Return of the Ascendant (The Ascendant Series) (14 page)

Her jaw fell. “A horse and carriage?”

His gaze moved to hers. One corner of his mouth lifted. “We don’t use powered vehicles within the palace proper. Keeps pollution down.”

She didn’t know what to say. It was quite a relief to see something as familiar as a horse, though. Who would have thought that Alametria would have the same animals as Earth? Then again, she reminded herself, humans existed in both places. Why couldn’t other living things?

“You will find many similarities between the planets that support humanoid life,” Ty said as he lifted her up into the enclosed carriage. “Evolution occurred in similar ways on each planet, as the environments share many commonalities. Over time, we’ve unintentionally introduced some of our culture to other planets, and brought some of theirs here, as well.”

“Like what?” she asked as he followed her up into the carriage.

“Certain technological advancements. A few cultural elements. Different languages.”

“That explains why everyone is speaking English,” she said, smiling at him.

“We call it Alametrian.” He leaned closer. “Kyr, we’ll be joined by the Guardians in a moment. I want to say this before they do. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to warn you about how I’d treat you on the ship. You were unconscious when we transitioned, and…”

“It’s okay, Ty. I understand.”

They held each other’s gaze for a long moment. She reached over and took his hand in hers. When his forearms started to glow, she tried to jerk her hand away, but he held her fast.

“Things will be unpredictable for us once we reach the palace,” he said in a quiet voice. “I want to work on opening our mental connection. We’ll have to do it at night, when everyone is sleeping.”

Her heart pounded in anticipation. Hopefully this would involve lots of kissing. “Okay.”

He abruptly released her. It took her a moment to realize there were voices floating in through the carriage window. Glancing out, she saw her parents walking with several of the large, dark-haired males who had been standing with them by the ship. They all wore royal blue pants and tunics with black belts and knee-high boots. Some of them had different insignias on the left breast of their tunics, declaring their ranks.

A memory hit her. They were Mynders, the equivalent of the Royal Guard. She remembered that the garments they wore were actually lightweight armor. Next to them, Ty looked out of place in his jeans and T-shirt.

“Do all of the males here have dark hair?” she asked.

“Most of us, yes.”

“Yours is more blond than brown,” she said, turning back to him. “It’s much lighter in the sun.”

He didn’t respond because her mother was assisted into the carriage by one of the Mynders. Kyra breathed in her perfume as she sat across from her. It stirred a vague memory of throwing herself in her mother’s arms only to be censured for showing such an inappropriate display of emotion in front of others. She couldn’t remember why she’d been upset or who had witnessed it.

Now, her mother gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes as she gathered the skirts of her elaborate emerald green gown and settled into her seat. Kyra tried to smile back, but faltered as her father climbed in and the door closed behind him. The space suddenly felt too confined. Panic rose like bile. How could she possibly live like this?

Calm
.

Glancing at Ty, she took a deep, steadying breath and nodded. With him by her side, she could get through this. She was sure she could get through anything.

Chapter 23

It was almost painful to watch Kyr interact with her parents. Ty sat quietly as the carriage started forward, his gaze moving from Kyr to Shaya and BrunyrVawn. He felt Kyr’s emotions more clearly than he’d expected to. Somehow, her time in suspension had not only healed her from the Shelvak injury, it had reduced the mental barrier between them. In fact, if he wasn’t mistaken, it was no longer there.

The only explanation for Kyr’s remarkable self-healing was that her powers as the Ascendant were growing. He’d been trying to reason it out since she woke up. He could only assume that because she was coming of age and they were once again reunited, something within her had been triggered.

That meant they were in for some interesting times ahead.

“Would you care to explain your condition, Ma’jah Kyr?” Brunyr asked in a voice that reflected no emotion.

“My condition?” Kyr echoed.

“Yes, Ma’jah,” Shaya said. “We were quite surprised to see you disembark looking like the lowliest Wrym.”

Ty felt Kyr’s hurt and confusion. Unable to hold his tongue, he responded, “Guardians, if I may…Ma’jah Kyr was in suspension until right before landing. She was stabbed by a Shelvak begothia on Earth. We feared she wouldn’t survive the trip. This news was not communicated to you before now to avoid causing you undue distress.”

Shaya’s eyes widened. “Ma’jah, you are all right?”

A hint of a smile touched Kyr’s lips as her mother showed the concern she sought. “Yes, thanks. I’m fine now.”

“How is that possible?” Brunyr asked, looking to Ty for a response. “No one heals from a begothia stab wound.”

“The Ascendant did, sir.”

His use of Kyr’s true title had the Guardians exchanging glances and looking consideringly at their daughter. Kyr’s hands twisted in her lap. Ty longed to comfort her, but he certainly couldn’t touch her, and she seemed particularly resistant to the idea of him influencing her feelings. Deciding to do what he could, he sent her mildly soothing thoughts. He supposed it worked when her shoulders relaxed.

“Well, I am glad that you are all right, Ma’jah,” Brunyr said at last.

“I do wish you had found time to at least style your hair,” Shaya said, though her tone held no rebuke. “We will get you to your chambers straight away. You must prepare for the welcome ceremony anyway.”

“You wish to have the welcome ceremony today, Guardians?” Ty asked, barely keeping his dislike of the idea from his tone.

“Yes,
Dem-Shyr
. This evening. The arrangements have already been made.”

“Mo—Guardian,” Kyr ventured, “I’d really like a little time to rest and, well, get my bearings. I don’t think I’ll be ready for a formal ceremony right now.”

Shaya waved that away. “You will have plenty of time to rest, Ma’jah. Before you left, you would not stop begging us to introduce you to the rest of Alametrian society. We promised you that we would do this for you upon your return, and we will not fail to follow through on that promise.”

Kyr started to speak, but didn’t seem to know how to respond. Ty knew she didn’t remember what her mother was talking about. Her gaze moved briefly to his before she leaned back in her seat and stared out the window.

He tapped into her thoughts as she took in the sight of the approaching palace. It wasn’t unlike some of the more elaborate European castles on Earth, complete with high, protective walls, pointed turrets, and beautiful sprawling grounds. The massive size was far larger than any castle on Earth, though, and unlike Earth’s constructions, this palace was made out of illuvite, a mineral much stronger than any of Earth’s building materials. It glimmered and glowed in shades of purple and blue as the sunlight struck it. Filigreed scrollwork in different precious metals decorated the windows and doorways. Against Alametria’s naturally pink sky, the castle was a spectacular sight.

They rode across the drawbridge, the horses’ hooves clattering on the smooth, hard surface. Ty pulled Kyr closer to his side, causing her to look at him with raised eyebrows.

“Please stay away from the open window, Ma’jah,” he said.

She glanced at the window as though it was a lurking Shelvak and shifted even closer to him. He knew she had picked up on his concern, though he hadn’t conveyed it through his tone or expression. Her perceptiveness impressed him.

The carriage circled around the main courtyard and continued down a path leading to an underground loading area. It was a heavily guarded entrance reserved only for approved Vawn.

After they parked, a footman stepped forward and opened the door. Ty exited first.

“
Dem-Shyr
TaeDane,” the footman said, bowing as he held the carriage door open. “We have been eagerly anticipating your return.”

“Thank you, YessipWrym,” Ty said, knowing Kyr would hear him. He wanted to help her remember the names of those Alametrians she used to know. “It’s good to be back.”

There was an awkward moment when Kyr started to climb out just as her father did. She sat back down as she realized she was supposed to wait for the Guardians to exit first. He felt her embarrassment and frustration over not remembering, especially when her mother gave her a quiet look. It made him anxious to try retrieving more memories with her. Maybe, since the barrier had eased regarding him receiving her thoughts, they would make more headway now.

Ty waited for Yessip to assist Brunyr and Shaya out of the carriage, and then he stepped forth to help Kyr. She took his offered hand and stepped down beside him. Her fingers trembled. He knew she was unaware of her own natural grace. She felt lacking and out of her element, making him wish he could kiss her right there to help her remember her previous confidence.

“We will take the back way to Ma’jah Kyr’s chambers,” Shaya said to Yessip. Her voice was soft, but full of authority. “Make sure the Wrym are prepared to restore her appearance.”

Since he still held Kyr’s hand, Ty gave it a reassuring squeeze as she tensed. He then moved his hold to her elbow.

“Of course, Guardian ShayaVawn,” Yessip said with another deep bow. He turned on his heel and hurried into the castle through the servants’ entrance.

Ty sent a thought to the Mynders currently standing guard at the main entrance. They all bowed at the same time. Two of them opened the double doors and two others entered just ahead of the Guardians. Ty and Kyr fell into step behind the Guardians, and two more Mynders followed them inside. One of them was Gren, who had left the ship at the same time at Ty’s request. They hadn’t progressed far down the private hallway before they were stopped.

“I see you made it safely, Guardians,” VycorDane said as the two leading Mynders parted. His gaze moved to Kyr, where it lingered longer than it should. Ty didn’t tune into his thoughts soon enough to catch them before Vycor switched his focus, though. “
Dem-Shyr
, you mentioned needing to discuss some important details about your recent journey. I believe time is of the essence in light of the public celebration to come, don’t you?”

“Yes, Advisor,” Ty reluctantly agreed. “I will join you and the Guardians in the sanctuary once I have seen Ma’jah Kyr to her chambers.”

Vycor’s lips pursed. Ty sensed him wanting to argue over the delay, but the Advisor knew Ty’s first priority was always supposed to be Kyr’s safety. He quickly schooled his features into a nonchalant mask and nodded.

“Very well. Guardians, there are a couple of things I wished to discuss with you. I shall accompany you to the sanctuary.”

Shaya and Brunyr nodded their agreement. They all once again started forward, this time with Vycor walking behind the leading Mynders but in front of the Guardians. The hallway led to a series of stairs, which they ascended carefully due to the long dresses worn by the females. When they reached the top, the hallway split. Vycor, Shaya, and Brunyr went to the right while Ty led Kyr to the left.

He felt her disappointment when her parents walked away without so much as a wave farewell. The look on her face made him tighten his hold on her arm. She turned her gaze forward and lifted her chin in response.

Fortunately, they reached their destination a few minutes later. Gren and the second Mynder Gren had selected to accompany him stepped aside so Ty could open Kyr’s chamber door. He was the only one with a key. This entrance only had one door, barely wide enough for him to walk through. It led to a small room hidden within her closet. He went through the door, swept the small space with his eyes using the light from the hallway, and then opened the large closet doors and proceeded into her chambers.

Several heads swiveled in his direction as the Wrym assigned to assist Kyr noted his entrance. They immediately bowed when they recognized him. Without speaking, they all exited the room through the main doors. They knew to wait until he had thoroughly searched the rooms to his satisfaction before entering again.

He made quick but thorough work of securing Kyr’s chambers, knowing his time with her would be short. Once he was certain there was nothing of concern awaiting them, he returned to the hidden entry door and ordered the Mynders to remain on guard outside, locking the entrance after he and Kyr were inside.

“Where are we?” Kyr asked with wide eyes as they stepped out of the small room.

“Your closet.”

“You have
got
to be kidding me.”

His eyebrow lifted at the disbelief coursing through her. He looked around as though studying the space for the first time. It was large, he knew…larger than many human dwellings. There were racks upon racks of clothes and shoes, drawers containing jewelry and all manner of undergarments, displays of hats, scarves, and assorted other accessories, and even several seating areas. He himself had used the chair in the corner on many occasions while watching the Wrym prepare Kyr.

“Why in the world do I need this much stuff?” she asked, sounding aghast.

“You’re the Ascendant.”

She didn’t seem to appreciate his simple response. “Ty, this isn’t me.”

“Ah, but it is,” he argued, stepping closer to her and touching the side of her face. His forearms immediately started burning, so he tightened his hold on her, knowing she would try to step away when she saw the glow. “Allow me to remind you.”

He bent down to kiss her. She met him halfway, bringing her arms up to encircle his neck as he pulled her even closer. Although he suspected he could have shared memories with her now without kissing, he wasn’t about to test the theory.

His mouth brushed against hers as he brought forth memories specific to her closet, wardrobe, and personal space. He gently traced her lower lip with his tongue as he shared memories of him watching her and yearning, producing a moan from deep within her. Her lips parted, so he deepened the kiss, tasting her as he mentally reviewed the names and roles of the different Wrym who served her.

The conveyed memories ceased as the kiss intensified. Soon, his mouth was slanting over hers again and again. He lowered her onto the closest chaise, pressing her into the cushions. His mouth moved from hers down along her delicate jawline to the side of her neck. She gasped and issued another moan as his hand rose along her ribcage to her breast. Their mingled breathing sounded harsh and ragged.

“Ma’jah?” called out a voice from the bedroom.

Guardian Shaya
.

Ty stood faster than a child’s pop-up toy, yanking Kyr up with him. He knew they had only seconds. There was no way his arms would stop glowing in time.

The closet handle started turning. He glanced towards the back of the closet, wondering if he could escape to the hidden room. Even as the closet door started to open, he dismissed that idea. Leaving Kyr unguarded was far more dire than his glowing arms.

He was doomed.

His head jerked back around just in time to avoid getting hit by the pile of clothing Kyr hurled at him. He caught it instinctively, taking a step back to maintain his balance. The closet door opened all the way just as the skirt on top of the pile flattened enough that he could see over it. His arms and noticeable erection were now safely hidden by the voluminous clothes, he realized, as was his still rapid breathing.

Shaya walked in and looked between him and Kyr with a puzzled expression. “What in the name of Yen-Ki are you two doing?”

Kyr had turned back to the closest clothing rack and was shoving garments aside as though in a manic search for something. “What do you think I’m doing, Mother?” she asked in a haughty—if somewhat breathless—tone. “I’m looking for the perfect thing to get more presentable. I wouldn’t want to offend you and Father any more than I already have, would I?”

Ty noted Shaya’s quick frown over Kyr’s lack of formality and knew Kyr had done it on purpose. Now Shaya was more affronted than curious.

“I see your lessons have failed to instill the respect I had hoped, Ma’jah,” Shaya murmured. “Perhaps we should have waited to have the welcome ceremony until after the Ruvex Rite was performed.”

Ty tensed. It was typical for returning Alametrians to undergo the Ruvex Rite immediately upon his or her return from their lessons. If the Rite was performed properly, Kyr would retain the important lessons she learned in a general way, and incorporate them seamlessly into her life on Alametria. The negative feelings, in turn, would be suppressed, as would her memories tied to individuals. He’d been relieved to find out the Guardians wanted to wait before Kyr’s Rite was conducted. He was worried that if he didn’t resurface enough memories of the two of them together, Kyr would forget her feelings for him.

Kyr stopped looking through the racks and turned to face her mother. Her face reflected apology. “I’m sorry, Guardian. I’m being difficult because of the strain I’ve been under. I shouldn’t take it out on you. It’s just…I know you’ll forgive me, which makes you an easier target for my frustration.”

Shaya’s expression softened. “Of course I forgive you, Ma’jah. You are my daughter, after all. And we have much catching up to do.” She turned to Ty. “Have you completed your search of Ma’jah’s chambers,
Dem-Shyr
?”