Warrior Prince (2 page)

Her beauty was as startling as a wildflower in an urban concrete jungle. It exploded around her, a vibrant, fiery wash of color amid a world of grey. A life straining to be free.

Human males reacted, following her with their eyes and inching their way closer to her.

The first few times, I'd tensed, ready to deal with any possible threat from an overeager idiot. But she handled them with ease.

Rhian informed me her granddaughter was an Empath and she obviously used the magic to her advantage. Her aura brightened and dimmed each time she employed it.

Cool wariness defined the way she scanned the surroundings. She maintained a distance, even as she flirted or engaged with others.

It was the kind of guardedness that came when you knew what people hid behind the faces they presented.

The steel doors of the club opened and a crowd of students entered. Two men separated from the group and observed the dance floor.

Their eyes immediately shot to her and I stilled.

They focused on her with an intensity that was different from the other humans. The back of my neck prickled.

Their eyes were flickering over the air around her. Not on her.

Aquidae.

Her aura was too bright. I softly cursed under my breath.

If you hadn't waited so long, she would've been out of here by now.

As they circled the floor, I headed in the opposite direction toward the back corridor that led to the club office. The manager had left for the night about an hour ago leaving the area clear.

Once I broke open the locked office, I pulled back into the shadows and waited.

They wouldn't take her in the middle of all these humans. Like predators, they watched. Waiting for the right moment to strike.

I did the same.

Gradually, they made their way closer. I retreated deeper into the darkness.

Another two steps.

I grabbed the backs of their collars and threw them into the empty office. Pivoting, I shut the door with a kick.

Kouperet
sliced open the chest of the one lunging from the left.

One more strike and it was dead before its body hit the floor.

Before the other could move, I twisted behind it. Blade arm locked around its neck and the other yanked its head back.

"Did you really think I'd let you near her?"

"Doesn't matter, gardinel," it hissed. "The others will get her."

Damn it.

My blade cleanly slid into its Origin. I swiftly dumped both bodies in a small, supply closet. It wasn't the most ideal place, but it'd have to do until I could call for clean-up.

Moving as fast as possible, I returned to the dance floor.

She was gone.

I raced out into the back alley and was greeted only with cool, night air.

No humans. No Aquidae. No ondine.

I mentally mapped the path she'd likely take and traced her steps. The thought of Naida and Ansel's daughter, the vulnerable ondine and possible
sondaleur
I'd sworn to take care of, alone against a pack of Aquidae sent fear rocketing through my system.

I shouldn't have waited so long to get her out of San Aurelio.

After a few blocks, I finally caught the hint of jasmine in the air and sped up. A soft glow came from the street ahead.

Heart thudded against my ribs as I whipped around the corner and…

What the hell was she doing?

Three Aquidae hemmed her in at the end of an alley and she stood with her back against the wall.

Her expression blazed with bold challenge and reckless bravery. Balanced on the balls of her feet, she held a dagger like she knew what she was doing. Her body coiled into attack position and unrestrained energy poured off her.

She was fighting.

I allowed myself the briefest moment of incredulity then tore down the passage.

She noticed me before they did. Perceptive.

It took five strikes and twelve seconds to bring the three down.

Her mouth parted as she stared at the corpses and blood pooling on the ground. I tucked the
kouperet
under my coat and slowly walked toward her.

She lifted her head and met my gaze. Fear, anger, and adrenaline swirled in the dark green depths of her eyes. I kept my movements deliberate and my hands up to show I meant no harm.

Her expression shifted and eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Was she actually going to… Shit.

I caught her wrist before her fist could make contact.

Like her dancing, grace and strength lay behind the action. The movement was slow, hindered by human training, but the evidence of solid technique was there.

Her skin was warm and silky soft against my palm and fingers. The slender wrist felt fragile, almost delicate. A complete contradiction to the intent behind that punch.

It was an understandable response. She'd seen me speaking to Naida the night she died and had just watched me kill. I would've been disappointed if she'd accepted me without question.

Aura flared and magic hesitantly brushed against me. Her Virtue was underdeveloped but I immediately sensed the raw power behind it.
 

Amusement flickered and I restrained the urge to smile. It was a clever move. Unable to physically get to me, she turned to Empath to see what she could find out. I added resourcefulness to the growing list of fascinating qualities.

My eyes assessed other details. She didn't look injured, but the shadow of a new bruise bloomed on the sweep of her high cheekbone. Tendrils of that rich, caramel colored hair escaped her ponytail and framed the face I remembered.

The tip of a wave tattoo curved over her right shoulder, peeking out from the strap of her top.

In that moment, I knew Naida had been right. It was an instinctual certainty that radiated from the deepest part of me.

This ondine was the
sondaleur
.

Her shoulders suddenly sagged and the gesture made her look so…forlorn.

Sympathy rushed through me and I wished I could comfort her. Wished I could give her more time before bringing her into this cursed war.

I released her wrist, not wanting to overwhelm her any further.

She took a cautious step back, eyes latching on to my
pedaillon.
Startled recognition flitted across her face.

"You're a gardinel."

There was a fullness to her voice, a depth reminding me of the sultry heat of summer. Was I the first selkie she'd ever met?

I mentally shook myself at the irrational thought that I wanted to be.

"Happy birthday, Kendra."

Whether she knew it or not, she now had a much harder journey ahead of her.

It was time to get down to business.

"My name is Tristan Belicoux. I'm here to take you to Haverleau."

THREE

She walked toward the stairwell, her back rigid and straight. That same layer of tension surrounded her when we first began our drive to Haverleau. Exhaustion had eventually won and she'd ended up curled in the car seat, every inch of her body soft, warm, and relaxed.

But the hard lines had returned in Pelletier's office, the steely armor covering the shock and hurt as her entire world shifted.

Gabe and I exited the ondine dorm. Concern lined his face, making him appear fiercer than usual. "What do you think?"

"I think she's going to need all the help she can get."

She didn't know anything about her family, her heritage. Hell, she didn't even know the strength of Naida's Virtue. I highly doubted she knew much, if anything, about the prophecy.

What a mess.

I reigned in my frustration. For a closed community like Haverleau, rumors and gossip were vital arteries that supplied the necessary amount of drama people craved. Her first day here wasn't going to be easy.

Afternoon sun warmed our backs as we crossed the Quad to the Training Center.

"Five of them?"

I nodded. "Her magic's strong. Blazes like a neon sign."

"You think they found her through her aura? Or did they mark her as the
sondaleur
?"

It was unusual for that many to target one ondine. Sending two into the club while the others waited outside indicated some type of planning.

"I'm not sure," I said slowly. "But I think we should operate on the assumption they know who she is."

Gabe made a sound of agreement. "I sent Julian and three others down there, but they haven't found any more of them. You probably took out the local cell." He paused. "You didn't leave San Aurelio until late."

I ignored the implied question. "She was serious about training."

When Kendra mentioned her desire to take combat classes, I'd thought she was messing with Pelletier's pompous head. But one look at her expression had eliminated any possibility of a joke.

She was completely unaware of how shocking her attitude was. Prior to going Rogue, Naida and Ansel had advocated for the training of ondines and they'd clearly passed those ideas on to their daughter.

It was easy to ascertain her previous human training based on what I'd seen. But continuing it here at Haverleau? With the demillirs?

Ondines used Virtues and elemental magic to be guardians of the balance between land and water. They were protective and nourishing beings, a melding of human mortality and dessondine magic.

They didn't fight in war. Especially an ondine as important as the
sondaleur
. No matter how much training she received, she physically wouldn't be able to hold off an Aquidae.

"I know." Gabe's voice was troubled. It bothered him, too.

"She was against the wall." I remembered the sheer fearlessness in her eyes back in San Aurelio.

No, it wasn't lack of fear. It was an edge she held on to
despite
the fear.

"She didn't flinch. Against three of them."

Gabe rubbed the back of his neck. "Another few seconds and she probably would've been gone."

Maybe.

I'd raced into that alley, driven by the need to protect a vulnerable ondine who possibly carried the fate of our world on her shoulders.

Only to discover that ondine stood cornered but not cowed.

"She fought," I murmured. Admiration stirred deep inside. "Even though she was alone with no possibility of winning. That has to count for something."

Gabe stopped and studied me. An odd expression flickered across his face.

"Marcella wanted to invite you to dinner tonight. We're going to a new restaurant in Lyondale with a few chevaliers and their mates."

A mountain of work awaited me. Besides reading through reports from the kingdom on issues that required my feedback, I needed to check in with gardinel security at the New York and Maine ondine communites. And after everything that happened over the past two days, the last thing I wanted was to make small talk.

"No thanks. I'll take a rain check."

"Come on." He clapped a hand on my back. "You never give yourself a break. Didn't we have fun last time?"

I raised my brow. "You mean when I had to carry you home?"

Two weeks ago, we went to Cafe Riviere with Garreth and a few gardinels. Gabe insisted on keeping up with us. Selkies had a naturally high tolerance and we needed a lot of drinks before we felt anything. A demillir didn't stand a chance.

His pride had resulted in a monster two-day hangover.

Gabe scowled. "Your alcohol metabolism is an unfair advantage."

"And you're a stubborn ass."

"We're not talking about me." Arms crossed in front of his broad chest and he gave me a hard look. "We're talking about your workaholic tendencies. When was the last time you went home? A year ago?"

I let out an exasperated breath. "I've been busy with —"

"Bullshit. When are you going to work it out with him?"

My father was not up for discussion.

"There's nothing to work out."

"Sure, there isn't." Sarcasm underscored his voice. "And how long since you spent time with someone outside of work?"

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"It's been four years since Sian."

"So?" There'd been a few casual encounters after her. Nothing serious.

He stared. "So maybe you should go home. Take some time off."

Irritated, I began walking away. This wasn't the first time Gabe felt the need to point out my dismal social life.

Responsibility to my people. Duty to the elementals we were tasked to protect. Loyalty to those who continued to fight alongside me. These were my main priorities.

Fulfilling them meant being prepared to make the hardest decisions and execute the most difficult acts.

There wasn't room for much else.

"Look." Gabe caught up and kept pace by my side. "This isn't about being prince or gardinel. I'm saying this as your friend. Maybe you should stop distancing —"

I stopped beside the Training Center entrance. "Maybe you should stay out of my personal life."

He didn't flinch at my tone. "Not everyone is going to end up like Eric."

My jaw clenched. There was once a time when I was simply Tristan. The carefree middle child who basked in the warmth of his mother's kindness and father's approval, delighted in teasing his younger brother, and enjoyed being near the brilliant shine of his older brother. A selkie full of ideals whose greatest dream was to become a gardinel that would make his family proud.

The Warrior Prince had replaced that Tristan. Although I'd accepted and made my peace with what happened between me and Eric long ago, the consequences remained.

Opening up, letting someone close enough to understand a savaged heart…

No. Not when War could consume and destroy in the blink of an eye. I had my family and a few friends. That was enough.

"Come out with us tonight," Gabe said gruffly. "Marcella wants a chance to catch up."

The bell rang and groups of students exited their classrooms. Chatter and laughter drifted through the air.

I brought my temper under control. Marcella and Gabe just wanted me to find what they had. They simply didn't realize how rare that was. Like Naida and Ansel.