Return of the Ascendant (The Ascendant Series) (17 page)

Was that why he had looked so troubled? Sighing, she nodded. “Yes, Wyk.”

Her use of his first name hit them both like a lead weight. They stopped dancing. Fortunately, the song came to an end shortly thereafter. Her Kyndred’s face was a study in misery. She imagined hers mirrored it.

“Everything will be all right, Kyr-bear,” he whispered, ignoring his own warning about titles and holding her hand in both of his. “Ullah and I will always watch out for you, you know that, right?”

Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, she nodded. She stood alone and watched him walk away.

It felt like the last part of her Earth life left with him.

Chapter 27

Ty felt Kyr’s sorrow. While he wanted to offer her comfort, he knew it was important that she work through this emotion on her own. Change was often difficult. Unless she came to terms with her new life, she would never move forward.

Fortunately, she shook off the heavy sadness that cloaked her after a minute or two, managing a serene expression. It was much more preferable to the look of bereavement he’d just seen.

As though she knew he was looking at her, her gaze lifted to his. His breath caught in his chest.

He’d never seen anyone as beautiful as she was.

He was certain she had no idea the stir she was causing. Not once had he picked up a thought from her registering the many stares centered on her, both from males and females. They were curious and admiring, yes…but he also read lust and envy in the thoughts of those who’d had their repression removed. Since all Alametrians knew he could read their minds, none of those thinking those things dared to approach her.

Oh, how he wished he could dance with her. As she held his gaze, he let her know how much he wanted her to be in his arms. She sent him a quick thought of agreement.

It was interrupted when VycorDane approached her. Ty stiffened. He knew the Advisor had wanted to enter the ballroom with Kyr, and that he resented Ty for stepping in. Gren had also told him about Vycor’s request that Kyr address him by his first name. What did the other Mynder want now?

“May I have this dance, Ma’jah?”

Ty tuned into the conversation through their thoughts, blocking out most of the other noise in his mind. His gaze moved carefully around the room as he walked closer to Kyr.

“Of course, Advisor.”

Sensing her reluctance, Ty frowned. Vycor made her uncomfortable. That made him focus on their thoughts and conversation more closely as Vycor led her into the next dance.

“Are you enjoying the welcome ceremony so far?” Vycor asked.

Those eyes…that mouth
.

The words barely got through Vycor’s mental shields, but Ty intercepted them. His eyes narrowed. The Advisor shouldn’t have been having those kinds of thoughts. He was a single male who was under a state of repression.

Wasn’t he?

“I am, thanks,” Kyr responded. “I think I ate too much.”
If his hand moves one inch lower, I’m going to punch him. I can just imagine my mother’s expression when I do
.

For the second time that evening, Ty snorted in amusement. Kyr’s thoughts were nothing if not entertaining. Her gaze touched his for a moment, telling him she knew of his amusement.

“Well, these types of events tend to encourage overindulgence,” Vycor said in silky tones. “I’m happy to help you dance away some of the feast.”

“Thanks.”
Seriously, just another half-inch. Pow!

Ty conducted another sweep with his eyes. Vycor and Kyr circled near him. He noticed that Vycor’s gaze moved to him as they passed, but Ty didn’t bother looking in the Advisor’s direction.

Arrogant bastard
.

Vycor’s silent opinion about him was hardly revealing. Ty knew the Advisor resented the fact that Ty fell above him in the hierarchy around the palace and among the Mynders. Like Sem, Vycor was older than Ty and felt more deserving of the role of
Dem-Shyr
. Unlike Sem, however, Vycor’s feelings on the matter hadn’t begun to emerge until Kyr grew into a beautiful young woman. Ty only now made that connection, having heard the Advisor’s wayward thoughts about her. It was something he decided to explore further the first chance he got.

“Now that you’re back, Ma’jah,” Vycor said, “I wanted to offer my services as your Advisor. You are now at an age where you will benefit from additional counsel. I am sure you will be facing some difficult decisions in the months to come.”

“Oh.” Kyr seemed flustered. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

The more Ty watched them interact, the more suspicious he became of the Advisor’s motives. Although he tried to glean more from Vycor’s thoughts, the other Mynder had his mental defenses up. Without just cause, Ty couldn’t push any deeper into his mind. Vycor would know if he did.

Still, something was off. Before Ty could decide whether or not to pursue it right then, Guardian Shaya interrupted their dance. He read from her thoughts that she wanted to collect Kyr for the reception, which would take place in a smaller room down the hall from the ballroom.

Moving forward, Ty deliberately stepped between Kyr and Vycor, taking Kyr’s arm so he could escort her out. He felt Vycor’s frustration, but didn’t so much as glance his way as they left the ballroom. The two of them would deal with things another time, and soon.

The reception was a chance for Kyr to get introduced to specific individuals with whom the Guardians thought she should be acquainted. She stood with her parents as they introduced her to one person after another, beginning with the V’larian ambassadors.

Ty stood behind Kyr, carefully studying Telad and Ravina as they bowed to Kyr and conveyed how pleased they were that she had survived the Shelvak attack. It didn’t escape anyone’s notice that she wouldn’t have survived without V’larian intervention. Mentioning it now was a subtle way to remind the Alametrians of what their people had done to help.

But what were they doing in Earth’s galaxy?

Ty still hadn’t figured that out. As he and Gren had discussed on the ship, there was no such thing as coincidence. There had to be a reason that the V’larians and the Shelvaks were in the same place at the same time.

But the V’larians had no reason to engage in complicated political schemes or assassination attempts. They were enemies of the Shelvaks just as much as the Alametrians were. Their mutual conflict with the shadow-dwellers had caused them to unite against them a number of times. The V’larians knew that Kyr would one day Ascend, assuming untold powers. They also knew that Alametrians intended to look to Kyr to strengthen their bonds with their allies in keeping with Alametria’s principles on peace and goodwill towards others.

Even as that thought crossed his mind, Ty knew it for a lie.

Their society was touted as a form of utopia…a world centered on happiness and contentment. They were sent away to learn life lessons that were deemed too difficult to experience on Alametria, too upsetting to the positive balance. Upon returning home, the Ruvex Rite purged them of negativity and allowed them to retain the positive and find more pleasure in their lives.

Yet he remembered the thoughts he’d heard all evening related to Kyr...the dark desire, the seething jealousy. He knew that no matter how hard the Vawn tried, they could never truly purge all negative energy from Alametria.

His gaze settled on ShayaVawn as that thought entered his mind. The Guardian was smiling as she introduced Kyr to a male named LeoVawn, but she was silently wishing Leo would look at her the way he looked at her daughter. He wondered if Kyr had picked up on the fact that her mother was jealous of her, and that was why she treated her so distantly.

He’d known for years, of course. He’d known from the moment he could connect with the Guardian’s thoughts. He had never let her know that he knew, though.

Kyr had a difficult road ahead. There was no getting around that. But he would be by her side and would help her through it.

Several hours later, he was helping her out of her shoes after the last Alametrian finally left the ballroom. The Guardians were bidding farewell to the V’larians, who were retiring for the night. Kyr’s thoughts had centered around her aching feet for the better part of two hours, so the moment no one was looking, Ty bent down, lifted her skirt so he could grab first one shoe and then the other, and handed them to the first passing Wrym he saw. The female barely batted an eye, merely changing directions and heading towards Kyr’s chambers with the discarded shoes.

My hero
, Kyr thought.
I’d kiss you if I could.

Hold that thought
.

A soft gasp told him that she understood he intended to kiss her later. He enjoyed the pleasure and anticipation that coursed through her, but closed off their connection before he enjoyed it too much.

“Come, Ma’jah,” Shaya said, waving at Kyr. “You must be exhausted.”

“Yes, Guardian. I’m definitely ready to call it a night.”

Shaya gave Kyr one of her disapproving looks as they all started walking. “You continue to use some of the informal vernacular from Earth. Once you have undergone the Ruvex Rite, that will no longer be a problem.”

Kyr tensed, but said nothing. Ty remained intent on where they were walking, scanning the hallways as several other Mynders joined them as escorts.

“You seem to have lost several inches of height, Ma’jah,” Shaya said, tilting her head and looking down at Kyr.

“I took my shoes off,” Kyr admitted. “They were killing me.”

Shaya’s chin lifted. Ty intercepted her thoughts about Kyr’s slight height. At five-foot-five, Kyr was among the shortest females on Alametria. Shaya and her husband worried that others would think Kyr weak because she was so small.

The Guardians believed many foolish things about appearances.

Shaya didn’t make any comments about Kyr’s shoes, which relieved Ty. There had been enough friction in the course of this day.

Before long, they reached the split in the hallway where Ty led Kyr to her chambers and her parents went the other way to theirs. They exchanged a formal and uncomfortable goodnight, and a couple of minutes later, Ty entered Kyr’s chambers to conduct his search.

Once that was done, he permitted the Wrym to enter the chambers and prepare Kyr for bed. He wasn’t about to leave the room, so he turned his gaze anywhere but on Kyr as she was disrobed and washed, then dressed in her nightgown and robe. At long, long last, the Wrym departed and Ty dismissed the second Mynder in the room with him. Two Mynders would remain outside each entrance into Kyr’s room all night.

He closed and locked the main chamber doors. Just as he turned to move further into her entrance parlor, Kyr ran towards him. Jumping, she grabbed him around the neck, encircled his waist with her legs, and kissed him with no holds barred.

He was powerless to resist her.

This kiss wasn’t gentle or teasing. Her tongue demanded immediate entrance, which he was only too happy to give her. She ran her fingers through his hair and stroked his chest and neck with her hand, making him burn for her. Knowing they weren’t going to be quiet, he walked with her into her sleeping chamber, shoving the door closed with his foot. The Wrym had covered the windows and left the wall sconces burning, so he headed right for the bed.

Their mouths didn’t separate as he lowered them both onto the soft mattress. As the initial urgency eased, he took his time with her, exploring her with his tongue, relishing her passionate response. He allowed his hands to move, lowering to the belt of her robe and yanking the tie free so he could slip his fingers inside. His hands cupped her breasts through the thin fabric of her nightgown. Moans and sensual growls issued from her throat…from his, too.

Ty…

He felt her longing like a stroke against his groin. Pain and utter rapture shot through him. His control teetered.

Breaking away from her mouth, he leaned up so he could remove her robe. She helped him. When she reached for the fastenings on his doublet, he shook his head, his breathing uneven.

No, Kyr. That would prove one temptation too many.

What? But I thought we were going to—

We can’t. The repercussions would be…

His thought trailed off as disappointment rolled through her and into him. It almost had him going against his own convictions. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he battled his desire for her.

“I want you, Kyr,” he whispered. “More than anything.”

She reached up and stroked the side of his face. “I want you, too, Ty.”

But your virginity is reserved for the Faire-Amanti, the male you’ll be matched with when the time is right
. His heart clenched at the thought, but he had to make sure she understood his hesitation.
I’ve overstepped all kinds of boundaries with you already. I can’t overstep this one
.

Her emotion struck him like a blow. Tears filled her eyes.
I don’t want anyone but you, Ty
.

I know.
He touched his forehead to hers.
Unfortunately, the choice isn’t ours to make. For now, we’ll have to settle for what we can get
.

He pressed her back against the mattress and kissed her again. She didn’t resist him. In no time at all, they were right back where they’d left off.

Her body arched against him. He lowered the straps of her nightgown and kissed a path down the side of her neck, along the curve of her shoulder, across to her breasts. She gasped in wonder and pleasure as he took a nipple into his mouth.

This was so much better than it had been in the dream, he realized. No dream could capture how good she’d taste, how incredible her bare skin would smell and feel. No dream could predict how desperately she would cling to him, begging for him to end the sweet torture.

She was almost incoherent when he reached beneath her nightgown and pulled her panties off. Her every thought centered on the ache he’d generated within her, an ache he knew all too well. There wasn’t anything he could do about his pain, but he fully intended to end hers.

Always watching out for Ma’jah
, he thought, making her gasp out a laugh.

Then his mouth was on her, and she wasn’t laughing at all.

A loud moan escaped her. He silently cautioned her to be quiet, so she grabbed a decorative pillow and held it over her face. Her muffled moans were just as much of a turn-on as the unmuffled ones had been, but at least this way, the Mynders outside the chamber doors wouldn’t come charging in.

She was better than any treat he’d ever had. If he never tasted anything ever again, he would remember this moment. His lips and tongue indulged in Kyr, bringing her to the edge and keeping her there for a long, indescribable moment before sending her over. He wrought every last tremor of pleasure from her, tuning into her thoughts and feelings as he did.