± he purred. He stood up from the table, where he was leaned. He walked toward me, slowly, methodically, stalking his prey.


    ¡°I doubt that,¡± I muttered, taking an unconscious step backward.


    ¡°Do you? Well, why don¡¯t I tell you what I want, and you tell me if you agree or disagree,¡± he offered slyly. I didn¡¯t respond and so he took that as a cue to continue. ¡°I want the throne, Eden. The Kendrick line has ruled long enough and they have squandered their power. It¡¯s time a new bloodline took over, one that is not so afraid to go after what we want.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s what you think I want?¡± I asked casually, almost laughing at the idea.


    ¡°Why else would you be marrying the prince after what Lucan did to your parents?¡± he asked smugly.


    I sighed and then answered, ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t know what you think he did to my parents, but Lucan didn¡¯t do anything. They left, remember? He hasn¡¯t been able to find them in two hundred years, so I¡¯m a little confused about what you think the exact offense he has caused to my family is. Unless you mean the murder of my grandfather, and then, Ok, I¡¯ll give you that, but that is not why I want the throne. I want the throne because I belong there, it¡¯s my rightful place. I am the heir. And if none of that was true, I would rather be human than take over this damned kingdom that is giving me an early ulcer. Second of all, I¡¯m marrying the prince because if I don¡¯t, Lucan is going to genocide an entire race of Shape-shifters if I can¡¯t figure out a way to kill him first. Until then, I plan on playing along so that doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°What a saint you are!¡± Dmitri purred. ¡°Trying to save all those pathetic animals,¡± his voice turned to a disgusted growl, ¡°this is what I mean by using the power of the throne. He has had the capability to wipe those beasts off the face of this earth for years, just like his father before him. And they have let them fester like open sores on the face of our people. Action needs to be taken, and where our current king is weak and indecisive, I will be strong. I will do what needs to be done.¡±

 Page 43

    I swallowed the angry lump in my throat and clutched my arms against my chest, trying to stop the trembling and asked through gritted teeth, ¡°And how do you plan to kill Lucan when he possesses all of the magic from the last Oracle?¡±


    ¡°By taking the magic from the last Oracle¡¯s granddaughter,¡± he smiled triumphantly.


    Chapter Twenty-Six


    I stifled a laugh. I knew Dmitri worked extra hard to sound intimidating and smug, but really, he had no idea what he was up against. He smirked at me from across the room, his hands clasped behind his back and his insipid blue eyes roaming over my body as if it were already his.


    ¡°You really think you can take my magic?¡± I asked, not able to keep the irritation out of my voice.


    ¡°I know that I can,¡± he smiled and took a step forward.


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re that awesome; you can do what no other Immortal has been able to do?¡± I squinted in disbelief and watched his face register surprise. He really thought he claimed the first place in line to capture my magic. ¡°You¡¯re a little late in the game to try, but I¡¯ll let you if you really want to. I mean, we can pretend I haven¡¯t stopped ten Titans at once, or that I haven¡¯t taken more magics in the last six months than you have in your entire too-long life. If you want my magic, go right ahead.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a cocky little thing, aren¡¯t you?¡± Dmitri laughed a harsh bark, meant to intimidate me.


    ¡°Does that offend you?¡± I took a step forward, tired of the fear. ¡°Do you want me to pretend that you scare me or that for one second I think you¡¯re capable of taking my magic? Because I can, I mean, I can pretend. But that¡¯s all that I¡¯ll be doing. Not for one second do I really think you have enough power to go up against me. My grandfather was the last Oracle, but he is gone and I took his place. I will rule this kingdom, not you. I will set the magic free and welcome the Shape-shifters back into our people. And if you¡¯re lucky, I¡¯ll leave you with just enough magic so that you can watch it all happen.¡±


    I felt Avalon cheer inside my head, but I ignored him, not fully believing every word I said, but hoping that I sounded convincing. The memories of how I got here, to this point, fueled my anger. From the moment my parents went on the run so they could be together, to my grandfather¡¯s death, to Avalon¡¯s suffering, and then Ronan¡¯s brutal murder in front of my eyes only a little while ago, all culminated into a driving force of frustration that threatened to consume me entirely, I became blind with rage and vengeance. Dmitri brought me here for evil gain, to replace one tyrant with another, and I could hardly stand the thick air of his selfish magic, the pathetic threat of his evil scheme.


    ¡°And what makes you think you can do all that?¡± Dmitri¡¯s face drained of all humor, his eyes narrowing into slits and his mouth twitching in one corner.


    ¡°Because Dmitri, you are a pg-13 villain, and nothing more. If you wanted my magic, you should have just shot me in the back and then taken it from me while I lay unconscious. That was your first mistake. Your second, was assuming any kind of prison could hold me. I don¡¯t bend to the old magic, I have something new entirely, something that¡¯s a little more grown up than you can handle. So if you want to fight, let¡¯s do this. You¡¯re not going to win, I¡¯m warning you now.¡± I finished strongly, all fears disintegrated and replaced with the righteous purpose I started to believe I was born to possess.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± he mumbled menacingly and then directed loudly to the man with silver hair, ¡°Take her to my room; apparently she needs to be disciplined.¡±


    The man with silver hair grabbed my wrist, intending to pull me out of the room. The thought of being locked in Dmitri¡¯s bedroom both disgusted and infuriated me. Apparently, he didn¡¯t hear a word I just said. I shook to the core of my being with rage and decided to get things moving. Besides, Kiran would be here soon and I wanted to go as soon as he arrived.


    I used the contact of skin between me and the silver-haired man as a catalyst to start drawing his magic from him. A little rusty in pulling the magic out of someone, he jerked with my effort and my magic sort of sizzled into nothing. The last magic I claimed had been my own and that required an entirely different process. I cracked my neck and pulled harder at the energy field the white-eyed man did not even realize he was about to lose.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± I growled and tugged at his magic harder so he felt the loss of energy to mine. He dropped my arm physically hurting him to touch me and backed away from me. Already on the war path, I couldn¡¯t stop. I pulled harder, and he fought back, sending magic at me that I blocked easily with a wave of my hand.


    Dmitri realized what was happening between us and took a seat on the edge of his table to watch. His casual aloofness bothered me more than anything, so I reached out my hand at the man who struggled to get away from me and drained the rest of his magic with little effort. The stolen magic connected in my blood and with all of the other without protest and I took that as a sign to continue.


    Several of the other men stepped into the room when their partner stumbled out and fell in a heap on the wood floor. The angered looks on their faces told me they knew what had happened and I abruptly found myself fighting three of them, while two others dragged the unconscious man down the hall.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be enough,¡± I warned, blocking their magic with my own.


    I reached for one of the men¡¯s magic remotely, while sending a flare of magic at another, sending him against a bookshelf. I grabbed just enough of the first man¡¯s magic to start to pull at it, when the third man got a shot at my feet, knocking me off balance and to the floor. I fell hard, losing my breath and hitting my head solidly. Another stream of magic came down on me, but I blocked it with an outstretched hand just in time.


    I held the magic with my own, keeping the sender locked in my grasp as I stood to my feet. In a move I didn¡¯t even know I was capable of, instead of sending the magic back at the men who meant me harm, I absorbed his magic into my palm. He stood defenseless against my pull, frozen by the force of my electricity. I dragged it out of him and sent him to his knees and then to the floor with one final burst of magic that left him unconscious.


    The two remaining attackers stepped forward, ready for battle and the two men from the hallway joined in their pursuit. With an aggressive scream and a forceful push of my hands I sent all four men scattering to the floor in a rush of magic meant to warn them to leave now.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t take the hint. They scrambled to their feet, sending furtive glances at each other and building their magic in their veins. Dmitri stood to his feet too, his pale blue eyes flaring with concern and the smug smirk erased from his face.


    I stomped my foot against the floor, sending a ripple of magic from me, a favorite trick of mine. I reached out my arm and took the magic of the closest man to me. Strong and confident at one time, the minute his magic started to disappear he fell to his knees in desperate pleading. I shut out his cries for help and finished him easily.


    I noticed the difference between these ordinary Witches and the Titans I was used to fighting. Even Kiran put up a better fight, and seemed to possess a stronger kind of magic than these men. Their magic dissipated from their bodies easily and the strength behind their fight not nearly comparable to the Titans I fought in the past. My heart went out to them then. I felt their struggle, their plight to regain their magic. They were misguided and manipulated, but they only wanted what belonged to them. They only wanted the strength the history of their people promised them.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± I admitted, dropping an outstretched arm. ¡°This isn¡¯t even a fair fight. If you leave now, if you never even look my direction again, you can go. I¡¯ll spare you. But I swear, if I ever see you again, even if by accident, even if Lucan himself invites you to dinner and promises to chop off your head if you don¡¯t come, I will take what I spared today. I will take your magic.¡± I didn¡¯t promise, remembering my broken vow to Sebastian, but I did make the gravity of my threat evident.


    ¡°Do not listen to her!¡± Dmitri argued, taking a step forward. ¡°She is just a little girl, those men were weak. You are stronger than them. Take her now; take the magic that belongs to us.¡±


    I stepped back as the men took a step toward me. I could feel their confusion, the wavering resolve that argued Dmitri¡¯s case and warned against my obvious ability. I stayed silent, wanting desperately for them to come to their own conclusion. I didn¡¯t want to take any more magics; I didn¡¯t want to make anyone else suffer.


    Except for maybe Dmitri.


    ¡°I warned you,¡± I breathed, in a sad sigh of defeat when their internal argument flickered in the wrong direction.


    I fought against them, blocking their magic as best as I could, but there were three of them. Some of their magic found me, burning hot against my skin, bruising or cutting me, but no serious damage could be done. The blue smoke moved in my blood deftly, as smoothly as my own blood cells, pulsating with the rhythm of my heart and healing me before I noticed the pain for too long.


    One of the attackers, realizing nothing seemed to bother me, rushed forward aggressively and my magic caught him, lifting him off the ground in a stronghold of my aggression. I pulled at his magic, while my other hand stretched out to bring about the same fate to the rest of them. All the while, Dmitri stood by idly, watching as his faithful followers fell at my feet.


    The man in the air breathed his last magical breath and I let him drop mortally to the floor. Simultaneously I found the magic of another attacker and started on his. The last remaining man looked at me with fear, real fear and I felt my cheeks flush with shame. He stopped his attack, and slowed his useless approach and stared at me.


    When the latest man to give up his magic fell to the ground, I wiped the sweat from my brow and straightened. ¡°Go,¡± I commanded, giving this last man a chance to live. ¡°Tell the others what you¡¯ve seen and go. Don¡¯t come back. Don¡¯t do anything but run, or I will leave you just like your friends.¡±


    ¡°Are they dead?¡± he asked, the terror in the back of his throat warbling his words.


    ¡°It¡¯s worse than death,¡± I promised darkly.


    He backed out of the room, stumbling over the bodies of his unconscious friends. He waited to take his frightened eyes off me until he reached the staircase and then nearly fell down them in his hurry to flee.


    ¡°Quite an impressive show,¡± Dmitri clapped for me sarcastically.


    I turned my attention back to him, thoroughly disgusted. Through the picture window I could see three cars speed down the long gravel drive that led to the farm. They raced with intent and reckless purpose. Kiran made it. Dmitri glanced over his shoulder at the sound of steady rumbling and sighed at the approaching vehicles.


    ¡°You are truly magnificent, aren¡¯t you?¡± Dmitri continued. ¡°All of the rumors are true. They have to be. All four types of magic. The Indian palace. The next Oracle. The rightful heir. You are going to set the magic free,¡± he stated clearly, without question or doubt in his voice.

 Page 44

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°Then kill me, spare me the prisons or a death sentence,¡± he begged, the first evidence of fear darkening his light blue eyes.


    ¡°No,¡± I answered in response to everything he petitioned. His face flickered surprise for only a brief moment before I reached for his magic with mine and then it turned to fear. He fought to hold on to his magic desperately. Unlike everyone before him who fought me while trying to hold onto their electricity, Dmitri concentrated solely on his life¡¯s blood.


    At first, his tactic seemed effective. He held onto his energy with surprising strength, clutching it to his body with a vise-like grip. My resolve began to waver whether it was necessary to take his magic after all when I felt the shove of Avalon¡¯s magic in my own blood. He made himself known without a word spoken between us, the silent offer of help end this man.


    I let his magic join with mine in a concerted, focused effort to drain Dmitri of what he did not deserve. With Avalon¡¯s magic aiding mine, Dmitri didn¡¯t stand a chance, his magic fled from his body and absorbed into mine like it had always belonged with me. He fell to his knees, helpless and defeated.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to kill him alone,¡± Dmitri whispered in a raspy voice, clinging to the last edges of awareness. He referred to Lucan. His words rang with truth, and for the first time I saw him as a desperate man, trying to save his people in his own twisted version of morality.


    ¡°I won¡¯t have to. I have a twin brother,¡± I confessed dramatically and then sent a wave of magic at him that finished his already waning consciousness. He crumpled to the ground with the rest of his men.


    Thank you. I whispered internally to Avalon. I dropped my arms to my sides in sudden and overwhelming exhaustion. The room, quiet from the after effects of my destruction, reminded me painfully of the evil side to my magic, the side that craved vengeance and justice at any cost. I remembered the dark months after Amory died, the good part of my soul that seemed lost forever and wanted desperately to mourn that lost innocence.


    Eden, we will do what we have to, so that one day we don¡¯t have to do evil anymore. Avalon reminded me, his voice resounding in my head with truth.


    You¡¯re right. I conceded.


    Go to Kiran. He commanded and I obeyed.


    I stepped over the stilled bodies carefully, feeling shaken and disoriented. I noticed the onyx necklace lying across Dmitri¡¯s table and I grabbed it, slipping it over my head before I walked down the stairs. I leaned heavily against the railing all the way down and then stumbled to the front door that hung half off its hinges from the men who fled not minutes before. Kiran and his Titans were in the middle of a tactical effort to surround the cottage. Kiran seemed to be leading the attack, moving stealthily across the front lawn and toward the house.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, trying not to be amused as I stepped out onto the front porch.


    Kiran stood up from a semi-crouched position and looked around confused. He made a swirling motion with his fingers to his men and then walked toward me with renewed purpose.


    A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he called out, ¡°Coming to rescue you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too late,¡± I half-laughed from hysteria.


    ¡°I can see that.¡± He met me on the grass at the bottom of the porch stairs. His turquoise eyes were eager and searching as he stood over me and then whispered in a rush, ¡°These men believe you are my fianc¨¦.¡±


    With that warning, his arms slid around my waist and pulled me gently, very gently against his chest as if I were delicate and breakable, as if I hadn¡¯t just taken the magic of six men. His mouth moved against mine before I could protest in soft, anxious movements. He sighed longingly when his arms pulled me closer against his chest and my fingers tangled in his hair. I let him kiss me, thankful for the touch of a lesser evil and resting in the strength of his arms.


    When finally he removed his lips from mine, he held me closer still, burying his face in my hair and keeping his arms locked around me. I sensed the Titans removing the drained men from the farmhouse and loading them into the van that followed the three sedans here. I pressed my face into Kiran¡¯s chest, not wanting to be reminded of my actions, of my seemingly constant fight for survival.


    After a while, the sounds around us died down. Kiran, still reluctant to let me go sighed when I lifted my head to look around the quiet farm. The Titans stood at attentive alert, watching the van, the horizon and the house waiting for more bad guys to appear from nowhere.


    ¡°You play a very convincing part,¡± I mumbled into Kiran¡¯s chest.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kiran asked lightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re all worried and tense,¡± I mused, rubbing my hand against his flexed bicep.


    ¡°Believe it or not, I was actually worried,¡± Kiran admitted thinking I should be absolutely shocked. ¡°Whether you love me or not, you¡¯re still my friend and I left you alone to be kidnapped by the most vile, disgusting creature-¡°


    ¡°No, please, stop,¡± I begged. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about him anymore, I don¡¯t want to think about this anymore¡­.¡± I pleaded, lifting my fingers to his lips, quieting his protests.


    ¡°For now,¡± he relented, ¡°but I will need to know what happened.¡±


    ¡°Later,¡± I promised, smiling bravely at him.


    ¡°Are you all right, Love?¡± Kiran asked sincerely.


    ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯m fine, really.¡± I pulled away from him and started walking toward the car. I didn¡¯t know how much longer Kiran wanted to stay here, but I was anxious to get back to the castle and shower. I was covered with dried blood from my chest wound and dirt from the hole they tried to keep me in. ¡°I just got shot in the heart, but really, no big deal.¡± I tried to laugh it off, but the joke sounded unnatural coming out of my mouth.


    ¡°The blue smoke healed you?¡± he asked, remembering how effective it could be.


    ¡°Yes,¡± and then I remembered the Titan that also got shot. ¡°How about the Guard at the castle that he shot? How is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll survive,¡± Kiran answered cautiously, ¡°although, maybe you could help aid the healing process when we get back?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I quickly agreed. ¡°Is his wound just not healing or is he exhausted?¡±


    ¡°The bullet won¡¯t come out, actually,¡± Kiran explained and I wondered at the surgical like expertise the blue smoke seemed to remove mine with. ¡°He¡¯s in some kind of coma and no amount of magic will remove the bullet.¡±


    ¡°I can get it out,¡± I confessed.


    ¡°I assumed,¡± Kiran smiled down at me and then opened the door to the car so I could climb in the backseat.


    ¡°Take me straight to him,¡± I ordered, when he closed the door behind us.


    ¡°I will, but first we¡¯re going to make a stop,¡± Kiran whispered secretly.


    ¡°Where?¡± I asked, curiosity overwhelming me.


    ¡°To see your parents,¡± he smiled and then put a protective arm around my shoulders. I sat too stunned to object.


    Chapter Twenty-Seven


    Kiran pulled up to a darkened rustic mountain house in the southern part of Ukraine that bordered Romania. He had sent the Titans ahead of us, back to the castle, using the excuse that he wanted to be alone with me. They took the prisoners and all of the vehicles except one while he drove us deep into the Carpathian Mountains on this side of the Ukrainian border.


    The sun dipped below the jagged, mountain horizon, so the sky, painted with streaks of brilliant pink and darkened blue clouds, lit the landscape like a glowing candle. The house, nestled into the side of a mountain with a breathtaking view of a river valley below, appeared well kept and relatively modern.


    I followed Kiran¡¯s lead out of the car and to the front door where he used magic to open it. Inside the house the decorations were non-existent, but the furniture seemed comfortable and practical and a fire place took up one entire wall of the living room. Despite the heat from the mid-August evening, the house was cool and drafty so Kiran started a fire immediately.


    The wall perpendicular to the fireplace was made entirely of glass and opened up to a large deck that gave a direct view of the rushing river at the base of the valley. The kitchen, parallel to the living room, was tiny, but efficient and Kiran went right to work, putting a tea kettle on the small gas stove and pulling cups down from the cabinets. I walked over to a barstool pushed against the kitchen counter and sat down to watch him wait for the water to boil.


    ¡°My parents actually a coming here?¡± I asked carefully, afraid of the answer.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he smiled, looking up at me from the stove. ¡°I wanted Avalon, Lilly and¡­. Jericho to be here too, but they were down in Peru with Silas working on something. We can only stay for a few hours; we need to be back at the castle tonight. Your parents were in the vicinity, so they are going to meet us,¡± he explained.


    ¡°How do you know where my parents are?¡± I snapped, afraid of what that kind of information in Kiran¡¯s hands could do.


    ¡°Eden, Avalon told me. He¡¯s in constant contact with them. When you were taken¡­. When, we all found out that you were gone, everyone moved into action immediately. Not just me and my Guards, but your brother, your parents, everybody. I happened to be the closest, but from what Avalon said, your parents were not going to sit around and let anything happen to you. They were coming to rescue you, I just got there first.¡± Kiran turned his attention back to the tea kettle.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I said simply, a little humbled by my misjudgment of him.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon. They want to see you for themselves,¡± he said quietly.


    The tea kettle started to whistle, softly at first and then to a loud screeching sound that filled the silence between us. He took the two mugs, poured the hot water into them and then dipped the tea bags to let them soak for a while. He looked up at me, his eyes soft and intrigued. I squirmed on the barstool, not sure what he was looking for.


    ¡°We¡¯re not alone very often,¡± he began, ¡°it¡¯s nice to be able to be ourselves completely.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean,¡± I agreed. ¡°Sometimes I forget how we feel about each other


    between all of the pretending we¡¯re in love and the fighting.¡± I laughed at my joke, but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°So which is it?¡± he asked, pouring milk into my tea and adding a teaspoon of sugar before handing it over to me. ¡°Do we hate each other or love each other?¡±


    ¡°How did you know I like my tea like that?¡± I mused, avoiding his question.


    ¡°Eden, the first time you were my fianc¨¦ you also wanted to marry me,¡± he replied vaguely.


    ¡°So?¡± I pressed, wanting more of an explanation.


    ¡°So, I wanted to marry you too.¡± He fixed his tea and sipped from it casually.


    ¡°Ok, and?¡± I didn¡¯t want to play games. Even four hours of sleeping in the car hadn¡¯t expelled the exhaustion that I felt in my very bones.


    ¡°And, I paid attention to things like that. How you like your tea¡­. How you put your hair on top of your head when you¡¯re frustrated¡­. How you leave it down when you¡¯re feeling rebellious¡­. How you prefer your steak¡­. How you bite your thumbnail when you¡¯re nervous¡­. Although I think that is a family trait. I noticed those things, I loved you. I couldn¡¯t help but notice those things¡­.¡± Kiran admitted, his cheeks blushing the softest shade of red.

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    I didn¡¯t reply. I couldn¡¯t. My own cheeks burned hot at his intimate knowledge of me. I had convinced myself over the last few months that we hardly knew each other at all and that falling in love with each other had been immature and impetuous. But I knew him too. I could name a hundred different small things about him that could have easily been the very reason I fell for him to begin with. His smile¡­. The way his eyes changed color, light turquoise when he loved me the most and dark blue when he felt upset or angry¡­. The gray sweatpants he wore to bed¡­. His love for American potato chips¡­. The way children flocked to him and simply adored everything about him¡­.


    Enough. That was the past.


    ¡°Kiran?¡± I lifted my eyes and met his already on me, watching me. I swallowed and continued, ¡°If I wanted to add magic to something, like an object, how do I do it?¡± The mystery behind the onyx necklace around my neck had been nagging me since the Latvian farm and I needed answers.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kiran asked carefully. His eyes clouded just a little, and his smile all of a sudden seemed plastered on.


    ¡°Like, this necklace,¡¯ I pulled it out from my bloodied shirt and held it up for him. ¡°How do you put magic into it to make it a tracking device?¡±


    ¡°Uh, like you think you would. You find the object you want to make magic and inject your energy. It¡¯s a tad bit complicated and takes practice, but you could do it easily. Why? Is there someone you want to track?¡± his face became amused again.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just curious. Why does the necklace only track, though? The handcuffs are supposed to restrict my magic and the bullet definitely was meant to incapacitate me. Like you said, that Titan is in a coma. I¡¯m positive that¡¯s how Terletov meant for me to stay,¡± I finished, shuddering at the memory.


    Kiran flinched too, his eyes finding a new level of concern when he looked over me. ¡°It¡¯s all about how the object is made. So, you control your magic, yes?¡± When I nodded, he continued. ¡°You can change the feel of your magic, the intent in which you send it out. Like, how you fight someone with your magic is very different than how you kiss and the two magics intertwine together¡­. When the handcuffs are made, it is from Titan magic that would already be capable of restraining another Immortals magic and since they make them for that purpose, that¡¯s what the handcuffs do. Same with the bullets. Terletov is a powerful Witch, or was a powerful Witch. I¡¯m sure he made those bullets to stay inside of you, or whoever gets shot with them. They are very powerful weapons and the foreign magic intended to harm could be very dangerous in the wrong hands, as you found out.¡±


    ¡°What about the tracking necklace? How is that made?¡± I pressed carefully. Avalon told me Kiran made the first one for me, and I wanted to know if he would tell the truth.


    ¡°Eden, what is it that you want to know?¡± He saw right through me and his face exhibited the practiced ease I had come to associate with internal nerves.


    ¡°Just how the necklace was made, that¡¯s all,¡± I answered innocently.


    ¡°Are you asking in general? Or specifically how I made yours?¡± he smiled at my pretend nonchalance, but I couldn¡¯t drop the act now that I had committed to it.


    ¡°Sure, start with that,¡± I offered casually.


    ¡°Well,¡± he walked around the counter so that he stood over me, lifting the necklace out of my hands and inspecting it thoroughly, ¡°at the time I made it, I loved you deeply, more than life itself¡­. So, when I made the necklace it was with the utmost care and devotion. Whatever you think of me now, know that when I gave you this necklace I simply meant to protect you from my father.¡± His eyes moved from the necklace to mine, gazing deep into my soul caressing my face with his very thoughts. ¡°I didn¡¯t trust him not to take you away from me, and when I gave you this necklace I only wanted to be sure that I could find you if that happened.¡±


    I cleared my throat nervously, not sure how to respond to him. ¡°And now? How are all of my tracking trinkets made now?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get that answer,¡± he smiled and his hand moved from the necklace to the glowing tattoo on my neck, he rubbed at it with his thumb and his fingers snaked their way through my hair. I felt transfixed by the moment, unable to think clearly or move from his touch. ¡°But I will tell you that the only person I allow to make them for you is myself. I will not let anyone else touch them. So, if you disappear, I am the only one that will be able to find you.¡± He finished talking but didn¡¯t move away from me. His eyes fell to my lips and then his face moved an inch closer to mine.


    My magic flared, shocking my senses back to reality. I jumped in the seat, surprised by the approaching magics that I instantly recognized as my parents. Kiran slowly dropped his hand from my head, letting it brush along my neck before it fell to his side. We stayed like that for a moment longer, an eternal moment that made me doubt everything true and real in this world.


    The front door opened and Kiran finally released me from his gaze. I breathed again, I felt again. I found myself again. His magnetic eyes and gravitational pull would destroy me unless I learned how to fight him, unless I learned to hold my ground. He was the risk I refused to take, the chance Fate itself decided to end before it was fully realized. He threatened everything I built, not just my emotional walls, but the purpose I stood for, the future of this kingdom. I could admit that to myself. I could admit I was scared of him.


    He was dangerous.


    ¡°Delia, Justice, welcome,¡± Kiran turned to my parents and greeted them.


    They mumbled something to Kiran, but their eyes, both sets, were locked on me. Delia ran to me, her long, black hair flowing behind her and when she wrapped her arms around me her hair flew around us both. It curtained our faces as she pressed her forehead against mine and said a million things to me without saying a word. Tears streamed from her black eyes and her hands trembled against my face.


    Justice let her have the first few moments; but just like in Omaha, he grew impatient waiting on the sidelines. He put a comforting hand on my mother¡¯s shoulder and she released me into his arms. He held me against his chest protectively. I felt the righteous anger in his blood, the way his magic flared at the unfairness of life, at the injustice of my situation.


    I looked up at him, into the dark green eyes that Avalon inherited from him and held his gaze steadily. ¡°I am fine, I can handle myself,¡± I promised. He nodded the emotion behind his eyes threatening to sweep him away, and I found myself choked up noticing it. I could cry with my mother and be perfectly fine, but if my father started I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop.


    ¡°I know you can,¡± he choked out, patting my back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down,¡± Delia offered, noticing her husband¡¯s struggle.


    She reached for my hand and pulled me to the couch. Kiran mumbled something about starting dinner but he was generally ignored as we sat close together on the soft, worn leather couch. Justice sat on the other side of Delia, wrapping his arm around her and laying a gentle, but firm hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°What happened to Terletov?¡± Justice asked and I could see the hope in his expression.


    ¡°What had to,¡± I admitted, hating the regret that came after every battle as if I shouldn¡¯t be used to struggling to survive, as if fighting for my life was an anomaly and not a routine I had grown accustomed to. I tried to convince myself regret and guilt over every magic taken were left over emotions from my human life, but I knew better. The parts of Immortality I had known so far were ugly and unfeeling, so I held the remnants of humanity close to my heart and secretly worshiped the blame, the remorse, knowing I hadn¡¯t been brainwashed into this callous society like all the rest.


    ¡°Good,¡± Justice whispered proudly. ¡°I knew Dmitri as a child, his father was a politician. But I never thought he could be capable of something like this.¡± Justice¡¯s eyes deepened with sorrow and his knuckles brushed my cheek affectionately. ¡°I¡¯m so thankful you¡¯re all right. Tell me what happened.¡±


    He commanded me more than he asked, left over habits of his Titan upbringing. I didn¡¯t argue, but painfully dove into the story of the kidnapping and how I got out. I started with the shot to the chest in the stairwell which made my mother burst into heavy tears and finished with Dmitri pleading for death while I drained him of his magic and sent him to the prisons I disgusted so passionately. My father nodded along, and my mother wept at the struggle, but once the story was out I could close off my pained nerve endings and begin the healing process for my raw emotions. Relief washed over me after I explained myself, after I justified aloud my actions.


    ¡°So, then you have figured out your magic?¡± Justice asked for more details.


    ¡°I think so,¡± I admitted. ¡°I seem to react to the old magic, even strongly at first, but eventually my magic, I don¡¯t know if you can say¡­. out smarts it? Or overcomes it? I don¡¯t know, but the old magic can¡¯t hold me for very long. Even the handcuffs seemed to do the trick for a little while, but as soon as my magic connected with Avalon, I couldn¡¯t even notice the restraint anymore. And the bullet obviously knocked me out, but the blue smoke just jumped right in and pulled it out. I think our new magic is stronger, has evolved even. Plus, I think everything is stronger because of my connection with Avalon.¡±


    ¡°You sound just like him,¡± Delia smiled at me. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what he says.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you are here,¡± I sighed happily, all but forgetting about Kiran clanking around in the kitchen. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if I would ever see you again.¡±


    ¡°Darling, you didn¡¯t have to do what you did,¡± Delia whispered hoarsely, tears flooding her eyes again. ¡°Our plan would have worked; we would have gone with you.¡±


    ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t have,¡± I argued, not wanting to sound like a rebellious teenager, but knowing I was right. ¡°If Lucan finds you, he will never let you go. You don¡¯t know what he¡¯s like, he¡¯s a monster! He¡¯s¡­. He¡¯s evil.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about Lucan,¡± Justice concurred, ¡°he is the devil himself. But, this isn¡¯t your battle. This is a war we should have joined a long time ago and you are left to clean up our mess.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true!¡± I gasped and then rushed forward, ¡°I mean, Lucan is your fight, I get that, but this is something so much deeper than revenge. This goes beyond you and him. This is about the future of our people! This is about the magic.¡±


    ¡°Now you sound like your grandfather,¡± Delia grinned at me, silent tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. She reached up to cup my face with her hand; I never felt more loved in my entire life.


    ¡°If anything happens to you, I¡¯ll never forgive myself,¡± Justice lamented, his green eyes darkening with gravity.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t say that. We are all willing to offer our lives for this cause; I am no exception. But you have to know that it is different for me than it is for anyone else. Avalon went through hell during his imprisonment. You guys would be¡­. I can¡¯t even think about what would happen to you. But seriously I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m treated like a princess¡­. A princess that has to watch other people die the minute I mess up, but still¡­. I mean, I go to parties, I go to balls, I get dressed up and pretend I¡¯m in love with a prince. It¡¯s really not that bad. So, just keep doing what you¡¯re doing and know that I am perfectly safe and out of harm¡¯s way. Well, until Kiran gets tired of me¡­.¡± I turned around to smile at Kiran who stood at the counter watching us. Our eyes met and he jumped, trying to pretend like he was busy and not eavesdropping on our conversation.

 Page 46

    ¡°We will continue to worry,¡± Delia explained gently, ¡°but with confidence like that I suppose we can go on doing what we¡¯re doing too.¡±


    ¡°What is it that you¡¯re doing?¡± I asked, my curiosity in all the parts of the Resistance that I couldn¡¯t see flaring to life. ¡°Or maybe you don¡¯t want to say in front of Kiran?¡± I asked at the last second, realizing that just because he knew my secrets and Sebastian¡¯s secret didn¡¯t mean he owed the Rebellion any loyalty. In fact, the realization that I trusted him far too much dawned on me and a pit of anxiety started to grow in the base of my stomach.


    Justice broke into laughter at the idea though until he lifted his eyes behind me and immediately died down into a soft chuckle. I turned half around to see what Kiran had done to silence my father but he seemed very busy draining noodles over the sink with his back turned to us.


    ¡°We are helping Shape-shifter colonies hide from Lucan,¡± Delia hushed her tones hoping to keep our conversation private. ¡°Lately, he has been on a rampage trying to collect as many exiles as possible, so when we can find a colony before he has been there, we move them to safer locations.¡±


    ¡°And try to recruit them,¡± Justice added with a twinkle in his eye.


    ¡°That is very good work,¡± I nearly burst into tears with gratitude. I was filled with appreciation, not just because my parents were working side by side with Avalon and me now, but because the lives they saved were less prisoners for me to worry about.


    ¡°We think what you¡¯re doing is pretty amazing too,¡± Justice¡¯s voice still carried the soft Romanian accent all Titans have and I smiled at the comforting sound of how his words ran together like cursive.


    ¡°Dinner is ready,¡± Kiran called from the kitchen.


    We stood up and walked to the counter where a simple meal of goulash without meat waited for us. Suddenly impressed with Kiran¡¯s ability to not only lead a kingdom, but serve when the time called for it, I found it hard to look him in the eyes. I let my parents go first, pretending not to be hungry as they dished up their plates and then took them back to the couch. Kiran, too, dished up his plate after I insisted I needed a drink of water first and when he joined my parents in the living room he fell into easy conversation with them. They laughed together like actual friends and ate in laid-back companionship.


    I stood at the counter watching them, finding it hard to want to join them, to interrupt their conversation and add my strange baggage to the mix. Delia noticing that I was still, missing stood up and came for seconds. She looked at me for one second before setting her plate down and pulling me into a hug.


    ¡°Oh, darling,¡± she mumbled into my hair, sensing instinctively that something was wrong.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s¡­. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me,¡± I admitted truthfully, feeling the tears press hotly against my closed eye lids.


    She pulled away just an inch so that she could look into my eyes and speak to me. ¡°Do you know that I loved Lucan once?¡±


    I gasped, shocked by the news. I shook my head frantically, not even able to find the words to argue with her. It couldn¡¯t be true.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± she scolded good-humoredly. ¡°When we were younger, he could be¡­. He was very charming. He showered me with affection and worshiped me. I couldn¡¯t help myself. I fell for him. But, it wasn¡¯t long before I realized a relationship wouldn¡¯t work between us. I needed someone to challenge me, someone who knew me better than I knew myself. I needed someone to complete me. My soul mate,¡± she spoke quietly but with the deepest emotion I had ever heard anyone speak with. ¡°Lucan wasn¡¯t that person for me. But while I struggled to realize that, I fell in love with your father at the same time. I loved two men and had to choose between them. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± She asked and I nodded out of habit, even though I didn¡¯t understand what she was trying to say. ¡°I loved two men and had to decide which one was my soul mate and which one was the easy choice, the¡­. safe choice. Eden, true love, whether you live your life on the run or spend it in the same house where you raise your children, is never easy and it¡¯s certainly never safe. It¡¯s a risk we take believing the reward is greater than what we give up. And darling, I can tell you from first-hand experience that it is.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for that,¡± I sighed, leaning into her again, ¡°Jericho is worth all that. I really do believe you.¡± I felt better already. She was right, it was a risk to love anybody, to hand your heart over completely to anybody, but I could do it if it meant true love waited for me on the other side.


    ¡°Oh, Eden!¡± She laughed hysterically. ¡°You¡¯re much more like your father in this area than I want to believe!¡± I looked up at her, trying to decipher what made her laugh at me. ¡°I had to convince him he was in love with me too!¡±


    I laid my head down on her shoulder, not having a clue what she meant, but thankful for the comfort anyway. After the day I had, I just needed my mom. Despite everything in my life, I was still a teenage girl after all, and my mom was the only one who would ever really get me.


    Chapter Twenty-Eight


    We arrived back at the castle somewhere in the middle of the night, too exhausted to keep my eyes open for even a second, once I said goodbye to my parents, I fell, more than sat, into the passenger¡¯s seat of the four door sedan. Falling asleep instantly, I didn¡¯t stir until Kiran opened my door and attempted to lift me from my seat and carry me inside.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± I mumbled, rubbing my eyes and shaking my head from the hold of sleep.


    ¡°Then take my arm,¡± Kiran instructed, not at all convinced I could.


    I stood up from the car a little off balance, determined to walk on my own, but he held out his arm to catch me and I realized I needed it more than I wanted to admit. I leaned into him and we walked up the castle steps and through the front doors into a buzz of activity.


    All of the lights were on, despite the late hour, Titans rushed from one hallway to another and Sebastian, Seraphina and Amelia stood against one wall watching it all happen with looks of horror on their faces.


    Kiran pulled away from me, tensing immediately. I straightened too, made alert by the panic thick in the air. We walked over to Sebastian who barely registered our arrival.


    ¡°Oh, thank God,¡± Amelia breathed and then hugged me tightly to her. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kiran demanded of Sebastian. ¡°Where¡¯s Talbott?¡±


    ¡°Your father sent Talbott away yesterday,¡± Sebastian mumbled in return. ¡°He had a job for him.¡±


    ¡°My father is not in charge of Talbott, I am,¡± Kiran growled. ¡°Where did he send him?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Seraphina jumped in. She seemed to be able to put more words together than Sebastian. ¡°But as soon as Talbott left, your father had his Guards start bringing them in and they haven¡¯t stopped all day! There are hundreds of them¡­. We don¡¯t even know where he found them all! But they just keep coming.¡±


    ¡°Who keeps coming?¡± I whispered, afraid of the answer.


    Seraphina looked at me, her cobalt eyes meeting mine in strangled terror. ¡°Prisoners,¡± she replied softly.


    Next to me I felt Kiran¡¯s skin go hot with rage. He ripped his arm from around me and clasped trembling hands behind his back. He looked down at me with an expression I had never seen before, pure rage, unadulterated hate. He turned on his heel and headed for the throne room. The rest of us scrambled to keep up behind him.


    Kiran stalked through the castle, his shoulders tense with purpose. I couldn¡¯t see his face, but even I felt afraid of the anger that shook his body. I tried to make sense of it all, the prisoners, the hundreds of captured people that were caged beneath us. The castle seemed to buzz with the frenetic energy of the collective magic. Only this magic pulsed in a unified rhythm that screamed out in tortured agony and confusion. I looked back at Sebastian to see if he knew Kiran¡¯s plan, but his eyes were clouded with deep concern and I couldn¡¯t read why.


    We all stopped just before the throne room doors. They were half open from the constant activity of Titans entering and leaving with updates and reports. Kiran turned toward us, not seeing us at first, but slowly registering that we followed him. His eyes fell on me, and a frown etched deeply across his mouth.


    ¡°Sebastian, take Amelia and Sera to their rooms please,¡± Kiran commanded and Sebastian and the girls obeyed immediately. I fidgeted nervously, afraid to be alone with him. ¡°Eden, I am going to speak to my father, I would like it if you joined me,¡± his voice had turned soft with his request, but the rage still emanated from him in waves of aggressive magic.


    ¡°Yes, of course I will,¡± I agreed, my voice still hoarse with fear.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you to stand beside me quietly, Eden. I need to speak with my father and it will do no good if you¡¯re constantly interrupting or if you start a fight with him. Can you be silent?¡± he asked carefully. I bristled at his authoritative tone and then settled. I could feel his intent, his drive and he didn¡¯t mean to demean me, just to control the situation as best as he could.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll be quiet,¡± I promised.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied genuinely.


    He stepped away from me to open the door politely. I walked into the throne room feeling


    overwhelmed with emotion. Staying silent might be the hardest thing Kiran ever asked me to do. Kiran entered the room quickly behind me and then stood by my side.


    Lucan glanced up at us, his face registered satisfaction. Then he turned his attention back to a Titan and an official-looking document. He held up a hand to Kiran asking him to wait a minute and I thought for a second Kiran would leap forward and attack his father like a rabid dog.


    He stayed deathly still next to me, waiting on his father. His electricity raged in the air, making itself known by everybody. In that moment, he reminded me of his father, the way Lucan¡¯s magic seemed to suffocate rooms and choke the breathable air out of my lungs. But something about his anger, his determined set of the jaw, the resolve in his eyes was different. As much as I wanted to hate Kiran for his betrayal, I looked at him now and trusted him instead. This was righteous anger. This was goodness. He was the opposite of his father.


    Lucan finished with the Titan and turned his attention to Kiran. He nodded at him benevolently. ¡°Kiran, welcome back. I¡¯m glad your mission turned out successfully for you,¡± Lucan purred.


    ¡°Father, what is the meaning of all this? Where did all of these prisoners come from?¡± Kiran demanded negating the pleasantries.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Lucan asked rhetorically. ¡°This is called insurance, Son,¡± he finished bitingly.


    ¡°I told you, Eden was kidnapped. I told you that! She didn¡¯t plan on running off anywhere, and she would never have left the castle if it weren¡¯t for your man¡¯s betrayal!¡± Kiran argued, his voice growing louder and harder to control the emotion behind it.


    ¡°You trust her too much, son,¡± Lucan growled. ¡°How can you be certain this isn¡¯t all part of her master plan? How can you be certain it wasn¡¯t her idea to be kidnapped in the first place? And at the first sign of trouble, she abandoned her partnership and betrayed those whom she collaborated with in the first place? You cannot be sure! You cannot trust her!¡± Lucan shouted at Kiran, leaning forward on his golden throne.

 Page 47

    ¡°That isn¡¯t the point!¡± Kiran¡¯s voice rose to meet his father¡¯s. ¡°She is back, I got her back. There is no need to make our people suffer anymore!¡±


    ¡°You are wrong about that,¡± Lucan vowed softly. ¡°Our people cannot be trusted any more than she can. Apparently everyone needs to be reminded of who they serve.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? What do you mean everyone? Are you telling me that there are more than just Shape-shifters down there? Are you saying that you imprisoned others?¡± Kiran demanded, taking a step forward, his hand falling helplessly to his side.


    ¡°Kiran, they are plotting against us,¡± Lucan explained slowly, as if to a small child, ¡°they want to take our throne¡­. Destroy our bloodline. They have forgotten what we¡¯ve done for them, how we rule justly, fairly. They have listened to her, and they believe her lies. I did what had to be done,¡± he growled and turned his narrowed eyes on me.


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve gone mad,¡± Kiran shook his head slowly in disagreement. ¡°They haven¡¯t forgotten, and they haven¡¯t turned their backs on you! How could they? You have broken her! She bends to your every whim, at the very movement of your thumb! We all do, we all serve you. And yet you punish us. You lock us up and repress our magic because of this deranged paranoia!¡±


    ¡°How dare you lump yourself in with those¡­. With our subjects. You are a prince. You are a Kendrick. I have done nothing to you but offer you everything you want. I have made countless sacrifices on your behalf. I gave you her! I brought her to you; I put her in your possession. There is nothing I haven¡¯t done for you. Don¡¯t lower yourself to their standard because you are afraid of my wrath.¡± Lucan stood up slowly and enunciated every syllable carefully.


    ¡°Yes, Father, you have done all of that. You have given me what I wanted, everything except your trust,¡± Kiran finished sadly.


    ¡°What do you mean by that? Of course you have my trust! You are my son,¡± Lucan argued defensively, proudly.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you trust me with her?¡± Kiran turned to me, but didn¡¯t really look at me. ¡°You say that you do, yet you imprison half the kingdom to insure her silence! She has promised to obey you; she has promised me, yet you do not trust that I can contain my own household!¡±


    ¡°I see your point,¡± Lucan conceded carefully. ¡°Forgive me, Kiran. I had not looked at it like that.¡±


    ¡°So you will let them go?¡± Kiran asked cautiously, trying meticulously to hide his hope.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t do that, you know that,¡± Lucan sat back down and smiled at his son as if seeing him for the first time. ¡°But I will stop collecting them for now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you father,¡± Kiran bowed in gratitude.


    ¡°Kiran,¡± Lucan began again. ¡°In the future, if I¡­. act out again, it is not for you to interfere. Not everything is about you son, and my actions are taken for a reason. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course Your Majesty,¡± Kiran nodded his head in humbled obedience.


    ¡°Good,¡± Lucan¡¯s smile grew into a wider, wicked version of evil. I shuddered, next to Kiran, trying to hide myself in his shadow. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am going to move Eden up to our apartment tonight, I don¡¯t feel she is safe in the tower. Talbott will stay next door. I will feel she is safer that way,¡± Kiran commanded more than asked permission.


    ¡°And until Talbott returns?¡± Lucan raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I will stay with her of course,¡± Kiran answered briskly. ¡°The other thing,¡± he continued when it looked like Lucan would turn his attention from us, ¡°Eden has chosen her attendant.¡±


    ¡°Yes? And who has the future queen chosen?¡± Lucan asked, his other eyebrow rising to meet the first one in the middle of his wrinkled forehead.


    Since I didn¡¯t remember choosing a maid, I was just as curious as Lucan.


    ¡°She chose the Shape-shifter, Lilly Mason,¡± Kiran explained. I nearly fell over at his boldness, hardly believing he would risk his father¡¯s anger on such an outrageous request.


    ¡°And what makes you think I¡¯ll agree to that?¡± Lucan scoffed. ¡°Surely you know what kind of ridicule would emanate from the kingdom if they found out I let a Shape-shifter serve a princess in my castle.¡±


    I wondered the same thing, but stayed silent per my promise beforehand. I felt very confused by Kiran tonight; my emotions spun violently in a turbulent tornado that threatened to knock me off my feet. Part of me believed I witnessed the real side of Kiran, the side that strove to please his father and saw me as nothing more than a trophy to be won. The other half of me argued that we just spent hours with my parents and he obviously didn¡¯t hand them over to an army of Titan Guards waiting for them. In fact, it seemed as though they actually trusted him. They had to trust him or they never would have agreed to see me. On top of that, something about the scene I watched with his father didn¡¯t seem genuine, didn¡¯t seem real. He wasn¡¯t as concerned with controlling me as he wanted his father to believe he was. And now he argued a case to have Lilly brought to live in the castle with me. Who was he, really?


    ¡°The kingdom won¡¯t find out, because Eden won¡¯t tell them. She has too much to lose, you have seen to that,¡± Kiran slowed his words to sound respectful, but to me it sounded more like a dig¡­. more confusion¡­. Kiran continued, ¡°It won¡¯t matter if there is a rumor anyway, Lilly will stay in the apartment and have very little reason to leave and with the dungeons full, nobody would believe they heard the story right. They would assume she was a prisoner here and nothing more,¡± Kiran laid out his case carefully, methodically, simultaneously contributing to Lucan¡¯s deranged, greed-hungry pride and challenging his intelligence in a flattering way.


    ¡°You argue a convincing case,¡± Lucan nodded humbly to Kiran and then smiled. ¡°Now, tell me the real reason.¡±


    To my surprise, Kiran¡¯s cheeks flamed red and with a little reluctance he obeyed, ¡°I want someone as devoted to Eden as I am to be with her at all times. I cannot stand the idea of losing her again,¡± he looked down and cleared his throat emotionally so that I almost believed him before continuing, ¡°And after what Eden has been through, I think it would be best for her¡­. emotionally, if she had someone close to her that she loves.¡±


    ¡°All right, I will allow it,¡± Lucan conceded before turning his attention to me, ¡°but I hope you understand what is at risk. I shouldn¡¯t have to say that if you step out of line just once, she will be the first to die.¡±


    ¡°I understand that,¡± I mumbled, suddenly fearing for Lilly¡¯s life more than enjoying the idea of her coming here. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± I added quickly.


    ¡°And she must stay out of sight!¡± Lucan commanded loudly as Kiran bowed and I curtsied awkwardly in response.


    Then a Titan was there with another document and Lucan had all but forgotten about us. Kiran turned on his heel and I followed after him. He held the door open for me but didn¡¯t look me in the eye. He hurried up the stairs and I ran to keep up with him wanting to ask him a million questions.


    ¡°Kiran, what if-¡° I started.


    ¡°Not here,¡± he insisted quietly and kept up his steady pace to the top of the stairwell.


    By the time we reached the apartment doors, I was out of breath and more exhausted than ever. I silently cursed the no elevator system in this ancient castle, and pushed magic through my veins to cover how out of shape I was. Apparently, I needed yoga in my very near future.


    Kiran hesitated outside the double doors for a few moments, glancing between my feet and the stairwell. I wanted to ask him what on earth was going on, but he answered my question before I got the chance to ask it.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­. Well, this apartment is supposed to be for after the wedding, after the wedding you don¡¯t even,¡± he paused and cleared his throat before clarifying, ¡°we don¡¯t even want to go through with. So you see, it comes with some certain¡­. I don¡¯t know¡­. expectations,¡± he finished meekly.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re worried that once we go inside those doors, I¡¯m going to try to jump you?¡± I laughed, finding his idea of propriety suddenly hilarious. We had been living together for months, well technically just sharing a bedroom we never really shared at the same time¡­. But still, it wasn¡¯t like the concept was shocking. And the room was called an apartment, so surely it would be big enough to find our own privacy in.


    ¡°As your last resort future husband, I¡¯m only concerned with your virtue,¡± Kiran smirked a little as he said it, but I could see the gravity in his eyes. I wanted to laugh out loud at the idea.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very promising,¡± I retorted, walking over to the door and trying the handle, ¡°I¡¯m sure my virtue will be just fine.¡± I twisted the handle but it didn¡¯t budge and I stubbed my toe with a premature step. I mumbled a curse word under my breath, frustrated by more than just the door handle.


    Kiran walked up behind me, his chest pressing against my back and reached around my arm to lay his hand on top of mine. He dipped his head so that his face rested against mine and he could see around my tangled hair to the handle. My breathing quickened and I resisted the urge to close my eyes at his closeness. His other hand rested gently on my stomach and suddenly I wanted to stay there in that moment forever and scream, kick, and fight my way across the hall at the same time.


    With his palm on top of mine, he released magic through my hand onto the door handle where it glowed similarly to the doors at the Omaha club that glowed and then clicked, signaling that the door was open. Mentally, I knew I should turn the handle and walk through the door, but something about the way his magic had moved through my hand in a very non-aggressive intimate way paralyzed me. I struggled to regain my senses and when I went to pop my neck I inadvertently leaned my face closer to his.


    I cleared my throat then, and turned the handle violently, stepping inside the door and out of Kiran¡¯s semi-embrace.


    ¡°Just as long as you are sure your virtue is not in question,¡± Kiran reminded me playfully.


    I cleared my throat again, sucking in deep breaths of cleansing oxygen and enjoying our separation. ¡°I trust you,¡± I relented honestly. Damn it if I didn¡¯t trust him.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Kiran warned, and the twinkle appeared in his eyes again.


    ¡°Trust you?¡± I gulped.


    ¡°At least not with your virtue,¡± he finished impishly.


    I tried to laugh it off, but I started to sweat instead so I turned around to take in the giant apartment. Kiran said something about calling Talbott and telling him to pick up Lilly on the way home, and so I was finally left to my own thoughts.


    I wandered around the enormous apartment that took up the entire top floor of the castle tower. Besides the luxurious living room, dining room and chef¡¯s kitchen, there were three bedrooms. One bedroom, a giant master suite, centered with a four-poster king-sized bed like something we had seen in the Louvre not that long ago, and a bathroom with tiled, walk-in shower with five different shower heads, girls and guys toilets, a whirl-pool bathtub and Jacuzzi that almost made me weep on sight. Another bedroom had been turned into an office and the third remained a guest bedroom. Overall, I was very impressed with the apartment. The style was simple and comfortable and felt I could have designed it myself.

 Page 48

    I sat down on one of the plush couches and pulled a luxuriously soft throw over myself and promised that I would wait to fall asleep until after Kiran was off the phone. However, it took all of three seconds before I stretched out on the perfectly soft couch and dozed off.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Kiran¡¯s soft voice woke me from a deep sleep. I roused, realizing I hadn¡¯t meant to fall asleep and suddenly felt frustrated that I had. ¡°Would you like to move to the bedroom?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I mumbled, the thought of leaving the warmth of the blanket sounded awful.


    He lifted my head and put a pillow underneath it, before laying another blanket over me. I snuggled deeper into the couch and was almost asleep when I remembered Lilly.


    ¡°Is Lilly coming?¡± I asked, not even sure if Kiran was still in the same room.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said softly.


    ¡°And is that Ok with her? If she didn¡¯t want to come, she didn¡¯t have to just for me,¡± I argued, but my voice was too gentle to convey any truth behind my words.


    ¡°Eden, Love,¡± Kiran replied soothingly, ¡°I spend my life doing things for you, but Lilly is not one of them. This act of kindness is for Lilly. And for Talbott, I suppose,¡± he laughed to himself, but I was already lost in the world of dreams, my eyes shut tight and my mind drifting off into a peaceful sleep unconsciously feeling utterly safe and thankful for Kiran¡¯s thoughtfulness.


    Chapter Twenty-Nine


    I woke up the next morning feeling better than I had in a long time. A very long time. I stretched my body long on the couch and then propped myself up on my elbows to take in the apartment in the daylight. It was just as glamorous as it had been at night, only the sun streamed in through large windows casting long fingers of light over the ivory couches and dark wood floors.


    I continued to scan the apartment from my place on the couch. The kitchen cabinets were the same color cream as the living room furniture with dark wood detailing and a camouflaged refrigerator that blended in. There was a large kitchen island that reminded me of Aunt Syl¡¯s with bar stools and everything. A long table could be seen through the open doorway into the dining room. The dining room, decorated in deeper reds and golds, seemed more formal than the rest of the apartment.


    I couldn¡¯t see the two bedrooms from where I lay, but the master suite¡¯s door was open and from my perch I could see Kiran standing with his back to me, shirtless. My breath caught in my throat as I watched him silently pull a t-shirt over his head, each muscle in his back rippling with the movement, his tanned skin perfect and golden brown. He pulled his shirt down to the waist of his jeans and then ran a hand through his tussled hair. My heart pounded wildly against my chest and when he started to turn around I threw my head back against the pillow pretending to be asleep again.


    I definitely needed to pull it together. These feelings I suddenly felt for Kiran had to be controlled. First of all, they were nothing like the love I felt for Jericho. These were raw and passionate and¡­. physical. The love between us was long gone, and I was left with the residual emotions of a former relationship. I could control this. I could remember Jericho. I just needed to get away from Kiran first.


    ¡°Eden, you can open your eyes now, I¡¯m fully clothed,¡± Kiran mumbled playfully, while walking into the kitchen.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks. Maybe next time, keep the door closed?¡± I suggested, keeping my face turned away from him to hide the burn of embarrassment written all over my cheeks.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what I thought you wanted, I would,¡± he answered brazenly.


    I couldn¡¯t even reply to that. My mouth dropped open and I whirled around to face him. He stood at the island, smiling sheepishly at me, his eyes blazing and his hands fidgeting nervously with the counter ledge. I wanted to find the arrogant smirk I could detest easily, not this shy, hopeful version that made my stomach do jumping jacks.


    ¡°Oh, so now you¡¯ve resorted to using your body to lure me in?¡± I joked, hoping to find some semblance of normality between us.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes¡­.¡± His smile turned roguish. ¡°It¡¯s no more than what you to do me!¡± he accused and I almost fell off the couch.


    ¡°That is not true!¡± I protested, standing up in outrage. ¡°I don¡¯t do anything like that!¡±


    ¡°Then please don¡¯t start,¡± his voice turned soft¡­. hoarse¡­. seductive¡­. ¡°If you actually tried to capture my attention, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± His eyes fell over my body in the old expression that I couldn¡¯t define, the one that came and went with every other thought in his head.


    ¡°Is this flirting?¡± I gasped playfully, calling him out.


    He shrugged one shoulder and turned toward the cabinet for a glass. ¡°There are clothes in the bedroom; I had your stuff brought up last night. We have school in an hour.¡±


    ¡°Do we have to go?¡± I whined. ¡°I was perfectly happy to be a high school drop out!¡±


    ¡°That will just not do for a future queen,¡± Kiran reprimanded from the sink where he filled his glass with water.


    ¡°Ha! Like your father will ever let me be queen and you king,¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve given up on killing him, then?¡± Kiran asked casually, and I struggled how to respond. My gut told me to trust him, but my brain promised that he was still the enemy. As twisted, and confused as our relationship had become, he was still the Crown Prince, still fighting on the wrong side of this war.


    ¡°Obviously, I can¡¯t discuss that with you,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± he agreed, furrowing his eyebrows. I turned toward the bedroom again, but he stopped me, ¡°Eden?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± I faced him again, hoping there would still be time to grab a shower before school. I was still in the clothes I wore during my kidnapping and my chest was caked in blood.


    ¡°About yesterday¡­. About the conversation with my father,¡± Kiran started, his fingers finding the counter ledge again. ¡°That didn¡¯t have anything to do with you. I know that I made it sound like you were my property, but in reality I just wanted my father to stop collecting Immortals. I didn¡¯t know how else to go about it.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me that you manipulated the king to get what you wanted and you used me to do it?¡± I gasped, pretending to be very offended.


    ¡°In so many words, yes, I guess so,¡± he smiled at my act.


    ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m flattered.¡± I smiled back and then left him alone. I closed the bedroom door and came to the conclusion that since Mr. Lambert was my teacher, he would expect me to be late. I eyed the huge shower with all of the different settings and decided that I definitely did not want to disappoint Mr. Lambert¡¯s expectations of me.


    ----


    I sat staring into space. School took place in the library, where a group of desks had been brought in and set up in a row with Mr. Lambert lecturing from a SMART Board. Because we were late, Kiran and I sat on the end, next to some tables that were designated as work space for us. This was like school back in Omaha, only smaller and I got called on even more often because there were less of us. Mr. Lambert had even started class this morning with a lecture on tardiness. Ok, it was after Kiran literally dragged me into class a half-hour late, but I thought a bullet to the chest allowed for a few minutes delay.


    Apparently not.


    I can¡¯t do this! I shouted into Avalon¡¯s head while Mr. Lambert droned on and on.


    Ouch! Avalon shouted back. I realized then that he had been in the middle of something. Oops. Can¡¯t do what?


    School. This is awful! You get to drop out, why can¡¯t I? I grumbled.


    Are you kidding me? Gabriel has personally taken me on as a special project. I not only have to go through regular school crap, but religious classes as well! So don¡¯t talk to me about how you¡¯re your school sucks! I have it way worse! Avalon shot back and I stifled a laugh.


    Still, I¡¯d rather take classes from the all-wise Gabriel than nasally Mr. Lambert¡­. I tried getting the last word in.


    Yeah right. Avalon laughed. At least in your classes every other sentence isn¡¯t, ¡°You are the chosen one, pay attention, the future of this kingdom depends on you!¡± or my personal favorite, ¡°Become the man your grandfather believed you would be¡­.¡± His life lesson switch just does not turn off!


    This time I did laugh out loud. Mr. Lambert turned his head sharply to face me. I apologized quickly and pretended to give him my complete attention again. You just got me into trouble! I teased Avalon.


    Story of your life, always blaming someone else for your problems. Avalon retorted back, sarcastically.


    I made a mental pssht sound and dropped it. He might be right¡­.


    So what else do you want to talk to me about? Avalon asked intuitively.


    There was something¡­. Something I desperately wanted to talk to him about. Something that I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to think about. I pushed it down. Buried it.


    Again.


    What do you think about Christmas? I approached this topic carefully knowing that Avalon might have his own timeline in mind.


    Do you mean to attack the castle? Avalon clarified, thinking it over slowly.


    Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I mean. I said confidently.


    Why? I mean, I know why you want to attack the castle, but why then? I felt Avalon adjust his thinking to Christmas. He had been planning something later, something around our birthdays.


    For starters, most of the kingdom will be here for the Winter Solstice v. If everyone is here when we kill him, there will be no confusion about who takes the credit. Not that credit is necessarily important, but I don¡¯t want to see another Terletov try to take over. Also, I believe the general population is starting to change their thinking. Lucan is terrified, you should see, or I should say feel, how many Immortals he has locked up! He is paranoid beyond belief¡­.


    I know. He took Jericho¡¯s parents. They work for him and he took them! Avalon exclaimed and a ball dropped in my stomach.


    Is Jericho Ok? I gasped, feeling terrible about every mixed feeling I felt for Kiran.


    What do you mean? Of course he¡¯s fine. They¡¯re not dead, they¡¯re just in prison. Avalon explained roughly.


    Well, I know that. That¡¯s not what I mean. I internally shook my head.


    Don¡¯t worry about him, Eden, he¡¯s a man, he¡¯ll be fine.


    Ok¡­. I sighed.


    Other reasons for Christmas, let¡¯s hear them. Avalon ordered. The plan took root in his mind; he was simultaneously listening to me while working out different scenarios in his head. I could see the Titan part of him shine; I watched how truly gifted of a military leader he was.


    Well, I want to give you enough time to deal with the whole prisoner-infestation problem. And most importantly, Lucan is planning a memorial service for Amory, right? He is going to give the population an opportunity to mourn him. What better opportunity are we going to have? I would love to honor Amory¡¯s memory¡­. I finished smugly.


    Yeah, me too, right as I¡¯m draining the last drop of magic from Lucan¡¯s blood. Avalon laughed darkly.


    Exactly. I agreed. Those were my thoughts.


    Ok, I¡¯ll run it by everybody. See what they think, but I like it. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s feasible; it¡¯s just a little more than four months away, so don¡¯t get your hopes up yet. But if we can mobilize what¡¯s left of us, if we can get inside the citadel walls during the Festival, you might just be right. It might be the perfect time. Avalon mused. I could sense him biting his thumbnail and was filling with pride, not just for my plan, but for my brother, the capable, brilliant general.

 Page 49

    That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping! I cheered inwardly. Merry Christmas! I laughed, and expected Avalon to laugh with me. He didn¡¯t¡­.


    Hey Ede, since you won¡¯t bring it up¡­. Avalon started a little nervously and his anxiety caught my attention fiercely.


    Yeah? I prompted, nerves churning my stomach. Avalon never got nervous.


    Listen, Jericho is my best friend. I love him like a brother. But¡­. I owe Kiran my life. He finished and I could feel the devotion radiating in his blood.


    What does that have to do with anything? I demanded, my defenses on high alert.


    Nothing, Ok, I just¡­. I¡¯m not trying to tell you how to live your life or anything, but I think he deserves your forgiveness.


    Are you kidding me right now? I demanded, sitting forward in my chair.


    Calm down, it¡¯s just a suggestion. Avalon relented, but I could feel how long he waited to tell me that. He had been thinking it for a long time, wanting to say something since before I showed up to save him, which made it even worse. With the expression of his thoughts, the veil dropped and I could see the history of his emotions. Avalon wanted me to forgive Kiran even before I had my magic back¡­. Even before I rescued him from the castle¡­. somewhere in the middle of Avalon¡¯s captivity, he and Kiran had become not only friends, but partners that depended on each other.


    My stomach churned violently and suddenly I had a headache. I felt betrayed by my own brother, by Avalon. I stood up abruptly, closing off the communication between us as he tried to apologize for his words, and felt the accusation in my own thoughts.


    I forgot where I was. I forgot about school. My sight came back to reality and I realized I stood up in the middle of class while Mr. Lambert had been giving out instructions. Kiran grabbed my hand as I moved toward the exit and my escape. His magic pulsed against my palm, drawing my attention to him; Avalon¡¯s words rang out too loudly in my ears.


    ¡°Anxious to get started on your group project?¡± he asked, smirking at my confusion. He leaned forward in his desk to whisper, ¡°Mr. Lambert split us up, girls and guys.¡± He still held my hand, his magic becoming overwhelming around me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mumbled, glancing over to where Amelia and Seraphina sat huddled together.


    ¡°What did Avalon have to say? You look quite shaken up,¡± Kiran observed. He stood up so that he could look me in the eyes better, his hand still holding mine gently.


    Still holding mine.


    Why hadn¡¯t I pulled away yet?


    ¡°Uh, I wasn¡¯t¡­.¡± I tried to lie.


    ¡°Oh, come on, I would recognize that look on your face anytime. I know you were talking to Avalon,¡± Kiran coaxed. ¡°Is everything Ok?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, yes,¡± I reclaimed my hand, picking up my school books from my desk. ¡°Avalon told me that your father got Jericho¡¯s parents in his raid. I¡¯m just worried about them, that¡¯s all.¡± It was only a half lie¡­.


    ¡°Oh, Eden, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Kiran sympathized genuinely. He put his hand on my shoulder and I flinched from the magnetic spark of his magic against mine. ¡°What can I do to help?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I answered quickly, frantically. ¡°Nothing, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m sure Jericho already has a plan, so¡­. There¡¯s nothing to worry about! I¡¯m going to go join my group.¡± I had never been more excited to get to Seraphina in my entire life.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he stopped me before I walked away, ¡°you¡¯re supposed to pick a book with your group from the reading list and then we have to split it up to teach it to the rest of the class.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I mumbled and then hurried across the room to sit down next to Amelia and Seraphina.


    ¡°No way! Seraphina I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Amelia gasped and blushed simultaneously.


    I sat down, hardly paying attention to them. I felt unnerved and very upset. This was worse than any fight I had ever been in¡­. Because it was a fight I suddenly felt like I was losing. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. This was crazy. I didn¡¯t care about Kiran. And like Avalon reminded me, I needed to forgive him. That was something I hadn¡¯t done yet. And I didn¡¯t plan on ever forgiving him ever, so I would be safe. I would be fine.


    ¡°Eden!¡± Amelia pinched my arm to get my attention. I jumped, but focused on her.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I blushed, embarrassed by my reaction to something so stupid as Avalon suggesting forgiveness.


    ¡°I have been trying to ask you a question for the last two minutes!¡± She laughed at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just have a, uh, a lot on my mind¡­.¡± I explained pathetically.


    ¡°Like we don¡¯t?¡± Seraphina demanded and then flipped her silky blonde hair over her shoulder. ¡°Anyway, I hope you don¡¯t mind, but we picked The Portrait of Dorian Gray. It¡¯s short, and full of symbolism for Immortals. Mr. Lambert will love it.¡±


    ¡°Is it a love story?¡± I asked, suddenly terrified of the assignment.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so!¡± Seraphina laughed. ¡°Well, maybe but it¡¯s not like the whole point of the story.¡±


    ¡°Ok, fine, whatever,¡± I relented.


    ¡°So get this,¡± Amelia jumped back in, determined to ask me her question. Her big golden brown eyes implored me to pay attention and her shiny brown hair hung over her shoulder matching their color perfectly. She had grown up over the summer, she wasn¡¯t the awkward teenager I first met, and she was becoming a gorgeous young woman. Yet she still retained the irresistible charm that naturally drew others to her. ¡°Seraphina is trying to tell me that you can tell how a boy feels about you just by how they watch you leave them!¡± she exclaimed disbelievingly.


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked dryly, not believing a word of it. ¡°Amelia, don¡¯t listen to a word she says!¡±


    ¡°Honestly, Mimi, do not ask Eden¡¯s opinion, she has absolutely no idea when a boy has feelings for her. She¡¯s totally oblivious!¡± Seraphina rolled her eyes at me and to my horror Amelia¡¯s expression fell; she was actually on Seraphina¡¯s side of the argument.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± I shrieked, fully prepared to argue my case to the death.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Seraphina cut me off, not even giving me the opportunity to defend myself. ¡°It is true. Ade, my friend from back home, calls it the ¡®Walk-Away-Watch.¡¯¡± She smiled proudly.


    ¡°Clever,¡± I muttered. Now I was in a bad mood, and had no real reason to be, which made me even angrier.


    ¡°It¡¯s all in their eyes, how they watch you walk away after you¡¯re finished talking to them or whatever. There are of course, those guys that just appreciate the view, but every once in a while there¡¯s something else there. They don¡¯t just watch the good stuff; they kind of watch all of you and look like they¡¯re dreaming about a future with you¡­. It¡¯s almost pathetic¡­.¡± She sounded irritated, but the corners of her lips turned up into an almost smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s so ridiculous!¡± I reasoned. ¡°The only thing boys care about when you walk away is¡­. Well, we know what it is, Ok?¡± I censored myself in front of Amelia.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong,¡± Seraphina stated full of confidence. ¡°I¡¯ll prove it to you!¡±


    I wanted to laugh at her, but she didn¡¯t give me the chance. She stood up and walked across the room to where Kiran and Sebastian sat discussing the reading list. I put my hand over my mouth, trying to control the mirth that threatened to bubble over and Amelia¡¯s mouth dropped wide open at Seraphina¡¯s shamelessness.


    ¡°What do you think she¡¯s going to do?¡± Amelia gasped, concerned for her poor brother.


    ¡°I think we can only watch and find out,¡± I admitted, morbidly curious.


    Seraphina stayed at the boys table for a few minutes laughing at everything Sebastian said. He, of course, fell for it. His eyes grew brighter and he looked at Seraphina with so much adoration even she started to blush from it. After a sufficient amount of time, she said goodbye to Sebastian and turned around to walk back to our table. Amelia and my eyes were glued to Sebastian as, sure enough, he watched her walk away with a dazed and dreamy look in his eyes. He wasn¡¯t even staring at her¡­. assets, but watched her in general, plotting out how to win her heart. It was actually endearing.


    My eyes flickered to Kiran for a moment, but he was already watching me. Our eyes locked together and I smiled shyly, trying to play off our experiment as nothing. He didn¡¯t act like he cared, and smiled back, a secret in his eyes that raised goose bumps on my arms.


    ¡°See?¡± Seraphina asked smugly, calling for my attention.


    ¡°Ok, I give up. You win,¡± I smiled, having fun with the way her eyes bulged at my easy concession.


    ¡°And all guys do that?¡± Amelia gasped in disbelief. ¡°Not just my brother?¡± I laughed at the obvious anxiety in her voice. She truly was worried about Sebastian falling in love with Seraphina.


    ¡°All guys,¡± Seraphina confirmed. ¡°Well, except for Kiran.¡± She turned serious. I wanted to argue with her and remind her that he just didn¡¯t love her but she continued, ¡°He watches Eden all the time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I argued. I glanced over his way, unable to stop myself and he caught my eye again. This time his smile turned confident after having caught me looking at him twice. I blushed instantly, and then worse when Amelia and Seraphina burst into laughter after witnessing the same thing.


    ¡°Seraphina, you might be right about Sebastian,¡± I tried to bring reason back to the table. ¡°But you are so wrong about Kiran.¡±


    That only brought about more giggling. I dropped my head into my arms and lay down on the table. Didn¡¯t anyone remember we were fighting a war?


    I needed to see Jericho.


    Chapter Thirty


    I decided I was dying. That had to be the only explanation to what was happening to me. It had to be the only explanation for my difficulty breathing and irregular heartbeat. Somehow Lucan had figured out a way to slowly suffocate me. I didn¡¯t know if some secret poison lay hidden in the apartment, letting off vapors of toxic air that would over time incapacitate my lungs and leave me paralyzed on the floor as my last breaths were sucked from my chest and I walked ingloriously into the great beyond. Or if the food had been tampered with, slowly breaking down my organs until one day they stopped working all together and I collapsed in a heap of death in the middle of the throne room. But something was stealing the breath from my lungs and I refused to believe it was the boy sitting across the room working on his homework and trying not to look at me.


    I stood up from my book and the couch and started to pace the length of the living room. Lilly would be here any minute and until I witnessed her arrival with my own two eyes I couldn¡¯t settle down.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Kiran asked from across the room. He sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest, amusement dancing in his eyes. ¡°I talked to Talbott not three hours ago and they were just fine. They should be here any moment.¡±


    ¡°I know you say that, but I¡¯m just worried,¡± I clung to the excuse. ¡°What could be taking them so long? Weren¡¯t they already on the continent?¡±

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    Kiran laughed at me, at some inside joke about my questions and I ignored him. I walked to the kitchen and rummaged through the now stocked fridge. I found a Dr. Pepper and said a prayer of thanksgiving before opening it.


    ¡°Would you get me a can of that please?¡± Kiran asked, standing up from the table to join me in the kitchen. He leaned against the kitchen island. ¡°What do you think about Seraphina and Sebastian?¡±


    I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a can of soda for him, tossing it to him across the kitchen. ¡°I think he¡¯s wasting his time, she doesn¡¯t like him,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Really? Then what was all that about in the library?¡± Kiran pressed.


    I laughed out loud, remembering her ridiculous test to see how a boy feels about you. ¡°Nothing! Believe me! Seraphina has this crazy idea that you can tell how a boy feels about you by how they watch you walk away. She calls it the ¡°Walk-Away-Watch.¡± It¡¯s outrageous, believe me!¡± I laughed again.


    ¡°What do you mean, how they watch you?¡± Kiran didn¡¯t laugh, he grew more intense.


    ¡°Like, her point was with Sebastian. He didn¡¯t just watch her¡­. like he didn¡¯t just watch her body. He watched all of her, he got this dreamy look in his eyes and this smile on his face like, he knew a secret about her¡­. and then stared at her as if she were the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. That¡¯s her point. If they just think you¡¯re hot, they usually watch just one part of you. If they actually like you, they¡­. I don¡¯t know, they watch all of you,¡± I clarified.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t believe in it?¡± he asked perceptively.


    ¡°No, but Seraphina says that¡¯s because I¡¯m oblivious¡­..¡± I grumbled, feeling like a small child for whining about what Seraphina thought.


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Kiran set his drink down and stared at me for a moment.


    I stood with my back leaning against the refrigerator and my soda in my hand. He walked over to me, slowly. I instinctively set my drink down on the counter just in case I needed to run. I didn¡¯t trust the consuming look in his eyes, the way he held my attention as if he were about to devour me.


    He stopped just inches from me and lifted my face to look into his turquoise eyes. ¡°Eden, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re oblivious,¡± he encouraged and for a moment I internally cheered with him on my side of the argument, but then he continued, ¡°I think you¡¯re stubborn as hell.¡±


    I wanted to slap him, truthfully, but his eyes held mine in their deep ocean of blue and I couldn¡¯t move. He wasn¡¯t making fun of me, he really felt that way, and yet his magic pulsed heavily against mine, asking to be let free, to be joined together. I swallowed the lump in my throat and pressed a shaking hand against the cold refrigerator to steady myself. He stood there, towering over me, waiting on something. Waiting on me¡­.


    I knew what he wanted. I knew what the frantic beating of his heart in rhythm to his magic wanted, what the twitch of his lips and the hungry, desperate look in his eyes begged for. I knew he stood next to me with only a thread of willpower keeping us apart, keeping his hands from reaching forward and pulling me to him. I felt how he desperately clung to his last strand of restraint, the only thing keeping his mouth from crashing against mine and sweeping me away in the passion that burned in his blood.


    What I didn¡¯t know was what the twisting of my own stomach and the shallow breathing that seemed to catch in my lungs meant. Because I loved another man, I loved a better man. No matter how confusing this life had become, how unclear Kiran pictured our feelings for each other in his head, I still stopped loving him months ago. I still needed to avenge my grandfather and destroy the Kendrick bloodline.


    So why couldn¡¯t I move?


    A knock at the apartment door shattered the moment and I exhaled, relieved. I moved around Kiran and headed straight for the door. At the last moment I turned back to make sure it was Ok to open, irrationally needing his approval, and then decided that was a huge mistake. He stood there, in the kitchen, with his eyes on me. I sucked in a sharp breath, feeling every one of his intense, fervent emotions that I refused to name. From across the kitchen he showed me how he felt, he opened himself up to me, raw and naked, and my heart slammed into my ribs knocking what little breath I had left out of me.


    The world stopped spinning. Time slowed, preventing us from moving anywhere from this moment. Life did not exist outside of his eyes. We stood in our own universe, our own reality. Some small, hidden part of me reminded me that moments like this didn¡¯t happen with just anybody, that only Kiran had the ability to make entire worlds disappear and convey the depth of his soul in just one look. Some small part of me reminded me that he called us star-crossed once, that he inferred even Fate would try to keep us apart, that the forces of this world were working against us. Some small part of me, whispered that Fate should be damned and the past burned. And my mother resounded in my ear that the best loves are the ones worth working for. In that small, fleeting moment I began to question everything I built my life on¡­.


    Pounding at the door snapped me back to reality, forcing my eyes from Kiran¡¯s hold and toward the door where Lilly and Talbott waited on the other side. I composed myself quickly, straightening my clothes unnecessarily and scrunching my hair nervously with one hand. I opened the door. Lilly stood on the other side; her cheeks already flamed to match her vibrant curly red hair. I took three steps and wrapped my arms around her tightly. Tears sprung to my eyes and slipped out the corners and down my cheeks without permission. With someone I loved so closely, I realized how confused I felt, how utterly distraught I was becoming. She hugged me back, concerned and soothing.


    Talbott pushed us into the apartment and closed the door behind us. When I finally let her go, I wiped the tears quickly from my eyes and tried to smile. Talbott stared at me as if I were the most unstable person he¡¯d ever met and Lilly glanced at me every other second just to be sure I didn¡¯t break down into hysterics. I didn¡¯t know what Kiran thought, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look at him. Or in his general direction. I felt like a coward, and for the first time in my life I congratulated the coward for winning.


    ¡°Where would you like Lilly¡¯s things?¡± Talbott asked Kiran. He stood in the living room, awkwardly holding a large Louis Vuitton suitcase.


    ¡°In the master bedroom,¡± I blurted out loudly. ¡°I mean, as long as you don¡¯t mind sharing,¡± I turned to Lilly, with pleading eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but is it Ok with you?¡± she turned to Kiran.


    ¡°Kiran doesn¡¯t get to make decisions about my bedroom,¡± I snapped gracelessly. ¡°I mean, what I mean is¡­. It doesn¡¯t matter to him, because he doesn¡¯t use that room.¡± I struggled to sound sane again.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lil,¡± Kiran answered her, not me, using a nickname that rubbed against my nerves. How dare he act as if he knows her, like they¡¯re friends.


    ¡°Well, now that we have permission, let¡¯s go,¡± I spat. Lilly looked at me, shocked by my snotty attitude, but all I wanted to do was get to the bedroom, close the door and forget everything about today. And yesterday. And every day before that.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Kiran laughed at me. ¡°They just got here; maybe they want to relax for a minute before you start bossing people around.¡±


    I resisted the urge to stomp my foot impatiently. I looked up at Lilly and then at Talbott and remembered what Kiran said about bringing her here. I remembered these two had complicated feelings for each other.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I apologized,¡± I conceded and moved out of the way so Talbott could deposit Lilly¡¯s suitcase in the master bedroom.


    I let Kiran lead the way to the living room. Lilly sat down on a couch and Talbott quickly followed her. I walked back into the kitchen and grabbed my Dr. Pepper, offering drinks to everyone before resigning myself to the fact that I had to sit next to Kiran on the couch. I sat down on the opposite end though and it still felt too close, his very presence sucking the air from my lungs.


    Kiran and Talbott caught each other up on the situation in the castle and about the job Lucan sent Talbott on. Sometime during the conversation Talbott slipped his arm around Lilly possessively, and I tried not to stare at the two of them now that they appeared to be a couple.


    ¡°So what took you guys so long to get here?¡± I blurted out, suddenly unable to hide my curiosity.


    Lilly¡¯s cheeks burned the deepest red I had ever seen them and Talbott couldn¡¯t stop the smile from spreading across his face. I wanted to be very happy for my best friend. Their romance seemed more impossible than Kiran¡¯s and mine at one point. But something frustrated me about it at the same time. I didn¡¯t know if it was the growing exasperation with the people in this castle, who couldn¡¯t seem to remember that we were fighting a war and there were more important things than romance; or if it was because I felt like Kiran was gloating next to me, as though he had orchestrated the whole thing himself.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Kiran chastised, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any of our business.¡±


    The flare of approaching magic surged in my blood and I stood up before I said something I regretted. I walked to the door, internally feeling the approaching magic, and swung the door open before Seraphina had even raised her hand to knock.


    ¡°By all means, please come in,¡± I announced, the exasperation resounding in my tone.


    ¡°We just stopped by to welcome Lilly, that¡¯s all,¡± Seraphina sighed contentedly.


    I moved out of the way and Seraphina walked in pulling Sebastian along with her, their hands linked together affectionately. I watched them, with barely concealed shock, take a seat on the couch and Sebastian put his arm around Seraphina, leaning in to her and whispering some sweet nothing in her ear.


    You have got to be kidding me.


    ¡°Nicely done, Bastion,¡± Kiran cheered. ¡°How did you do it? How did you get her to change her mind about you?¡± He pressed, while Seraphina beamed in Sebastian¡¯s arms.


    ¡°To be honest,¡± Sebastian explained, ¡°it was all her. She explained this walk, or something about how I watched her walk, and I¡­. Well, I couldn¡¯t help myself¡­.¡± Seraphina blushed, actually blushed, from the insinuation that Sebastian kissed her.


    It would have been very sweet. Normally, I would have been very happy for both Lilly and Sebastian, but then Kiran whispered to Sebastian, ¡°That almost worked for me too,¡± and the small grip I still held on sanity snapped.


    ¡°I am very happy for all of you, really I am,¡± I almost shouted from the doorway, ¡°but I¡¯d like to remind you, because obviously I am the only one that remembers, we are fighting a war! A real war! And while you all are playing love connection, people are imprisoned and dying and we still live in tyranny! I know those are very easy things to forget, but in-between dates to the movies and make out sessions if you guys could remember to stand up for justice, I know, I for one, would greatly appreciate it!¡± I finished, feeling immature and snarky.


    Already committed to crazy, I stomped out of the living room and into the master bedroom where I slammed the door and then kicked the bed post. I searched the room for something to throw, possibly through a window, and fumed at the absurdity of all the couples I had to be surrounded by, while my own boyfriend couldn¡¯t step foot in the Citadel without armed Titans swarming him and tossing him back into prison!

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    Not a minute later, there was a knock at the door. I refused to answer it, rushing toward the bathroom when Kiran entered uninvited.


    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t,¡± he commanded, watching me flee for the bathroom. ¡°Get over here.¡±


    I grunted, or whined, I wasn¡¯t sure which and spun around to face him. I didn¡¯t take a step toward him, but stayed put, realizing I needed to answer for my outrageous behavior, but irrationally deciding I didn¡¯t need to be accommodating about it.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll come to you,¡± Kiran stalked across the room, seething with anger. ¡°What was that about? How dare you accuse them of being so selfish!¡± He waited for my response, but when I stayed stubbornly silent he continued, ¡°They are all perfectly aware of what is going on in this world, you don¡¯t have to rub it in their faces just because they found happiness despite the tragedies they¡¯re faced with! It is very unfair of you to judge their relationships when you know just how unfortunate this life can be, how quickly we can lose each other.¡± His eyes swept my length and I wanted to slap him, not because I felt offended by the way he looked at me, but because of his reference to the end of our relationship as unfair and misfortunate.


    ¡°Of course they do,¡± I conceded angrily, ¡°And yet locked up behind these prison walls one wouldn¡¯t think anything was wrong at all! Between all of the galas, and the feasts, oh, and school, and the other million things that we do that seem perfectly normal, it¡¯s so easy to remember people are suffering!¡± I spat sarcastically.


    Kiran flinched at my words and then growled back, ¡°Not everyone is like you, Eden! Not everyone likes to be in a constant state of suffering just to be reminded that happiness is not available to them!¡±


    ¡°Oh, happiness is available to me,¡± I promised, narrowing my eyes at him. ¡°Just as soon as I get out of this wretched prison!¡± I stomped my foot and crossed my arms, daring him to defy me.


    ¡°Because that will solve all of your problems?¡± Kiran¡¯s eyes flashed deep blue, and he took a menacing step toward me.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, it will,¡± I argued unreasonably, spitting his title venomously.


    ¡°Eden, let me remind you that you are not the only prisoner in this castle,¡± his voice dropped to an angry whisper and I realized he was talking about himself.


    ¡°Oh right,¡± I laughed, feeling a little beneath myself in the cruelty of my behavior, ¡°because you¡¯re so unhappy here! If only our conversation about walking away would have worked for you like it did Sebastian! Right? Because that would have taken your suffering to a whole new level!¡± I threw in the jab I overheard him whisper to Sebastian and his eyes flashed with fury. He reached out and grabbed my arm roughly, dragging me out of the room behind him.


    I struggled against him, too embarrassed to use magic in front of all the people in the living room. He pulled me from the bedroom and down the staircase. I stumbled to keep up with him, fighting against his iron grip; his magic swirled around him angry and determined.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I demanded at the bottom of the staircase, deciding whether to use magic against him or not.


    ¡°Out of this castle, just like you want,¡± he barked and I jumped at his tone.


    Kiran led me to the dining room, where he threw the door open and tossed me roughly inside without softening his grasp. His fingers dug into my arm, refusing to let me go. His parents and Amelia were enjoying a pleasant dinner and the women jumped at the intrusion.


    ¡°We will not be in school the rest of the week,¡± Kiran explained gruffly to his father. ¡°I¡¯m taking Eden away for a few days,¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Lucan mused, ¡°and where are you taking her?¡±


    ¡°To my hunting lodge, if you need us you can look for us there, although I would appreciate complete privacy,¡± Kiran tightened his grip on my arm as the color drained from my face.


    His hunting lodge?


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Lucan commented, more knowingly. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can do without you for a few days. Enjoy yourselves.¡±


    Kiran didn¡¯t respond but dragged me out of the dining room and out of the castle. I started to fight more frantically, desperate to stay at the castle, away from all of Kiran¡¯s other trophies¡­. The conversation with Lucan in the library replayed in my mind over and over. I had pushed him too far, and now he planned to make me his trophy one way or the other¡­.


    ¡°Enough,¡± he turned on me, grabbing my other hand in his clutch and pulling me roughly against his body. ¡°You are determined to make me the bad guy, and I¡¯m tired of fighting you. So, if you don¡¯t come obediently with me now, we can go back inside and I can inform my father of your defiance. How would you like to do this?¡±


    I flinched at his words, shocked that he would threaten me with that kind of brutality. And then I forced myself to remember who he was and what he did to me in the past. Lately, I had given him too much credit, too much of my trust.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised, Love,¡± he mocked me. ¡°I¡¯m the villain remember? I¡¯m supposed to say stuff like that. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re having second thoughts already¡­.¡±


    I shook my head and softened my aggressive defiance. I slowed the building magic in my veins and let him lead me to an underground garage on the side of the castle. He found a fast, black sports car and opened the door for me, letting me crawl inside all by myself.


    When he walked around to the other side of the car, I thought for a few short seconds about opening the door and making a run for it. But I remembered his words and his promise to talk to his father so I stayed still, only moving to buckle my seatbelt. There were too many prisoners for me to step out of line now, no matter what the cost to me.


    He started the car and whipped it around, speeding out of the garage and through the narrow streets of the Citadel. I closed my eyes and held my breath. His driving didn¡¯t scare me half as much as his destination.


    The hunting lodge? What did he plan to do to me? What price would I have to pay for my reckless words this time?


    Chapter Thirty-One


    ¡°What are you going to do with me?¡± I demanded after an hour of driving through the winding mountains in silence. When we first left the castle, Kiran flew around the hairpin turns and sped through the darkness like a bat out of hell for over an hour. My fingers ached from gripping the soft leather seat and a tension headache brewed at the base of my neck, but after a while he slowed down and simultaneously seemed to calm down. But as he grew more comfortable next to me, the panic growing like wildfire began to burn at my throat and claw at my sanity.


    Kiran flinched at my words with that expression, the one I couldn¡¯t define, the one that started to tug at my heart every time he made it. I expected anger, I expected rage, but that expression¡­. That expression made me feel guilty.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it¡­. We were still this bad,¡± he explained through a carefully controlled voice. ¡°I thought, lately, we were making progress.¡± He stared straight ahead, one hand gripping the steering wheel tightly, the other thrusting the gear shift accordingly. ¡°And because of my perception of our relationship, I might have been pushing you to trust me sooner than you were ready, and for that I apologize,¡± he finished cavalierly.


    ¡°You¡¯re apologizing to me?¡± I questioned, confused.


    ¡°I¡¯m explaining my behavior,¡± Kiran answered. ¡°I lost my temper and you did not deserve to be dragged from the castle.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I huffed, feeling gratified.


    ¡°Oh, I take it back,¡± Kiran laughed in a strained, frustrated voice throwing me a scornful glance that made me shrink in my seat. ¡°I take it back! You are spoiled, and stubborn and irrationally defiant. And I cannot believe I ever fell in love with you!¡±


    My mouth dropped open from his accusations. ¡°How can you say those things?¡± I shrieked, feeling the harsh sting to my pride. ¡°I am anything but selfish.¡±


    ¡°What you need is discipline,¡± Kiran continued, and I wanted to smack the smug tone right out of him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even start with me! I live in the throes of oppression! My entire existence is scrutinized to the very letter! Discipline? Don¡¯t make me laugh!¡± I spat, with all the righteous indignation I could collect.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of making you laugh,¡± Kiran retorted quickly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of reminding you there is more to life than your incessant suffering, or constant wallowing! How dare I even attempt to show you the good left in life¡­. Or the hope that you might have at a happy future! God forbid, that you, for even one second, don¡¯t have to carry the entire bloody burden of your people by yourself!¡±


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I demanded, folding my arms across my chest. Kiran turned off the highway and onto an unlit gravel road. I forgot our conversation, and I disregarded my anger, replacing it with gnawing fear. ¡°Where are you going? Is this the road to your hunting lodge?¡±


    ¡°Eden, why are you so afraid of my hunting lodge?¡± Kiran asked casually. ¡°It¡¯s at least a getaway from the prison you detest so greatly. Although I distinctly remember you telling your parents just yesterday that you didn¡¯t have it at all bad at the Citadel. In fact, I think your exact words were that we treated you like a princess and I-¡°


    ¡°Kiran, please, just tell me if this is your hunting lodge, I need to know,¡± I whined, shutting my eyes tightly and dropping my head into my hands.


    ¡°Eden, no!¡± He sighed exasperated. ¡°Would you please just look up?¡±


    I shook my head, too afraid that I would like the house he planned to keep me locked up in for the next couple days. I cowered, too frightened to acknowledge this moment was real, that he actually brought me here, that he actually planned to go through with his¡­. discipline.


    He parked the car and shut off the engine. We sat in silence for a few minutes, my head in my hands. His knuckles brushed my fingers in a gentle urging to pull them from my face. He tugged at my hand sweetly, encouraging me to take a look.


    ¡°I know that you think the worst of me,¡± he whispered hoarsely, ¡°but I really do not want to hurt you.¡±


    At the softening of his tone, I swallowed bravely and looked up. Kiran parked in front of a two story stucco house. The darkness of the mountain night prevented me from making out any detail of the house except where the large picture windows, spaced out on both floors, lit up the siding and sent long shadows of light across the driveway.


    The house, filled with people, had activity bustling about from every window. I sat stunned, the excitement growing inside of me as I started to recognize the people moving around inside. Silas. Ebanks. Angelica. Oscar. Avalon. Jericho¡­.


    ¡°You brought me to the safe house?¡± I whispered, hardly able to reconcile what I thought was going to happen tonight and what actually happened. When I swallowed the fear, I could feel Avalon¡¯s magic just inside the house.


    ¡°I think I underestimated how draining the castle can be on you. You are so strong, Eden, so¡­. invincible at times. And with the kidnapping, even seeing your parents¡­. anyone in your situation would have broken by now,¡± he turned to me, his turquoise eyes finding mine in the darkness. ¡°This is for you. I want you to heal. I want you to breathe again. But you can¡¯t stay here, we will have to go back in a few days,¡± Kiran finished apologetically.

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    I looked at him, ready to throw my arms around his neck, but I restrained myself. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, hot tears pushing against my eyelids, ¡°I know we have to go back¡­. I want to go back for the sake of¡­. Thank you.¡±


    His eyes bore into mine, asking me a silent question that made my heart flutter and my stomach clench in distress. I held my breath and shook my head, dispelling the silly tears and the nagging feeling of disappointment that caught in my throat. This was what I needed. I needed to see Avalon and Jericho and get away from the castle. Get away from Kiran.


    ¡°So will you be back to pick me up in a few days?¡± I asked. I unbuckled my seatbelt and reached for the door handle.


    ¡°I am staying with you,¡± Kiran replied carefully. He unbuckled his seatbelt too and stepped out of the car.


    ¡°Why? Won¡¯t you be bored?¡± I pressed, hoping he would take a hint. I scrambled from the low passenger¡¯s seat of the sports car and followed him to the front door.


    ¡°Uh, no,¡± he laughed, only I didn¡¯t catch the joke.


    ¡°How do you know where the safe house is anyway?¡± I demanded as we reached the door.


    Kiran pressed his palm against a gold doorknocker and I watched the protective magic flare under his hand, turn a deep shade of gray and then heard the lock click open. He opened the door for me, letting me pass by him. We stood in an empty entryway. I slipped off my silver gladiator sandals on the red tiled floor and then turned to face Kiran again. The pull of finding my brother and Jericho tugged at my heart, but the need to put the pieces of a puzzle together tugged harder.


    ¡°And how did your magic work in the door?¡± I crossed my arms defiantly, requiring an answer.


    Heavy footsteps on the stairs overhead alerted us that they knew we were here. Kiran stepped into me, placing a tender hand against my waist. He leaned his lips to my ear and whispered coarsely, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be off to find Jericho by now?¡±


    I shivered from his hot breath against my skin and then closed my eyes to shut him out. I moved around him before opening my eyes and when I did Jericho stood in front of me, watching me with heartbroken eyes and a flushed face. I knew Avalon stood behind him, and others that wanted to greet me, but my heart soared at Jericho¡¯s handsome face in front of mine. His hair had grown out again, not long like when I first met him, more like when Talbott brought him to me in Peru. His dark locks lay across his forehead haphazardly, and his hazel eyes darkened with a restrained danger when they flickered from me to Kiran. A five o¡¯clock shadow roughened his face, obscuring his endearing dimple.


    I could feel his frustration, his anxiety at how he came upon Kiran and me. I knew there would be explaining to do later, excuses to be made. But not now, not when the joy of seeing him and of being able to touch him, burst in my heart. I threw my arms around his neck, pressing my body against him and releasing my magic to find his. There was only a moment of hesitation with my magic when I had to redirect it from finding Kiran¡¯s to mingling with Jericho¡¯s, but I prayed nobody but me noticed. Nobody except Kiran, whose magic for the briefest moment leapt into suffocating happiness at the prospect of reuniting willingly with mine.


    I buried my face in Jericho¡¯s neck, inhaling him, letting myself become consumed with him and then I closed my eyes against the rest of the world, against everything we were up against and breathed him and only him. His arms went around my waist, holding me to him, protecting me from everything else, reminding me of everything that should be in this world and wasn¡¯t.


    I didn¡¯t lift my head to kiss him; I couldn¡¯t, not in front of all these people¡­. Not when the charade I played with Kiran on a daily basis felt sadistically close to cheating. Not when Kiran stood only a few feet away watching us. I pushed myself impossibly closer to Jericho, and pushed Kiran out of my head all together.


    Avalon cleared his throat from behind Jericho, but it was Jericho that let go first. I looked up into those hazel eyes before I left his arms, promising that I loved him, offering my heart to him silently, and giving him reassurance that I remained his. He didn¡¯t return my intensity, he didn¡¯t promise me the same things, but he did look lovingly back, his expression softened and his lips turned upward into a confident smile.


    Confident-ish smile.


    ¡°Like we don¡¯t talk every day!¡± I grumbled, letting Avalon pull me into an affectionate hug.


    ¡°Yeah, only when we talk it¡¯s all, how do I get out of this basement dungeon, Avalon? And what¡¯s the best way to attack the Citadel?¡± he mocked me in his best impression of my voice. I had to laugh at the high pitched squealing meant to sound like me.


    ¡°Avalon!¡± I gasped, pushing away from him and punching him in the arm before I gave Kiran a sidelong glance at the reference to attacking the castle.


    ¡°Oh, good grief,¡± Avalon rolled his eyes, but I could feel that he didn¡¯t mean the sarcastic gesture for me.


    I moved from Avalon to Silas and then Gabriel, both of whom I could feel wanting to say something deep and prophetic, but I didn¡¯t stay long enough to hear it. There would be time for ominous warnings and vague life lessons later; right now I just wanted to relish in the happiness of being surrounded by people I loved and nothing else.


    Rosalind and Lilly¡¯s father Allister, who I had never met before, greeted me. Allister was a very good looking man with a thick red scruff of a beard and wavy vibrant red hair. Pale and freckled, his indigo eyes sparkled and his face danced with expression. I wanted to ask the details of how he escaped prison, but now was not the time. Not in front of Kiran.


    I took Jericho¡¯s hand after I greeted everyone and he led me upstairs to a kitchen and eating area. Angelica stood from an oak, roughly made table as soon as I entered the room and rushed to me. She wrapped her frail arms around my shoulders and held me close to her. I nearly wept at our reunion. I hadn¡¯t seen her in so long, I hadn¡¯t looked into her brilliant violet eyes and let her make me feel small and childlike in way too long. When she finally let me go, tears dampened her cheeks and she didn¡¯t release my hand, but patted it motherly, and led me to the table where a small boy of maybe eight, sat eating a cabbage roll stuffed with ground meat.


    I sat down next to him and smiled kindly. His big gray eyes grew large and the cabbage roll stopped halfway to his mouth. Jericho joined me at the table while Angelica fixed a plate of food and set it down in front of me before I could object.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked the boy who still stared, mouth hanging half open.


    ¡°Eden, this is Tristan,¡± Jericho explained, introducing me to the little boy who nodded in reply, cabbage roll suspended in midair. ¡°Tristan joined us a month ago, he¡¯s been adopted by all of us,¡± Jericho explained and I understood that the child was an orphan. My heart broke for him and his unexplained circumstances. I would have to ask Jericho later.


    ¡°And is everyone nice to you?¡± I asked Tristan, hoping to draw him into conversation. He nodded enthusiastically, a smile spreading across his face. ¡°Even Avalon?¡± I gasped pretending disbelief when Avalon walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table with us.


    Tristan laughed out loud at that and Avalon stuck his tongue out at the little boy playfully. Kiran followed Avalon to the table and Angelica quickly brought over a plate of food for him too. He smiled up at her and thanked her and she patted him affectionately on the head.


    Their exchange bothered me, Kiran¡¯s whole presence bothered me, and it was more than how everyone treated him like he was their friend; it was his familiarity with the house, with everyone, with¡­. The Resistance. But nothing compared to the fear that swept over me when Tristan saw Kiran for the first time. His overly large gray eyes lit up and a true smile spread across his small face. He stood up from his food immediately and went to greet Kiran.


    Kiran exchanged a secret handshake with the young boy before messing up his floppy dark brown hair and sending him back to his seat encouraging him to finish the meal Angelica made for him. Tristan obeyed, but had a very hard time keeping his hero-worshipping eyes off Kiran.


    Once Kiran sat down the table fell into awkward silence, while those of us with plates of food ate quietly. I felt the tension radiating off Jericho next to me, so I ate faster hoping to be able to remove us from the kitchen as soon as I finished.


    After a few more moments of silence, Tristan leaned into me and whispered bravely in a gentle Romanian accent, ¡°Do you like football?¡±


    I turned to him, beaming with the opportunity to answer his question, but before I could reply Kiran jumped in for me, ¡°I think she calls it soccer, Tristan.¡±


    Tristan looked at me in disbelief, but inwardly Kiran¡¯s clarification cleared up a lot of questions for me. ¡°I¡¯ve only played it once,¡± I admitted, remembering with reluctance the Indian village and the eager, beautiful children that convinced me to play with them in the middle of the street.


    ¡°And she was wretched!¡± Kiran crowed from across the table, laughing at the shared memory. I blushed with his familiarity of my past and slipped my hand into Jericho¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ll play with you after dinner, if you¡¯re looking for a worthy opponent, but only if I get Avalon on my team. I want it to be a fair fight,¡± Kiran scolded, alluding to the boy¡¯s extraordinary skill. I wanted to smile at Kiran¡¯s ability to make children feel special and worthy of all his attention, but I couldn¡¯t get over my irritation with him.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem fair,¡± I crowed, ¡°Avalon is a notorious cheater!¡± I excluded Kiran on purpose and spoke teasingly with Tristan. ¡°I would love to be on your team if you¡¯d let me!¡± Tristan nodded his head excitedly and I felt for a moment that I won that exchange.


    ¡°Oh, sorry to disappoint, Eden, but you¡¯re busy this evening. Isn¡¯t that right, Jericho?¡± Kiran questioned Jericho pointedly. Jericho didn¡¯t respond, but his hand clenched mine in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my boy, we¡¯ll make do without her.¡±


    ¡°Another time?¡± I turned to Tristan, hopeful. He smiled at me, a forgiving, accepting smile and I felt warmed by his generous optimism.


    ¡°Are you finished?¡± Jericho asked politely.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I answered, fidgeting nervously under the table. It had been a while since we were alone.


    ¡°Do you want to get out of here?¡± he asked quietly.


    Before I answered, I glanced at Kiran with expectant eyebrows asking permission to be excused, from force of habit. Kiran looked back confused and I dropped my head into my hands embarrassed. The whole table caught the exchange, especially Jericho. He jerked, his back going rigid and his jaw set stubbornly. I felt his frustration stronger than ever and all I wanted to do was crawl under a rock and hide there until Jericho forgot I asked my ex-boyfriend¡¯s permission to leave the room with my current boyfriend.


    ¡°I need to get out of the castle more often,¡± I mumbled, trying to make light of the situation.


    ¡°So she has to ask your permission just to leave a room?¡± Jericho spat at Kiran, standing from the table.


    ¡°Obviously, her situation at the Citadel is complicated,¡± Kiran explained patiently.

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    ¡°Obviously,¡± Jericho echoed, his eyes narrowing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she would be more than happy to explain it to you,¡± Kiran rose to the challenge. He stared down Jericho, daring Jericho to accuse him again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± I encouraged soothingly.


    I laid a familiar hand on Jericho¡¯s chest and gently nudged him in the direction of the door. My hand lingered against his muscular torso, promising him if he left there would be more touching to come. When he stood stubbornly still for just a moment too long, I slid my hand over his stomach and around his waist, pressing my body against his arm. Kiran¡¯s magic flared angrily in the air, stopping my heart in fear of what he would do. But Kiran¡¯s intensified aggression only seemed to calm Jericho and he moved us out of the room with a protective arm around my shoulder.


    We stayed silent walking through the upstairs of the house and to the back where several bedrooms lined a hallway. Jericho led me to the very back room and opened the door to reveal a simple room with a hardwood floor, a double bed pushed against one wall, a writing desk and dresser against another and a small futon against the wall with the door. I smiled at the simplicity of Jericho¡¯s room and the clean uniformity to it. This was where he lived, his base to fight against the forces of evil, where he plotted to free me from my imprisonment.


    He shut the door behind us and leaned against it shyly. I inspected the room and then turned back to him. He watched me from across the room; no, he studied me. I could see his wheels turning, his brain fighting hard to come to tough decisions and hard opinions. The adoring love he had stared at me since the first time I met him was gone, and tonight it was replaced with something that made goose bumps pop out on my arms and my knees feel weak and faint.


    Still, the way he leaned back on the door, the way his hair fell across his forehead¡­. He reminded me of Peru, of the hotel room in the old monastery after we escaped the Titans. He reminded me of hope and freedom. I should have asked him what was wrong, but I couldn¡¯t stop myself from taking the space between us in a few fast strides and wrapping my arms around his neck just like I had done in Peru. Only this time, instead of bursting into tears, I leaned forward on my tiptoes and lifted my lips to his. I pressed my mouth against his hungrily, reminding him of my love, reminding him that even though I couldn¡¯t be with him daily, or even conventionally, he still held my heart.


    He stayed reluctant at first, slow to return my passion. But I continued persistently; I couldn¡¯t give up on Jericho. I couldn¡¯t even acknowledge that something might be wrong, I needed him now. I needed him like I always needed him; I needed him to love me unconditionally without demanding forgiveness, without breaking my heart and without asking anything from me except to love him in return.


    He sighed at my determination and gave in. His mouth opened against mine and I felt the surge of his magic as his tongue found mine and his tender lips caressed mine with delicate sweetness. One hand pressed against my lower back, the other tangled itself into my long, black curls. Reveling in my success, I kissed him for a long time, and reminded us both how I felt about him.


    When he finally pulled away and I gasped for breath, my lips swollen and tired, I realized that his magic had stayed carefully reserved and that his eyes still were not the hazel that I remembered. He took my hand and pulled me to the bed where we sat down next to each other, my legs immediately swinging over his and my hand refusing to leave his hold.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should talk?¡± Jericho asked, not meeting my eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± I agreed, but then relented immediately. ¡°Tomorrow. We will talk tomorrow. Right now, I¡¯m exhausted, and I¡¯ve missed you so much that I can hardly stand it!¡±


    He smiled at me, finally lifting his eyes to meet mine and I watched the hardness melt away, the determination to get something off his chest disappear. ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯ve had a hard couple of days,¡± he agreed. ¡°And it¡¯s late.¡±


    I looked at the clock next to his bed and yawned in response to the late hour it reflected. Jericho unlocked his hand from mine and patted the bed behind him, jerking his chin playfully in the direction of the pillow. I nodded, letting my eyes dance with anticipation and crawled from his lap to the nook of his arm when he leaned back on the bed and kicked off his shoes. I snuggled closer to him, laying my arm across his stomach.


    ¡°Tomorrow we need to talk though, Eden,¡± he warned me, and I made a noise in response to let him know I heard him. ¡°But for now, sleep.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Jericho,¡± I whispered, my eyes already closed.


    He hesitated for a long time before answering, ¡°I love you too, Eden.¡± Then he kissed me on the forehead and I fell asleep to the rhythm of his chest rising and falling, confident that no matter what he had to talk to me about tomorrow, he still loved me.


    Chapter Thirty-Two


    The sun shone through the windows, warming my skin and gently waking me early in the morning. I stretched, arching my back and then snuggled closer to Jericho. He lay next to me, warm and shielding. I used magic on my morning breath, a neat trick I picked up while on the run last spring, and opened my eyes to face the day.


    Jericho was already awake, holding me next to him. I could feel him preparing this talk that we were supposed to have in his head and instantly a nervous energy flooded my veins. However, I smiled confidently¡­. lovingly into his eyes and hoped for the best.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I tried, my voice still husky and gruff from underuse through the night.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he whispered. We stared at each other for a minute, before he added, ¡°God, you¡¯re beautiful in the morning.¡±


    I blushed at the sincerity behind his compliment and instantly ran my fingers through my tangled hair. ¡°I¡¯m sure my hair is a mess!¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he smiled, ¡°but I can¡¯t take my eyes off you.¡±


    I lifted my face to his and he kissed me gently just once. He apparently had no intentions of forgetting about our talk. Awesome.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± I asked, trying to deflect.


    ¡°No, thank you though,¡± he kissed the top of my head and then sat up, letting go of me. ¡°Are you?¡±


    ¡°Starving¡­.¡± I lied obviously.


    ¡°Eden Matthews, are you afraid of having an actual conversation with me?¡± Jericho turned around laughing.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not afraid of having a conversation with you,¡± I retorted with my chin tipped defiantly in the air, struggling to sit up next to him.


    ¡°Then what are you afraid of?¡± Jericho pressed.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of having a ¡®talk¡¯ with you. Those are two totally different things!¡± I groaned, pulling one leg underneath me and using my fingers to demonstrate fake quotation marks.


    ¡°How so?¡± He stood up and stretched. When he faced me his smile was playful, but his eyes turned intense.


    ¡°Well,¡± I explained authoritatively, ¡°a conversation is something that anybody can have and can be absolutely meaningless if the circumstances call for it. However, a ¡®talk¡¯ involves two people, usually in a relationship, and often ends badly!¡± I acted out the quotation marks again over-dramatically.


    ¡°Do you think this one is going to end badly?¡± He put his hands behind his head and stuck out his elbows. He was too adorable to be intimidating.


    ¡°Jericho! Stop torturing me and just get on with it!¡± I scolded, too anxious to go through anymore of this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to begin,¡± he admitted and dropped his arms.


    ¡°Start with sitting down, you¡¯re making me nervous,¡± I sighed. He obeyed, but chose the futon instead of next to me on the bed.


    ¡°Eden, first of all, I don¡¯t want you to think that I¡¯m mad at you or anything. This isn¡¯t a conversation about what happens at the castle, or jealousy or¡­. Kiran. This is just a conversation about you and me; I want you to understand that,¡± Jericho explained gently.


    ¡°Ok¡­.¡± I narrowed my eyes in disbelief. If this wasn¡¯t about Kiran what was there to talk about?


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± Jericho laughed at me. ¡°Is it so hard to believe that I trust you? I know Kiran is¡­. I know what his game is, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t trust you. I do. Believe me, I do. It might take you a while to commit to your causes, but once you¡¯ve committed it¡¯s with stone cold loyalty.¡± He winked at me, and I had to wonder if he considered himself one of my causes. ¡°Which is why I want to talk¡­. I need to know what your plan is here, I mean with us.¡± When I opened my mouth to shout my feelings at him, he continued before any sound could make it out of me. ¡°Eden, please, hear me out, Ok? Do you know when I realized I loved you? The exact moment?¡± I shook my head no and he continued, ¡°At the Winter Solstice dance, after you came back from India. You changed in India, you became something more than when you left. Maybe it was the addition of the healing wind to your magic, but you were different. You were always a mystery¡­. You are still a mystery¡­. But, I held you in my arms, dancing with you in the Kingsley gym and I fell for you, completely. I pictured our entire future that night, marriage, kids¡­. forever with you. You are the most exquisite creature God has ever created, you¡¯re gorgeous and insecure at the same time, you¡¯re defiant and loyal, good and rebellious, all with a smile that will break a man, and hair that has its own life. You defy every expectation and in my arms that night I imagined our life together, you at my side, fighting against the forces of evil¡­. But I put those dreams aside, especially when the night ended in a fistfight with Kiran because I knew that he pictured that same life with you and at that time, you pictured it with him. So, there I was, in love with a girl I could never have. And we both know what happened next, how the world crumbled into an alternate reality and nothing made sense. It started, believe it or not with Amory giving Kiran permission to marry you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I interrupted, demanding to know more before he continued.


    ¡°Well, up until Amory gave Kiran permission, I thought he was on my side!¡± Jericho pretended to be hurt, but it turned into a smile at the memory of my grandfather. ¡°Amory always encouraged me to pursue you, and then something happened with Kiran. Even Avalon can¡¯t figure out what, but after he gave Kiran permission, Amory started saying goodbye¡­. Not outright and obviously, but in little ways he started saying goodbye to all of us, getting his affairs in order. It was like he knew he was going to die, but more than that¡­. like he wanted to die.¡±


    I wanted to argue with Jericho, but it was the same argument I had been having with myself for months. The night Amory took Avalon and I to work on the wind in that abandoned parking lot felt very much like he was saying goodbye. And the way he gave me his magic on the farm, the way he just handed it over, after thousands of years of not dying. In the end, it hadn¡¯t taken Lucan much to kill him at all. And I learned later that Lucan had tried before to kill him and failed¡­.

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    ¡°Go on,¡± I cleared my throat and gave Jericho my attention again, storing my thoughts on Amory for a different day.


    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that when you wanted a relationship last spring, I was more than willing to jump right in. I loved you already¡­. I wanted to be with you regardless of the cause, regardless of whether you were ready or not,¡± Jericho paused for a minute and I waited silently for him to continue, trying to figure out where he was going with all this. ¡°Eden, I know that you fell in love with me. I feel it in your magic, in every one of your looks, in all of your kisses¡­. But¡­. What I¡¯m trying to say is that I deserve more than the love you have for me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I questioned flatly the statement that made absolutely no sense.


    ¡°Eden, you left me. Last May, you just left. I know you were ready to die, and I get that, I get that Avalon is your brother and you felt a responsibility to save him¡­. But this life you are living now was always the alternative to death and you knew that going into it. You knew there was a chance you would have to marry Kiran. And what happens if things don¡¯t change by next May? What are you willing to do to save your people?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll marry Kiran,¡± I whispered humbly, tears stinging my eyes.


    ¡°Please know that your devotion to your kingdom, what is rightfully yours to rule, is not at all why I¡¯m doing this,¡± Jericho begged, his hazel eyes deepening with an inconsolable pain. ¡°I respect you and your choices. I admire what you¡¯re willing to give up for a future for your people.¡±


    ¡°Then why? Why are you doing this?¡± I demanded through a coarse whisper.


    ¡°Because you can risk everything for your kingdom, plan a future for them, but you never pictured a future with me,¡± he stated simply. ¡°I am blind when it comes to you and it took me a long time to figure this out; I apologize for that because I never wanted to hurt you. In fact, I wanted to do the very opposite. I wanted to save you. But I¡¯m not that guy; I¡¯m not the guy that gets to save you. I¡¯m not the guy that you daydream futures about.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true Jericho!¡± I defended myself. ¡°And that¡¯s not fair to accuse me of that when my future is so uncertain, when things are so¡­. difficult right now!¡± I sat forward on the bed, prepared to argue him to death.


    ¡°Eden, please don¡¯t make this harder than it already is. I do love you, I might love you for the rest of my life and if you really tried, it would not take much to convince me to change my mind¡­. But I deserve better than this kind of love. I am second choice to you, your second love¡­. your back up plan. And, I want to be first. I deserve to be first. Whether it was Kiran or your kingdom, there are things that come before me. The love that we have, you can get over that. You do get over that on a daily basis; it¡¯s what keeps you at the castle. I¡¯m not saying that you should abandon everything to be with me, I would never ask that of you and I would never expect you to do that anyway, but I can¡¯t wait around for you, and then watch you marry someone else. I can¡¯t spend the rest of my life like I did at the Winter Solstice dance, knowing I loved you but you belonged to someone else.¡±


    I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out. I had no defense against his accusations, he was right. He was right about it all. I said goodbye to Jericho on the way to the castle and never thought about how to include him in my decisions. I loved him, but if the time came to walk down the aisle, I would. I wouldn¡¯t look back; I wouldn¡¯t shirk my responsibility, my role in the Rebellion. I would marry Kiran to save the lives of others.


    I had always believed Jericho deserved better than me. And now he believed it too. For a moment, this conversation felt like a relief and then reality set in.


    ¡°So this is what it feels like to be dumped?¡± I mumbled, wrapping my arms around my stomach.


    ¡°It¡¯s not any better where I¡¯m sitting,¡± he whispered and then stood up, crossing the room and pulling me into his arms.


    ¡°Liar,¡± I accused bitterly. ¡°I do love you.¡± I looked up at him, resting my chin on his stomach and he held my face with both hands.


    ¡°And I do love you too,¡± he promised and I felt his words to my very core; they pierced my heart and marked my soul.


    I had been lucky enough in this last year to have two great, life-changing loves. Neither one had worked out and I was a broken, shell of a person because of it. But still, I knew what it was to love someone and be loved in return. And that was a blessing.


    ¡°Yeah, sure, then why are you leaving me?¡± I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I didn¡¯t want this and I couldn¡¯t pretend to be casual about it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± he winced.


    ¡°If I stayed¡­. If I stayed here with you and didn¡¯t go back to the castle would you forget this conversation? Would you stay with me?¡± I asked desperately.


    ¡°Would you stay?¡± he replied coolly.


    ¡°No,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°Then I think we both have our answers,¡± Jericho pulled away and leveled his eyes with mine.


    ¡°Please know that I loved you with as much as I¡¯m capable of¡­.¡± A single tear fell from my eye. I knew that was the truth. After the devastation of losing Kiran, I gave Jericho every piece of me that remained. But he was right, he deserved more than the broken version of love I offered him. He deserved something whole and perfect, something that was willing to risk everything for him.


    ¡°I know that, Eden,¡± he leaned down to kiss the top of my head. ¡°And what you have to give someone is beautiful; don¡¯t ever feel bad about that. Our stories are written separately, that¡¯s all. We both have different futures imagined. And we both know that this love we share is not our future, it¡¯s not our story. But I loved you, too. I loved you more than anything else in this world and I will never regret what we shared.¡±


    I nodded my acknowledgement because if I tried to talk now it would turn to pleading, to begging and I needed to let Jericho go. For his sake, I needed to let him say goodbye. He bent down further and kissed my cheek where the tear dampened my skin. I tilted my face into his, knowing it would be the last time he kissed me like that, maybe the last time he kissed me ever. I closed my eyes against the torrent of tears, making them wait until he walked silently across the room and left me alone to the say goodbye to the death of another failed relationship, to another love lost.


    The door clicked closed behind him and the tears came. They came in giant, sobbing tears that didn¡¯t want to stop. I pulled my knees to my chest and wept against my jeans afraid that this life I lived would kill me after all. How much heartache could one girl take?


    Time passed in confusing spurts of tearful grieving. Not two days ago I woke up in a basement dungeon after being shot in the chest and now I cried myself to hysterics because my boyfriend broke up with me. This life was confusing¡­. insane even! I pressed my hand against my heavy heart, never before wanting my human life back as much as I did at that moment.


    And in realizing I wished for easy and uneventful, I dried my tears and combed through my long wavy hair with my fingers. My life wasn¡¯t easy; it was never going to be easy and Jericho happened to be right. I loved him, but not enough to put our love first. This would be painful, this would be hard, but maybe it was always inevitable like he said. Maybe there had always been an expiration date on our relationship and Jericho was just the first one to read the label¡­.


    I sent a burst of magic through my veins, hoping to lessen the puffiness of my eyes, but didn¡¯t bother to check a mirror before I walked to the kitchen to face the rest of the household. Jericho was nowhere in sight and I preferred it that way, even if he was right, it didn¡¯t lessen the constant emotional stabbing that wrenched my heart and stopped my breathing.


    Kiran and Avalon stood talking quietly in the kitchen with Gabriel and Silas. I approached slowly, not ready to explain anything to anybody yet. They smiled at my arrival, but Avalon¡¯s expression instantly turned to concern when he took in my appearance.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I murmured before he had a chance to ask. ¡°I just want to go home.¡± I looked at Kiran, expecting him to leap into action, but he just stared at me confused.


    ¡°You want to go where?¡± His expression turned grew worried also.


    ¡°Home!¡± I repeated. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± I demanded, exasperatedly. I refused to look either Silas or Gabriel in the eye, too afraid they would try to have one of their serious talks with me and I just wasn¡¯t in the mood.


    ¡°Where is home, Eden?¡± Kiran pressed, not moving an inch toward the door.


    ¡°The castle!¡± I sighed. ¡°Please stop with the twenty questions, can we just go?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I think I know why Jericho left,¡± Avalon mumbled, shocked by my behavior.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even start with me!¡± I turned on my brother, too angry to be held accountable for my actions. ¡°Kiran, let¡¯s go!¡±


    I spun around on my heel and stomped downstairs. I opened the door and slammed it shut, only half embarrassed of the scene I made. I opened the black sports car with magic and threw myself inside, magically starting it while waiting impatiently for Kiran.


    He took several more minutes inside, so I had more time to think Jericho over than I would have liked. I wanted to be angry at him, or stay angry at him. He broke up with me in the middle of a war, while I was being held prisoner in a castle. An actual castle. Against my will! This was definitely a princess story never turned Disney movie. Aunt Syl must have conveniently stopped reading the childhood fairy tales when the knight left the damsel in distress to pursue a better damsel out of my bedtime routine. I was in the horror movie version of Camelot, the one where Arthur murders Guinevere¡¯s family and Lancelot rides off into the sunset in search of a better romance. My life remained, as usual, a nightmare.


    Kiran finally exited the house and took his place behind the wheel. He stared at me for a few moments, trying to figure out what was going on, but I stayed silent, still mulling over what happened this morning. He eventually pulled out of the driveway and back onto the main highway. He continued to glance nervously at me every few minutes until my silence became too much for him.


    ¡°Are you going to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± he asked carefully.


    I shook my head, too embarrassed to admit that I had just been dumped.


    ¡°Is it Jericho?¡± he pressed. ¡°Did he hurt you?¡±


    Kiran¡¯s question became so absurd in my mind, so ridiculous that I couldn¡¯t even stay mad. I burst into laughter, appalled at my situation but realizing how insane my life had become!


    ¡°Oh, right, I forget that the walking perfection that is Jericho could never in a million years hurt you,¡± Kiran grumbled sarcastically.


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I snapped my head toward him, shocked by his outburst.


    ¡°It means that you idolize him! You have this warped perception that he sits at the right hand of God and would never, no, could never do anything to hurt you!¡± he slammed his back against the seat, trying to get more comfortable and fidgeted nervously with the steering wheel.

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    ¡°Kiran, he dumped me,¡± I confessed, embarrassed. My cheeks flushed and I looked down at my hands, afraid to watch Kiran gloat or worse¡­. Smirk.


    ¡°He did what?¡± he almost shouted. ¡°He dumped you?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­.¡± I almost laughed at Kiran¡¯s shocked tones. ¡°It cannot be that hard to believe¡­.¡±


    ¡°What were his reasons? What on earth could have possibly been a valid reason to break up with you?¡± Kiran demanded.


    ¡°Uh¡­.¡± I hesitated. Kiran wasn¡¯t exactly the confidant I should be turning to in the wake of a breakup.


    ¡°Come on, Eden,¡± his voice turned smooth, coaxing me to open up. ¡°I need to know what flaws he saw in you, what flaws I¡¯m apparently missing.¡± He flashed a charming smile at me, and I cleared my throat nervously.


    ¡°He said he deserved better than me,¡± I overdramatized his words knowing they were gross exaggerations, but they felt real. It might as well have been what he said; the way my heart twisted and my eyes stung with hot tears made them seem real.


    Kiran clenched the steering wheel with both hands, seething anger. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him,¡± he growled. ¡°I trusted that bastard!¡±


    ¡°Ok, calm down. That¡¯s not exactly what he said,¡± I quickly explained, not sure what to make of Kiran¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Eden, tell me exactly what he said,¡± Kiran instructed, calming down but only just a little.


    ¡°Not that it¡¯s any of your business¡­. But he said we have different stories. We¡¯re not meant for each other. He said he imagined a future with me, but I never imagined one with him because he was my second choice, my back up plan¡­.¡± I finished weakly, the words stinging sharply as I said them out loud.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Kiran calmed down considerably and I could swear I saw his lips twist into a smile but he refused to look at me and I didn¡¯t want to make too much out of his reactions. ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t give him enough credit after all.¡±


    ¡°You just wanted to kill him, now you¡¯re impressed by him?¡± I asked in stunned disbelief, my aggression turning against Kiran.


    ¡°Well, that was when I thought he hurt you,¡± Kiran explained.


    ¡°He did hurt me!¡± I shrieked, baffled by Kiran¡¯s roller-coaster of emotions.


    ¡°Yeah, no I know, but he¡¯s right,¡± Kiran finished seriously.


    ¡°Oh, my gosh,¡± I mumbled, dropping my face into my hands. I didn¡¯t have the emotional wherewithal to deal with Jericho and Kiran.


    ¡°Because we left earlier than scheduled, we¡¯re going to have to spend a night or two at the hunting lodge to reinforce our story. Is that all right with you?¡± Kiran asked carefully, turning off the highway and onto rural roads that led through tiny mountain towns.


    ¡°I guess,¡± I sighed, not thinking things through. I didn¡¯t want to go back to the castle, but the hunting lodge? I tried to convince myself that I wasn¡¯t worried about staying alone with Kiran in a remote lodge and that I would spend the night heartbroken and mourning Jericho. I tried to convince myself¡­.


    Chapter Thirty-Three


    Kiran pulled the sports car up to a gorgeous log-cabin-style house deep in the wilderness, far away from any kind civilization. The road we drove to get here had wound around, through the thick trees and pretty green brush for more than two hours. Kiran parked the sports car and we stepped out, facing a wraparound porch and polished oak beams constructing the two-story hunting lodge.


    A carved bench, made from the same wood as the house sat next to the front door and a locked gun case hung on the other side of the entryway. The door itself, intricately carved in the royal seal, welcomed our visit. We walked up the tall porch steps and I paused at the door to run my fingers over the indented lines of a vine of lilies intertwining with two snakes wrapped around eating their own tails.


    ¡°I made that myself,¡± Kiran admitted proudly, stopping next to me to admire his craftsmanship.


    ¡°Huh,¡± I grunted, trying to hide my awe.


    Inside the spacious house a large living area greeted us with long leather couches built out of the wood that seemed to be part of every piece of furniture in this house. A long coffee table sat in the middle, but no TV or other electronics ruined the rustic ambiance.


    Off the living room was a large table, hand-carved with matching chairs, no doubt Kiran¡¯s handiwork. Parallel to the table sat a kitchen, the only room in the house with modern appliances, all state of the art and shiny. I mean, the only room hopefully except for the bathrooms, but I had yet to see those.


    The upstairs was just one giant loft with a balcony overlooking the rest of the house. A wide, wooden staircase led upstairs and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from admiring the hand detailing that seemed to mark the entire house. Along the walls were all kinds of heads of animals, lions, bears, wolves, tigers, and deer. I shivered from the feeling of being watched by the dead.


    ¡°They won¡¯t bite,¡± Kiran teased, noticing my reaction.


    ¡°So you say,¡± I grumbled. ¡°They¡¯re not all from Romania are they?¡± I shivered again, picturing lions stalking about just beyond the castle wall.


    ¡°Obviously not,¡± Kiran smiled. ¡°Only the big ones.¡±


    I whirled on him, catching his amusement.


    ¡°Is this the Nebraska wilderness all over again?¡± Kiran joked. ¡°Almighty Eden, not afraid of death, but terrified of an animal bite.¡±


    ¡°I never said I wasn¡¯t afraid of death,¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°Fair, but can I also remind you that your dearest friend has the ability to turn into a very dangerous tiger,¡± he plopped down on one of the couches, stretching out his arms across the back of it.


    ¡°And when her head is mounted on your wall, we¡¯ll be having a very different conversation,¡± I turned in circles, braving the glassy eyes of the dead animals again.


    ¡°I doubt Talbott will ever let that happen,¡± he laughed, amused at my accusation.


    ¡°What will he be able to do? His loyalty lies to the crown, remember?¡± My tone turned biting, more frustrated than ever at the unfairness of Lucan¡¯s laws.


    ¡°One day, things will be different,¡± Kiran sighed. I mulled his words over for a moment, trying to make sense of his casual tone but before I could question him, he continued, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have any clothes for you to change into. I hoped once we got to the safe house, you would be able to borrow something of Roxie¡¯s, but we left before I even got a chance to say hello to her. But, I think I might have some of my old things upstairs, if you don¡¯t mind-¡°


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I whirled around, facing him. My heart started to pound wildly in my chest, drowning out every other sound. My blood rushed through my veins violently, my magic heating to a fast boil and the electricity popping at my fingertips.


    ¡°I wanted you to borrow Roxie¡¯s clothes,¡± Kiran repeated, eyeing me suspiciously.


    ¡°Roxie is in prison,¡± I stated slowly, in a voice that sounded more like a threat than a piece of information.


    Kiran¡¯s eyes flashed panic for only a second before the cool mask of confusion replaced it. ¡°Is she? I must mean one of Avalon¡¯s other Resistance members,¡± he covered his tracks too late.


    ¡°Roxie¡­.¡± I mumbled, putting the pieces together mentally, a puzzle I had been working on for a while, but afraid of the outcome. ¡°How is it that you know Roxie; or that Lilly¡¯s father was at the safe house? Sebastian joined the Resistance and you don¡¯t care at all? The magic in the door¡­. The little boy that adored you¡­. My brother¡¯s forgiveness¡­. Kiran what the hell is going on?¡± I demanded, crossing my arms.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting at,¡± Kiran sighed exasperatedly and shifted his eyes away from me. ¡°But speaking of Avalon, I¡¯m glad you noticed that he forgave me. Maybe there¡¯s a lesson in it for you.¡± He turned defensive, adjusting his position on the couch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start with me,¡± I threatened, ¡°you may have betrayed us both, but you didn¡¯t make promises to Avalon concerning his eternal future!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Kiran stood up to face me. ¡°I¡¯d like to remind you that I was not the only one that made promises!¡±


    I flinched, taking a step back and going red in the face. How dare he accuse me of breaking promises! I stared at him, seething with anger and brokenness. He was the reason I had to live my life locked up in a castle, a prisoner against my will. He was the reason behind everything, if he would have just left me alone at Kingsley, none of this would have happened! Kiran was the reason Jericho left me; he broke me, shattered me and now I wasn¡¯t even a complete enough person to keep the love of someone as wonderful as Jericho.


    Kiran watched the anger flash across my face and my eyes turn to hateful slits, but he pushed his luck further, ¡°Don¡¯t you look at me like that! You did make promises. You did feel the way I felt about you. And I may have betrayed you, but I betrayed everybody! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that. Only they¡¯ve all forgiven me; everybody except you! Avalon, Lilly, even your parents have forgiven me, but not you. And what I have done to you is my least offense-¡°


    ¡°My parents?¡± I shrieked, finally making sense of his words. ¡°My parents have forgiven you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look so surprised!¡± He scoffed, taking a step away from me. ¡°Of course they have.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I demanded, my blood pressure reaching new heights. ¡°Why have they forgiven you?¡±


    ¡°Because I asked them to!¡± His turquoise eyes shifted to deep blue. He raked his hand through his hair and turned his face to the side so that I could only see his profile. I stared at him, at his audacity, but then my eyes found the place where his earlobe met his neck and I stumbled backward. It wasn¡¯t possible.


    It couldn¡¯t be possible.


    ¡°Show it to me,¡± I demanded in a low snarl.


    ¡°Show you what?¡± He growled, his voice just as menacing but then he caught the determined look in my eyes.


    ¡°Show it to me,¡± I repeated, taking a step toward him.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to show,¡± he defended himself, jerking his head forward, so that his neck remained out of my reach.


    ¡°Kiran, I want to see it for myself,¡± I stomped my foot and a ripple of magic skittered across the lodge floor.


    ¡°No,¡± he stated finally.


    I had enough of him. An entire year of frustration washed over me and suddenly I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I released my magic on him, determined to get what I wanted. Complete-mind-manipulation, that was what Amory called it. I only accomplished it once before and that was with my grandfather, almost a year ago. It had taken a while to get into Amory¡¯s mind because he was prepared for me, standing defensively ready for my attack. Kiran had no idea what hit him and fell back into the couch as if I dealt him a physical blow.


    It took me just a half second to infiltrate his mind. Instantly I was in his consciousness, feeling his emotions, sifting through his thoughts, remembering with him. I pushed forward, passed the road blocks he threw in my way and toward the root of what I wanted to know. Only, inside Kiran¡¯s mind I got a lot more than I bargained for.

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    I sucked in a sharp breath, stumbling upon the memory of when he asked Amory for my hand in marriage. They stood together in Amory¡¯s office, both happy and excited for the future the two of them talked about. Amory practically raised Kiran, I could feel the way Kiran looked up to him, admired him, thought of him like a father. It meant everything to Kiran to have Amory¡¯s blessing, and Amory had trained Kiran for just this moment. He gave Kiran his approval with the firm belief that Kiran and I would change everything, that together we would destroy Lucan. I felt Kiran keep his secret from Amory, leaving out the details about Avalon¡¯s part in everything, but there was the determination in his heart to save Avalon once we were married, once we were united and in Kiran¡¯s mind, invincible.


    I moved on, away from the painful moments with my grandfather to even worse moments as, in hopeless agony, Kiran watched Amory die and with the death of his mentor came the loss of the only thing in his life that made this battle worth it: me. I felt his anguish, and guilt, I became consumed with the devastating grief of the next month and felt his health decline with the absence of my magic as ours had become so intertwined, so dependent on each other. I felt him give up on life and welcome death, but then I was there, next to him, saving his life and he knew that all was not lost. He knew there was still hope for us.


    My heart stopped beating and my chest tightened in a vice-grip against my lungs, still I pressed forward through his mind. He began to form his own plans of how to dethrone his father and how to end the tyranny through our interactions in India and Morocco. He tried desperately to get me back, suffered every moment we were apart, or together, and didn¡¯t have my love. Morocco gave him hope, until the Dream Walk, when I sat on the hill not even acknowledging him.


    Through it all, he began to develop a relationship with Avalon. Slowly they became friends; trust blossomed between them and then the plans to save the kingdom developed naturally. If Kiran couldn¡¯t have me, he would end his life in sacrifice so that I could have freedom. I turned my head into my shoulder with the feeling flooding my body that everything Kiran did, he did it for me. His love for me, his undying resolve to live his life dedicated to me nearly swept me away with his intensity.


    The plan he and Avalon concocted was simple but ingenious. Kiran had somehow talked Seraphina and Sebastian into helping and the three of them decided that in order to get Avalon out of the Citadel, someone would need to go up against Lucan. That person would, of course, be Kiran. Kiran would fight his father, knowing without my magic he would die. Seraphina and Sebastian, in the confusion that would accompany a fight between father and son, was tasked with helping Avalon escape. Kiran¡¯s ultimate sacrifice, his death to save my brother.


    But then I showed up and ruined their plan, made Kiran¡¯s life invariably longer and now he was faced with me. He would have to live his life, daily being reminded that he lost my love, that he ruined my life. The heartache alone was more than he could bear. And in his head, it was more than I could cope with.


    Heartache. That indescribable look. The one that had started to make me feel guilty¡­. He was heartbroken. He looked at me with longing, desperate desire and knowing that I still didn¡¯t want him. I shook my head and focused on his memories.


    He told me he didn¡¯t love me to help me, to help make my days easier. And a small part of him hoped that he would move on, too. But then I lost my magic and became so fragile, so mortal that he knew it was impossible. His love for me would never die. He would live his life in penance to me, working every day for my forgiveness, knowing he could never have it.


    I gasped at his journey to find Avalon, to seek out the Resistance and become a part of it. I lay at the castle, magic-less and in constant threat of death and he joined the Rebellion. I felt every bit of agony as the tattoo was administered under his earlobe and his fight against Avalon to come back to me before Avalon thought he was ready. In his heart he had joined the rebellion months earlier, but after I came to the Citadel there hadn¡¯t been time for him to get away. He made time, and suffered through the after effects without help just to stay near to me. He finally made his decision real, but not before he made every single person, including my parents and Avalon promise not to tell me. He demanded that it remain a secret. In his mind, he didn¡¯t deserve being thought of kindly. If he was going to earn back my forgiveness, it would be as before he lost it. It would be as the same man I fell in love with.


    Only he wasn¡¯t the same man. He had evolved into someone even better than that man. A selfless man, willing to sacrifice himself not just for me, but for the kingdom that he believed deserved independence.


    Back in his mind, I felt him watch me daily, trying to be the person he thought deserved me, struggling to keep me safe and in the dark about who he really was. I flipped through the rest of our history; his lust at the pond when we went swimming, his consuming affection when we danced at the Summer Solstice Celebration, the way he fell impossibly more in love with me that night in the gardens, his jealousy with Sebastian every moment until Sebastian admitted his feelings for Seraphina, the way he hoped he still had a chance with me when we spent time in Paris, his anger every time he watched me with Jericho, but his determination to let me be happy no matter which path I chose, his fury while I was kidnapped, his devastating resolve to get me back, to avenge Amory¡¯s death and the future in his mind, after his father was dead, the excitement he had in the way he knew I would rule the kingdom. And through it all, his missions underneath the castle, freeing prisoners, meeting Avalon in the late hours of the night, plotting with us against his father, fighting for freedom¡­. And through it all, it was me that spurred him forward.


    He loved me. No, he more than loved me; every beat of his heart was dedicated to me. I had broken him, but he woke every day with the desire to become a more worthy man for me. I started to shove further into his feelings, obsessed with getting to the bottom of every minute detail when he finally found the strength to push me out of his head.


    Our minds separated with forceful closure. I stood a few feet away from him, trembling and distraught. Our emotions had been one and the same and now that we were disconnected I couldn¡¯t distinguish his from mine. My blood rushed hot with his consuming love, with his adamant devotion. And when I dared to meet his eyes, they were like an open book, raw and ravenous with love for me.


    I moved forward before I could analyze my actions and threw myself down on him, desperate to return his desire with what I was sure was left over remnants of being in his mind. My blood pumped with his consuming craving, my heart beat with the pounding love he felt for me, my ears rang with the desperate longing that plagued him. I straddled myself across his lap and gathered the collar of his shirt in both my hands. My breathing was heavy and my heart beat violently against my chest. I stared into his eyes for only a moment, noticing their hope, their anticipation, before pressing my mouth against his and letting him take me away in his desire.


    He kissed me passionately, in a way I had never been kissed before. He tilted his body to mold against mind, tangling his hands through my hair and pressing me against him. My stomach jumped at his fervor, his unrelenting hunger. He sighed against my lips, an exhale of breath that made his chest heave.


    I moved my hands from his shirt to caress his face and I felt him shiver under my touch. I kissed him bravely, deeply, his emotions still mixed with mine and I couldn¡¯t distinguish what I was feeling and what were leftovers from him. My mouth moved against his, mimicking his passion and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His magic flared to life at my willingness, at my reciprocated desire and found mine almost aggressively, forcing it to mingle.


    With my magic out of control and wrapped solidly in his, Kiran stood up, my legs still wrapped around his waist and his mouth refusing to leave mine. He laid me gently on the couch, slowly bringing his body down to mine. His hands moved over my skin, finding my waist and slipping under my tank top, pulling my body up to meet his and then pressing his back against mine and deep into the couch.


    My hands moved against his shirt, tugging at the hem and lifting it over his head. Our lips separated for only a moment before he brought his mouth crashing against mine again, his feverishly hot skin blanketing my bear arms, sending tremors down my spine.


    I gasped for air and so he let me breathe, kissing my jaw line and my ear, working his way down my neck and across my collarbones to the other side of my neck and back up. I shivered against his kisses, my magic lost in his, but slowly, methodically I came back to my senses.


    Our magics were still mixed, but his emotions were almost absent from mine and reality came hurtling against my brain, demanding to know what I was doing.


    Kiran¡¯s kisses had slowed, but not out of exhaustion. No, these kisses were even more dangerous. He worked his way across my jaw, finding the corner of my mouth and then kissing me fully on the lips, slowly, seductively. I gave in for a second more, playfully biting his lower lip gently and opening my mouth for a deeper kiss. He groaned desperately, pressing his forehead against mine as his mouth worked in enticing, tormenting kisses, begging for more. His hands moved up my stomach, taking my tank top with it and I snapped back to reality, realizing in full what I had done.


    I tensed at his movement, my mouth retracting from his with fear. He pulled back from me, instantly understanding my mood change. He hovered over me, his eyes changing from frantic passion to overwhelming heartache.


    I ignored the breaking of my own heart, the cold that seeped into my bones at his absence. He moved off me, allowing me to pull down my shirt and sit up, scooting to the other side of the couch. Tears pounded against my eyelids, but I shook my head, determined not to reveal how truly affected I was.


    ¡°I¡­. I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered, and he recoiled painfully at my words. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that to you, and then the kiss¡­.¡± I explained weakly, knowing full well the word ¡°kiss¡± could not even begin to describe the passion he poured into me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Eden,¡± he winced, his voice harsh and raspy.


    ¡°No, Kiran listen, I just¡­. I shouldn¡¯t have done that to your mind¡­. And I shouldn¡¯t have kissed you. I could just feel everything you were feeling and it overwhelmed me¡­.¡± I rushed on; hoping to make him understand those weren¡¯t my real feelings.


    ¡°Please stop,¡± he begged, looking up at the ceiling and raking both hands through his hair.


    ¡°I just want you to understand, that¡­. That obviously I just broke up with Jericho¡­. I still have feelings for him and I don¡¯t¡­. I don¡¯t feel that way about you¡­.¡± I dug for the courage to look at him, to meet his eyes, but he wouldn¡¯t look at me.


    ¡°Enough,¡± he growled and stood up. He lunged for his t-shirt that was behind my head. I cowered underneath him, hating that I could smell him, hating that my stomach jumped as I inhaled him. But he didn¡¯t linger, he got his shirt and stalked toward the door.


    At the door he pulled his shirt over his head, the muscles in his back rippling with the effort and then yanked the door open. I pulled my knees to my chest in a gut reaction and flinched when he turned back to face me. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, by the way,¡± he stated simply and then slammed the door behind him.

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    I sunk back in the couch, letting the tears escape that I held back for too long. These tears weren¡¯t for Jericho; they weren¡¯t even for Amory or the rebellion. They were for Kiran. I couldn¡¯t distinguish if they were grief or hurt or longing, but they came in choking sobs that racked my body.


    I cried like that for a long time, fully mourning the feelings and memories that were not exclusive to Kiran¡¯s heart alone, that were born in my heart as well and stayed deeply rooted in my veins and magic. And then I lay down on the couch and wiped my eyes. There had been way too many tears for one day. I reminded myself of the war, of those prisoners underneath the castle, and with determined resolve I would not shed another tear over another boy until Lucan was dead, I fell asleep.


    Chapter Thirty-Four


    I shot off the couch at the sound of pans being banged together. I slept through the night, and until Kiran¡¯s movements in the kitchen I forgot where I was. Standing awkwardly in the middle of the living room, I rubbed my eyes and sent magic through me to fully wake my senses. I turned around to face Kiran, not sure what to expect but braving the consequences for my actions yesterday.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he smiled chirpily at me from across the house, cooking something that smelled suspiciously like bacon on the stove.


    ¡°Good morning¡­.¡± I replied distrustfully.


    ¡°Are you hungry? I¡¯m making breakfast,¡± Kiran explained. I expected wrath and retaliation this morning, not breakfast¡­. What was going on?


    ¡°Yes, I am actually,¡± I admitted, rubbing my stomach greedily.


    ¡°Would you like to change while I finish up?¡± Kiran asked, looking up at me from the stove. ¡°I don¡¯t have much that will fit you, but I laid out some clothes on my bed upstairs that I think will work, if you want.¡± He shrugged as if it were totally up to me. I looked down at my stretched out tank top and jeans I had been wearing for the last three days. Of course, I wanted to change.


    I pointed upstairs and he nodded his head permissively. I turned my back on the bacon and walked slowly upstairs, afraid to enter another one of Kiran¡¯s bedrooms. At the top of the stairs, I paused to take it all in.


    Light streamed in from open windows on every wall, casting long light beams across a king-sized bed that took up the middle of the loft. The bed had tall, thick posters that matched all of the other furniture, intricately chiseled with careful knife work. One long and one tall dresser took up one wall, made in the same style and a handcrafted writing desk sat against another wall, under a large picture window. I peeked into a modern, luxurious bathroom and then ran back to grab the clothes Kiran lay out on the end of his bed.


    In the bathroom I took a quick shower, using his razor to shave my embarrassing legs and then rinsed it thoroughly, deciding to keep that a secret. I used his shampoo on my hair and then his soap that I regretted instantly. Not only was it manly and too strong for me, it smelled just like him and I knew it would stay with me all day.


    I hopped out of the shower quickly, remembering the bacon, and dried off together with a towel hanging next to the shower and my magic. I styled my hair the same way, and regretted that my eyeliner waited for me back at the castle. I sighed, convincing myself it didn¡¯t matter and slipped into a plain black t-shirt he left for me and sweatpants that were much too big. I rolled the waist so that they would stay up and took in my appearance in the mirror.


    Well, it would do. I grabbed my ponytail holder and threw my hair up in a knot on top of my head, disappointed to hide how tamed it looked after I styled it, but deciding down was just too formal with my sweatpants. I slipped a pair of Kiran¡¯s flip flops on, instead of my gladiator sandals and walked out of the bathroom, feeling very refreshed.


    At the bottom of the stairs, I paused to watch Kiran finish setting the table. He stood back from the place setting he just laid down and nodded his head to affirm its perfection. I cleared my throat so he would notice I returned and watched him jump a little, startled at me catching him.


    His surprise quickly turned into charm and he smiled at me. He watched me walk toward him, looking me over in his clothes and his expression turned into something more¡­. something like pride.


    He pulled the chair out for me and I sat down, still not sure what to think of his behavior. He took the seat at the head of the table so that we sat adjacent to each other. Our plates were already filled with bacon and eggs and homemade hash browns so I followed his lead and dug in.


    I hadn¡¯t realized how hungry I was, but I hadn¡¯t eaten at all yesterday and his food was delicious. He watched me with morbid curiosity as I finished everything on my plate and reached for his last piece of bacon without asking.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologized with a full mouth.


    ¡°By all means,¡± he gestured playfully at the rest of his plate.


    ¡°Uh, are we Ok?¡± I brought up our kiss, unable to stand the imaginary tension between us.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked casually, although his eyes narrowed perceptively.


    ¡°You know what I mean¡­. Are we Ok after yesterday?¡± I mumbled that last half of my sentence, my cheeks blushing from my own memories.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± Kiran admitted, his eyes dancing amusedly. He was seriously going to make me say the words.


    ¡°Is everything all right between us after we¡­.¡± I cleared my throat and forced myself to find courage, ¡°after we kissed.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he pretended to finally understand. ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s up to you. You were the one upset by what happened, not me.¡± His eyes moved over me hungrily and I clasped my hand to my throat in anxiety.


    ¡°I know,¡± I rushed forward, ¡°but I just didn¡¯t want things to, you know, get weird between us.¡± I admitted honestly, but inwardly admitting to myself that I liked having Kiran as a friend, just not anything more.


    ¡°Define weird,¡± Kiran commanded mulling over my words carefully.


    ¡°You know, like, um, awkward or¡­. tense,¡± I explained, making things the exact opposite of what I wanted to convey to him I didn¡¯t want.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± he understood. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll be awkward or tense, but I have come to some conclusions that I think I should make you aware of.¡± I gulped and he continued, ¡°Before yesterday, Eden, I was punishing myself. I truly believed I didn¡¯t deserve your forgiveness and that I didn¡¯t deserve you.¡±


    He paused, waiting for me to react, but I was stuck on the words, ¡°until yesterday,¡± and so I sat stone still and echoed them in a harsh whisper, ¡°Until yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Call it what you want, but I think yesterday opened both our eyes. Mine, maybe more than yours, but I can work with that,¡± he smiled devilishly at me. ¡°Before yesterday I was content to move at your pace, to wait patiently on you.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not, uh, content with that anymore?¡± I filled in the blanks, feeling more fear than I thought would be necessary for someone just explaining their feelings.


    ¡°Exactly. From now on, I¡¯m going to try,¡± he confessed confidently.


    ¡°Try?¡± I repeated meekly.


    ¡°Yes, try. I not only deserve your forgiveness, I think I already have it. Although, I¡¯m not going to wait idly around for it anymore. If one day, you would like to forgive me then I will happily accept it, but I don¡¯t need it anymore to pursue you. You will love me again, Eden. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re not ready now, or if you want time to get over Jericho or whatever. But know, that I will not be patient anymore. I will not wait around until you come to me. You are much too stubborn for that¡­. I don¡¯t think there is enough time in the rest of eternity for me to wait for you,¡± he finished, his eyes sparkling and that damn smirk back on his face.


    I gulped and clasped trembling hands together, truly terrified of him. Once upon a time, Jericho had a very similar conversation with me, when I was still getting over Kiran. Only when Jericho admitted he planned to pursue me, he gave me hope; I looked forward to falling for him. For whatever reason, Kiran had the opposite effect on me. I trembled with anxiety at his determination and lost all courage when he looked at me like that. ¡°I think we should go back to the castle,¡± I suggested firmly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of holding you prisoner here,¡± Kiran laughed. ¡°Although, I prefer this to the Citadel¡­.¡± When I didn¡¯t respond, he continued, ¡°We will go back this afternoon, but first I¡¯m going to teach you how to shoot a gun.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not serious,¡± I blurted, laughing at the idea of me holding a firearm.


    ¡°I¡¯m completely serious,¡± he leveled his turquoise eyes at me and I felt his sincerity.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not shooting anything alive,¡± I promised, sitting back in the chair and crossing my arms.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect you to,¡± Kiran agreed.


    ¡°Are you sure teaching me to use a weapon is a good idea?¡± I laughed, picturing the one living thing I would gladly shoot and he was clearing our plates as I spoke.


    ¡°No, not at all. In fact, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s one of my worst ideas,¡± he teased, taking my plate from in front of me.


    I relaxed in the chair. The thought of Kiran actively pursuing me terrified me, sent shivers quivering my entire body. I was strong, but how strong? I had morals, and standards and¡­. a past to remember. But if his idea of making me fall for him included shooting things, maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so impossible to restrain after all.


    ----


    ¡°All right, would you like to try the handgun or the rifle first?¡± Kiran smiled widely at me, opening his gun case on the front porch.


    My mouth dropped open at the three rows of guns that fit into the case. The door itself held long shot guns all the way across, and then there was another panel, that swung out loaded with all kinds of guns on either side. I stood behind Kiran, peering over his shoulder, waiting for one to fall off the shelf and accidentally shoot me.


    ¡°This is a ridiculous amount of guns,¡± I laughed. ¡°But I can see why you need so many, I mean with the pending zombie apocalypse and all¡­.¡± I teased him and he turned around to face me.


    ¡°You know it was your grandfather who taught me how to hunt,¡± he reminded me. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m some ruthless killer; hunting is a skill honed in respect for nature, not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Tell that to all the dead animals on your wall,¡± I continued sarcastically, ¡°I¡¯m sure they feel very respected.¡±


    ¡°You little tart,¡± Kiran scolded, laughing at me. ¡°Would you have given Amory this hard of a time?¡±


    ¡°Well, first of all, he was my grandfather, so probably not¡­. And second of all, it¡¯s not fair to judge his hunting skills when he learned in the era of hunt, or be hunted, and guns weren¡¯t even invented yet,¡± I retorted, turning my attention back on the guns. Kiran opened his mouth to say something smart to me, but I moved on, out of the territory that felt very much like flirting. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re brave enough for this? I mean, I might have terrible aim¡­. You have no idea what I could hit.¡±

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    ¡°Well, rest assured a bullet wound will not be enough to kill me,¡± Kiran replied confidently and then grabbed my waist, moving me in front of the gun case. ¡°They won¡¯t bite, go ahead and pick one.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea how to do that! Just pick one for me, please,¡± I finished politely.


    ¡°Handgun or rifle?¡± he asked again, studying his collection.


    ¡°Rifle,¡± I answered weakly. ¡°Go big or go home, right?¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s strictly an American saying¡­.¡± Kiran mumbled, still entertained with me and pulled a long, dangerous-looking, sleek gun from the case. He gathered the appropriate ammunition and then set off around the wraparound porch toward the back of the property.


    I followed after him, pausing at the top of the stairs to admire the backyard. The mountainside had been cleared to provide a long, rough open space that ended at the edge of a cliff. The view was spectacular, overlooking the Carpathian Mountains that still held the lush, verdant greens of late summer. Even at the beginning of September, Romania still kept the warmth of August and the sun shone through holes in the treed canopy spotlighting the forest floor in perfect circles.


    A tree, seventy five yards across the open clearing, stood as my target and Kiran waited patiently at the bottom of the stairs. I walked slowly toward him, very nervous to hold the gun in my hands.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance to change your mind,¡± I offered generously.


    ¡°That is not going to happen,¡± he laughed and held the gun out to me.


    I took it carefully, awkwardly in my hands and felt the buzz of power in the gun. It wasn¡¯t a magical weapon and the power I felt was more symbolic than real, but I was holding something that could kill, that could take a life, and there was power in that, a power that demanded cautious respect.


    I ran my fingers over the cold black metal and then lifted it uncomfortably to my shoulder. I held it like I thought it should be held, using my expert movie knowledge and kept my finger out of the trigger hole on purpose. I glanced back at Kiran and shrugged my shoulder, hoping he would step in and offer some advice.


    ¡°Do you see your target?¡± he asked, walking up behind me and wrapping his arms around my shoulder to adjust my position.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I cleared my throat, ignoring the stuttering of my heart with him so close.


    ¡°Look through here,¡± he ran his finger along the scope and it took me a minute for my eyes to adjust to the narrow view point. ¡°Use your magic, feel the gun, feel your target,¡± he murmured in my ear gently.


    I took his advice, leaning my head forward away from his breath that tickled the back of my neck. I let the magic run through me, feeling hyperaware of everything. The gun felt more natural in my hands, the target seemed an easy distance.


    As always with magic aiding my senses I could feel everything in the backyard, everything in nature. I could feel the rays of sun that streamed through the trees, the particles of dust that floated carelessly through them; I could feel the soft breeze and the forest floor with millions of insects crawling around. I felt the target yards away, waiting patiently for my bullet and I felt Kiran¡¯s arms around me, and then his hand as he splayed his fingers across my abdomen.


    ¡°Your strength comes from here,¡± he pressed his hand against my stomach, drawing his body close to mine. ¡°Keep this firm.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I get it now,¡± I mused wisely, ¡°I get why you want to teach me to shoot.¡± I wiggled a little with my body pressed so firmly against his.


    ¡°Do you?¡± Kiran responded, highly entertained. ¡°Just focus on the gun and stop being a smartass.¡± He laughed in my ear, but moved his hand from my stomach to my shoulder. ¡°Press the gun hard against here,¡± He demonstrated, pulling the gun into a firm hold against my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s going to recoil; you¡¯ll thank me in a minute.¡±


    I obeyed, while he clicked the safety off and stepped away from me. ¡°Now I just pull the trigger?¡± I felt my resolve weaken.


    ¡°Yes, pull the trigger.¡± He instructed.


    I cleared my throat and then shifted uncomfortably on my feet. I reminded myself that I was an Immortal, and that even if I accidentally hurt some poor, innocent animal I had the power to heal a gunshot wound. I nestled the butt of the gun up to my shoulder again, found my target through the scope once more and pulled the trigger before I could think about it for one more second.


    I lost sight of the bullet immediately as the kickback of the gun slammed painfully into my shoulder. I dropped the rifle as if it chose to physically assault me and let out a stream of curse words against my hurt shoulder, magic could not move fast enough to heal.


    ¡°And all this time, I thought you were a lady,¡± Kiran clucked his tongue at me, clearly amused by my behavior.


    ¡°Ha! Some gentleman you are!¡± I accused, whirling around to face him. ¡°You could have warned me! Or I don¡¯t know, spared me altogether!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Kiran mumbled, still entertained by me, ¡°I could have.¡±


    ¡°That was payback, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°For your little mind stunt yesterday?¡± Kiran asked incredulously. ¡°You give me far too much credit. May I remind you, you picked the rifle? How did you phrase it? Go big or go home¡­.¡± He walked over to me, pulling something from behind his back.


    ¡°I was manipulated,¡± I spat, recognizing the object from behind his back as a handgun.


    ¡°Of course you were,¡± he mumbled ungraciously. ¡°But you didn¡¯t do so badly,¡± he nodded in the direction of the target.


    I could see the bullet hole from here, perfectly on center, just a few inches from a bulls eye. My fury turned to pride as I stalked through the uneven forest floor to take a closer look. For my first shot ever I hadn¡¯t done so badly. Something inside told me if I relied on my Immortal powers more fully I would have hit the target dead center without really trying. But with my human handicap I still beamed in accomplishment.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Kiran stood next to me, admiring my aim. ¡°But we didn¡¯t come out here to shoot the big guns, so let¡¯s stop messing around.¡± The way his voice turned from mild awe to poorly disguised scolding twisted my patience and I bristled in response.


    ¡°Then what did we come out here to do?¡± I seethed, through gritted teeth with arms folded.


    ¡°My father decided, very shortly after you were kidnapped, that Terletov¡¯s guns were ingenious. Those guns became part of the Titan wardrobe shortly after my father came to power, but they have never used them. Lucan has always preferred the sword, as it seems more¡­. civilized. Besides the guns don¡¯t kill, they just paralyze. So, after Terletov¡¯s successful efforts at attempting to kidnap you, my father has sent all of his Titans back to training with the guns. This is both good news and bad news for us. Because the Titans have an alternative method other than the sword, not every use of a weapon will result in death. However, the bad news is, the Titans won¡¯t have to hesitate in any circumstance now, because their actions will not always be fatal,¡± Kiran explained quickly.


    ¡°Why did it take your father so long to catch on?¡± I asked pointedly, hoping to insult Kiran even though I knew his opinion of his father wasn¡¯t much.


    ¡°Eden, I think it¡¯s you that¡¯s taking so long to catch on,¡± he sighed, and I slapped his arm. The playfulness in his eyes encouraged more banter, so I stayed silent so he could finish. ¡°Up until now there hasn¡¯t been a need to reevaluate our military. The kingdom followed my father, and his father and every other king to the very letter, save for the random Shape-shifter that would cross the line, and your parents¡­. But even Amory stayed carefully in line, biding his time until he was certain a move could be made,¡± he smiled at me, hardly containing the laugh that wanted to escape his lips. ¡°Now it seems, all hell has broken lose.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s my fault?¡± I huffed, not believing I was the sole reason for the downfall of an entire kingdom. I mean, I knew what kind of future I hoped for, and how I wanted to be a part of it, but always I thought, with or without me, this kingdom was already on this journey. I assumed I just jumped on a moving train already headed for collision. I didn¡¯t realize I was the one who put the train in motion¡­.


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Kiran affirmed gently. His eyes searched mine, held mine. I looked away unable to stand under his penetrating gaze or trust my heart when he looked so¡­. vulnerable.


    ¡°So the guns?¡± I prompted, wanting to get to the point and then get the hell out of the forest.


    ¡°I think it prudent you learn to use one, just in case,¡± he finished matter-of-factly.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± I sighed, holding out my hand for the gun.


    ¡°Besides, I know how you like to be prepared,¡± he added suggestively.


    I squinted my eyes at him pretending I didn¡¯t know what he was talking about, but my memory retreated immediately to the courtroom, only of couple months ago where I demanded we practice kissing so that I could trust my reaction in front of other people. My cheeks blushed immediately, and Kiran¡¯s thoughtful smirk confirmed his memories were in the same place.


    ¡°The gun?¡± I demanded weakly.


    He put the handgun in my hand, and explained the general instructions. He caressed my hand, moving it to the natural hold the gun was designed to accept, and wrapped his arms around me like he did with the shotgun so that my second hand could support the first. He explained this gun would also have kickback, but not nearly the kind of force that came with the hunting rifle. He unlocked the safety, but stayed close to me this time, his chest pressing against my back.


    The handgun, considerably lighter than the other gun, felt natural in my hand, natural in the sense that it fit in my female¡¯s grasp, and didn¡¯t threaten to literally take the head off something if I misaimed. I still knew the dangerous power this weapon was capable of, and decided the only weapon I would ever feel comfortable using was my own magic.


    I aimed at the target that stood only twenty feet away from me and fired. I utilized my magic fully this time and hit the target dead center. I smiled proudly, even as my arms flailed upward at the recoil. Some irrational part me of me had wanted the shot to come off my hands gracefully like my true calling belonged in action movies as the witty heroine, smart enough to outsmart the bad guys and tough enough to kick some ass if it called for it. Maybe with some more practice¡­.


    ¡°Good,¡± Kiran encouraged. ¡°Again.¡±


    I obeyed, setting up my stance again. He stepped forward into me, but I hardly noticed, my concentration focused on the target. I took another shot, obliterating the board where my first one marked the target. My hands were more controlled in the kickback this time since I knew what to prepare for, but my shoulder slammed against Kiran¡¯s hard chest.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumbled, half turning my head.


    ¡°Again,¡± he ordered.


    I fired several more shots like that, Kiran close behind, but my attention glued to the target stand and my successes. My magic worked effortlessly with the weapon, using it as an extension of my natural power.

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    ¡°This time, let¡¯s see how you hold up against distraction.¡± He took a step into me, his hands slipping around my waist.


    ¡°I think you¡¯d do better to try to attack me; this isn¡¯t a distraction,¡± I argued as his hands rested casually and not at all intrusively on my sides although I could feel the heat of his hands, and the acceleration of my blood whispered his actions were more dangerous than they appeared.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he whispered, his breath tickling my neck.


    I cracked my neck to the side, trying to scoot away from him, simultaneously setting up the gun I now felt semi-comfortable with. I worked hard at ignoring Kiran, forcing my attention to the target stand. My finger found the trigger familiarly, resting attentively, ready to be pulled. I shivered unforgivably against Kiran¡¯s close proximity, his fingers moving infinitesimally against my side, barely noticeably but their movement rang in my ears, and blinded me for a moment. Just as my finger flickered against the thin metal bar that would rip the bullet from the barrel, Kiran rested his lips against my neck, where my glowing tattoo shined. The warmth of his soft lips and the heat of his breath distracted me far more than they should have, my finger pressed aggressively against the trigger and the gun shot off, aimed high into the treetops and embarrassingly representative of just how much of a distraction Kiran could be.


    I felt his mouth form a smile against my skin, but he didn¡¯t remove himself. To him, he had just proved something, conquered some unspoken challenge, and this time when my vision blurred, it went blind from anger, not desire. I dropped my arm holding the hand gun, and discreetly aimed it at his foot. There was a brief second of guilt, a moment when I knew a more gracious person would admit they were wrong. But then I came back to myself and the gun went off in my hand, finding the middle of his foot satisfactorily.


    He yelped, hopping away from me in amused pain. Mild curse words flew from his mouth and he reached down for his wounded appendage still hopping around.


    I found my graciousness then, in the gloating of getting my point across. ¡°Congratulations,¡± I offered dryly, ¡°you can distract me.¡±


    He smiled up at me, from pained glances at his foot while he waited for his magic to heal him. I started to walk off, ending our lesson whether he was ready to or not. I let the blue smoke escape, sending it to his foot so that I couldn¡¯t be considered cruel and then stalked up the porch to wait for him impatiently by the car. It was definitely time to get back to where we were always surrounded by other people.


    Chapter Thirty-Five


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to find my father first,¡± Kiran explained, pulling his car into the underground parking garage. I marveled at the marriage of modern living and old world traditions that the Immortal world lived with. A parking garage under a castle¡­. very convenient. Kiran continued when I didn¡¯t respond, ¡°To check in, he¡¯ll be anxious to know how our getaway went.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I mumbled. I stayed silent for the entire drive back, lost in my own private battle. Somewhere along the way I stopped denying the feelings I felt for Kiran, as miniscule as they were. At some point during the drive, I began acknowledging them at least¡­. and tried to decide what to do with them. As of now, I felt at a loss. I couldn¡¯t even convince myself anymore that there had been a time over the past year that I didn¡¯t have feelings for Kiran. Maybe, I convinced myself I hated him after Amory died, but now those words resounded in my head as a lie. I did believe I didn¡¯t love him anymore. I was sure of that. Almost¡­. I couldn¡¯t stop myself from being attracted to him, from feeling myself drawn into his gravitational pull. And his attention¡­. his determination¡­. the intimate knowledge of his feelings for me was very flattering. But, just two days ago I was in a loving, committed relationship to someone else.


    I sighed aloud with frustration. There was something wrong with me. I suddenly questioned my future as queen or even Oracle. I was overemotional, impetuous and fickle. If they, whoever they were, expected me to run this kingdom with a rational level-head they were going to be sorely disappointed¡­.


    ¡°Eden, are you all right?¡± Kiran asked, his voice marked with genuine concern. He rested his hand on mine, and waited.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s just go find your father,¡± I looked up confidently and then turned my head to the side. ¡°And maybe kill him¡­.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± Kiran tried to clarify.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I grumbled, finding the idea of divine retribution extremely satisfying to think about. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with me,¡± I complained vocally, finding myself spiraling into insanity and chastising my motives for killing Lucan. He deserved to die, but not because I was simply frustrated with everything else in my life. I didn¡¯t even want to think about the emotional scarring caused by killing someone over a little boy-trouble.


    Kiran laughed at me, an openly entertaining laugh that flared my magic angrily and made me question every ounce of room I made in my heart for him. I scrambled from the car, slamming the door roughly behind me and followed Kiran to an internal stairwell that led upward into the castle.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing how much fits underneath this castle,¡± I commented dryly, thinking about the parking lodge, the prisons, and the escape route I half destroyed.


    ¡°The parking garage isn¡¯t that far underground,¡± Kiran answered. ¡°And the dungeons sprawl out beyond the castle, directly over their source of magic.¡±


    ¡°Their source of magic?¡± I questioned casually. ¡°Do you mean there¡¯s like a cave or something where the magic originates?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s beneath the prisons,¡± Kiran replied, his inflection turning suspicion. ¡°It¡¯s completely sealed though, no one is allowed down there.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± I tried to keep my cool, but half a plan had already formed in my mind.


    ¡°Because anyone who has ever gone down there has died,¡± Kiran snapped. ¡°The magic this castle is built over isn¡¯t like India, Love. This magic is dark, evil even. The Titans are helpless against the source. They do fine in the prisons, but from everything I¡¯ve heard, the caves were sealed because not even Titans could stand against the power some say originates from hell itself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so dramatic,¡± I sighed, flashing him a charming smile, hoping to rest his growing anxiety.


    ¡°Eden, I¡¯m serious; it is an evil, more powerful than even my father.¡± Kiran stopped on the staircase to face me. ¡°If you think you can possess it, you are wrong. Besides, there is no guarantee that even if you obtained it somehow, that it would not change you¡­. destroy you.¡± Kiran walked down to my step, leveling his eyes at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re worrying for nothing,¡± I argued, trying to believe myself, trying to believe that Kiran¡¯s argument convinced me. ¡°Trust me; I have absolutely no future plans to go through what I went through in India ever again. That was awful.¡± I laid a hand on his bicep, feeling his magic react to my touch.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that,¡± Kiran¡¯s eyes smoldered while he abruptly changed the subject.


    ¡°Do what?¡± I pretended innocence, letting my hand slide down his arm gently.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just touch me so I forget what we¡¯re talking about,¡± he admitted shyly, leaning into me subconsciously.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of being so cruel,¡± I blushed fiercely. The fun was over. I had moved us into dangerous territory.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± He licked his lips and for one split second my imagination betrayed me, picturing him pressing me against the cold stone wall until I melted and kissing me passionately until my head spun and the world stopped spinning, just like he did at the hunting lodge.


    I shook my head, dropped my hand and moved quickly up the stairs. ¡°Probably a good idea,¡± I called back flirtatiously.


    I burst through the door that led into the castle, breathing in separate air quickly before Kiran joined me. He smiled at me in passing, heading for the throne room. I followed behind him, gathering my courage while subduing my will, and preparing to face Lucan.


    At the double brass doors Kiran greeted the two Titan Guards standing watch and they stood aside. Lucan looked up from his golden throne, his cold deep blue eyes flickering over me with a putrid hate I could feel in my bones.


    The feeling was mutual.


    ¡°You¡¯ve returned,¡± Lucan smiled at his son. ¡°How was the lodge?¡± Lucan¡¯s eyebrows lifted in obvious innuendo. My gaze fell to the floor immediately embarrassed by what happened at the hunting lodge.


    ¡°Very relaxing,¡± Kiran admitted. ¡°We had a wonderful time.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Lucan¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I have an evening for us already planned,¡± Kiran declined nonchalantly.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lucan grunted, not sure what to make of Kiran suddenly. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ve invited some guests to the castle, and your aunt and uncle will be joining us until the All Saints Festival. I expect you both to be present and on your best behavior,¡± Lucan¡¯s final words were directed solely at me. I managed to nod my head, but that was all I could give Lucan. The bile started to rise in my throat and my skin began to crawl from being so near to evil incarnate.


    Kiran bowed, and I curtsied and then turned to follow him out of the room.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Lucan called just as we reached the exit, ¡°I hope you are able to appreciate the skillful hunter my son truly is.¡±


    If I opened my mouth now, somebody would die. Somebody would answer for my words, and knowing Lucan he would make them suffer. So, I nodded instead, acknowledging the truth to his words and then turned away, sucking in the lighter air on the other side of the throne room.


    Kiran and I walked silently upstairs to the top tower apartment. I hesitated outside the door, desperately wanting some privacy.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Kiran asked intuitively, while I looked out a hallway window over the maze of gardens on the backside of the castle.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I answered too quickly, avoiding his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­. after the last few days, I mean after everything with Jericho, I could use some time to myself.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kiran agreed, backing away from the door and toward the staircase. ¡°I¡¯ll be back to get you for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± I rushed forward, afraid he would leave before I could wiggle out of dinner, ¡°Is there any way we could reschedule whatever you have planned for tonight? Truthfully, I¡¯m exhausted. I don¡¯t¡¯ think I would make very good company.¡± I looked hopefully into his eyes, praying he could find compassion for me.


    He paused indecisively across the hall, as if he were making a very serious decision. ¡°Eden,¡± he finally answered and his tone carried a suffocating gravity that pressed against my heart in a way I couldn¡¯t explain, ¡°You have nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    He held my gaze, rendering me frustratingly speechless. I didn¡¯t believe him; I didn¡¯t believe there was nothing to be afraid of. I had everything to be afraid of, and I wouldn¡¯t admit differently.

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    ¡°Kiran, I¡¯m just tired,¡± I answered confidently.


    ¡°Then sleep well,¡± Kiran relented casually. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at school tomorrow.¡±


    I smiled gratefully in return and internally tried to figure out a valid excuse to skip school. I knew there wasn¡¯t one, and I already resided all alone on Mr. Lambert¡¯s bad side. But a girl could dream¡­.


    ¡°Oh, Eden?¡± Kiran pulled me out of my rebellious planning; he walked casually over to me. I backed against the door, trying to shrink into nothing. He reached me, leaning against the door frame, his eyes searching out mine and flashing turquoise. ¡°I did have a wonderful few days with you.¡± He lifted his hand to brush my jaw line with his knuckles and I unforgivably leaned into his touch, my magic igniting in my blood.


    ¡°Kiran,¡± I sighed, wanting something sarcastic to just fall out of my mouth, but shooting the guns today was fun and yesterday¡­. Yesterday had been a roller-coaster of emotions but why couldn¡¯t I make myself regret that stupid kiss? ¡°Kiran, I-¡°


    Thank the Lord for Talbott who opened the door just at the right moment. I fell into the apartment, landing on my back and staring up at an overly large bodyguard that suddenly looked two years old, adorably ashamed.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Eden!¡± Talbott apologized quickly, scooping me off the floor with ease. ¡°I heard Kiran, I didn¡¯t realize you would be standing right there!¡±


    ¡°Talbott, seriously, thank you,¡± I smiled at him and patted his shoulder genially.


    ¡°Yes, Talbott, thank you,¡± Kiran mimicked sarcastically, glowering at his dearest friend.


    ¡°Seriously,¡± I added, flashing Kiran a devilish glance.


    I found Lilly then, standing off to the side and threw my arms around her, thankful that she lived with me here now. She hugged me back, always surprised by my devotion to her and laughed at me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Talbott, the future queen desires some rest,¡± Kiran sounded less than convinced now that I was suddenly a ball of energy.


    ¡°I prefer current Oracle,¡± I teased. I released Lilly so she could murmur her goodbye to Talbott by the door and averted my eyes awkwardly when he bent down to brush her lips with a kiss.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about dinner tonight?¡± Kiran asked, eyeing me over skeptically.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I promised. ¡°Now, both of you get out of here! Lilly and I have months to catch up on and none of it deals with either of you two!¡± I assured them, although I felt sure most of it would deal with Talbott, or Kiran¡­.or both of them.


    I pushed them out the door and then slammed it in their faces, locking it forcefully behind me. I turned around to grin at Lilly, who eyed me with careful curiosity.


    ¡°Ok,¡± I demanded, crossing my arms and tapping my foot. ¡°Spill it, I want to hear everything!¡±


    She smiled bashfully and floated to the couch in a dreamlike state. I followed her, so happy for my friend that I could push all of my other fears and dread aside. Right now, I would listen to Lilly, I would focus on Lilly. Nothing else in my life existed right now.


    Later. Much later, I would deal with the rest of it.


    ----


    ¡°So, he shows up at the safe house, all out of breath and with my father! I didn¡¯t even know what to say at this point, because of dad being there, and everyone else was watching¡­. It was actually embarrassing,¡± Lilly¡¯s face matched her hair color, but the smile twisting her lips convinced me she wasn¡¯t as mortified as she let on, ¡°But he didn¡¯t even say a single word to me at first! He asked my mom if he could speak with her and my dad alone, and then I stood in the hallway while they talked, feeling like a complete fool for still having feelings for him!¡± She sighed, and let her face drop into her hands. She was radiating with happiness and peace and in the last hour had talked more than I ever heard her before. But she was talking about Talbott, and she was glowing joy from it. ¡°So, anyway, they talked for a long time. I learned later, that he asked for forgiveness for hurting me, and not standing up for me when I faced trial and then after Lucan raided the farmhouse. What I tried to tell him though is the second time I went to prison, he kept me alive, he saved me¡­. But he won¡¯t listen. He¡¯s too stubborn.¡± Her smile grew impossibly bigger and I laughed.


    She paused in her story, thinking back on the night, and grew shy. ¡°So did he ever talk to you that night?¡± I prompted, wanting the rest of the story.


    ¡°Yes, he did. After he finished with my parents, who apparently gave him their blessing¡­. He came out and asked me if I wanted to go for a walk,¡± She went on.


    ¡°And you trusted him?¡± I pressed, wondering if she was as skeptical of Talbott as I was of Kiran until I found out he joined the Resistance.


    ¡°Well, yeah, I trusted him. I mean, he joined the Resistance right after Kiran and I had been working with him for weeks. Plus, he had just broken my dad out of prison and delivered him to me, so I didn¡¯t see any need to worry,¡± she explained patiently to me.


    ¡°I guess those are good reasons to trust someone,¡± I laughed.


    ¡°Exactly! So, we went for a walk, or really, more like a hike, since he was so nervous he had me literally climbing mountains so he could stall! But then he had me climb peak, where we sat down and admired the stars and the moon and finally he opened his mouth. He started with apology after apology¡­. I felt awful for him. I mean, there were things that obviously sent up red flags in our past, like when he planned to testify against me at my trial, and when he attacked the farm¡­. But then a lot of our past was him trying to protect me too. But during his apology he told me that when he first came to Kingsley, Amory had talked to him and reminded him that he had sworn to protect Kiran and that was his first obligation. Talbott said he thought it was a little strange the first time, because Talbott obviously remembered, but then Amory kept reminding him. And right before the night I was taken, Amory had spoken to Talbott again and made him swear to protect Kiran first and foremost before anything else. I always expected that though, I mean from day one, I never believed anything could happen between Talbott and me. His devotion is to the monarchy and with the blood oath and all, I just knew it could never be. I don¡¯t know¡­. But then he spent all that time with me when I was trapped, and then he joined the Resistance and I started to hope¡­. Anyway, he apologized for all of that and I forgave him and then¡­. Then he kissed me!¡± she squealed her ending, and pressed a pillow against her face to hide her excitement.


    I made a screaming sound too, mimicking her happiness. ¡°And let me guess,¡± I finished for her playfully, ¡°after a sufficient two to three-hour make-out session, he declared his undying love for you, proposed, you were married in secret, and now you¡¯re expecting triplets!¡±


    She gave me a rueful glance, ¡°Well, he did declare his undying love for me¡­.¡±


    I made the screaming sound again and we burst into laughter. I was so happy for my friend, so utterly proud of the progress that had been made, even if Talbott and Lilly were the only couple so far freed from the oppression of our laws. And they weren¡¯t free right now¡­. But they would be soon.


    ¡°Your turn,¡± Lilly smiled in the most sadistic way I had ever seen her. She waggled her eyebrows and I gulped, not wanting to confess any of my selfish, fickle feelings. I was a traitor to my own heart, to my cause and to my family.


    I sidestepped her direct command by asking another question, ¡°Um, Lilly?¡± I was suddenly still, shy¡­. afraid. ¡°How did you, I mean, I know he asked you to and all, but how did you ever bring yourself to forgive Talbott? Please don¡¯t think I¡¯m trying to be rude, but he left you to die on that witness stand, he hated your kind up until a year ago and he was part of the attacking force that killed Amory¡­. I mean, how did you find it in your heart to forgive him?¡± I looked down at my hands, too ashamed to meet Lilly¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Eden, are you and Jericho, Ok?¡± her voice fell to gentle intuition.


    ¡°No,¡± I sniffed and a giant tear tumbled down my cheek. ¡°He broke up with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Eden, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Lilly reached forward to lay a hand on my knee that was pulled to my chest.


    ¡°The awful thing is, I¡¯m not even crying over him!¡± I let the ugly, honest words fall out of my mouth; I couldn¡¯t hide my wretchedness from Lilly. I had to tell somebody! ¡°I mean, I was upset when he broke up with me, and like, I had no idea that he was going to¡­. It¡¯s not like we had problems or didn¡¯t get along or anything. We loved each other¡­. Well, I mean, we had problems, but nothing that dealt with our relationship, other than you know, I was held prisoner in a castle and engaged to another man, but just normal stuff like that,¡± I joked through a barrage of new tears. ¡°But now I don¡¯t know what we had¡­. I don¡¯t know which parts were real! What¡¯s wrong with me, Lilly? Why doesn¡¯t he want to be with me?¡± I demanded, hoping she would let the awful truth spill, that she would just come straight forward with my detestable faults so I could figure it out, so it would make sense to me.


    ¡°Did he say he was breaking up with you because of something you did?¡± Lilly asked, already knowing the answer.


    ¡°Well, no,¡± I admitted reluctantly, ¡°he just said we had different stories¡­. That he deserved better than our relationship because we were never meant to be together.¡±


    ¡°And do you believe him?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t at first. I mean, I thought I walked away from Kiran forever, turned my back on him totally and moved on. I believed that Jericho was it for me. Like the one. I thought we would struggle through all this crap; eventually we would take over the kingdom and be together¡­. I fell in love with him and assumed he would be my happily ever after¡­. But then he broke up with me and not even four hours later, I was making out with Kiran on the couch, and I forgot about Jericho altogether,¡± My face flamed a deep crimson when Lilly¡¯s eyes popped out of her head and her mouth dropped open.


    ¡°You did what?¡± she gasped.


    ¡°I made out with Kiran¡­.¡± I repeated in a shameful voice. ¡°But it¡¯s not like we just jumped on top of each as soon as we were alone! It was like this whole thing where we got into a fight and then I started to figure out he was in the Resistance, but he wouldn¡¯t tell me anything and so I did this like, Complete-Mind-Manipulation thing. Then I found out how he really felt about me, and our emotions were all mixed up, so¡­. So that¡¯s when I kind of jumped on him.¡± My hands flew to my face to cover my disgrace, and I shook my head furiously, trying to forget the way my blood flared at the memory of Kiran¡¯s lips against mine.


    ¡°You did what?¡± Lilly gulped with more force and definitely more shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m a terrible person,¡± I mumbled into my hands.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Lilly comforted soothingly, ¡°I know Jericho was there for you after everything happened, but did you ever feel what you felt with Kiran with Jericho?¡± She smiled at her confusing way of questioning and clarified, ¡°I mean, with Kiran you were literally ready to sacrifice everything to be with him. When you two were together, it was like you were part of your own world¡­. I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s a love I have never witnessed before. Was it like that with Jericho?¡±

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    ¡°No,¡± I confessed and for the first time in a long time I felt the truth resonate in my ears, a soul-lifting word that freed me from self-imposed, invisible bondage. ¡°No, it was safe, and honest, but not like Kiran¡­. nothing like Kiran¡­. I mean I trusted, I still trust Jericho, with every piece of me, but our love was¡­. comfortable. And Kiran is¡­. dangerous. In more ways than one, but it¡¯s like when I loved Kiran I was risking something, and not just my life, but my soul. I took Jericho¡¯s love and made it my own, but I offered Kiran my heart and then fell into the tornado of his love. Everything about being in love with Kiran was exciting and thrilling. His love was an adventure. I mean, not just our lives, but the feelings I had for him were¡­. all-consuming.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t feel that way now?¡± Lilly had never been more careful with me in her life and I felt her reserve, her fear in hurting me.


    ¡°How could I? Look at what he¡¯s done to my life? How could I love him?¡± I questioned her, demanding the answers that I wanted to know so desperately.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Eden¡­. You¡¯re the only one that can decide that,¡± she said sadly, ¡°But I do know that when Talbott apologized to me, there was nothing in our past that could have kept me from him. Like you said, he offered me his heart and I knew without a doubt that a future with Talbott was worth whatever heartache we went through in the past. I love him despite all odds, but in a confident way that won¡¯t let me question his motives or waver in my trust for him. He hurt me, yes, but I don¡¯t think any kind of love is without some kind of hurt along the way. It¡¯s how we get to know each other better, how we decide what¡¯s for real¡­. what¡¯s the eternal stuff, what is going to push us closer together and seal the bond between us. My past doesn¡¯t matter anymore, because Talbott is my future.¡±


    She was glowing by the time she finished. The confidence she proclaimed she had in Talbott sparkled in her expression and pulsed through her magic. I fell silent, taking her words to heart and genuinely wondering if I would ever believe they could be true for me.


    Chapter Thirty-Six


    Over his tiramisu, he looked at me again with his turquoise, piercing eyes. I averted my gaze up, then over, then to Bianca who looked radiant in a long-sleeved gold cocktail dress that matched the color of her long hair. She smiled across the table, so my eyes kept moving.


    Everyone seemed to be watching us, watching me. The dining room table, full of talkative guests of the king, stretched across the formal dining room in decadent elegance. I sighed, realizing what this was.


    A trophy case.


    Lucan knew what would happen at the hunting lodge. He knew his son. The funny thing was that Kiran never planned to take me there; Fate had intervened and given Lucan the advantage. And now he stocked his dinner table with friends and enemies in order to show me off. He ruled the kingdom, had taken Amory¡¯s magic, and now possessed me.


    Thoughts of Lucan¡¯s arrogance and vile existence sent shivers throughout my body, turning my electrified blood cold. I found his eyes, the one pair I didn¡¯t shy away from, the one pair I could swallow my social-awkwardness and meet with purpose. He wasn¡¯t looking at me, he was deep in conversation with some mystery dignitary, but victory spread across his face in a confident smile and twinkling eyes. His magic, which usually suffocated rooms and weighed heavily on us all, seemed to float lightly through the air and swirl in happy gusts of strong energy.


    I set my dessert down, suddenly sickened. Soon, Lucan. Soon, I would wipe the arrogance from your face and save these people that pretend out of fear to be devoted to you. Kiran¡¯s fingers tracing over my collarbone abruptly pulled me from my musing. When I glanced up, I saw the watchful eyes of the rest of the guests and realized the hatred narrowing my eyes and paling my face might confuse them when they followed my gaze.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I sighed, leaning into Kiran familiarly, hoping to reassure the guests. I wouldn¡¯t be responsible for Lucan¡¯s punishment if he caught on.


    ¡°For what?¡± He whispered, his lips touching the top of my ear. Maybe I wasn¡¯t as transparent as I felt.


    ¡°Uh, for canceling your dinner plans last night,¡± I recovered and then wanted to smack myself in the forehead. Meanwhile, his magic pulled mine into intimate connection, and his closeness sent my stomach fluttering with butterflies.


    I felt him laugh gently next to me. He didn¡¯t believe me. When did he get to know me so well? I still felt like he was one giant mystery¡­.


    I smoothed out my black cocktail dress on my lap. I dressed simply tonight, tired of the gowns and galas. The dress clung to me in ways that revealed curves no seventeen year old should rightfully have. I didn¡¯t realize how sexy it could be until after I put it on. I chose it for its high collar and capped sleeves, feeling like they would be more modest than usual, but the dressed gathered from both sides to a middle seam and created the illusion of curves, I didn¡¯t normally possess. And it was short. So maybe I had been crazy when I thought the dress would be modest.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you did, actually,¡± Kiran surprised me with his answer. He looked especially gorgeous tonight in a shiny blue suit jacket and matching impeccably tailored pants. I wanted to make fun of him for dressing so overtly trendy at first, but his look was edgy, sexy¡­. I couldn¡¯t stop looking at him. And underneath the jacket, a crisp white dress shirt opened at the collar, revealing his neck. I had never, not once before tonight, looked at a man¡¯s throat and lusted.


    Not once before tonight¡­.


    And then he knocked on my door to escort me to dinner; and my eyes fell on the hollow place of his throat and I had to hold myself back from¡­. from I don¡¯t even know what. But it involved a lot of kissing and maybe some ripping off of his clothes, possibly buttons flying off and more than likely would end with me throwing him down onto the king-sized bed that would one day be ours.


    There was something drastically wrong with me.


    ¡°Are you listening?¡± he interrupted my musing of his open collar.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± I lifted my gaze reluctantly from his throat to his eyes and gave him my attention.


    ¡°I said, I¡¯m glad you canceled last night, it gave me some time to think,¡± I didn¡¯t have anything sarcastic to say, so he continued, ¡°I hated you with Jericho. I loathed every minute of it¡­.¡± he smiled darkly at me and I wanted to argue with him, but we were in the middle of a room full of people that expected me to adore him. I stayed silent. ¡°And in my daydreams, I pictured you realizing your intense, if not¡­. consuming feelings for me, telling Jericho he could go to hell, and then running directly into my arms. I may have been, uh, misguided.¡± He smiled bashfully, and his cheekbones reddened in embarrassment.


    ¡°No, not misguided,¡± I soothed mockingly, ¡°completely delusional.¡± I flashed him a wicked grin, and he narrowed his eyes at me briefly.


    ¡°Despite my delusional preconceptions of your breakup, what happened after¡­. what happened at the lodge propelled this idea further.¡± It was my turn to blush shamefully. ¡°After we separated yesterday I took some time to reflect. As painful, no, as hateful as it is for me to admit this, you might have actually had feelings for Jericho after all. And it is unfair for you, as well as me, to ask you to forgo your grieving period.¡±


    ¡°So formal,¡± I teased, inwardly breathing deeply for the first time in seventy-two hours. ¡°Do you have a contract drawn up for me to sign?¡±


    ¡°That would have been a brilliant idea,¡± Kiran mused.


    ¡°Except I don¡¯t think you would have liked my terms for the length of grieving period.¡± I lifted a finger and pointed it at him, to prove my point.


    ¡°That is where you are wrong,¡± Kiran reached for my finger, holding it in his grasp playfully at first, and then he dropped it to his lap and intertwined our fingers intimately. ¡°You may have as long as it takes to get over Jericho before I start pursuing you again. And even then, I will not ask you to fall in love with me. But I will try, Eden. I cannot help myself but try.¡± Our entire conversation was spoken in furtive whispers so that none of the guests would assume anything but that we were already in love. And for a second, with his nearness sparking my blood, and my chest thrumming rapidly in my chest, I started to believe that we were too.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered sincerely.


    He held my gaze for a moment longer; his magic seemed to pierce through me with heady desire. I ignored it, trying to believe that he couldn¡¯t help himself, forcing myself to believe he just gave me more time. Although, now that I had it, I wasn¡¯t so sure I wanted it. A part of me, a larger part of me than I wanted to believe existed, hoped he would pursue me without reprieve so that when I eventually gave in I wouldn¡¯t have to take the credit. If his love captured me, than I could always, even silently, blame him for our relationship. If he gave me time, if he let me get over Jericho and choose him, then it would be of my own will and desire. I would have no other choice then to take responsibility and own my feelings for him. He was smart. And I had to admire him for not only the space he forced himself to give me, but the way he protected his own heart.


    But now, without Jericho in between, and with full knowledge of his feelings, there was this friction between our bodies. It flickered frenetically in the dead spaces separating our untouching skin. The air between us was hot, burning my body as if Fate itself decided it could no longer be patient with us. There was an electrical charge sparking aggressively, pulling me toward him, tilting my head in his direction, moving my eyes to find his and shocking my heart with the love that used to run through it so purposefully. Worst of all, this wasn¡¯t anything like magic, it had nothing to do with our selfish electricities or habit-formed magics.


    This was something more.


    Something raw and carnal.


    Something much like desire.


    He moved his body away from me, an attempt to offer me space and I should have been thankful. I should have breathed easier. Instead, I sat mourning the distance between us, wondering if I could ever find a way to fix it. To fix myself.


    The inches between us became a cavern, a great space with silence so strong it rang loudly in my ear. Soon, all I could concentrate on was the distance between us, on his hands that were not touching me anymore, on his gaze that drifted over the room and I began to panic, irrationally, and stupidly panic.


    And then his arm fell across my shoulder, and he moved into me. I exhaled, long and slowly and closed my eyes in relief. I prayed he didn¡¯t notice my reaction, my¡­. response to him. It didn¡¯t make sense. Not even to me, nothing made sense anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered incredulously. ¡°I just received the death stare from my father. You would think the king would disapprove of public fondling, but apparently it¡¯s greatly encouraged at this table,¡± he joked, making the situation light, making my heart light.


    ----


    Talbott escorted me back to my room after dinner. Kiran originally asked Sebastian to do it, but he ran off with Seraphina after dinner and Talbott had been more than willing to volunteer in his place. Not that a glimpse of seeing Lilly held any appeal for him or anything¡­.

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    Kiran asked somebody else to walk me, in a concerted effort to give me more space. It was very gentlemanly of him. I promised myself that, repeating that over and over inside my head. I did my best to suffocate feelings that shouldn¡¯t exist, and certainly didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°Talbott?¡± I began as we neared the top of the tower. ¡°Did Amory make you promise to protect Kiran above all else, right before he died?¡±


    Talbott cleared his throat uncomfortably before answering, ¡°Yes, he did. But he should have known that I would never betray my calling.¡±


    ¡°You did betray your calling,¡± I pointed out, gesturing at his hidden Resistance mark I knew tattooed his neck.


    ¡°Eden,¡± Talbott reprimanded me with a harsh, quiet tone, ¡°I still protect Kiran; that will never change.¡±


    ¡°Ok, fine, but before Amory died¡­. I mean, were you in danger of, uh, not protecting Kiran?¡± I asked more pointedly. Talbott slowed down, turning to answer me.


    ¡°If Amory wouldn¡¯t have made me promise, there is a chance¡­. a small chance¡­. there is a slight possibility that I would have tried to find Lilly, instead of helping Kiran capture your brother,¡± Talbott admitted, and his olive skin paled at the memory.


    I too, took a moment to collect myself after his business-like description of Avalon¡¯s imprisonment. ¡°And were you key to detaining my brother?¡± I nearly choked on the words, but I had to get to the bottom of this mystery.


    ¡°In a way I suppose. Avalon at first trusted Kiran, which caught your brother off guard. But also, Kiran is strong with magic, unparalleled before you and your brother. Partly because of his duel magic¡­. Anyway, with Kiran¡¯s help, we were able to restrain him until the end, until there were enough Titans so that he could go talk to you. But it took Kiran and ten of us Guards to take him down.¡± Talbott¡¯s face blanched at the horrid memories brought up by our discussion.


    ¡°So do you think Amory wanted Avalon to get caught?¡± I pressed, following the cryptic clues I had begun to gather.


    ¡°I cannot answer that, Eden. I respected your grandfather; he was truly a great man. I cannot for one second believe that he wanted Avalon to go through what he went through last spring. There was no way for Amory to know Avalon would give you his magic, or that he would be captured while Amory died¡­. But I do not believe he would ever have wanted either of you to suffer,¡± Talbott promised with deep emotion. ¡°I would also like to say, that if I had known Amory was going to die that night, that he wouldn¡¯t have continued on to protect you and¡­. Lilly¡­. I would like to believe I would have acted differently.¡±


    ¡°Talbott, I think we¡¯re all in that place,¡± I patted his arm and finished the climb to the top of the tower.


    Jedrec and his team of protective Titans stood watch outside the apartment door. I smiled at them, in a weird way relieved to see them all. I knew Lucan would have been furious when I was kidnapped; and I was afraid Jedrec would be punished for it. But they seemed in high enough spirits or at least, they seemed normal, so the fears washed away as easily as they came.


    ¡°We are very glad to see you are safe,¡± Jedrec said politely as I walked into the foyer.


    ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you know?¡± I asked casually, very casually. ¡°I can¡¯t die; it¡¯s one of the perks of being a twin.¡± I smiled and opened the apartment door with my magic, knowing I had planted seeds in all of their minds.


    Maybe they knew Avalon was my twin brother, maybe they even remembered him. But they also beat him, tortured him. And I wanted them to start putting the pieces together. They could make us suffer as much, and as painfully as they wanted, but we were not going to die. We were the future.


    We were their future.


    ¡°Oh, Talbott, can you come in and check on that thing?¡± I called back, realizing he still stood in the door waiting for a plausible invitation. I didn¡¯t give him one, but I also didn¡¯t think Jedrec was going to follow him inside to check on ¡°that thing.¡±


    The door closed and Lilly appeared out of nowhere and leapt into Talbott¡¯s huge, muscular arms. I glanced at them before ducking into my bedroom and laughed at how tiny and alive Lilly looked next to Talbott. She had never smiled like that before, I was positive. And her brilliant, red hair had never looked brighter than next to his tanned skin. She was glowing. And he was staring at her adoringly. And I was hit with violent pangs of jealousy.


    Ugh.


    Chapter Thirty-Seven


    ¡°Eden, even if you ruled this kingdom all by yourself, there would still be school to attend,¡± Mr. Lambert¡¯s nasally voice reprimanded me from across the room.


    ¡°I know,¡± I grumbled, pretending like I had been paying attention and not reading every title on the book shelf next to me in an attempt to keep from falling asleep.


    ¡°Do you?¡± He pressed, wanting to engage me.


    I smiled apologetically at him, hoping he would just let it drop. We were still not seeing eye to eye, and my disinterest in today¡¯s lesson seemed to irritate him more than normal. He glared at me for a minute more before turning back to the SMART board and today¡¯s lesson.


    I reminded myself that he, no matter how much he made me hate school, was one of the good guys; although, he had so infiltrated the monarchy that I had never seen him interact with any Resistance member. Well, until recently, when his entire class happened to join the Resistance.


    Today though, my inattention wasn¡¯t entirely my fault. Last night¡¯s dignitary dinner had gone late, and I was tired this morning, grumpy and worn out. I pushed magic through my body, forcing it to circulate with my blood and create the illusion of energy. But this kind of exhaustion was more than just sleep deprivation, it burrowed down into my bones and weighed heavily against my chest.


    It seemed most of my nights were turning into important cocktail parties and dinners in honor of the king and his son. I didn¡¯t know if Lucan had always been the willing host, or if his recent procuration of me had spurred him into exploring his Martha Stewart side; but either way I loathed the happy citizen I had to produce night after night.


    Even the pretty dresses were getting old.


    And if I had to put my hair into one more side updo to cover my tattoo I decided I might actually die. Or my hair would grow back into my neck on that side, and my shimmering tattoo would be forever lost in a tumor of my hair.


    It wasn¡¯t even the pretense of a relationship with Kiran that bothered me anymore. I didn¡¯t mind pretending to be in love, I was grateful for the excuse to touch him, and stay close to him all night. The days had gotten harder trying to work through my seemingly non-existent grief over Jericho. I tried to convince myself I was upset that he left me, but nothing about his abrupt breakup struck a true note in my body.


    So I waited instead for the pain to come, the heartbreak I was sure lay just on the horizon, waiting to attack my fickle heart and shatter it. I knew it was there, it had to be. I wasn¡¯t so unfeeling that I believed I could just move from one love to the next. I refused to believe I wasn¡¯t shallow enough to leave the arms of one man and jump straight into the arms of another.


    Again.


    I felt like a traitor. A wretched conspirator against my own body, against the cause I so desperately sacrificed everything for.


    This plan had become so confused and disorienting, I had to remind myself who the real enemy was, that I still fought vigilantly against Lucan. But I had come to this castle to destroy this whole family, starting with the father and ending with the son. It was Lucan¡¯s intention for me to marry his son. And now that I toyed with the very idea in moments of extreme weakness and boredom, I debated between my own desire and the game of war that I seemed to be losing.


    Could I be with Kiran, and still keep a foothold against his father? Or would giving my love to Kiran seal the fate of this kingdom and Lucan¡¯s ultimate authority? Kiran joined the Resistance. Kiran waited patiently for me to come to him. He didn¡¯t hunt me, like his father suggested, or pursue me constantly. As much as I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t doubt Kiran¡¯s motives; I had been inside his head and felt the truth of his love for me.


    So, if Jericho had only been a stand in, a way to comfort myself through the soul-dying experience of losing the man I had given every part of me to, then maybe there wasn¡¯t much to get over after all. Maybe our love had only been a holding bay for my heart until I was ready to return to Kiran. I loved Jericho, but I always had loved him, as a dear friend and in a brotherly way. I had been attracted to Jericho, excited by the prospect of a relationship with him; but in comparison to what I felt for Kiran in the past, the feelings I had for Jericho were nothing life-changing.


    In fact, going back to Kiran felt very much like going home.


    ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡± Seraphina¡¯s snide voice sounded almost concerned.


    ¡°What?¡± I jumped, startled by her voice that I couldn¡¯t fault anymore. Whether I liked it or not, we had become friends. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I tried to recover.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the fact that class has been over for five minutes and you¡¯re still sitting here, staring off into space like a crazy person! Eden, are you a crazy person?¡± She hushed her voice, and her blue eyes turned on me with intense worry.


    ¡°No, Seraphina! I am not crazy!¡± I defended myself adamantly, although, maybe she had a point.


    ¡°Then maybe stop staring into space like that; you¡¯re freaking me out,¡± she mumbled.


    I laughed at her, and stood up, gathering my books and throwing them into my backpack Kiran had sent from Aunt Syl.


    Jedrec stepped into the library and eyed me pointedly. Seraphina noticed him and walked away from me to find Sebastian. I wondered why he sought me out inside the room. He was still tasked with following me everywhere I went, especially after Dmitri Terletov managed to kidnap me from inside the castle, but he usually waited patiently for me, careful not to disturb or interrupt. Lately, he started to feel less like a warden and more like my friend.


    ¡°Jedrec, hey, I¡¯m done,¡± I offered, afraid he was tired of waiting.


    ¡°Actually, Eden, Lucan would like to see you. He sent me in here to bring you to him,¡± Jedrec explained looking nervously over my shoulder.


    ¡°And what does my father want?¡± Kiran asked from behind me, the irritation obvious in his voice.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say, Your Majesty,¡± Jedrec bowed to Kiran respectfully.


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk with you, Eden,¡± Kiran held out his arm to me and I took it without thinking. My magic crackled and sizzled under my skin at our touch. I thought I saw the hint of a smirk out of the corner of my eye, so I cleared my throat to take a moment and control my magic.


    We walked past the throne room and down the dark hallways of the medieval castle in silence. Jedrec led the way, while the rest of the bodyguards followed behind us.


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember doing anything wrong,¡± I mumbled weakly, afraid of what this meeting meant.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been perfect,¡± Kiran answered, smiling down at me. ¡°I won¡¯t let him hurt anyone; you have nothing to worry about.¡± His eyes flickered away from me, and I felt his shoulders tense in determination.

 Page 63

    Jedrec greeted the Titans standing guard outside Lucan¡¯s study and they opened the door for us. Lucan sat behind his gigantic desk, immersed in the wording of a very old document. The rest of his desk was cleared off, save for the scroll that he leaned intently over.


    Kiran escorted me to stand in front of Lucan, pulling me tighter to him and slipping his arm around my waist protectively. I wanted to face Lucan with the unabashed courage I knew I possessed, but Kiran¡¯s anxiety spread quickly over me, and I doubted every one of my thoughts and actions over the last several weeks.


    Lucan looked up from his document and frowned. ¡°Thank you, Kiran. You can wait for Eden in the hall,¡± Lucan dismissed his son with a nod of the head, but Kiran stood his ground.


    ¡°Father, anything you have to say to Eden, can be said in front of me,¡± Kiran argued, clearly annoyed at his dismissal.


    ¡°Son, what worries you? I would like a moment with your fianc¨¦, nothing ill-mannered comes from my intentions. I will return her to you shortly,¡± Lucan smiled confidently at his son, the benevolent smile that he used to bestow grace and compassion on his subjects. Kiran bristled next to me in response. ¡°Besides, Eden doesn¡¯t mind a conversation with me, do you?¡±


    I gulped. A moment alone with Lucan was the opportunity I had been waiting for, although I instinctively knew now was not the time to attack. And so the fear set in, not fear of the man, but fear of his intentions. What did he want?


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind,¡± I replied through a fake smile.


    Kiran sighed, clearly not happy with my response. He turned me into his body, kissing my forehead and enveloping me with his shielding magic. I caught my breath, moved by his affection. He had kept his distance for weeks now, and the irrational, weak girl part of me worried he stopped caring about me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside the door if you need me,¡± Kiran whispered into my hair.


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t my son trust me anymore?¡± Lucan demanded after Kiran left the room and the doors shut with a final thud.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know anything about that,¡± I spat. ¡°He seems to trust you just fine.¡±


    ¡°And is that why you hold back from him?¡± Lucan narrowed his eyes, trying to decipher the truth.


    ¡°I hold back from him, because like you, he is my enemy.¡± The words I didn¡¯t even mean fell from my mouth, venom seeping into every syllable. I wouldn¡¯t let Lucan continue to keep the arrogant smile every time he looked at us together. I wanted him to stay worried, to believe I hadn¡¯t fallen into his plan.


    ¡°Are we still enemies?¡± Lucan laughed, although the coldness in his eyes told me he obviously believed we were worse than that.


    ¡°Until one of us dies,¡± I answered, feeling the truth beat with my heart.


    ¡°If only either of us were capable,¡± Lucan¡¯s lips turned into a sinister smile. ¡°Now, for what I¡¯ve called you in here for. Do you know what is sitting on my desk?¡± Lucan gestured his hand toward the old document and I shook my head. ¡°Please, take a look; I want to know if you recognize it.¡±


    I walked over to the desk and examined the old scroll. The words were not written in English, but in some foreign language that did not even begin to make sense to me. I dipped my head closer to the manuscript and inhaled the earthy scent. I had to hold my hand back from running my fingers over the rough edges and smoothing out the aged wrinkles. The language filled up the entirety of the page, at the bottom seemed to be signatures of some type since they were written with different penmanship and in the center of the page the words were obscured by deep, crimson stains that splattered across the entire document and obscured some of the words.


    A blood oath.


    My head snapped to Lucan with the realization that this paper held some serious significance. ¡°What is this?¡± I whispered, wondering what this had to do with me. I only signed one


    oath with him, and that one seemed null and void now that Avalon got his magic back without any help from me.


    ¡°That is the original blood oath. The one our forefathers signed to establish the monarchy,¡± Lucan explained and my eyes fell back to the parchment, wishing I could read the contract. ¡°You probably don¡¯t recognize your grandfather¡¯s signature, or that of my ancestor Derrick. There are three other signatures on there as well. They belong to the other three original Oracles. Amory¡¯s signature was placed there to acknowledge his refusal of the crown. The signatures of the Oracles representing the Transmogrifiers and the Mediums are there as well, acknowledging they agree to the proceedings. And the final signature belongs to the Oracle who represented the Titans, a man named Seth. In this document he pledges his allegiance and the allegiance of his people to protect the throne for the elected king. The document is very clear in stating that the Titans will protect the crown to their death, at the cost of their lives.¡±


    Lucan fell silent, and a chill crept into the room. ¡°Interesting,¡± I mused, trying to figure out where Lucan was headed with this.


    ¡°Very interesting, Eden,¡± Lucan¡¯s voice took on a hard edge, growing menacing. I backed away from the desk, afraid of the ominous look in his eyes. ¡°After understanding the content of the oath, I was hoping you could shed some light onto why my Titans keep dying!¡± His voice escalated to shouting and his magic pressed against me angrily.


    I forced myself to breathe through the pressure, pushing back with my own magic. I struggled against Lucan, wondering how he could be so much stronger than me. I was the Oracle, I could live forever, and we shared Amory¡¯s magic, so why could Lucan crush me so effortlessly?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean?¡± I replied honestly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I mean?¡± he scoffed. ¡°I have had a team of Titans pursuing your blasted parents since they left here. They have been face to face with them before and survived, walked away to pursue them another day. Yet, when faced in the path of you or your brother they drop like flies. Why Eden? Why are you so different from your mother?¡± His question was asked with a malice that radiated through him, shaking his body and causing his magic to reach out and choke me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I gasped for air. I threw my magic forcefully against Lucan¡¯s in self-defense, hoping to alleviate some of the pressure. My otherwise powerful electricity did nothing against the strength of Lucan¡¯s energy field.


    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t know,¡± his voice quieted but somehow filled with a greater disgust. I felt myself being lifted from the ground and then slammed into the wall. My head smashed into the stone, I felt the hot sticky blood drip down my neck and the vertebrae in my spine snap. My magic moved quickly against the injury, but nothing could be fast enough to erase the sickening pain caused by the attack.


    ¡°I do, Eden, I know why,¡± Lucan continued. He didn¡¯t finish his explanation though, before he sent a wave of cruel magic against me. His magic pressed against me, as if it could slice my body into a million pieces. My magic flared under my skin, truly panicked by the strength of his power. The pressure was too much, I felt sure my body was going to combust, and the realization that I couldn¡¯t do anything to stop Lucan from annihilating me crashed down on me with an even heavier force.


    I felt Avalon join me in my struggle to fight. He was always with me, always connected, but his magic became a palpable force that I could use, that I commanded in my effort to push back against Lucan¡¯s crushing force. Still, even with our combined power I couldn¡¯t even move Lucan¡¯s magic off me, not even for a moment of reprieve. Avalon¡¯s magic turned to panic along with mine as we realized how pointless our exertions were.


    ¡°Put her down,¡± Kiran threatened from somewhere behind Lucan. Instead of listening to his son, Lucan¡¯s grasp tightened and I cried out in pain. My vision started to blur and there was a high pitched ringing in my ear that threatened my consciousness. ¡°Father, put her down!¡± Kiran shouted, sending his own magic against his fathers. He stayed respectfully nonviolent with Lucan himself, but Kiran¡¯s magic assaulted Lucan¡¯s electricity with a force not even I was capable of.


    I felt the smallest amount of relief, my vision came back together and a flash of heat washed over me, igniting my fear again. Kiran¡¯s magic came in a new wave of aggression and Lucan tilted his head to the side contemplating what to do with me.


    ¡°Father, let her go!¡± Kiran shouted and with one more surge of his magic, I felt even more relief.


    Lucan looked to his son, shook his head in an irritated way and then let me drop to the hard floor in revulsion. Kiran rushed to my side, picking me up off the floor and helping me stand.


    ¡°You will never again hurt her,¡± Kiran growled, his magic wrapping around me soothingly.


    ¡°You let your love for her blind you,¡± Lucan scolded, as if Kiran were a small child.


    ¡°And you let your hate for her mother cloud your judgment,¡± Kiran retorted sharply.


    ¡°Do not ever speak to me like that again, or I will take her from you and you can decide yourself how to live with the consequences. Then you can judge me,¡± Lucan threatened.


    Kiran chose not to respond, and instead moved me toward the exit. His hand gripped me tightly around the waist, even though my magic had healed my broken body and returned air to my burning lungs. Still, I let him guide me from the room, more shaken up at the fact I was helpless against the force of nature that was Lucan¡¯s magic than the reason he felt the need to murder me.


    I shivered next to Kiran, pressing my body closer to his warmth. We stepped over unconscious Titans that Kiran had apparently taken out in order to get to me, before hurrying back to our tower.


    Two months ago, I would have counted Kiran as the same kind of villain that Lucan was, no matter what emotions I had for him. But in this moment, I knew they stood a universe apart. Kiran was the good guy. Despite our past, despite his blood ties, he was truly good.


    Do you think Lucan believes the blood oath is directed at us? Avalon¡¯s voice was in my head and I recognized his unease as he clutched at my emotions. He hated being so far away, so helpless. His magic had fought with mine and still we couldn¡¯t do anything against Lucan.


    That would be my guess. I responded a little amused. I guess I would be pissed too, if I realized the army I felt so secure behind was devoted to my mortal enemy.


    He couldn¡¯t have killed you. Avalon assured me, hoping to instill some confidence.


    Yes, but there was nothing I could do to stop him either. I admitted, hating that I felt so weak. Avalon, if you and I together can¡¯t stop him, then how do we ever expect to kill him?


    We will figure it out, Eden. That monster cannot continue to hurt our people. Or you. Avalon growled. I could feel his intensity resonate in my blood vessels.


    ¡°Stop conferencing with Avalon, and let me know that you¡¯re all right,¡± Kiran demanded, pulling my attention to him.


    We were in front of the apartment door, and I had to think back to how we got here. I didn¡¯t remember at all. I tried to smile reassuringly, but I knew I couldn¡¯t even fake confidence.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied, still internally shaking from Lucan¡¯s power.

 Page 64

    ¡°No you¡¯re not,¡± Kiran countered, pulling me into a hug. His hands, strong on my back, pressed me into his chest willing to hold me there for the rest of eternity. I shivered, thankful for his embrace that seemed to be the only thing keeping me from emotionally and physically combusting.


    ¡°I thought we were equal,¡± I mumbled, embarrassed to admit my weakness. ¡°I thought I could stand against him.¡± I felt Kiran shake his head and hold me even tighter.


    ¡°You can stand against him,¡± he whispered into my ear, his words ringing with solid conviction.


    I pulled back, to look up into his eyes. They were steely blue, fierce with determination and resolve. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, my voice catching in my throat.


    He smiled down at me, our skin tingling from where we touched. He leaned down and kissed me on the cheek and as if that weren¡¯t enough, he moved his lips over my skin to the corner of my mouth where he pressed them against my lips fighting the urge to kiss me passionately. I felt the fight in his touch, the struggle to follow through with his promise to let me come to him. And at any other time I would have been disappointed, but now was not the time to reciprocate his emotions, now was the time to figure out a way to defeat his evil father and rule the kingdom that belonged to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside,¡± Kiran opened the door behind me and ushered me inside. ¡°But, don¡¯t even try to get rid of me. I will not be leaving here today or maybe any day in the future.¡± His grin turned roguish and I smiled back, I didn¡¯t have the slightest desire to make him leave.


    Chapter Thirty-Eight


    I watched from a castle terrace as more prisoners were unloaded. Titans moved them gruffly from place to place until they stood in a single file line. They were marched toward the dungeon entrance, without grace or patience.


    My stomach churned as I realized I didn¡¯t recognize any of them. Not one of them belonged in the Resistance. These were every day citizens that had been charged with some outrageous accusation worthy of an unfair prison sentence.


    Lucan was turning into a mad man before my eyes. I clutched at my stomach as a dangerous foreboding feeling threatened to make me sick. He had always been evil, I knew that. But before my eyes he seemed to be becoming even more dangerous¡­. deranged. The sinister expression on his face was barely ever softened and his eyes seemed permanently marked with paranoia.


    He challenged this kingdom to fight back with their actions, but even more it seemed he tested the Titans and their loyalty. The blood oath seemed to call to his doubts and bring out his inner demons. He couldn¡¯t be any more confident of the original contracts meaning, than we could, but the ominous threat still hung over all our heads, and he had decided to make every one of us pay.


    My heart broke for the innocents suffering for my cause. They deserved a better kingdom, a better life, but they did not deserve to be the victims of a war they weren¡¯t even apart of until now.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go talk to Avalon, we have to do something about this,¡± Kiran whispered gently. I jumped, startled by his presence. I had been too caught up in my internal misery to notice him approach me.


    ¡°When?¡± I asked, not willing to take my eyes off the last of the new prisoners waiting their turn to enter the dungeon.


    ¡°Tonight,¡± he whispered. ¡°The All Saint¡¯s Festival is in three days. I have never seen my father like this before, and I¡¯m afraid for the kingdom. With everyone gathered¡­. Something just isn¡¯t sitting right with me.¡±


    I turned toward him, laying a hand on his arm. ¡°I have that same feeling,¡± I admitted, not able to meet his eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure this out, Eden,¡± Kiran assured me, lifting my chin so that he could meet my eyes with confidence. ¡°We have to.¡±


    ¡°Kiran,¡± I began, knowing how this would end. ¡°I was thinking more about the prisons¡­. I know you think the magic is evil and all, and well, I¡¯m not even sure if it would work like India¡­. But, maybe that would be enough magic to-¡°


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t suggest it,¡± Kiran cut me off, pulling me into his arms afraid of losing me. ¡°It¡¯s not safe. Like you said, you have no idea what would happen¡­. There is another way, we just haven¡¯t figured it out yet.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± I relented, falling into the fear of the unknown. It was only a thought, a fleeting thought that I had toyed with for weeks, but only that. The truth was, I didn¡¯t even know if it was possible to get to the magic, and if I did get down into the caves, there was absolutely no way to tell what could happen. If by some miracle I was able to possess the magic without getting killed, or at the very least mangled beyond all recognition, I agreed with Kiran that the magic was evil. No good magic would cause Immortals¡¯ to suffer the way those prisons did.


    ¡°We¡¯ll know more after we talk to Avalon,¡± Kiran finished. I stayed in his arms, letting him protect me from the vile malevolence that surrounded me in every direction. The castle had come to feel like home, but the criminal residing within, the energy radiating from Lucan was a suffocating and foul evil.


    ----


    ¡°Pssst, Eden,¡± Avalon stepped from behind a tree as if our connection didn¡¯t tell me his exact location.


    I ran into his arms, throwing myself against him. The midnight sky, lit up by only a fingernail moon shed eerie shadows on tonight¡¯s meeting. Other than the waning moon, the sky felt empty. The stars hid behind heavy autumn clouds. The fall trees had shed half their leaves, and the ground crunched beneath our feet with the sound of dead vegetation.


    I shivered in Avalon¡¯s arms against the darkness of the night and held him closer.


    ¡°Hey, are you Ok?¡± Avalon whispered, not letting go of me.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine, I just¡­. I don¡¯t know, I have a bad feeling,¡± I admitted, hoping he would brush off my vague premonition with his usual sarcasm.


    ¡°I know, me too,¡± he agreed, pulling away to look in my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. We have to find a way to stop the insanity!¡± He smiled at me, and even though he did nothing to dispel my fears, he did make me laugh, which at the moment was good enough.


    ¡°Avalon, did you get a new tattoo?¡± I gasped. I took another step away from him to pull up his short sleeve shirt. Avalon had been covered in tattoos long before I met him. A tree that represented immortality took over most of his body, snaking from his torso, front and back, down his arm and waist. Angel wings spread out across his thick neck and shoulder blades, with a snake in the center wrapped around eating its own tail; this had been Avalon¡¯s play on his Titan traits and more immortality. The same snake wrapped around his wrist, and on the opposite arm from his tree, a phoenix rose from the flames up his bicep and spread its wings across his chest and back. But now, where the flames ended on his arm, a crown formed around the lower part of his bicep. The crowns peaks were made from the tops of the flames and the bottom intricately designed with lilies and jewels.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he smiled, flexing his arm so I could take in the new tattoo in all its glory. ¡°I¡¯ve been jealous of your tattoo for so long that I finally had to do something about it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re jealous of my tattoo?¡± I scoffed, unable to believe the tiny tattoo marking my neck was worthy of jealousy. If anything it had made my life infinitely more difficult.


    ¡°Uh, yeah! Are you kidding? We all want tattoos that glow! If I would have known it was possible, I would never have let Angelica do mine correctly,¡± he grinned, trying to play it off as a joke, but I could feel how sincere he was, so I just laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, Ok,¡± I punched him in the new tattoo, admiring his guts to actually print the crown on his body. It was one thing to think you were the rightful heir; it was another thing to bestow the label to yourself permanently.


    I looked back for Kiran and realized he was off a little ways talking to Jericho. My chest clenched tightly at the sight of the two of them talking. They seemed to be getting along and laughing but I couldn¡¯t even wrap my head around what the two of them could possibly have to say to each other.


    ¡°Is Jericho, Ok?¡± I asked Avalon, while I watched the two boys laugh together.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Avalon responded somberly, following my gaze. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t think this is what he wanted to happen, but he¡¯s coping.¡±


    ¡°Well, if he didn¡¯t want it to happen, then why did he break up with me?¡± More curious than disappointed, I couldn¡¯t stop my question.


    ¡°Because he wants what you and Kiran have, and he couldn¡¯t have that with you,¡± Avalon explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°Most people want that kind of love.¡±


    I blushed at his comments, so I turned the attention to him, ¡°Except you.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Avalon grunted. ¡°Damn right, except me. Bachelor for life, right here.¡± He pointed to himself and a smug grin spread across his face.


    ¡°That will never happen,¡± I argued. ¡°Some poor girl is going to catch your eye one day and you won¡¯t even know what to do with yourself. I actually, already feel sorry for her¡­.¡± I bumped my shoulder against his bicep.


    ¡°Yes, but luckily I have you to warn her. Learn from my mistakes, Ede, don¡¯t try to warn me, make sure you warn the other person!¡± He laughed at his own joke.


    ¡°And what is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°It means, I should have become Kiran¡¯s friend a long time ago,¡± Avalon continued to laugh while the other boys walked over to meet us.


    Talbott stood guard not far from where we convened and I had a feeling there were more of Avalon¡¯s guys hiding in the trees. Jericho eyed me from across the circle in a friendly way that made me hope everything would be Ok between us. Although, Kiran did stand closer to me than I thought was necessary, but I decided now was not the best time to call him on his over-protectiveness.


    ¡°Avalon, things have gotten bad,¡± Kiran began. ¡°I know you are up to speed because of Eden, but is everyone else in the house aware of how dangerous our situation has become?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are,¡± Avalon confirmed. ¡°I keep everyone up to date. The real question is what are we going to do about this? Your father can¡¯t keep hunting down citizens and locking them all up, can he?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kiran replied gravely. ¡°It certainly seems like that¡¯s what he intends to do¡­. I¡¯ve never seen him like this before¡­. I think something snapped and he has lost all semblance of sanity. There is not a single rational thought in his head anymore.¡±


    I knew Kiran loathed his father and believed the only future for this kingdom is one in which Lucan did not exist, but the tone of sadness was unmistakable in his words and my heart broke for the sorrow Kiran had to live with.


    ¡°So, then it¡¯s time to attack,¡± Jericho spoke up with conviction. ¡°We can¡¯t let this go on any longer.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Kiran stated. ¡°We have to stop him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we do. Our numbers are strong enough, the Titans are wavering, I think it¡¯s the perfect opportunity,¡± Avalon concurred. ¡°But it will take a few days to gather everyone.¡±

 Page 65

    ¡°No,¡± I spoke for the first time, remembering the All Saint¡¯s Festival and all the innocent people arriving at the castle. ¡°We have to wait until after the Festival, there are too many innocent people that could get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll help us fight,¡± Jericho volunteered.


    ¡°And maybe more innocents will have to die,¡± Kiran countered. Jericho didn¡¯t look upset or defensive, but he did fall silent, realizing the truth in the statement.


    ¡°I know our original thought was Christmas, when everyone would be there. But that was when I thought Lucan would spare the bystanders. Now, I know he won¡¯t give a second thought to destroying every single Immortal in his way,¡± I continued my argument. Avalon¡¯s brow furrowed in understanding and he bit his thumbnail thoughtfully.


    ¡°Ok, then after,¡± Avalon suggested. ¡°The Titans will just be coming off a long, strenuous weekend and Lucan will be unprepared. As soon as the Festival is over, we attack the Citadel.¡±


    ¡°And Lucan?¡± I asked, afraid there would never be a solution for him.


    ¡°If we cannot kill him, we can at least hope to take the Titans and the Citadel. Maybe, if he is exiled, living without a kingdom or an army, he will just crawl into a hole and die,¡± Avalon smirked at the thought.


    ¡°We can kill him,¡± Kiran reassured our doubts. ¡°If Amory died, there is a way to kill Lucan. We need to spend the rest of these days trying to figure it out.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re opposed to Eden¡¯s prison magic idea?¡± Avalon asked carefully. He had never mentioned it to me before, although I knew he had heard me thinking about it.


    ¡°Are you Ok with her going down there and trying to possess some evil magic that will most likely destroy her?¡± Kiran turned the question on Avalon who averted his eyes to the ground in return.


    ¡°Well, no, but so far it¡¯s the only thing we¡¯ve got,¡± Avalon argued weakly. I beamed internally at his acceptance of my plan, although I could feel how opposed he was to the idea of me risking everything for a plan that might not even work.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it my choice?¡± I demanded bravely.


    All three boys turned to me and in unison declared, ¡°No!¡±


    I crossed my arms defiantly but still shrunk back. ¡°Geesh, it was just a question,¡± I defended myself weakly.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Avalon continued, ¡°we¡¯ll be in contact with the exact details of an attack. But for now, let¡¯s plan on Monday at dawn, after everyone has left the Citadel. I¡¯ll send half of our people through the underground tunnel, and the rest through the gardens. You¡¯ll have to let them in Kiran, since the door will only work for a Kendrick, and then just blast your way through the hedges. Those of us underground will head straight to the prisons to fight those Titans and let the prisoners out. You can take your half up into the castle and we¡¯ll meet you there shortly.¡±


    ¡°If everything goes as planned,¡± I corrected, not feeling good about this plan at all.


    ¡°There are obviously more details that need to be worked out,¡± Avalon agreed, ¡°but for now let¡¯s work with this rough idea. I need to get moving and contact the rest of our people. I had planned to fly Angelica home with Tristan tomorrow morning. Sylvia would like some company, and I would like to get both of them out of Romania before things get dicey.¡±


    ¡°I like that idea,¡± I murmured, missing Aunt Syl fiercely.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give her your love,¡± Avalon teased, and something in his eyes alarmed me.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t give her your love,¡± I countered, feeling grossed out by the hungry look in Avalon¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve got nothing to worry about,¡± he smiled mischievously. ¡°Bachelor for life, remember?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to remember.¡± I resisted the urge to kick Avalon in the shin and turned my attention to Jericho, feeling like the meeting was at an end. ¡°Hey can we talk?¡± I asked, preparing myself for rejection.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he gave in, and walked toward the shadows of the trees. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked, once we were out of earshot of the other two boys.


    ¡°Are we Ok?¡± I felt vulnerable trying to repair a friendship between us, but what hurt more than realizing I never really loved him, was the idea that we would never be normal around each other again. ¡°I mean, I know we¡¯re not together or anything anymore, but we¡¯re still friends, right?¡±


    ¡°Eden, of course we are!¡± Jericho sighed. ¡°Were you really worried I wouldn¡¯t like you at all anymore?¡± He asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Well, yeah.¡± My eyes fell from his, ashamed that I hadn¡¯t trusted him enough to know that he would put my feelings above all else.


    ¡°Well, you have nothing to worry about! I have always valued our friendship and I never planned on letting the fact that you¡¯re meant to be with somebody else get in the way of that!¡± He teased in an over-dramatic kind of way that instantly put me at ease.


    ¡°Thank you for being so wonderful,¡± I gushed, letting him pull me into a friendly hug.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s in my nature, you know. I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± More sarcasm. And more of a feeling that we truly could go back to friends. ¡°Speaking of Mr. Wonderful,¡± Jericho continued dryly, ¡°how long are you going to let the poor prince suffer?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked in innocence.


    ¡°I mean, with this whole you not realizing you¡¯re madly in love with him thing?¡± Jericho¡¯s straightforwardness embarrassed me and I couldn¡¯t respond right away.


    ¡°Well, I mean, I don¡¯t know¡­.¡± I fumbled, noticing I had no inclination to deny that I was in love with Kiran. ¡°I guess I just wanted to make sure that there were no left over feelings from you before I got involved with him. I can¡¯t go through this all over again in a few months.¡± I smiled, trying to make a joke, but the truth resounded in the night.


    ¡°Have you figured out that there aren¡¯t any leftover feelings yet?¡± Jericho asked and I had the urge to argue with him and assure him there were. But he knew better and by now so did I.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to,¡± I admitted, finally finding his hazel eyes again.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ok, Eden. That¡¯s how we got here, remember?¡± he asked gently. He was an amazing man. I teared up at the realization that I should never have played with his heart or even entertained an idea of a relationship with him. He deserved a love as strong, or stronger, than what Kiran and I shared. He truthfully deserved better than me.


    ¡°Thank you, Jericho,¡± I hugged him again.


    ¡°For what?¡± he asked, surprised by my tearful emotion.


    ¡°For everything,¡± I breathed, knowing that from this moment forward our friendship was firmly planted and the hurt between us erased.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him suffer too much longer,¡± Jericho scolded, walking me back to Kiran. ¡°He¡¯s going to need you these next couple days.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± I sighed.


    I looked at Kiran in the obscure darkness, his light hair was tussled and his jaw set firm in his strategic discussion with Avalon. I had never been more attracted to a man before. An overwhelming part of me wanted to leap into his arms and devour his lips with my own. But the smart, loving part of me, understood that there were words that needed to be spoken between us first. Jericho was right, though; it was time. My grieving period had ended with the final closure tonight and I was impatient to release my heart to the one and only boy I truly loved with everything I had.


    Chapter Thirty-Nine


    I paced nervously across the apartment. I tried to plan this moment down to every second, but so far the only planning that came through was getting Kiran up here by himself. And now I didn¡¯t know what to do, or say. I hoped my instincts would take over and I could just, um, wing it.


    Part of me wondered why I was making such a big deal about this. He knew the gist of my feelings for him, and we were alone often enough that if I just asked him to come to the apartment, he wouldn¡¯t think anything of it. But another part of me screamed to make this night special. I had mistreated him, mistreated my feelings for him. And so now, I hoped to make up some of that with a special evening tonight. I hoped that offering myself completely to him would make amends for the months of separation that made my heart hurt in the memory.


    I hoped.


    But he didn¡¯t have to reciprocate. He might not even feel the same way by now. I¡¯d surely let him suffer long enough and with the impending attack after this weekend, now might not be the best time to start anything significant.


    Still I couldn¡¯t stop the nerves and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from explaining myself to him. Maybe it was selfish, but it felt more selfish to keep all this love bottled up inside me.


    Love.


    Was I really calling it love again?


    I wished I could say that it felt like love and that was the only way to describe it. But truthfully, it felt like so much more than the meager, inefficient English word that was the only way I could describe my feelings for him. It consumed me completely, coated my blood in emotion, exhaled and inhaled with every breath I took, wrapped around every thought and action; the mere word ¡°love¡± couldn¡¯t fully encapsulate the true definition of my feelings for Kiran, but it was a starting point. I had the rest of eternity to figure out a better way to say it.


    I stepped into the bathroom for the hundredth time to check my appearance. I had gone through my entire closest, throwing everything aside before settling on a pale pink slip dress overlaid with a long sleeved lace overlay. The pink reminded me of the gown Kiran sent me before the Fall Equinox dance, and I knew he liked the color on me. Or he had once upon a time.


    My hair was down and wild. It was longer than it ever had been. I would have styled it into something cute if I didn¡¯t know I would need it for a security blanket. I felt myself shrinking into the coward I hated, but there was nothing I could do to stop it.


    I applied another layer of lip gloss, and used magic to turn my toenail paint the same color as the pink part of my dress; it was a trick Seraphina taught me and I couldn¡¯t believe how useful it was. I pulled the black onyx necklace from under my dress and contemplated what would be easier, killing Lucan or admitting my love to Kiran¡­.


    A knock at the door genuinely startled me. One more big breath and I forced my feet to move to the door. I steadied my trembling hands and gathered my confidence before opening the door to let Kiran inside.


    ¡°Hello, Love,¡± Kiran greeted me happily from the other side of the door. I watched his eyes float over me with an expression that made my cheeks burn. He opened his mouth to say something more and then shut it, not willing to open up. He was holding back, still giving me space and time. Well tonight, I was going to change that.


    ¡°Hey¡­.¡± I fought for confidence, feeling encouraged by his appraising look. ¡°Come in.¡±


    I opened the door and he sauntered passed me with a smirk on his face. I bit back a smile, and then leaned against the door to close it. The temptation to lock the door so he couldn¡¯t escape irrationally whispered in my ear.

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    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Kiran turned on his heel in the kitchen. ¡°Talbott said we were watching a movie?¡±


    ¡°Uh, they¡¯ll be back¡­.¡± I lied, afraid to approach the real reason I invited him here.


    Kiran shrugged, he had no reason to doubt me, and turned back to the fridge. He rummaged around inside while my anxiety continued to grow. My breathing shortened and I started sweating¡­. Things were not looking good for me.


    I sent my magic through my blood in order to calm my nerves, but my emotions confused my command and the electricity flew wildly in my veins. I yelped in surprise and then turned my head quickly away from Kiran. I reprimanded myself for getting carried away and internally decided to pull myself together.


    At least I stopped sweating.


    ¡°Eden, are you all right?¡± Kiran laid a hand on my shoulder from behind me and I nearly screamed in surprise. At least he sounded amused¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I assured him, convincing neither of us. ¡°Let¡¯s just¡­. Maybe we should start the movie. I don¡¯t know where they are.¡± I kicked myself for thinking this was a good idea. Why had I sent everyone away?


    Kiran followed me to one of the couches with a Dr. Pepper in hand. I fidgeted needlessly with the TV while he sat down and then once the movie, I randomly picked to play, started, I joined him on the couch.


    We sat a couple feet apart and I couldn¡¯t help but chastise myself for the distance. This plan turned bad quickly; I still had no idea how to approach this whole, ¡°I love you¡± thing¡­.


    The movie played, but I didn¡¯t see any of it. Instead, my gaze moved from Kiran to the TV not seeing anything else in the apartment that wasn¡¯t either of those. My hands started sweating again, and this time there was no amount of magic that could calm my erratic nerves.


    ¡°Eden, please, tell me what has you so upset,¡± Kiran interrupted my inner-freak-out and I turned bravely to face him.


    It was then, when our eyes met and I gave him my full attention that I could finally feel my heart beat slow and my hands steady. It was in his eyes, his turquoise eyes that had captivated me from the moment I first saw him, that I found peace and courage. It was in his eyes that I felt calmed, grounded, and at home. His eyes held me in their hypnotizing stare and moved some part of my soul I knew instinctively would always belong to him. It called to him, longed to be united with his and I couldn¡¯t deny myself any longer.


    I loved Kiran. I knew he loved me back. It was time to tell him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not upset,¡± I reassured him, scooting closer on the couch. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­. There¡¯s something I wanted to talk to you about and I am maybe a little nervous¡­.¡± I smiled shyly, hoping Kiran would encourage me with his natural confidence, but his eyes turned fearful and I watched as he tried to maintain a mask of unconcern.


    ¡°And what would that be?¡± I heard his voice shake just once with nervousness. I enjoyed the turning of the table, and hoped that his anxiety was caused by hope and not fear.


    ¡°Well, we had a conversation before in which you offered me¡­. time; time to get over Jericho and move on and realize my l-, my feelings for you,¡± I started, and then paused for dramatic effect.


    ¡°Yes¡­.?¡± Kiran prompted, leaning closer to me on the couch.


    ¡°Well, I think that the time you gave me has come to an end¡­. I think, no I know clearly now how I feel about Jericho and how I feel about¡­. you,¡± I paused again, sadistically enjoying Kiran squirm.


    ¡°Eden, please,¡± Kiran pleaded desperately, ¡°Do not make torture me any longer.¡±


    A warm rush of new love swept over me at his overwhelming desire to hear how I felt about him. I couldn¡¯t stall any longer; I couldn¡¯t deny his sweet request. ¡°I love you, Kiran. I think I¡¯ve always loved you. You gave me time, but it wasn¡¯t for Jericho, it was for me. I¡¯ve had a rough year¡­. a really rough year, and you and I have gone through the worst experiences. But on the other side of finding ourselves, I found my love for you never ended. I can¡¯t help myself¡­. I don¡¯t want to help myself. I-¡°


    He leapt across the couch, tackling me backwards, his mouth finding mine with sweet surrender. I sighed happily at the gentleness of his touch, at the intensity behind his kisses and the love radiating from him in waves of consuming magic.


    His lips stayed on mine, and pulled me from this world and into a universe where only we existed. Despite my past, this love was right, this love made me whole. The love we shared between us was a blinding light that blocked out the darkness that surrounded us and enveloped me in unbearable passion.


    All of my feelings of uncertainty and panic disappeared and the certainty that was my love for this boy overrode everything else. The future of our kingdom, the destiny of our race all fell into second place after our love for each other.


    Slowly, methodically, he pulled away, fearing never being this close to me again. I looked up at him, breathing heavily and disoriented. I smiled, shyly, afraid of what was clouding his eyes.


    ¡°Eden, I need to know¡­. I mean before we take this any further, I need to know if you forgive me or not. Because as much as I would like to continue this with or without your forgiveness, I can¡¯t in good-¡°


    ¡°Yes, I forgive you,¡± I interrupted him, not willing to hear his reasons for not staying with me. ¡°I know that it took me a long time, maybe even too long, especially after I knew you were sincere¡­. But I have. Kiran, everything I held against you is gone¡­. I can¡¯t¡­. I love you, I know you love me, I just, I¡¯ve moved on, I¡¯ve forgiven you for the farm that night, for all the bitterness I selfishly held against you. I¡¯ve watched you mature into this amazing man, and I want to be a part of your life, a part of everything you do for the rest of eternity. I can¡¯t keep myself from you anymore,¡± I blushed at the end, realizing I had started pouring my heart out again.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kiran whispered humbly, full of emotion. ¡°And you¡¯re right, I do love you Eden. I will follow you into eternity, or until after this weekend when we all die gruesome, painful deaths,¡± he smiled teasingly at me and I slapped his bicep, ¡°But with every breath I have left, I will use it to love you. Because, Eden, I want this¡­. You; I want you more than life, more than anything. There was a time when I didn¡¯t think I was strong enough to face you again, or what is between us. I was too afraid of the heartache, of being shattered again. But now, it doesn¡¯t matter, nothing matters except you. I will take an eternity of hardship, of war or fighting my father, or anything, just to hold your love again. You are everything to me, my sun, my moon, the air I breathe. Nothing exists except you. I love you.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I reached up and kissed him quickly.


    ¡°Good,¡± he repeated, dipping his face back to mine and taking me away into another long, intimate kiss that made me dizzy and desperate to be closer to him.


    We stayed in each other¡¯s arms for hours, unwilling to leave the security of a love finally come back to each other. Tomorrow was the All Saint¡¯s Festival, the Citadel was already filled with Immortals from all over the world. Tomorrow a cloud would descend on this feeling of finality, knowing after the weekend was over, uncertainty lay before us.


    I snuggled closer to Kiran, not wanting anything to ruin this moment. I finally found him again. I finally felt whole. All this time my heart searched for something, my magic constantly trying to connect to his again, and I had been too stubborn, too bitter to allow myself to be happy. But now, in Kiran¡¯s arms, with the wholeness of his love enveloping me, I could finally let both exist in my life and be happy. The pain of my past, the hardness of my life defined part of who I was, but the happiness and wholeness of this love molded me into something better because of it.


    Kiran had been selfish in the past, but so had I. And because of our struggle, we truly understood what it meant to love someone unconditionally and selflessly; we felt what it meant to give up oneself in sweet surrender to someone else in our bones. Yes, this love might be dangerous, star-crossed and anything but safe, but that¡¯s how I knew my feelings were real. I wouldn¡¯t be capable of walking away from Kiran again. He owned my heart now, I gave it to him. And I trusted him with our fated future.


    After a while, he fell asleep next to me, holding me closely to him. His breath, even and deep, drifted over my neck, and his arms wrapped possessively around my body. My heart swelled in the moment, utterly happy and eternally his.


    For a minute I had to reflect on how strange it felt to not only love Kiran, but be able to be his openly and forever. Our past was confusing and difficult, hidden in secrecy or obscured by heartache. Now we could love each other openly, even if our future only lasted the next few days, or forever into eternity. I was his and he was mine.


    Kiran stirred next to me, his face nuzzling against my neck. ¡°I love you, Eden,¡± he whispered with all the emotion he was capable of.


    ¡°I love you too, Kiran,¡± I whispered back, the words falling from my mouth and resounding with truth.


    I loved him. My prince. My soul mate.


    Chapter Forty


    ¡°Eden, you¡¯re stunning,¡± Kiran breathed, pulling me into his arms. He lowered his lips to mine and swept me away in one of his dizzying kisses that sent butterflies attacking my stomach. I fell limp in his arms, helpless against his perfect lips and loving embrace.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make us late,¡± I murmured, when he finally allowed me to breathe again. I smiled at him, knowing neither of us cared.


    ¡°In that case¡­.¡± He laughed, sweeping me off the ground and into the master bedroom where he laid me carefully down on the king-sized bed. His mouth found mine and I felt my hair come undone, and my makeup smudge, but I did not have the willpower to stop him.


    His kisses were intense and filled with longing and I reciprocated from my own desire for him. He moved over the top of me, his hands pulling me closer to him by the waist. My own hands tugged at his white dress shirt, pulling it loose from his pants, and sliding underneath. His skin was hot and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from exploring the contours of his muscular back and abs.


    He sighed, rolling over so that now I was on top of him. I unbuttoned his shirt so that the clinging silk of my dress pressed against the heat of his body. His kiss captivated me, held me in a desire I didn¡¯t know could exist. His fingers found the edge of my hem, toying with it playfully and then ever so carefully lifting it over my knees, to my thighs¡­.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Talbott coughed from the doorway. ¡°Excuse me, sir. Your father is waiting for you.¡±


    And just like that our passion fizzled, and we remembered the rest of the world and our responsibility. I rolled off Kiran, struggling to catch my breath and slow my heaving chest. Kiran leaned up on one elbow and stared down an embarrassed Talbott from the bed.


    ¡°Talbott, I understand that you protect me, but who is going to protect you?¡± Kiran growled in good nature, clearly as upset as I was to have the moment end.


    ¡°You¡¯ll thank me later,¡± Talbott mumbled, leaving the door way. And then he added quietly in a mumble, ¡°You two should be ashamed of yourselves.¡±

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    Kiran laughed louder at Talbott, turning his turquoise eyes down to me. ¡°Just because we¡¯re equals in the Rebellion, he thinks he can disrespect me now!¡±


    I laughed with him, filling with pride at Kiran¡¯s change of perspective in equality since the first time I met him. He had changed; he had become the most amazing, wonderful man. I would have loved him anyway, but now nothing could stop me from him.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s right though,¡± I relented, struggling to sit up in my black silk dress.


    ¡°I know he is,¡± Kiran grumbled, scooting over to pull me into his arms. ¡°But I would much rather stay here with you.¡± He made a trail of kisses from my collar bone to my ear and I shivered under his gentle touch.


    ¡°You are a bad influence on me!¡± I teased, turning my face so that he could make his way along my jaw line to my mouth. ¡°And here I thought you were a reformed sinner¡­.¡± I whispered between kisses.


    ¡°In some things, maybe. But when it comes to you¡­.¡± He pushed me down on the bed and kneeled over me, like a lion getting ready to pounce. His shirt, still unbuttoned, hung precariously open to reveal his tanned, well-built chest. I couldn¡¯t stop my heart from beating rapidly at the sight of him, my pulse thrumming loudly in my ears.


    ¡°Kiran!¡± Talbott hollered from the other room.


    Kiran rolled his eyes, looked over at the bedroom door and slammed it with his magic. His eyes fell back on me, mischievous and passionate. I knew I had to intervene or I would never leave this bedroom.


    I rolled quickly to the side, and jumped from the bed before he could make me forget why leaving the bedroom was so important anyway. I scurried to the bathroom and shut the door so he would be hindered from following me. I could hear him laughing at me from the bed, and cursing Talbott good-naturedly.


    I smiled into the mirror, finally recognizing happiness on my face. It had been a long time since I felt so at peace, so joyful. But the girl staring back at me seemed familiar, for the first time in a long time. I recognized her, without a year of hardship aging her eyes, and frown lines depressing her expression. I recognized this seventeen-year-old, and was happy to see her again.


    I tidied my side ponytail, making sure it covered my glowing tattoo strategically. And then I straightened my evening gown of the make-out induced wrinkles. My dress was more youthful than I was used to and I loved it. The low cut neckline pleated into a vee, which ended at a wide pleated sash around my waist. The sash tied in a bow on my side and accentuated my figure I had come to appreciate over the last year. The back of the gown, dipped down identically and the dress flared into a bubble skirt and ended somewhere a little below mid-thigh.


    I touched up my makeup and then fingered the onyx necklace that lay around my neck. I took a breath. I had Kiran now; I promised myself there wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. But tonight, the entire kingdom would be together for the evening feast and I had a foreboding feeling I couldn¡¯t shake off.


    Last year¡¯s festivities started with Lilly¡¯s trial and me barging into the courtroom demanding that they set her free. I couldn¡¯t believe only a year passed between my first run in with Lucan and now. So much had happened between now and then, that tonight¡¯s celebration felt eerily like a conclusion.


    I shook my head, dismissing my absurd fears and tried to breathe easier. Tonight would be another routine performance of Lucan¡¯s crowning jewel, only tonight there would be nothing pretend between Kiran and I. I left the bathroom and walked straight to Kiran, needing his comforting strength.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kiran asked, feeling my nerves.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    Kiran pulled me into a tighter hug. His magic wrapped around me, comforting my raw nerves. ¡°About tonight?¡± Kiran asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I sighed.


    A knock at the door received all of our attention and Talbott opened it for Jedrec.


    ¡°His majesty is waiting, Your Highness,¡± Jedrec addressed Kiran with a bow.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kiran nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Are you ready, Love?¡± He held out his elbow to me and I took it, fighting the nerves that wanted so desperately to take over.


    We walked down the tower stairs and toward the courtyard where long tables decorated with rich, red table cloths and fall flower arrangements of sunflowers and marigolds sitting under the setting sun. Last fall, the autumn air had been bitterly cold, and the wind had whipped with promises of winter, but this year an Indian summer still warmed the night and orange, and golden trees that blanketed the mountainside moved with a gentle breeze.


    Eden, something¡¯s wrong. Avalon¡¯s voice echoed in my head. I tensed next to Kiran, feeling the wave of panic from Avalon flood my veins.


    What do you mean? I demanded, plastering a smile on my face for the Immortals that had turned to watch our entrance.


    Nobody¡¯s here. I just got back, and I was supposed to meet Jericho and Gabriel, but nobody is here. The safe-house is empty. Avalon¡¯s panic immediately turned to adrenaline as he started going through all of the possibilities.


    Could they already be here? Weren¡¯t you going to run surveillance? I asked, trying to stay calm as we made our way across the crowded square. Kiran looked down at me, his expression tinged with worry.


    Yes, we were. But those two were supposed to wait for me. And now that I think about it, I


    haven¡¯t heard from anyone in two days. I thought maybe it was because I was on assignment back in Omaha, and they were deferring to Jericho. But something seems off¡­. Avalon¡¯s brain ticked away with scenario after scenario, all leading to terrifying conclusions.


    Avalon what do you think happened? I demanded, tired of being a part of his internal deathly-situation check-off list.


    I don¡¯t know. He admitted, gruffly. But I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can. I¡¯m with you Eden, if anything happens, I¡¯ll be there soon. He assured me, and despite his worry, I felt proud of his confidence in me.


    Ok, hurry! I pleaded, feeling his heightened sense of urgency.


    Kiran escorted me to the head table, where Lucan sat with Analisa at his side. Bianca and Jean Pierre also were there, with Amelia, Sebastian and Seraphina. The square was packed with Immortals, thousands of them. This was almost the entire Immortal community. Everyone except the Resistance.


    I shuddered, involuntarily though, the feeling that the Resistance was here nagged at the back of my neck. Kiran¡¯s arm stiffened next to me, and I could feel his reluctance to let go when he pulled the chair out so I could sit down. Sebastian and Seraphina gave me worried glances from across the table, and I knew I had to pull it together. They were my friends and could tell when something bothered me, but the entire Immortal community had their eyes on me right now. It was time to produce the acting skills I had become so adept with.


    The feast began with a toast from Lucan who seemed in an exceptionally good mood. His light-heartedness and brightened eyes only encouraged my feelings of anxiety and foreshadowing.


    Food was brought out on silver platters and the guests were served by lesser Immortals, bound to work in the castle. For the first time, I wondered who was forced to be the servants inside this castle. Lilly had been chosen to be mine, and that seemed to fit with Lucan¡¯s logic of where Shape-shifters belonged. The unfairness of this kingdom seemed to build minute by minute and my fears and uncertainties were instantly replaced with renewed dedication for what I was fighting for.


    I barely touched my food though, as Avalon¡¯s thoughts whirled around inside my head. He rode recklessly over the winding mountain highway on a motorcycle that could barely keep up with the pace he demanded. Something was terribly wrong, something that Avalon was determined to fix.


    After dessert, Lucan stood up, smiling graciously on his subjects. The sun had dipped further into the sky, cresting over the mountain peaks and painting the horizon with vibrant pinks, oranges and purples. I reached for Kiran¡¯s hand under the table, he squeezed my hand reassuringly, but I felt how my anxiety had spread to him and across the table to Sebastian and Seraphina.


    A platform had been set up behind the dining area, where musicians serenaded us during the feast. Now, as Lucan walked over to the stage, I realized the entire thing had been cleared and was now surrounded with Titans. A fresh wave of fear washed over me and small beads of sweat appeared at my hair line.


    Lucan stood in front of his kingdom, his face reflecting benevolence and serenity. He looked out into the crowd and met several pairs of eyes, nodding to them as though he were more than happy to see them. When he opened his mouth to speak, for a moment I thought everything would be fine. He seemed in such great spirits that I hoped he had caught the energy of the festival and maybe come back to sanity, but then Analisa turned to Kiran from across the table stricken with panic and I knew my fears were justified.


    Something awful was about to happen.


    ¡°Dear citizens,¡± Lucan began, magic aiding in his voice so that it reached across the square. Titans had lined the outside of the plaza, along every building and exit. ¡°How wonderful it is to come together and celebrate those that are lost to us. We do not mourn our fallen brethren but rejoice in full lives, and an existence beyond what mere mortals could ever dream of.¡±


    Lucan paused for dramatic effect and clapping broke out across the plaza. Lucan smiled through the reverence and waited for silence before speaking.


    ¡°One brother in particular, recently left this earth and when he did, he left a hole in our community that will never be filled. Amory Saint, the first Oracle, a pillar of our kingdom, an Immortal that seemed to possess true immortality and a thorn in my side,¡± Lucan¡¯s voice turned sinister and he growled the last sentence. For a moment, I thought he was giving a beautiful, albeit fake, tribute to my grandfather. I found myself just as surprised as everyone else in the plaza to hear the truth of Lucan¡¯s feelings. ¡°Amory, your beloved ancestor. It sickens me to watch you mourn over his death. You people are na?ve to think he was on your side. He wasn¡¯t. He was a traitor, a force trying to take peace away from you since the establishment of the monarchy. And you trusted him! But enough about that old fool, for now he is dead. I took his life, I took his magic and now our kingdom is secure once again. Well, almost secure¡­.¡± He paused and looked down at Kiran and me. ¡°My bloodline, the blood of your kings, has been cursed over the years. Our immortality has slipped from our grasp and we struggle against the shackles of death,¡± Lucan paused for dramatic effect and then with a confidence that sent warning bells screaming in my head, he continued, ¡°Not anymore. I have found my immortality, the keys to eternal life. And in a few short months, my son will join me. He is engaged to Amory¡¯s granddaughter, Eden.¡± A gasp went up from the crowd, but it felt forced as if people were pretending this was shocking information and not common knowledge. ¡°Yes, I know it may come as a surprise to you,¡± Lucan waved his hand indulging them, ¡°but Eden is the daughter of Delia and Justice, the traitors that still manage to elude us even to this day. Some of you might consider Eden a traitor, just by her family ties, but let us not be so cruel. She cannot help who her parents are, any more than she could help who her grandfather was. My son, your Crown Prince, is betrothed to her and their wedding will take place on May first. Today, I want to celebrate them, celebrate their love for each other. Because of her parent¡¯s treachery, she was blessed with the gift of immortality as well. Some have even said, she possesses a new kind of magic all together. She is the future, and with her union to my son, our bloodline will be secure for the rest of eternity.¡±

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    Lucan¡¯s smile widened, and the evil, sadistic look returned in his eyes. A sickening feeling settled in my stomach and I clenched Kiran¡¯s hand afraid of where Lucan was taking this speech. The rest of the kingdom seemed stunned by his boldness and honesty.


    ¡°So, my beloved kingdom,¡± Lucan snarled, continuing his monologue, ¡°you can come back to me. For I will not leave you, not like your precious Amory Saint, not like the wicked rebellion I watch you turn to. I am your leader. I am your king. I am your future. And I will carry us into eternity.¡± He waited for applause, but not a sound was made in the entire square. ¡°Eden, Kiran, please join me up here,¡± Lucan demanded when he didn¡¯t receive the reverence he hoped for.


    I sat still for a moment longer, unable to find the courage to move my feet. Kiran urged me gently, with a tug on my hand and supported me discretely as he moved us to join his father on the platform.


    As we stood on stage, next to Lucan, I couldn¡¯t remember how to take a full breath, how to focus my vision and panic started to pulsate violently through my blood with my magic that was now on full alarm. Kiran encouraged me to be brave by pulling me next to him and kissing me on the cheek. I barely felt his lips through my fear.


    ¡°Consider this an early wedding present, my dear Eden,¡± Lucan gestured to one of his Guards, and they moved to fulfill some unspoken order. ¡°I know how fickle your heart can be, and I want nothing more than your honest devotion. You belong to my son now, but more importantly to me. And I want you to never forget that,¡± Lucan¡¯s hatred for me radiated from his body in pulses of threatening magic. I felt the suffocating effects of his danger as the other Titans fell into place beside a line of Immortals exiting the prisons.


    I watched helplessly as the people I loved most in life, the people I trusted most with the future of this kingdom marched solemnly to stand with me on stage. Jericho was first in line and my heart failed to beat while he moved slowly up the stairs, bound with magical handcuffs and poked and prodded by a Titan following Lucan¡¯s orders. The line continued to move on the platform and my gaze continued down the line, my heart breaking further with each recognizable face, Titus, Gabriel, Silas, Xavier, Xander, Ebanks, Roxie, Fiona, Ryder, the India team, the Morocco team, Rosalind and Allister. And the most shocking, unexpected of all, Talbott and Lilly. Somehow, Lucan had found out about their romance and assumed correctly the worst of Talbott. The line moved along with new faces, Solomon and Zaphira Camera, Deven Joel and Jonathon and Kate Summer. And with the crashing hopelessness that weighed on my shoulders and ripped my heart in two, utter sorrow consumed me.


    ¡°Did you not think I knew? Did you not think I wouldn¡¯t find them?¡± Lucan scoffed at me, truly entertained by my distress. ¡°How dare you believe you could out smart me, little girl. You are my prisoner, my subject and I will rule this kingdom however I want. I am the king!¡± His voice rose to a shout.


    Avalon watched in tormented pain, inside my head, still miles from the city. He picked up his pace and I held on to the only hope I had that he would know what to do once he got here. This was too much to lose, too many people to watch suffer at the hands of evil.


    A tear slipped from eye, as I stood helpless beside Kiran. ¡°They have done nothing wrong, except fight for the freedom you have stolen from them, from all of us!¡± I shouted back, unable to stay silent when my friends stood at his mercy.


    ¡°I give you freedom, the freedom to live your life as you please,¡± Lucan challenged, tilting his chin with pride and sincerity. ¡°I ask nothing of you, except for your loyalty. I am the king, it is the least of what I deserve,¡± Lucan turned to address the kingdom, his argument ringing through the air.


    ¡°Then why is it only your bloodline that is allowed immortality?¡± I argued, taking a step forward. ¡°Why do the rest of our people suffer from the separation of races? Why are the Shape-shifters exiled by penalty of death? What have they done? What is their crime? Are you afraid to share true immortality? Are you so scared of a people that realize they don¡¯t need a king?¡± I turned to face the crowd too, hoping to empower them with my words.


    ¡°Silence!¡± Lucan yelled, sending me back several steps with a wave of angry magic. I clung to Kiran, taking a moment to gather myself. ¡°You know how full my prisons are, Eden. You know what¡¯s at stake if you open your mouth again. This gift I offer you is one to remember your place in my world. You may take this experience with you so that in all of your infinite days ahead, you will remember to never cross me again. This blood oath belongs to my lineage, and I will be damned before I let you take what is mine,¡± he growled his words, and for a moment, at the mention of the blood oath his eyes flooded with panic before settling back into the narrowed slits of hateful determination. ¡°These people die at your hands, and at the hands of your murdered grandfather. Now my people will know who their true king is, and what happens to those that question this truth. Eden, you will know the lengths in which I will go to ensure that you are faithful to my son, and my crown.¡±


    I opened my mouth to say something, but Kiran squeezed my hand to stop me. My thoughts flickered to the hundreds of innocent people filling the prisons. All of the men and women on stage had given their life a long time ago, had believed in the sacrifice that would come with joining this righteous cause. They were prepared to die. I couldn¡¯t let my unwillingness to bend at Lucan¡¯s hand, cause the death of true victims.


    Lucan¡¯s scheming became a clear picture in front of me now. He had filled the prisons, knowing this day would come, knowing he would always be able to manipulate my obedience with the threat of a few innocent lives. But now, as my conscience encouraged my silence, I would have to watch my dearest friends and closest confidants as they are murdered in front of my eyes.


    I looked across the group of faces and more tears fell from my eyes. These were not helpless victims. These were brave soldiers, fighting for justice in a world where none existed. They looked out into the crowd, confident of their cause and ready to die. No one faltered; no one doubted their place on this stage. I swelled with pride, with justification that even if these loved ones would die today, it would not be in vain, it would not be for a worthless cause and it would be out of true self-sacrifice and love.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t help but drown in sorrow that so many would die today. There were more numbers, more in the rebellion en route for our planned attack on Monday. But these were the warriors that fought the longest, that believed in this cause long before it had mobilized into the strength and force we were today.


    ¡°Guards,¡± Lucan gestured and as many Guards as there were prisoners joined us on stage, and drew out their swords. The crowd gasped in unison, most lowering their eyes against the gruesome event about to take place. Lucan quieted them and demanded their attention again, ¡°Let us not mourn the deaths of these hideous traitors! This is the day we celebrate the crushing of a rebellion trying to take away everything you hold dear! These men and women are trying to ruin your lives, and take away everything we have worked so hard for! These filthy Immortals die, so that balance can be restored again, so that you can remember your king with gratitude!¡± He turned toward his Guards and just as he was about to signal for the plunge of the sword, a mumbling that started in the very back of the crowd grew to a deafening volume.


    My attention turned back to the crowd, and as a path split down the middle of the square, two figures emerged.


    Delia and Justice walked toward the stage, holding hands, both dressed in their traveler¡¯s clothes and looking tired but at peace. My heart sank at the realization of why they were here. A crushing sorrow weighed down on my shoulders, resonating the truth that what was about to happen could not be stopped by me.


    Silas¡¯s prophecy infiltrated my thoughts, and I remembered his warning that Lucan would get to my parents before this war ended. My mouth dried out, and my heart stopped beating, at the fulfillment of his heart-wrenching premonition. What was worse than watching my parents walk to their death though, was the question Silas posed to be months ago. It was now time for me to decide who I fought for, my family, or my people.


    In the back of my mind, I felt Avalon¡¯s simultaneous realization, and his frustration that he was close, but not close enough to help. Lucan turned around at the noise, without giving the kill order and when his eyes fell on Delia, they turned into a vengeful insanity that reminded me of a demon.


    ¡°Ah, my sweet Delia, you have come back to me at last,¡± Lucan whispered in a tortured, raspy voice that was fringed with hysteria.


    Chapter Forty-One


    ¡°Hello, Lucan,¡± Delia replied calmly. Justice stood next to her, her pillar of strength, her protector from evil like Lucan. But they were on this journey together. They chose this moment to save others and my resolve weakened watching it all unfold before me as I stood stupidly and helplessly by. ¡°I have come back to you, but on one condition. Let these others go. We have returned willingly, and offer ourselves to your mercy in their place. But only if you let them go first, dearest.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there is always a catch with you, isn¡¯t there?¡± Lucan eyed my mother with hungry interest, his body tensed in her direction and I wondered if I was the only one who noticed the tight restraint with which Lucan reined in his desire. ¡°Let them go,¡± he didn¡¯t take his eyes off my mother, but the command was clearly directed at his Guards.


    The Guards didn¡¯t hesitate, but methodically uncuffed the prisoners who filed off the stage. Everyone moved in a dazed, confused way. All eyes stayed either on Delia or Lucan, and no one in the entire crowd seemed to be able to accept the reality of the situation.


    The longing to save my parents grew like wildfire under my skin and I took a tentative step forward to intervene. Lucan looked down at Delia like a wolf, licking his hungry chops, but she stared back with unwavering resolve. Kiran gripped my arm in warning, and even in my head I could hear Avalon¡¯s advice to stay put as he entered the now unguarded front gate. He walked with stealthy caution toward the crowded, stunned plaza.


    I felt connected to Lucan for a moment as we both fought against every instinct to run to my parents. Only, my heart beat to save them and Lucan stayed his hand from destroying them.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Lucan¡¯s cruel growl demanded. ¡°They are gone, come take their place!¡±


    My parents moved in unison, their love and devotion so palpable in their desire for each other, I knew they were driving Lucan mad. I felt his magic press against me, a warning to stand aside. His magic grew in a tightening stronghold that kept the idea of stepping into save them far from coming to fruition. But it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. When I watched them courageously walk toward the stage, their fates already sealed in their eyes, I knew my only choice was to save my people. I could not protect my family, but I could offer my people the future they would not get.


    They made their way to the stage, never wavering once. Their steps were strong and confident. Somewhere in the stillness, a Guard handed his sword over to Lucan and he swung it around in his hand idly.

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    I closed my eyes, sickness washing over me, and I willed myself to be brave, to dig deep and find the courage to face this. Suddenly, my knees buckled, unwilling to stand in the face of the coming tragedy. Kiran reached through Lucan¡¯s force field and held on to me, stabilizing me and offering the comfort we both knew wouldn¡¯t suffice.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, old friend,¡± Justice greeted Lucan. Lucan¡¯s face contorted into pure hatred, and he turned on Justice, murder lust marking his angry eyes.


    Lucan raised the sword over his head, and swiftly, effortlessly sliced it through the air into my father¡¯s chest. A tortured scream left my mouth, but I didn¡¯t recognize it as my own for moments after. My father crumpled forward, his forest green magic pouring into the air around him as his life¡¯s blood along with his soul, floated upward from his chest.


    Delia bent down to him, cupping his face in her hands. Tears fell from her black eyes in streams of love. She caressed his face gently, soothingly, sending him in undying love to the afterworld.


    ¡°I will be with you soon, my love,¡± she whispered through choking sobs.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Justice gasped through a throat full of curdled blood.


    ¡°And I love you,¡± Delia promised back, leaning forward to kiss him on the lips.


    Lucan kicked at Justice¡¯s now lifeless body before she could reach him and then reached down to yank Delia up by the wrist. Her long, black hair whipped around her face from the violent motion. When her hair settled, and her eyes met Lucan¡¯s, they were no longer tear-stained, no longer full of grief; she was determined, even hopeful.


    ¡°And is there no love left for me?¡± he sneered.


    ¡°You lost my love, Luca, a long time ago,¡± Delia answered, tilting her chin in defiance. I held back a smile at the similarities between us that I was very proud to possess.


    ¡°Ah yes, I haven¡¯t forgotten,¡± Lucan¡¯s eyes turned soft for a moment, as the love that he felt for my mother became pure again. But as quickly as it came, it disappeared and a lifetime of longing and devotion turned to malice and hate. ¡°I lost your love, so you betrayed me. You chose a secondary love, a lesser love and ran.¡±


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Delia whispered with all the conviction she possessed. ¡°Not a lesser love, but a greater love. A love that until now has made this life I live worth it.¡±


    ¡°And why now? Why was it now you decided to intervene?¡± Lucan demanded. He seemed to forget the rest of the kingdom around him. Delia was the only thing in his line of sight, and he seemed wholly consumed with her.


    Out of the corner of my eye I saw Avalon take his place on the base of a fountain. He stood above the rest of the crowd and watched Lucan with intensity. I could feel it then, as our bloods pumped in unison. We would not be waiting until Monday to attack; we would not spare another moment to even wait for the rest of our numbers. Our mother and father had decided on their sacrifice and there was nothing we could do to stop this from happening, but when Lucan found his revenge, immediately after, we would find ours.


    ¡°For many reasons, Dear,¡± Delia said in a soothing voice. ¡°We are tired of running, tired of traveling. It is time for us to be together in a world where your kind of evil does not exist.¡± Lucan growled at her, but she continued, ¡°And I could not let my daughter or my son feel responsible for the lives you planned to take today. They are good and strong, and they will rule this kingdom after they destroy you. They will restore our immortality; they will bring peace and life again. You may take my life today, I will grant you this, but soon, very soon they will take yours and my sacrifice will be for the greater good of my people.¡± Delia turned to face the crowd, beseeching them to see reason, ¡°Immortals, look; my children are your future,¡± She raised her hand toward Avalon and the crowd turned to face him. ¡°Eden¡¯s twin brother will help her usher in a new life, and restore your life. Lucan is not the rightful king of this realm, it was my bloodline elected so many millennia ago. And now we suffer in vain because we keep a false leader on the throne where my son and daughter belong! Do not hesitate to believe me, because when my life has been taken from me, they will be the ones to lead you into peace. They will be the ones to end the tyranny and death!¡± And as she finished speaking, her words turned into a scream as Lucan plunged the sword into her heart.


    Transfixed on my mother, I had forgotten about Lucan and his desire for vengeance. But now, as he helped her fall to the ground, and a single tear slipped from his cold blue eyes, I realized she had been allowed to speak while he gathered the will to end her. There was love in his veins still, but a twisted love that turned him evil and insane. Her magic floated from her in a pure, perfect white, until there was no life left to bleed.


    The blue magic left my body, anxious to get to her, but Lucan¡¯s force field of magic stayed in place until every ounce of life drained from my mother. The smoke pounded against the king¡¯s magic, desperate and violent, but he hardly noticed my attempts. I was too weak to save my mother, to reverse her sacrifice and change my parent¡¯s fate. And then when she became a lifeless body in his arms, the energy field dropped. It was too late now though. There was nothing I could do.


    I turned into Kiran, released from Lucan¡¯s hold while the evil king held my mother¡¯s dead body close to him. I shivered uncontrollably in his arms, letting his love for me hold me together. If I needed any more proof that Kiran was not his father, I remembered how willingly Kiran let me go to Jericho, with only the faint hope that I would come back to him. Lucan¡¯s loss had turned him into a monster, and my mother¡¯s life taken in an act of deranged love.


    ¡°Citizens,¡± Kiran¡¯s self-assured voice called above the horror-stricken silence that settled over the crowd. ¡°You have seen the monster my father is, you have witnessed firsthand his psychotic behavior. You know now, without a doubt who truly belongs as the ruler of our people. Will you still cower under his oppressive thumb? Still bend at his every tyrannical whim? Or will you stand with us and fight for a new way of life? Will you fight for your freedom?¡±


    The crowd stayed silent, confused by Kiran¡¯s words. And then Avalon stood up taller, commanding the crowd to look at him without uttering a word. When he finally chose to speak, Lucan had stood up again, casting his dark shadow across my parent¡¯s dead bodies. The sun was at its lowest point over the mountain tops before night would settle on the Citadel. Lucan did not look at Avalon at first; he moved his eyes to his son with a murderous expression that sent chills through my body. He managed to murder my grandfather, my father and my mother. I would not let him touch the man that I planned to share eternity with.


    ¡°Stand with us, Immortals. Help us take what is rightfully ours!¡± Avalon¡¯s voice called in fateful command. He looked across the square, not at me, but at Kiran and the boys shared a nod that sent confirmation through the crowd that they stood together.


    ¡°Guards, bring me that boy,¡± Lucan shouted. A wave of magic rolled out from him, violently crossing the crowd and destroying the fountain while Avalon jumped out of the way.


    Suddenly everything set into motion. The Guards swarmed the plaza from every direction, in search of my brother who seemed to disappear. At the same time, the captured Resistance returned from the shadows and engaged the pursuing Guard into battle, along with Seraphina, Sebastian, Amelia, the Cartiers and to my surprise Analisa. I gasped when Jedrec and his team turned against the other Titans they stood with, their job of protecting me not yet finished.


    Immortals seemed to either scatter from the fight or turn and help fight off the Guards. Lucan crossed the stage in pursuit of Kiran who pulled me from the platform, into the chaos of the crowd.


    ¡°We need to find your brother, so we can fight my father together,¡± Kiran shouted above the deafening noise of battle.


    I nodded, but knew what I had to do. We couldn¡¯t fight all of these Guards and win, our numbers were too small. And the three of us certainly stood no chance against Lucan. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Talbott and Lilly, fighting Titans and struggling to survive.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± I yelled, pulling Kiran in the direction of his bodyguard.


    ¡°No!¡± Kiran yelled back, afraid of what I was planning.


    ¡°Kiran, do you trust me?¡± I stopped him before we reached Talbott and turned to face him. Our eyes met and I held his gaze with the promise of a love that would continue after this night.


    ¡°Yes,¡± He relented in a tormented voice. I leaned up to kiss him on the lips and even in the middle of civil war, the world stopped spinning when we touched.


    ¡°Then stay with Lilly, keep her safe. I¡¯ll meet you back here, just¡­. Promise to wait for me!¡± I demanded, making it clear that I wanted him to survive until I came back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± he vowed, refusing to let go of my hand.


    ¡°And find my brother!¡± I shouted, wiggling from his grasp and grabbing Talbott on my way toward the castle.


    ¡°I need your help!¡± I explained quickly, ¡°Kiran will protect her.¡±


    Talbott looked back at my best friend with the longing and desperation that resonated in my own blood. I knew that leaving her was as difficult for him as it was for me to leave Kiran, but if I didn¡¯t do what needed to be done, none of it would matter anyway.


    With one more shared gaze, he tore his eyes from Lilly and forced himself to face our destination. We ran with purpose toward the outside entrance of the prisons and he looked down at me with a fear I had never seen from Talbott before.


    ¡°I have to try,¡± I explained vaguely, realizing he recognized my mission.


    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± Talbott demanded.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re all dead anyway,¡± I shrugged.


    That seemed to be an adequate answer for him, so he ripped the dungeon door from the hinges with incredible strength, and then chivalrously let me go through first.


    We ran down a dark stairwell that led into the bowels of the castle. Our feet flew quickly from step to step, sometimes jumping down entire sections at a time. The oppressive magic of the dungeons weighed heavier the deeper we went, and even though Talbott¡¯s magic would still work, I could feel the pressure of the mysterious power still affecting him.


    The deeper we ran, the more oppressive the magic became, but my own electricity still seemed to be in my control. I was pleased with this, knowing I would need everything I possessed to face the task ahead of me.


    At the base of the stairs, one more door stood in our way and Talbott opened this one just as roughly. We slowed our pace as we entered the prisons, not sure what to expect. If there were Titans left down here, hopefully they wouldn¡¯t be warned about the mayhem happening in the plaza above, but our presence would still cause some eyebrows to rise.


    Once I stepped fully into the prisons, I was immediately hit with flashbacks of India. The magic that usually restrained an Immortals magic turned on me realizing it couldn¡¯t restrict mine. It attacked me violently, even this far from the cave where I knew the source lived. I clutched at my throat, the magic choking me, gripping at my throat in an effort to extinguish my different magic.

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    I stumbled, unable to fight against the unseen power. I reached out for Talbott¡¯s arm and he turned to catch me just before the magic pitched me forward and my face hit the hard ground.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Talbott demanded, his eyes flashing with panic.


    ¡°You have to help me,¡± I gasped, trying to find the breath that was locked in my lungs. ¡°The magic¡­. It doesn¡¯t recognize¡­. me¡­.¡±


    Talbott understood immediately, or at the very least understood that we weren¡¯t going to get anywhere like this. He reached down, swept me up in to his arms and then took off running again. Sweat trickled from his temple and his footsteps struggled not to stutter over the rough terrain.


    I heard the moans and cries for help from the hundreds of prisoners all around us, and the deeper we went into the cavernous darkness, the more hopeless this environment felt. I sent my magic like a force field around me, but the underground power source seeped in, crushing my body in an effort to protect itself.


    In India, that magic actually had nothing to worry about. If it would have left me alone, I would have gladly left it alone. This magic however, needed to be worried, I had plans to take this magic and the fight we had begun did not surprise me.


    After several more minutes of Talbott sprinting through the prisons, we reached the edge of cells and Talbott slowed. I could feel his magic waning after what seemed like an invisible dividing line. He struggled to hold onto me as he made his way carefully further into the earth.


    On this side of the prison cells there was no flat ground, no manmade staircase to make our journey easy. Talbott hiked over rocks and boulders deeper into the earth, closer to the cave that held this magic.


    Talbott continued to struggle, and my own fight worsened. I released more of my magic into the air, but at this point the fighting energy was still an unseen force. It could attack me, but until I reached the source, I wouldn¡¯t be able to effectively fight back.


    Talbott stumbled on some rocks sticking up from the ground and dropped me roughly as he fell down next to me. I stood up, painfully brushing off the dirt, and reminding myself that I could do this without the oxygen that seemed to be entirely stripped from me.


    I reached down to help Talbott up, but he did not move. Panic pricked at my neck as I realized he lay unconscious. I shook him, trying to get him up, but he did not stir.


    I abandoned my plan and dragged him, over the rocky ground, and back toward a safer place. I shook him again, willing him to wake up. A tear slipped from my eye, realizing the urgency in my mission and the worry for my friend.


    I sent the blue smoke against him, hoping it would work, even in this desolate place. Water dripped somewhere in the distance and I felt myself counting the drops as the blue smoke worked to heal Talbott.


    After what seemed like minutes, he finally took a big breath, sitting up, gasping for air. Normally, I would have breathed a huge sigh of relief, but I still fought my own battle against the magic I had yet to properly meet.


    ¡°Eden, I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Talbott began, shaking his head. He seemed so disappointed, my natural instinct was to rub his back and comfort him.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ok¡­.¡± I wheezed. ¡°I can¡­. go on¡­. from here¡­. You¡­. go¡­. unlock the prisoners,¡± I bent over, fighting the exhaustion from the effort. My head swam in dizziness and my lungs burned from the oxygen that refused to flow to them. ¡°If I¡¯m not¡­. back¡­. thirty minutes¡­. protect¡­. Kiran¡­.¡±


    He looked at me with heartbroken eyes, but we both knew what needed to be done. He nodded once, stood up and clasped my shoulder under his mammoth hand.


    ¡°Eden, we are counting on you,¡± he offered and I was thankful for his reminder that I was needed. He could have simply encouraged me, but the truth of his words would be what spurred me on and nothing else.


    He took off, shakily at first and then stronger the farther away from the power source he got. I turned around, alone now. I shook my head and demanded courage. A year ago, I had set off on a journey that changed my entire life. A year ago, I traveled to Romania alone and took on the monarchy. Today, I was in the same place. Alone. Determined. With friends and loved ones to save.


    I took one step forward, and then another. This magic was not my enemy, but I would fight it until it became mine, until it became the weapon I could use to destroy my true enemy.


    If this magic¡¯s sole purpose was to weaken the magic of others, then it was the only hope I had to hinder Lucan enough to kill him. I had no choice but to face this demon, this evil presence and make it mine.


    I would worry about the consequences later.


    Chapter Forty-Two


    The power source stood in front of me, disguised behind a natural wall that blended seamlessly with the rest of the caves. I could feel the magic pumping and vibrating behind the stone, fighting off my very presence.


    I stood, just barely, weakened by the already forceful magic and its strong hold against me. But still, on this side of the wall there was nothing to fight, there was nothing to see. I had to break through the stone and face the magic before I could possess it. It felt like every ounce of strength had been used just to get here, I had no idea how I would find the will to break through this wall, let alone fight the magic that would rather see me dead.


    And then my thoughts drifted back to the fight happening above my head, those that I loved that died today or before today, to my best friend, to all the friends I made along the way, to my brother, to Kiran, to this life I now claimed as my own and I found my willpower. I found the drive to push forward and fight back for them. Even if this day ended in sacrifice, I would not let myself stop trying, I would not quit until my last breath was breathed and my eyes opened into an eternity that existed beyond this world.


    I built my reluctant, tired magic, built it fiercely in my blood until it boiled and sizzled under my skin. With a scream that echoed through the cavern I threw every ounce of power I had against the stone wall. It bounced back, rocks tumbling from the ceiling and the ground trembling beneath my feet.


    For a moment I felt defeated, I used everything in me and nothing happened, but my eyes focused on a crack not longer than my fingernail and I promised myself it had not been there before. That tiny crack was encouragement enough for me.


    I shook off the fatigue and ignored the burning in my chest from lack of oxygen and built the magic again. I let it fizz and bubble in my blood until I was absolutely sure it was strong enough to make at least an identical crack. This time when I released my magic, I was confident more absorbed into the wall then bounced back into my face. Still the ceiling rained down rocks and the ground tremored in my efforts.


    I brushed away the debris, and turned back to the wall. Spider-leg-like cracks spread from my original one outward in every direction. Success rippled through me and I forced myself to send my magic against the wall again and again.


    I fought the fatigue that threatened my consciousness and refused to think about the struggle that still lay before me. Right now, the only thing that existed in my life was this wall and until I conquered it, nothing else could matter.


    Eventually large chunks started to fall off with each pulse. First, quarter sized ones bounced off the floor and into my shins, but soon they grew to baseball size and then basketball size and when I sent my final burst of energy through a weakened hole it opened the space from my side of the wall to the other.


    I pushed through the hole, making it big enough for my body and not allowing myself to contemplate what waited for me on the other side. When finally I made it through, a freezing cold burst of air hit me in the face. I opened my eyes against the blowing wind, shielding my face against a mustard yellow tornado three times my size.


    The tornado whirled in one place in the middle of a cavern with perfectly rounded sides and ceiling. I stared it down purposely; it slowed its violent spin and seemed to face me. If it had eyes, they would have been staring me down, demanding to know what I wanted. So I stared back, forcing my lips into a smile and my magic to full alert.


    The point of the tornado that spun next to the ground whipped in my direction to warn me first. Nothing would stop me from facing it down, not even a polite warning from the beast itself. Wasting no time, I sent a burst of blue magic into the core of the cyclone, hoping to break it apart, but instead it caught my magic and held onto me making my magic an actual, physical extension of my body.


    I stiffened with panic only a second before the cyclone lifted me off the ground, using my own magic and threw me into a wall. My head smashed against the stone, and I heard my shoulder shatter before I felt the pain that flooded my senses. I hoped to be dropped to the ground, but instead I was thrown against the opposite wall, listening to my opposite appendages snap in the same way.


    The twister wasn¡¯t finished though, not before throwing my back against the high ceiling and then letting me drop to the floor in an insurmountable amount of pain. I cried out in agony, but my voice couldn¡¯t be heard over the gusting, turbulent winds of the cyclone. The blue, healing smoke worked quickly against my bones and muscles, but not before the cyclone could attack again.


    As I lay, motionless, on the floor the cyclone left its pinnacle and moved over me. I thought I would be crushed against the violent force of the rapidly spinning gales, but instead the tornado brought on a new kind of pain up until now, I never experienced before.


    The tornado burned across my body, in a temperature so cold I thought my body would freeze and then shatter. I screamed from the terrorizing hurt, tears slipping from my eyes in a reaction to the pain that I could not stop. The cyclone zigzagged back and forth across me with a freezing pain so intense I felt like I was being brutally licked by a thousand flames.


    My tormented screams echoed in the cavern above the tumultuous tornado. I rolled over; afraid another icy slice across my back would be the undoing of my sanity and stared up at the coming tornado with a mixture of fear and determination. I remembered the wind in India and how it tortured me relentlessly until my magic overcame it.


    This cyclone felt a thousand times stronger and more deadly than India, and I was sure I would die in those caves. This fate felt worse than death, this battle felt more like a lifetime of suffering than the sweet relief of leaving this world.


    I pushed my magic against the cyclone, staying its deadly winds for only a few seconds, only long enough for me to shakily stand up. When I faced it, eye to eye, I gathered my strength and then dropped my magic.


    The cyclone flew against me with renewed anger and I took one flying, fateful leap into its spiraling winds. The wind cut my skin with its icy tendrils, setting my body on frozen fire and sending my back arching in anguish.


    I opened my eyes in the center of the tornado, floating in the middle, the frozen air sucking the life out of me, breath by frozen breath. I tried to send my magic out of me, but I could not build its strength. The air was too cold for it to come to a boil, the frozen temperature magically seeped into my blood forbidding my magic to gather, freezing my blood in my veins.


    I waged a new war against despair, against the defeat that resounded in the middle of the storm. There had to be a way, a way to fight the power that felt too great for me. I released the blue smoke that seemed impervious to other elements, hoping it would heal my frozen veins. The cold moved deep inside my blood, turning my insides to popsicles and slowing my heart. The blue smoke swirled around in rhythm with the cyclone, but did nothing against the excruciating frost spreading through my body.

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    I sucked in a sharp breath but it fell flat in my frozen lungs, unable to soften the burning pain that caused my vision to blur. I grunted, an insignificant effort in light of the battle, both in this cave and waging above ground. My voice echoed inside the tornado, bouncing against the wind and up into the cavern ceiling.


    I decided if I could get something small, like a grunt, out of my body, I could get something more. So I screamed, loud and desperately, lifting my face toward the open ceiling and the blue smoke moved with me, soaring upward and coating the twister in healing power. In that moment, that small infinitesimal moment, I felt release from the bone-deep cold, and my magic surged from my body in an intense escape. My lungs relaxed, and my blood pumped through my heart again. But after only a moment, the cold had taken over fiercely once again and I struggled for consciousness.


    I screamed again, this time more magic left my body. In the short seconds I had to build and release my electricity, I knew it had to make a difference. The magic pierced the whirling wind, shot through like light in the darkest places. The mustard yellow flashed blue for just a second, just a moment before speeding up with a vengeful strength.


    I had maybe one more shot, if I was lucky; maybe one more time to make this cyclone bend to my will before it turned me completely to ice and shattered me against the hard ground. With one final effort, in which I didn¡¯t even bother to scream, instead I chose to save all my energy for the force of magic I needed to release, I exhaled my magic against the cyclone with every ounce of immortality I had.


    My magic, a real and palpable energy force now, fought against the tornado in a flash of colors so quickly I struggled to keep my eyes open. The tornado grew angrier, throwing me around the room and trying to disorient me. I held my ground, so to speak, and kept both the smoke and the electricity focused on the twister.


    The colors moved faster in between, and my heart kept pace threatening to pound right out of my chest. My head hurt from the quick, violent movements of the cyclone and my body ached from the effort. I promised myself just a little bit longer, and then later, just a little bit longer.


    Finally, when I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, I opened my arms and released everything I had. It felt as though I had just given away my magic and I fell limp in the middle of the tempest. I felt unconsciousness finding me, taking away my vision and ringing in my ears. But when my final burst of magic hit the walls of the twister, the winds exploded in blue magic to the far corners of the cavern. I fell from the ceiling to the ground in a painful heap of broken bones.


    The wind disappeared, along with my magic and only the blue smoke was left to heal my battered body from a fight I started to believe was pointless. When I could move my arms again, I propped myself up on my elbows and looked around the now empty, dark cavern.


    A sound could be heard from far away, and I tilted my head toward the hole I made to enter this hell on earth. The sound grew louder, and stronger, and I leaned closer trying to figure out what it was. The closer it got, the more violent it became and when I recognized it as a thousand rushing winds, I tried to scoot away from the entrance, afraid of the vengeance to which I was about to be the victim.


    When the wind flew powerfully through the opening I only had a second to recognize that the forceful air rushing at me with purpose was blue, not mustard before it descended on top of me, entering my body from every pore. I gasped one final breath and then fell into the blackness.


    ----


    I woke up slowly, consciousness painfully flooding my senses, and then jumped to my feet, realizing the wind had knocked me out. I took one minute to breathe deeply again, before I moved out of the opening and toward the prison.


    It worked.


    My plan worked.


    I could feel the new magic pulsing inside me, pumping with my blood, mixing with the blue smoke, and at my disposal. There was no time to gloat, but this was the first one of my plans that had actually panned out, and if the fate of the Immortal world rested on tonight¡¯s outcome, it was about time I got it right.


    The once invisible dividing line that separated the prisons from the more dangerous part of the underground had disappeared. I took a step onto the smoothed out dirt floor and the earth trembled underneath me. When my second foot joined my first the ground shifted one way and then the other. I took a step deeper into the prisons, passed the now empty cells and the ground shook violently. I reached out for a prison door while the earthquake violently rearranged the prison layout and then clutched the door tighter, when the ground opened up completely and a canyon divided the dungeons in half.


    When finally the earth stopped shifting, I took tentative steps forward, careful not to plunge into the bottomless depth below. Doors hung from their hinges and manmade prison cells crumbled into the ravine, my footsteps created.


    I wondered if the earth rejected the idea of the sadistic prison cells as much as I did. With the removal of the magic, could it be that this planet decided to ensure the freedom of my people as well?


    Once I passed the long crater, I reached the stairs and ran up them, afraid of the devastation I would find. And as I emerged from the now useless prison door, I came upon a Citadel on fire. Magical battles were being waged all around me, as the thin moon rose higher into an empty sky. I searched the crowd for Kiran, for Avalon or Talbott, anyone. I knew they would be close to Lucan, and now I knew how to defeat him.


    I wanted to help the other Immortals that fought unfair battles against the Titans. I knew though, that the best way to help them would be to find Lucan and kill him first. I would deal with the Titans later as a natural result of the king¡¯s death.


    I stopped moving and focused on Avalon, searching for him in the thousands of Immortals fighting for their lives. I entered his consciousness and began to move before I could even pinpoint him. Lucan was there, along with Kiran and things were not in our favor.


    I sprinted through the Citadel, toward the fountain of the four original Oracles. I dodged flying objects and bursts of magic as Titans started to recognize me in my flight. I sent magic behind me, and ducked out of the way of several magic bursts. My dress was torn, my hair ripped from its updo and I dashed barefoot toward Lucan and away from the pursuing Titans.


    When I stumbled into the square where Lucan faced off against the two boys I loved most in this world, Avalon and Kiran, I swallowed the fear that threatened to consume me.


    Lucan sent his powerful magic against Avalon, sending him into the fountain, breaking it further into disrepair. Kiran stepped forward to attack next and Lucan lifted him off the ground in a stronghold of bitterness.


    I sent magic at Lucan, forceful and angry, but he waved it away with a swish of his hand. I struggled to release the new magic; the magic I knew would hinder Lucan¡¯s and restrain his impossible force.


    ¡°How could you betray me? I am your father!¡± Lucan was shouting at Kiran while I tried to find a way to release the dangerous, new magic. I walked forward, hoping the closer I got to Lucan, the easier it would be to figure out this new magic.


    ¡°You are more monster than my father!¡± Kiran shouted back, his head tilted back in agony. ¡°I gave you my loyalty, I stood up for you, I followed you when I knew it would destroy the only thing that I loved and yet nothing I did could satisfy your bloodlust!¡±


    ¡°You chose her,¡± Lucan¡¯s malicious eyes flickered to me for only a brief second before turning back to his son. ¡°You chose her over your family! Over your blood!¡±


    ¡°I chose goodness, I chose morality! I chose correctly. You stand with one foot in hell, and release your demons on innocents! You chose death. I chose life,¡± Kiran growled, his words resounding with conviction.


    ¡°No, son, by choosing her, you asked for death,¡± Lucan finished sadly, tightening his hold on Kiran. I was just ten feet from him, and still the magic stayed in my blood; it had no desire to leave me.


    Lucan picked up a forgotten sword from the ground and before I could react hurled it through the air into Kiran¡¯s chest. Kiran¡¯s wound opened up to the sky and released his grey magic into the night. Lucan dropped Kiran¡¯s waning body onto the ground and turned his attention to me.


    I had been screaming something incoherent at the king, but until his cold eyes found mine, I hadn¡¯t noticed the sound coming from my mouth or the tears streaming from my eyes. I leveled my gaze with him, turning my back on Kiran.


    The blue healing smoke left my body in a direct command from behind me, instinctively finding Kiran and getting to work. In front of me flew a new blue magic, it wasn¡¯t yellow anymore but I recognized its power. It slammed into Lucan¡¯s magic with a thunder like crash. He took an unstable step back and I knew I hit my mark.


    I took a step forward and he took a step back, the new magic making ground as it moved deeper through his electrical force field. His eyes flashed panic for a second before his faulty arrogance took over.


    ¡°You are a child!¡± he screamed, forcing his feet forward. ¡°You cannot accomplish what grown men have tried before! You cannot succeed where your own grandfather failed!¡±


    ¡°Then what makes you think you can achieve where every king before hasn¡¯t? You are no greater than your ancestors. You will be the last of the kings to die, and your son will carry on your name with a new meaning!¡± I threatened, pushing the new magic against him.


    Lucan¡¯s eyes fell to Kiran and he watched in horror as the blue smoke worked to heal him. He sent his magic at Kiran to prevent his life from being saved, but I moved to catch him before his dangerous electricity got anywhere near him.


    ¡°You sold your soul to the devil,¡± Lucan turned back to me, awakening to the power I now possessed.


    ¡°You are wrong. I did what I had to, to save my people. You are the one who embraced evil and turned to darkness.¡± I fought with everything I had to make more ground. Lucan was weakening, but he still had an immense amount of power.


    I released my electricity with the repressing magic and stood against Lucan now a worthy opponent. Avalon joined me, standing side by side. His magic joined mine in an oppressive force. Kiran stood up next to me, his chest wound healed and his magic joining with ours. Others from the plaza joined us as well, Talbott, Lilly, Silas, Xander. We stood together as a unified force, an army that opposed the fallen king.


    Titans joined the crowd, racing in to fight for their king, but stopped short when they found their king bending his knee to our power. More Immortals joined us, some I knew, like Gabriel, Titus, Sebastian and Seraphina. Others I did not recognize, members of the kingdom as thirsty for freedom as the rest of us.


    Lucan shook beneath our combined power, as his magic fell weakened into nothing. I started to pull then, pull at his evil magic, pull his life¡¯s blood from his veins. Avalon joined me, and then Gabriel. Kiran pulled too, and Sebastian. Jericho, Ebanks, Oscar, Jett, and Talbott. Not everyone knew how to take someone else¡¯s magic, but those of us who did fought together in a unified effort to drain Lucan of all the power he ever held.


    When Titans joined us, and more than just Jedrec and his team, I began to feel the joy of victory with the morning light that brightened the horizon. No matter what happened to Lucan after this night, my kingdom now stood together, a unified people against him.

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    There was so much magic, even spread thin through all of us that it took several minutes to finish. Lucan seemed to whither under our effort, his face aging in front of us and his body slumping pathetically. At the end of his magic, he knelt on the ground a broken version of the once powerful king.


    ¡°I should have killed you the moment I laid eyes on you,¡± he spat at me, still resonating hatred even from his mortal body.


    I stayed silent, not believing there was anything I could add to the end of Lucan¡¯s life. I stepped away, unable to look at the man who had taken so much from me. I turned my back on him, desperate to get away from him when I felt the pull, the tug at my own magic.


    ¡°In life or death, I will haunt you Eden! You have stolen what is rightfully mine and I will not let you get away with it!¡± Lucan shouted, standing to his feet. He pulled harder at his own magic and I realized I was the one who told him how to get it back.


    I felt myself take an unwilling step backward as he pulled with greater force to regain his once incredible power source. I turned to face him, not afraid of him taking all of his magic back, but finding him obnoxious all the same.


    He clutched for his magic more forcefully and I doubled over in the effort to keep what did not actually belong to me. Avalon took a step forward, ready to end the man before he could hurt anyone else, but Kiran beat him to it. He picked up the sword that his father hurtled into his own chest and waved it violently through the air. He plunged it deep into the king¡¯s heart, releasing any reclaimed magic and ending the life of tyranny.


    Now lifeless, Lucan slumped over the sword. Kiran stood up from his father and I ran to him. I threw myself into his arms, the tears escaping both from sorrow of the day and empathy for all of Kiran¡¯s unspoken emotions. He held me to him, his arms wrapping around me as a lifeline to reality. We held each other tightly for a long time, the plaza silently filling with the Immortal kingdom that had unwillingly become part of the end to their monarchy.


    ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered finally, proud of Kiran, proud of our people.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± he whispered back, burying his face in my hair.


    We turned from each other to face our people; I decided some sort of explanation was in order. But when our faces greeted the kingdom they fell in unison to their knee in a reverent bow I did not believe we deserved.


    I blushed from their respect, feeling undeserving and childlike. Even the Resistance joined in the act of veneration, even if the smirks marking some of their faces could be felt from here. Avalon was the only one to remain standing, he bounced on his heels nervously, and when my eyes fell on him he sprinted forward to pick me up and spin me around.


    We laughed together, this moment we shared surreal and hard to believe. I could feel his elation, his pride in our efforts. We accomplished together what no other had been able to. We took the baton that had been passed from our grandfather to our parents to us and we finished the race. We rescued the kingdom from the death and disease that had plagued our people for centuries.


    Work still needed to be done. The grief of the day still needed to be mourned. There were still prejudices to overcome, convictions to be changed, but we had eternity to work on it. And we held eternity to offer to our people.


    Avalon set me down, but held my hand. Kiran took my other hand and we stood before our people as the new order. We would not rule with an iron fist, we would not reestablish the monarchy, but we held the respect and reverence of a people that needed leadership and guidance. One day we could walk away from this responsibility. One day our people wouldn¡¯t need us anymore. But not until they shared our immortality. Not until our word Immortal possessed its true definition again.


    ¡°Eden?¡± Kiran bent down to speak softly in my ear.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked, suddenly wishing we were alone. I had the strongest urge to wrap myself around his dirty, battered body and never let go.


    ¡°Will you marry me?¡± Kiran asked sincerely, his fingers twisting the emerald engagement ring around my ring finger.


    ¡°Any day but May first,¡± I smiled up at him and then jumped back into his arms. My lips finding his and the rest of our kingdom disappeared and we entered a world of our own.


    Epilogue


    I sucked in a breath, my dress pressed against my rib cage in a suffocating effort to minimize my waist, while the billowy skirt flowed around me. I laid my hands on my stomach, releasing magic to ease the pain. This dress, my wedding dress, had been carefully designed and skillfully made. There were moments over the past months when I thought I would die with the anticipation of putting it on, but now, at the end of the night, I simply could not wait to rip it off.


    Or have it ripped off¡­.


    My fingers traced the lines of the delicate lace that wrapped around in a sweetheart corset and then moved up to hold the onyx necklace that had become a symbol of Kiran¡¯s unfailing love for me. I spotted him across the dance floor, laughing with Avalon, Jericho and Sebastian. I watched them for a second and enjoyed the moment to myself.


    The wedding had taken place in the Citadel, a conscious choice we made to erase the years of tyranny from our history and reestablish this sacred Immortal town in happiness. Gabriel had officiated, dressed in his usual priestly garb, but this one had been pressed and starched and his head freshly shaved. His fiery orange eyes had glowed with hope at our marriage, and in pride at our union. Kiran stood at the front of the church with all the men that had become confidants and close friends, Sebastian his best man, Talbott, Jonathan Summer, Titus and even Jericho. Avalon walked me down the aisle, and gave me away to the only man he claimed to trust me with. Aunt Syl held my bouquet while I said my vows and Lilly straightened my train. Amelia, Seraphina and Kate Summer who had become a dear friend over the last few months stood next to them and when I met Kiran¡¯s shining turquoise eyes at the altar, I knew all was right in our small world.


    The whole kingdom had gathered to celebrate with us, and now at our reception where we danced happily into the early hours of the mourning, I could look out at my people and feel nothing but happiness.


    Nerves and future fears played at the edges of my consciousness, I had no idea how to lead a kingdom; I had no idea what I was doing. But when I lifted my eyes to my husband again, his gaze was there to meet me. Everything else melted away.


    I knew there were hardships ahead of us, difficult times and uncertainties. But from this night forward I would share everything with him, with my husband, with the greatest man I ever knew. The magic was free now, our kingdom was free. We had a bright, long future to look forward to.


    He left his friends and walked across the dance floor to me. My breath caught in my throat as I admired him in his elegant, sleek tux. I suddenly wondered if he was as uncomfortable as I was.


    And as anxious to have his clothes ripped off¡­.


    He pushed through folds of white, silk organza and fought against my bustled train, but eventually, he pulled me into his arms and held me to him. My head rested against his beating heart, my arms encircled his waist and I breathed in deeply of true love and happiness. This is why Amory died; this is why he gave up his life. He saw Kiran and me as the future, and when he passed his magic on to me, it was with the hope that Kiran and I would lead his kingdom away from oppression and tyranny with Avalon¡¯s help, and the help of everyone else we had come to trust along the way.


    ¡°Well, Mrs. Kendrick, are you happy?¡± he asked, whispering into the summer sky.


    ¡°More so than anyone deserves to be,¡± I admitted. Even now the haunting feeling that everything around me would crumble and disappear plagued me.


    ¡°No, Love, if anyone deserves happiness, it¡¯s you. You deserve all the happiness in this world,¡± he breathed, filling me with warmth.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing I got you to marry me!¡± I laughed.


    ¡°And why is that?¡± Kiran asked, his voice light, but his eyes intense with a love that moved my soul.


    ¡°Because my happiness starts with you,¡± I confessed, unwilling to ever leave his arms again.


    ¡°And ends?¡± Kiran smiled.


    ¡°Not until the end of eternity,¡± I promised.