Regali (A Walker Saga) (23 page)

“Which doesn
’t bode well for future battles?” Grantham said.

Josian nodded. “This is true
, and for that reason we’ve decided the girls need more training, to strengthen their powers.”

He looked across the table at the four of us. “We
’ve proposed that each of you spend some time with the Princeps of your clan. They will be responsible for assessing your power and training by any means they can.”

I froze. Josian hadn’t mentioned that before.

“Do you think it’s a good idea that we split up?” It felt wrong. We were a team and splitting us seemed counter-productive to strengthening us. “I feel like we should be working on the strength of our bonds with each other.”

“Let’s try this first
,” he said. “Besides, while they’re training you’ll have time to move on to Nephilius, Dronish and Earth. It’s just as important that you find the rest of the girls.”

I bit my lip for a moment but didn’t question him again. Josian would surely know better than
I did what was going to help us.

“My Princeps isn
’t here,” Talina said. “Where’s Brace?”

“Sorry I’m late
. I wasn’t sure if I could escape Abernath, but my schedule ended up clearing.”

My heart stopped.

I mean literally stopped beating in my chest.

He was standing in the doorway, filling it with his giant height and breadth. His warm smile took in everyone, myself included
, but where he would have normally moved toward me, or given me an extra look, he just continued past.

Lucy and Josian were both staring at me with twin expressions of concern. I swallowed and shoved the pain down again, which allowed my heart to beat again. I could do this
; he was going to be around a lot. Ripping off a bandage.

“So fill me in on what I missed?” He pulled out a chair, which was thankfully not across from mine.

“Just that each of the girls will be going with their Princeps for some intense one-on-one training. And that Aribella will continue on to gather the next half-Walker,” Grantham answered.

“And which is the next planet?” He turned to me, his brown eyes twinkling.

“Uh.” I cleared my throat. “Nephilius.” I had to clear my throat again. “Will you excuse me?”

I pushed my chair back and
, before anyone could ask why, dashed from the room. I made it to the hallway washroom before I lost it. My chest heaved as the sobs burst from me. I gripped the edge of the sink, fighting against the grief, trying my best to contain the agony pouring from my soul. I hadn’t cried before then. It was as if I’d been numb from the moment I woke. But seeing him, hearing his voice with none of its usual love and warmth, had reiterated how truly alone I was. Ripping off a bandage – I was a fool and Lucy was right – it was more like ripping off an appendage. My heart.

Arms encircled me from behind. Lucy held me and I held the sink. We stood there until I was strong enough to let go.

“Everyone
’s leaving, Abbs. They were going to wait for you, but I told them you had a bad headache and probably went to lie down.”

I laughed. “And the first half of that is not even a lie
, Luce.”

The mirror reflected back my red
-eyed splotchy self, but as I stood there watching I could see my skin clearing. The red disappeared and then the physical evidence of my pain was gone.

“Do my marks look less intense?” I asked Lucy.

She examined me in the reflective surface. “I don’t know, maybe a little less shine.”

What could that mean?

I splashed my face a few times, and rubbed my temples to relieve the pounding there. I didn’t even know Walkers got headaches. Lucy opened the door for us to leave and there was Brace against the wall. Propped up with one foot back against it.

“Do you have to stand there all sexy like?” Lucy demanded. “What do you want, Brace
?”

I put a hand on her arm. She was overreacting
. He would have no idea why she was upset.

He straightened
. His dark hair fell across his beautiful face.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay?” He looked straight into my eyes and I knew there was still a connection between us.

Even without his memories Brace was drawn to me and he would have no idea why.

“You ran out so fast. Was it something I said?”
he joked to lighten the mood.

I smiled the brightest one I could manage. “Just a headache
. I think I’ve been world-jumping a bit too frequently. Thanks for your concern.” I sidled past him, Lucy running interference between us so we wouldn’t touch.

“See you later, Brace
,” I called over my shoulder.

He looked solemn standing there, confusion on his features. But he was distracted as Talina emerged with
Ladre. I knew they’d be heading to Abernath with him. To my home. I fought hard to stop the tears.

“Aribella.”

I spun at the deep voice that called from the white room.

“Josian said you needed to talk with me.”

It was Jedi. He looked less exotic without his white marks but still exceptionally handsome. I nodded a few times, excited that someone was forcing me to focus on my mission and not my love life. Lucy left me with him. She said she had to go speak with Josian; update him on how I was doing.

I stepped into the room. “You told me to find you when I asked why
. So what I want to know is why are they releasing them now? Do you know?”

He took a seat on the long white couch, indicating I should sit next to him. I hesitated
, finally dropping down with lots of space between us. I missed having the barrier of a mate between me and other men. I wasn’t so vain that I thought many men were going to come beating down my door, but it was still an annoyance.

“I haven
’t said anything because this is simply me piecing together lots of information over the last thousand years.” His gaze was focused as he started to talk. “Allegedly in the beginning when this star-system was formed, the collision of power created the seven originals, the Seventine and First World. Then slowly over time the other planets were formed from the energy of First World. We are coming up to the anniversary of this moment. When the clock clicks over on a billion years all seven worlds will align, along with all of their tethers. We call this the convergence.”

I was starting to comprehend what he was saying
, and I could feel my face tightening as the horror spread through me.

“So when they all align
, that will allow the Seventine to just –?”

“Sever every tether in one swift move.”

He finished the sentence for me.

“
What’s the date of this convergence?” I choked out.

He shook his head. “The exact date is information lost to history. But I
’ve been doing some advanced calculations. I hope to be able to narrow it down to a manageable time period. I’m getting close but just not there yet.”

I nodded. “Let me know as soon as you have any idea of the time frame.”

He reached out and rested a hand on my clenched fists and white knuckles. “Don’t worry so. They can’t sever the ultimate tether without all seven of their power.”

I smiled before gently removing my hands from under his. I stood then.

“Thank you, Jedi, for this information. I’ll hear from you when you’ve done your calculations?”

He stood also. “I
’ll be in touch. Stay safe.” He strode from the room.

As soon as he was gone I sprinted back to the dining area
. I had to find Josian; he needed to hear this development.

“So you’re telling me that if we don’t stop or re-imprison the Seventine before this date of convergence they could destroy everything in one sever?” Lucy let her shock creep into that question.

I nodded. “Yes, Jedi thinks
that might be the case.”

Josian sighed. “Let’s not worry
about this yet. It doesn’t change our mission for now. We need to discuss the next planet. Are you ready to leave immediately?”

I felt a little off center, but really that was to be expected
after losing my other half, so I nodded. “Yes, I’m fine to leave straight away. Better to find the half-Walkers soon. We know the Seventine will be off severing tethers and gathering energy to release the fifth.”

“Well
, Grantham did some scouting on Nephilius for you.”

The man himself stepped into the room
. His warm cat-like eyes rested on me.

“Aribella
,” he boomed in his friendly tones. “I popped over to the planet last week, just to see what you’re up against. And I think there’s only one way you’re going to be able to find the half-Walker.”

He paused. I raised my brows at him.

“You’re going to have to fight in the tournament.”

I laughed. “What do you mean?”

He laughed with me. “You should love this, Aribella. Nephilius is a warrior planet. They value courage, bravery and the ability to kick ass. Every year they hold a massive tournament where they have fight rounds. If you lose you’re eliminated, otherwise you advance to the next round.”

I straightened. I could use some good fighting to get my mind off Brace, but I hadn’t trained in months
. My skills were a little rusty.

“The competition starts in a month
. I’ve entered your name. So now we’re going to have to train you up, because you can’t use any obvious energy power, only fight skills.”

I looked around the room.

“Well, looks like it’s time to get training.”

She was the most stunning woman he had ever seen. Brace had met Aribella, daughter of Josian, before, of course, but it felt as if her presence kicked him in the gut this time. Followed by a sharp jab to the chest.

He had only sat across from her for a few moments, but as those stunning green eyes looked anywhere but at him he felt the need to capture her attention. But before he had an opportunity she had
run from the room.

His instincts urged him to follow, make sure she was okay. He’d tried to reason with himself
; he had important things to do. Abernath was a mess and he didn’t have time for Aribella.

And yet he’d been unable to stop himself from checking that she was alright. He was still standing
in the hallway. The light, flowery scent that was distinctly hers lingered around him. He shook his head as a strange fragment of an image crossed his mind. Aribella was naked in bed, her head thrown back as she laughed in uncontrollable gasps. Her mass of curls falling everywhere.

And then it was gone.

Brace reached up and rubbed at his temples. Was that some type of fantasy spasm, because he knew he would remember if he’d ever had her naked in bed before.

The door opened and there she was before him. Her tiny blond friend, Lucy, was clutching one of her hands. His eyes briefly dropped to Lucy but she held no interest for him. He preferred them less fragile and she was Colton’s
, anyways.

Lucy’s features hardened as she leaned toward him. “Do you have to stand there all sexy
like?” she demanded. “What do you want, Brace.”

He
straightened, pushing back his hair and wondering where this animosity had come from. Probably something to do with Colton.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay?”

He looked directly into Aribella’s eyes. He could feel the connection. His hands itched to reach out and trace the contours of her beautiful face, touch that ivory skin that looked soft and perfect. Why did he feel as if he’d touched her a million times before? To stop himself from reaching for her he tried to lighten the mood.

“You ran out so fast. Was it something I said?”

She smiled fully for the first time and Brace almost scooped her up and ran from the room. If he had to tie her up until she admitted to this insane energy and connection between them … well, it was starting to seem like a viable option.

“Just a headache
. I think I’ve been world-jumping a bit too frequently. Thanks for your concern.”

He tried to remember what question she was answering. He was acting like a love-sick fool and at five hundred years he was just too old for that.

She slid past him. He clenched his fists to stop from reaching out to her.

“See you later, Brace
,” she called over her shoulder.

“You can count on it, Aribella.” He said quietly as she disappeared.

A week later he was sparring with Colton in the Abernath training hall. He was happy that his words were starting to have some effect
. Only half the men were there that day.

“
What’s up with you? Your efforts are even more half-assed than usual.” His friend was watching him a half-smirk on his face.

Brace pulled himself up from the mat
. Usually he could wipe the floor with Colton, but today his focus was off.

“Woman troubles.”

Colton’s smirk increased. Brace’s last relationship had been fifty years before, now he preferred an uncomplicated life. And he held out the hope he would eventually find his mate. And while Brace was happy that Colton had found his other half in Lucy, he wanted to find the same, the one to quell the endless loneliness inside him.

Brace threw out his legs and
, taking Colton by surprise, hooked behind his friend’s knee. Colton landed on his ass.

“You can talk, Colt, if I have to hear one more time how sexy Lucy is.”

Colton’s eyes hardened. “I’ve never said that. Lucy deserves better than to be talked about like she’s just a hot chick down the street.”

Brace let a grin cross his face as Colton hung his head
, swearing.

“I told you
, old friend,” Brace said, getting to his feet. “She’s the first female where you’ve cared more for her than yourself. Definitely glad you’ve found your mate.”

“My damn wolf is driving me crazy
. He demands that we get our asses to First World and find our mate,” Colton snarled. “But Lucy said she’s got something going on with Abby.”

Brace laughed. “Those two are an interesting pair. And try not to smother your mate, Colt. I know it goes against Walker and wolf instincts
, but it’s better to have an equal relationship.”

Colton shot out a jab, which Brace sidestepped
. His follow-around elbow cracked Colton in the jaw.

“You’re the most over-protective male on Abernath
,” Colton said. “How can you judge me for the same thing?”

Brace shook his head
. “There’re differences between being protective and smothering every facet of personality from a woman. Why fall in love with all that strength and then try to squash it out of her because you’re afraid to lose her?”

It took no effort to knock the distracted Colton onto his ass again. Brace stood over him, hands on his hips.

“You’re a good man. And you will be for Lucy.”

Colton nodded. “I’m not sure you
’re right but only time will tell. And I know I can’t stay away from her. I have a constant need to be where she is.”

Brace stopped. “Well
, I have to go back to see Josian soon. You can have some Lucy time … and I feel that I should be spending some time with Aribella.”

Colton eyed him, his expression curious.

“It’s all because of Abby, isn’t it? The reason you’re so distracted and crazy at the moment.”

Brace wasn’t going to lie to his friend anymore. “Yes. I can’t stop thinking about her. And the dreams every night
… I don’t know what the hell’s going on.”

“Dreams?” Colton asked.

“Yep, dreams as if we’ve been together before. Just snippets of a life that I wished to have with a mate.”

Colton bounced across the floor toward the door. “Sounds like something worth exploring.”

Brace laughed as he followed at a slower pace. But Colton was right; it was time to see if there was something there.

He was going to find Aribella. And she better prepare
, because when Brace set his mind to something, nothing changed it, and right now the stunning redhead was set firmly in his sights.

***