Vengeance (4 page)

I nod, knowing all
too well just how true that statement is.  “Everyone is
looking to me to lead them.  What if I can’t do it?”

Eamon’s warm
smile chases away the chilling fear that threatens to immobilize me.
 “You’re not alone in this.  I’ll be
right here by your side, ready to help in any way that I can.”

“I just wish I
could stop worrying.”

With a smirk, Eamon
twines his fingers through mine and begins to draw me back toward the
bed.  By now the covers have slumped completely onto the floor
but I don’t care as I step over their silken layers and allow
Eamon to pull me down beside him.  His caress is gentle yet I
can feel his restraint as he trails his fingers along my cheekbone.  

“I think I can
help with that,” he whispers as he presses his lips against the
sensitive skin of my neck.  As I roll my head back, closing my
eyes to savor each touch, I realize just how right he is.

Calisted
has a very distinctive scent, one filled with blooming flowers and
the sweet hint of caramelized candy on the air.  As I walk down
the ramp from our craft I breathe in deep and feel instantly right
again.  
This
is my home now, for better or worse.  

Eamon’s hand
tightens around mine as he draws me close.  I can’t help
but wonder if this is the last moment of privacy we will have in the
coming days.  I am sure to have a pile of paperwork on my desk
and assistants ready to badger me to death with appointments, but for
now I do not care.  I still have these final few moments of
freedom.

“Kyan will be
furious that we didn’t inform him of our early arrival,”
my husband muses, pressing his lips to my temple.  

“No doubt I’m
in for a stern lecture on security protocol.”  I wind my
arms around his back and press into him, savoring the memories of our
time together.  Night has fallen heavily around us.  I can
feel the damp dew from the grass beginning to cling to the hem of my
dress.  Moisture seeps through the thin fabric of my slippers as
I rise up to press a kiss against the corner of his lips.  “It
will be worth it to see Aminah’s face when we waltz in
unexpected.”

Eamon
smiles.  He knows that part of my drive to return tonight had
everything to do with surprising our friends.  It is Toren and
Aminah’s anniversary—unofficial of course, since they
have yet to set a date for the wedding.  My mood dampens a bit
at the reminder of how they have put their lives on hold for me these
past few months, and they aren’t alone.  Zahra and Kyan
have postponed their union as well for the greater good.  Although
Zahra hasn’t come right out and said anything, I can sense her
unspoken frustration, though it does give evidence of how much she
has grown as a person over the past year. In times past Zahra would
have made sure the entire city knew she was upset.

Clasping Eamon’s
hand tightly, I draw him away from the craft.  We landed beyond
the walls of the palace, in a clearing not far from the private beach
that I have claimed as my own.  I go there as often as I am able
just to be alone, to think, to search into the void that is my
future.  It is a rare treat to be able to look upon the lavender
waves that lap against the pristine white shores.  At first it
was hard to erase Aloysius’ memory from this place, but over
time I have replaced those memories with new ones.

“We need to
reward our friends,” I say as I keep pace with Eamon’s
long strides.  Now that we have returned I can tell that he is
anxious to be home as well.  Normally we would never make this
long trek on foot.  I long to sit astride Edana, the one gift
that I actually kept from my time with my deceased husband.  The
Inara are beautiful winged horses that appear to have leaped off the
very pages of ancient Greek mythology and into being.  My Edana
is the finest animal I have ever known.  An ache in my chest
begins to grow at the thought of letting her run full out, my hair
lashing against my cheeks. She makes me feel free.

“How so?”
 Eamon asks, drawing me back to the present.

I scrunch up my
nose, thinking.  After a moment an idea strikes me that I can’t
ignore.  “A double wedding!”  I yank him to a
halt and wait for him to turn to look at me.  “Oh, Eamon
it would be perfect!  Our friends deserve the same happiness
that we have.  It could be our gift to them.”

I watch as Eamon
begins to nod but I can tell it’s not in agreement; more that
he is trying to roll the idea around in his mind.  Finally he
settles into a frown.  “Toren and Aminah might be able to
pull it off, but you know Kyan would never allow it.   He
is too rigid about protecting you.  That man won’t take a
day off for the rest of his life!”

A sly grin draws my
lips.  “Unless I command it.”

Eamon blinks and
then begins to laugh.  “Oh, you are devious.”  He
pinches my side before tugging me forward.  I follow his lead
with a skip in my step, sure that I will be able to convince Kyan.

“No.
 Absolutely not,” Kyan roars the following morning.  His
voice echoes off the towering stone walls of his office with enough
volume to wake any who may yet still be asleep in this wing of the
palace.  “First you sneak in here without any warning,
which I might add was a very foolish thing for Eamon to allow you to
do, and now you expect me to run off on a honeymoon and leave you
unguarded?  You know it’s not possible, so why even bring
up the matter?”

With my arms crossed
over my chest and my foot tapping out a staccato of growing
annoyance, I frown back at him.  “Don’t you want to
take Zahra away?  You know she would love it more than
anything.”

“Of course I
do.”  

“Then why are
you denying her this one thing?  She has been patient, and we
both know that is a huge task for someone like her.”

Kyan smirks and nods
in instant agreement.  Zahra has always had a temper, especially
when it comes to love.  Whether she was bickering with me over
Eamon’s affections or challenging Kyan in front of a room
filled with people about being late for a date night in Calahorra,
she has always made her opinions clearly known.  

“I
know that you are bonded, and on this planet that is as good as being
married, but Zahra isn’t from this planet.  At least not
originally.  Weddings allow a girl to have one day to dress up
and feel special.”

My
friend rolls his eyes as he shifts in his seat to straighten a stack
of papers.  I press my hand down upon them and refuse to budge
until he glances up at me.  “You may think it is a foolish
gesture, but I guarantee you that Zahra wants this.  The girl
has been playing wedding dress up for as long as I can remember.  Are
you really willing to take this special moment away from her?”

Kyan sighs and sinks
back into his chair, forgetting his pressing work for the time being.
 I realize as he rubs his forehead that he looks as if he has
aged since I came into power.  The stress on him is far greater
than even I realized.  I shift to walk around his great wooden
desk, trailing my fingers across its glossy surface before I sink
down before him.  I place my hands upon his knees and wait for
him to look at me.

“You
are tired.  I can see it written in the lines on your face and
the stoop of your shoulders.  You need a break, Kyan.”  I
smile up at him, filled with gratitude for his loyalty.  “Let
me give you this time to rest and have some fun.  All I ask for
is a week.  One tiny week.  What good will you be to me if
you run yourself into the ground, after all?”

Kyan snorts and
curls his fingers around the armrests of his chair.  He stares
at me with a knowing gaze.  We have spent enough time together
to no longer need to look into each other’s thoughts to know
what the other is thinking.  “I knew you would make an
excellent queen.  Your ability to twist circumstances to your
own purpose is brilliant.”

I grin and sink back
onto my heels.  “I learned from the best.”

My friend dips his
head in acknowledgement though I know the battle is not won yet.  “I
will see to all of the arrangements.  All you have to do is show
up and look devilishly handsome.  Eamon can stand in as best man
for both of you and I can be the flower girl who obnoxiously chucks
petals at the guests instead of the floor.”

A
wry smile crosses his face, brightening the dullness in his eyes.  I
hate to see him like this, a ghost of the man I once knew.  
The
burden he bears is far too great.  I must find someone else to
help cover some of his tasks.  Maybe I should speak with Carleon
this afternoon.

“You really
feel strongly about this?”

I nod.  “Yes,
I do.  You know Zahra and Aminah would be thrilled to have a
double wedding.  We can do something small, something intimate
that won’t attract a lot of attention.  We can invite
close friends and family.”  I can already begin to feel my
excitement brewing at the thought of planning this wedding.  I
know all too well how dearly my friends long for this special day and
I’ll be darned if my hard headed friend will find a way to
weasel out.  “Both you and Toren have waited long enough.
 Besides, it’s time you settled down and started a
family.”

“Whoa.”
 He raises his hands in defense.  “I’m not
that
old,
Illyria.  No one is talking about babies anytime soon.”

I laugh, amused at
my friend’s panic.  “I’m just saying it is an
option.”

“I know.”
 He swivels back and forth in his chair, contemplating.  “Things
have been fairly quiet on the outer rim.”

“See.”
 I jump at the chance to prove myself right.  “What
better time to go away when there is nothing going on?”

Kyan’s
brow furrows.  “There is
always
something
going on, Illyria.”

I bite on my lower
lip, scolding myself for allowing this backslide.  “Perhaps,
but you know that Eamon and I will both see an attack before it
happens and I think I’ve proven that I can take care of myself
numerous times.”

His smile returns
although this time I can see that it is slightly pained.  “Yes,
though I pray that you never have need to tap into your powers
again.”

I grasp my skirts
and rise, knowing that I should already be in a council meeting. I
suppose that is the benefit of being me.  The meeting can’t
begin until I am present.  “Two weeks, Kyan.  That’s
more than enough time to get your fill of security training drills
and a horde of men in place.  I’ll even succumb to a
personal body guard for one week if it will convince you to go.”

A shadow appears to
cross Kyan’s face.  I hesitate, confused by his sudden
withdrawal.  I half expect him to flat out refuse my offer but
he surprises me by nodding.  “I’ll see what I can
do.”

“Good.”
I smile, knowing that if he were to glance up at me he would see
triumph gleaming from my goofy grin, but he does not.  Instead,
he keeps his gaze turned downward as I slip out of the room.  I
hardly think he even notices my departure.

I pause just outside
his door, listening as his chair squeaks when he leans.  I hear
his fingers upon the keyboard that is hidden in a drop down
compartment in the center of his desk.  The hum of the monitor
draws me back toward the doorway.  I peer around the corner,
grateful to see Kyan has turned to face the screen, leaving me an
uninhibited view.

The screen flickers
around the edges, distorted for a moment before coming into clarity.
 A young man with a strong jaw and slicked back hair bows when
he appears before Kyan.  When my friend speaks, his voice sounds
strained.  “I need to speak with him, and Callum...don’t
let him tell you no this time.”

Tears well along my
lower eyelids as I stare at my best friend.  Aminah turns slowly
in front of a floor-length mirror, staring at each fine detail of her
dress.  Her hair has been drawn up off her neck with elegant
pearl studded combs.  Soft tendrils of hair fall about her face,
brushing against her cheeks.  A pale gloss coats her lips and
lavender shadows her eyes.  

“You
are stunning,” I whisper as I step forward to take my friend’s
hand and help her step off the raised platform.  Aminah’s
form fitting white dress shimmers like diamonds as she dips low to
tuck her feet into her heels.  

“I
feel amazing,” she whispers as she rises back up, now three
inches taller than before.  Her cheeks are flushed a natural
pink from delight.  Her hands boast the tiniest quiver to them.
 

“As you
should.”  I can’t seem to stop grinning as I pull
her close and wrap my arms about her.  Countless memories from
our life on Earth flood back into my mind.  Apart from Eamon,
Aminah was the only one who was there for me.  The one with the
kind, gentle heart that I know will someday open to embrace a small
child of her own.  I’ve always known Aminah would be a
great mother.  Being able to look into the future and see her
four children at her side is a priceless gift, one that I gave to her
just a short time ago.  

Tears of joy had
streaked from my best friend’s eyes as I shared the mental
image with her.  Zahra had been slightly annoyed that I damaged
all of her intricate work on Aminah’s make-up but neither of us
paid her any mind.  

“Thank you,”
Aminah whispers as she hugs me tight.  “For everything.”

I release my friend
and step back, forced to dab at my puffy eyes yet again.  “Look
at us,” I laugh as I look in the mirror.  “The guys
are going to think we are a sobbing mess when we walk down that
aisle.”

“It’s
true.”  

I reach out and
grasp a small golden box that I brought with me.  It is only
slightly bigger than the palm of my hand.  Beautiful jewels
inlaid in the lid sparkle in the late afternoon light that spills in
through the window.  “I got you a gift.”