Protector (33 page)

“Katerin Sol,” I repeated.

“The nuns named me after my mother. They were not sure what else to do.”

I repeated the name again, now knowing it was that of my grandmother. “It’s a start. Is there anything else?”

In his dark leathers, my father entered the room, a glow to his skin similar to my mother’s. “I watched. It’s a bad habit.” He clenched his jaw. “In the future, everything you two discuss of this kind of importance, you will discuss with me present. We are a family.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples. “We have a name. Katerin Sol. Now where do you suggest we go from there?”

He planted his feet wide. “We start by backdating Kate’s age. Thirty-six years ago, Dralion’s dome had been intact for four years. If Katerin Sol was from Dralion, she would’ve been a female warrior for that’s the only way she could’ve gotten out.”

I stood. “Are you saying that’s a possibility?”

He pressed a finger to his chin. “No, there have been no Sols as warriors until two years past when Maslin Sol joined the ranks, and he is the first from within his family line.” He looked at me. “The skill of mind-merge has never been recorded in our land, which is why it was thought to be an extension.”

“What do you think now?”

“I agree with your assessment. It’s a separate skill and quite possibly rare. We need to seek more information.”

My mother rose and crossed to his side. “How do we do that? What of Katerin Sol?”

He took her hands. “It is far more likely she came from Peacio where there are no restrictions on their people’s travels.” Glancing at me, he said, “Which means you’ll need to have Loveria search his history books. We have to be certain. He must hold the information we’re after.”

“I’ll contact Belle now.”

“Before you do, understand that I would never fall for any of the Loveria’s tactics. It hasn’t happened in the past, and it will not in the future. If you were locked up, I would find a way to get you out without being captured. I have forethought for a reason.” He wrapped an arm around my mother. “We’ll leave you alone to make that call.” They flashed away.

In the silence, I paced, shaking out my hands as I crossed from one side of my room to the other. This upcoming conversation would not be easy.

Inhaling, I opened the link.

Belle, can we talk? I need you to be the go-between again since I don’t have a–

Of course. No telepathic link yet. Silvie told me why you left. If it helps, I don’t agree with what’s gone down. It’s not right to use you in this way.

Yeah, but I have a problem. A big one.
I opened my forethought and saw her sitting in the rec room.
Could you call Davio to you? I need to see for myself what he says.

I didn’t have to wait long.

He’s here.

And he was, having brought Silas with him.

I rubbed my forehead, outlining every detail as it had gone down with my mother and father. I watched Davio during the telling.

He stormed to the windows, his fists clenching and unclenching. “Faith is lying. This must be a trick,” he said to her and Silas. “Sol is a common family name, as is the given name of Katerin. With our form of record-keeping it would be impossible for us to locate a woman who’s not been seen for thirty-six years.”

Silas joined him. “I agree. This sounds too convenient.”

“What it is,” Davio continued, “is Wincrest’s strategy to circumvent what we’ve done. His wife is of Earth and Faith is a Halfling. All along Wincrest has said he won’t allow any warrior spies to know of his daughter’s connection to me.” He crossed his arms. “This battle is between him and us, and I’m certain he’ll turn up here to halt what we’ve done–I don’t see he’ll have any other choice.”

Belle, what of my ability to mind-merge? Has anyone ever heard of what I can do?

No. If this has nothing to do with your forethought as you’ve said, then you’re the first I’ve heard of, but let me check.

She asked Davio my question, and he snapped his answer. “If I’d known about it, I would have said so before now. It’s damn convenient Wincrest says it has nothing to do with forethought or his family line’s skills.”

I sat in silence, then spoke, ignoring Davio’s disbelief when I knew the facts.
Belle, I’m starting to believe this skill is not known, because it is a lost one.

What do you mean by a lost one?

I lied back down and rested my head on the pillow.
I mean a deadly one. There is none known with this ability. I can’t forget that time on the mountain. I had no use of my limbs and was barely with it. Imagine going longer than that.

She was quiet.

And then there’s my mother. She told me she was left with the nuns when she was three days old.

She repeated every word to Davio, and he ground his heel into the floor. “I don’t believe this. Now she thinks to hold her safety over my head? No. This ruse will not work against me. Belle, can you feel her pain through your link?”

She shook her head. “There’s no pain, just a slight headache and I’m not surprised by that.”

Davio gritted his teeth. “Then to believe her words, I demand she come here and see me. The only way to tell she speaks the truth is to see her eye to eye.”

And I couldn’t do that, not until he promised to revoke all he’d done, as well as to take back his decision to imprison me.

No. I will not come. I will never be held captive, either by his decision to use me as a pawn, or to lock me up within steel.

She told him.

“Then it’s a lie,” he bit out.

I groaned. We were getting nowhere.

Belle, perhaps it you could try and research the matter for me, I’d appreciate it.

And what will you do?

Stay put.

For how long?

I looked at my mate where he stood, wanting to go to him and ease his pain. Instead, I took a deep breath.
On the mountain, I could not have helped myself. I needed you and Davio then, as I need you both now.

Belle repeated my words, and Davio plowed a fist into the wall. “Damn it, she is a Wincrest through and through. She plays with our emotions. There is no skill on this planet which ultimately kills. If there had been, we’d have heard about it before now.” He stormed from the room.

Let him go,
I told her.
But contact me if you have any information.

Chapter 16

I pushed back the sweaty strands of my hair as they became plastered to my forehead. Alexo pushed me in the arena, distracting me from my pain. His blade cut across mine and made me groan at the impact.

“Dad,” I whimpered as I tried to hold my stance. “You have to give me a break. This session is killing me. You know I’m hitting three days.” My training clothes were saturated, my feet so wet I slipped within my own socks.

He twirled around and came at me from the behind, his white shirt billowing. “Another two minutes. You can’t arrive there too soon.”

“I won’t arrive there at all, at this rate. And why are you working me so brutally?”

Now in front. “You need to perfect this move. Every second counts.” He sidestepped and crossed his blade in a beautiful line, bringing it right under my nose.

I slammed my blade down, cutting him off in the nick of time. “Hey, okay, that’s enough,” I muttered. “I happen to need my nose.” Why did he keep changing positions? One moment he was in front, the next behind, to the side–it was endless.

Mum called out from the sidelines, her arms pressed to the top of the safety railing. “Alexo, her nose is bleeding, and she’s so flushed.”

I wiped my nose and came away with blood on my hand. I’d never had nosebleeds before. I dropped my sword because I hurt. Everywhere. “Okay, so what exactly was your forewarning all about? You never did elaborate.”

He took my elbow as I stumbled to the side of the outdoor arena. “And I can’t. I have no wish to alter the warning’s course except to ensure you’ve practiced these battle moves. The field of play must remain even.”

And Davio thought my father wasn’t fair. He was too damn fair. “My time’s almost up. I can’t do anymore.”

He cupped my cheek. “I know. You can go to him now. The time is right. Loveria will be in the training hall where he works out with Silas. Here take this.” He bent and lifted a very new and gleaming sword from a bag off the bench, passing it to me with a smile. “It is yours. I had it crafted for you by our sword smithy. Consider it a belated eighteenth birthday gift.”

It was gorgeous. The most beautiful blade. I held it up, balancing it horizontally across the tips of my two index fingers. Perfect. I flipped the blade ninety degrees and allowed the fine hilt to slide snugly into my palm. “Thank you.” I looked at my mother, who nibbled on her lower lip.

“Hey.” I hugged her. “I’ll be back.”

“You better be. I didn’t spend the last eighteen years watching you grow for no reason.”

Releasing her, I ’ported to my room. After throwing water on my face, I changed, dressing in a figure hugging cat suit of black. I belted my sword at my side and it blended with ease into the brassy strip that ran down the side.

Stretching, I ran my shaky hands over both legs.

I was going in to fight, and I would not be backing down.

Popping another two painkillers into my mouth, I washed them down with water. I’d taken some this morning out of habit, and if they helped, then I’d take that advantage.

I opened my link to Belle.

Do you have anything yet?
I fanned my face, feeling a new sheen of sweat.

No, still nothing. It is as Davio said–there’s no record of a skill like yours.

I heard the failure in her tone.
Hey, you tried.

And I will not stop looking. But you need to return. Please. Davio is in the training hall, going at it with Silas.

I flashed straight there. My father had said the time was right, and I knew that was important.

I’m here.

I’m coming.
There was a rush to her voice.

I turned about in the wide-open space. Davio was there, standing in form fitting black jeans and a black t-shirt, staring out the large bank of windows to the grassy meadow below. Silas stood beside him, both of them heaving deep breaths from their workout.

I closed my eyes, working hard now to get one single breath in. I had to withhold the mind-merge, no matter what. He had to see the pain I was in–and believe this was a separate skill.

Opening my eyes, I set my gaze on him.

“Davio.”

He spun around, his hand gripping his training sword. “You’re back.” There were heavy shadows under his eyes, so deep and dark I wanted to cry.

Silas gripped his shoulder. “She’s here. It’s not your imagination.”

Davio’s gaze traveled over me. “Your skin is flushed, but apart from that you look fine.”

“I’m a Wincrest. We try not to show our pain.”

They were fighting words as the pressure of the merge I withheld magnified and pressed out within my skull. Then he stepped forward, breaching the five feet mark, and it all went to custard.

I grabbed my head. “No. Don’t.” I had to ensure my safety and my father’s first. There would be no merge.

I stumbled backwards, only to hit his chest as he flashed in behind me.

“Your heart is racing out of control because you do not merge. Do it. Now.” His lips flattened in a tight line.

I wheezed. “Only if you revoke what you’ve done.”

“I can’t. My people’s safety comes first.”

Then I had to stick to my plan.

Shaking my head, I wobbled. “Give me some breathing space. It hurts too much with you this close.”

He clasped my face in his hands, looking deep into my eyes. “Merge and the pain will be gone.”

I wiped at my nose–it was dribbling again. “No.”

His eyes darkened, and he let out a low growl. “You walk a dangerous line with your actions. I’ll give you a minute and no more.” He stepped back, his boots thumping across the hard floor.

“Faith.” Belle flew into the room. Zac, Viv and Silvie were hot on her heels. “See,” she said, breathing fast. “I told you she was back.”

I staggered to the wall, bracing a hand to it as Davio paced a parallel line five strides from me. “She may be back, but she is more stubborn than ever.” He glared at Belle. “See what you can do.”

She turned her gaze toward me, holding out her hand. “I can alleviate some of the pain. Let me touch you. It’s bad–I can feel it.”

As she advanced, I withdrew my sword. “Don’t you dare tap into me as you did the last time.” I drew in a breath, and it rattled around in my chest. “This fight is between Davio and me. I need him in every way, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.” I turned to him. “Please. You cannot lock me up or use me as leverage against those I love. Just days ago you said no skill could kill. So that means in your eyes, it cannot be necessary for me to merge. You also said I’m a Halfling, but I say that’s not true. Open your eyes and see that I hold a skill given to me by my mother’s line. You have to revoke what you’ve said.” I wiped my sleeve under my nose.