Bound to the Elvin King (25 page)

She smiled as her eyes shut. “Good, I want you to stay with me always.”

***

With one last glance at Maggie’s sleeping form, Talion closed the door to her chamber. Guilt tugged at him, and he hoped he’d return before Maggie woke. As much as he desired to stay by her side, the matter of her attack loomed like a storm on the horizon.

He needed to find Relian, Kenhel, and Avrin. Besides a few select others, those were the only people whom he fully trusted. Whoever was responsible for the crime had to be stopped before he could stir up more trouble. Orchestrating Maggie’s acceptance among his people would be hard enough without worrying about dissenters rallying behind the perpetrator.

He called up magic of the palace to locate Relian and the rest of crew he needed. In this way, he could “feel” the palace and everyone in it, if he chose. Eria’s magic imbued itself into the land—and everything in it. As king, he had the knowledge and authority to access the portion of it that lay within the palace and the surrounding area. To a lesser degree, every elf had the ability to tap into this magic.

His senses honed in on the others’ location. They, along with Cal and Sardon, awaited him in his office. Relian must’ve told them to gather there.

As he strode toward his destination, Maggie’s last words played through his mind, and he couldn’t halt the small smile curving his lips. She wanted him to stay by her always. It didn’t matter she’d been high from one or more of the herbs in the medication. Before Avrin left, he’d assured Talion that while Maggie’s mouth ran even more freely than usual, nothing she said could be constituted as a lie.

Whether she admitted it or not, she cared for him. Not that he’d ever doubted it, for the bond told him of some of her emotions. However, clear confirmation was nice once in a while.

He pushed open his door, and everyone’s gaze landed on him. Ordinarily, such attention wouldn’t bother him, but today, it made him feel as though his power were slipping from him. The steely curiosity burning in Relian’s eyes warned him that avoiding his son’s questioning would be nearly impossible. Talion squared his shoulders.

“How is she?” Cal asked from where she stood by Relian’s side.

Talion sat behind his desk. The normality of the action comforted him and gave him a sense of his old control. “She’s sleeping.”

Avrin smiled at Cal. “As I told you she would be.”

“You’re always right.”

“It’s a special talent of mine.”

Talion steepled his fingers, ignoring the banter, and looked to Kenhel. “Any new developments?”

Kenhel’s face darkened. “The sentries are confused about what could’ve caused the damage to the statue. Of course, they haven’t considered which…unconventional methods may have been used, if any. I have more than a few suspicions, but was not sure if you’d want me to share them with the sentries.”

Talion nodded approvingly, even as frustration flooded him. His fingers clenched together. No leads? That was unacceptable.

“Don’t tell them anything yet.” Some things were better kept quiet until the knowledge could be used to their advantage—and in case there were traitors in their midst. “It’s part of their job for them to come up with plausible explanations to explore. Make sure they do it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Could it have been some kind of explosive? That is, if you have them here.” Cal asked in a hesitant voice.

Even his daughter-in-law saw the obvious. When would the sentries? “That could well be, even though they’re outlawed in Eria.”

“So, you know what these weapons are?” asked Cal.

He forced a wry smile to his lips. “We maintain our distance from Earth, but we’re still aware of the major happenings there. It would be unwise of us to be ignorant of not only Earth’s problems but also its advances, given our two worlds are separated by a thinning veil.”

“That makes sense,” said Cal. “But do you think it was some type of explosive?”

“That would be my first guess.”

“So, someone breeched the veil and smuggled explosives into Eria?”

He shook his head. “While it’s a possibility, the knowledge of how to make them exists here, so there’s actually no need to go to Earth in order to build a small explosive.”

“Why are they outlawed here?”

“They’re deemed too destructive and seen as something…humans would use.” He knew how this sounded but wouldn’t apologize, not that she’d expect him to. His people had withdrawn from humans for a reason. Cal and Maggie were wonderful, but he highly doubted all of mankind had improved to that level since he’d last been among them.

Cal blinked. “Oh.”

Relian drew her against his side, and she leaned into him as he spoke. “Father, any idea why someone would go to such lengths to set off an explosive in a statue? Could it be Andrian?”

He frowned. Relian knew better than to mention him. Andrian was no longer a part of their lives. Noticing Cal’s questioning look, Talion ignored it.
Let Relian explain the sordid details if she promises secrecy.

Talion settled on shaking his head. “It’s not his style. Whoever carried it out was making a bold warning to me.”

Relian’s brows drew together. “Then why target Maggie?”

Talion smiled darkly. “I have a valid theory to your question—one you will soon discover, no doubt.”

The inquiring faces turned his way seared his conscience. Talion released a silent sigh. Maggie would just have to forgive him. Keeping the truth from Relian and Cal was too tiring. Plus, they clearly suspected something. There was nobody present that shouldn’t hear the truth. Though he wasn’t as close to Sardon as he was to Avrin, he trusted the man implicitly with his life.

“Please sit down, everyone. I have some news to share, but for now it must remain between us.”

His gaze met Relian’s. He just hoped his son would accept the bond. While Relian considered Maggie something of a friend, that was far different than having her as a stepmother. Thankfully, his son was an open-minded elf. He’d accepted Cal’s humanity easily enough, so it shouldn’t stretch his son too far to give the same accord to Maggie. Hopefully.

He gritted his teeth. This damn indecision threatened to devour him whole. He waited until everyone had seated themselves, and fiddled with some parchments before speaking. The action barely calmed his nerves. He cleared his throat.

“About two weeks ago, I bonded with…someone.” It gave him a sense of easing into the subject by not mentioning her name right away. One surprise at a time. Though he sometimes delighted in shocking others, he didn’t want anyone passing out from the psychological trauma.

Silence pervaded the room for a few seconds. Besides Avrin, Relian and Sardon were the only ones who didn’t seem surprised. Cal’s mouth hung open, and Kenhel wore a stunned expression on his face.

Kenhel shook his head as though dislodging a haze that gripped him. A slow smile spread over his lips. “Someone? A female?”

Talion rolled his eyes. Count on Kenhel to state the obvious. “Of course.”

“Why do I have the feeling I know who your bond mate is?” Relian asked softly, though his face remained an impassive mask. That was the reaction Talion had feared.

A sand-coated lump formed in his throat. Would his son readily accept her? “Because you’ve always been astute.”
And I’ve left too many clues.

“I don’t know about that. You’ve been acting differently toward her lately. I’ve seen the secret glances and the long looks when you two think no one is looking.”

Talion frowned. “We’ve been so obvious?” He wasn’t surprised about Relian guessing, but if others had caught on….

“Who are you talking about?” Cal’s forehead puckered in apparent confusion.

Relian shifted in his chair, and looked at her. “I think you know who.”

Incomprehension shone in her eyes as she cocked her head toward her bond mate. “I do?”

“Who have you been so worried about?”

Dawning realization painted her face, then she wrinkled her nose. “It can’t be.”

Relian gently took her hand in his. “It can’t? You’ve said she hasn’t been acting herself. This could well be why.”

Her gaze whipped to Talion. “They can’t stand to be in the same room without arguing. Sometimes, she wants to shave him bald.”

An unwitting laugh burst from Talion. So, she’d threatened that horror on him? In spite of his worry about Relian, his smile grew. She loved his hair, loved running her fingers through it. Every strand on his head was safe. Well, except for when they made love. Then she liked to fist her hands in it and pull. As images ran riot in his brain, lust socked him below the gut.

He shifted in his chair in an effort to relieve some of the tension coiling in his loins. “I think my hair is safe from her. I daresay she loves my hair more than I do.”

Cal’s eyes widened until he feared they’d pop from her sockets. “So, you’re…you’re really….”

Something akin to mirth welled up. Poor Cal. She appeared flabbergasted. He understood. He really did. His turbulent and often antagonistic interactions with Maggie were common gossip throughout Eriannon and, no doubt, Eria itself. “Yes, Maggie.”

“You two— You’re together?”

He nodded gravely. “In every way.”

That admittance lightened a bit of the burden resting on his shoulders, and he sat up straighter. His loved ones now knew the truth, and this somehow made his relationship with Maggie seem more real. While a small part of him mourned the future loss of privacy he and Maggie had shared, an even larger portion of him wanted everyone to know she belonged to him.

All he had left to do was ensure his family and friends accepted their bond. Once they did—and they would, for he wouldn’t countenance any other option—he’d need to make use of their support when he announced the bond to the general public. People were apt to follow what they saw, and if they saw support for his union, they would offer that in turn. Then and only then, would she be totally his.

“Wow.” Cal sat there for a few seconds, then befuddlement and hurt pasted themselves on her face. “Why didn’t she tell me? And how did you two get around having binding bracelets like Relian and me?”

A measure of relief flowed through Talion. Other than being disappointed in Maggie’s reticence, Cal seemed to have no problem with their bond. Hopefully, she would sway Relian if he had doubts. He’d never appreciated his daughter-in-law more than he did right now.

“Probably because she’s been in denial a good portion of the time. As for the binding bracelets, I’ll explain that later. Suffice it to say, they’re not necessary in all cases.”

“The denial thing sounds like Maggie.” She paused and appeared to be choosing her words carefully. “By now, you’ve had to notice her fear of commitment.”

A dark chuckle escaped him. “Indeed, I have. She, however, won’t tell me the reasons behind it.”

“No, I guess she wouldn’t. She doesn’t often talk about family problems, and never with someone she’s romantically….” Cal trailed off as if realizing she’d said too much.

“And you’re not going to tell me either, are you?”

“I can’t betray her confidence that way. It’s her story to tell. Besides, you have the unique ability to drive her nuts, so I’m sure you’ll get it out of her sooner or later.”

He couldn’t stop the smug smile that pulled at his mouth. “I do have that, don’t I?”

Avrin raised his hand. “He has that unique ability over me, too. After so many millennia of advising him….” He shuddered.

Talion sent him a nasty smile. “Just think, you’ll have both me and Maggie to advise now.”

Avrin’s grin died.

Cal laughed tremulously, then shook her head. “I still can’t believe she kept this from me. She’s going to hear about this.”

“You’re not supposed to know about it.” Not that this really worried him too much. Surely, Maggie would understand. As he considered her possible reactions, he studiously ignored the pang of worry that hit him. He would convince her it had been necessary, if he needed to do so. The people in the room were her closest friends and had known something was afoot. If he hadn’t told them, their suspicions would’ve confirmed it one way or another.

Cal crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her.”

Talion glanced at Relian. His son’s face was still blank as stone, not revealing an iota of emotion. At that moment, Talion damned himself for teaching the boy too well. He couldn’t even guess how his son felt about Maggie’s new place in their lives.

He bit his lip in contemplation. Would Relian respond to a little humor, or sulk? It would be the true barometer of Relian’s feelings about Maggie. “I like Cal’s attitude. I can see why you bonded with her besides for the obvious reasons.”

“You’re too kind, father,” he drawled. A smirk grew on his face. “Your bond mate has attitude to spare, so you’ll have plenty to love.”

Exaltation preformed a jubilant dance. In just a few sentences, Relian had offered his support. To hide his joy, Talion narrowed his eyes at his son. “You’re enjoying this a little too much.”

“I think my enjoyment has only begun, and I’ll get much entertainment out of your bond with Maggie.”