Ethon (The Other Worlds Series Book 2) (6 page)

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It was raining. Olinia watched as the drops fell on the kitchen window before sliding down the glass. She would have liked to listen to the rain, but because she wanted to feel alone she had the music app on her phone blasting in her ears again. Legann and Sazx had gone to bed hours ago as she had, except she hadn’t fallen asleep like they had. Her mind was restless – too much to think about.

A little more than twenty-four hours ago, Sazx had reentered her life. Not exactly the person she had imagined finding in Ethon, but it was a pleasant surprise. Having Sazx with her and Legann was oddly soothing. He gave them another set of understanding ears. Just earlier that night they had discussed over dinner the main differences between Saerd and Eve lifestyles. Both Olinia and Legann had laughed hard over the comments. Even the former Nagreth had cracked a few smiles.

It was easy being around Sazx, easier than she would have expected from a former enemy. But he was one of them – an Other Worlder. When they would reference a world or term, he knew what they were talking about. It was so marvelously refreshing.

Outside, the rain grew heavier. Olinia pulled the fleece blanket she had brought downstairs from her room tighter around her shoulders. With all the lights off inside, Olinia could peer out into the rain and trees easily. She lifted her bare feet onto the wood chair she was sitting on and hugged her knees, tucking her feet beneath the cover of the blanket.

It was on nights like these that she felt closest to her realm. Somehow the dreary skies, howling wind, and pouring rain would tug at the edges of her senses until they almost swallowed her up entirely, leaving her breathless over memories of a place that was so far away now it seemed made-up. Olinia craved those moments. Too bad they were few and far between. The absolute bliss was similar to the high she had once received from her Globing.

Her heart really did ache for the gifts she had lost. She’d like to say that it was worth the sacrifice, but she really wasn’t sure. Had the destruction of the Vrenyx really been for the best? Sazx didn’t know if her uncle was dead. Wasn’t Dagon’s death the purpose of the attack? Or had it been to free Zedgry? Olinia rubbed her eyes with her hands. She couldn’t even remember the reason why she’d given up her gifts. It’d been too long.

As the song switched in her ears, Olinia felt a slight shiver down her spine. Someone was watching her. She’d learned what the feeling meant during her time in Ethon. She whirled and found Sazx standing in the archway where the kitchen met the family room. Olinia yanked out the earbuds and fumbled with her iPhone to shut it off.

I didn’t mean to startle you,
Sazx thought as he joined her at the table, lowering himself into the seat beside her.

“I know,” she replied. “I just wasn’t listening. I was trying not to, actually.”

He nodded once, but held his mind blank of thought, keeping only the images he saw. Olinia smiled inwardly at that. In the Other Worlds, he had retained his thoughts to himself. She was pleased to discover he was still careful not to reveal much to her. He was once again so refreshing, such a good change of pace. But then, his inner silence was probably in part due to his former training as a Nagreth. He was most likely schooled in putting up mental barriers when he encountered an Eve. Whatever the reason though, Olinia loved the fact that he could sneak up on her. She couldn’t remember the last person who had been able to do so consistently.

“Why are you still awake?” He thought and asked simultaneously in Eveon. “It’s after midnight.”

She shrugged, holding his gaze in the semi-darkness. “I couldn’t sleep. What about you?”

“I’m still accustomed to living on only three hours of rest,” he answered. “I also heard you down here.”

“Was I being too loud?” She was speaking in Eveon as well. It felt so good to use it with someone other than Legann, even though Sazx’s accent was strange to her. Her ears needed a little more time to adjust to his tones.

He shook his head. “I heard your chair creak.”

“You’re such a soldier.” She laughed softly.

Sazx was quiet for a moment, his thoughts only showing a picture of Olinia in front of him. Then, he whispered, “Princess, I feel like our conversation this morning was cut short.”

She winced. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have run off like that.”

He nodded once, acknowledging her apology. “My question is why did you run off?”

“I-” She stopped. What could she really tell him? Technically, he was still a stranger to her.

Olinia frowned, recalling the day she had first met him. He had been gray then, wearing the ashen skin of a Nagreth. At the time, he found her a nuisance, but that was before he discovered who she was. Releasing a sigh, Olinia pressed one hand to her forehead, allowing her cool fingertips to glide over the smooth skin of her face.

Princess,
Sazx prodded silently.

She let out a short laugh. “Sorry. It’s just that Legann and I have been stuck here for over a year and a half. But come to find out it’s only been a few hours for everyone I knew.” She pulled a face. “What you told me was a little hard to take in at first. I needed some time to process it.”

“Understandably so,” he remarked. “Yet, I feel like there’s more to why you left.”

“It’s not important.” She returned her gaze to the rain, while Sazx contemplated pushing her further. He was too polite though to pry.

The regard he had for those of High Royalty was impressive. That was really what had deterred him from his life as a Nagreth. Yet, Olinia still did not fully understand his choice. To simply desert all he knew over a title seemed a little far-fetched. It was such an extreme change.

“You look confused.”

She turned back to him, surprised that he was watching her so intently. “I guess I am a little.”

“Why?”

“I’m wondering why you left the Nagreth. I know you said it was because of my right to rule, but it had to have been more complicated than that. You were a very powerful man.” She paused. “I’m not saying it wasn’t a good choice. I’m just not sure why you decided to switch sides after I told you to. Why right then?”

Sazx sat back in his chair, watching her while his mind remained thoughtless. Olinia didn’t care to force herself past his mental barriers. She wanted to have him tell her. She was so sick of discovering everyone’s secrets on her own. It felt good to have a normal conversation with someone for once. After another moment, Sazx said, “I’d supposed you had already discerned the reason on your own.”

She shook her head. “No, you do a decent job at masking your thoughts from me for the most part. I can’t hear everything you think.”

He nodded once. Then, “Olinia, you are the reason I changed.”

“Me?”

“Yes.” He leaned forward, brushing back strands of her hair that had fallen across her forehead “That night you came to kill me, you opened my eyes to your character. You were exquisite. You came to eliminate the men standing in your way, and yet you hesitated over the pale Nagreth.” He cradled her neck with his hand. “You say I switched sides, but I merely shifted my loyalty and my affections, to the rightful heir of the Other Worlds. From that moment you spared my life, I knew I could never harm you.”

Olinia gawked at the former captain, remembering the night she’d entered Sazx’s chamber, dagger in hand, with the intent to slit his throat in his sleep. His lack of gray skin had stopped her. In his heart, Sazx had never truly sworn himself to Dagon. She had seen it then as she saw it now.

As Sazx caressed her neck with his thumb, Olinia couldn’t help but stare into his startlingly clear, blue eyes. For the first time in a long time, warmth spread through her by someone’s touch. Her heart quickened a little.

Letting out her breath in a rush, she whispered, “I’m so glad I hesitated that night I went to kill you.”

“So am I.”

All at once he kissed her. Sazx’s hand behind her neck drew her to him. Instinctively, her own hands slid up over his chest, grabbing hold of his shirt as she allowed his passion to sweep through her. His kiss was firm, commanding. He knew exactly what he wanted, and she was fairly confident that what he wanted was her. As quickly as the kiss began, however, it ended all too soon. Sazx was the one to pull away, leaving Olinia slightly breathless.

She wasn’t satisfied. Just as she was about to kiss him again, she sensed an overwhelming amount of shock wash over her. Sazx was looking past her and Olinia knew that her brother was standing behind her.

His thoughts held no words – he was too stunned to think. All he saw was an image of Sazx and Olinia moments before, replaying over and over in his mind’s eye. There was some disgust attached to the shock. Apparently, Legann wasn’t really comfortable witnessing his sister kiss Sazx, especially when it came as a surprise. He hadn’t even known they were in the kitchen. He’d come downstairs for a drink.

Sazx straightened in his chair, and Olinia decided it was time for her to go back to bed. She would deal with Legann’s questions in the morning, once she figured out what to tell him. Taking a deep breath, Olinia stood and faced Legann. Then she heard another mind.

Time suddenly slowed for Olinia in a way she had not experienced previously. In a brief moment, Olinia saw through the eyes of this fourth person a flashlight in hand as she saw the stream of light peek into the TV room behind Legann’s back. On impulse, Olinia dropped to the floor, her blanket still wrapped around her, and screamed out to the thoughts of both Legann and Sazx.
Get down!

They hit the floor with reflexes that boasted of their training in warfare. Legann darted across the room on his hands and knees to join Olinia and Sazx against the wall beneath the kitchen window, barely missing the reach of the flashlight as the person outside rounded the perimeter of the house to view inside the kitchen. Olinia tucked her legs beneath her and noted that Legann and Sazx had done the same.

You didn’t hear anyone sneaking up on us?
Legann blurted inwardly.

I was a little distracted,
she retorted.

Great. So, first Sazx breaks in and now this guy?

Sazx had a key
, she pointed out.
And I’m not sure if this guy wants to come in.

Legann was right to assume the trespasser was a man though. Just like how she had guessed with Sazx through his mind’s images, the person’s height was that of a man. She tried to see his face from the reflection on the window’s glass, but all she could get was a vague outline beneath a dark hoodie. She was only getting images – this man wasn’t thinking. He was concentrating intently on what he saw inside the house. He was looking for something.

Sazx laid a hand on her arm.
Is the person armed?

I’m not sure,
she answered honestly. At this point it was a possibility.

As the flashlight moved from the kitchen to the other rooms in the house’s main floor, Olinia continued her attempts at glimpsing the stranger’s face on the windows. It was difficult. He wasn’t focusing on his own face. Because Olinia was looking out through his thoughts, she was only seeing what he saw, which was just the interior of her own home. He wasn’t hesitating on any particular item either. Apparently he wasn’t finding whatever it was that he was searching for.

When he finished his circle of the house, the light disappeared. Both Legann and Sazx glanced at her for an explanation, but the man lifted his flashlight one last time for a brief moment. He took a final look inside before peering at his own reflection.

Olinia gasped.

What?
Legann and Sazx asked simultaneously.

The light was shut off, and the man turned away from the house, retreating into the woods surrounding them. He’d left his car on the street off of Olinia and Legann’s property and outside of the one-hundred-yard radius that Olinia could hear within. He’d walked to the house to avoid any detection, so now he waded through the mud and rain back to his vehicle.

Inhaling deeply, Olinia shook her head, unable to believe what she had seen. The face in the reflection was all too familiar. She had to see it every Monday through Thursday. But why would he be prowling around her house in the middle of the night?

“Nia,” Legann hissed. “Is he gone? Did you find out who he was?”

“Yeah.” She grunted. “His name is Porter Mires.”

5

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Three days had passed since the encounter with Porter and his flashlight. It had been even longer though since Olinia had last seen him in person. Olinia had skipped class Monday, and Porter had not been there the rest of the week. Figured. The one time Olinia actually wanted to run into a fellow classmate, he was nowhere to be found. Then today – the last day of her class with Porter for the week – Sanders canceled her chance of seeing her intruder. Olinia was sure it had something to do with the court case between him and his soon-to-be ex-wife.

Usually, she was relieved to find any of her classes canceled for the day, but none of her previous classmates had sought out her home and peered through the windows in the middle of the night. His trailing of her on campus had just stepped up a notch. How had Porter even discovered where she lived?

Olinia sighed. She was walking through her campus, music blaring once more, on her way to her car. It was so unseasonably warm out that she was actually beginning to break a sweat. But then, that might have been her fault for practically storming away from where her Anthropology class should have been taking place. One glance at the note on the room’s door had turned her around in her tracks, leaving her frustrated and annoyed. Of all the weeks Sanders could have chosen to cancel class, he picked this one.

After Porter had left her home that night, the three Other Worlders had decided not confront him about the event. Instead, they decided that Olinia should observe Porter so as to learn why he went to the house. Since he had not been aware of the three’s presence, he shouldn’t suspect her of spying on him for information.

Oh, that night!
Olinia tipped her head upward, gazing at the thick layer of clouds that had been there for most of the week, trapping in the warmth and humidity below. She groaned and pulled up the hair on the back of her neck with one hand. Porter had not been the only event of the evening. No, if it hadn’t been for Sazx then Olinia might have been able to detect Porter sooner. Sazx had been rather distracting. Yet their relationship hadn’t really changed since he’d kissed her.

The reason though could just be the fact that Olinia had not spent any time alone with Sazx since then. Olinia was at school for most of the day and when she returned, Legann was always there with them. It was as if Legann took on the role of self-proclaimed chaperone. Olinia had the feeling that Legann didn’t like the idea of her with Sazx, even though he had not thought it around her.

Hey, Olinia.

She glanced up from watching her feet hit the pavement. The parking lot where her car was located was only seventy feet or so away. There didn’t appear to be anyone around her. She frowned. The voice had been an inner one, but Olinia was sure the person had spoken it out loud as well. With one hand, she pulled out her earbuds just as a very familiar face joined her side.

“Hi.” Porter’s smile was all honey and butter.

Olinia didn’t have to force a smile in return. The man she had wanted to see all week had somehow managed to find her. Maybe he really was stalking her. “Hi, Porter.”

“If you’re ditching class then you picked the right day to do it.” Both of his hands gripped hold of the strap to his book bag that was slung across one shoulder.

“No, I saw the note too.” She silently focused her mind on his, trying to hear and see every thought that entered his head. It was time for her to learn some answers.

They were almost to the parking lot. Porter was still grinning. “You going home now?”

She nodded. It would be nice to have some time alone with Sazx before Legann finished school. There were some things she definitely wanted to ask him, like why he’d chosen to kiss her. To Porter, though, she said, “What about you? Are you going home?”

“I can’t,” he replied. “I usually tutor over at DS after school. Since class got canceled, I’ll just go over early.”

“DS?” Olinia blinked. “Is that a fun place to work?” The only thing she really knew about DS was what she had overheard from other students’ thoughts and what Legann’s new friend had told him. Sooner or later she needed to search it on the internet.

“Depends.” He shrugged. “It just looks good on a resume. Plus, it’s an easy job that works with my schedule. The pay isn’t too bad either.”

“How’d you get such a lucky job?”

“I used to be a student there while I was in high school,” he answered. “When I graduated, the teachers asked me to stay on as a tutor.”

Olinia nodded again. At least he wasn’t lying to her. The images in his mind accompanying his words were of him standing beside a middle-aged man at the front of some sort of classroom – all from Porter’s perspective, of course.

“So, what subject do you tutor?” She asked. They were to the parking lot now. Porter came to a stop, and Olinia did the same.

There was no hesitation in his answer. “Science.”

“Really? Science?” Olinia furrowed her brow. “What are you majoring in?”

“Bio Chem.” He began walking again, toward a nearby row of motorcycles and mopeds.

“Oh.” Olinia unconsciously moved alongside him. “You don’t seem like the scientific type.”

“I like it.” He shrugged, stopping again, and flashed her a smile. “Would you like a lift to your car?”

Olinia realized that they both were now standing beside one of the motorcycles. Porter lifted a black helmet that matched the bike from the rear seat and extended it to her. He wanted her to go with him, but he half expected her to say no.

She stared at the helmet for a moment, wondering what had happened to the car he’d driven the other night. Her house and Sazx could wait. She wasn’t ready to let Porter get away yet. He hadn’t really answered any of her questions. In fact, he’d only added more. She took the helmet. “My car’s not far. I don’t think I’ll be needing this.”

Porter’s smile widened. “You never can be too careful.”

He wasn’t planning on simply taking her to her car. First, he wanted to scare her a little on a quick ride. Olinia frowned. She felt like she was about to walk into a trap meant to capture her heart. Since that was extremely unlikely – she already had enough problems with Sazx – she decided to go with Porter.

“Okay,” she said, buckling the helmet on. Part of her knew she was being an idiot for willfully going with the man who had trespassed at her home, but the idea of her being harmed by Porter was almost comical compared to what she’d survived. A small smile touched her lips. “Just don’t try to kill me.”

“I would never,” he teased and hopped onto his vehicle.

She waited for him to back out of his spot before she got on behind him. Mindful of avoiding his skin, she slid her arms around his waist. He seemed to want to touch her so badly that she wasn’t willing to offer him any accidental opportunity.

“Ready?” He tossed over his shoulder.

“Yeah,” she pointed to where she’d parked, “I’m over there.”

“Great. Hold on.”

Porter started up his bike and then began it forward. They went slow through the parking lot, but when he pulled them out onto the road he picked up his speed.

“Where are you taking me?” Olinia shouted up toward his ear.

He didn’t answer out loud, but internally he was picturing an old swing set. Olinia sighed. Was he trying to take her somewhere romantic? It wouldn’t work. She’d had her fill of Ethon men.

The ride didn’t last long. After winding through a few tree-lined roads, Porter slowed down to a near crawl and then a complete stop. They’d reached the beginning of a long gravel driveway, leading up to a large old estate. Olinia guessed it had once been a plantation.

Exterior walls of cream and a dark roof gave the place a rustic feel. Hunter green shutters framed all the windows facing the street. Tall, well-maintained trees were scattered throughout the yard. Had Olinia and Porter been any further back, the tips of the trees would’ve hidden the estate from view. Then, off to one side, Olinia noticed the old swing set Porter had thought about earlier.

“Why’d you bring me here?” Olinia asked.

He glanced down at her. “This is DS. I work here.”

“Where are all the students?” For being a school there seemed to be a lacking population of kids. Maybe DS really was in need of those commercials to get more people.

“It’s an after-school program,” he told her. “Schools aren’t out yet.”

“Right.” Olinia felt foolish for not thinking of that herself. “So, thanks for bringing me to see where you work.”

“Want to go in?” He smiled.

“Oh, no, I can’t.” She shook her head. Her upcoming conversation with Sazx was still waiting for her. “Thanks for the offer, though.”

Porter was disappointed. “You sure? There’s a book I want to show you. I think you’d like it.”

Olinia frowned. He wouldn’t think of the name of the book, but he really was anxious to show it to her. “Just bring it to class next time. I’ve really got to get going.”

He figured she was just trying to avoid him again, but he started his bike back up again anyway. “Alright, I’ll take you to your car.”

The return trip was quick. Neither Olinia nor Porter said anything until they pulled up alongside her blue car. Olinia dismounted, using Porter’s sleeved arm for support.

“Thanks for the ride,” she said with a smile. “I’ll see you next week. Have a good weekend.”

“You too.” He watched her for a moment, his mind wondering what she would do if he reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Next time, you’ll have to come check out that book.”

He thought there would be a next time? Olinia only nodded. “I’ll see you later, Porter.”

As Olinia turned toward her car while Porter headed off in the opposite direction, she couldn’t help but feel confused at the way he had acted. It was as if nothing had happened the other night. Either he was accomplished at whatever he was doing, or he was legitimately a crazy person bent on getting close to her. If he were the latter, he’d picked the wrong person to shadow.

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Being a princess in comparison to what life had once been was dull. Well, really just the sitting-through-endless-political-meetings portion was boring. Tiara Anteal had endured so many such meetings in the past three weeks that it was almost all she could think of.

There had been meetings about taxes, meetings about militia, meetings about former Kendren ruled worlds – the list went on and on. Currently, she was sitting in on a discussion regarding government changes within the world of Tlaid, or rather Tiara’s new kingdom. During the last three weeks, Tiara had cared a great deal about the Saerdian politics, but at the moment all she wanted to do was forget anything of or related to government. Her brain had never felt so overloaded and restless at the same time in her entire life.

“I think the citizens realize there will be significant alterations,” Archrin Lorth pointed out in Arthelian from his seat beside Tiara. Despite her best efforts to make the switch to Saerdian, the Kendren tongue of Arthelian was still widely used in Tlaid.

Tiara glanced at her fiancé, the former Kendren officer. His dark brown – almost black – hair fell to his ears and halfway down his forehead. When she had first met him, his hair had been much shorter, in Kendren fashion. Over the past couple months it had grown to resemble the style worn by most Other Worlder men. His olive skin gave him the appearance of always being tan, and his beautiful mismatched eyes sat beneath a dark brow. One eye was a blue-green and the other violet. This right eye was the sign of his breed. All Craeles had one violet eye.

Even though Tiara knew he loved her before she became princess of the Saerds, Archrin didn’t propose to her until after the defeat of the Kendren brothers. He personally had killed two of the three brothers. The last one died in the same manner he had murdered his sister – hung from the battlements in plain sight. That had been two and a half weeks earlier.

It was just three days later that Archrin had asked her to marry him. At the memory of that special night, Tiara couldn’t help but smile. Ever since she was a little girl, she had dreamed of being proposed to in her home world of Drivian at sunset in the middle of Ildatch Forest. It would have happened after an invigorating long ride or maybe a swim in the river. But reality rarely played out the way she imagined. Then again, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

There had been so many changes to her life in the past few months that she had given up on many of her childhood dreams, making way for new ones, which included Archrin. Even though she wasn’t proposed to in the manner she had originally planned, the real event with Archrin had been sweet, touching, and characteristic of him – blunt, simple, and gentle.

After the conquering of the Kendren brothers, Tiara saw very little of Archrin during those first three days of Tlaidian independence. He and General Gyrvin Voiel were kept busy with the deconstruction and realignment of the Kendren armies. But one night Archrin decided he had endured enough time away from her and snuck out of the castle with her for a midnight ride. Apparently, Archrin was raised in Desnbi, the capital of Tlaid, so he knew the area exceptionally well.

They rode to several of his favorite spots as a child while he spoke of his life before his parents had died. His mother and he were the only Craeles in his immediate family. With Craeles, if both parents were half-human and half-animal then all of their children would be the same. However, with a mixed marriage, it was always a surprise. Children were either all Craele or all human.