Unexpected Eden (20 page)

Maxis’ pulse leapt. Reese seeking him out for any reason was a move in the right direction. That he brought news made it even sweeter. “And?”

Reese turned from the window. “I’m out on the bit with Serena. The woman’s a short-tempered shrew. If she means so much to the cause, you court her.” He took a few steps toward the entry.

Maxis stepped into his path. “Giving up so soon?”

“Hardly.” Reese chuffed out a derisive chuckle. “I finally found her, only to walk in on a ridiculous tirade. I’ve got better things to do.”

“And what’s got her in a snit?”

A slow, sinister grin split across Reese’s face. “Seems the malran’s claimed a mate. The news isn’t settling all that well.” He sidestepped Maxis and continued on his path. “So I’m out.”

Maxis scrambled, clawing for some piece of his plan left untouched.

A few steps from the corner Reese stopped, stomped one booted foot on the floor, and held up his hand. “I almost forgot.” He spun and flashed a smile that said he hadn’t forgotten a damned thing. “Your ellan lackey? Seems he’s got a bit of a temper too and accused the malran of breaking the sacred tenets during special session.” The crinkles around Reese’s narrowed eyes deepened. “Come to find out, the human you’ve been looking for? She’s no human. She’s Myren. And your new malress.”

Chapter 22

Lexi stared from a high, slender window of the council building in Cush, into the streets below. Specks of gold twinkled from the ivory and tan brickwork roads that wound through the town.

From the sky, the capital had looked more like a low-sitting cloud than a city, the rounded rooftops sparkling with silver, shimmering tiles atop high stucco walls of ivory and white. Mix Moroccan style with a sci-fi flick, and you’d end up with a region like Cush.

An ironic smile tugged at her lips. If someone had told her she’d be flying into a city on a real-life Pegasus a week before, she’d have tabbed them out and refused them any more liquor. Never mind they could have flown themselves. Oh, no. They had to do it with an extra bit of flair on a winged horse, black as sin. One more holy cow on top of a heaping pile of jaw-dropping events.

Alone for the first time since she’d woken, blissful silence surrounded her. The cavernous chamber echoed the tiniest sound. Even her breath ricocheted from the hard surfaces. Ancient-looking gold symbols ran a thick swath on each wall. Their raised surfaces lent a formal elegance to the otherwise smooth gray walls—Celtic patterns whispering of mystical secrets. The ivory furniture dotting the room held the only other color. No rugs, no pictures. Only cold, flat gray. Beautiful, but cold.

She strode to the full-length mirror for one last check of her appearance. Her sandaled footsteps tapped along the way and her dress hissed behind her. She stared at the mysterious woman in the mirror and marveled at the work Orla and Galena had done. They’d amplified her blue-gray eyes with smoky, sexy colors across her lids. Her skin shimmered in even the dimmest light from the diamond dust they’d brushed all over her body.

Her hair hung in one simple braid, plaited by Eryx before he’d left the women to their ministrations. He’d huffed something about Galena not being trustworthy before he’d left them alone and Galena had laughed herself silly explaining the Myren custom of bound and unbound hair—the former indicating commitment and the latter signifying openness to the opposite gender.

She smoothed the front of the magnificent gown. Delicate, platinum mesh that shimmered with every infinitesimal move. The design was simple, yet deliciously sexy. One full-length panel in the front with a halter cut top. Another draped from the small of her back to form a short train behind her. All that held the two pieces together were black silk knots at her sides, leaving the sides of her legs exposed. Embedded in the mesh were diamonds of varied sizes.

Two sharp knocks boomeranged around the room.

The modicum of calm she’d nurtured in the last five minutes fizzled.

The door opened a crack. “Lexi? You decent?”

Ramsay. Not Eryx. God, she could sure use his touch right about now. “Come on in. I’m ready.” A complete lie, but she sucked it up and smiled anyway.

Ramsay and Ludan ambled into the room, Ramsay whistling his appreciation and making a show of looking her up and down. “You know, if you weren’t my brother’s woman I’d definitely hit on you.”

“You hit on all the women.” Ludan crossed his arms and braced, feet shoulder width near the door. Never an animated man, his scowl seemed even worse than normal. A tiger locked in a too-small cage. Maybe it was the clothes that pissed him off.

“Do you guys always run around in silk jammies at these things?” She tried to hold back her laugh, but it filtered out between her words any. To be fair, they weren’t any different than Graylin’s attire, except they didn’t do the over-robe like him. Just the tanks and loose fitting pants in a light silver color. Still, on these two? Hot.

Ramsay reached for her elbow. “Don’t start with the jammie thing. Ludan’s more of a Levis man. Getting him to suit up for council is tough on a good day.” He steered her toward the door and leaned in close with a wink. “Silly or not, they make getting naked a breeze.”

Ludan stepped close to her exposed side, and they padded into the eerily quiet hall. Her train dragged against the stone floors to fill the air with white noise, and the blood in her veins surged to match its pitch.

The men steadied her at the first stair down and every step after cranked the beat of her heart up one click. By the time they reached the landing, every council member in attendance would be able to hear its exacerbated rhythm.

“Lexi.”
Eryx’s voice settled her, warmed and comforted from the inside out.
“This should be straightforward. No matter what happens, you can say or do nothing wrong. We are equals.”

She couldn’t answer. Her mind and throat may as well have been coated in ice. She jerked a nod, and then remembered Eryx couldn’t yet see her.

Ramsay chuckled and covered her hand resting on his arm with a loving pat. “Just keep your senses turned down or off like we practiced. You’ll be fine.”

They halted behind two closed doors the size of a three-car garage back home. The two halves parted outward with a groan and a stream of cool air slipped eagerly between the cracks to fan her heated face.

Oh…wow.
Myren big wigs didn’t mess around when they went high town.

A domed ceiling spanned at least three stories. Gold and ivory walls with platinum detail woven into intricate symbols circled the perimeter. Half of the building had theater-looking boxes that jutted out from the wall, and thick ivory cushions lined the main floor with an aisle down the center.

Every space was taken, people kneeling and waiting with stiff backs, their breathing the only sound. At the end of the aisle two large ebony chairs sat on a dais. Sunlight poured from the glass dome to shine on the stately fixtures in a natural spotlight.

Eryx stood between them, his presence so strong and confident it reached her at the rear of the room. His eyes matched the color of the stone floors. Dangerous. Daring.

Ramsay and Ludan stepped forward together.

She followed reluctantly and every head turned in her direction.

With rigid formality the crowd stood and followed her progress.

A clammy sheen covered her face. Probably a pasty flu-white she’d be ashamed to have caught on tape. Thank God for the lack of electronics.

Eryx wore the same council garb, though his matched the platinum of her dress. His braids hung down his back and a thick band of platinum circled his head.

A crown. An honest to God crown. Panic speared through her belly. The urge to wipe her sweaty palms on her gown pricked at her instincts. She wiggled her fingers instead and focused on the regular intervals of tribal etchings and black diamonds adorning Eryx’s circlet.

They reached the dais steps and Ramsay pulled her to a subtle stop. The swoosh of fabric and moving bodies whispered behind her.

She cast a surreptitious glance over her shoulder and found the council members on their knees with heads bowed. She faced Eryx, heart hammering.

A grin flickered at one corner of his mouth. “Rise.” His voice rang out like a God.

Her libido poked an eye out from its hidey-hole.
“Wow. That was hot.”

“Really? You think that’s hot?”
Ramsay’s laughter chimed in her head. His voice shifted to a considering tone.
“Is it a dominant thing?
’Cause I’m pretty comfy in that mode.”

“Ramsay!”
Eryx’s warning had bite. With a lazy, panther-like grace, he descended to her and his gaze heated. He held out his hand, palm up.

Lexi slipped her hand in his and almost moaned at the fire his touch ignited.

“We really need to work on what you think out loud. Or at least make sure you channel it to only me.”
Eryx led her up the stairs to face the crowd, and the rustle of bodies stilled. “Dunstan, are all ellan present?”

A younger man dressed in a crimson robe stepped from the front row, an oversized, and well-worn book tucked under one arm. “They are, my malran.”

Eryx gave the man a curt nod and addressed the council. “In accordance with the mandates which govern our society as created by the ruling family and the council representatives for the Myren regions, I come to you today to present my baineann and your malress-elect, Alexis Shantos.”

He shifted behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “As evidenced by the Shantos mark she bears, my spirit has called out to hers in the most sacred of Myren customs and she has answered, placing her trust in her fireann and pledging her life to the betterment of our civilization.”

A young female with shoulder length chestnut hair and kind eyes rose from the crowd. “Alexis Shantos, is it true you freely dedicate your life in the same manner as your fireann, to serve as malress, working for our people until you pass from this life?”

Lexi’s throat worked around several knots and she fought the urge to cough. “I pledge to support my…”

“Fireann.”
Eryx and Ramsay both chimed the reminder simultaneously in her head.

“…fireann in his efforts to guide all Myrens as his conscience directs him.” She took a deep breath and tried not to stammer. “For myself, I want to aid individuals, no matter where they’re from.”

A rumble issued through the crowd, some heads bobbing in agreement, some eyes sharpening in displeasure. Some faces utterly bored.

An elderly, pompous voice scratched from the rear of the room. “Is that to mean you support humans as equals to the Myren race?” More hushed comments and rumblings. “The malran advises you hail from Evad and know nothing of our culture. Perhaps humans preside higher in your estimation than those of us here in Eden.”

Lexi hated the scraggly, thin-haired man in the back row already. If the tension in Eryx’s fingers at her shoulders were any indication, he wasn’t high on Eryx’s list either.

“It means I will not ignore or belittle those who are from Evad,” she answered before Eryx could. “There’s every possibility more of our people are lost in that realm, unaware of the beauty in Eden.” Inspiration fired. “I’ve lived a quarter of a century unaware of my heritage. While I am deeply proud of the home I’ve found, I won’t ignore others who may be lost if I can find a way to bring them home.”

The man dismissed Lexi entirely, and turned his gaze to Eryx. “And what of her lacking education on our culture and customs, malran? Who do you plan to teach and guide her in our ways? She is grossly uninformed and cannot possibly be responsible for guiding our council.”

Lexi tried to hold a bland expression. She was married to Eryx and didn’t pull that kind of snark on him. Was the man a complete idiot?

“Surely you’re not implying the council will have anything to do with her instruction on our ways, Angus.” Eryx’s lethal drawl coiled through the room, and wound its way toward the snide little man. “I don’t recall any point in my or my siblings’ upbringing where an ellan was responsible for educating us in the ways of government. Those lessons were provided by my parents and Graylin Forte. And, as I recollect, only weeks ago I had to educate you on the subject of treason. I think I’m more than competent to educate my baineann.”

Silence fell thick on the room. Angus’ silence eased Lexi’s tension. At the rate the fool had been going, Eryx was bound to snap. She wasn’t altogether sure if she’d break the fight up or cheer Eryx on.

The young woman who’d risen earlier spoke up again and directed her voice toward the page. “Dunstan, I move that Alexis Shantos be accepted as the rightful malress.”

Two males stood and seconded the motion.

“A motion stands before the council.” Eryx’s voice rang through the room and she tingled in response. “If any oppose, speak now.”

Blessed silence.

The muscles around her rib cage released their tight grip. Now all she needed was a beer, super spicy wings, and some cheese fries.

Eryx sucked in a deep breath behind her. “Dunstan, make note that on this day, Alexis Shantos is accepted unanimously by the ellan council as the rightful malress and will remain so until such time as she passes this life to nirana.”

Dunstan scribbled dutifully in his mammoth book, while the woman who’d made the motion shuffled forward with a thick, silk, ivory cushion. She placed the pillow on the floor directly in front of Lexi and stepped back, her eyes respectfully downcast.

“Kneel, Lexi.”

She nearly moaned at the sinful stroke of Eryx’s voice turning the space between her legs into his own, personal slip and slide. Didn’t the man know he was supposed to be serious right now?

Kneeling, she bowed her head on instinct.

Footsteps clipped across the hard floor, a distant giggle from a child outside the only other sound. Eryx’s feet came into view.

“You’re mine, Alexis. My baineann. My malress.”
He placed a circlet around her head. It tightened by slow degrees, adjusting the size by manipulating the metal as he’d taught her to do with the metal beads that bound his braids. He held out his hand and raised her up, his velvet lips brushing hers with reverence and promise. Reluctance etched his face as he stepped away. “Members of the council, behold your malress.”

A polite and curious round of applause kicked in.

The woman who’d brought the cushion forward now kneeled in front of her and grasped Lexi’s hand in her own. “I pledge you my loyalty and devotion, and welcome you as our malress.”

Lexi opened her mouth to speak, at least to thank the kind woman, but she stepped away quickly, replaced with another polite face. And then another. An endless stream buffeted only by Eryx’s steady presence. He looked happy. Maybe proud. For the moment, she was too. Every inch the princess from her secret fairytales.

The last of the line neared and Lexi contemplated where she might pilfer her much-earned beer.

Angus knelt before her.

With rough, dry hands, he grabbed hers and pursed his wrinkled lips. “I welcome you as our malress.” No pledge of loyalty. No promise of devotion. Only a disingenuous welcome.

Lexi opened her senses and sampled his emotions. Her knees almost buckled and bile rose in her throat. Whatever else she might have done right today, she’d rubbed this man past the point reason.