He moved toward her and suddenly found himself back inside the cavern.
“Where did you go?” Acheron demanded.
“In the shadow space,” Tehdra said. “It is our natural abilities. I do not know why it is just coming to you…but your Darkan half is no longer happy to remain dormant. I will teach you…how to shiktre.”
“What is that?” he rasped.
“To shiktre is to control the shadows and darkness, a power that is inherent to all Darkans, but is only mastered by those who train relentlessly. Once you have mastered it, you will be faster than all Amagarians except for a Darkan using the power of his beast.”
Acheron sent her a skeptical frown. "I doubt you'll be faster than the elders who have perfected the art of chakra control. They flash at the speed of light and—"
His words faltered as Tehdra simply appeared behind him and pinched his hips. With a low laugh, he spun to face her. “I am not certain Ajali would appreciate his lover’s hand on my arse, and you’ve made your point.”
“Not really.”
And with a blink, she held up a plate with stewed fruits. “Taken from the kitchen and you had not realized I left.” She tsked. “And I pinched your hip.”
“I felt it on my arse, and it is my perception that matters.”
Tehdra rolled her eyes, and Gavyn flashed from the caves to the turret high atop his palace. He could feel Xian miles away, sensed her sadness, and the tears in her heart as she wished for his hands to be around her.
A seething burn seared Gavyn’s belly and flared with a dark heat that threatened to consume him. It was a visceral need to be with her, to touch her, kiss her. Enslaved by the primal call beating through his blood, he fell into the shadow space, understanding it was an unseen world within their dimension that no one else could see or hear unless they were a Darkan.
Xian.
Her mind eagerly connected to his.
Gavyn, how is this possible?
The joy in her voice soothed the ravaging craving, and peace stole into him. You are my mate.
Fear wafted to him. "Ajali…what will he say?"
"By the laws of the Darkage, you are forever mine. By the call of the beast, I am but a servant. My life, my love, my sword, and my darkness belong to you. No one shall separate us, Xian. No one."
And something dark and painful twisted through his heart, for he knew the vow extended to a man he had called king, friend, and brother for more than two centuries.
“I am coming for you.”
Chapter 9
A garbled whimpering sound of distress roused Xian from an uneasy slumber, so she pushed herself into a sitting position.
I am coming for you.
The dark promise of Gavyn lingered in her heart, and she pressed shaky fingers to her lips. Her response had been met with silence. And then a raging fire had swept along the link they had formed, and his mind had pulled away from hers.
Grabbing her knee-high boots, she tugged them over her silk stockings. Each booth had a sheath, and she slipped her swords inside them. She stood and grabbed her golden light armor and slipped it on over her dark caftan. The armor molded to her frame like a lover holding her in his protective arms. She quickly caught her locks into a tight chignon. Her stomach rumbled, but she ignored the silver platter on the table bolted to the floor of the wide, spacious carriage.
The convoy crawled through the wasteland with careful speed, and she parted the curtains of the carriage and glanced at the night sky. It was late, and the dawn would soon break. Above her, she detected the shadowy form of Azriel as it flew overhead. She lowered the curtains and glanced around the conveyance, issuing a slight sigh of relief. At first glance, it did not seem Prince Baku had slept in her carriage, and she was glad he had not been present while she slept.
Another snarl, then a whimper of pain sounded, to be met with laughter. Opening the carriage door, she hopped down, scanning the dozens of carriages which travelled in single line procession. There was one carriage toward the back that dragged a large cage behind it. Several Avindites and Nurian warriors rode behind that cage, and they thrust spears and sometimes swords toward whatever creature was confined there.
She padded over with stealth and faltered at the female in the cage. The tormented creature appeared young, her skin was pale, her dark hair long matted strands. There were bruises all over her body, and with some surprise, Xian noted a man sitting on a ledge abutting the cage. He had symbols carved over his entire face and body, he formed a pattern with his thumb and forefingers, and he muttered beneath his breath. A spell. Xian could feel the taint of it in the air. The man was a warlord and whatever he whispered hurt the caged girl. More garbled whimpers fell from her busted mouth.
“What is the meaning of this atrocity?” she snapped low and hard.
The girl swung wild eyes towards her, and Xian could taste the rage that burned in her eyes.