Mystic's Touch (14 page)

How will you know it worked?

I suspect we’ll both know.

In the space she occupied within their joined consciousness,
she saw a room surrounded by a golden curtain. She walked up to but couldn’t find
an opening. She ran her hands over the silky fabric, searching before realizing
there wasn’t an entrance a physical body would use.

She closed her eyes and sank against the billowing panel. As
she did, it gave way and allowed her to seep through. She took a large step and
felt the featherlight caress of the silk over her entire body. When she opened
her eyes, she was in the same room she had dreamed of the day before. Gold
walls. The raised platform bed. Glistening white sheets covered the bed and
iridescent sheers fluttered about the posts.

She expected to find her beast lying on top of the bed.
Instead, it was empty.

Gazing around the chamber, she was vaguely aware of light
reflecting off the gold that surrounded her. She was far more interested in finding
Ceros. Or her beast. Or perhaps both.

“Am I dreaming again?” a voice from behind her asked.

Danet turned slowly. Ceros stood across the room. His golden
hair fell in waves down the back of his neck. He wore a simple white cloth
around his waist and a gold band bearing his family emblem about his upper arm.
His bare chest glistened in the light as if it had been bathed with oil. The
sight of him stirred something deep within her. “You have been here before
too?”

He moved toward her, but not directly. He circled the
perimeter of the room as if he were stalking prey. “Yes. And not long ago.”

She turned to keep her eyes on him. “Were you alone?”

“No, I was not.”

“Were you beast or man?”

He stopped circling and asked quietly. “Why do you ask me
this?”

“In my dream, the last time I was here, my beast was too.”
She took a step in Ceros’ direction. “But he was attacked by something I
couldn’t see and he ran from me. I should like to know if beast and man are
one.”

Ceros took a few steps closer. “The last time I found this
place, it was as a beast. And my lady of light comforted me. Something
disturbed my dream and forced me from this place and from my lady.”

“And do you sometimes find your lady in a lush oasis in your
dreams?” she asked, taking another step closer.

“I do.” He took a couple steps in her direction. “We walk.
She tells me her secrets and sometimes she sings. It brings peace to my
troubled heart and mind.”

“And the great beast is always gentle with her. He offers
her comfort and companionship in her lonely existence.”

He reached for a lock of her hair. “Is it possible that you
were the girl turned woman who has haunted my dreams all these years?”

“It is possible but I don’t understand the why.” They stared
into each other’s eyes, both unsure what to say or do.

Suddenly Ceros’ legs buckled. Danet moved to catch him.
“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “A moment of weakness.” He touched his
head. “And a bit of dizziness.”

“You should lie down.” She steered him to the raised
platform.

“I’ve been lying down for days,” he groused. “I shouldn’t
need to in a dream.” Thankfully he was able to climb the platform with nothing
more than a little steadying.

He sat on the edge of the bed and she helped raise his feet
to the mattress. “We need to do the healing before this gets any worse or you
may not recover.”

“At the moment I’m not inclined to argue. What do we need to
do?”

“The only information I have is from my mother’s journal.
She performed it on my father when he got sick with an unshakable fever.”

“And?”

“She didn’t say exactly what she did.” Danet blushed. “But
there was enough information that, as an adult, I believe it was an intimate
encounter that was the catalyst for their merging.”

His brows lifted in surprise. “An intimate encounter?”

“Not that I’m suggesting we do the same thing,” she
stammered.

“Well, now I’m disappointed.” He gave her a half grin.

“Oh stop. You know you’re attractive. And I’m sure you’ve
traipsed around in my head enough to know I’m not immune to your appeal. But I
don’t want you to think I’m making this whole thing up just to get into your
bed.”

He sat up and leaned closer. “I don’t believe that anyone,
much less you, could be deceitful enough to pull this off.” He gestured to the
room they were in.

“I suppose it would be difficult to create all of this.” She
smiled ruefully.

Ceros lifted her chin until she was looking at him. “I’ve
been in your head, Danet. I trust you. And I believe you sincerely want to help
me. So, what do you suggest we do to trigger this merging?”

“Touch is probably important,” she suggested.

“I believe touch is very important.”

Danet hesitantly placed one hand over his heart. She looked
up into his eyes, seeking confirmation that he was not offended by what she was
doing.

The warmth of his skin flowed up her arm and into her chest.

He cupped her face in his hand then slid his fingers into
her hair. When he reached the back of her head, he pulled her forward, slowly.
Their eyes were locked on each other until their lips met.

She felt as if she were floating on air.

Ceros fell back onto the bed and pulled her with him. Their
featherlight kiss quickly turned into one of hunger and need. She was
inexperienced, but she knew what she was feeling and that she wanted Ceros. He
teased her lips with the tip of his tongue, daring her to follow him.

She took his challenge.

He slid his hands up and down her back, pressing her body
even closer against his rock-hard form. His erection pressed into her hip,
making her both anxious and excited.

Soon they were both breathless.

He gripped handfuls of her gown and slid the thin material
up her back until she felt the cool air on her backside. Using one knee, he
parted her thighs then set her back on her haunches, forcing her to straddle
him.

With her hair falling about her face as she leaned over him,
her weight on her hands at either side of his shoulders, she felt downright
hedonistic.

“We probably shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispered.

“I’ll stop if you tell me to.”

“But I don’t want you to stop.”

“Good. Because I don’t want to stop either.”

He pulled her down for another kiss. This one she felt down
to her toes. Then he rolled her to one side so they were facing each other.
When he pulled her knee up onto his hip his erection pressed against her. The
only thing separating them was the cloth wrapped around his waist.

Her hips surged in response.

Ceros tugged at the clasp at her shoulder and the front of
her gown fell open. His work-roughened hand palmed one of her breasts. He
flicked his thumb across the pink bud, making her moan.

He pushed her back against the bed and leaned down to take
the delicate tip into his mouth. Using his lips, his tongue and even his teeth,
he teased and tormented first one then the other nipple until she was writhing
beneath him.

She grasped his head, trying to pull him closer.

When he slipped one hand between her thighs, her breath
caught in her throat. His fingers caressed her then drove her to the brink of
madness. The intimate invasion was more than she could take. She thrashed
about, afraid of the intensity of the feeling building inside her, but he used
his body to prevent her from fleeing.

She felt as if she were a spring and he was winding her
tighter and tighter with each flick of his fingers. In her haze of sensation
she was vaguely aware of being repositioned. Without warning, he locked his
lips onto her core. When she remembered to breathe it came in short gasps. The
things he was doing with his tongue wound that spring even tighter, overriding
her instinct to run and hide in embarrassment.

Her hands gripped the silky sheets and she tried desperately
to hold on to something solid while her body writhed under his ministrations.

Then it happened. A dam burst inside her. She saw lights
behind her eyes and she felt as if her body had turned into a river of water
that was rushing off a rocky mountaintop. The sensation of falling continued
until Ceros wrapped her in his arms.

When she opened her eyes he was leaning over her.

“There you are.”

“Here I am.” She smiled and ran her hands up his broad back
to his shoulders.

“I wanted to make sure you were with me when we were
joined.” He shifted his hips and aimed the tip of his cock at her entrance.
“Tell me you want this, Danet. There will be no going back once we do. Our
joining will mark you as mine.”

“I want this, Ceros,” she whispered and urged him to kiss
her.

“Thank the Gods,” he groaned as he captured her lips and her
body in one swift motion.

His invasion made her stiffen in resistance, but his kisses
and the flicks of his thumb across her breast distracted her. Her instincts
flared to life, urging her to wrap her legs around his thighs. She arched her
back, encouraging him to show her more. Slowly he began to move, creating a
delicious friction between her legs.

It didn’t take her long to join his rhythmic movements.

She clung to his back, silently begging for more. In the
haze of her mind she was aware of Ceros’ grip on her hip and his heavy
breathing.

The tension quickly built inside her until the fluttering
where they were joined began. She arched her back and let go of all that she
knew.

Ceros called her name as the starburst went off in her head.

Instead of the free fall sensation she expected, they were
surrounded by a pulsing white light. It beat in time with their combined hearts
and pounded a rhythm in their ears. Still they clung to each other as they
floated in nothingness.

Danet was beyond speech. She got lost in Ceros’ gaze as she
caressed his chin and the base of his throat with the pad of her finger.

It was peaceful there, hovering above any physical plane of
existence, locked in each other’s arms.

But something called them back to reality.

Danet felt their bodies being pulled back to the bed, then
from the gold room and through the frail curtain.

She tried to call out to Ceros but had no voice.

As she became aware of her body, her physical body, she
realized how heavy her limbs felt. She forced her eyes open and found herself
slumped against Ceros’ chest. It took considerable effort to lift her head to
check on him.

Relief swept through her when his eyes opened. She said a
prayer of thanks for having been able to remove enough of the poison from his
system.

“You,” he whispered when his eyes landed on her. His voice
was rough but didn’t sound as weak as she expected. “You did it.” He lifted a
hand to stroke her cheek. “Thank you.”

“I’m just glad it worked.” She let her head fall onto his
chest. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her.

“Are you all right?” he asked as he tilted her head back. A
frown formed a little V in the middle of his forehead.

“Just tired.” She smiled at him.

He gently slid out from underneath her then rolled her onto
her back. He kissed her and said, “I feel as if I could drink all of the water
in the Genoa River.”

Danet sighed against his lips. Despite her exhaustion, her
blood still ran hot for Ceros. She wished she had the strength to physically do
what they had just done in spirit form.

“You rest. I need to see Gehiji.”

“Be careful getting up,” she cautioned him. “You haven’t
used your legs for several days.” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded weak.
She knew there would be a price for doing the healing and right now she felt as
if she could sleep for the next five moons.

“I will go slow.” Ceros’ words faded as she succumbed to her
body’s demand for rest.

Ceros sat on the edge of the bed, watching Danet sleep.

Curled on her side, she rested her hand where his body had
been. As if she reached for him, even in her sleep.

She was an amazing woman. Whether she understood what he had
meant or not, she was now his. She would be his bride and his queen. There
could be no other for him. He would deal with any court politics that came
about.

No stranger to injury and recovery, Ceros followed her
advice and took his time getting up. It was good he hadn’t been down any longer
than he had and felt certain his strength would return quickly. A few rounds of
training would probably help him sweat out the last of the poison.

Now he needed to find out who was behind it.

He paused at the door to take one more look at Danet. His
body burned with unfulfilled desire. Their joining gave him a feeling of
completion, but his physical need remained. He promised himself he would have
her in his bed without the threat of someone trying to kill him hanging over
their heads.

And it would be soon.

He stepped into the hallway and softly closed the door
behind him. He listened for sounds to determine which way to go.

Before he had taken two steps, Runihura blocked his path.

“Ceros.” Runihura seemed surprised. And that was a hard thing
to do. “We thought you were near death.”

Ceros smiled and leaned against the wall for support. “I
might have been.”

“Let’s get you to the kitchen before you fall over and that
little lady comes after me again.” Runihura offered his assistance.

Ceros declined his help but used the wall to steady himself.
“Again?”

Gehiji laughed as he turned the corner and stepped into the
hallway. “Our big friend here startled Danet when he arrived unannounced. She
was just about to call down the heavens on him when I came in and stopped her.”

Ceros wasn’t sure which he was more surprised by, Runihura’s
discomfort or the fact she defended him so fiercely. “What did she threaten you
with? One of the poisonous thorns?”

They both shook their heads as Runihura helped him take a
seat at the small kitchen table.

“I don’t know what she was doing or what she is capable of
doing but her eyes glowed and I swear there was smoke coming from her
fingertips,” Runihura said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Gehiji chuckled. “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him
ready to leave a fight.”

“You would have too if she’d been looking at you that way,” Runihura
said defiantly.

“True. But she wasn’t, so it’s funny,” Gehiji jested with Runihura.

Runihura made a less-than-polite hand gesture at Gehiji.

Smoke? Ceros was stunned. He needed to learn the extent of
her abilities. Abilities that she had somehow kept hidden from the world, until
now.

Gehiji turned serious. “So how is it that an hour ago, you
looked as if you were ten steps from death’s door and now you’re walking
around?” He grabbed Ceros’ shoulder. “Even if you aren’t walking steady, it’s
more than you’ve done for days. What did she do to you?”

“I’m not entirely sure.” He wasn’t about to disclose
everything that occurred between them but he wasn’t going to lie. Especially
not to Gehiji. “She connected her soul with mine and somehow that joining
forced the poison out.”

“Where did the poison go?” Runihura asked with his usual
bluntness.

“I don’t know.” Ceros frowned. “Out, I guess.”

“It couldn’t have just vanished. It was a tangible thing,”
Runihura reasoned. “It had to go somewhere.”

“Maybe she burned it up?” Gehiji suggested with a grin.

Runihura gave Gehiji a dark look.

“Where is Danet?” Gehiji asked.

“She fell asleep,” Ceros said.

“The water is hot enough to make her tea. Do you think I
should take it in or wait ’til she comes out?”

“What tea?” Ceros asked.

Gehiji shrugged. “She asked me to make it for her. Said
she’d probably need it after the healing.”

“I suppose I should take it to her if she asked for it. It
may have herbs she needs.”

“I’ll take the water off the fire and add the tea. That will
give it a chance to cool first.” Gehiji went to take care of it.

“What have I missed the last couple of days?” Ceros asked.
The three of them took up more space than the tiny kitchen was meant to
accommodate.

“Don’t ask me. I only know what he,” Runihura pointed to
Gehiji, “has told me.”

“After you went down, I monitored your immediate area,”
Gehiji said. “When I saw your mother had things under control, I expanded my
watch to the palace in general.” He grinned. “Found a helpful little thing in
the dining hall who provided me with insight into your staff.”

“Did you learn anything other than someone is smart enough
to put the pretty girls in the dining hall as opposed to the sleeping
quarters?” Ceros asked.

“Some. After Danet said you wanted me to look into the
council members, I started digging.”

“Are they as stodgy as I fear they may be?” Ceros asked with
a grimace.

“Stodgy isn’t the right word. I couldn’t place my finger on
it, but my alarms went off anytime I heard the top members speak. They just
ooze lies.”

“Wonderful,” Ceros mumbled. “What about Danet?”

“You have nothing to worry about there. From what I could
tell she is well-respected at the palace by both servants and the queen. By
your sisters too. Haven’t learned much on her father yet, but it hasn’t been a
priority.” He gave Ceros a meaningful look. “I can step up the efforts if I
need to rush it.”

Ceros waved his answer away. “No, not yet.”

Gehiji made a harrumph sound. “Back to the council. I did
learn who their top picks would be if the council were to have to choose the
next ruler.”

“Who?”

“A man named Shenti and your cousin, Aleric.”

“Aleric?”

“Apparently there is some belief that he would be a natural
choice since he is the closest male relative through your father’s line,”
Gehiji said.

“He would be the closest male relative but I’ve never had
any indication to make me think he would even be interested in sitting on the
throne.”

“People change,” Runihura reminded them.

“True,” Ceros said, a frown forming between his brows. “What
do you know about Shenti?”

“He’s a third-generation council member. Not a very strong
personality. Easily led. If the council wants a figurehead sitting on the
throne, he would an ideal choice.”

Ceros grunted. “So he’s not someone who could or would
orchestrate the poisoning?”

“Highly unlikely,” Gehiji said. “And given his preference
for cleanliness and the pampered life, I don’t see him getting his hands dirty
gathering thorns from a hard-to-find plant.”

“What do you think the next move will be?” Ceros asked.

“They’re going to want to seat their own man on the throne,”
Gehiji speculated. “If not on the throne, at least in a position of power. The
council meeting will give them that chance. We need to make sure you are there.
And healthy. You will have to demonstrate you are able to rule.”

“Thanks to Danet, that won’t be a problem,” Ceros said
proudly.

As usual, Runihura pointed out the obvious. “We still have
to get you into the meeting.”

“Mother will know where it will be held.”

“We’ll just need to keep you away from thorns until then,”
Gehiji joked.

Ceros?

I’m in the kitchen with Gehiji and Runihura. Are you all
right?

I woke and you were gone.

Everything is fine. I’ll come back in a moment.

“Danet is awake,” Ceros relayed. “I should take her tea in.”

“Can you carry it?” Gehiji asked with a lift of his eyebrow.

“I think so. My energy has been returning even as we
talked.”

“How about if you only take the cup instead of the whole
pot. Just in case,” Gehiji suggested.

Ceros grinned ruefully as he stood. “Perhaps that isn’t a
bad suggestion.”

“I’ll send a note to your mother asking for the information
on the council meeting.”

“Good idea.” Ceros took the cup of tea from Gehiji. “I’ll be
out shortly.”

“Take your time,” Runihura said. “You’re going to need the
rest.”

“I didn’t know you cared,” Ceros teased.

“I don’t want to have to carry your sorry ass into the
council meeting,” Runihura said gruffly. “Extra weapons would be more helpful.”

Ceros shook his head as he turned toward the hall, tea in
hand. Behind him he heard Gehiji chuckling.

When he opened the door to their room, he found it much
lighter than when he’d left. The second sun shone brightly since there was little
to shield it. He was surprised Danet was able to sleep.

Danet?
he called softly.

Her legs moved under the sheet. She slid one arm over her
face and burrowed deeper into her pillow.

I have your tea. Gehiji said you thought you’d need it.

Ceros?
She sounded exhausted, even in his head.

He sat on the edge of the bed. “I wasn’t sure how long to
let you sleep.”

She peeked from underneath her arm. “You look better. How
are you feeling?”

“A little wobbly but good. Whatever you did worked.
Remarkably well.”

Even with her face half covered, he could see her cheeks
turn pink. Recalling their intimate encounter made him harden instantly.

He set the cup on a nearby table. “Here.” He reached to help
her. “Let’s sit you up so you can take your tea.”

“Oh, my prince,” she mumbled. “There’s no need for you to do
that. I can do it. I just need a moment.”

“Danet,” he said her name softly and waited until she looked
him in the eye. “Please don’t ‘my prince’ me. After everything we’ve been
through the past couple of days there should be no formality between us.”

“But my—”

He placed one finger over her lips. “I’m quite serious.
Unless you are using it as an endearment, you will only anger me. It’s Ceros.”
Her eyes widened at the mention of endearment. “But not ‘my prince’. Never
again. Do you understand?”

Ceros held his breath until she nodded her agreement. He
removed his finger from her lips without giving in to the temptation to trace
the outline, and reached for her tea.

“Drink,” he said, lifting the cup to her delicate pink lips.

She automatically tried to take the cup from him, but he
refused to relinquish his hold. Her tiny hands covered his and guided the cup.

He was mesmerized by her mouth, especially when her tongue
darted out to catch a wayward drop of tea.

The red staining her cheeks was a bright contrast to the
paleness of her skin.

“Thank you,” she mumbled.

He had to clear his throat to speak properly. “I assume this
is some kind of herbal tea.”

She nodded slowly. “Yes. It was my mother’s recipe. I use
herbs from the garden at home.”

“It smells pleasant.”

“You are welcome to try it. There should have been enough
for a whole pot.”

He turned the cup and took a sip from the exact spot she had
been drinking from. Her eyes widened once again at the intimacy his action implied.

“Not bad,” he said without dropping his gaze. “I doubt I’d
want it every day, but it has a soothing taste.”

“I, uh…” Danet blinked, as if trying to clear her mind
before speaking. “It’s not meant to be an everyday tea. I only have it when
I’ve overdone it at the clinic or with my studies.”

He held the steaming mug out for her to take another sip.
Her hand closed around his wrist and she guided the cup to her mouth.

“Gehiji has been catching us up on what happened over the
last day or two,” he said as he watched her take several small sips in a row.
“As soon as you feel rested, I’d like for you to come listen. You may have some
thoughts we hadn’t considered.” He shrugged. “Besides, you know the palace and
the schedules people keep better than any of us.”

She seemed surprised by his invitation but quickly
recovered. “Yes. All right.”

Ceros put one hand on her shoulder to make her stay reclined
against her pillows. “But not until you are rested.”

Danet’s lips lifted in a half grin. “So you’re the physician
now instead of the patient?”

“Something like that,” he answered with a half grin of his
own.

She took a few more sips. “Ceros, about this connection—”

The one where I can hear your thoughts and you can hear
mine?

Yes, that one.
She continued,
“
I need to
explain something.”

“Yes, you do, but not now.”

A frown creased her brow in a charming way. “But there’s
something you need to know.”

“I’m sure there is, but it will have to wait. We need to
make plans to get into the high council meeting tomorrow. This,” he touched a
finger to his forehead then touched hers, “isn’t going away and neither are
you. But I need to focus on the council meeting. We will talk after.”

Ceros silently gave thanks that Danet was intelligent enough
to grasp the importance of what they needed to accomplish. Despite her instinct
to argue, she relented and simply nodded.

“Rest as long as you need. Gehiji will keep your tea warm.”

“What about you? Shouldn’t you be resting too?”

If he didn’t know how tired she was, he would think she was
offering him more than concern. One part of him wished that were true. “As a
matter of fact, Runihura suggested the very same thing.” He shook his head.
“You don’t want to hear the rest of his thoughts on it, though.”

“I can well imagine.” She looked around the room. “Do they
have another room for you or am I in your bed?”

“You are welcome to climb into my bed any time you wish,” he
said with a wink then waited for her cheeks to turn that delightful shade of
pink again.