Fervor (The Fervor Chronicles Book 1) (25 page)

At Caprice’s blank expression, the woman continued, “He can’t afford to. He’s destitute and if he doesn’t make this marriage happen the kingdom will fall. All the people that have come to count on you will be cast into the cold, including your precious Addy.”

Caprice turned her back on the woman, and she met Arun’s eyes. His gut dropped when he saw her lack of expression. He’d never seen that look on her face before. Did she believe this bitch? Was Caprice going to let her manipulate her?

After everything they’d just been through, he refused to let
anyone
take his mate away from him. The energy ignited, but he took a deep breath, allowing the flow to wash through his body. The power was accessible, so he could be patient; the only problem now was Caprice.

‡

F
or a moment,
just a moment, Caprice lost her breath. The anger rose inside of her, so quickly, so ferociously, she couldn’t process the weight of the emotion.

Caprice knew the Pre-Dom’s plan—her father’s plan, really. It seemed fairly obvious. As soon as she walked back through the Bicullis, they would force her to marry, take the money, and then dispose of her.

She thinks she’s won.

Once again, the Predominant’s stupidity would be her downfall.

“Tell me you don’t believe her,” Arun’s voice was pitched so low, Caprice had to strain to hear.

His words brought her back to reality. She was fairly certain the Pre-Dom was lying, but she had to make sure, had to figure out, somehow, whether her instincts were correct. And in order to do it, she was going to have to make everyone believe the Predominant had the upper hand.

I am going to lie to Arun
.

“It doesn’t matter if I believe her.” She couldn’t meet his eyes as the words left her lips. Conscious of the fact that the pre-Dom was listening to every word she spoke, she prayed she could pull this off.

“Your father will kill you the moment you step through the Bicullis!” Arun ran both hands through his hair in agitation.

Yes. My father will kill me without a second thought.
Anger mixed with fear as Caprice thought of all of his crimes. His crimes against their people, against
her.
He’d kidnapped her mother, forcing her to conceive. Had her mother walked out of the castle to escape or had the king disposed of her?

“Addy could already be dead.” His words cut straight to her heart, hanging in the air. She knew he hadn’t meant to hurt her, but the pain caused by his words made her stumble.

He can’t be right. Please, please…
“Lead the way, Predominant. We go now.”

The Pre-Dom’s smile was too quick, too confident.

“Caprice, wait!” Grabbing her arm, he tried to pull her back, but she trudged behind the Predominant and her four guards. Guards she didn’t recognize. They must have been from her father’s elite squad. Now, they could hardly keep their heads up. One of the men fell to the ground, and the other three tried to pull him to his feet. Caprice couldn’t be bothered to feel sorry for him.

“Caprice!”

Trying to avoid outright lying to Arun, she allowed him to take her arm as she said, “Arun, Addy saved my life, over and over again. She covered for me when I let my emotions escape, taking the beatings, never complaining. She helped me hone my skill, saying the gods would never have blessed me with such a gift if it wasn’t meant to be used. And she kept all my secrets, every single one.” Caprice’s voice almost broke at the words.

Arun’s glow increased, his voice a furious whisper. “Listen to me.
I
will rescue her. Wait for me to come up with a plan. We don’t have to do this on her terms.”

“Come, Princess, quickly. And remember, Fiera, keep your distance or Addy is dead.” The fumbling guards left the injured man on the ground and surrounded the Predominant. Caprice and Arun kept pace behind her.

“Why won’t you look at me? Are you choosing this woman over me? Do you doubt I can protect you? Caprice, give me a chance. Trust that I can fix this for you.”

She looked up and saw the pain etched deeply into his features. Her face must have softened, because he breathed her name, taking a step toward her, his broad shoulders blocking the guards from her view. She had to shut him out, just for a few more minutes until they were closer to the Bicullis, and she could determine if the Predominant really had Addy.

“If I say no, will you kidnap me again? Take me against my will? Harm my family and destroy their home?” Her words were delivered by the Princess Glissante, not Caprice. She had wanted them to burn like dry ice.

It worked.

She stepped around him as his hand slid from her arm. At once her skin missed his warmth. Arun walked beside her, but was no longer looking at her. In silence, they followed the Predominant.

They made it back to the Bicullis. People swarmed, small children played, large horned animals roamed and grazed. The sheer mass of people overwhelmed Caprice. Throughout the chaos, the portal remained open, families with linked hands still traveling through. Worry for Addy warred with her guilt at hurting Arun.

Cameo’s head popped above the crowd, and she made a beeline for the small group. Fisk soon followed and signaled for the rest of his brothers.

More trouble.
They better not get in my way.

“What’s going on?” Cameo sauntered over, studying the Predominant and the guards carefully as they made their way toward the Bicullis.

“Nothing.” All she could think about was her goal; she didn’t need Cameo’s interference.

“You know, that’s the first time you’ve done that.”

“What?” Fisk asked because neither Arun nor Caprice gave Cameo any notice.

“Outright lied. Don’t make a habit of it.” Cameo placed two fingers in her mouth and whistled. “Luckily, I forgive you.”

Soon Hamazakaran warriors materialized in front of the small group, sliding down from trees. They had been watching the activity at the Bicullis the whole time.

The First strode forward. “Anona. Have you finally come home to pay for your crimes?”

“You know her?” Arun asked in disbelief.

The Predominant hissed, “Just stay back, RyAhn. I have no fight with you; I am here for the princess.”

“You will call me First Warrior, now.”

Anona scoffed. “You are not
my
First, and you never will be. Leave us. The princess is none of your concern.”

Cameo stormed forward. “You don’t talk to her like that! I don’t know who the hell you are…”

Fisk started to growl, and the leader signaled for silence with a flick of her hand. When Cameo stilled, Fisk did the same, his eyes narrowed and focused in on the Pre-Dom.

“Do you really believe I wouldn’t know my own niece? You are still unchanged, still a
fool.
What I am trying to figure out is the hand you had in aiding the enemy all those years ago.” The First inched forward, her movements graceful and deadly.

“Say what you will, call me names, but I’m a survivor. I was a victim just like the queen, and I
found power
. I did what I had to. Your sister … did not.” The bulky fur coat slid off her shoulders. The Pre-Dom tugged at the material, while sweat ran down her cheeks.

Her mind was reeling.
She knew my mother
? They came over together? But old habits died hard. Anona would never see her uncertainty, her questions.
Time to take control
. “Shut your mouth, Predominant. Don’t speak of my mother
ever
again, or I swear I will kill you where you stand. We get this over with.”

“Don’t do this.” Arun grabbed her, his hand tightening on hers. He looked straight ahead. She could feel him restraining the urge to kill her where she stood.

“I have no choice.”

“There is always a choice, Caprice. Whatever this one tells you, it is half-truth at best,” The First said, tracking the Pre-Dom with her eyes.

“That is enough from you. I’m sick of your insults. Tell your Giant he goes no further. If I don’t return by the fall of night, she will be killed. If one hair is harmed on my head, she will be killed.
If—”

“Shut it, you old bitch. She gets it!” Cameo yelled before the Predominant could continue.

Caprice walked away from Arun, allowing his hand to slip from her arm. She still couldn’t look at him, too afraid she’d break. Anona and the guards already stood in front of the Bicullis.

“You chose me, Princess!” Arun’s words shot across the space between them. “You chose me! You chose
us.”

Caprice paused, but couldn’t look back, knew she would give all her emotions away. His words melted her. Gods, she loved him.

She took another step toward the Bicullis.

“We are one. The
fervor
started the process, but you chose. We should do this together, Caprice. Damn it to
nine hells,
I won’t force you, not again, but give us a chance. You asked me to trust you, I did, and it saved my life. Give me that same chance.”

She couldn’t stand it, couldn’t bear to see this man humble himself. Swinging around, she said,
“Arun.”

“Don’t leave me!” The words were torn from him and she couldn’t imagine what it cost him to say them aloud.

I won’t.

“Seize her! Grab her arms, you fools. Don’t give her the chance to get near me. We’ll drag her through if we have to.” Guards huddled around, pointing their swords at her, but for now, they dared not approach. Their training against touching a royal ran too deep.

“Lay one hand on me and I will kill you on the spot.” Caprice’s voice was a crack in the silence.

Arun’s shout boomed through the crowd, but Caprice met his eyes and shook her head no. He was a living current, skin glowing, electric bolts jumping from his skin. The small group gave him a wide birth. A hush fell over the crowd. Again they had an avid audience. Arun rose off the ground, but his eyes held true, glowing brown fire. He was learning to harness the power.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cameo trying to advance. “No one moves.” Caprice said, knowing her calm voice lent weight to her words.

“How can we go through? People are filing through, and I heard them talk of a volcano on the other side.” The prince desperately tried to appear regal, yet he only seemed like a young boy playing dress-up.

“Do you think I don’t understand the Bicullis after all these years? It matters not who uses it—it can function on multiple levels. How do you think we arrived here, you idiot? We came through the same time as them but from a different location. Pull her through, now!”

The guards still hadn’t touched her, but they advanced closer.

It was time.

Turning her back to the Pre-Dom, she allowed all the love she felt for Arun to fill her to overflowing. She hoped he understood how much she treasured him, and she wouldn’t let him suffer another minute. Meeting his eyes, she said, “I will always choose you.” The words were spoken softly, but she knew he heard when his shoulders relaxed and his hands unclenched.

“You idiots! I said grab her!” The Predominant took out a whip of some kind that she’d hidden in her dress, and began to beat the men. They looked so exhausted they hardly noticed her. When they didn’t respond she stormed toward Caprice.

“Addy?” she shouted, her eyes the area, confirming that the Pre-Dom didn’t have her friend hidden in the jungle. This was why she’d let her bring her so close to the Bicullis.

Caprice held up a hand, and the Predominant slowed. Instead of crushing her like an ice-bug, Caprice asked, “How long have you had her?” She knew the question would knock the Predominant off balance.

“What?”

“When did you capture Addy?”

“Almost immediately. No time to explain everything. Quickly, now.”

“Really?” Her brow rose in disbelief.

“Yes, really,” she snapped. “Your sniveling drudge turned herself in almost immediately.”

“Where do you keep her?”

“I, well, in the dungeon, of course.”

Caprice remembered the sound of Arun decimating the dungeon cells. There wasn’t enough staff, even before the battle, to repair the devastation to the castle.

I choose Arun.
And she would choose him again and again. With those few words, she knew, the Pre-Dom did not have Addy. The drudge would never betray her location. Addy was the light of the castle, and she had protected the servants for many years, ensuring their total loyalty.

Joy welled and spread through her. She allowed a small smile of anticipation, to cross her face. “You know, things have changed a bit since we last saw each other.”

“Yes, that’s apparent. You’re a Fiera’s whore. No need to explain that to me.” The Predominant’s gaze returned again and again to the Bicullis.

Caprice laughed, a cold, biting bark. “A Fiera’s whore? Hmmm. I like that new title. I have decided to let you in on a little secret?”

“Tell me on the other side. Guards!”

The weakened men grasped their swords and advanced toward Caprice. The Pre-Dom shoved the prince through the portal and made to step through.

“I don’t need to touch you in order to kill you, anymore.” Caprice’s voice was nothing more than a cold whisper.