Royal Obsession

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright © 2013 Cyndi Friberg

Cover art by Dar Albert

Editor: Mary Moran

Electronic Book Publication, June 2013

Trade Paperback Publication, June 2013

Revised 08-2016

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author, Cyndi Friberg.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Praise for Beyond Ontariese

Taken by Storm

“Taken by Storm had it all–tense action, suspense, erotic sex, humor and a wildly imaginative plot. ”  The Romance Studio

“Unplug the phone and put the kids to bed; once you start reading Taken by Storm you won’t want any interruptions!” Fallen Angel Reviews

“For a story that will delight, entertain, and keep you on the edge of your seat, I highly recommend Taken by Storm and award it RRT's Perfect 10.” Romance Reviews Today

Operation Hydra

“I highly recommend Operation Hydra…it’s one of the best science fiction romances I’ve ever read.” Perfect 10!  Romance Reviews Today

“Outstanding! This segment only whetted my appetite for more. The heat between Kyrsta and Trey could cause a nuclear meltdown” Simply Romance Reviews

City of Tears

“WOW! City of Tears by Cyndi Friberg is one amazing blend of science fiction at its best and romance at its hottest…” eCata Reviews

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Prologue

“Only you can stop this madness. You must speak with the elders.”

Varrik closed his eyes as the plaintive words echoed through his mind. Ripples of discontent had been disrupting the Shadow Maze longer than he could remember. After developing useless feelings for his female, Varrik’s brother, Sekall, had planted seeds of doubt and whispered clever lies. Sekall’s treachery still germinated a decade after his execution.

“I am not my brother.” Varrik opened his eyes and glared at his misguided friend. “Unlike Sekall, I hold true to the Customs.”

“Customs that were obsolete before we were born.” Bemzire wrapped his arm around a woman’s shoulders and drew her close against his side. Varrik didn’t know her name, didn’t allow himself to wonder. Females had only one purpose in the life of a Shadow Assassin and this woman had fulfilled hers. He glanced at the baby sleeping in her arms, ignoring the tightening in his chest. Soon it would be his turn to breed.

“You have a strong, healthy son.” Varrik dragged his gaze away from the infant and focused on Bemzire. “Let that be enough.”

“Enough for what? We are expected to remain in this prison, allowing others to dictate what gives meaning to our lives.” Bemzire stroked his son’s tiny face. Tension hardened his tone, yet his gaze remained tender. “With or without the elders’ consent, we’re leaving the Shadow Maze tonight.”

“They will find you and kill you. You know the law.”

Bemzire stepped closer, challenge flashing in his eyes. “I know it’s forbidden, but can you tell me why?”

“You know why.”

“I know the lies the elders use to control us. I want nothing more to do with the world below.”

“There have always been lulls, shifts in power, and periods of waiting. We are above these things. We answer to a higher calling.” Varrik glanced at the woman. She remained silent and watchful as Bemzire argued their case. “Even if the elders allowed you to leave, how would you survive? You’re a criminal according to the world above. As soon as they realize where you came from, they will take you to the City of Tears.”

“Then sweep my mind. The elders might not realize you have the gift, but I know you do. Use your ability on me, so I have nothing to reveal.”

Varrik shook his head, his heart pounding in his chest. If one of the elders sensed the emotions raging in this room, they might join and penetrate his mental shields. He wasn’t ready to be a sweeper, was still too conflicted to embrace his destiny.

“Sweeping your mind won’t keep the overlord from torturing you. If you think you’re a prisoner now, wait until you’ve spent some time in the City of Tears.”

“Bemzire might have been trained as an assassin, but he has never taken a life.” The woman finally spoke. Her tone was calm, her expression resolute.

“He’s a hunter, one of the leaders, a direct descendent from the south.” Varrik stared into her eyes, waiting for her to argue. She said nothing, so he drove the point home. “You were not the only woman taken during the hunt. Are all the females willing to forgive?”

“It has to start somewhere,” Bemzire said firmly.

Varrik turned back to his friend. “You didn’t answer my question.” He crossed his arms over his chest, gathering anger about him to drive back the pain. They were only repeating Sekall’s heresy, but the topic dredged up unwanted memories. Charismatic and shrewd, Sekall had been the biggest threat the elders had ever faced. So dangerous, in fact, he’d been silenced—while Varrik was forced to watch.

“We will live a quiet life in some secluded settlement,” Bemzire told him.

Varrik snorted. “Does she know how to plant and harvest? You’re certainly no farmer.” Bemzire raised his chin and reached for his sidearm. “You see. Lethal instincts and instantaneous reactions, cunning perception and faultless aim. The only vocation you’re qualified for is military, and the warlords won’t have you.”

“I have other abilities.”

“Ah, yes. You can create the illusion of invisibility and move small objects with your mind. What value does that have in the world above?” His crestfallen expression was answer enough. “You’re a hunter, Bemzire, a trained assassin. Don’t attempt to leave. They will kill you. One cycle with this female does not need to end your life.”

“This is no life,” she sneered. “You accomplish nothing. You don’t even destroy. You’ve become ghosts with no purpose, obediently going through the motions of a meaningless existence.”

He shot her so scathing a glare she took an automatic step backward. “You won’t remember his face come morning. You won’t remember anything at all. Now get out of my sight!”

Varrik waited until they left to vent his aggravation. He kicked over a chair and released a string of curses that echoed off the cold stone walls. Through sheer force of will he kept memories of his brother buried deep in his mind. He had idolized Sekall, absorbed every word he spoke like a sponge. It took many cycles for Varrik to realize the true danger of his brother’s radical thinking. Hope could cut more deeply than any blade.

Their world might be bleak and lonely, but there was no place for them in the world above.

With an infuriated hiss, he stormed from his chamber and hurried toward the Council of Elders’ meeting room. He had to protect Bemzire from his own foolishness. A guard announced him then motioned him inside. The table, like the room itself, was perfectly square. Each elder represented a geographical region, north, south, east, and west. They sat facing each other, their regions at their back.

“What can we do for you, Varrik?” Elder North asked.

Varrik waited for the guard to shut the door before he spoke. “Bemzire’s female is scheduled for release tomorrow. He is planning to escape with her tonight.”

The elders exchanged pleased glances, then Elder North stood. “Why have you chosen to warn us?”

“I honor the Customs. The laws are designed to protect us all.” He squared his shoulders and added, “Despite his misguided notions, Bemzire is my friend. I would rather not see him sacrificed because of this woman.”

Elder North rounded the table and clasped Varrik’s shoulder. “We have waited many cycles for Vade’s strength to be revealed in you. We feared your brother’s influence had poisoned your mind. This is encouraging, very encouraging indeed.”

Chapter One

Echo dar Aune stood in the shadow of a massive storax tree. Long, slender branches draped the ground and trailed in the water of Mystic Brook. Twilight had deepened the lavender-tinted sky, turning it a shade between purple and gray. Fluffy pink clouds floated toward the horizon as intar larks sang out in the peaceful haze.

Drawing in a deep breath of cool, clear air, Echo savored the solitude. This had been the longest week of her life. It wasn’t every day that Overlord Lyrik’s sister got married, and to add mayhem to complication, Crystal had joined with a Bilarrian dignitary.

Lyrik refused to have the wedding in the City of Tears, claiming the military outpost was far too dreary for such a festive occasion. So relatives and VIPs from all over the star system had descended on Mystic Valley.

Left to deal with the security nightmare, Uncle Trey had insisted they combine the firepower of his special forces with the protection of the Mystic shields. Her father, Head Master Tal, hadn’t seen a reason to object, so he agreed to host the wedding. Only those with Mystic abilities were allowed inside the Conservatory, but the elegant visitor center was large enough for the event.

“Is he here yet?”

Echo smiled at the anticipation in her sister’s tone. “Soon,” she whispered, not bothering to turn around. She could picture E’Lanna’s flushed cheeks and luminous gaze. The dreamy expression had seldom left her face since Zane cet Malaque rotated onto their security contingent. “Do you think they do it intentionally?”

“Does who do what intentionally?”

“Do young, physically attractive men apply to be our bodyguards?”

“They haven’t all been gorgeous like Zane. Think about Leor. He was older than Father, and no one would mistake him for handsome.”

“True, but his partner was Taminish.”

“It doesn’t matter what they look like. They’re sworn to protect, not satisfy, us.” E’Lanna glanced into the distance and clasped her hands in front of her, the epitome of propriety and decorum. Echo wasn’t fooled by the pose. E’Lanna’s nature was every bit as passionate as her own.

“The things I learned from Taminish had nothing to do with safety.” Wistfulness took over her voice as her mind filled with memories. Sensual exploration and youthful exuberance had driven each encounter. What he’d lacked in finesse, he’d made up for with enthusiasm. She would always think of Taminish with a smile.

She turned toward E’Lanna and found her twin staring back at her. The identical purple gowns they’d worn for Crystal’s wedding accented the similarity of their features. On any other day, Echo would have refused to indulge their mother and chosen clothing vastly different from E’Lanna’s. Their golden-brown hair and smoky-violet eyes made them hard to tell apart. Still, the novelty of being mistaken for one another had worn off cycles ago.

“What about Kiel?” E’Lanna’s brow arched in challenge. “He was reassigned two cycles ago. Surely you can tell me now. How far did you allow things to go? I know you didn’t let Taminish do more than play, but what about Kiel?”

“A lady never tells.” Echo hid her guilty smile by motioning over E’Lanna’s shoulder. “Our newest bodyguard approaches.”

They’d planned their escape all evening. Echo waited until the party was in full swing, then sneaked away into the verdant meadow, still within the Mystic shields. Using Echo’s disappearance as an excuse, E’Lanna went to search for her sister. Last, Zane abandoned the festivities to investigate the location of the twins. The ruse wouldn’t keep the other guards away for long. Echo intended to distract them while E’Lanna and Zane enjoyed the romantic setting.

A flicker of light drew her attention across the brook. Her heart lurched then resumed its steady rhythm. She squinted into the setting sun and scanned with her mind as well as her eyes. Had someone else decided to escape the ruckus hall? A line of lush trees marched toward the meditation gardens, which butted up against the practice yard. She saw nothing out of place and sensed no danger. So what had caught her eye?

“Thanks for this.” E’Lanna kissed her cheek then wrapped her arm around Zane’s lean waist. “We only have a few more weeks before Zane is scheduled for reassignment.”

Uncle Trey claimed the rotation kept a balance of experience and fresh perspective on the security team. Echo suspected the practice was also meant to keep the men from developing personal feelings for the women in their charge. As their reminiscence proved, the strategy wasn’t entirely successful.

“Don’t be too long,” she cautioned. “Even I can’t confuse them forever.”

Smoldering heat and sensual hunger flowed through Echo’s mind as Zane swept E’Lanna into his arms. Echo hurried along the grassy riverbank, leaving the lovers alone in the dark. The intensity of her sister’s emotions drew Echo deeper into the meld. She saw Zane’s handsome face and his blacker-than-night eyes. Saw the tenderness and desire alight in his smoldering gaze. She felt his hand glide across E’Lanna’s shoulder and dip inside her gown to cup her breast. E’Lanna sighed, pressing into his touch, wanting more than a few stolen kisses.

With concentrated effort, Echo eased out of her sister’s mind and shielded her end of the link. She collided with Lor dar Joon and gasped. His large hands clasped her upper arms, steadying her until she regained her footing.

“Your face is flushed and your expression dreamy.” A knowing smile parted his lips. “Either you were having very naughty thoughts, or E’Lanna is with Zane—again.”

Lor had been her father’s apprentice until he completed his training four cycles ago. Echo had spent half her childhood enamored with him, yet she had come to think of him as a close friend by the time she saw male appreciation in his eyes. Her mother, High Queen Charlotte, would doubtlessly welcome a match between them. The House of Joon had resented the House of Aune for centuries. The hostilities escalated with frustrating regularity, despite Charlotte’s best efforts to establish lasting peace.

“Did Father send you after me?” She smoothed the heavily embroidered material of her bodice against her ribs, her senses still humming. Strolling to a nearby tree, she leaned against the trunk, needing the stability at her back. Her teasing tastes of passion had never produced the sort of emotions E’Lanna enjoyed with Zane.

Lor moved closer, the wind playing through his curly blond hair. “As a matter of fact, he did. You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

“I’m not alone.” She glanced up at him and offered her best flirtatious smile. “I have you to protect me.”

He placed his hands on either side of her shoulders, his turquoise gaze searching her face. “What makes you think you’re safe with me?”

“You would never do anything to displease Father.” A note of disappointment bled through in her tone.

“Unlike Zane?” He brushed her cheek with his knuckles then reluctantly stepped back. “Are they out here, or were you entertaining wicked thoughts?”

“I was enjoying the sunset,” she claimed with innocent bravado.

“But you’d rather be enjoying passionate kisses and bold caresses?” A strand of her hair flitted against her check. He tucked it behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her skin. “Will you stop moping if I kiss you?”

“I am not moping!” She averted her gaze. Lor was handsome and experienced, intelligent and kind. She had often wondered what it would feel like to kiss him. With a deep chuckle, he pulled her into his arms and pressed his mouth over hers. She wrapped her arms around his back and parted her lips, waiting for the first brush of his tongue.

He took his time, nibbling at her lips and tracing her mouth with the tip of his tongue. When he finally delved into her mouth, she was panting and restless. His tongue stroked hers, traced her teeth, then stroked hers some more. She waited for the knee-melting heat, the rush of tingling fire E’Lanna felt each time Zane kissed her. Lor’s mouth was warm, his body strong, but the kiss was no more than pleasant.

Some unseen force slammed Lor forward, knocking Echo against the tree. She yelped. He groaned then sank to his knees. He was jarred sideways and flipped onto his stomach. He went wild, kicking and thrashing as unseen hands restrained him. Echo screamed, reaching out with her mind. Lor bucked and heaved against the ground. Fire erupted around him, triggered by his pyrokinetic gift.

E’Lanna’s mind reflected Echo’s fear. Was the same thing happening to E’Lanna, or was she reacting to Echo’s terror? Lor’s hands were trapped beneath him, while the grass around him sizzled. Did the assailants know he could throw fire?

She was dragged away from the tree, her attackers vague distortions against the coming night. Invisible arms wrapped around her, pulling her tight against a tangible body. They were real. She just couldn’t see them.

E’Lanna’s emotions prevented Echo from reaching farther. She screamed again, but they were far from the visitors’ hall.

Sound swelled, building from a distant buzz to a deafening roar as a transport conduit swallowed her whole. Light blinded her, then oppressive darkness closed in, compressing her chest and weighting her limbs. She trembled in her captor’s arms, lacking the breath to speak, much less fight.

The pressure eased, but the darkness remained. She blinked rapidly, struggling to bring anything into focus. Hands pushed her to her knees, and a gruff voice activated a row of firestones set high in the barren walls.

Light flashed again, and E’Lanna appeared, trapped between two burly men. She was forced to her knees beside Echo. The men took up positions within easy reach of their prisoner.

Are you hurt? Echo sent the question directly to E’Lanna’s mind.

No. Are you? E’Lanna covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders shaking.

Don’t speak out loud, and don’t react to my thoughts.

One of the villains materialized in front of E’Lanna. Tall and lean, with rawboned features and fierce eyes, he took E’Lanna’s chin and forced her to raise her face. “Which one are you?”

Don’t answer him!

His dark head whipped around, and his gaze collided with Echo’s. Pitch-black, his pupils and irises were separated by an intense blue ring. Blue strands threaded through his long black hair. Rodyte! They’d been kidnapped by the Rodytes.

“I can sense telepathic communication.” He strolled toward her, his expression insolent. “If you have something to say, say it out loud.”

She raised her chin and looked away, her lips pressed into a mutinous line.

Warm and unexpected, his deep, rumbling laughter rolled across her senses. He curved his fingers around her chin and turned her head until she looked into his eyes.

“Hello, Echo. Silence can’t disguise that fiery temper.” He motioned toward E’Lanna without taking his gaze from Echo’s face. “Take that one to my room.”

“No!” The word burst from Echo before she could stop the impulse.

He arched one dark brow and pulled her to her feet. “Are you volunteering to take her place? I hadn’t expected you to be so eager.”

Echo, don’t. At least I know what to expect. I won’t let this beast be your first.

Before she could correct E’Lanna’s misconception, their captor spoke again. With his hands still encircling Echo’s upper arms, he looked at E’Lanna. “If we hadn’t arrived when we did, some blond Mystic would have been her first. She was all but begging him to take her when we found them in the moonlight.”

Echo gasped. He couldn’t just sense telepathic communication, he could hear every word.

“This one was with a man as well,” one of E’Lanna’s captors volunteered. “From the way they were going at it, I don’t think it was her first time.”

The fierce-eyed man nodded. “Then take E’Lanna to a holding cell. She can’t be mounted until after she bleeds again. Pass the word. No one is to touch her.”

Echo felt the blood drain from her face. They wanted to make sure E’Lanna wasn’t pregnant before they “mounted” her? That meant they intended to keep them for weeks, perhaps longer. Echo couldn’t succumb to the terror surging through her mind. She had to think, strategize. Where were they? Why had they been taken? The last question sent a shudder down her spine. Why was pretty damn obvious—they were here to be “mounted”.

E’Lanna was dragged from the room by two of the men who had abducted her. Could all of them create invisibility shields?

“Let’s go.” The leader nodded toward the doorway.

Echo laughed. Let’s not. It was irrational to think she was going to stroll off to his bedchamber to be raped. He didn’t react to her laughter or the accompanying thought. Apparently it was only telepathic transmissions he could intercept.

“You’re going to be a lot more trouble than your sister, aren’t you?”

“You have no idea.”

Varrik carried Echo to his bedchamber, slung over his shoulder. She kicked and squirmed, arched and pounded on his back. He found the hem of her gown and pushed his hand up under her skirt, smacking her pampered ass as hard as the position allowed. She yelped then went perfectly still. The stunned silence only lasted a moment, then her fight renewed with increased vigor. She might be all fight and fire, but she was still a spoiled brat.

“Where are we?” Despite her breathless tone, she managed to make it sound like a demand.

“You could have looked around if you had behaved.”

Her exasperated cry turned heads in the sparring area. He just smiled and kept on walking. All this bluster would blow itself out soon enough. She threw herself sideways so forcefully he lost his footing and they landed in a heap of tangled limbs and billowy skirts.

She swung at him. He caught her wrist and growled in warning. Laughter erupted all around them, but he kept his gaze on her. Couldn’t she have waited until they were in his room before she pitched her fit? He shook his head. This was going to be interesting.

“Mounting a virgin is an occasion to be shared according to the Customs.” He spoke in a quiet, menacing tone. “If I choose to follow the Customs, you will be stripped naked and bound between two poles, with everyone looking on. I’ll select three of my trusted friends to verify your virginity. Think about it, Princess. How would they do that?”

“It wouldn’t be any different than what you have planned.” She tugged against his hand, but a bit of the fire had left her eyes.

“They will touch you and taste you, see if they can put their fingers inside you, all while the others watch.”

“Go to hell.” Her gaze darted around the room, her breasts quivering with each ragged breath.

“After all three have finished fingering you, I’ll let them touch your breasts. They’ll stroke you and suck on your nipples while I make damn sure you’re good and wet.”

“You’re wasting your time. I’m not listening.” She stared past him into nothingness.

“I’ll kneel down and drape your legs over my shoulders while they support your back. I’ll lick your pussy and drink your cream. I’ll use my tongue, my lips and my teeth until you scream in pleasure. I’ll keep at it until you come, no matter how long it takes.”

“Stop it.”

“Then I’ll work two fingers into your tight little hole and carefully stretch you, make you ready for my—”

“Shut up!” Jerking her arm out of his grasp, she tried to scurry away, but he was sitting on her skirt.

“When your cream covers my face and runs down your thighs, then I’ll pick you up and wrap those long legs around my waist.”

“Do it, Commander!” someone called out.

“Is she really a virgin?” asked another.

“It’s not the most comfortable position for a virgin, but my men will sure as hell enjoy the show.”

“You bastard,” she whispered.

He stared into her eyes and asked, “Shall we go to my room now, or would you like to explore the Customs?” She refused his help as she stood. He forced himself not to smile. Fearing him would serve her better in the long run. Shoulders squared, head held high, she walked beside him the rest of the way.

Her assessing gaze swept their surroundings. She paused at each corner and took in as much of the maze as she could. “Where are the holding cells?”

“I might take you there in a day or two, if you follow my directives.”

She didn’t respond to the offer. “Is the entire complex underground?”

He didn’t respond to her question. “Next door on your right.” Pushing the door open, he motioned her inside.

After looking up and down the corridor, she stepped into the room. “Are your women kept separate from your men?”

“In a way.” He locked the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest.

Was there a faster way to determine pregnancy? The other sister would doubtlessly be easier to control. But that would subject Echo to the lottery. Most of his men understood that seduction was more beneficial than force, especially when the woman would be around for a cycle or longer. Still, many didn’t have the patience for Echo’s temper.

Which left her to him.

“Take down your hair.”

“I’d rather not. Thanks for the suggestion.”

She was going to have to be restrained. There was no way around it.

He pushed away from the door and crossed the room. Thick-lashed and expressive, her eyes swirled gently, attesting to her Ontarian heritage. Her gown matched her eyes, a smoky mixture of purple and gray. The rich material hugged her torso, leaving her shoulders and the upper curve of her breasts bare. The ornate embroidery didn’t distract from the generous fullness of her breasts or the contrasting dip of her waist. Who had she been kissing when they penetrated the Mystic shield? Their interaction had seemed playful, as if the man had never touched her before.

She’s a virgin, you ass. No one has ever touched her before.

He brushed her cheek with his knuckles, mimicking the man’s gentle touch. She stared back at him, her lips trembling. Could he kiss her senseless, channel her emotional intensity into blazing desire?

Circling around behind her, he found the pins securing her golden-brown hair and began to take it down. She stood perfectly still—debating her options, no doubt, or searching the room for weapons.

“Why are you doing this?” The uncertainty in her voice stirred a place deep inside his heart. He could withstand her anger and ignore her contrary outbursts, but this tremulous vulnerability called to a part of him he didn’t recognize. This was how they did it, how women cast their spell. He must guard his feelings carefully or he’d follow his brother to an early grave.

“I want to spread your hair across my pillow as I thrust between your thighs.” She slapped his hand away and spun to face him.

“Where are your women?” Her breasts swelled into view with each deep breath. “The only reason you would want to make sure E’Lanna isn’t pregnant is if… This isn’t about ransom, is it?”

Echo knew she was breathing too fast. She pressed her hand over her chest and looked away from her captor. She couldn’t think with his piercing gaze focused on her. His hair had come loose during their tussle in the exercise room. The wavy strands softened his angular features, made him almost handsome.

The things he’d described still played through her mind. She pictured herself bound and naked while he aroused her until she screamed. Despite his misconception, she wasn’t a virgin. Her experience was limited, but his erotic threat had sent her senses reeling. Only once had a lover touched her intimately with his mouth. The brief, hurried caress had distracted her, teased her, and made her long for more.

What is wrong with me?

He wanted to mount her, cover her, like a stallion covers a mare. Breeding. This had nothing to do with ransom. She was here to be bred.

Her eyes widened, and she staggered back a step. Icy realization clarified her mind. Stories from her childhood, whispered horrors she’d nearly forgotten, came back in terrifying waves. “We’re in the Shadow Maze.” She held up her hand, as if the feeble gesture could ward him off. “You’re a Shadow Assassin.”

This couldn’t be real! She flung herself toward the privacy panel. His arm banded her waist, bringing her up short. She struggled against his hold, kicking back at him and clawing his arm. She had to escape! Learn everything she could about this place and… No one ever escaped the Shadow Maze.

He wouldn’t just mount her; he’d take her over and over until she got pregnant. Then he’d keep her here until she delivered the child. If the child was male, she’d be released, but the child would stay with him. If the child was female, he might release them both, or he might try again. Either way her mind would be scrambled. Every woman released from the Shadow Maze had only fragmented bits of memory. Some welcomed the oblivion. Others mourned for the child wrested from their arms.

The warlords had been searching for this place for decades to no avail. How could she hope to escape?

“I can’t do this,” she sobbed. “Please don’t make me do this.” Fear dissolved her anger, and her knees buckled. He swept her into his arms and crossed the room, sitting her on one of the chairs arranged against the wall. She wept, her face buried in her hands.

“The situation is only as unpleasant as you’re determined to make it.”

That brought up her head. “What is that supposed to mean?” She wiped her tears on the back of her hand and glared at him.

“I heard enough of your conversation with the blond man to know you’re curious about sex.” His tone was even, yet under the calm she sensed determination. “Unlike most men, we are trained in the art of pleasure. We have only one mate, and she is always reluctant. So, we learn what will please her most. I know techniques that would make an experienced woman tremble. I will assuage your curiosity as no man in the world above can.”

He’d seen her with Lor, heard their teasing banter. Lor had been kissing her when they attacked. He might believe she was a virgin, but he knew she wasn’t afraid. He stood just out of reach, his hands clasped behind his back. “I’m not that curious.”

His lips twitched, and he shook his head, then surrendered to the smile. She crossed her arms over her breasts, her heart fluttering madly. His eyes sparkled when he smiled and distinct brackets framed his mouth. Lowering her gaze to the center of his chest, she gave herself a mental shake. He was ruthless. She couldn’t afford to be drawn in by a charming smile.

“This is going to happen,” he said in the same calm tone. “The only question is when and in what manner.”

“How comforting.”

In an effort to avoid looking at her captor, Echo glanced around her cage. Firestones were inset at regular intervals high on the stone walls. As well as providing light and warmth, the shimmering crimson stones detracted from the endless gray. A rustic table with four chairs occupied one corner, while a massive bed dominated the opposite end of the oblong room.

There had to be something she could do to stop this, something she could offer him—other than her body. She was not without resources. One of the men in the training room had referred to him as commander. He was obviously no ordinary soldier.

Preparing herself for the most important negotiation of her life, she met his gaze. “Any woman can give you a son. Why squander this opportunity on such a paltry outcome? My father is Head Master over all the Mystics, and my mother is High Queen. Surely you can think of something—”

He struck like a coiled serpent, fast and accurate. His fingers tangled in her hair as he leaned down and brought his face close to hers. “My son will descend from the two most powerful Mystics on this wretched planet. What could be more important than that?”

“If you’re bent on this demented course, then you don’t need my sister.” She grabbed his wrist, but he wasn’t really hurting her, just exerting enough pressure to keep her still. “Let E’Lanna go, and I’ll—”

“You’re in no position to negotiate. You will bear my son, and your sister’s master will be chosen as soon as we are certain she isn’t already pregnant.”

He pulled her to her feet and spun her around, unfastening the gown with shocking ease. She reached for E’Lanna, scanning without specific communication. E’Lanna sensed her and expanded the link, allowing Echo to see through her eyes. The holding cell was a stone cube with a bunk, a stool, and basic utilities.

I reached Father, but I didn’t know what to tell him. I don’t know where we are. The thought whispered in her mind, accompanied by a ripple of frustration.

Echo waited for her captor to react. His hand stroked from the small of her back to the nape of her neck, but he said nothing. Had E’Lanna figured out who held them and why?

Is he still with you?

Echo answered with a wave of anxiety, unwilling to push her luck. He spread the back panels and the bodice slid downward. She clutched the front to her breasts as his fingers explored her back and shoulders.

I’m so sorry, E’Lanna whispered.

How was she supposed to respond to that? He pulled the rest of the pins from her hair and raked his fingers through the long strands, unwinding the curls and freeing the braids.

Do you want me to stay with you?

Echo shuddered at the thought. No. There’s nothing you can do.

Chapter Two

“How did they get beyond the Mystic shields?”

Charlotte wasn’t sure who had asked the question, the room buzzed with overlapping conversations. She clung to Tal’s side, unable to stop shaking. Disbelief had given way to terror about ten minutes ago. Tal’s reassuring words and tender hugs couldn’t change reality. Someone had kidnapped their daughters.

“Why were E’Lanna and Echo in the meadow?” Tal directed the question to Lor, who was attempting to organize the information. Zane stood beside him, a newly applied bandage encircling his head. The younger men exchanged guilty looks and tension rippled through Tal’s body. “Neither of you saw anything?”

“They were like ghosts. I was thrown around for a minute, and then something slammed into the side of my head,” Zane told him.

“They struck incredibly fast,” Lor agreed, disbelief evident in his expression as well as his tone. “I wasn’t able to get off more than a spark. It was almost as if they were waiting for us.”

“How could they have known where to wait?” Charlotte snapped. The need to lash out was nearly overwhelming, but hysterics wouldn’t bring the twins back. They needed information. This was not the work of ghosts. Someone had to have seen something.

“This was no random act,” Lor persisted.

Trey moved up beside Tal, his gaze nearly as worried as his brother’s. “None of the perimeter guards saw anything. Have you been contacted yet?”

Tal shook his head. “Just the faint transmission from E’Lanna, but she has no idea where they’re being held.”

“We’re either dealing with a new kind of shield suit or a group of rogue Mystics.” Trey turned to the younger men. “Would either of you care to venture a guess?”

“I have no idea how they got in, but they teleported out,” Lor explained. “They were manipulating some kind of magic.”

“Who would want the twins? Why?” The queen in Charlotte knew they were useless questions, but the mother in her had to ask.

“I can only think of one group brazen enough to attempt this, but they haven’t been active in so many cycles we’d begun to think they’d disbanded.” Trey glanced away from her as the implication sank in.

She licked her lips and pressed her hand to her throat. “Shadow Assassins prey on the weak and unprotected. They only ‘hunt’ in remote settlements. They’re cowards who…”

“Appear and disappear like ghosts.” Trey put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We have to consider every possibility.”

Tal cupped the side of her face and raised her gaze to his. “I’ll convene a Seeker Circle. We will trace E’Lanna’s signal back to the source. I don’t care who took them, my love. We will get our daughters back.”

* * * * *

Varrik caressed Echo’s soft skin, fascinated by the warmth and the fine texture. Two types of women were brought to the Shadow Maze. Young, healthy females who were claimed by one man for the purpose of procreation, and sexually experienced women who were offered wealth in exchange for their services. Until this moment, Varrik had only been with pleasure givers.

Heat curled through his belly and lodged between his thighs as he moved to face her. After the tragedy surrounding his brother, Varrik had sworn never to take a mate. Then Bemzire—Varrik wouldn’t think about them tonight. He would concentrate on Echo.

She held the front of her gown against her breasts, her fingers clutching the material with white-knuckled determination.

“You can allow me to remove the gown, or I’ll cut it off you once you’re bound. The choice is yours.” The blackest part of his jaded soul hoped she’d refuse. Resistance would make her eventual surrender even sweeter.

“I’ll do nothing for your pleasure.” Defiance unfurled within her gaze, but her lips trembled. “Is it really easier to breed with captive women than to produce children the conventional way?” Her tone held both curiosity and challenge.

He chuckled. Stubborn, smart, beautiful, she would give him magnificent sons. Sons? She would give him a magnificent son and then she would be released. “Conventional practices on Ontariese are often considered unusual by others. Are your parents life mates, or were you conceived during a social alliance?”

“They’re life mates.” She seemed confused by his sudden interest in conversation, which was exactly what he intended. Distract her with debate, ease past her defenses, then capture her imagination. “Even a social alliance is entered into willingly by both parties.”

“The social alliance was adopted at the height of the Great Conflict when the House of Joon released a virus that wiped out two-thirds of Ontarian females. Is that correct?”

She watched him closely, her expression wary yet thoughtful. “You should know more about it than I do. Shadow Assassins were the henchmen for the House of Joon. My grandmother was murdered by one of your—”

“I was born after the atrocity, as were you.” He stepped closer, resisting his need to touch her. Let her read the hunger in his eyes. Let her know nothing would control him. “The virus left us with nearly one hundred men for every woman.”

“The ratio is much lower now.”

He scoffed. “Only because vast numbers of Ontarian males have abandoned the planet and we have bought alien women for those who remained.”

“Bought?” Objection made her tone brittle. “My mother has meticulously negotiated mutually beneficial treaties with several neighboring planets. Programs have been established to encourage females to settle on Ontariese and—”

“Breed with our men. Yes, I know. They’re expected to form a social alliance within a month of their arrival.”

“The social alliance is and has always been for the protection of females.”

“Who controls the alliance?” He lifted a lock of her hair and studied the soft strand. The tress curled around his finger in a perfect spiral, golden highlights gleaming.

“It’s not a matter of control. Either party can propose the alliance, but the female must declare it valid.”

“Then females control the alliance.” Fanning the end of the strand, he brushed her neck, her shoulders, and the upper curve of her breasts. She stood perfectly still, the tension in her stance the only hint of her anxiety. “When each man is competing with so many others, what hope does he have of attracting the attention of a female?”

“So you kidnap them and hold them prisoner—”

“Every person on this planet is prisoner to the Great Conflict. The war itself might be over, but its legacies live on.” He released her hair and repeated the teasing path with the tip of his finger. “Some men choose to run. We choose to stay and fight. Our Customs are not that dissimilar from the social alliance. They are both temporary relationships established for the purpose of creating offspring. The conditions on Ontariese—”

“You’re not Ontarian. You’re Rodyte.”

“I’ve never been to Rodymia. I was born in the Shadow Maze of an Ontarian captive. Ontariese is my home.”

“But your father was obviously Rodyte.”

“Why is that important?”

“I’m just trying to understand why a man with intelligence and ambition would choose this way of life.” Twisting away from his touch, she took a step back and collided with the edge of the chair.

An insult wrapped in flattery. Were all captives this amusing? “I didn’t choose this life; I was born into it.”

“Would you leave the Shadow Maze if you could?” She raised her delicate eyebrows.

“I leave the Shadow Maze whenever there’s a need. I’m not the prisoner. You are.” He was every bit as much a prisoner as she, but he would never admit it to her. He’d indulged her curiosity long enough. There was nothing more he could say to put her at ease. Tracing a path down her arm, he slipped his fingers around her wrist. “How old are you?”

“Why?”

“You’re rather old to be a virgin.” She resisted his attempt to lower her hand, so he continued to stroke her upper chest and the slope of her shoulders. “Your sister managed to find a lover. Why haven’t you?” He watched her eyes, waiting for her reaction to his touch as well as his question.

She lowered her long lashes, hiding her gaze from him. “My sister’s lover is one of our bodyguards. It’s difficult to—”

“Indulge your curiosity?” he suggested.

“When you’re never left alone with a man.” Her lashes rose, but her eyes were shuttered now, all emotion carefully hidden.

“We’re alone, and I assure you, I’m a man.” She looked at his lips. Good. He had that fertile imagination working again. “Did I witness your first kiss?”

She didn’t answer.

“I interrupted just when things were getting interesting.” He slid his fingers along her jaw and traced her lips with his thumb. Her eyes widened then narrowed as he bent to kiss her. Reining in his hunger, his need to dominate, he brushed his lips against hers. For a long moment her mouth was pliant yet unresponsive. Then her breath hissed out, and she parted her lips.

He deepened the kiss, curling his tongue around hers, drawing her breath into his lungs as their lips slid. Her murmurs urged him on, fueled his simmering desire. She swayed against him, her hands still clutching her dress. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her against him, aligning their bodies as he possessed her mouth.

She touched his tongue and encouraged his penetration, but she’d yet to venture into his mouth. Easing back, he whispered, “Come to me now. Kiss me like I was kissing you.” Before she could debate the right or wrong of his directive, he kissed her again. Her tongue was tentative at first. He sucked her deeper into his mouth and she groaned.

Distracting her with slow, drugged kisses, he eased her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. The front of her dress was stiff with a combination of embroidery and support strips. He tugged on the skirt, easing it past her hips. The gown pooled around her legs. Finally!

He pressed her against his chest and rubbed her back, hesitating over his next move. He could spread her out on his bed or restrain her between the tall, thick poles cleverly designed into the bed frame. The vertical position would give him access to her entire body. He shook away the thought. She had to accept the basics before he introduced anything exotic.

He lifted her into his arms and carried her across the room. She dragged her mouth away from his and made a distressed sound when she realized their destination.

“You don’t have to do this. There are other, better, ways to—”

“We’ll explore those later.” He placed her in the middle of the bed and slipped off her shoes. Her legs were long and shapely, encased in sheer purple stockings. He only glanced at the scrap of lace covering her mound, not trusting himself with more. He would know every inch of her supple body before this night was through. Still, he had to give her time to accept the inevitability of their joining. He reached for the wrist cuffs attached to the stout headboard.

“Wait a minute!” He guided her hand toward the cuff, and she started tugging, hard. “I don’t want to be restrained. Why is this necessary?”

He closed the cuff around her wrist and activated the lock with a mental command, then reached for her other hand. There was enough slack in the chain to allow for numerous positions or he could tighten the chain with his mind. She jerked her hand out of his and kicked him in the chest.

Anticipation thrummed through his blood, making his heart pound. He had to feel her spread out beneath him. That much wouldn’t wait. Tugging off his boots, he crawled onto the bed. With a few insistent movements he had her on her back, with her arms above her head. She twisted and screamed as he closed the cuff around her other wrist and tightened the chain.

He propped himself on his forearms, keeping his chest away from her breasts, while his pelvis pressed into the juncture of her thighs. She yanked against the cuffs and glared at him, her legs pinned beneath his. Using his knees like a wedge, he pried her legs apart and settled between them.

“I suspected you wouldn’t stay passive for long. Now, stop pulling on the cuffs or you’ll bruise your wrists.”

“You are so vile I’ll have to make up words to describe you.”

He wanted to savor her spirit, nurture her passion, but first she had to accept her new role in life. “Did I become vile while I was kissing you or only after I restrained you?” She had responded well before. Perhaps he had abandoned seduction too quickly.

“You’re a pile of steaming tihs god!”

“That’s just ‘dog shit’ backward. You can do better than that.” He cupped her breast to give her inspiration.

“You’re a fucking pervert!”

“Those words aren’t even made up.” With a throaty chuckle, he scooted down, dragging his erection against her mound. Her breasts rose and fell rapidly. Each panting breath made the soft flesh quiver. Stars, she was beautiful.

“Relax. Let me guide you, show you all the pleasure awaiting you.” He closed his lips around one rosy crest while he rolled the other with his fingers. Her nipples hardened and her skin flushed. Pleased by her responsiveness, he switched sides, sucking firmly while he coaxed her still damp nipple into a harder peak.

Her struggles gradually ceased. He stroked her breasts, rubbing his face against her incredibly soft skin as he continued to play with her nipples.

If he slipped his fingers between her thighs, would he find her wet already? He rocked back, reluctantly releasing her nipple. The terror in her gaze drew him up short. Tears trailed from the corners of her eyes, and the stubborn press of her lips didn’t disguise their trembling.

“Echo, I’m not going to hurt you. I…”

What the hell was he saying? He had no choice but to hurt her if he wanted a son. He stared into her tormented eyes until she looked away. Passion drained from his body, leaving a lump of icy dread. How could he continue, knowing she despised him? The pleasure givers had all been willing, not always eager, but at least willing.

With an exasperated sigh, he crawled off the bed and grabbed his boots. He tossed the sheet over her half-naked body and stormed from the room.

* * * * *

Varrik tapped on Aila’s open door, a courtesy few offered the pleasure giver. If her door was open, she was available. If her door was closed, she was with someone. She looked up from her book at the tapping and smiled. Each spring Aila was offered the option of having her memory erased and returning to the world above. Each spring she agreed to remain in the Shadow Maze.

She’d been a beautiful woman before tragedy wrote its story across her face. The fire that had claimed her beauty had also stolen the lives of her life mate and their two children. Though the scars had faded considerably in the eleven cycles since she’d come to the Shadow Maze, most of the men only visited her if none of the other pleasure givers were available.

“I haven’t seen you in ages,” she said. “What can I do for you?”

He closed the door and leaned against it, unable to meet her gaze. “I need your advice.” His anxious gaze swept the cozy room. She sat at a small, square table. A tall dresser and bookshelves flanked the low bed.

She set the book aside and pushed her chair back so she could cross her legs. “This has to be a first. Let me guess, it has something to do with your hunting expedition and a certain high-spirited virgin.”

“Word travels fast,” he grumbled.

“I was in the sparring area when she toppled you to the floor.” She shook her head and captured his restless gaze. “I was shocked by your behavior. Is intimidation and force the only strategy you know? I’ve come to expect more from you.”

“Why?” He pushed away from the door. He’d always felt comfortable with Aila. Theirs was a unique bond. She was part friend, part lover, and part sexual mentor. “I’m a Shadow Assassin like any other. Those are the tools of our trade.”

“You are not like the others. I know the man locked inside the assassin. Seeing people clearly is easy when you’re invisible.”

She was referring to everyone’s hesitation to look at her, not the illusion all assassins were taught to manifest. “I said those things so Echo would stop struggling. I didn’t want to hurt her, but she is irrationally stubborn.” Too anxious to stand still, he crossed to the bed, then fiddled with the books lining the shelves. “I will one day lead these men. They cannot perceive me as weak.”

“I understand that, but she doesn’t.”

Frustration raised his hands. “If my strategy was working, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Where is she now?”

“In my bedchamber.”

“Locked in the room or chained to the bed?”

He just glared at her and crossed to the dresser.

“She’s a virgin, for Mara’s sake. What were you thinking?”

“That’s why I restrained her.” Snatching an elastic band from the top of her dresser, he pulled his hair back and bound it at the nape of his neck. “I knew I couldn’t arouse her properly if I had to hold her down.”

“Would you sit? You’re making me dizzy.” She waited for him to join her at the table before she went on. “Waiting until you didn’t need to hold her down never crossed your mind?”

“If you were in the sparring area, you saw her. This is no frightened child.”

“Do you think she’s never had an orgasm? Being a virgin doesn’t necessarily mean she’s completely inexperienced.”

“I’m not sure. Her sister has a lover, so it’s possible—”

“What does her sister have to do with this?”

Varrik hesitated. Would Aila understand his motivation for taking the twins? The hunters certainly thought he was crazy. “I captured E’Lanna and Echo dar Aune.”

Her jaw dropped, and she pressed a hand to her breast. “The High Queen’s…and Head Master Tal’s… Have you lost your mind?”

“Apparently.”

“The Council of Elders sanctioned this?”

“Not exactly.”

“They don’t know?” She was gaping again.

“They know I dispatched the hunters, and they know I brought back twins. I haven’t been specific about the rest.”

“Her virginity is the least of your problems, my friend. You must return them immediately.”

“We are expected to reproduce. It’s a sacred duty of every Shadow Assassin. If I’m going to put myself—and a female—through this ordeal, then my son will be worthy of the sacrifice. I want him to be so powerful that he can choose his own life path.”

“I don’t understand.”

He was silent for a long time. How could he make her understand a conflict still tormenting him? “I intend to usher in a new generation.”

“Meaning?”

“I will produce a son with more Mystic power than any Shadow Assassin has ever possessed. I will teach him far more than any mentor, allow him to think for himself and see beyond the maze. I will—”

“Varrik, why do you need a son to continue Sekall’s work? If you’re ready to leave the maze, the men will follow you.”

His shoulders sagged as regret and guilt twisted within him. “I’ve come too far, seen too much. The new generation must…start off clean.”

She reached across the table and took his hand between hers. “Seducing a virgin isn’t a very good start toward creating a ‘clean’ generation.”

He snatched his hand back. “Don’t mock me.”

She nibbled at her bottom lip and stared at her hands. “You have to let her go.”

“I can’t. Her people will kill me either way. I will have my son before that happens.” He cupped her chin and she lifted her gaze. “Will you help me or not.”

“Who has her sister?”

“She’s in a holding cell.”

“No one has touched her?”

“She was with her lover when we caught her. We must be certain she is not already pregnant before her master is chosen.”

“That might be your only hope.” Aila blew out a shaky breath, then leaned toward Varrik as she said, “Try one last time to seduce her. Remember she is a princess, literally a princess. Talk to her. Show her kindness. Trust her with a bit of yourself. Explain exactly what you’re trying to accomplish and why. She won’t be expecting that.”

“Anything I tell her will be lost when I sweep her mind,” he mused. “Do you really think that will help?”

“If she knew her sacrifice might ultimately abolish the Shadow Assassins, she is likely to be more reasonable.”

He wasn’t convinced. Still, he had nothing to lose. He couldn’t force himself on her.

“If all else fails,” Aila added, “bargain for the freedom of her sister.”

Chapter Three

Is it over?

I told you to go. Echo craned her neck so she could wipe her damp cheek against her upraised arm.

I closed the link, but I just sensed a surge of emotion that almost knocked me over.

He’s gone. For now. He’d left her naked and chained to his bed, but he was gone. His moment of cowardice had been no mercy. He had just prolonged the misery. Don’t say anything you don’t want him to hear. I’m pretty sure he can intercept our thoughts at will.

Show me where you are.

Echo closed her eyes, humiliated by the suggestion. I’m fine. Is Father coming after us?

I only sent a brief transmission. I was sure our captors would sense a strong signal.

To hell with that. Open the link full strength. What more can they do to us?

Do you know where we are?

Yes and no. She knew this was the Shadow Maze, but she had no idea of its location. If E’Lanna still thought this was just a kidnapping, Echo wasn’t going to break the news. The entire complex is underground. We could be anywhere.

She heard the privacy pane rattle and opened her eyes. I think he’s back. Keep trying to reach Father. She felt E’Lanna withdraw but shielded the link from her end as well. E’Lanna didn’t need to experience her degradation.

The door opened and “he” walked in. Should she ask his name? Would it make this easier or more humiliating? After locking the door, he crossed to the far side of the bed and loosened the chain so she could sit.

“I’ve obviously handled this badly. I would like to begin again.” He took out one of his tunics and handed it to her. “I’m a warrior. I’m not accustomed to compromise.” He turned his back as if waiting for her to dress.

“I can’t put this on with my wrists restrained.”

With a frustrated grumble, he deactivated her cuffs. “Are you hungry or thirsty? I can replicate whatever you like while you make yourself more comfortable.”

“Killing me with kindness. Is that your new strategy?” She rubbed her wrists, keeping the sheet tucked under her arms.

“Do you prefer the more direct approach?”

“No. I’m just wondering how long this reprieve will last.” She ducked her head and managed to pull the tunic on over the sheet. Keeping herself covered as much as possible, she scooted off the other side of the bed.

“When is the last time you…bled?”

She felt her face flame. Was he asking about her menstruation? Just when she thought this couldn’t get any more humiliating. “What difference does that make?”

“Your answer will determine how long I can afford to be courteous.”

“About two weeks ago.” She glanced up in time to see his pleased nod. Damn. Anything that pleased him spelled trouble for her.

“We have a few days, then.”

“A few days for what?”

“A few days to get to know one another.” She was about to ask why she would want to get to know him, when he said, “I arranged for one of the pleasure givers to take food to E’Lanna.”

“Is this pleasure giver male or female?”

“Female.” He crossed his arms over his chest, and a hint of frustration flashed in his gaze. “Your sister is safe. I have ordered that she not have interaction with any of the men until I say otherwise. Thus the need for the female attendant.”

She moved toward the foot of the bed, unable to accept what his words implied. “No one will touch E’Lanna?” He nodded. “Unless I piss you off.”

“Come.” The smile sparkling in his eyes never quite reached his lips. He held out his hand with obvious expectation.

“Where are we going?”

“You can pester me with questions, or you can find out for yourself.”

“Can I see E’Lanna?”

He shrugged and lowered his hand. “If I understand the Mystic bond between identical twins, I can’t stop you from seeing E’Lanna. Now would you like to explore a little corner of the maze, or would you prefer to remain in this chamber? I’ll put you back in the cuffs and return to my men.”

His tunic skimmed her knees, and even with the laces pulled tight, the neckline dipped low across her breasts. “Where is my gown?”

“Destroyed. You will have to make do with my tunic. Unless you piss me off.”

He did smile then and her treacherous heart fluttered. In some bizarre way, this was his idea of courtship. Perhaps a bit of cooperation wouldn’t hurt. Keeping well out of reach, she came around the bed. He scanned open the privacy panel and motioned her into the corridor.

“Have the Shadow Assassins always lived here?”

“We are a present-oriented people. The past is simply a foundation, and the future unfolds as the gods see fit. We take our lives one day at a time.”

She stopped a smile just before it bowed her lips. “A simple ‘I don’t know’ would have sufficed.”

“I have known no other home. My father spoke of long cycles of construction, but he—” Her captor bit off the sentence and lapsed into silence.

All the corridors looked the same, bare rock adorned with a single row of firestones. They approached a soldier who immediately dropped his gaze and waited for them to pass. A shiver sped down her spine at the conditioned show of respect. She’d suspected her captor held a position of authority, but how much authority, and how could it be used to her advantage?

He paused beside an archway and nodded for her to enter. After a brief hesitation, she brushed past him and stepped into the room. Her steps faltered, then she turned in a slow circle, awed by the astounding beauty. Crystals of every imaginable color had been inset in the stone walls. She looked more closely and shook her head. There was no stone in this chamber. The walls and the domed ceiling were constructed entirely of crystals, surrounding her in a rainbow of light.

“What is this place?” She held out her hand, watching the colors arc and shimmer against her skin. “Do the crystals produce light, or are we close to the surface?”

“Some of the crystals emanate light and some channel it from the surface. We’re not as close as this chamber makes it appear.”

“Is this where you come to worship?” She looked over her shoulder. He’d triggered a privacy panel across the archway and moved several steps into the room.

“We each worship in our own way. There is no specific temple.”

“Is there a specific deity?”

“Mara is worshiped by many. She is the goddess of fertility and prosperity, so I’m sure you can see her appeal. Her brother, Marton, controls war and conquest. He is also popular.”

She gradually turned to face him. Why had he brought her here? Nothing she could say would change his ultimate goal, so why waste time “getting to know each other”? She had no objection to wasting time. The longer he delayed, the more hope she had that her parents would find her. Still, it was puzzling.

“If this isn’t a temple, why do people come here?”

“To remember, to meditate, and to mourn.”

“Who are we going to mourn?” She took a step back and reached for E’Lanna. Had he only brought her here to give his men time to… E’Lanna responded with a calming wave, assuring Echo that she was well.

“Your sister will not be harmed,” he snapped. “My orders are obeyed. We are here to mourn my brother.”

“Your brother?” The sudden surge of fear receded, leaving her weak and shaky. He took her arm and led her to the smooth bench extending from the crystal wall.

“His name was Sekall.” He sat beside her, his hand sliding down to interlace their fingers.

“What’s your name?”

He hesitated, his thumb lightly caressing her skin. “Call me whatever you like.”

“I think you’ll get tired of hearing ‘bastard’.”

“My name is Varrik, but I’m breaking the rules just to tell you. Females are claimed by one master, so that is the only name a female needs to know.” One corner of his mouth curved as he continued to stroke her hand.

There was no way she would ever call him master. Still, rekindling his temper didn’t seem wise. “How did your brother die?”

Raising his head, he met her gaze as he explained, “He was executed when I was twelve. They bound him in the sparring area, forced him to his knees, then slit his throat and allowed him to bleed to death. The stain remains to this day, a reminder to all of his treachery.”

His voice never faltered, but anguish erupted in his gaze. Her hand was halfway to his face before she realized what she was doing. “Why was this done to him? What were his crimes?” She lowered her hand to the bench beside her, refusing to respond to his pain.

“He spoke out against the elders and encouraged others to question the Customs. He claimed we had once been slaves to the House of Joon, and now we were laosters, living ghosts, hollow and obsolete. He spread discontent and promoted rebellion, so they had no option but to silence him.”

She held her breath, afraid to shatter his restrained mood and bring back the aggressive seducer. Why was he telling her this? What did he expect her to say? Dear gods, had they made him watch his brother’s execution? She didn’t need to ask. The torment in his eyes told her all she needed to know.

Releasing her breath in a slow, steady rush, she asked, “Who are ‘they’? Who silenced your brother?”

“The Council of Elders.” He turned his face away, his hand still clutching hers. “They preserve the Customs and enforce the laws. Sekall had been warned, he had been punished, but he wouldn’t alter his course. He wouldn’t…”

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she chose her words carefully. “Did you agree with Sekall’s teachings?”

“There was logic in what he said. There was hope. Still, there is no place for us in the world above, so that hope was cruel and meaningless. We are what we have always been.” He looked at her again, his gaze intense and commanding. “I am not strong enough to challenge the elders, but my son will be.”

She tugged against his hold as the pieces fell into place. “My lineage doesn’t guarantee your son this power. Mystic abilities are a fickle thing.” E’Lanna had been gifted with prophetic dreams and the ability to see events as they unfolded in distant locations, while Echo’s only significant gift was her extraordinary memory. All of her other abilities amounted to little more than amusing parlor tricks. Should she admit that she wasn’t even considered a Mystic? No, that would only endanger E’Lanna.

“I won’t argue the point. I’m explaining what I’m trying to accomplish. I was told you might respond to logic.” He pulled her toward him, scooping up her legs and draping them over his lap.

“There is nothing logical about this,” she protested as he leaned into her, forcing her back across the bench. He caught her other hand and pulled both above her head, banding them with one long-fingered fist.

He braced himself on his arm, his face mere inches from hers. “My plan is perhaps too logical. I have left no room for emotions or uncertainty. I have spent the past two cycles trying to think of another way. There is none. You are my only hope.”

The blue ring in his eyes began to glow. Their conversation was over. What had she missed? There had to be something she could use to distract him from the passion building in his gaze. She licked her lips. His brother had been executed when Varrik was twelve, yet he’d spent the past two trying to think of another way.

“What happened two cycles ago?” she whispered.

He brushed his lips against hers, his hand resting on one of her knees. “I’ve ensured your sister’s safety and entrusted you with a very painful piece of my past. I think it’s your turn to bend.” His fingers drew light circles over her knee, his thumb dipping beneath to explore the sensitive underside.

If she refused, Varrik would likely sling her over his shoulder and carry her back to his bedchamber. She ignored the slow, melting sensation curling through her body. She did not want to be “mounted”. The only way she could ensure E’Lanna’s protection was to cooperate with him, postpone the actual event until they could be rescued.

“What do you have in mind?”

“I know you’ve never had a lover, but has anyone ever touched you?”

Should she correct his misconception? Was he being kind in part because he believed she was a virgin? She knew what he was asking, and she knew where the question was leading. “I’m not as innocent as my sister believes.”

“I want to watch you come.” The frank statement sent a shiver down her spine. “Will you let me, or should I take you back to my bedchamber?”

“That’s not much of a choice.”

“It’s the only one I’ll offer.”

“All you’ll do is touch me?”

Instead of replying, he slid his hand up the inside of her thigh, taking the tunic with him. She tensed as his fingers brushed over her panties. As soon as he touched her, he’d know how easily she’d succumb to his seduction.

“Relax,” he whispered, his lips moving against her temple.

His fingers eased beneath her panties and skimmed over her smooth mound. He made a low, growling sound, then asked, “Why did you remove the hair?”

She shuddered, the tension inside her ready to spring. “Most women in Frontine have their body hair removed.”

“We seldom hunt in the capital. Too much security.” He rubbed her mound, keeping his fingers cupped. It was more of a tease than a caress. Her clit ached and her inner muscles fluttered, anxious for attention.

“How did you get into Mystic Valley?” Anxiety always made her chatty. How long would he put up with her questions?

“Shields are easier to penetrate than the Mystics realize.”

“Obviously.”

He silenced her with his mouth, his tongue sinking between her lips as his middle finger parted her folds. She arched and twisted, but he held her in place until her instinctive need to resist subsided. His kiss was slow and deep, his touch patient. He circled her clit, occasionally dipping down to tease her opening.

Heat gathered in her belly, directed by the rhythmic stroke of his hand. His fingers slid smoothly, her cream easing the way. She trembled and moaned as the pressure built, too swept up in the tingling sensations to be ashamed.

He eased back, staring into her eyes. “Now,” he whispered, and caught her clit between his thumb and forefinger. With his gaze boring into hers, he gradually increased the pressure until pleasure detonated within her. Strong, pulsing spasms rippled through her. She arched against his fingers and shook until the last tremor passed.

* * * * *

Charlotte paced the training hall in the Conservatory, her footfalls absorbed by the springy floor. What was taking so long? She glanced at the high, arched doorway leading to the mediation chamber and heaved an audible sigh. The Seeker Circle had convened hours ago. Usually these rituals produced results within minutes.

“The wedding guests have either departed or joined the search,” Saebin said as she came up beside Charlotte.

Consumed by worry, Charlotte hadn’t heard her approach. “I’m sorry this tainted the wedding, but we’re grateful for all the support.”

“They are the first daughters of the Royal House of Aune. This affects all of us. The honeymoon charter just left. It took some convincing to talk Crystal into leaving, but Lyric wouldn’t let her stay.”

“I’m glad. Every disruption is another victory for these lunatics.” Charlotte slipped her hands into the pockets of her tailored pants, longing for Tal’s embrace. “I’ve negotiated interplanetary treaties without breaking a sweat, but this…”

“Involves two of your children. It’s a completely different kind of stress.” Saebin glanced toward the meditation chamber. “How long have they been at it?”

“Too long.”

“What have they learned while Lyrik and I were debating with the bride?”

“Not much. The girls are safe, as yet unharmed, or so E’Lanna claims. Tal said he sensed a slight deception, as if she was hiding something. They’re being held underground, but the room she showed him was lit by firestones.”

“Then they’re still on Ontariese.”

“It’s likely they’re still here, but firestones can be modified to work off world.”

Saebin rubbed her forehead, and Charlotte noticed the purple shadows under her eyes. Did she look as tired as her half-sister? Probably worse.

The chamber doors swung open, and six robed Mystics filed out. Tal moved immediately to her side. Charlotte’s heart sank when she saw his frustrated expression.

“Her signal is being distorted.” His long dark hair coiled tightly, revealing his agitation. “We repeated the cycle three times, and the same thing happened each time. We followed the link until it scattered, fragmented into hundreds of entwined threads.”

“What does that mean?” Saebin asked.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve encountered powerful shields that wouldn’t allow us to proceed, but this was different. Something, or someone, was interfering with her signal, modulating it so drastically that it was unrecognizable.”

“Will my gift help? I’ve never participated in a Seeker Circle, but I’m obviously willing to try.” Charlotte clenched and unclenched her hands. She had to do something, anything. If she didn’t distract her mind, she’d go crazy.

“The Seeker Circle worked. Locating her signal is not the problem. We must decipher the distortion or find another way to track her. Lord Drakkin is searching the Wisdom of the Ages to see if he can find reference to this phenomenon. Lor is going to take me to the exact location where the abductions took place. Sometimes strong emotions will leave a concentrated trail.”

“Did you get them to admit how far it’s gone?” Charlotte asked.

Saebin’s brow furrowed, but she waited for Tal to answer.

“Zane and E’Lanna are lovers and have been for some time. Lor admitted to flirting with Echo, but they exchanged nothing more intimate than a kiss.”

“And Zane is still alive after this admission?” Saebin asked.

“His commander was there to pull me off him, or he might not have survived.”

Saebin smiled. “Trey has always been fond of Zane. Are you opposed to a match between E’Lanna and Zane?”

“I can’t think beyond this crisis,” Tal insisted. “All the complications will have to wait until we’ve rescued the twins.”

* * * * *

Echo followed Varrik back to his bedchamber in silence. She felt muddled and unsure. Why was he so intent on seducing her? She’d been bound to his bed. He’d been on top of her, ready to take her by force. So, what had changed his mind?

He paused in the doorway, his expression grim, somehow resigned. “Can I get you something to eat, or would you like to go right to bed?”

Tension ensured she had no appetite. However, going to bed held even less appeal. “I’m really not hungry.” She licked her lips. “But a glass of wine would be nice.”

“I’ll see what I can find.” He left the chamber and locked her inside.

No longer caring if he overheard their conversation, she reached out for E’Lanna. Did a woman bring you food?

Yes. She was surprisingly civilized. After a short pause, E’Lanna said, She told me where we are.

Where the Shadow Maze is located or just that we’re in the Shadow Maze? Echo raked her hair with her hand and looked around the chamber, searching for a weapon or anything to aid in her defense.

How long have you known?

I’ve had more interaction with them than you have. It didn’t take long to figure out what they are. Has Father made any progress? How long will it take him to rescue us? Varrik’s sudden compassion wasn’t going to last forever. They needed to get out of here as quickly as possible.

Something is distorting my signal, making it impossible to trace. It might take awhile for him to… I told him we haven’t been harmed. Is that still true, or do I need to—

I’m sure Father is doing everything he can, and as of right now, I haven’t been harmed.

Thank the gods of the Day Moon. Aila thought that might be the case.

Is Aila the pleasure giver?

A wave of disbelief rippled across the link. Is that why she stays down here, to pleasure the men?

Did you think she was one of the assassins?

I’m not sure what I thought. I know so little about them. What do you remember about the Shadow Assassins? E’Lanna’s anxiety spiked with the question. A common reaction.

They played a big part in the Great Conflict, but the war is over. I’m not sure why they’re still here. I remember a major campaign to find them after Overlord Lyrik took command of the City of Tears. Echo heaved a weary sigh and sat in one of the chairs along the far wall. They’ve been stealing women for generations.

Aila is here of her own free will. There’s more to this society than any of us realized. Should I try and contact Uncle Trey or Aunt Saebin? Perhaps my information would mean more to someone directly associated with the military.

E’Lanna was a much stronger telepath than Echo. All of E’Lanna’s gifts put hers to shame. She shook away the old resentment. They had far bigger problems right now than her childhood discontent. Everyone was at the reception. I’m sure they already know. She glanced toward the privacy panel. I think I hear him. I better close the link.

She stood as Varrik entered the room. His piercing gaze was all he needed to make her feel vulnerable. She wasn’t about to add to his advantage. In some ways this new, courteous Varrik was harder to accept than the brutish variety. He already appealed to some deeply buried element of her nature. The last thing she needed was to contend with his charm.

“I found blish and Bilarrian ale,” he said, pausing to secure the door. “Entertaining is not our forte, I’m afraid.”

“What is your forte?” She kept her voice even and casual. Life as she knew it was on the line. She would not talk about the weather. “The Great Conflict ended cycles ago. Why are the Shadow Assassins still in existence?”

He walked to the table near her chair and set down the bottles. “The House of Joon was never our only employer.” Two cups rested upside down over the neck of one of the bottles. He turned them over and set them on the table.

“You ply your trade off world?” She had always connected the Shadow Assassins with the Great Conflict. Her assumption was both naive and self-absorbed. Mercenaries could always find work. Someone was always at war.

“Ontariese is our base of operations, but people from all over the star system have utilized our services. Blish or ale?”

“Blish.” He filled one of the cups and handed her the beverage. “How do potential employers contact you? How many—”

“Is this really what you want to talk about?”

“Do you enjoy being an assassin?”

“Do you enjoy being a princess?”

She took a sip of blish, allowing the familiar taste to roll across her tongue. Tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy, the combination of flavors had always pleased her. “What does one have to do with the other?” Pushing the ale aside, he chose blish as well. Blish was refined and less potent than ale. Was he being polite, or did he want his wits about him?

“What are the advantages of being a princess?”

“I asked you about your life, and suddenly we’re talking about mine.”

“Indulge me for a moment. Your answers lead to mine.”

“My parents are loving and attentive. I’ve enjoyed—”

“That’s not what I meant. Most parents are devoted to their children. You are the daughter of the High Queen and the Head Master of the Mystics. What are the benefits of that position?”

“Shows of respect and material comforts,” she answered honestly, still not seeing the connection between her question and his. “I have access to the best of everything.”

He nodded, accepting her reply. “And what are the disadvantages?”

“The complete lack of privacy.” That was certainly true. She’d been surrounded by bodyguards and servants her entire life. “And let’s not forget the continual danger that someone will kidnap or harm me simply because of who I am.”

Again he nodded. “I’m sure there are many more, but you get the idea. You didn’t choose to be a princess, and I didn’t choose to be a Shadow Assassin. We were each born into a society with unique rules and expectations.”

“But you can choose not to be a Shadow Assassin. I can’t change who my parents are.”

“This is a closed, highly secret society. Do you honestly believe anyone is allowed to leave?”

She took several steps away from him and found herself at the foot of the bed. “Women are released.”

“Only after their memories have been swept.”

“Can’t this be done to a man if he wants to leave the Shadow Maze?”

“Each female remains in the maze for about a cycle. She has minimal contact with the inhabitants, other than her master, of course. The memories accumulated during that time are manageable. If I were to sweep someone’s entire past, they would be irreversibly damaged.”

“If you were to sweep their mind?” She regretted the question the instant it passed her lips, but it was too late to take it back. “You’re the one who erases the women’s memories?”

“I’m one of the sweepers. There are others.” He finished his blish and set the cup aside.

Only a select few Mystics had the control it took to extract memories. Was Varrik proficient in other forms of mind control? If she continued to resist him, would he unleash a sexual compulsion? She knew such things existed.

Moving away from the bed, she set her half-full cup aside and glanced at Varrik. She could feel his intent gaze following her, even with her eyes averted. What would happen now? How long would he allow the delay?

“I know who your parents are. Now tell me something about you.”

This was so awkward. She was his prisoner. If anything she said upset him, he could throw her on the bed and wrestle her back into the restraints. Her pulse gave an unexpected leap and heat pooled between her thighs. She looked at the door, avoiding both Varrik and the bed. Fear, combined with blish. She was afraid he would turn aggressive again. That was the only rational explanation for her body’s bizarre reaction. Play his game. Stall him as long as possible.

“What do you want to know?”

“Do you have personal aspirations, or are you content being a princess?”

“What do I want to be when I grow up?” Needing something to do with her hands, she retrieved her blish. “I share my mother’s fascination with the law. I intend to pursue a career in code management and perhaps apply to the Symposium one day.”

“Really?”

His disbelieving tone made her look up. “Why does that surprise you? A photographic memory is not required anymore, but I happen to possess one.”

“You can repeat verbatim anything you see or hear?”

Damn. She shouldn’t have told him. Now he would guard every word and restrict anything she was allowed to see.

“Echo. Is that your given name or a reference to your gift?”

“Both,” she admitted. She had to be more careful.

“Most Ontarians are named at birth. How could your parents anticipate your gifts?”

Her mother’s abilities were well known. He didn’t gain anything by what she was about to say. Besides, she couldn’t think of a feasible lie. “My mother is a Catalyst. She can identify latent abilities and activate them when necessary.”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing.” He lapsed into silence, his gaze studying her face. “At birth your mother knew you would possess an infallible memory?”

“At my birth.” She scrambled to lighten the conversation. “At her birth she knew no more than any other infant.”

“What other abilities do you possess?”

Damn and double damn. This was not a conversation she wanted to have with him. He wanted to create a child brimming with Mystic abilities. If he realized how limited her gifts were, he might summon E’Lanna. She couldn’t let that happen.

“I’d rather talk about your abilities.” She returned the cup to the table where she had first placed it and meandered toward him, praying her movements seemed casual, not calculated. “Will you be able to sweep an infallible memory?”

The second she got within reach, he grabbed her upper arms and reeled her in. “You better pray I can, Princess. The only alternative is to kill you.”

Chapter Four

Tal pressed both hands against the storax tree and tuned out his surroundings. Activating his Mystic receptors, he sifted through countless energy strands, some old and faded, others vibrant and new. Pulsing with a unique imprint, each thread was as individual as the person who’d passed this way. Searching, scanning, it took all his concentration to single out E’Lanna’s familiar rhythm. He latched on to her strand and absorbed it into his being.

E’Lanna and Echo had been conceived during the ceremony which bound his soul with Charlotte’s. E’Lanna’s Mystic potential had revealed itself almost from birth. Her prophetic dreams began at five cycles. At eleven, she’d been embraced by the Farseers’ guild. She was only halfway through her formal training, and already her mentor struggled to find exercises that challenged her.

Father, I can feel you. She responded immediately to his gentle touch.

Have you learned any more about your situation? He shielded his emotions with meticulous care, unwilling to compound her anxiety. Every detail is important. Leave nothing out.

We’re in the Shadow Maze. I still have no idea where that is. I thought we were being held by Rodytes because of our captor’s appearance, but everyone else I’ve seen looks Ontarian.

Focus on my signal, he instructed. I’m going to do my best to come to you.

I’m at full strength now. I’ve felt a gradual leeching of my energy ever since I arrived.

Locking on to her strand, Tal let his instincts guide him. Easy, smooth, he floated across the metaphysical plane. Shields were often designed to increase at the first sign of struggle. He must insinuate himself past the distortion.

Closer.

Heat flared along the link. Tal paused, calming himself until the temperature stabilized. He must detach himself from all emotion if he hoped to reach her. Slowly, gently, he slipped back into the flow. Her fear tormented him. Despite his soul-deep need to comfort her, he couldn’t react.

Faint crimson light erupted in the distance. E’Lanna’s signal flowed directly into the light. Mist surrounded him, obscured his vision, then drifted away. A silhouette appeared. E’Lanna’s image separated itself from the darkness. She knelt in the center of a stone cubicle that was encrusted with firestones. Her hands rested in her lap, her mind open and still.

I’m here, leyanti. He used the familiar endearment to soothe her and keep her calm. He’d found her. Now he had to reverse the pulse and determine her location. I must expand the scope of our link. Don’t be afraid.

I understand.

He retreated by painstaking degrees. Aching to clasp her more tightly, surround her with his warmth, he had no choice but to ease away. He broadened his focus, releasing his hold on her. Fear slashed across their telepathic link. He ignored the emotion and his instinctive reaction to it.

A barren corridor stretched beyond the stone cubicle. He already knew this much. The Shadow Maze was a vast underground fortress, secrecy its most valuable defense. Wider, higher he climbed.

Her signal bent, fragmented, and dispersed. No! He would not lose control. He was too close. His fingers dug into the bark as he refocused his mind.

Pouring energy into the link only sped the deterioration. Distorted. Shattered. Her strand multiplied and twisted over and over again until he could no longer tell where the true signal began.

As if reviewing a vidfile in high speed reverse, the images receded. The corridor, the cubicle, and finally the light were sucked back into the darkness. Tal watched it happen in helpless misery.

Father, are you still there?

Yes, sweetheart.

It didn’t work, did it? I felt something shift.

We will find you, E’Lanna. Do not give up hope. We will not rest until we find you.

* * * * *

Varrik stared into Echo’s thick-lashed eyes, amazed by the emotions she elicited in him. He’d expected the slow, burning desire. She was a very beautiful woman. But the rest was an uncomfortable surprise. Her temper challenged him, and her courage intrigued him. He enjoyed talking to her, wanted to spend time with her, wanted…wanted things that had no place in the Shadow Maze.

She was here for one reason and one reason only. Every minute he spent longing for illusions was a waste of time. “Are you ready for bed?” He allowed a hint of a growl to roughen his tone.

“Do I have an alternative?”

“There are always alternatives—” He lowered his gaze to her parted lips. “Or at least variations on the theme. You can sleep in my arms, or I’ll cuff you to the foot of the bed and you can sleep on the floor.”

She glanced at the bed, and her lips pressed together. “What’s the catch?”

He cupped her chin and drew her gaze back to his. She had the most beautiful eyes, expressive and luminous. “Why must there be a catch?”

“There’s always a catch, and you know it.”

“I sleep naked and so will you,” he told her.

Her eyes widened and color spread across her cheeks. “Even if I choose the floor?”

“No. If you choose the floor, you can keep the tunic, and I might even give you a blanket. But the floor is hard and the nights are cold. The bed is a much better option.”

“If I crawl into bed with you, do I have your word you won’t try to seduce me?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “It’s my purpose in life to seduce you. That’s a promise I’ll never make. However, for this one night, I will not enter your body unless you invite me inside.”

“What about tomorrow?” Despite her brave façade, her voice shook just a little.

“We’re talking about tonight.”

She crossed her arms over her breasts, her gaze fixed on the bed. “There’s an awful lot you can do without—entering my body.”

“The voice of experience?” She looked back at him, her expression carefully guarded. “How often did you allow your bodyguards to touch you? Have you ever used a toy when you pleasured yourself?”

“I thought we were going to sleep.”

“I asked if you were ready for bed. I didn’t say anything about sleeping.” He swept her off her feet and carried her toward the bed. “Which is it to be? Naked in my arms or huddled on the floor?”

“I’m trusting you to honor your word.”

The insistence in her tone sent an odd combination of anger and amusement surging through him. “Why are you so afraid of sex? I know you enjoyed the way I touched you in the crystal chamber.”

He placed her on her knees in the middle of the bed. “I’m not afraid of sex.” As if to illustrate her claim, she tugged off the tunic and scrunched it into a ball. “I resent being kidnapped and held hostage. You intend to use me like a broodmare and throw me away when I’ve delivered your son. Surely you can understand why I’m not anxious for those events to begin.” She threw the balled-up tunic at his face.

Batting the garment to the floor, he tugged off his boots and shed his own tunic, dropping it on top of hers. “I understand being held hostage far better than you might think. We are each prisoners to the past.”

“Then let’s escape together.” She licked her lips and crawled to the edge of the bed, her eyes narrowed with speculation. “If you help me…”

He unfastened his pants and pushed them past his hips, his gaze boring into hers. “I can’t help you, Echo. But you can help me. You can give me a son strong enough to end this tyranny.”

“There are other ways to fight oppression, more direct, faster ways.”

Never shifting his gaze from her flushed face, he braced his legs far apart and closed his fingers around his shaft. “Have you ever watched a man come? Did any of your bodyguards let you touch them?” Like metal drawn by a powerful magnet, her gaze lowered to his cock. Her eyes widened, then narrowed to passion-bright slits. “Touch me,” he whispered.

She extended her hand then snatched it back. “I won’t give in to you.”

“This isn’t giving in.” He caught her wrist and guided her hand to his erection. “We’re just playing.”

Her eyes closed as her fingers encircled his shaft. “You’re a wicked, wicked man.” Pressing his fingers over hers, he moved her hand up and down his length. Her eyelids fluttered, and he realized she was watching the slide of their hands from beneath her long lashes. Aroused as much by her curiosity as by the press of her fingers, he rocked his hips and reveled in her touch.

A bead of moisture formed at the tip. She kept up the firm, steady slide with one hand, while she gathered the drop with the index finger of her other. Taste it. Raise your finger to your mouth and know my taste. She looked up when her finger reached her lips, and he nearly lost control. He wasn’t sure if he’d sent a compulsion or simply encouraged her with his thoughts. It didn’t matter. She sucked on her finger, and his balls drew up tight, his shaft bucking against her grasp, and he groaned.

“Do it,” she urged in a throaty purr. “I want to watch you come.”

The sensual command was more than his over-stimulated senses could stand. He threw back his head and roared as his seed spurted out. Over and over he shuddered, jetting until his balls had nothing left to give.

Her fingers relaxed, and she touched her stomach, fascinated by the milky fluid.

“Rub it in,” he urged. “I want to fall sleep with my scent on your skin.”

“That’s disgusting.” Pushing him backward, she snatched his tunic off the floor and wiped up the mess they’d made.

He growled, feeling savage, desperate to take her, to imprint her with his shape as well as his scent. Cupping her breasts, he inhaled deeply and felt his cock begin to rise. He’d just spilled his seed. How could he harden again so quickly?

Her pert little nipples beaded beneath his thumbs and a flush spread across her chest. “Invite me inside. We both want this, Echo. Speak the words.”

“This isn’t right.” She tossed the tunic aside, her gaze filled with uncertainty. “I can’t—want you.”

“But you do.” He rubbed her nipples, and she trembled, turning her face away. “You want me inside you as badly as I want to be there. Why deny us both?”

“I must.” Her tone was thick, filled with meaning his passion-muddled brain wouldn’t absorb. “I can’t give in to you.”

Before Echo realized what he intended, Varrik bent and lifted her to his shoulder. She gasped and scissored her legs. He wrapped his arm around her thighs and smacked her bottom. Spiraling heat followed the sting, and she went still against his shoulder. What was he doing to her? Every touch, every glance increased the pressure building between her thighs. She had never felt this wanton, this needful.

He pulled down the bedding and dumped her onto the mattress. She rolled to her knees and scrambled for the other side. His strong fingers closed around her ankle. She kicked out at him as he dragged her legs out from under her.

“I can’t do this,” she cried, more afraid of her own desire than any demand he might make on her. Was she really so weak, so lustful that she would succumb in less than a day?

His hand came down on her ass again, and Echo moaned. Her nipples rasped against the sheet and her core ached. No one had ever made her do anything. She was protected and cosseted, indulged and admired. His aggression should terrify her, repulse her, certainly not turn her on!

Without saying a word, he wrestled her arms into the wrist cuffs and tightened the chain, stretching her out on her stomach in the middle of the bed. He grasped her panties with both hands and rent the lace-trimmed fabric.

“I thought your breasts were perfect until I saw your ass.”

It was such a ridiculous excuse for a compliment, Echo grinned into the mattress. Would he take her now? Pull her up to her knees and “mount” her? Her inner muscles rippled, and her clit twitched. This was so perverse. How could she feel anything but fear?

He stroked her legs from ankle to ass, over and over. Lulled by the caress of his warm fingers, she didn’t realize he was spreading her legs until his fingers brushed her folds. She whimpered and tried to close her thighs, but he knelt between her legs.

“You’re so wet, your inner thighs are slick.” He slid his fingers across her skin to illustrate. “Are you still going to claim you don’t want me?”

“It’s not a matter of desire.” She panted. “My body is responding predictably to specific stimulation.” He didn’t need to know similar stimulation had never resulted in this profound of a response. She ached. She burned. She trembled.

He traced her slit, teasing her opening without breaking his word. Tingles skittered up her spine. “May I please come inside you?” He whispered the question against the small of her back, his moist breath wafting across her skin.

“I will not ask to be defiled,” she said with more conviction. “I won’t ease your guilt by inviting my own degradation.”

The bed shifted as he moved to her side. “You’re right. This isn’t fair.”

Shocked by his acquiescence, she turned her head and looked at him. His gaze still burned with desire and beads of sweat dotted his brow. Lean and lethal, his body had yet to accept the new strategy. He’d felt thick and hard sliding between her fingers. How much better would it feel to have him thrusting into her again and again? With stubborn resolve, she dragged her gaze back to his face, but the memory lingered. Did his Rodyte heritage account for his size, or had Kiel been unusually small?

“Release me from my vow.” He trailed his fingers from her armpit to the outer curve of her breast.

“What?” She thought he’d finished toying with her.

“I accept full responsibility for what we’re about to do. Now release me from my vow.”

“No!” She rolled onto her side, presenting him with her back, arms still extended overhead. “You swore you wouldn’t… I have no intention of releasing you from your vow.”

“Fine.” He lay down and pressed himself against her back. His body heat sank into her flesh and his breath stirred her hair. Starting with her upraised arms, he caressed her entire body. He stroked her skin, squeezed her curves, and stimulated her nerve endings with a combination of sensations. He rubbed until she relaxed, then suddenly used his nails.

“Stop…touching me.” She tried to twist away, but he followed.

“I like touching you, and you need to grow accustomed to my touch.” He cupped one breast and then the other, his thumb circling her nipples. “Relax. You won this round.”

She tried to remain stiff and unresponsive. Her mind cooperated. Her body had other ideas. Her breasts swelled, her nipples tight and tingly. He splayed his fingers low on her belly, then pulled his hips back. What was he doing? She glanced over her shoulder, and he grinned.

“You’re so hot and wet. We’ll finish like this.” He pushed between her thighs, parting her folds with his thick shaft. She clasped the chains attached to her cuffs and waited for his length to fill her. He slipped his other hand under her body and adjusted the angle of her hips. “Squeeze your thighs together. Make it nice and tight.”

With one hand on her abdomen and the other on her hip, he moved between her thighs, short, shallow thrusts that bumped against her clit. She pushed back against him, unable to ignore the pleasure yet yearning for more. Each time he rubbed against her clit, a ripple of sensation gripped her. She pressed her lips together to keep from crying out. Pleasure burst in staccato pulses, radiating through her entire body.

He clasped her to him and rolled her nearly on top of him as he shook against her back. His seed splashed her thighs and his hands cupped her breasts. For a long time they lay there panting in the dim light. Echo eased her hold on the chains, relaxed yet confounded. How could she respond so readily to her enemy?

After the last tingle receded, he reached down and scooped his seed off her thighs. He smoothed it over her mound and gently coated her folds, mocking her stubbornness.

“You might have won this battle, Princess,” he whispered into her ear, “but our war has just begun.”

* * * * *

Echo woke up alone. Varrik had loosened the tether and covered her with a sheet, but her wrists were still restrained. Glancing around the bedchamber, she searched for a clock or some way to judge the passage of time. Had she slept for a few minutes or a few hours? After whispering his taunt, he’d continued his sensual assault. His fingers had explored every inch of her body, venturing places she never dreamed a man would want to touch. She’d lost count of the times he’d brought her to orgasm and the times he’d made her wait. She’d screamed in frustration as often as she cried out in pleasure.

Through it all, he denied himself release. She didn’t understand the sacrifice, but she wasn’t about to argue. Many hours elapsed before she surrendered to exhaustion and fell asleep surrounded by his warmth—and his scent.

Shoving aside the disquieting memories, Echo reached for E’Lanna, keeping her telepathic touch light and unobtrusive. If her sister was sleeping, she didn’t want to disturb her.

I didn’t think he was ever going to leave, E’Lanna transmitted. You’ve been shielded for hours.

Echo tucked the sheet beneath her arms and sat up. Do you know what time it is?

Late morning. Aila brought me food awhile ago.

Why are we still here? What is taking Father so long?

He tried to track my signal again, but it was just like the Seeker Circle. Some sort of shield distorted my strand. I’m beginning to think it surrounds the entire maze. That might be another reason no one has ever been able to find it.

Echo’s heart sank like a rock. How was she going to survive another night like the one just past? Rescue was her only hope. Her body had already surrendered, and Varrik wasn’t foolish enough to make another vow. We have to escape on our own. There has to be something we can do, someone we can bribe. What about Aila?

Are you all right? Did he hurt you? I mean—needlessly?

Erotic images swam through her mind. The only pain she’d felt was when he’d built the tension to a bittersweet peak and left her aching for… This is all insane. I will not be a broodmare for a madman.

Echo, you remember what Mistress Gowan taught us, don’t you?

Of course. And say no more. Varrik might not be the only one who can—

Varrik? His name is Varrik? What else have you learned of him? I’ll pass it on to Father.

Unwanted guilt bubbled to the surface as she quickly related what she’d learned. He couldn’t expect her to keep his secrets when he treated her like— He’d treated her with his own twisted sort of honor. He’d stayed true to his vow even as desire consumed him.

You can sense Mystic compulsions. Has he attempted to manipulate your mind?

Echo would love to blame her wanton behavior on some Mystic compulsion, but she hadn’t sensed an uninvited presence in her mind. If he has, I didn’t sense a thing.

A long pause followed. Echo was about to shield her mind when E’Lanna asked, Should I tell Father what’s happened to you? He doesn’t realize you’ve been abused.

Now there was a loaded question. Only at the very beginning had she felt Varrik was forcing himself on her and her terror had been enough to make him stop. A heated shiver danced along her nerve endings as she thought about last night. He’d used carnality with ruthless skill, but she’d chosen to get into bed with him.

I don’t see the point in telling Father, she finally answered E’Lanna’s question. It sounds like we’re on our own anyway, unless we can figure out where we are. Unlike E’Lanna, Echo couldn’t filter her emotions. She either transmitted or she shut down. I need a few minutes alone. She slammed her shield into place before E’Lanna could sense the confusion seething inside her.

She tugged against the cuffs then looked for a manual release. There had to be a safety mechanism. What happened if Varrik never returned to open them? She needed a shower. She needed to pee. No, she needed to find a way out of the Shadow Maze! She’d enjoyed her stay of execution. He wouldn’t grant her another.

It didn’t matter that he saw this as a noble quest. She would not be the sacrificial lamb needed to secure his future.

A perfunctory tap drew her attention to the privacy panel a moment before a blonde woman entered. She balanced a tray on one hip and had a bundle tucked under her other arm. Her neck and the left side of her face were marred by a faded burn. A similar scar crawled from her right cheek to her temple.

“I’m Aila.” She set her burden down on the table and returned to secure the door.

Echo held the sheet against her breasts, a heady mixture of hope and distress speeding her pulse. There was no reason for Aila to lock the panel unless she intended to release Echo from the cuffs. Tall and curvy, Aila’s body would appeal to most men. Still, Echo couldn’t help wondering how much of her skin had been ruined by the fire.

As a pleasure giver, Aila could easily imagine all the things Varrik had done and all the things he intended to do. Shame curled around Echo, heating her cheeks and tightening her belly. She took a deep breath and rejected the humiliation. The situation was beyond her control.

“E’Lanna said you’ve been kind to her,” Echo began. “I appreciate your thoughtfulness. If there’s anything we can do to repay your kindness, please let me know.”

Aila smiled, her blue eyes sparkling. “You’re going to have to get some of the royal starch out of your collar if you hope to survive down here. You are both disgustingly polite.” She motioned toward the table. “I brought food, but I suspect you’d like to shower first.”

Refusing to think about what led Aila to that conclusion, Echo held up her cuffed wrists. “Can you free me?”

“I can deactivate the cuffs if the door is locked, but the door only unlocks if you’re in the cuffs. So don’t bother knocking me out. You’ll just piss off Varrik.”

“I understand.”

Aila crossed to the wall against which the bed sat and flipped over a small control panel. “Manual release,” she said and a scanner beam passed over her eye. The wrist cuffs deactivated, and Echo tossed them aside. “The utilities are automated once I scan open the door.”

Dragging the sheet with her, Echo followed Aila across the room. Aila picked up the bundle as they passed the table and handed it to Echo.

“Thank you,” she said automatically.

“There you go again.” Aila shook her head.

“You didn’t kidnap me. Why should I be rude to you?”

Aila shrugged and scanned open the door. “I’m not used to your level of courtesy.”

Echo didn’t comment. E’Lanna said Aila was here of her own free will. Why would she remain in this—place if she was mistreated?

Aila remained in the outer room, offering Echo privacy she hadn’t expected. The bundle consisted of a simple, nearly shapeless dress and wool slippers. Towels were neatly stacked on a shelf near the shower stall, as well as assorted combs and disposable teeth strips.

Dropping the sheet, she used the toilet, then stepped into the shower. After a short pause, a fine mist coated her body and dampened her hair. She rubbed her skin, creating fragrant foam. The hot blast of water would have been welcome, but the multipurpose mist worked even better. It would clean and condition her hair, and deodorize her body in a matter of seconds.

As the foam evaporated on her skin, she worked it through her hair with a wide-toothed comb. Last, she wrapped a strip around her index finger and vigorously scrubbed her teeth. She dropped the strip to the floor of the shower, where the mist residue dissolved it.

She was nearly dry by the time she stepped from the shower. The towel absorbed what little remained of the mist, and she slipped the dress on over her head. Running the comb through her hair one last time, she turned toward the privacy panel with a sigh.

Aila was seated at the table where she’d placed the tray, legs crossed, foot gently bobbing. She looked bored and a bit curious. Echo focused on her eyes, trying to see beyond her scars. “What’s on the menu?”

“Nothing fancy. Bread, cheese, fruit, and water.”

The bread had already been sliced and the fruit cut into bite-size pieces. They weren’t taking any chances. “How do you get fresh fruit if the complex is underground?” The level of technology in the Shadow Maze had surprised Echo as well. One question at a time.

“Some of it’s grown in greenhouses. They hunt for the rest.”

“Steal it, don’t you mean?” Aila just smiled, so Echo slid the tray closer and began to eat. “How long have you been down here?”

“Eleven cycles, I think. Time is a lot less relevant in the Shadow Maze.”

“Were you bagged during a hunt, or is the process different for pleasure givers?”

It took a long time for Aila to answer. Her gaze clouded with myriad emotions and her expression tensed. “Most of the pleasure givers aren’t Ontarian. They’re recruited from other planets and contracted for three to five cycles.”

“Are their memories scrambled before they’re returned to their home worlds?”

“Of course. No one leaves the maze with memories that could endanger the occupants.”

“You’re Ontarian. How did you come to be here, and why do you stay?”

Aila tucked a strand of long blonde hair behind her ear. “Where’s your royal courtesy now?”

“A question is simply a request for information. You can always tell me to mind my own business.”

“You might look exactly like E’Lanna, but your personalities are very different.”

Echo chuckled and bit into a slice of bread. “An observation or a criticism?”

“An observation.” Aila’s perceptive gaze moved over Echo’s face before she went on. “I was huddled in the burnt-out ruins of what had once been my home when a hunting party happened upon me. It was dark, and they couldn’t really see me. By the time they got me to the maze, it was too late.”

“Why didn’t they return you to…”

“The world above?”

Echo nodded, refusing to assimilate their terminology.

“Because Varrik knew I would die. He looked into my eyes and recognized the desolation of someone who had lost everything.”

“Who did you lose in the fire?” Aila was casting Varrik in the role of hero. Echo resisted the idea and focused on the shadows in Aila’s gaze.

“My life mate and our two children.” Aila glanced toward the door, inadvertently displaying the worst of her scars. “I’d stopped eating and did nothing to care for my wounds. I was beyond caring if I lived yet too cowardly to end my life. Varrik spent nearly a cycle returning me to health. When spring came, the elders offered to return me to the world above. I asked what I had to do to remain in the maze.”

“You didn’t want to leave Varrik?”

“It was more complicated than that. I was no longer part of the world above, yet I had no desire to start over somewhere else. The elders told me I had to enter the lottery or make myself available as a pleasure giver.”

“What’s the lottery?” Echo was almost afraid to ask. So many of their customs were…unusual.

“When a man is ready to fulfill his obligation to the maze and produce a son, he submits his name for placement in the lottery.”

Fulfill his obligation to the maze? Echo kept her comment to herself, but her gaze narrowed.

“The hunters bring back young, healthy women, and the men choose according to their placement.”

“Delightful.” She pushed the tray back, glad she had finished most of the simple meal before Aila got too far into her explanation. “If E’Lanna isn’t pregnant, will she be put in this lottery?”

“Yes.”

Echo accepted the answer with a stiff nod, more determined than ever to find a way out of the maze. “Why did you choose to become a pleasure giver rather than enter the lottery?”

Aila smiled. “What’s the first thing you saw when you looked at me?” She didn’t wait for Echo to reply. “My scars have faded a lot since I left the world above. If I had entered the lottery, the unlucky man who was left with no option but to choose me would have resented a ruined mate. As it is, I have shelter and solitude because very few men can be bothered with a scarred pleasure giver.”

They lapsed into silence as Echo finished the glass of water. Aila had no interest in leaving the maze, so what could she offer in exchange for her help? Varrik obviously trusted her, and Aila had good reason to be loyal.

“You’ve chosen this life.” Echo kept her gaze downcast, waiting for just the right moment to judge Aila’s reaction. “E’Lanna and I were brought here against our will. We have a life in the world above. Can you understand our desire to be free of the maze?”

“You’ll be returned to the life you knew as soon as you fulfill your purpose.”

Echo had to rein in her temper before she met the other woman’s gaze. “My purpose has nothing to do with the Shadow Maze.”

“I know Varrik explained what he is trying to do.” Conviction burned in her eyes. “His entire life has been conflict and pain, while you have never known hardship. Is this really so great a sacrifice?”

“You tell me,” Echo snapped. “You had two children. How would you have reacted if someone tried to take them from you? Would you have meekly bowed to the custom, knowing you would never see them again?”

“It’s not as simple as what you or I want. This might be our only hope of bringing change to the world below.”

Echo didn’t bother arguing with her. Aila was clearly a devoted disciple. If Varrik were really committed to changing his way of life, he could seek political asylum or… Varrik’s brother had been executed for opposing the elders. Then how did Varrik expect his son to succeed where his brother had failed? She raked her hair with both hands and heaved an exasperated sigh.

She couldn’t allow herself to care about the “conflict and pain” he had suffered. She had to get E’Lanna out of the maze. It was now or never.

“I’m sorry to take advantage of your compassionate nature,” Echo said softly. “I really am.”

Aila’s brows drew together and her lips parted. Echo slammed the tray into the side of her head, preempting her response. Edible debris scattered, and Aila fell over sideways. Echo grabbed her chair, rushing toward Aila in case the tray hadn’t done the trick.

Clutching her head with both hands, Aila moaned, blinking repeatedly. Echo tossed the chair aside and grabbed the front of Aila’s dress, dragging her to her feet. She swayed, leaning heavily on Echo as she guided her to the bed.

“This won’t accomplish anything.” Her words sounded muffled and somewhat slurred.

Echo ignored the prediction and snapped the cuffs around her wrists. “Where are the holding cells?”

Aila snorted. “You can’t get out of this room, much less find your sister.”

“Then you have nothing to lose by telling me.”

“I would rather die than betray Varrik’s trust.” She pushed the chain tether out of her way and curled up on her side.

Shit!

Echo touched the side of Aila’s head and quickly scanned her memories. Then she crossed to the main privacy panel, staying just out of scanner range. She paused, centering her energy, and tuned out her surroundings. She pictured Aila, meticulously recreating the shape of her face and the intricate color of her eyes. Waiting until the memory was perfect, she transformed into Aila’s likeness.

She stepped forward and scanned open the door.

“How the hell did you do that?”

She heard Aila’s question just before the door slid closed.

E’Lanna, are you alone?

Yes. What’s going on?

Don’t speak. Just broadcast your signal. I’m on my way.

Chapter Five

“Commander, we have a problem.”

Varrik looked away from his sparring partner for just a moment, and the lad kicked him in the chest. His companions laughed and slapped him on the back. “That’s called a cheap shot. Keep practicing and you might not need them quite so often.” He tossed the staff to one of the other trainers and left the sparring field.

“What’s wrong?” He rubbed his chest as he approached Minekus, the head of security.

“Aila set off a general distress in your quarters. We responded to find her chained to your bed.”

“Where was my mate?” He pulled his shirt off and dried his face on it as they rushed from the common room.

“She released her sister. They’re loose somewhere in the maze.”

“What?” He shot the other man a disbelieving glare. “How did she open the holding cell?”

“You must have bagged a shifter, sir. According to Aila, she transformed long enough to scan open the door.”

“Gods damn her! Nothing in my research indicated she could shift. Is Aila harmed?”

“She’s got a massive lump on the side of her head, but she’ll survive.”

“Is the maze in lockdown?”

“Yes, sir. It’s just a matter of time before we find them.”

Varrik acknowledged Minekus’s confidence with a stiff nod. “Check the arrival deck. They were pretty out of it when we were there, but they’ll stick with what’s familiar. I’ll double back toward the crystal chamber.”

Minekus hurried off in the opposite direction.

A shifter. The development pleased Varrik far more than he cared to admit. Shapeshifting was among the rarest and most coveted abilities. What if she could Summon the Storm? His eyes widened, and he ran. It generally took twenty cycles of training to master long-range teleportation. What if she had been mentored in secret so her abilities weren’t widely known? His pulse thundered in his ears and his muscles strained. He had to find them, had to find her.

He rounded a corner and skittered to a stop. E’Lanna stood passively between two guards, while Echo fought off the third. She drove him backward with a brutal kick to his belly, then crouched, ready to strike again. He swung, his fingers tightly balled. She easily avoided the blow.

“Having fun?” he asked loud enough to draw everyone’s attention. To her credit, Echo’s gaze remained fixed on her opponent.

“This one needs to be whipped,” her adversary snarled.

She caught him in the throat with a quick, sharp jab. He collapsed at her feet. She launched herself at one of the other guards, but Varrik intercepted her flight. She brought up her knee with vicious intent. He twisted, taking the impact on his thigh.

He whipped her around, crossing her arms at the small of her back. She leaned forward, then slammed her head back into his chest. He arched and turned without releasing her arms. Her head barely missed his chin.

“Enough!” Using his weight and her awkward position to buckle her knees, he took her down to the floor. E’Lanna cried out in alarm, and Echo stiffened. “Unless you want her to watch your punishment, you’ll stop this right now.” He whispered the threat in Echo’s ear, and she immediately went still. “Return that one to the holding cell and notify Minekus that my twins have been recovered.”

“When does this one go in the lottery?” one of the guards asked.

“When I clear her and not before. Now, move!”

One of the guards escorted E’Lanna, while the other helped their felled comrade back to his feet. Varrik waited until they turned the corner before he loosened his hold on Echo. He pulled her up, keeping her arms secured at the small of her back.

“I suppose blindfolding you would be pointless. You’ve already been down this corridor.”

She said nothing.

He took her directly to his chamber and placed her near the foot of his bed. When he turned her to face him, he found tears pooled behind her lashes. Still, he couldn’t allow himself to be moved by her obvious distress.

With a mental pulse, he triggered a compartment in the ceiling and released alloy restraints. He raised her arm and snapped a cuff around her wrist. She just stared at him, silent and still. After securing her other arm, he stepped back and clasped his hands behind his back.

“List your abilities. All of them. Now.”

“I don’t sing worth shit, but I bake a mean blanterberry pie.”

Without changing his expression, he ripped the shoulder seams of her dress. The material swooshed down her slender body and pooled around her ankles. “I could whip you, as my friend suggested, but I suspect you’d like it. When I slapped your ass last night, your moans had nothing to do with pain.” The taunt penetrated her façade. Her lips trembled, and she quickly pressed them together. “I don’t blame you for trying to escape. If the situation were reversed, I would do the same.”

“If you really intend to secure a future for your son, the change must start with you.” Her conviction shocked him. She stood there naked, chained and helpless, yet dared to criticize him.

He tangled his fingers in her hair and sneered into her face. “Don’t pretend to understand our ways. You know nothing about the world below.”

“So explain it to me.” She licked her lips and stared into his eyes, undeterred by his anger or her helplessness. “What keeps you from recruiting others and moving against—”

He silenced her with his mouth, unwilling to listen to the words he’d heard so often in the back of his own mind. Sekall had died attempting to bring about change. This cause had plenty of martyrs. It needed a champion.

“Who trained you in hand-to-hand combat?” His fingers relaxed without releasing her hair. Her lips were rosy from his rough kiss, and he refused to look lower. This was an interrogation. His information was clearly incomplete. “The woman I encountered in the corridor was a soldier, not a princess.”

“Can you trust those men to leave E’Lanna alone?”

“You need to worry about me right now, not E’Lanna.”

“I can take care of myself.” Her chin rose, inadvertently increasing the tension on her hair. “E’Lanna is every inch the sheltered princess.”

“Answer my question.” Her gaze grew distant for a moment. He sensed a flash of telepathic energy. Then it was gone. “Is she okay?”

“She’s worried about me.”

“Smart girl. I’m still waiting for your answer.”

“We both received basic defense training. I found it fascinating and continued after E’Lanna lost interest.”

He suspected there was more to it than that. Echo had been fearless from the start. Only experience in highly volatile situations afforded someone that kind of composure. Arguing with her was pointless, so he moved on to the next revelation.

“Aila said you used her likeness to scan open the doors. What other Mystic abilities do you possess?”

Rebellion flared within her gaze. “I gain nothing by telling you. My body might respond to your skill, but I will resist you with my dying breath.”

He dragged his fingers out of her hair and shook his head. “It is physically impossible to escape this place. Each time you try, people will get hurt. I can’t allow your belligerence.”

“Then punish me,” she snapped. “I’m tired of this conversation.”

Did Echo want to be punished? Was that why she continued to provoke him? Varrik studied her defiant expression then allowed his gaze to descend. Her nipples had been pebble hard since he ripped the gown from her body. The faint sheen of cream had already gathered on her folds. If she was as inexperienced as he believed, she might not know what she needed to attain the heights of pleasure. Should he leave her restrained and test her responses?

He closed his eyes and let images roll though his mind. His cock ached and his senses burned as he immersed himself in fantasy. Each time he took her, each new pleasure he introduced made her wilder, more willing to surrender. He released a slow, controlled breath and opened his eyes. As much as the idea appealed to him, he pushed it aside. Better to seduce her gradually. If she accepted a fundamental joining, then he would move on to more exotic pleasures.

“As much as I’d enjoy punishing you, I’d rather come to a mutually beneficial agreement.”

She just stared at him.

“I want your willing participation and your vow that you will not attempt to escape.”

“I don’t understand.” She worried her bottom lip, confusion tempering her rebellious expression.

“You have something I want, and I have something you want. Isn’t that the basis for most negotiations?”

“What do you have that I want?”

He felt a smile tug at one corner of his mouth. “You aren’t going to ask what you have that I want?”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve got that figured out.”

He nodded, his spark of playfulness exhausted. “I will release your sister in five days, if you spend those five days with me. I will expect you to willingly participate in any and all intimacies for the full five days.”

“What happens to me at the end of the five days?”

“That would depend.”

“On whether or not I’m pregnant?” He gave a quick nod. “If I’m not?”

“It will likely take longer than five days to make that determination, but I will only require your submission for five days.”

“That didn’t answer the question.” Her tone was sharp. Her fingers clenched into tight little fists. “If I’m not pregnant after five days, will you release both of us?”

“I will, but you must vow to stop fighting me in all things, for five days.”

“Release E’Lanna now.”

He shook his head and moved closer. “I’m not a fool. If I release her now, what motivation do you have to behave?”

“How do I know you’ll actually release her? I could do everything you ask, and you could still give her to one of your men.”

“Yes, I could. But I won’t. When I give my word, I keep it. Last night should have proved that to you.” He paused as his gaze swept over her body. “You’re utterly helpless, Echo. All I have to do is finish what I started before.”

She licked her lips, her gaze dropping to his mouth. “Why…don’t you?”

“I don’t want my son to be conceived in violence. If you submit to me for five days, I will release your sister. Are we agreed?”

He held his breath as he waited for Echo’s answer. His secret hope, his grand design all hinged on this woman. Spirited, passionate, she would empower his son with centuries of noble breeding and Mystic power.

“Do I have to wear the cuffs?”

“For now.” Having her restrained excited him. Still, her willing submission would please him even more.

“What do you want me to do?”

Desire tripled his pulse for an instant before he could breathe past the tension in his chest. Had she agreed, or was she still negotiating? He deactivated the ceiling cuffs and nodded toward the bed behind her. “Lie down.”

With one last hesitation, she kicked off her slippers and crawled onto the bed. She knelt facing him with her hands folded in her lap.

Perfection. Golden-brown hair framed her delicate face, streamed across her shoulders and down her back. One wavy lock followed the contour of her breast, drawing his gaze to her nipple. Allowing his gaze to wander over her body, he pulled off his boots, his socks, and shucked his pants. He joined her in the middle of the bed, his hands balled into fists.

“I would hear your vow,” he prompted.

“To secure my sister’s freedom, I will surrender my body to you for five days.”

He chuckled, unable to help himself. She wanted to make damn sure he understood why she was doing this. “Will you stop all attempts to escape?”

“I will.”

“Will you offer your participation willingly?”

“I already said I would.”

“I need to hear you say it. I do this willingly.”

Brushing her hair off her forehead, she muttered, “I do this willingly.”

He gathered her hair and shifted the entire mass behind her back, then released the bed chains and drew the wrist cuffs in front of her.

“You required my willing participation. Why do I need to be restrained?”

“Your instincts will tell you to fight. I can’t expect you to subdue your own nature. Once you’re able to respond with the restraints, I will consider releasing you.” With obvious reluctance, she allowed him to cuff her wrists.

He swept her legs out from under her and laid her on the bed. Following her down, he slipped one arm under her neck and stretched out along her side. His mouth settled over hers, and their conversation ended. She’d instinctively raised her arms above her head, already growing accustomed to the restraints.

She allowed his kiss, accepted his tongue, but the response she’d offered the night before was gone. He splayed his fingers against her warm torso, rubbing the underside of one breast. She shifted restlessly, still he felt her reserve.

He should have realized it wouldn’t be this easy. She was sacrificing her body out of necessity while she distanced her emotions. Her fiery spirit, all the things that animated her personality, were carefully tucked away. The battle of wills had just begun.

* * * * *

Minekus stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the Council of Elders.

“Who ordered the lockdown?” Elder North asked. The shrill signal had interrupted their daily meeting a few minutes before, so they summoned the head of security to their meeting room. Only two situations necessitated a lockdown, impending attack, and an escape attempt. Each was equally improbable.

“I ordered the lockdown on behalf of Varrik. One of his twins managed to scan open the door and free her sister.”

“How is that possible?” Elder West drew Minekus’s attention with the sharp question.

“She’s a shifter, sir,” the security officer explained.

Varrik had captured a shifter? “Were the females recaptured?” North asked. Unless they could teleport, no one could leave the maze. Still, this was unsettling.

“Yes, sir. Varrik is with the shifter now, and the other was returned to a holding cell.”

North glanced at the other three elders, seeing his thoughts reflected in their blue-ringed eyes. If Varrik suspected his female could shift, he would have taken greater care with her confinement. Still, something wasn’t right here.

“Which hunting party did Varrik use?”

Minekus shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “You will have to ask him, sir. The first I heard of his twins was when the shifter escaped.”

Dismissing Minekus with an impatient wave, North turned to West. “Have you sensed anything odd since Varrik returned with the twins?”

West folded his hands on the tabletop, his gaze filled with resentment. “Varrik descends from the north. You gave him permission to dispatch the hunters.”

“I meant no disrespect. It seems Varrik set a trap for a kitten and caught a lioness instead.”

“As West said, Varrik descends from the north,” South reiterated. “This is your problem to resolve.”

North accepted the assessment and pushed back his chair. “I’ll keep you informed of any developments.” Inactivity was wearing on them all. Peace, however tenuous, had no place in the world below. What use were soldiers when there was no war?

He left the meeting room and made his way to the holding cells. If Varrik was punishing the shifter, it was counterproductive to interrupt. Guards flanked the doorway to the holding cell, looking wary and annoyed. He waved them aside and entered the cubicle.

A female sat on the bunk with her legs drawn up under her loose dress. North swept her with an assessing gaze; even disheveled and exhausted, she was lovely. Unlike the soldiers, hunters and sweepers were allowed to claim any woman at any time, so long as they adhered to the Customs. After the female produced a child, the male decided whether to release her or make her available to the lesser men via the lottery. If the female produced a son, most were released.

“Has your sister’s master claimed you as well?”

“No one has touched me.” Despite the uncertainty in her gaze, her voice was quiet and calm.

“Claiming is not the same as mounting. One generally leads to the other, but they are not the same. If no one else has mounted you, it’s almost certain you were claimed.”

“Who are you, and why are you here?”

She swung her legs over the side of the bunk and stood. He watched her carefully, noting the haughty tilt of her chin and the regal grace in her movements. Foreboding expanded the longer he stared. Varrik knew the law. Mystics were forbidden. If he’d stumbled upon a female with untrained abilities, that was one thing, but to intentionally hunt a Mystic was a punishable offense. There must be an explanation for his actions. Varrik had proven himself time and again.

“What’s your name?” North asked.

She tucked her hair behind her ear, looking decidedly uncomfortable. “Why do you want to know?”

“Where were you and your sister captured?”

“Are you Varrik’s supervisor? Has he done something wrong?”

Varrik? This female knew her master’s name. How many of the Customs had Varrik abandoned? “Yes. I’m Varrik’s superior. I’m the only one not bound by his claim. Do you understand what that means?”

“You can…mount me despite his orders to the contrary?”

“Among other things. Now, answer my question. What’s your name?”

“E’Lanna dar Aune,” she said after a short pause.

It took every cycle of North’s training to keep the astonishment from his face. There were many dar Aunes on Ontariese. It was possible she wasn’t… “Is your sister’s name Echo?”

“Yes.” She took a tentative step forward. “And we are the High Queen’s daughters, if that’s your next question.”

“You have not been mistreated?”

A sharp, humorless laugh escaped her throat. “We were kidnapped and… He has kept Echo with him ever since we arrived. He’s with her now. She shielded herself from me. There’s only one reason she does that. He is mistreating her even as we speak.” She licked her lips and tried not to reveal too much with her expressive eyes. “Is Varrik in trouble? If he acted without your knowledge and you assist us now, Mother can work with the Joint Council to see that you’re not held accountable for his actions.”

“How very kind of Mother.” He held out his hand. “Let’s go.”

“Where are you taking me? What about Echo? We must go to her.”

“I’ll take you beyond his reach until I can contact your parents. Then I’ll come back and remove Echo from his chamber.”

“Go get Echo first. She’s the one in real danger. I can wait until you get back.”

“It’s better if Varrik doesn’t realize we’re on to him until I’m ready to act.”

Her face paled and she wrung her hands, her gaze glowing in the firestone light. “Please, you can’t leave her with him. We have to—”

“No more arguments. Take my hand.”

Chapter Six

Echo wrapped her hands around the chains attached to her cuffs and concentrated on her breathing. Varrik’s tongue pushed between her lips. She repressed the resulting tingle and narrowed her focus. Already her body ripened, melted, and readied itself for him. He was the enemy! She could not allow herself to surrender so easily.

If her father managed to rescue her before the five days elapsed, so much the better. If not, this was a small price to pay to ensure her and E’Lanna’s freedom.

As Varrik’s lips wandered from her mouth to her temple, she turned her attention inward and gathered energy. She’d only done this once before, but Mistress Gowan had commended her on the placement and the effectiveness of her reproductive shield. She constructed a dense barrier and placed it over the mouth of her womb. He could take her as often as he liked, and no child would result from their joining.

“Tell me about your sister,” he whispered above her ear. His fingers pushed up under her breast, his thumb teasing the fullness, while the nipple ached.

“My…sister?”

“You said she’s sleeping with her bodyguard. Don’t your parents suspect?”

She stared up at the ceiling, trying to ignore the gentle brush of his fingers and the heated stir of his breath. He wanted her to relax, to succumb to his carnal spell. She’d focus on E’Lanna, fill her mind with innocent childhood images.

“E’Lanna is oldest. She has always been responsible and obedient. Our brothers can do no wrong, so that left me to challenge our parents.”

Propping his elbow on the bed, he rested his head on his hand and stared down at her. “Go on. How did you challenge your parents?” His fingers danced across her skin, touching, teasing, without ever lingering in one place for long.

“I know what you’re doing.” She tightened her grip on the chains and pressed her thighs together. A slow, persistent throb erupted in her core, accenting her emptiness, anticipating his entry.

“I’m treating you like a person, learning a little about you. Would you rather I stop?”

“I’d rather have this over with for tonight.”

He chuckled and passed his thumb over her neglected nipple. “Sweetheart, there’s a lot more to this than shoving my cock inside you. I’m going to teach you how to enjoy being a woman.” He circled her nipple with his fingertip, then rolled it, increasing the pressure until she gasped. “Did you enjoy having my mouth on you? Your nipples are wonderfully responsive.” He bent to her breast and closed his lips around her nipple. “Does this feel better than my fingers?”

“Yes.” He was going to explore every inch of her body, test and tease until she lost her mind. No, until she lost her inhibitions. His mouth drew on her with firm suction. The pulling sensation spiraled down through her torso and lodged between her thighs. Pressing her legs together only made the aching worse.

His warm chest pressed against her breasts and she felt the chain tighten. She hadn’t even realized the tether was still lax until that moment. She’d held herself still for him without even needing to. Why did he affect her like this?

He moved lower, trailing his fingers across her belly. She turned her face away. He wasn’t making this easy. She didn’t want to feel anything. He was a means to an end. No, less than that. Despite his gentle hands and easy smile, he was a criminal.

Fascinated by her hairless mound, he cupped her, squeezed gently, then eased lower to explore her folds. She held her breath. This wasn’t right. She couldn’t just lie here and let him. Could she? If she didn’t, E’Lanna would be subjected to the lottery. Still, she should kick, put up some sort of a fight.

“You’re so soft.”

“Varrik, please, I can’t do this.” Her legs trembled, tension rippling through her thighs.

He scooted off the end of the bed and reached for something she couldn’t see. “Are you asking to be released from your vow, or would these help?” He pulled cuffs up from the foot of the bed and waited for her answer. Staring into his eyes, she spread her legs and placed her ankles in the cuffs.

She had no choice but to feel, no option but surrender. He activated the restraints and placed a cushion under each knee, then adjusting the tension on the chains, he locked her into place. She was completely subdued, spread before him like a pagan sacrifice. So, why did she feel…liberated?

The pressure banding Varrik’s chest grew so painful, he had to look away from Echo’s naked body. He’d restrained his lovers before. None of this was new, so why was he reacting like a boy fresh out of sexuality training? Granted, she was young and beautiful, but he’d mounted beautiful women before.

Mounted. Why did he recoil from the term? It had never bothered him before. Echo was innocent, pure, vulnerable, utterly dependent on him for her pleasure. He swallowed hard. His cock bucked, more than ready to initiate her. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to crawl between her legs and thrust inside. She deserved better. She deserved a lover who would cherish her. He could never be that lover, but he could make this good for her.

She was positioned perfectly for his pleasure, for their pleasure. He placed one knee on the bed and watched her face. She licked her lips and clutched her chains. Was she frightened?

“Echo.” It took a long time before she met his gaze. “I need to see your eyes. Don’t close them or look away.”

She nodded, her lips parted and moist. He raised his other knee to the bed and knelt between her thighs. Her folds gleamed, and her nipples had gathered into tight, crimson points. This wasn’t simple anticipation. Being bound excited her. He’d suspected as much the night before.

He slid his hands down her inner thighs together, his thumbs brushing over her folds at exactly the same time. She made a strangled sound in the back of her throat, and her eyes clouded with desire. Hot and wet, her slit beckoned his touch, his kiss.

Her thighs trembled and her belly quivered as she unconsciously pulled against the cuffs. He’d seen this before. She wasn’t struggling against the restraints; she was testing the security of their embrace, needing the confinement. Mesmerized by her reaction, he rubbed his fingers against her mound, savoring the silky-smooth texture and indirectly massaging her clit.

“Oh.” She gasped. “How are you… I’m going to…” Her bottom clenched and her back arched as an orgasm tore through her.

Before the sensations receded, he parted her folds and swiped his tongue from her opening to her clit. He wanted to coax responses from her, to seduce her senses if not her mind. She was so receptive, so passionate. Already she’d yielded to the pleasure, accepted more than he’d dare hope. Tracing her slit with his middle finger, he circled her entrance several times before pushing inside. Mara help him, she was tight. Her inner muscles gripped him, and he moaned. Hot, wet, his. It was all he could do not to take her fast and hard.

He tongued her clit, circling and flicking the sensitive bud until her core flooded with a fresh rush of cream. He rotated his wrist, working his finger deeper. She was so damn tight, but he hadn’t encountered a hymen. Her virginity had been an unwanted obstacle. It was to his advantage if she felt only pleasure. Keeping his tongue busy over her clit, he moved his finger in and out. She gasped with each penetration and sighed as he pulled back. Only after he could move easily did he introduce a second finger.

Excitement zinged through him, sparking sensations and heat. Her smell intoxicated him and her taste made him ravenous for more. He felt dizzy and anxious and restless all at once. He had to feel her come, had to hear her scream with the intensity of her release. Pushing his fingers in as far as he could reach, he fastened his lips around her clit and sucked. She cried out, her inner muscles pulsed as her orgasm neared. He released her clit and drilled her with his fingers, building the pressure, pushing her higher.

Taking her to the edge with relentless care, he had her trembling with need before he withdrew his fingers and pressed his mouth against her folds. He held her open with the pressure of his lips while his tongue aroused her further. Flicking her clit and stabbing into her core, he savored her essence and relished her cries.

She arched into his torrid kiss, pushing herself onto his tongue. Gripping her hips more firmly than he’d intended, he leaned into her, swirling and thrusting, his nose rubbing her clit. She screamed, and the rhythmic spasms of her passage nearly pushed him over the edge. He would not, could not come until he was buried deep inside her.

Gasping for breath, he reluctantly lifted his mouth and looked into her eyes. Her entire body was flushed and trembling with little aftershocks. She stared at him in dazed wonder, her gaze luminous. Her taste was addictive, her body snug and hot. She responded with uninhibited passion. How in Mara’s name would he ever give her up?

Echo couldn’t think, could scarcely breathe. Nothing in her limited experience had prepared her for this. Varrik had touched her with almost reverent care, then gradually increased the intensity until he claimed her with his tongue. His tongue! He’d worked her to orgasm with his tongue. And she had reveled in every minute of it.

The blue rings in his eyes glowed with possessive desire. Her nipples tingled and sensations rippled through her abdomen. The savage demand in his gaze frightened and thrilled her. If his kiss had become so aggressive, how would she survive the rest?

She turned her face away, trying to catch her breath. He grasped her chin and turned her head back around. Her protest died with the first thrust of his tongue. He smelled like passion, tasted like her shameless response to his claiming. With a whimper, she stroked her tongue against his, accepting the unfamiliar taste, acknowledging her surrender.

Something blunt and warm pressed against her opening. She trembled beneath him. He wouldn’t hurt her. She’d had sex before, yet it had been nothing like this. Kiel had been tender and sweet. Varrik conquered, ravished with passionate skill.

“Relax. You’re more than ready, I made sure of it.”

He drove inward. Her body opened, surrounding him, accepting him. He pulled almost out, then thrust hard. She gasped, and a violent shudder racked her body. He drove in farther and farther, not stopping until their bodies were flush. She felt incredibly full, stretched just short of pain.

“Am I hurting you?” he whispered into her damp hair.

Unable to form the word, she managed to shake her head.

He slipped his hands beneath her bottom and rocked back onto his knees. Keeping his length buried inside her, he bent to her breasts, nuzzling first one and then the other. He sucked and licked while she marveled at the persistent fullness of his thick shaft. How did he restrain himself when he was obviously desperate for release?

With infinite care, he pulled back, until only the flared head remained inside her. He eased his hand between their bodies and circled her clit as he steadily filled her again. His first thrust had been hard and sudden. Each stroke that followed seemed incredibly long and deep. He stretched her, filling her more completely than she’d ever imagined.

He kept his movements slow and smooth until her body welcomed him with liquid heat. “Oh, yes,” he murmured. Shifting both hands to her hips, he thrust faster. Her breasts quivered, and each firm drive pulled against the cuffs. She canted her hips, relishing the pressure around her wrists and ankles. His pace turned frantic, self-control at last exhausted. His hands returned to her ass, squeezing and lifting as he took her with his powerful body and burning eyes. Pleasure soared, sweeping rational thought aside.

Heat swirled through her, cascading along her spine and erupting in her core. He thrust deep one last time. Tension corded his neck and his chest heaved. Gritting his teeth, he threw back his head and shuddered violently. His shaft bucked inside her, his seed exploding in forceful streams. Pleasure rolled through her, each tingling wave more intense than the last. She cried out and tightened her inner muscles, holding him the only way her position allowed.

Varrik shifted to his knees, and Echo whimpered. “Please.” The plaintive word escaped before she realized how much it revealed. She didn’t want to lose the fullness of their joining, but admitting the weakness was foolish, dangerous.

“I’m not going anywhere.” His passion-bright eyes burned into hers as they basked in the afterglow. “I should be angry with you, but this felt so good I won’t hold your lie against you.”

The Mystic barrier she’d created to block her womb wasn’t a lie, exactly, more like a deception. “I never lied to you.”

“You weren’t a virgin.”

“I never said I was.” Protected by the truth, she boldly met his gaze. “You overheard E’Lanna’s telepathic plea, and I told you I wasn’t as innocent as my sister believed.”

“So you did.” Reaching backward, he deactivated her ankle cuffs and drew her legs up along his chest until her heels rested on his shoulders. He pushed the cushions beneath her bottom and began to arouse her all over again. “You seemed to enjoy having my mouth on you. Have you ever pleasured a lover with your mouth?” She shivered, her inner muscles rippling around him. He chuckled at her reaction. “Does that mean you did and you enjoyed it, or you wanted to and—”

“I haven’t pestered you with questions about your lovers. What gives you the right to know all my secrets?”

“For the next five days, I’m your master. I have a right to anything that pleases me.” He bent her knees and spread her legs wide, thrusting deep. She gasped, bracing herself for the onslaught promised in his unyielding expression. His gaze narrowed, and his lips pressed into a furious line. He shifted his hips, his expression turning thoughtful. “What have you done?”

This time she knew exactly what he was asking.

“You know I can sense Mystic energy. Why did you believe I wouldn’t feel this?” He pulled out and crawled off the bed, his erection ebbing as his anger grew.

“I told you I would resist you with my dying breath,” she stated quietly. “You expect me to give up my child.”

He clenched his hands into fists, the blue rings in his eyes glowing brighter than they’d ever burned before. “You call this honor?” He gestured toward the apex of her thighs. “When I give my word, I keep it. I stayed true to my vow, even when my body—” Someone pounded on the privacy panel, interrupting his tirade. “Not now!”

The door slid open, and Echo tugged frantically at the wrist cuffs. Having Varrik see her like this was one thing. She would not be put on display!

Uncaring of his own nakedness, Varrik spun toward the door. “I said— Can this please wait, sir? I’m punishing my female.”

The abrupt change in Varrik’s demeanor sent a chill down Echo’s spine.

“So I see.” The panel slid closed behind the stranger, and he approached the bed.

Echo bent her knee and angled one leg over the other in a futile attempt at modesty. The man carried himself with the calm assurance that came only with great authority. Varrik had called him sir. This couldn’t be good. What was he doing here?

His dark eyes were ringed with blue, just like Varrik’s, but there was no resemblance in their features. Where Varrik’s were sculpted with unforgiving angles and high cheekbones, this man’s face was rounded and somewhat blunt. She looked back into his blue-ringed gaze and shivered. How many of the Shadow Assassins had Rodytes in their linage? She glanced between the two men, helplessness chewing at her gut.

“What can I do for you?” Though Varrik’s words were correct, his tone was tight and angry.

“Who is this woman?” the stranger demanded.

“I claimed her and her sister when I ventured to the world above.” The utter lack of expression in his features was telling in itself. “You gave me permission to hunt, sir. Is there a problem?”

Instead of reiterating his question, the stranger looked at Echo. “What’s your name, child?”

She hesitated. Would her situation go from bad to worse? At least she understood what Varrik wanted and why. She knew nothing about his superior. “Why do you want to know?”

One of his dark eyebrows arched, and his gaze swept over her naked body. “Are you content with your situation?”

“How do you intend to better my situation?”

To her utter mortification, he ran two fingers in between her thighs and raised the shiny digits toward his nose. “I won’t chain you to my bed and cover you with my seed.”

“My claim is valid. It was pre-approved and—”

“Did you snatch her from Mystic Valley?”

Varrik moved closer, insinuating himself between the bed and the other man. “She is not a Mystic. Ask her if she is allowed inside the Conservatory.” His broad back partially obscured her view of the intruder.

“Are you a Mystic?” His angry gaze darted toward Echo, then returned to Varrik’s face.

Technically, she wasn’t a Mystic. Her abilities were scattered and unpredictable. She’d never bothered applying to the Conservatory. The Mystics tended to be passive and politically neutral. Early on, she’d chosen a different path.

He will barter you to the Rodytes. You must trust me in this. He is—

The man backhanded Varrik so hard his head snapped to the side and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. “It is rude to talk behind an elder’s back, and you know it.” Shoving Varrik to the side, he faced Echo, his dark eyes narrowed. “Are you a Mystic?”

“No.”

“Then what were you doing in Mystic Valley?”

“My…cousin was getting married.” She suspected he knew her identity. If she lied now, it would only cast doubt on anything she told him.

“Why would a shapeshifter not be accepted by the Conservatory?” His tone snapped with demand.

“I can only hold a shift for a second or two. Though unusual, the ability is of no real use.”

“Except scanning open doors,” Varrik muttered.

“Did you know who she was when you targeted her?” the man asked Varrik.

Varrik took a moment to answer. He didn’t so much as glance at Echo. With his hands clasped behind his back and his gaze fixed on the older man’s face, he stated his case in a calm, precise tone. “When you gave me permission to hunt, you told me to choose carefully, to find a strong, healthy female, full of passion and energy.”

“I didn’t mean Mystic energy!”

“The Customs only precludes Mystics, sir,” Varrik insisted. “I know the law. She is not a Mystic. I am within my rights.”

The men stared at each other in strained silence, Varrik’s expression inscrutable, the elder’s filled with hostility. Taking advantage of the momentary lull, Echo reached out for E’Lanna.

“I will confer with the other elders and get back with you.” He turned on the ball of his foot and left the room.

Echo barely heard his departure over the rushing of blood through her ears. E’Lanna didn’t respond to her seeker pulse. Echo felt no shield, no telepathic trail, nothing. “She’s gone.” Echo twisted against her restraints, trying in vain to sit up. “I can’t sense her. E’Lanna is gone!”

* * * * *

North stomped down the corridor unable to decide if he was angry or amused. Varrik was up to something. After seeing Echo naked and rosy with carnal fulfillment, he could see why any man would risk the wrath of the elders to claim her. His steps faltered. Was that all Varrik had done, taken a woman unattainable to most men in the world below? He would love to believe Varrik’s motives were no more malevolent than that. It was just too hard to swallow.

He returned to the meeting room and took his seat without interrupting the heated debate going on between East and South. South loved to argue. He generally took an opposing position regardless of the issue.

“What did you find out?” West asked as South paused to take a breath.

“My wily nephew is bending the rules as far as possible without breaking them.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Did he realize this woman was a shifter when he chose her as his mate? What about the sister? Does she have abilities, too?” South rattled off the questions, content to abandon the other subject, at least for the time being.

“I suspected Varrik would only breed once, so I encouraged him to set his sights high. He followed my advice to a greater extent than I intended.”

“You’re still hinting at meaning,” West said. “Spell it out.”

“Though not technically Mystics, the females Varrik targeted would never have been considered for our program.”

“And why is that?” South wanted to know.

“Because his twins are E’Lanna and Echo dar Aune.”

After a stunned silence, West said, “They must be returned immediately. Their mother will declare war on us while their father rallies every Mystic on the planet. Their uncle is best friends with the overlord, and his sister just joined with a Bilarrian dignitary! Varrik could not have chosen a woman—”

“More worthy of his seed!” South cut in. “I say balls to Varrik. No other descendent has imagined what he just dared.”

“Did you hear what North told us?” West pushed back his chair and stood. “The High Queen’s daughters are…” He swung his head toward North. “Has Varrik mounted them yet? How long have they been down here?”

“He should be commended.” South folded his arms across his chest and nodded, the blue rings flashing in his eyes. “Mystics are forbidden because of the security risk, but why do we restrict our descendants to peasants and underlings? They should be allowed to mate with any woman they choose.”

“There is more to this than wanting a mate.” West shared his glare evenly with the other three elders. “What is Varrik’s true motivation for putting us in this position?”

“It could be an interesting test.” East tended to be the quietest of the elders. He listened as the others argued and only offered his opinion when he felt it was relevant. South and West could learn from his example.

“Interesting in what way?” North prompted him.

“If all the powers in the star system are called to arms and they still can’t find our maze, we will know once and for all that our relocation is successful.”

“And if they find us, of course, we’re all dead.” South’s support of Varrik’s boldness evaporated in an instant.

“The deed can’t be undone,” North reminded them. “The royal twins now belong to the world below. I would like to leave Echo with Varrik, for now. We can learn much from his treatment of her, and as South said, his daring should be rewarded.”

“And the other?” Interest sparked in South’s gaze.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“We are all elders,” South insisted. “Why is her fate yours to decide?”

“Because Varrik descends from the north.”

“Be that as it may,” East said, “we need to know how the world above is reacting to Varrik’s boldness.”

North nodded. “I’ll pay a visit to Fortress Joon.”

Chapter Seven

Varrik released Echo’s cuffs and gathered her into his arms. “He must have moved her. He has nothing to gain by harming her.”

“I can’t sense her.” She stared at him, eyes wide, lips trembling. “Even if she were shielded, I should be able to sense her shield.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Hell, no,” she snapped. Then much slower, “Yes. Can you help me find her?”

“If you allow me into your mind, I can boost your telepathic range.”

“Is that all you’re going to do?”

“For now.” He grinned and took her face between his hands. “Form her image in your mind.”

She wrapped her fingers around his wrists and closed her eyes. Distracted for a moment by her unexpected touch, his gaze gravitated downward. She knelt before him, thighs parted, her position more submissive than she realized. He spared her delectable body one last look, then sank into her mind.

Control was not her strong suit. He smiled, wondering why the discovery surprised him. Chaotic images and flares of random emotions swirled around a perfectly formed likeness of E’Lanna.

Think of her expressions. Picture her eyes, her smile. I can project the scan beyond your range, but I need you to guide me. She didn’t need to know he could locate E’Lanna in a matter of minutes without her assistance. She was wary enough without knowing the full extent of his telepathic strength. Besides, Echo would never take his word for her sister’s wellbeing. It was imperative she experience it for herself.

I think… No, wait that wasn’t…

Concentrate.

The clutter began to clear and E’Lanna’s image focused. Much better. Echo turned her scan toward the faint signal and propelled them along the energy stream. Surprised by her sudden rush of power, he applied a subtle hindrance. Elder North would have surrounded E’Lanna with telepathic traps, easily triggered and hard to detect.

Varrik fused his signal with Echo’s, governing what she could see, a small, dimly lit room, not unlike the holding cell. E’Lanna lay upon a flat cushion, covered to the waist by a thin sheet. Her arms were folded over her stomach, and her eyes were closed.

Not too close, or he’ll know we’ve been here.

I don’t care if he knows, she objected.

There is no way you could have found her without my assistance. Helping you is a punishable offense.

He felt her sigh. Why is her signal so weak?

Elder North used a stasis compulsion. It’s harmless and allows a person to be kept in a remote location for several days with minimal supervision.

Can you free her from its effects?

A compulsion can only be deactivated by the person who constructed it. There was another way, but he wasn’t willing to tell her, yet. He had risked enough for one day. Are you satisfied that she’s unharmed?

Do you know where this is? Her mind shifted restlessly. It looks sort of like the maze, yet different, older maybe.

The maze was built over many cycles. Some parts are older than others. Let’s go. You can’t communicate with her. It will only frustrate you to try.

With discernible reluctance, she released her hold on the visualization, and they sped back across the metaphysical plane. Weightless and free, he relished the sensation of motion, unencumbered by the physical realm. They returned to their corporeal bodies, and she opened her eyes.

Will you help me free her? she whispered in his mind.

I can’t. They will be watching every move I make, trying to figure out why I chose you for my mate. If they realize my true purpose, we’re both dead.

* * * * *

Concealed within an illusion of invisibility, North moved unhindered through Fortress Joon. The Shadow Assassins had enjoyed a profitable alliance with the House of Joon for many cycles. The only secret the elders kept from the various Joon leaders was the location of the maze.

Early in his reign Lilt dar Joon had suppressed his hatred for the High Queen and participated openly in the Joint Council. Then twenty some cycles ago, Lilt’s involvement with the Rodytes came to light, and he had fallen out of favor with the other great houses. His standing as an outcast had forced him to strengthen his other alliances, which translated favorably for the Shadow Assassins.

Guards paced in front of Lilt’s chamber door. They were required to remain in motion, assuring their attentiveness. North smiled as he slipped by them unnoticed. He released his corporeal form and passed through the locked door. After a moment of suffocating closeness, he emerged in the antechamber. He was aware of his surroundings in a way that transcended sight. The large, sparsely furnished room was empty, so he floated across the marble floor, rolling like mist over water and swirling under the bedroom door.

Three naked holofigures grappled against a dark blue background to a chorus of gasps and moans. At a glance the figures looked real. A closer inspection revealed the subtle distortion as they moved from one position to the next.

Lilt sat in a massive chair, watching the life-size projection. North thought they were alone in the room, until he heard a throaty moan that didn’t coincide with the holograph. He drifted closer, intrigued by the sound. A naked female knelt between Lilt’s thighs, her eager mouth sliding up and down along Lilt’s erect length. Fully dressed, Lilt rested his hands on the arms of the chair and watched the holofigures, all but oblivious to the girl selflessly pleasuring him.

Why would anyone be content to watch a simulation when a nicely rounded female knelt at their feet? Two of the holofigures were men, the third female. The woman knelt before the men, stroking one with her hand while she worked the other with her mouth. The perspective rotated, allowing Lilt to see the three from every angle.

North focused again on the girl kneeling between Lilt’s legs. Long, golden hair framed her oval face. Her cheeks hollowed as she did her best to please her master. The apathy with which Lilt treated her annoyed North. Submission was to be rewarded with pleasure, not indifference.

“Slow down, Eddi. They haven’t even aroused her yet. I don’t want to come until they’re both moving inside her.”

Apparently, Lilt had watched this simulation before.

Eddi pulled back, holding Lilt’s shaft with one hand while she swirled her tongue around the tip. Lilt patted the top of her head as if she were an obedient canine. Irritation flared into anger, and North reached into Lilt’s mind. He compelled the cold bastard to look down at the woman, to see her.

Lilt framed her face with his hands and thrust to the back of her throat. “Suck me hard. I need to feel…” His words trailed away as North sank deeper and expanded his control. North directed Lilt’s attention with ruthless intensity, creating sensations so demanding the other man shook.

“Stand up.” Lilt squirmed and tossed his head, unable to escape North’s telepathic hold. Halting the holoprojection, Lilt scooted to the edge of his chair.

Uncertainty shone in Eddi’s eyes as she pushed to her feet. “Have I displeased you, sir?”

“No.” Lilt panted, absently cupping one of her breasts. “I need… I want…”

Power surged through North, exhilarating and addictive. Lilt grabbed his head and groaned, struggling against the compulsion. North had been commanding soldiers longer than Lilt had been alive. Did he really think he could resist?

“Maybe I should—”

Lilt sprang to his feet and wrapped his arms around Eddi. His mouth captured her startled yelp. He kissed her slowly, exploring her mouth and teasing her tongue. North imagined Lilt on his knees with the girl’s leg draped over his shoulder, licking and sucking on her folds until she screamed in pleasure. He passed the image to Lilt and demanded his compliance. Resentment blasted back at him. Lilt shook his head and shoved Eddi back.

Now!

“No!” The mental standoff only lasted a moment. With a strangled moan, Lilt sank to his knees. Eddi’s eyes widened, and her gaze darted toward the door. He raised his hand and forced his lips to part in a shaky smile. “Come here.”

“You don’t seem well, sir. Should I fetch a healer?”

“Get over here!” North detonated a burst of pain in Lilt’s brain, illustrating his disapproval with his tone. Lilt trembled, his body reflecting the battle raging within his mind. “I need you, Eddi,” he whispered in defeat. “Let me taste you.”

She crept forward, glancing at Lilt’s erection. “You want to…”

As soon as she was within reach, Lilt spun her around and bent her over his chair. His determination to avoid the exact telepathic command amused North. With a slightly stronger signal, North could have forced his complete submission, but this was close enough.

Lilt held her thighs apart while he tongued her clit, his face pressed snugly against her smooth ass. Fully dressed and on his knees, the House of Joon’s leader pleasured his sex slave with utter abandon. He brought her to one shattering orgasm after another while North looked on in satisfaction. Finally, Eddi begged him to stop, her voice tremulous, knees wobbling. Only then did North ease his hold on Lilt’s mind.

As you were. North chuckled.

Eddi returned to her position between Lilt’s thighs and sucked him into her mouth. She stroked his shaft with one hand and cradled his balls with the other as his cock slid between her tightly clenched lips.

Lilt grabbed her face and tilted her head back as he pushed deeper. “Harder. Suck me harder.”

Eddi closed her eyes and obeyed, taking his entire length with each determined stroke. Lilt gasped and groaned, tossing his head as he neared completion. Thrusting to the back of her mouth, he held her in place while he spilled his seed. Only after the last spasm passed did he release his hold on her head.

For a long, silent moment, Lilt sprawled in his chair, staring off into the distance. Eddi gathered her scattered clothing and hurried from the room. Lilt’s chest heaved, and his gaze focused. He righted his clothing and pushed to his feet, turquoise gaze flashing. “If you ever play your foul mind games with me again, I’ll—”

You’ll do whatever amuses me.

Lilt tugged on his jacket and adjusted the crotch of his pants, his expression mutinous. “I’m well aware of your abilities. That little…demonstration was in violation of our alliance.”

North didn’t argue. Lilt was right. According to the terms of their alliance, the elders would not subject any House of Joon leader to telepathic control. Still, the “demonstration” had been richly deserved.

“Why are you here?” Lilt’s expression relaxed, even if tension remained in his tone. “Were you dissatisfied with the pleasure givers I recruited for you?”

“The pleasure givers are for my men. No one has complained.” North took on his Shadow form, halting his transformation somewhere between energy and matter. The Joons might be the eyes and ears of the Shadow Assassins, but no one in the world above had ever seen his corporeal body.

“Then what can I do for you?” Lilt asked with a calculated smile.

North studied the younger man. Though cropped short, his burnished hair curled on top, lending his face a boyish air. His bright gaze revealed much, if one knew him well. Still, most were fooled by his pleasant features and charming smile. North just knew him better than most.

“Were you invited to the wedding?” North kept his tone casual, interested in Lilt’s reaction as much as his reply.

“Lor was,” he muttered, averting his gaze. “Why do you ask?”

Ah, yes, the wayward son. Lor had been a source of frustration for Lilt ever since North had known him. Even as a child, Lor had exhibited extraordinary abilities, which shone a glaring light on the fact that Lilt had none. To add insult to injury, Lilt’s enemy, Tal dar Aune, had agreed to mentor Lor. At the time, Lilt had been attempting to win the confidence of the other great houses, so there had been no option but to accept Tal’s generosity.

“I take it you haven’t spoken with Lor since the wedding.”

“Is there some reason why I should have? Why are you being so obtuse?”

“An interesting word choice for someone who is oblivious to the most significant development in the last twenty cycles.”

Lilt glared at him and crossed to the com panel on his nightstand. “Person to person, Lor dar Joon.”

North faded back into energy as Lor’s image rose from the panel.

“Hello, Father. What did you need?” Lor’s terse tone and strained expression gave Lilt the perfect excuse for questioning him.

“I wanted to confirm our appointment for tomorrow, but what’s going on? You look dreadful.”

The last time North had seen Lor he’d been a lanky youth. The passing cycles had added maturity and character to his handsome face. No one would ever doubt his lineage. Lor looked very much like his father.

“We’re dealing with a crisis. Tomorrow is doubtful at best. I’ll com you when I know more.”

“Wait! What crisis? Did that Bilarrian bastard strand Crystal at the altar?”

For a moment Lor hesitated, then he heaved an audible sigh. “Echo and E’Lanna have been kidnapped. There have been no ransom demands, so everyone fears the worst.”

“Wouldn’t Tal sense if they were dead?” Lilt’s wrong conclusion was obviously meant to draw out more information. North watched in fascination as Lilt manipulated the conversation.

“There are some fates worse than death. I really have to go.”

“Is there anything I can do? Who is organizing the search?”

“Searches,” Lor corrected. “The Bilarrian delegation has mounted a search, Head Master Tal has half the Conservatory searching in one way or another, and Director dar Aune returned to the City of Tears this morning to confer with the overlord. Everything that can be done is being done.”

“Do they know who took the twins?”

“No one wants to admit it, but the longer they’re gone with no word from their abductors, the more it looks like the Shadow Assassins.”

“Everyone must be frantic.”

“To say the least.”

“Please let the High Queen know my thoughts and prayers are with her.”

Lor inclined his head and ended the transmission.

“That was quite a performance.” North returned to his Shadow form.

Lilt turned to face him, his expression incredulous. “You kidnapped the royal twins? Why? Even I can see the folly in such a rash action. There is no creature more vicious than a mother protecting her young, and when that mother happens to be High Queen of Ontariese…”

“I didn’t kidnap them.”

“But you know who did.”

“Perhaps.” North hovered for a moment debating how much to tell him. “This is not a route I would have chosen, but we’ve embarked on the journey just the same. The only question now is how do we maximize the opportunity?”

* * * * *

If they realize my true purpose, we’re both dead.

It was the only warning Echo got as they emerged from the metaphysical plane. Lulled by the knowledge that E’Lanna was unharmed, she was shocked by Varrik’s aggression. He shoved her facedown on the bed, his hand hurtful on the back of her neck.

“I allowed your escape attempt to go unpunished because of your vow to me. But your vows are meaningless. That leaves me no choice but to punish you.” Were the elders watching, or was he really angry? He pulled her arms behind her back and fastened the cuffs to each other. Then, using her bound wrists, he pulled her up off the bed. “I enjoy having my scent on your skin, but we both reek of sweat, and that’s a far less appealing smell.”

He half-led, half-dragged her into the utility room and shoved her into the shower stall. The mist activated automatically, and Echo sputtered. “I can’t wash myself with my hands tied behind my back.”

“That’s not a problem.” He joined her beneath the spray. “I’ll take care of the washing.” His hands slid over her body, cupping her breasts as he pressed against her back. “Did you have bathers in the world above, or was it just your guards who were allowed access to this luscious body?”

She tried to reach down and grab his balls, but the cuffs kept her fingers out of reach. Refusing to dignify the question with a reply, she stared at the wall in front of her. He could scrub her until her skin turned raw. It made no difference to her. If this was a demonstration for the elders, he was playing his part a bit too well.

He rolled her nipples. She stood perfectly still. He explored her bottom. She tuned him out. Even when his fingers slipped into her core, she managed to repress her moan. But he pressed his slick fingertip against her tightly puckered anus, and Echo jerked forward.

“I think I’m clean enough.”

His husky chuckle sent a wayward shiver down her spine. “Am I the only one who has ever touched you there? Your other lovers never—”

“Why would they?” She tried to twist away from his questing fingers, but he caught her around the waist and angled her body so her side pressed against his chest.

“There are more nerve endings there than in more conventional locations.”

“You’re not putting your finger up my ass,” she snapped.

He tightened his hold around her waist and pushed his middle finger into her tight back passage. “You were saying?”

She tossed her head, whipping him with her damp hair.

“Keep it up, and you’ll entertain more than my finger.”

Her flare of anger dissolved like the mist evaporating on her overheated skin. She stilled, acutely aware of the foreign fullness in her bottom and the erection pressing against her hip. “Why are you doing this?” she whispered.

“You’re mine to do with as I will.” He pushed deeper. “You will submit to anything I choose to do. The sooner you accept that, the safer you’ll be.”

Safer. He was concerned about the elders. Were they really omniscient?

“Relax.”

She laughed. He shoved his finger up her ass, then told her to relax. With teasing slowness, he withdrew, then pushed in again. Her body opened for him, accepting the small penetration despite her misgivings. Each in-stroke made her squirm, but the out-stroke sent tingling heat curling up her spine.

She sagged against him, her head resting against his shoulder. He pulled his hand away and reactivated the mist.

Shocked by the abrupt change, she looked back at him. “Why did you stop?”

“Because you were enjoying it.” She kicked at him and her foot slid. She gasped, unable to catch her balance with her hands trapped behind her back. He snatched her to him, his eyes boring into hers. “I think we’ll work on that temper as well. I’ve obviously been too lenient with you.”

He stepped from the shower stall and reached for a towel. She stood tense and silent as he dried her entire body with unnecessary thoroughness. After drying himself, he tossed the towel in the recycle bin and led her back to the outer room.

“I can’t quite decide what to do with you. The Customs suggest several suitable punishments for an insubordinate female. I can whip you, but we both know you’d revel in the sting. I can allow others to mount you, so you understand in a tangible way that your body is no longer your own. Or I can put you on display.”

He pulled on a pair of black pants then unhooked her restraints without releasing the cuffs. Thankful for the reprieve, she rolled her shoulders and rubbed her aching wrists. Fear sat like a rock in the pit of her stomach. The situation was rapidly escalating beyond Varrik’s control. Would he really allow others to take her? She would much rather be whipped.

“Put this on.” He handed her one of his tunics.

She knew from experience that the garment would barely reach her knees and the upper curve of her breasts would be left bare. “Where are we going?”

“To the discipline hall. Most masters use nudity as part of the punishment. I haven’t decided if you’ll be displayed.”

Discipline hall? He had to be joking. Her heart fluttered, and her body betrayed her yet again. Heat unfurled through her core and her nipples pebbled. It was more than just fear making her heart pound. She could deal with anything as long as Varrik was the only one touching her. If he felt obligated to give her to others… “Can’t I be disciplined here?”

“No.” His cold, flat tone assured her it was the only answer she would get.

She put on the tunic, arranging the wide neckline as modestly as she could. While she fiddled with the material, he bent down and retrieved a wide belt from a compartment under his bed. She swallowed hard. Was he going to use that on her? The shiver resulting from the thought held only fear this time. Her fantasies often featured a ruthless male and sensations so pleasurable they hurt. Still, she had never imagined embracing pain to the point of pleasure.

He moved in close and pulled the belt around her waist. She watched his eyes as he efficiently closed the wide metal buckle and fastening her cuffs to the stout loops on the front of the belt. This was more comfortable than having her arms bound behind her back, but it left her helpless. What if someone tried to take her away from Varrik? His authority couldn’t protect her from the elders.

“Marton’s breath, you have a fabulous mouth.” He bent and kissed her, sending a calming wave through her body. Had he sensed her mounting anxiety or merely read the fear in her eyes? She didn’t know the full extent of his powers, but she appreciated the brief tenderness.

Varrik pulled back and traced her bottom lip with his thumb. “I’m far too possessive to ever share you. You will have to be punished with pain.” He pulled a tunic on over his head and tugged on his boots. “Let’s go.” He scanned open the privacy panel and nodded toward the corridor beyond.

“What exactly are you going to do?”

Grabbing her elbow, he pulled her along behind him. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Her steps lagged until he was nearly dragging her. “Varrik, please—”

He spun around and pushed her up against the wall. “I didn’t give you leave to use my name. It was a momentary weakness. A weakness you repaid with betrayal. I will not be weak again. My name is Master. Say it!”

She licked her lips, tears stinging her eyes. “Master.”

With a careful shove, he sent her down the corridor ahead of him. The sharp crack of a whip and a shrill scream burst from the chamber at the end of the hallway. Echo shuddered. She was no expert on screams, but that had sounded decidedly female.

Varrik rushed ahead, catching her elbow as he passed and pulling her along in his wake. Why did he suddenly seem so upset? Screams couldn’t be an unusual sound coming from a “discipline hall”.

“You have been his lover for cycles,” a man said in a deep, commanding voice. “Admit what you know, and the pain will…”

Anger exploded through Echo as they entered the cavernous room. The scars on Aila’s back identified her before Echo saw her ashen face. She was restrained between two pillars, her feet barely touching the floor. Welts and gashes crisscrossed her back and buttocks, even the backs of her thighs. If this was standard punishment, Echo was in serious trouble.

“What the fuck do you think she knows?” Varrik shouted.

The man holding the whip turned to confront Varrik. Echo’s heart missed a beat when she saw his face. His swarthy complexion and blue-ringed eyes indicated Rodyte ancestry. Were all the leaders in the maze Rodyte?

“Elder North might be fooled by your superficial show of obedience,” he told Varrik. “The rest of us are not.”

This man was one of the elders, Varrik’s superior. Echo struggled to breathe past the lump lodged in her throat. Aila whimpered. Blood striped her skin, brilliant red even in the hazy light. Skirting the men, Echo moved toward the wounded woman.

Varrik launched himself at the other man. The elder sent him flying backward with the wave of one hand. Varrik charged again, and the elder flung him away.

Echo scanned Aila. Healing wasn’t her primary skill, but she would offer what help she could. Several of the lacerations needed to be closed, and her entire body was bruised. There didn’t seem to be any organ involvement, though, and the bleeding was minimal. The vicious bastard knew how to use a whip. Echo sent a soothing wave through Aila’s battered body, keeping one eye on the men.

“If you weren’t a direct descendent of Vade, you’d be dead already,” the elder snarled as Varrik swung at him. “Keep it up, and I’ll lose my temper.”

“She knows nothing because there’s nothing to know!” Varrik grabbed the whip and yanked it out of the elder’s hand. “I am true to the Customs. I’ve done nothing wrong.” He shoved past the elder and hurried to Echo’s side. “Can you help her?”

Echo looked pointedly at the elder. “Don’t you have healers?”

“I will allow no one to tend her but you.” The challenge in the elder’s tone was unmistakable. It was a test. He wanted her to demonstrate her power. He moved closer, and Varrik raised the whip. The elder ignored him.

“I’m not a healer.”

“Neither is your mother, but I know of several lives she’s saved.” He nodded toward Varrik. “He’s brought this world to the brink of war. I want to know why.”

Aila’s whimpered, her head drooping to one side. “No more.”

Damning the consequences, Echo looked at Varrik. “I need my hands free.” The cuffs released and he quickly unhooked the belt then stepped back out of her way. Turning to Aila, Echo passed her fingers over each wound without touching the broken skin. Heat erupted in her palm and flowed into each injury, stimulating the tissue, causing the flesh to mend.

Echo pressed one hand against Aila’s forehead as she moved on to the next laceration. Emotional damage was just as detrimental as physical wounds. Purge this attack from her memory, Echo urged Varrik. She has endured enough already.

A vibrant presence slipped into Aila’s mind alongside Echo. Varrik’s energy pulsed with a familiar rhythm. Echo welcomed him, finding courage in his strength. She concentrated on Aila’s numerous wounds, while he meticulously extracted the memory.

Time passed. Echo had no idea if it were minutes or hours. She sensed Aila’s signal weakening and panic surged.

It’s all right. I’ve commanded her to sleep. We’ll clean her up, and she’ll awaken with the vague memory of a minor illness.

The casual statement stunned Echo. You can implant memories as well as extract them?

Concentrate on Aila. It was more of a warning than a suggestion.

Chapter Eight

Varrik withdrew from Aila’s mind as Echo completed the healing. Each time he interacted with Echo on the metaphysical plane it filled him with confusing emotions, desires so different from what he felt in the flesh that he hardly recognized himself. He longed to protect her, surround her with warmth and tenderness. Soul’s mate. He’d heard the phrase whispered all his life, but he hadn’t understood the concept until his energy joined with Echo’s.

He stood back and watched her work. A visible radiance shone from her features and surrounded her elegant hands. She was purity and light in a world that knew only darkness. He shook away the useless thought, surprised by his own sentimentality.

“If this is not her primary gift, what other treasures does she conceal?”

“My claim is valid.” He pivoted to face Elder South, infuriated still by his brutality. “Any and all treasures she might conceal are not your concern.”

“Claims are only valid when we choose to honor them.”

“A claim must be honored for the first lunar cycle unless the male’s seed fails to take root. Even the elders are bound by that law.”

South’s smile turned cruel. “You might have secured your claim to this one, but her sister has yet to be mounted.”

“I’m descended from the north. There is only one elder who can overturn my claim.”

South chuckled. “You know the law, there’s no denying that.”

“Was Aila’s abuse sanctioned by the Council of Elders, or were you acting on your own?”

“I don’t answer to you, sweeper!”

“No, but you answer to the other elders. Somehow I don’t think Elder North would have approved what you did to Aila.”

Ignoring the comment, South crossed the chamber and paused near the archway. “Wouldn’t it be tragic if your rash decision brings war to the world below? We’ve managed to avoid it for so long.”

Varrik rubbed his forehead, stomping down his need to unleash his fury. North was the only elder who suspected the full range of Varrik’s abilities. For the time being it was better if the others didn’t know. He could command South’s heart to stop beating and teleport the women to safety. But how would he protect E’Lanna in the aftermath?

South waited another moment for a response, then snorted and left the hall.

“What did he mean?”

He turned his head and found Echo’s curious gaze fixed on him. Her perceptiveness was a continual challenge. “He’s been looking for an excuse to move against Elder North. I might have just given him one.”

“Is North a name or a title?” She fiddled with the metal shackle securing Aila’s wrist. “How does this open?”

Moving in front of Aila, he sent a telepathic command to the restraints and caught Aila as she crumpled into his arms.

“Is everyone in the maze telepathic?”

Wait until we return to my chamber. He crossed the hall with Aila cradled against his chest. “Stay close and be quiet.” Miraculously, Echo obeyed. They didn’t speak again until Aila was resting comfortably in her own bed.

“Is she safe here?”

“South has no reason to harm her now.” He sounded almost convincing. No one would be safe if South launched an offensive. East and West would be forced to choose sides. Neutrality had no meaning in the Shadow Maze.

He reached for Elder North, intending to warn him of South’s hostility. There was no response to his seeker pulse. Encapsulating thoughts and images, he left them in the energy stream for North to activate as soon as he returned to the maze. Varrik paused, his worried gaze returning to Aila’s pale face. There had to be something more he could do. He flipped over the security panel on her nightstand and launched a subroutine. If anyone entered the room, Elder North would be notified.

“We’ve done all we can.” He led Echo into the corridor. She followed him back to his chamber, her calm obedience making him wary.

“If you intend to erase all memory of this place when you release me, why is it forbidden to answer my questions?” she asked the moment the door slid closed behind them.

“It’s not technically forbidden.” He crossed to the closet adjacent to his bed. “I just don’t want the elders to hear what I’m about to say. Elder North is the only one powerful enough to penetrate the shield surrounding my chamber, and he’s left the maze.”

“How many elders are there? Who is Vade? What did South mean when he said—”

“We can sit down and discuss the history of the maze, or we can rescue E’Lanna.”

She placed her hand on his upper arm, the hope in her gaze a bittersweet torment. “You know where he took her?” The catch in her voice drove the blade deeper, exposing emotions he wasn’t ready to feel.

Why was he doing this? As soon as he left the maze, he would brand himself a traitor and ostracize himself from the only life he’d ever known. North’s ruthlessness had never bothered him before. Everyone did what must be done. Still, snatching E’Lanna crossed the line. It undermined Varrik’s claim and revealed North’s disloyalty.

Varrik had never felt so alone.

“I’ve got a pretty good idea.” After rummaging through his closet for a moment, he pushed the door shut. “All my clothes are similar to these. We’ll have to worry about it later.”

“Where are we going?”

“The original maze fell to ruin, so we constructed a larger, more technologically advanced compound. I think E’Lanna is in the old maze.”

“There are two of these underground warrens, and we haven’t been able to find either one?” The disbelief in her tone made Varrik chuckle.

“You’ll feel even more inept when I tell you the rest. The original maze was constructed beneath the Conservatory.”

“That’s how you got to us. You teleported into the old maze, then up to the surface.”

He didn’t confirm or deny her conclusion. “Wrap your arms around my waist and reach out to your sister.” All he needed to establish the link was physical contact, and she felt so good pressed against him. He closed his arms around her and inhaled the fresh scent of her hair.

Echo soared across the metaphysical plane, a blur of light and color so mesmerizing, Varrik almost forgot to follow. He launched his being after her, flowing, tumbling. With her, yet separate from her.

E’Lanna’s image emerged from the mist. Varrik pulled back, expanding his perspective to verify the location. As he thought, E’Lanna was in the ruins of the original Shadow Maze. He waited until Echo locked on to E’Lanna’s signal, then he pushed energy into their corporeal bodies, propelling them along the energy stream.

Darkness closed in, pressure built to painful extremes. Echo clung to him, her being fixed on her sister. He pushed harder, drove them faster, visualizing the next step.

With a sharp gasp, their bodies reunited with their spirits and the world snapped into focus. He pressed a quick kiss to Echo’s forehead and scooped up E’Lanna’s unconscious body. “Get behind me and hold on tight.”

The door burst open, and two guards rushed into the tiny chamber. Varrik drove a sleep compulsion deep into the first man’s brain. Echo launched herself at the second, kicking the pulse pistol out of his hand. He grabbed for her, but she moved with grace and agility, each blow precise and forceful. The guard’s head snapped back as she caught his jaw with the heel of her hand.

As fascinated as Varrik was by her skill, they couldn’t risk reinforcements. He reached into the second man’s mind and rendered him unconscious.

“Nifty trick,” Echo said, panting softly. “My aunt can do the same thing.”

He doubted her aunt could reproduce all his nifty tricks, but he wasn’t about to argue the point right now. Alarms would have sounded across North’s telepathic link the instant they entered the room. They had no time to lose.

“Let’s go,” he ordered.

Echo pressed against his back, her slender arms wrapped around his waist. He pictured their destination, bound Echo’s signal to his, and launched them across the metaphysical plane.

* * * * *

North staggered to a stop as he materialized in the Shadow Maze. His mind was bombarded with information and images. South swung a whip over and over as Aila screamed and writhed in agony. Alarms shrieked. The perimeter around E’Lanna had been breached, the guards incapacitated. With a deep breath, he forced the jumble into some semblance of order and sorted through the images. He was hardly able to see through the haze of pain as he set his feet in motion.

A broad scan revealed further developments. Varrik’s signal was faint, as was Echo’s. They were no longer in the maze. It stood to reason that they were responsible for E’Lanna’s perimeter breech. Damn Varrik’s impetuous soul!

He summoned his two most trusted hunters as he rushed to check on Aila. They awaited him in front of her door. “I leave for a few hours, and all hell breaks loose. Where is Elder South? Why didn’t anyone pursue Varrik?”

“Sweepers are allowed to come and go as they see fit,” the older of the two hunters said.

“Well, thank Marton you’re here to explain it to me. It’s not like I helped write the laws or anything!” His sarcasm was wasted on the hunters, so he scanned open Aila’s door. Another alarm sounded inside his mind. He deactivated the signal with a thought and rushed toward the bed. Aila lay on her side, sleeping peacefully. He carefully lifted her gown away from her skin and examined her back. Though scarred from the fire, her flesh bore no signs of recent abuse. Had the images been conjured? Who set the intruder alarm? None of this made sense.

“Should we report Varrik to Minekus?” the hunter asked.

“No. This is personal. Varrik is angry with me. I’d prefer to take care of this quietly.”

“How can we assist you?”

“You’re hunters,” North snapped. “Go hunt! Use whatever force is necessary to bring Varrik back, but I want him alive.”

“What about the women?”

“They’re expendable.”

* * * * *

Echo sat on the edge of the bed, E’Lanna’s hand pressed between her own. Her twin didn’t stir. The rise and fall of her chest was nearly imperceptible. “How do we bring her out of this?”

Varrik stood on the other side of the bed, his hands clasped behind his back. A pose he assumed with unconscious regularity. “North must free her from the compulsion or North must die.”

“Is that the ultimatum you intend to give him?” It was all happening so fast. Echo struggled to make sense of his actions. Did he intend to release them, or had he simply moved them to a safer cage?

“If North refuses to deactivate the compulsion, only his death will free her from the spell.” He stated the fact with expressionless calm, his features revealing nothing. Was this the same man who had overwhelmed her inhibitions and made her senses sing?

Lowering E’Lanna’s hand to the bed, Echo stood and faced him. “What should we do now?”

“We?” His brow rose, reinforcing the challenge in his tone. “You vowed to resist me with your dying breath. Are we partners now?”

She had no idea what they were. No idea why he had rescued E’Lanna. Forcing her dry throat to swallow, she looked into his eyes. Velvet black, sapphire rings, smoldering passion, his eyes would haunt her forever. “Where are we? Can your people find us here?”

“My people? Another curious choice.” He moved around the bed, stalking her with measured control. “The people sworn to govern and protect the world below are about to destroy each other. If it were only the elders at risk, I would walk away without a second thought. But the elders won’t fight this war. It’s the soldiers who will sacrifice their lives for the arrogance of the elders. My people have never needed me more. How can I abandon my tribe?”

Was he hoping she could convince—

“I expect nothing from you. Your people will benefit greatly if we destroy ourselves.”

“You’ve responded to my thoughts before. Can you read my mind?”

He cupped her cheek and bushed her lips with his thumb, his gentleness a stark contrast to his savage expression. “I don’t need to read your mind. Your eyes tell me all I need to know.”

Captivated by the intensity in his gaze, she refused to blink. She reveled in the heat and cherished the tenderness he tried so hard to conceal. He couldn’t mean to leave her like this. She wasn’t ready for it to end. There had to be something she could do.

“How can I help you?”

He bent and kissed the corners of her mouth. “Why would you want to?”

She dragged the tie from the back of his hair and buried her fingers in the soft, blue-streaked strands. He felt the connection; she knew he did. Regardless of his intentions, this had been more than sex for him.

“There has to be some way I can—”

He silenced her with his mouth, pressing her against his chest until she felt the strong, steady beat of his heart. His lips moved over hers, his tongue gently teased. She arched her back and wrapped her arms around his neck. One last touch, a final taste, then she could bear to let him go.

His hands slipped up under her tunic, gliding over her skin with frantic speed. She tangled her fingers in his hair, grinding her pelvis against his erection. Their tongues thrust, mimicking the rhythm their bodies craved. He cupped her breast and pulled her up onto her toes, aligning their bodies more exactly.

She bent her leg and wrapped her calf around his thigh, wanting him inside her, desperate for the fullness of their joining. His other hand found her bottom and rocked her against him. She moaned into his open mouth, wanting him, needing him.

Heat erupted in her mind, a dazzling shower of blistering sparks. Shocked by the unexpected meld, she tried to twist away. He clutched her to him, his mouth firm and demanding. Faster, wider, the energy current expanded, inundating her senses as well as her mind. Information swelled with pleasure. Images infused with power.

She sagged in his embrace, trembling and confused. Her head throbbed, protesting the unyielding saturation. He couldn’t expect her to… Why was he…

“Remember.” His whispered appeal followed her into the darkness.

Chapter Nine

Varrik stood motionless in the corner of the bedroom, surrounded by a dense invisibility shield. High Queen Charlotte knelt on the floor beside the bed, her hands in perpetual motion above the still figures of her daughters. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she squeezed her eyes shut. The subtle trembling of her hands was further proof of her agitation. Even in the midst of this crisis, she was regal and composed. Varrik saw where Echo got her strength.

An instant after he deactivated the scrambler signal, Echo’s parents had burst through a transport conduit. Head Master Tal stood at the foot of the bed, his long black hair neatly coiled down the middle of his back. He extended his arms, his pose similar to his life mate’s.

Echo gasped and sprang to a sitting position. Tal rounded the bed and drew her into his arms. Tension closed around Varrik’s heart as he watched the poignant reunion. He’d never known his mother, and his father had been a cold, brutal man. The only kindness he’d ever known had come from his brother and an outcast pleasure giver.

“Leyanti, are you unharmed?” Tal’s worried gaze took in her scanty attire before focusing again on her face.

She blinked repeatedly, her expression muddled. “Where is… How did you find us?”

“We’re not sure,” her mother said, pushing to her feet. “All of a sudden your signal blared across our telepathic link. I’ve never been so glad to sense your impatience in my life.” They exchanged smiles, then Charlotte pressed her hand against E’Lanna’s forehead. “I can’t rouse E’Lanna. Do you know what happened to her?”

Echo glanced around the room. Was she hoping to see him, or making sure he was gone? Varrik didn’t allow himself to dwell on the possibilities.

“One of the elders implanted a stasis compulsion in her mind. It’s not harmful, but she’ll stay like this until the elder releases her or until the elder is dead.”

“Did Varrik bring you here?” her father asked.

Echo scooted off the side of the bed and crossed her arms over her chest. Varrik held his breath. How would she react to the memory infusion? His future literally rested in her hands.

“Where is this place?” she asked.

Both her parents seemed surprised by the evasion. They looked at each other for a long, meaningful moment before Tal replied, “We’re in the mountains beyond Mystic Valley. What do you remember of… Did they strip your memory?”

Echo opened her mouth as if she would accept the explanation her father had just supplied. Then tears welled behind her lashes and she looked at her mother. “Can I talk with you alone?”

Tal framed her face with his hands, capturing her gaze with restrained command. “If you were mistreated by—”

“My love, let’s keep this to ourselves as much as possible until Echo and I have had a chance to talk.” The subtle authority in Charlotte’s tone left no room for argument. Varrik’s reluctant admiration grew. Under the right circumstances, he could picture Echo maturing along these lines.

With frustration forming each move he made, Tal gathered E’Lanna into his arms. “I’ll take her to the palace and await your return.”

“We’ll meet you there shortly.”

“I’ll send your guards to you.”

Charlotte accepted the compromise with a brisk nod. “Tell them to create a perimeter. No one enters the cottage unless I summon them.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He inclined his head, his tone tinged with humor as he stepped into the swirling vortex.

Realization jarred Varrik from his passivity. The High Queen of Ontariese stood half a room away. He could take her to the maze and—and what? The Joint Council would never negotiate for her release. They would gather all their forces and summon every ally in the sector, moving against the Shadow Assassins with a force that would shake the planet.

Kidnapping Charlotte had never been his intention.

“Mamma…” Echo covered her face with her hands and dissolved into tears.

The reaction was so out of character for the stubborn little hellion, Varrik moved toward her before he realized what he was doing. She couldn’t see him, had better not sense him, or he was doomed.

Charlotte wrapped her arms around Echo and stroked her hair, the gesture natural and telling. Despite Echo’s tempestuous personality, she had needed comfort before. “I’m here, leyanti. No one can hurt you now.”

“He didn’t hurt me. That’s what Father will never understand.” Echo raised her face and looked into her mother’s eyes. “Varrik was frightening and intense, but his intentions were…noble. He protected E’Lanna and…”

Remarkably, Charlotte didn’t speak the objections so clear in her expression. “Why did he release you?”

“When Elder North found out who we were, he moved E’Lanna out of the maze. Then, Elder South tortured Aila, hoping to learn Varrik’s true motivation. South also insinuated that he would take E’Lanna, so Varrik set us free.”

The confusion in Charlotte’s eyes made it clear she’d only unraveled part of Echo’s rambling dissertation. Rather than grill her daughter with questions, however, Charlotte only asked one. “Do you know how to find the maze?”

Varrik rubbed his eyes, reviewing the information he’d transmitted during the infusion. How much had he revealed?

“I know it’s underground, and I’m nearly certain the only way to access it is teleportation.”

“That would explain why we’ve never been able to find an entrance,” Charlotte mused. “There isn’t one.” She brushed Echo’s hair away from her face, then stepped back.

“You’re not going to believe this, but there are two mazes. One of them is directly beneath the Conservatory. That’s how Varrik got to us without setting off the perimeter alarms. He didn’t come through the shields. He went under them.”

“There are Shadow Assassins living under the Conservatory?”

“Not anymore. They abandoned the old maze.”

“And you don’t know where the new maze is located?” Echo shook her head, and they lapsed into silence. “What else can you tell me? Take your time. We don’t have to do this now if you’re not ready.”

“I’m ready.” She touched her lips and gazed past her mother, her expression thoughtful. “Just before Varrik left, he filled my mind with images and information. It could all be meant to mislead me. He knew I’d remember whatever he showed me.” She heaved a ragged sigh. “I feel like my brain is about to burst open.”

This was what he’d wanted, why he’d shared his memories with Echo. He needed to know how others would react to the world below. Once the elders were overthrown, the soldiers would need to establish lives beyond the maze. If they were treated like pariahs here, they would have to find a different world.

“What did he show you?”

“A Rodyte named Vade was the first Shadow Assassin.” She hesitated, her brow knitted, lips tight. “I’m not sure how it’s possible, but I think he was Vee’s brother.”

Charlotte nodded. “Vee founded the Conservatory, so most presume he was Ontarian. His father was Rodyte. Vade was his half-brother.”

“How do you know about Vade?” She sounded as surprised as Varrik felt. How much did the High Queen already know?

“Vee left a journal that detailed his entire life. Most of it focused on the development of the Mystics, but there were several entries regarding his past.”

“This is just a foundation on which Varrik’s life was built. If there is anything you already know, stop me.” After her mother nodded, Echo began. “Vade ruled the Shadow Assassins until he was killed during the Great Conflict. After his death, the four strongest generals divided the maze into four equal parts and formed the Council of Elders. One elder for each tribe. One tribe for each geographical region, north, south, east, and west.”

“How are issues resolved if the vote is split two and two?”

Varrik smiled. Only a diplomat would immediately foresee that complication.

“Vade’s son was the first Elder North, so Tribe North is prime. Elder North’s vote basically counts as two. All three of the other elders have to oppose him for an issue to pass without his consent.”

“I never imagined their society was so sophisticated.”

Which was exactly why Varrik was educating them.

“You have no idea,” Echo said. “Beneath the elders are two additional levels of authority, the hunters and the sweepers. The hunters are either appointed or recruited, often from blood relatives of the elders. They must be able to teleport to be considered for the position, but most of the other skills are developed over time.”

Charlotte paused to absorb the information. “What is a sweeper?”

“There are currently six sweepers. They’re the ones who extract memories from anyone who enters the maze.”

“Manipulating memories is such a rare ability. I’m shocked there are so many.”

“Varrik is the alpha sweeper. He trains the others, helps them perfect their skills.” She crossed her arms again, rubbing her skin with brisk, anxious movements. “Vade was Varrik’s grandfather.”

“Then his father was the first Elder North?”

Echo nodded. “His uncle currently leads Tribe North.”

Even knowing about her extraordinary memory, Varrik was impressed by Echo’s insight. She hadn’t just remembered the information and retained the images; she comprehended the subtleties of a very complex society.

“And this uncle is the one who put E’Lanna in thrall?” Charlotte’s gaze took on a calculated fire.

Another nod was Echo’s only response.

“You said Varrik’s motivation was noble. Can you explain what you meant?” Her tone was a bit sharp, though she suppressed the intensity in her eyes.

Echo shifted her weight from foot to foot, then headed for the bedroom door. “It started right here in this cottage.” She waited until Charlotte joined her in the outer room. Varrik followed at a more leisurely pace. Charlotte was reputed to possess one of the most powerful gifts on Ontariese. How long could his invisibility shield continue to withstand her abilities?

Buried beneath ten cycles of dust and decay, hints of the cottage’s rustic charm managed to peek through. “Varrik’s older brother, Sekall, was a hunter. Everyone expected him to take over the leadership of Tribe North when he came of age, but he loved his life as a hunter. He was fascinated with the world above and—”

“The world above?”

“That’s how they refer to us. They inhabit the world below. This is the world above.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt. Go on. Sekall was content as a hunter because of his fascination with our world.”

“It’s the hunters’ responsibility to locate women suitable for…”

“I understand how the Shadow Assassins reproduce. You don’t need to go into detail.”

“Like the rest of their society, their breeding program is far more involved than you realize. They choose women who are strong and healthy, from families with a genetic disposition toward male offspring.”

Varrik cringed. Though accurate, she made it sound calculated and callous. He sighed. Seeing it through her eyes, it was calculated and callous.

“If you’re comfortable talking about this,” Charlotte coaxed, “I’ve always wondered how the process was facilitated.”

“The majority of the inhabitants are soldiers. When they’re ready to procreate, they apply to the council for permission to enter the lottery. After a physical examination, their accomplishments are reviewed, and they’re either given a seniority ranking, or their request is denied. The seniority ranking allows them to choose from the women brought to the maze by the hunters.”

“If the hunters bring back ten women, the first ten men on the seniority ranking get to take their pick.”

“Exactly.”

Charlotte shuddered. “It’s all so… impersonal.”

Without reacting to her mother’s discomfort, Echo hurried on. “Hunters and sweepers are allowed to lay claim to any woman brought to the maze.”

“Then you weren’t subjected to this lottery.”

“Varrik claimed us both from the very beginning.”

Varrik braced himself for Charlotte’s reaction. That hadn’t sounded good at all.

“E’Lanna said she was kept in an isolation chamber.” The High Queen’s tone was controlled, but destructive intensity returned to her gaze. “Was she lying to us?”

“When the hunters found her, she was with Zane. They wanted to make sure… We’re way off course, Mother. I was talking about Sekall.”

Not a chance she would let that one slip by. Varrik rubbed the bridge of his nose. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

“We’ve come this far. Tell me the rest. What did they want to make sure of?”

“They wanted to make sure she wasn’t already pregnant.”

“How in the eternal universe is any of this noble? You were kidnapped and imprisoned for the express purpose of giving this bastard a child? I want to rip him apart with my bare hands!” She turned away for a moment, struggling to regain her composure. Unfortunately, she faced Varrik as she battled her fury. Frustration swept through on the heels of his shame. These were her daughters. Why had he ever thought he could make her understand? “I’m sorry,” she said, turning back to Echo. “Go back to the older brother.”

“Sekall came across the woman who lived in this cabin. She heard voices and saw visions, so the people in her village drove her out.”

“This happened on Ontariese? Mystic abilities aren’t uncommon here. Why would people react that way?”

“She was born in an isolated settlement that shuns technology and is ruled by superstition. The images I saw seemed like historical vids rather than memories. Anyway, she was forced to leave, and she wandered restlessly for a few cycles. Then she heard about the Conservatory. When she wasn’t accepted for admittance, she found this cottage and resigned herself to a life of solitude.”

Charlotte looked around the cottage with new interest. “Do you know her name?”

“No. Is it important?”

“I’m not sure. Tell me the rest of the story.”

What an odd reaction. He studied Charlotte’s face as Echo concluded the tale. Did the Mystics know about Rittan? Was it possible…?

“Ignoring what was expected of him, Sekall courted the woman for almost a cycle before he took her to the maze. She was upset by his highhandedness, but not as traumatized as most women are upon arriving in the maze. It took another two cycles for her to conceive. By that time, she and Sekall were very much in love.

“No female is allowed to remain in the maze once they’ve ‘fulfilled their destiny’. Even female babies are returned to the world above. Sekall’s mate gave birth to a girl, and they were scheduled for removal. Desperate to remain with his beloved and watch his daughter grow up, he petitioned the elders, asking permission for his family to remain in the world below. He told the soldiers that the elders were using the Customs to control them. He tried to get enough support to force the elders to reconsider their position. The elders refused. The world below has always been inhabited by men, and they had no intention of changing the arrangement.

“That’s insane.”

“Not entirely.” His gaze shifted to Echo with the phrase. Was she actually defending the Customs? “The maze is a military outpost for highly trained mercenaries. Unless the women want to become soldiers, what place do they have in such a facility? The City of Tears has limited housing for families, but most of the soldiers there still live in barracks.”

“Are you sure he only transmitted images? You seem a bit too accepting of all this.”

Echo waved away her mother’s concern and Varrik wanted to hug her. Actually, he hadn’t stopped wanting to hug her. “A sweeper was assigned to extract all memory of the maze from the mind of Sekall’s mate. Before the sweeper could do his job, though, Sekall teleported her and the baby out of the maze. No one knew where he had found her, so he brought her back here. As soon as he returned to the maze, he was arrested and tried for treason.”

“It’s treason to want to be with your mate and be part of your child’s life?”

“It was more complicated than that. Sekall had openly defied the elders and encouraged others to do the same.”

“Why did he return to the maze? He could have stayed here with his mate and daughter.”

“And leave his twelve-cycles-old brother at the mercy of the elders?” Echo shook her head. “Sekall was afraid they’d use Varrik to lure him back.”

“I’m guessing the trial didn’t go well.”

“He was executed and Varrik was forced to watch.”

“Oh, dear god,” Charlotte said from behind her hand.

“As Sekall’s life force ebbed, he sent Varrik an image. He showed him this cottage and pleaded with Varrik to keep them safe.” She relayed the information with calm detachment, but Varrik remembered each nuance, the raspy sound of his brother’s voice, the angry shouts of the soldiers, and the sickening stench of blood. “For eleven cycles, Varrik made sure they were safe and had everything they needed. He guarded the location of this cottage with all his considerable abilities. Then, one day he came to the cottage and they were gone, just vanished.” He pressed his back against the cottage wall. Ten cycles had passed, and he could still taste the fear, feel the thundering of his heart as he searched the surrounding forest. All to no avail. “The biggest regret of Varrik’s life is failing his brother.”

“I’m not so sure he failed.” Varrik pushed away from the wall and moved closer to Charlotte. “About ten cycles ago, a woman was found wandering in Mystic Valley. She was delirious with fever, as was her little girl. The woman swore she lived alone in these mountains. Everyone thought it was part of her delirium.”

“Did she survive the illness?” Echo spoke the question for him as blood rushed through his ears. “What happened to her?”

“The healers weren’t able to save the woman, but her daughter, Shaelee, is training to be a Mystic.”

* * * * *

“Why are you shouting at me?” Lilt dar Joon demanded.

North seethed within his Shadow form, his dislike of Lilt growing with each word the Ontarian uttered. “If I hadn’t spent so much time with you and that whore, I would have been there to—”

“Protect your whore?”

“Aila is the least of my concerns. She is one piece in a much larger puzzle.” North closed his hands into fists to keep from pummeling his companion. After learning the specifics of the current situation in the maze, North returned to Fortress Joon. “E’Lanna is gone. Echo is gone. And Varrik is gone!”

“None of which has anything to do with me.” Lilt’s volume grew right alongside North’s, sending fury sizzling through the elder. Lilt better learn to show the proper respect, or there would be many more violations of the treaty!

“Despite my frustration, I’m not here to place blame.” His voice sounded dark and strained. “South is campaigning against me.”

“South has been threatening to take control of the maze ever since you killed your brother.”

North solidified his fist and punched Lilt squarely in the jaw, snapping his head to the side. A mental compulsion would have been more efficient, but North welcomed the pain. That was the problem with allies. They inevitably created loose ends.

“Have you lost your mind?!” Lilt covered his jaw with his hand and stared at North’s shadowy form. “How the hell did you do that?”

Heaving an exasperated sigh, North purged the tension from his mind. The “accident” that established his claim to Tribe North was ancient history. He needed to think, to plan. All these emotions were distorting his reason. “You’ve frequently asked me for an opportunity to shift your son’s allegiance.”

“I’m listening.”

“I will allow Lor into the Shadow Maze under the pretext of rescuing the twins.”

“But the twins aren’t in the maze.”

“Lor doesn’t know that.”

“Go on.”

“During the course of this rescue, Lor will encounter and kill Elder South.”

Lilt held up his first two fingers. “Two questions. How will you make my peace-loving son commit murder, and how will murdering your enemy sway Lor’s allegiance?”

“I’m going to locate Elder South, sear the life from his treacherous body, and leave him for Lor to find.”

“All right. How will this turn Lor away from the Mystics?”

“Lor will plead his innocence, but the evidence against him will be incontrovertible.” North relaxed, pleased with his new plan. “When the Mystics look at him with doubt and disappointment, and Tribe South demands his blood, you will swoop in to rescue your wayward son. If he foolishly refuses your assistance, you can always let Tribe South execute him.”

“You have a truly diabolical mind.”

“Thank you.”

“Will I finally get to see the Shadow Maze?”

North stared at Lilt, all the possibilities scrolling through his mind. “If all goes as planned, South will be destroyed once and for all, and Lor will never realize you were involved in any of this.”

Lilt seemed a bit disappointed. “How long will it take to set up?”

“I’m not sure. If Varrik takes the twins directly to their parents, it will force my hand. I’d rather give South time to rally his men. They must be in the mood for distraction when they find South’s burnt corpse.”

* * * * *

Varrik raked his hair with both hands. He wanted to disintegrate his invisibility shield and question Charlotte about the woman they’d found in Mystic Valley, but Echo had much still to share. He inhaled slowly and released his breath in a silent rush. It wasn’t just the High Queen’s understanding that he craved. Every word Echo spoke in his defense was a warm balm to his weary soul.

“I’m sorry Varrik’s past was tragic, however, it doesn’t justify his actions, much less lend him nobility.”

“There’s a bit more you need to understand before I explain his thinking.” Echo paused to rub her temples. Had the deluge of information given her a headache? A lesser mind would have shut down.

“Are you all right?” Charlotte asked. “We can continue this after you’ve relaxed for a while.”

“I’d rather finish now. Once we get home, I’m going to sink into a hot bath and stay there until my skin wrinkles.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Varrik pictured her reclining in a tub, water swirling around her naked body, surrounded by luxury and candlelight. She deserved to be coddled and protected after what he’d put her through. So why did he see himself beside her, climbing in with her, kissing and caressing her until their bodies put off more heat than the water? Even now he couldn’t imagine a future without her.

“As I said before, the maze can only be entered or exited via teleportation.”

“You know this or you suspect?”

“For many of the images to make sense it has to work that way.”

“Explain what you mean.”

“The elders, the hunters, and some of the sweepers can teleport. The soldiers are separated into squadrons, and only the squad leaders are able to teleport. The rest of the soldiers are trapped in the maze, until their squad leaders take them out for specific assignments.”

A long pause followed as Charlotte digested the details. She shook her head and compassion clouded her gaze. Varrik watched her closely, wishing he were truly empathic. “No wonder Sekall was so desperate for change.”

“Sekall wasn’t the first or the last inhabitant to oppose the Customs.” Varrik dragged his gaze back to Echo, trepidation squeezing his heart. That sounded like a segue into the night Bemzire died, but he hadn’t transmitted those memories. “Varrik did everything in his power to disguise his abilities from the elders. He didn’t want to be a sweeper, but his uncle realized his potential.”

How did she know this? He hadn’t included Bemzire in the infusion. He never spoke of that night, did his best to avoid ever thinking of those wretched events.

“How do you force someone to manipulate memories? It requires a level of control few can master.”

“There was a hunter named Bemzire. I got the impression he and Varrik were very close.”

Bemzire had taken over his supervision after Sekall’s death. Bemzire had been both friend and mentor to Varrik, a complex mixture of father and brother. Varrik turned away from the women, memories ravaging his composure. Echo had to finish her explanation, so he reinforced his shield.

“Bemzire was Sekall’s staunchest supporter. He stood beside Varrik at his brother’s execution, soothed him and calmed him, so the elders wouldn’t have the pleasure of seeing Varrik lose control.” Varrik trembled as she spoke. Each word pelted his soul like hail. “Bemzire waited for Varrik to mature, hoping he’d take up where Sekall left off.”

“Did he? Is Varrik a rebel?”

“If I don’t relate the events in order, you’ll never understand.” Charlotte accepted the gentle reprimand, so Echo continued her tale. “When it came time for Bemzire to hunt, he found a woman who appealed to him as no other woman ever had. He brought her to the maze and intentionally kept her from conceiving for nearly three cycles. Then she gave birth to a boy.”

“Is this leading where I think it’s leading?”

Echo crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze bright with unshed tears. Her pity compounded Varrik’s tumult. Why would she feel sorry for him? He’d been so merciless with her.

“The lovers came to Varrik the night before the woman was scheduled to be released. By then, Elder North had realized Varrik was hiding his abilities and decided to use the situation to his advantage. Varrik warned the elders that Bemzire intended to take his family and escape.”

“Why would Varrik warn the elders? Didn’t the lovers have a better chance away from the maze?”

Embers of guilt burst to life within Varrik, consuming his calm and tormenting his mind. He smothered a groan, clenching and unclenching his fists. Heaped on top of his brother’s memory, that question had haunted him for the past two cycles.

“They never would have made it that far. There is a special team that has honed their skills beyond those of the other hunters. Bemzire wouldn’t have stood a chance against the alpha hunters.” She spoke the excuse Varrik always used to silence his self-recriminations. It might even be true. He would never know. “Varrik thought he was saving Bemzire from himself. Instead the elders summoned Varrik to the discipline hall and tortured Bemzire to death while the woman watched. They told Varrik she would live with the memory for the rest of her life unless he swept it from her mind. She refused to let Varrik near her, so the elders raped her, one after the other. When they finally allowed Varrik to touch her, he cast her into sleep thrall and purged her mind of the abuse as well as of Bemzire’s murder.”

Charlotte stared at her daughter, too stunned to speak. Varrik wrapped his arms around his middle, fighting back the need to vomit. He hadn’t meant to share this much, to subject her to those memories.

“From that day to this, he has used his abilities to ease the suffering of the captives. If they need to remember the child they carried within their bodies, he leaves them with the memory of the baby’s face. Those who want oblivion, he sweeps completely, leaving no trace of the world below. Are you beginning to get the picture?”

Rubbing her eyes with her fingertips, Charlotte took a long time to answer. Was she still unmoved by the events? “I don’t know what to say. His life has been rife with hardship and tragedy. Still, it doesn’t justify what he did to you and E’Lanna.”

“His abilities are unusually strong, yet they are no match for the elders. Not even the sweepers know the location of the maze.”

Little by little, balance returned to Varrik’s emotions. Curiosity eroded his sorrow. Determination allowed him to push back the pain. He hadn’t intentionally revealed these things to Echo. How had she absorbed so much without his knowledge?

“If they teleport in and out, how is that possible?” Charlotte’s question drew him from his musing.

“There’s a sort of homing signal. Only the elders know the actual location of the maze. All the others lock on to the signal and teleport on faith.”

“What exactly was Varrik hoping to accomplish by capturing you?”

“He knew who my parents were and thought our child might stand a chance against the elders. He intended to train our son, to shape him into—”

“Echo, are you pregnant? Did this man—”

“No. I constructed an energy barrier.”

“Then…he did rape you.”

“No. He took nothing I didn’t offer willingly.”

Charlotte wrapped her arms around Echo as tears streamed down the High Queen’s cheeks. “He seduced you. He used your passionate nature against you and…”

Echo rubbed her mother’s back and whispered in a language Varrik didn’t understand. The bittersweet irony was more than he could stand. He was the villain Charlotte presumed, yet Echo defended him still. Every gasp, every sigh, returned to mock him. How could he have used her so ruthlessly?

“You still don’t understand.” Echo eased her mother back so she could look into her eyes. “The elders are manipulating Varrik’s actions to mount hostilities against each other. They’re on the brink of war. That’s why he released us from the maze.”

“Where is he now?”

Echo looked right at him, and Varrik’s heart missed a beat. How long had she sensed him standing there? Nothing could penetrate his invisibility shield.

“Despite his uncle’s betrayal, despite everything, Varrik is going to return to the maze and fight to free the soldiers trapped there by the Customs.”

Chapter Ten

“Is every word you’ve spoken true?”

Echo swallowed hard. It was possible Varrik manipulated the memories, but the sheer volume of information she’d extracted made it unlikely. “Yes.”

“Has he ever arbitrarily taken a life?”

“Unless he had an assignment before Sekall’s murder, Varrik has never killed anyone, period. I viewed all his memories beginning with that night.”

“Then tell him to lower his shield. I would like to speak with him.”

Echo forced herself not to look at him. She’d first noticed the sporadic rippling when she mentioned Bemzire, but her mother had given no indication that she sensed another person in the room. “What do you mean?”

“I thought what I felt was a remnant of his presence, but your emotions spiked when you looked at him. This is no time for you to imitate E’Lanna.”

Varrik faded into view and bowed from the waist. “Your Majesty.”

Charlotte looked him up and down, her expression assessing and wary. “You are part of the world below. Why would you bow to me?”

“Because you’re Echo’s mother.”

“Don’t you dare speak of my daughter!” She closed the distance between them with two angry strides. “My questions have nothing to do with your recent crimes.”

“He didn’t—”

“Don’t!”

Echo backed off. The situation was far too volatile for her to indulge her temper. Varrik stood as he did so often, with his hands clasped behind his back. His hair surrounded his face and brushed his shoulders. She was thankful for the softening effect on his angular features. At least he didn’t look quite so mean.

“How imminent is this war, and how likely is it to spread beyond the maze?”

He stiffened at the insinuation. Would she only offer assistance if the fighting spread to the world above? Echo stayed silent. This was between the High Queen and Varrik.

“Elder South opposed my uncle’s appointment. The hostilities have escalated from there. It’s Elder South’s intention to reunite the tribes under one leader, himself. He has been waiting for just the right opportunity to launch his campaign.”

“And the soldiers will be ordered to fight regardless of their opinions?”

“Soldiers don’t have opinions. They are slaves.”

“What keeps the squadron leaders from rebelling?”

“Mental compulsions and fear.”

That caught Echo’s attention. Were the sweepers required to do more than erase memories? Varrik was capable of constructing mental compulsions, but she’d seen no such incident when she scanned his mind.

“How many men are we talking about?”

“There are ten men per squadron and one hundred squadrons per tribe.”

“Four thousand men?”

“Approximately.”

“Four hundred with the ability to teleport?” He nodded. “How many hunters?”

“Fifty-two.”

“Six sweepers and four elders.”

Varrik nodded again.

“How many women are currently incarcerated in the maze?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“Give me an educated guess.” Charlotte’s tone was brittle, her eyes narrowed and bright. “One hundred, several hundred?”

“Including the pleasure givers, it might be two hundred. My guess would be closer to one.”

“Pleasure givers? You have prostitutes in the maze?”

Tension built with each terse exchange. Soon they’d be snarling at each other. Varrik was doing a better job of concealing his emotions than her mother. “Most of the pleasure givers are recruited off world,” Echo added.

“Well, I’m sure glad they aren’t kidnapping what few Ontarian females we have and forcing them to service the sexual needs of four thousand men.”

“All the pleasure givers are in the maze by choice,” Varrik told her. “They’re compensated for their—”

“It’s only the breeders you force?” She raised her hand and shook her head. “Don’t answer that. If we get started on the specifics of your delightful customs, I’m sure to lose interest in this negotiation.”

“Negotiation?” Though spoken quietly, conflicting emotions textured the word. “How can I negotiate when I have nothing to offer you? You clearly despise everything I am.”

“I’m very interested in the permanent disbanding of the Shadow Assassins. Your willingness to share these insights indicates an interest in the same. Am I wrong?”

“I’m interested in freeing the soldiers from the ruthless control of the elders. I’m interested in introducing the tribes to a different way of life, a life that doesn’t include coerced mating and captivity.”

“Then, however tenuous, we have a common ground.” She stared at him in strained silence for another moment. “Is it your intention to return to the maze immediately?”

“It is.”

Echo’s heart sank. He was leaving. He would return to the world below, and she might never see him again. She wasn’t sure why she should care, but her heart ached at the thought.

“If you postpone your return until this time tomorrow,” her mother said, “I’ll return with a list of services and/or supplies I’m willing to provide.”

“My uncle is the only one who can confirm my absence from the maze. It’s in his best interest right now for Elder South not to know I departed. If I’m to wait for you here, I need your word that you’ll keep my location a secret.”

“Agreed. And I have one condition for you. Under no circumstances are you ever to come near either of my daughters again.”

His gaze filled with regret, and Varrik whispered, “Agreed.”

* * * * *

Submerged to the chin in a bathtub filled with fragrant water, Echo closed her eyes and refused to think about Varrik. E’Lanna was safe. She was safe. Varrik would either convince Elder North to release E’Lanna from his spell, or Varrik would be forced to kill him. Her parents would determine what assistance they could offer Varrik in his quest to free the soldiers, then life would go on as before. It was almost over. That’s all that mattered. She couldn’t allow anything else to matter.

Her misadventure in the world below would soon be a distant memory, a savage departure from life in her gilded cage. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her breasts, ignoring the odd ache deep in her abdomen.

His eyes appeared to her first, those captivating, blue-ringed eyes that burned into her soul. Angular, nearly harsh features followed, and then his lean, agile body. Desire and anger lit his gaze. The blue rings in his eyes glowed so brightly she could feel the warmth on her face.

“Don’t do this, Echo.” His tone sounded harsh and strangled. “You’re only making it harder for both of us.”

“I’m not doing anything. Get out of my mind.”

“I’m not in your mind. Look around you, Princess. This is my world. You came to me.”

Confused, Echo turned her head and took in her surroundings. Her bathtub sat in the middle of the crystal chamber. Multicolored light shimmered all around them, reflecting off the surface of her bathwater and gleaming in his unbound hair. She was free of this, free of him. Why had she projected her being back into the maze?

“Release the visualization, and we’ll both wake up.”

She closed her eyes and pictured the understated elegance of her bedroom.

“Try harder,” he snapped. “I risked my life to return you to your parents.”

“I’m not doing this on purpose. I can’t dream share.”

He laughed. “You could have fooled me.”

Annoyed by his attitude, she folded her arms on the rim of the tub and got to her knees. “I don’t know where we are, but this isn’t the metaphysical plane. I didn’t summon you here—at least not intentionally.”

His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. “What were you thinking about right before you arrived here?”

“How relieved I was to be free of the maze.”

“Sure you were.” Stalking to the tub, he encircled her upper arms with his fingers and dragged her to her feet. “You weren’t thinking about the pleasure we shared or how abruptly it came to an end? You weren’t imagining my mouth on yours or my hands roaming over your body?”

“You’re an arrogant jerk! The only thought I had of you was how relieved I was to be rid of you.”

“Right.” Sweeping her legs out from under her, he lifted her into his arms. “That’s why we’re both naked in the one room where you weren’t restrained. You want this as much as I do.”

He was right. This was where she’d learned his name, where he’d first brought her to orgasm, where she’d begun to think of him as a person, not her captor.

“Before or after?” he asked.

“Before or after what?”

“Are you going to explain how you saw my entire life in the blink of an eye before or after I fuck you senseless?”

Heat unraveled within her, sending tingles to all her erogenous zones. He was rude and domineering, arrogant and relentless. She understood the events that had shaped his past now, but understanding didn’t change his personality. He would ravish her, devour her—and she wanted nothing more.

“After,” she breathed, her toes curling in anticipation. He sat on the smooth bench and arranged her astride his lap. With no preliminaries, he found her entrance and thrust home. She cried out, her inner walls rippling as she adjusted to his demanding length.

“No more pretending.” His thumb circled her clit while his other hand explored her skin, sweeping from her neck to her knees. “I’ve never felt as alive as when I’m inside you.” He paused to roll her nipple, and Echo groaned. “Did you summon me here?” he asked.

The ache was gone. He filled the void, completing her. “I must have.”

He rolled his hips, pushing his shaft deeper. “Not good enough. Say you want me inside you.”

“I want you inside me.” This wasn’t real. Dream, fantasy, or vision, it didn’t matter. She could indulge her longings one last time, allow herself to experience the pleasure she’d only known in Varrik’s arms. There was nothing to stop her, no reason to resist.

He began to move, pairing each shallow thrust with the circular motion of his thumb. “Kiss me,” he ordered. “I want your tongue in my mouth.”

She took his face between her hands and pressed her mouth over his. Before she could deepen the kiss, however, his tongue surged into her mouth. With a chuckle, she gave him a little nip and resumed her sensual exploration. She traced his lips and enjoyed the soft inner flesh of his mouth. Finally, she curled her tongue around his, accepting his bold response. Their tongues slid from his mouth to hers and back again.

His rhythm changed. He filled her with deep, driving thrusts, his thumb stroking up one side of her clit as he pushed in and down the other as he pulled out. She squeezed him, rocking her hips in time to his upward lunges. So hot, so sweet, so—perfect.

Tension gathered low in her belly. Her core contracted, and her womb tingled, preparing for release. She dragged her mouth away from his and arched her back. Her throaty cries filled the chamber. His hands moved to her hips, and he thrust to the hilt, triggering her orgasm with his thumb. She shook, her thighs clenching his hips, while her inner muscles pulsed. Good. So damn good! Why was it only like this with Varrik?

He lifted her off his lap, and she realized he hadn’t joined her in release. He was still hard and ready for another position. Turning her around, he bent her over until her forearms rested against the bench. She moved her legs apart without having to be told.

“Oh, stars, I could spend the next two cycles just looking at you.” He knelt behind her and caressed his way from her knees to her ass. “Your skin is flawless. Your body designed for pleasure.”

Not just designed for pleasure. Designed for his pleasure. Her passion-muddled mind accepted the distinction with a shiver. He traced her slit and eased one long finger into her snug passage. It was a teasing reminder of what she’d been enjoying a few moments before.

“Do you want more?”

“Gods, yes. I need you inside me.”

“Need.” She could hear the smile in his tone. “I like the sound of that.”

But he didn’t give her what she needed. He sat on the floor and ducked beneath her, resting the back of his head against the bench. Raising her hands to the crystal wall, she watched his eyes as he grabbed her hips and pulled her toward his waiting mouth. Parting her folds with his tongue, he effortlessly located her swollen clit. Darts of pleasure flew into her belly and up her spine. Would he ever allow her to explore his body as thoroughly as he explored hers? Having a ravenous lover was blissful, but these pleasures should be shared.

Bending her knees, she brought herself closer, pressed against his lips and eagerly rode his tongue. It was so decadent, so blatantly erotic. He held her securely and tongued her with insistent care. Restless sensations gathered, spinning outward until her skin tingled and her nipples ached.

As if the sweet lash of his tongue weren’t enough, he eased his hand between her thighs and pushed two fingers into her sopping pussy. She whimpered and arched her neck, her hair brushing the small of her back. His hand pumped slow and deep, his little finger sneaking up to rub against her other entrance. Would he push inside as he’d done in the shower? Oh gods, did he intend to take her there? With a strangled moan, she came in hard, pulsing waves. He left his fingers inside her until the last ripple passed.

“I think you liked that.” He circled her with his little finger and smiled into her eyes. “Shall we explore?”

“No. I want to touch you and taste you. You’ve barely let me…” He moved so fast and ignored her so completely that she let her objections trail away. Scooting out from under her, he positioned her as she’d been before, leaning over the bench, braced on her forearms.

“You didn’t happen to manifest a tube of lubricant while you were—”

“I don’t want you to do that to me.”

He chuckled and trailed his fingers down her spine. “I could change your mind, but this is your fantasy not mine.” Before she could reply, he positioned himself between her thighs and entered in one long, steady drive. She should be accustomed to his size by now. Still she held her breath as her inner muscles stretched around him.

Holding her hips with both hands, he thrust, establishing the forceful rhythm they both craved. She arched her back into each stroke, reveling in his aggression. One of his hands moved to cup her breast, catching the nipple between his strong fingers. He knew just how to touch her, how hard to press before the intensity became pain.

Their cries filled the chamber as he pushed deep, again and again. She canted her hips, lifting her bottom in an unconscious invitation. His hand swept down her side and caressed the small of her back. All the while he drove into her fast and hard. He squeezed one of her bottom cheeks, his thumb dipping in between. She squirmed away from his probing thumb, but he located his target, doing no more than rubbing her for a long while. Gradually she relaxed, focused on the smooth slide of his thick shaft.

“You’re so wet. So, ready—for anything.” He pushed his thumb inside with his next thrust. She clenched her hands into fists and whimpered. His shaft already stretched her to capacity. The additional fullness drove the sensations higher. She didn’t think it was possible for the pleasure to be more intense, yet a new level of excitement unfurled within her.

He left his thumb lodged inside her, content with her surrender. His hips never stopped their strong rocking as she accepted this new intimacy. Only after the tension eased from her back did he begin to move. He drew his thumb nearly out as he thrust his shaft deep. Swirling heat passed through her abdomen. Her inner muscles constricted, accenting the duel penetration.

“Oh gods…” She panted. “Oh, Varrik!”

It was all the encouragement he needed. Working her body with ruthless skill, he sent sensations ricocheting from her abdomen to her chest and back. Pleasure built within her, heat combined with tension, urgency ready to spring. Her knees pressed tightly to the smooth edge of the bench as he claimed her trembling flesh.

He brushed the hair away from her neck as he drove deep one last time. She shook beneath and against him, lost in the shattering orgasm. His mouth fastened on to her skin, marking her as he pumped his seed into her body. She hung suspended by the pleasure, breathless and shaken. He caressed the mark he’d created with his tongue as she drifted down from the powerful climax.

The last tingle hadn’t yet left her body when he whispered above her ear, “Let’s see if the water’s still warm. We need to talk.”

Varrik looked around the crystal chamber as Echo settled back against him in the bathtub. If she hadn’t intentionally summoned him to the metaphysical plane, then where the hell were they? Her soft, supple body felt so good, he wasn’t sure he cared where they were. Still, ignoring the conflict brewing in the maze wouldn’t make it go away.

“What will happen when you return to the maze?” she asked, her thoughts in line with his.

“I’ll convince North I had to release E’Lanna to protect her from South. That’s not only plausible; it’s more or less true.”

“What about me?”

“As far as North knows, I’ve got you stashed somewhere beyond the maze. At this point, it’s better if North believes I still trust him.”

“What are you hoping Mother can do for you?”

“If we can round up the elders before it comes to an all-out war, the rest should be pretty straightforward.” He wrapped one arm around her slender waist and cupped her breast with his other hand. “Don’t try and distract me. You absorbed a whole lot more of my life than I sent to you. How did you do it?”

“I’m not sure there’s a term for what I do. Uncle Trey calls it Mystic voyeurism.”

“Uncle Trey? The Director of Covert Ops?”

“That’s the one.”

Her fighting skills and her calm composure, it was starting to make sense. “You’re a covert agent?”

“Among other things. Each time Uncle Trey wants to use me, he has to convince my parents that I’m absolutely essential to the mission. I wasn’t lying about my career aspirations. I really do want to belong to the Symposium someday.”

“In the meantime you were trained as a covert agent at the City of Tears?”

“Most of my instructors came to me. It’s a security nightmare whenever I go anywhere.”

“All right.” He marveled at her courage. Why would the High Queen’s daughter put herself at risk? She certainly didn’t need the compensation. “How does this voyeurism work?”

“I establish a link and watch all or part of a person’s memories. Unlike what you do, when I share a person’s life, the memories remain intact.”

“We were only linked for a moment. In that time you were able to memorize every event that happened in my life from Sekall’s execution to the present?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that. I remember everything I see, but memories aren’t always accurate. Emotions and perspective can taint the events. I can view four different people’s recollections of a situation and get four very different accountings of what took place.”

Varrik nodded, his mind spinning on ahead. “Still, some facts aren’t changed by emotion.”

“What are you getting at?”

“If you viewed North’s memories, would he show you the location and layout of the maze?”

“As long as he actually knows where it is and how it’s laid out.”

“The elders are the only ones who do.” It couldn’t be this easy. Hoarding information had been the primary strategy for controlling the occupants.

“My parents will never allow me to return to the maze. Is that what you’re thinking?”

“Our ignorance has kept us weak. It’s called the Shadow Maze for a reason. There is a central common area, but the rest is a twisting web of corridors and cells meant to isolate and confuse.”

“You’ve lived there your entire life, and you don’t know the layout of the maze?”

“I have more access than most, but I’ve only been in the North areas.”

“You can manipulate memories.” She paused to look at him over her shoulder. “What prevents you from finding the information you need?”

“My gift doesn’t work that way. I’m only vaguely aware of the memories I erase.”

She squirmed against him, obviously uncomfortable with the direction his thoughts had taken. “Let’s wait to see what my mother has to offer. You may not need me.”

He smiled against her damp hair. It didn’t matter what the High Queen offered him. He would always need Echo.

* * * * *

With a ragged sigh, Echo emerged from the sensual haze. She was back in the palace, alone in her bathtub, a blanket of iridescent bubbles floating on the water. Every touch, every consuming sensation had been so real. Had she subconsciously summoned Varrik to a shared dream? To her knowledge, dream sharing wasn’t among her abilities.

How long had she been lost in the fantasy? She hadn’t activated the jets or the heating mechanism, so it couldn’t have been long. The water was still warm.

She blew out a shaky breath and stood. “Dry.” Warm air swirled around her body as she reached for a wide-toothed comb. She touched the adjacent wall and said, “Mirror.” The silver matte surface transformed, reflecting her image. Her troubled gaze stared back from a face shadowed with fatigue. She was free. She was safe. So why was she miserable?

Dragging the comb through her long hair, she ignored the conflict twisting through her. Varrik was a phantom, a dark and dangerous memory. They might occupy the same planet, but they were from completely different worlds.

A faint discoloration drew her attention to her neck. She stepped out of the tub and closer to the mirror. As he thrust into her body the last time, Varrik had marked her with his mouth. She remembered the pleasure/pain of the forceful suction. Her physical body had been affected by whatever Mystic phenomenon brought them together. She pressed her hand against her abdomen and closed her eyes. She hadn’t bothered to construct an energy barrier. Was it possible she would conceive?

With a frustrated sigh, she slipped on a dressing gown and walked into her bedroom. Who could she ask without unleashing pandemonium? Either of her parents would blame the incident on Varrik. After all, he could manipulate minds.

She glanced around her bedroom, restless and confused. Easily twice the size of Varrik’s private quarters, the room had every comfort money could buy. She dismissed it all with an indifferent shrug, longing for a rumpled bed—and stout wrist cuffs.

Someone tapped on the privacy panel. Expecting her mother, Echo squared her shoulders and reinforced her emotional shields. She was too upset right now, and her mother saw too much.

“Come in.” The panel slid open and Saebin entered the room. Relief washed over Echo and she rushed into the older woman’s arms. Saebin was her favorite aunt, the relative with whom she spent the most time.

“You look like hell, sweetheart.”

Echo laughed. From anyone else, the comment would have made her angry, but Saebin never pulled her punches. Dressed in a light blue pantsuit that complemented her blonde beauty, Saebin was just what Echo needed. When Echo had expressed an interest in becoming a covert agent, Saebin volunteered to mentor her. In the ten cycles that followed, they had formed a bond closer than friendship.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Echo said.

“I thought you might need a sounding board right about now. A sounding board that wouldn’t be devastated by whatever you had to say.” They moved to the sitting area across the room. Echo chose a soft armchair, and Saebin sat on the sofa facing her. “A Mystic healer and a conventional doctor examined E’Lanna. Guess what they discovered?”

“That the compulsion can’t be deactivated without Elder North?”

“How’d you guess?”

Brushing her damp hair away from her face, Echo shook her head. “I told Mom and Dad what it would take while we were in the cottage.”

“Did you really expect your parents to take your word for any of this? You’ve been ‘brainwashed by that villain’. They have to protect you from yourself.”

“Oh, please.” Echo crossed her arms over her chest, annoyance knitting her brow. “Do they really think I’m that weak? Even if Varrik had forced himself on me—which he didn’t—it wouldn’t have shattered my mind.”

“I know what brainwashing takes. It can’t be done in a matter of days. Besides, I’ve seen you in action. Your parents will always see you as a little girl.”

“Varrik is half Rodyte. I’m sure they’ve empowered him with all sorts of wild abilities.”

“You saw into his mind. What are his true abilities?”

“He can teleport and manipulate brainwaves. He’s had the most experience working with memories, but he can construct compulsions almost as strong as those designed by the elders.” Echo licked her lips and glanced away from Saebin’s crystal-blue gaze. “I saw the world from his perspective. It wasn’t a pleasant reality.”

“Has he been ruined by his past?”

“No. It’s made him ruthless and suspicious, but his heart is—”

“Noble?” Saebin chuckled. “Your mother has taken a passionate dislike to the word.”

“Regardless of her opinion, the word is accurate. Varrik is noble and selfless and resolute. He’s also stubborn and desperate.” Embarrassed by her own vehemence, Echo cleared her throat and said, “Mother promised Varrik she would keep his location a secret. Is the entire Joint Council downstairs?”

Saebin shook her head. “Just Tal, Trey, and Lyrik.”

“The Head Master of the Conservatory, the Director of Covert Ops, and the Overlord.” Echo pushed to her feet and tightened the belt keeping her robe closed. “This isn’t going to help Varrik. We need to move quickly and stealthily.”

“I agree—to an extent. If I understand the conflict correctly, the initial attack only needs to take out the elders. After they’ve been neutralized, we will require a larger force to assist with the evacuation, but—”

“We will require? Are you volunteering to help us?”

“That depends.” The hint of a smile curved the corners of Saebin’s mouth. “I love your parents dearly, but they’re both bureaucrats. Trey leaned across me and whispered to Lyrik, ‘The right strike team could avert this war before these two agree on whether or not they’re going to get involved.’ My hubby just laughed, but it started me thinking.”

“You and I are the right strike team?”

“We might be.” She smiled. “Put on your best kicking-ass-clothes and take me to this evil debaucher. I have a feeling I’m going to like him.”

Chapter Eleven

Varrik looked from Echo to Saebin and back, unsure what to make of the new arrival. Echo’s telepathic request had taken him by surprise. He had still been trying to figure out how they had ended up dream sharing, when he heard her voice inside his mind.

She transmitted a locater signal, allowing him to flash into her bedroom and teleport the two women back to the cottage. If Saebin’s shields were as dense as she claimed, no one would be the wiser.

Moments after they solidified in the cottage, Saebin stripped off her ordinary clothes and revealed formfitting body armor.

“Where’s your mother?” he asked Echo.

“I’m a lot more fun than Charlotte. Everyone tells me so,” Saebin answered for her niece. “My life mate is Overlord Lyrik.”

“Aunt Saebin trained me.”

“I suspect we’ll need backup at some point, but right now our greatest advantage is the element of surprise. What are the chances of finding all four elders in one place at the same time?”

“That depends on South. Ordinarily the elders spend several hours each day in their meeting room.”

“Do your implants work on Rodytes?” Echo asked.

Saebin’s looked at him and shrugged. “There’s one easy way to find out.”

Darkness overtook Varrik so quickly, he wasn’t able to struggle.

Laughter drew him back from the abyss.

“That wasn’t nice.” Echo knelt beside him, her warm hand pressed against his forehead.

“No one ever accused me of being nice.”

Varrik sat up and shook his head, his ear ringing. “What the hell did you do to me?”

“I have neurostimulators that amplify my Mystic abilities,” Saebin stated casually.

“How nice for you,” he grumbled as Echo helped him to his feet.

“We need to get Echo near one of the elders so she can absorb the layout of the maze. What are we likely to face once we get down there?”

“I can explain Echo’s presence in the maze. How am I going to account for you?”

“I tried to interfere when you returned E’Lanna, and you captured me as well.”

Varrik shook his head. “With you dressed like that, no one would believe it.” He stared at her for a moment, encouraged by her abilities. If the overlord’s life mate was cybernetically enhanced, perhaps his people wouldn’t seem so strange.

“Then teach me how to construct an invisibility shield.”

A cold chill skittered down his spine. Was this why they were being so helpful?

“We have nothing to gain by helping you.”

Varrik narrowed his gaze on Saebin’s face. How many abilities did her neurostimulators amplify? “Why are you here?”

“I thought there were four thousand people waiting to be rescued.” Saebin looked at Echo. “If he doesn’t want our help…”

“Are you a naturally strong shielder?” he asked, ignoring Saebin’s annoyance.

“I’m not a naturally strong anything. However, my implants allow me to master most skills quickly. When do the elders have their meetings?”

“Midday.”

“Then we better get started.”

It took her a little over an hour to learn how to consistently modulate her external shields creating the illusion of invisibility. “This is amazing,” he said. “Many of the soldiers are never able to create the illusion.”

“What about weapons?” Echo asked. “You and Saebin are perpetually armed. I’d feel less vulnerable with a little something tucked up my sleeve.”

“There’s a munitions scanner on the arrival deck. We’d only draw attention to ourselves.” He looked at Saebin, his curiosity once again piqued. “What sort of weapons are you concealing?”

She made a fist and showed him the knuckle conduit that allowed her to release energy in concentrated bursts. “I’ve never set off a scanner. That’s part of the design.”

“Are others equipped with these implants?”

She grinned. “If I told you that, I’d have to kill you. Are we going to do this or not?”

* * * * *

North stared at Minekus, his teeth clenched so tightly his jaw ached. “I’ll only ask you one more time. Where is Elder South?”

“You can repeat the question as many times as you like. The answer isn’t going to change. I don’t know where he is.” The head of security turned back to his control console, summarily dismissing North.

Fury churned within him. He was tempted to burst a blood vessel inside Minekus’s brain. Lor dar Joon lay unconscious in an isolated storage room. Smuggling him into the maze had been no simple feat. If the Mystic regained consciousness before North laid his trap, everything would be for naught. The only way to contain a pyrokin was to knock him out before he realized the threat. Once he regained his senses, there would be no controlling him.

North left the security center and stomped through the twisting corridors. Maybe East or West knew where he could find South. It was time for their daily meeting, and he needed to keep up appearances. He rounded a corner and collided with West.

“Where are you headed?” North asked as he stumbled back a step.

“To find you,” the other man informed him. “You didn’t respond to our page.”

“I’ve been distracted.” He didn’t ask about South. The others knew they despised each other. Any overt interest would raise eyebrows.

“East is setting up. Have you seen South?”

“No. I needed to speak with him about another matter, and even Minekus doesn’t know where he is.”

“That’s odd.” West shrugged. “Let’s get started. I’m sure he’ll show up.”

They entered the meeting room a short time later, and East greeted them with a distracted smile. He was fiddling with a gadget centered in the middle of the square table.

“What is that?” North asked.

“You know how Rodytes love their toys. Stirate Quentin is even worse than his brother when it comes to technology. He’s willing to beg, borrow, steal, or kill to get what he wants.”

Just the mention of the Rodyte leader made North uncomfortable. He saw little value in allying themselves with the Rodytes. In his opinion, it made more sense to form partnerships closer to their base of operations. Besides, if truth be told, they needed the Rodytes more than the Rodytes needed the Shadow Assassins. A position the Rodytes exploited at every turn.

East picked up the fist-sized object and pushed the subtle indention on the bottom. Light pulsed deep inside the translucent sphere. A flurry of sparks erupted, and then the device went dark.

“What does it do?” West asked.

“I have no idea,” East admitted. “Quentin sent it with his compliments. The message said he would check back later to see how we were enjoying—it.”

“Well, tell him it doesn’t work.” West took his seat and motioned for the others to do the same. “We have more pressing matters than a Rodyte toy.” Accusation filled his gaze as he fixed his attention on North. “What is going on with Varrik? My hunters are restless, and some of the most outlandish rumors are circulating.”

“Boredom has that effect on everyone.” North rested his forearms on the table and narrowed his gaze. “What your men need is a mission, or better yet a series of missions. Any chance—” A shrill alarm interrupted his comment. North pushed back his chair and hurried for the door. Worried that their conversations might be monitored, the elders had never allowed communication devices of any kind in the meeting room.

He activated the com panel in the corridor. “Minekus, report!”

Shouts and overlapping conversations came across the link before Minekus’s voice separated itself from the den. “Some sort of pulse erupted in your vicinity, then signals started blinking out all over the maze.”

“What! Is the pulse still live? What do you mean by blinking out?”

“Just what I said. Here one minute gone the next.” A garble of angry voices followed as North stared in stunned disbelief at the panel. “Hunters, sir. The hunters are disappearing.”

North darted back inside the meeting room and snatched the sphere off the table. He threw it to the floor and tried to smash it with the heel of his boot. Pain shot up his leg with each stomp, but the smooth sphere remained intact.

“It was a trap, you idiot!” he shouted at East. “This is some sort of homing device.”

“The Rodytes have found the maze?” East sounded aghast.

“Hunters started disappearing right after you activated this—”

“Disappearing?” West cut in. “How is that possible?”

“Ask East! He’s our resident Rodyte fan.” With the sphere in hand, North ran from the room. He had to get the device out of the maze. The scrambler shield prevented teleportation except from the departure deck. The damage was likely done, but he had to try something.

He came abreast of a doorway, and a black-clad woman stepped out, blocking his path. She pointed both fists at him. One centered on his chest, the other directed at his head. Her beauty distracted him for an instant, and a cool hand touched the side of his face. Heat sliced into his brain and energy rushed out. He screamed, grasping blindly for his unseen attacker. He caught a glimpse of Echo’s infuriated expression before everything went black.

* * * * *

“This son of a bitch has Lor locked in a closet,” Echo said in an urgent whisper. “He intends to incinerate South and blame it on Lor.”

Varrik stared at the elder crumpled at her feet, disbelief scrunching his features. His mouth opened as if he would speak, then he shook his head and asked, “Which closet?”

“I’ll show you.”

Saebin fell in behind them as they hustled down the corridor. “What does that one gain by blaming South’s murder on Lor?”

“He can rally the men behind a central cause and dispose of his rival all in one fell swoop.” Varrik seemed to recover from the surprise as they jogged. “Is South dead?”

“I don’t think so. North couldn’t find him.” Echo indicated a nondescript doorway, and Varrik scanned it open. “Something else is going on. North was really upset. The Rodytes sent some sort of…” Her words trailed away as she stepped into the storage compartment.

“Where is Lor?” Saebin asked.

Light flashed behind her, and Echo whipped around in time to see Varrik disappear. “What the—” Pain detonated deep in her chest. She reached out blindly for Saebin, lost in white-hot agony. Breath was frozen in her lungs, and her muscles refused to obey the frantic urging of her brain.

As suddenly as light overtook her, it sputtered out, and she was left in utter darkness.

* * * * *

Throbbing pain penetrated the darkness. Hurried, male voices spoke in a language Echo didn’t understand. Something brushed against the side of her face. She tried to raise her hand to escape the irritant, but she couldn’t move her arm. Panic surged through the pain, clearing her head. She opened her eyes and felt a second rush of adrenaline.

She was strapped to an examination table. A burly Rodyte glared at the man standing on the other side of the table. The second man had gray-tinted skin and a faintly reptilian appearance. Was he Linusian? The Rodytes often interacted with the people of Linusia.

The Rodyte made an angry gesture toward her, and the other man rested his hand on her forearm. Neither glanced down or sensed her wakefulness. She closed her eyes just to be safe and reached into the Linusian’s mind. Not wanting him to feel her presence, she kept her telepathic touch light and focused. She found the communications center of his brain and absorbed the three languages he was able to speak.

“Do you understand my dilemma?” the Rodyte was saying. The harsh, guttural language made him sound angry. “Stirate Quentin is expecting fifty-eight men. If I present him with the two females, he might be thrilled with the bonus, or he might kill me. There’s no way to anticipate his reaction. If I turn over the men and keep the women, I run the risk of his finding out and—”

“You’re dead for sure,” the other man replied. Echo moved deeper into his mind. His mother was Linusian, but his father was Rodyte. He snatched his hand back. “Sir, she’s awake.”

The Rodyte grabbed her chin and turned her head toward him. No longer needing to be subtle, she established a link and dove through his memories. Starting with the present, she sank no farther than was absolutely necessary. She couldn’t pick and choose which memories she viewed, so she’d learned early on to limit her contact. Varrik and the other men were locked in the hold. Elder South was on board! What did the Rodytes want with Elder South? The Rodyte captain didn’t know why Stirate Quentin wanted any of the men. It hadn’t been his place to ask.

“What did you just do to me?” His fingers dug into her face, nails making her skin sting.

“Why have you brought me here? What do you want?” She cried in Ontarian, making her voice sound as pathetic as possible. She retreated from his mind and opened a link to Saebin. No reply. Saebin was in a cell across from the men, still senseless from the teleportation pulse. Echo had never intentionally linked with Varrik before. Would he hear her if she sent out a seeker pulse, or would she only reveal her abilities to the Rodytes?

Her heart pounded and her lips trembled. She did nothing to conceal her fear, wanting the brute beside her to believe she was helpless and terrified—which wasn’t far from true.

The Rodyte eased his hurtful grip, keeping his fingers against her face. “Who are you? Why were you in the Shadow Maze?” He switched to Ontarian.

Opening her eyes, she concentrated on the painful throbbing in her head. Tears pooled behind her lashes and her vision blurred, distorting his face. “I was taken there against my will. Haven’t you heard what they do to women?”

“She looks familiar, sir,” the Linusian said in Rodyte. “I know I’ve seen her face before.”

The Rodyte acknowledged the warning with a subtle nod. “What did you do to me?”

“I’m mildly empathic. It was a reflex, nothing more. I won’t do it again.”

“Who is the other woman?”

“She’s my bodyguard. When the Shadow Assassins realized she would die before she allowed them to take me, they captured her, too.” That would account for Saebin’s body armor. She needed to keep the Rodyte distracted until Saebin regained consciousness. The ship was small, the crew minimal. Taking control would be no problem, unless the Rodytes signaled for reinforcements.

“Why do you need a bodyguard, and why did you choose a female for the position?”

“Not much time for entertainment vids?” She tinged the question with affront and looked away. “My studio will only ransom me if I’m treated with respect.”

The blue rings in the Rodyte’s eyes ignited as his gaze swept up and down her body. “It will have to be one hell of a ransom to keep me from enjoying you.”

“Name your price, and I’ll arrange it.”

The Rodyte reached for the fastenings at the front of his pants, his gaze focused on Echo’s mouth. “I have a better idea.”

* * * * *

Varrik opened his eyes and groaned. Light stabbed into his brain, preventing him from identifying his location. His hands and feet were bound, and his wrists were secured to something behind his back. Heat emanated from the bodies pressed against his sides. The faint scent of blood complicated the distinct smell of sweat. He sat against a cool wall, the only thing keeping him upright. Moving his head from side to side, he watched the world swell in and out of focus.

What the hell had happened to him?

He’d been creeping through the maze with Echo and Saebin when… He’d just blinked out. Had Saebin lost control and zapped his mind again? That didn’t account for his new surroundings or the people huddled around him.

Think. Focus. Push through the pain.

He blinked repeatedly, and his eyes responded to his determination. Smooth, matte-gray walls surrounded him, with no adornment, no obvious door. The room was long and narrow. Held in a position identical to his, other men lined the walls. Not just men, hunters and sweepers. His muddled mind gradually identified the other captives. Had his actions somehow triggered this event? How could he assign blame when he didn’t even know where they were?

His gaze landed on one of the men slumped against the opposite wall. Curly blond hair drew his attention, and the man’s unusual clothing made him stare. This man was not from the world below. In fact this was the man who had been kissing Echo the night she was captured.

Kicking out with his bound feet, Varrik jarred the blond’s boots. With a throaty moan, the man shook his head and opened his eyes.

“What’s your name?” Varrik asked.

It took a moment for the blond to figure out who had spoken. “Where am I?”

“I have no idea, but you’re the only one in this room I don’t know.”

Little by little, the other men regained consciousness. Varrik waited for the blond to answer, but he remained silent, his turquoise gaze assessing.

“What’s going on, Commander?” Bryant asked. Despite the fact that he had replaced Bemzire, the lad was likable.

“Does anyone remember being captured?” Varrik asked to the room at large. No one did. “We all have something in common, except for you.” He returned his attention to the blond. “How did a royal bodyguard end up with us?”

The man’s eyes narrowed with speculation. “I’m not a royal bodyguard. What made you think I was?”

“Your tongue was down the throat of one of the princesses when we—” Bryant muttered a curse and looked at Varrik. “Sorry, sir. I’ve always had a big mouth.”

Varrik studied the blond as Bryant’s slip registered. Fury filled his gaze and he jerked against his restraints. “Where is she, you bastard?” the man snarled. “If you’ve so much as touched her, I’ll—”

“Now that’s interesting. We captured two women that night, but you only seem concerned about one.”

“Are they on this ship, too?”

“How do you know this is a ship?”

“I recognize the vibration.” The subtle smirk curving his lips hinted at a deeper meaning.

“My name is Varrik. I returned the royal twins to their parents.” He ignored Bryant’s gasp. “The situation we find ourselves in now has nothing to do with that incident.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because I was with Echo and Saebin when I was captured. We were in the process of averting a war.”

A long pause followed. The blond stared at him as hushed comments passed up and down the line of hunters.

“What war?” Bryant asked, appointing himself spokesman for the others.

“Elder South was ready to move against Elder North. South intended to use the royal twins as an excuse to escalate hostilities.”

“That’s been brewing for longer than I can remember,” someone near the end of the row muttered.

“We fought for the House of Joon during the Great Conflict. We’ve been enslaved by the elders ever since.” Varrik paused for effect before adding, “Is anyone else tired of bowing to laws that only benefit a few?”

“You sound just like your brother,” Bryant told him.

Varrik met his gaze directly, his tone unapologetic. “Sekall was right. The age of Shadow Assassins is past. We need to join the world above.”

“My name is Lor, but I have no idea what I’m doing here.”

“Do you remember anything about your capture?”

“I was in the forest where you snatched Echo, searching for anything the others might have missed. I knew it was futile, but I had to do something.”

“You’re a Mystic?” Varrik asked.

“Master Level mage.”

“What are your abilities?”

Lor tried to hide his smirk and failed. “I can manipulate fire.”

“You’re a pyrokin?” Bryant sounded inordinately interested.

“How is catching the room on fire going to better our situation?” Varrik asked.

With a secretive smile, Lor gaze off into the distance. “Master Tal is still teaching me to control it.” He pulled his hands in front of him. The restraints were still hooked to the wall. “Shapeshifting runs in my family, too.”

Chapter Twelve

If he puts that thing in my mouth, I swear to the gods of the Day Moon, I’ll bite it off!

That doesn’t sound like a happy thought, Saebin responded.

Echo closed her eyes, afraid the Rodyte would read relief in her eyes. Can you turn him off from there? I really don’t want this to go any further.

You know I can’t launch a pulse unless I can see the target. Hang in there and keep this link open. I’m on my way.

“You don’t like the idea?” He traced her lips with his finger. Dear god, she hoped it was his finger! “So, make me a better offer?”

Forcing her revulsion to the back of her mind, she opened her eyes. “How about if I do both of you at the same time? Have you ever shared a woman like that? I’m told it’s so tight you feel like you’re inside a virgin.”

The Linusian groaned and rubbed the growing bulge in the front of his pants as he waited for the Rodyte to reply. They’d have to release her. What she’d suggested couldn’t be done with her body secured in this position.

“Why would you rather do us both than suck me off and be done with it?”

“Because you’ll want more. Men always want more.”

The Rodyte chuckled, running his finger from her chin, along the side of her neck, and into the valley between her breasts. “At this speed, it will take us eight days to reach Rodymia. If you keep us entertained until then, I’ll ransom you.”

“And if I refuse?”

“I’ll make you available to anyone who wants you and then sell you to slavers.”

“Gee, let me think.”

“Have her suck us off so we know she’s going to behave,” the Linusian suggested in a tight, anxious voice.

“If we take her like this, there’s no surrender. I want her naked and kneeling, with her hands clasped behind her back.” The Rodyte unfastened her straps, working his way from her ankles to her arms.

Echo held perfectly still, afraid to move, hesitant even to breathe. Where are you? These two aren’t going to wait much longer.

I had to make a quick detour. We’re almost there.

We? Had she stopped to release the men?

The Rodyte helped her down from the table, then stepped back. “Undress for me. I want to see those tits.”

She could play the seductress a bit longer or kick his worthless ass. Slowly raising her hands to the front of her shirt, she caught her lower lip between her teeth then jumped, kicking the arrogant prick in the side of the head. He staggered back, toppling a chair before he collided with the wall. She advanced without hesitation, driving an uppercut into his jaw. Her arms were grabbed from behind, her hands jerked to the small of her back.

“You stupid bitch!” the Rodyte snarled, wiping his bleeding nose on the back of his hand. “If you want to play rough, I’ll be happy to oblige.” He smacked her with the back of his hand.

Using the Linusian for leverage, she kicked the Rodyte in the chest, driving him back again.

The Linusian laughed. “Gods, she’s a wild one.”

Echo heard the door slide open, but knew better than taking her eyes off her opponent. The Linusian went limp behind her. The Rodyte collapsed a second later.

“It took you long enough.” She turned around, expecting to find Saebin standing in the doorway. Instead Varrik approached her, his gaze filled with concern.

“Are you all right?”

Her heart fluttered madly, and heat cascaded through her chest. “I am now.” She released a shaky breath, wanting to throw herself into his arms. Afraid he’d push her away. They hadn’t spoken of the shared dream, hadn’t been alone since they left the maze. “Where’s Saebin?”

“She headed to the bridge. I told her we’d meet her there. Are you sure they didn’t hurt you?” Echo nodded and knelt beside the Rodyte. “Is that the captain?” he asked.

“Yes. Did you happen to bring—” He held out a fist full of alloy manacles and she smiled. They rolled the two unconscious men back to back, then secured the Linusian’s arms through the Rodyte’s. “That should keep them out of trouble until we get this heap turned around.”

How’s it going up there? She sent her thought to Saebin.

All clear on the bridge. I’ve set course for the COT. I suspect the overlord will have a question or two for these mangy dogs.

That wouldn’t please Varrik, but Saebin was right. She motioned toward the captain and the Linusian. “How long will they be out?”

“Until I release them. My compulsions are different from Saebin’s pulses. She overloads the synaptic pathways. I take control of them.”

“I see.” She stood, both comforted and confounded to have him near. “The bridge is secure. Is Elder South still locked in his cabin?”

“South is on board?”

With a nod, she headed for the door. “The captain is just following orders. Let’s see if South knows what the Stirate is up to.”

“I can see why your uncle recruited you. Your abilities make interrogation effortless.”

“Uncle Trey didn’t recruit me. I volunteered. My parents thought it was a passing phase. They expected me to tag along on a mission or two and then go back to being a princess.” She shot him a sidelong glance. “Silly them.”

Elder South sprang to his feet as they entered his cabin. “Why has the ship…” He looked from Echo to Varrik and back. His expression revealed nothing, while panic erupted in his eyes. “Are we rescued?”

Echo laughed. “To require rescuing, one has to be in danger. Are you in danger?”

South held up his hands, palms out. “Don’t come near me.”

She took a step toward him, and pain stabbed into her brain. The room spun, shifting in and out of focus with nauseating speed. Varrik caught her elbow and reached into her mind, snuffing out South’s compulsion. Energy burst again, stronger this time. She strengthened her shields, but it wasn’t enough. Her eyes watered and her ears rang. She shook, a strangled moan escaping her throat.

Fury rolled across their link, building like a violent thunder storm. Cold and consuming, the intensity made her gasp. “Don’t kill him.” She forced the words past the agony assailing her mind.

Varrik reined in his anger, and Echo sensed his underlying emotions. Fierce protectiveness and an intoxicating mixture of passion and tenderness. She pressed her hand over her thundering heart. Was she the cause of all these feelings?

With icy determination, Varrik absorbed South’s energy and flung it back on the elder. South screamed. Varrik stepped in front of her, shielding her with his mind and his body.

She blinked away the moisture in her eyes. Varrik advanced on South, each step an obvious effort. A visible pulse blasted from South, knocking Varrik backward. He regained his footing and lunged, grasping South’s head between his hands. South yelled and tossed his head from side to side, unable to shake off Varrik’s hold.

Knowing it might be the only opportunity she got, Echo skirted Varrik and grabbed the back of South’s head. Scalding heat and seething emotions exploded within her mind. The men were shoving energy back and forth in scorching waves. She cried out, keeping her hand pressed against the elder’s head.

Chaotic thoughts and surging emotions hindered her progress. She had to find the memory center of South’s brain. There! She locked on to the signal and absorbed the information as quickly as her gift would allow.

Swirling around her and sweeping through her, their mental battle raged. She focused on her task, shielding herself as much as she could. Varrik’s control was slipping. She glimpsed his full strength and trembled. Shimmering, expansive, and largely untapped. Did he even realize the extent of his abilities?

Are you finished? Varrik sounded tense and tired, his restraint nearly spent.

She withdrew with a gasp and panted, “Done.”

South cried out one last time. His body collapsed in a lifeless heap at their feet.

* * * * *

“You’ve never been on a spaceship before?”

Varrik dragged his gaze away from the spectacular view as Echo’s voice drifted to him. They soared past countless stars, moving so fast light seemed to bend. He’d been so absorbed in his troubled thoughts he hadn’t heard her enter the tiny lounge. “I’m a sweeper. I seldom had reason to leave the Shadow Maze.” He turned back to the viewport, keeping Echo in his peripheral vision. “This is amazing.”

It was over. He could sense it in her mood, see it in her eyes. She would return to her life, and he… He had no idea what would become of him. He had no resources, nothing to offer her. His heart had staked its claim, but his mind understood that a future with Echo was impossible.

“I just spoke with my father.” Her voice was soft and thick with emotion.

Here it came, the beginning of their goodbye. He looked at her, and she glanced away, burying her hands in the pockets of her pants. “What did he have to say?”

“You and your men will be taken into custody until we can sort through this mess.”

“I must return to the maze,” he objected. “The elders—”

“Are already in custody. Troops drilled down into the maze and are in the process of evacuating everyone. We’re supposed to report directly to the war room. Everyone is waiting for us there.”

“Who is everyone?”

“My mother and father. Probably Lyrik or Uncle Trey.”

He nodded. They would be treated like criminals. He had expected no other reception.

She laid her hand on his upper arm, drawing his gaze to hers. “I’ll do everything I can to make them understand.”

“Understand what? I kidnapped you and seduced you, fully intending to get you pregnant. I didn’t anticipate the intensity of our connection, but it doesn’t change the facts. I must take responsibility for my actions. I have wronged you.”

Framing his face with her hands, she stared into his eyes. “‘I have never felt as alive as I do when I’m inside you.’ You said that to me last night. I feel it, too, Varrik. There has to be a way we can—”

“Don’t.” He closed his fingers around her wrists and pushed her hands away from his face. Fostering these hopes would only make their parting harder in the long run. She deserved security and comfort, things he couldn’t give her. “I was never foolish enough to think they’d let me keep you. Flames that burn this brightly aren’t destined to last.”

“Bullshit! If we want to be together, we’ll find a way.”

“Spoken like a princess, who has never been told no.”

She folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her gaze. “Do you love me?”

“This isn’t about love.”

“Answer the question.”

“It’s irrelevant,” he said firmly. “They’re going to lock me up for what I did to you.”

“Not if I can help it.”

* * * * *

Echo refused to look at Varrik. His brooding expression was too distracting. Her parents had left a seat open between them. She chose to sit at Varrik’s side instead. Lyrik sat at the head of the table as was the overlord’s right. Trying to keep her explanation focused and succinct, Echo told them what she had learned from the Rodyte captain and Elder South.

“Lilt will deny any connection to the events,” Charlotte predicted.

“The maze is under Fortress Joon. How can he hope to deny his involvement?” Tal asked.

“The original maze was under the Conservatory,” Echo reminded him. “Did Vee ever suspect that’s where his brother had set up shop?”

Tal didn’t reply, so Varrik asked, “Has Elder North released his hold on E’Lanna? If he needs some incentive, I’d be happy to provide it.”

“My daughters are my concern,” Tal told him in a cold, clipped tone.

“E’Lanna is fine.” Echo ignored her father’s surliness.

“I’m still a bit confused about the role Elder South played,” Lyrik said. “Was he a captive on the ship?”

“The device the Rodytes gave Elder East was a simple diversion,” Echo explained. “Elder South actually signaled the ship. He teleported up, expecting to be treated as a guest. Instead they locked him in his cabin.”

“Neither of them knew why the Stirate wanted the hunters?” Charlotte asked.

“No. The Rodyte captain was trying to gain favor with the Stirate. South sold out the hunters for the promise of a comfortable life on Rodymia.”

Varrik shook his head. “All these cycles North was convinced South wanted control of the maze. In reality, South wanted to escape like everyone else.”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that,” Echo said. “South suspected foul play was involved in your father’s death. He resisted North’s appointment because he sensed North’s guilt.”

“Are you saying Elder North murdered my father so he could take control of our tribe?”

She nodded. “Your father’s weapon didn’t malfunction—it was sabotaged. South wasn’t the elder determined to unite the tribes under one ruler—”

“It was North?”

Again she nodded.

“Well, the maze has been evacuated.” Lyrik leaned against the tall back of his chair as speculation filled his green eyes. “The elders, hunters, and sweepers are all in custody. So, how do we proceed?”

“We have no real option but to treat these as war crimes,” Charlotte decided. “The generals, or in this case the elders, must be held accountable, more so than their men.”

“The majority of the soldiers alive today were born after the Great Conflict,” Varrik pointed out. “The elders have bartered their services to the highest bidder. Not all of them have taken lives.”

“Have you?” Lyrik asked.

“I played a different role.”

The hint of a smile curved the overlord’s lips. “I’m left in somewhat of a quandary. All the information Echo provided is only useful if she admits her involvement in this operation.”

“Why is that a problem?” Varrik’s tone was hesitant and he looked only at Lyrik.

“Echo is a valuable covert operative. If that fact became public knowledge, her usefulness is obliterated. Trey would have my bal— er, head on a plate if I let that happen.”

Varrik fidgeted, tension knitting his brow. “What is the alternative?”

“If you will testify, I’m prepared to arrange amnesty.”

“What about the kidnappings?” Charlotte snapped.

“He’s not a hunter,” Echo said before Varrik could incriminate himself. “His responsibilities began when the women were scheduled to be released.”

“Lyrik,” Tal used the overlord’s name to emphasize his own authority, “you cannot possibly mean to exonerate this man of all charges. He held Echo against her will and—”

“Varrik’s method of negotiation was unconventional, but it was a negotiation.” Echo scooted to the edge of her seat and met her father’s gaze. “I was not forced to do anything, and I will challenge any charge that implies otherwise.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” Charlotte cried.

“That seemed pretty clear to me,” Lyrik disagreed. “I also have sworn statements from my wife and a woman named Aila confirming Varrik’s honorable nature.”

Tal stood, shoving his chair back so forcefully it smacked against the wall. “You might need Varrik’s testimony to make your case against the elders. However, if he comes anywhere near my daughter again, I will not be responsible for my actions.”

Chapter Thirteen

Echo stayed away from Varrik for almost a lunar cycle. It was the longest three weeks of her life. Even their torrid dream sharing couldn’t alleviate her loneliness. Saebin encouraged her to give her parents time to calm down and accept that she was a woman, not a little girl. Echo did her best to follow the advice, but her heart ached for Varrik.

He was in protective custody in an undisclosed villa on the Day Moon. The House of Joon had threatened his life when Lilt was arrested. Some of the more fanatical squadron leaders considered him a traitor and vowed to avenge the elders. So, Trey insisted that he remain in hiding until after the trial.

According to Saebin, Varrik was taking it all in stride, basking in his newfound freedom. Protective custody was still worlds away from the life he had known before. Echo appreciated Saebin’s reports, knowing her parents were being less than gracious about Saebin’s role in the events.

Echo searched the Conservatory’s records, uncovering everything she could about the child who had been found in Mystic Valley. Shaellee was a Farseer, with mild telekinetic abilities. If Shaelee was Varrik’s niece, which Echo suspected she was, he would be relieved to learn she was happy and well-adjusted.

After spending the day working out with Saebin and preparing for their next mission, Echo retired to her private suite earlier than usual. She took a long, hot bath, while her mind filled with images of Varrik. Rather than relaxing her, it escalated her frustration, so she dried off and crawled into bed. The situation was simply intolerable. She refused to pretend anymore. If her parents couldn’t accept her life choices, then she would strike out on her own.

She materialized in his bedroom, naked and tingling. He stood at the open window, his naked body bathed in moonlight. One of his arms rested against the windowsill as he gazed out across the steep valley that housed the City of Tears. She couldn’t see his other hand, but the rhythmic pulling motion left no doubt what he was doing.

“Why did you start without me?”

He spun to face her and lowered his hand, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight. “This has to stop. I thought these fantasies would be enough, but they’re just making the days longer. I want to share your life, not just your dreams.”

Smiling sweetly, she closed the distance between them. “I couldn’t agree with you more. I came to the same conclusion as I was soaking in my bathtub.”

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of each hand. “We both know the sorts of thoughts you have while you’re soaking in your bathtub.”

“I can’t imagine why.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently kissed his mouth. “I’ll speak with my parents in the morning. We will be together as soon as this trial ends, even if we have to leave Ontariese to make it happen.”

He hugged her to him and stroked her hair as his gaze caressed her face. “I hope it won’t come to that. The overlord seems to think there’s a place for me at the COT.”

“He just inherited four thousand soldiers with unusual abilities. He needs a strong leader to keep them in line.”

“Four thousand men who have never tasted freedom are going to require guidance if they hope to adjust to the world above.”

“Isn’t that what I just said?” She playfully nipped his lower lip. “Now, no more talk of others. These dreams are meant for us.”

“I’m entirely at your disposal.”

“Glad to hear it.” With a wicked chuckle, she moved his hands to the windowsill behind him and lowered herself to her knees. His shaft rose thick and long from a dark nest of wiry curls. Using only her mouth, she took up where he’d left off when she appeared.

For a long time, she concentrated on the flared head, licking, sucking, and even nibbling at his sensitive flesh. He arched his back, lifted his face to the moonlight, and let her play. It was so seldom that he allowed her to be the aggressor. She took full advantage of the opportunity.

She sucked him deeper and deeper into her mouth, moving her hands to his tight ass. He groaned. His chest heaved as the tension built. Sliding her lips up and down his thick shaft, she drove him toward climax, determined to watch him lose control, to feel him twitch against her tongue, and taste him as he so often tasted her.

“Stop or I’ll…” She moved faster, sucked harder, demanding his release. He cried out, thrusting to the back of her mouth as he spilled his seed. He shuddered and shuddered, his fingers pushing into her hair. She swallowed and licked until he finally stopped shaking.

“You little hellion.” He panted, easing out of her mouth. “How long have you wanted to do that?” He pulled her to her feet and swung her toward the windowsill.

“Ever since I first saw you naked. You let me touch you. What I really wanted was to put you in my mouth.”

“Gods, woman. You’re going to be the death of me.”

She laughed. “I thought I already was.”

He positioned her body much as she’d positioned his. “It’s your turn.” Kneeling before her, he parted her folds with his thumbs and flicked his tongue against her clit. No mercy, just a silent command to come and come hard. Already halfway there, her body was only too happy to obey. She clutched the windowsill as her inner muscles clenched and her womb fluttered.

“Now fill me!” Instead of lifting her to the ledge, he turned her again and crossed her wrists at the small of her back. She arched and lifted her hips, her legs parted—waiting. “Now, please, now.” He pushed between her thighs, teasing her folds with the head of his cock. She whimpered. So good, but not nearly enough.

Holding her wrists with one hand, he touched her breasts and stroked her belly. All the while his shaft pressed against her without pushing inside. He nipped her earlobe and found her clit with his middle finger.

“Come again, or I won’t give you this.” He slid forward and back so she could feel the hot, hard length waiting for her.

“I need you inside me. I can’t come like this.”

“Sure you can.” His finger circled her clit with a featherlight touch. Her nipples tingled, and her core throbbed, demanding penetration. She thought about his expression as he abandoned himself to the pleasure of her mouth, remembered his shaft sliding against her tongue, and heard his cries of release.

Sensations burst within her, wild and elemental. Each time Varrik touched her, the pleasure was more intense. While her body pulsed with aftershocks of her orgasm, he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she snuggled against his chest. He covered her mouth with his and lowered her legs to the bed. She knelt on the mattress while he stood on the floor, neither willing to abandon the sweet intimacy of their kiss. She slid her tongue against his, drawing in his breath. Her fingers combed through his hair.

He stroked up and down her back, cupping her bottom, as he rocked his hips against her. She’d had enough teasing. She needed his weight pressing her down and his thick cock filling her aching passage.

She dragged her mouth away from his and lay back across the bed, her gaze locked with his. He stared down at her, passion glowing in his eyes. She raised her arms and slowly parted her legs, showing him exactly how much she wanted him.

With a ravenous growl, he climbed onto the bed and slipped his hands beneath her bottom. He lifted her hips as he thrust to the hilt, filling her completely. He didn’t pause, didn’t gentle her with words or sweet caresses.

She raised her legs high against his sides and squeezed her inner muscles around him. Varrik. Her love. Her life. She reveled in his abandon, matching his aggression stroke for stroke. Arching and twisting, she took him as surely as he took her.

They shattered together, their bodies pulsing in perfect synchronicity. Their hearts beat as one, and their energy merged, swelling, swirling, as they rode out the waves. She whispered his name. He captured the sound with his open mouth.

Sensations slipped, fading with the pleasure. Echo reached for him and he dissolved beneath her touch, evaporating like mist. The room skewed, spun, then reshaped, transforming into her bedroom.

She sat up in her own bed, her heart breaking. No more. It ended now. She wouldn’t pass another night without him.

* * * * *

Charlotte had just climbed into bed beside her life mate when someone pounded on their privacy panel.

“It’s Echo,” Tal said.

“I know. I can sense her…unrest.” It was a ridiculous word to describe the emotions pelting her mind.

Tal allowed the panel to open, and Echo stepped into the room.

“I love Varrik, and I will not live without him. If you cannot accept my soul’s mate, then I’ll find somewhere else to live.”

Charlotte looked at Tal, torn between disappointment and admiration. Echo had always had a mind of her own. How could they combat such vehemence?

“What makes you believe he’s your soul’s mate?” he asked in a nonconfrontational tone.

“I don’t believe, I know. The first night we were separated we shared a dream. Dream sharing has never been among my abilities before. Our souls refuse to be parted. What other explanation can there be?”

“You know nothing about this man. He is from a world—”

“I shared his memories, Father. I know him far better than you knew Mother when you bound your souls together.” She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “I don’t want to destroy our relationship. But I will not give him up.” Without another word, she turned and left the room.

“Well, that was unexpected.” Charlotte couldn’t help but smile.

Tal looked at her and shook his head. “I saw it in their eyes clear back on the Day Moon. I had begun to wonder what was taking her so long.”

“If you knew they were soul mates, why did you threaten Varrik?”

“I’m her father.” He smiled. “It’s my job to make him squirm.”

* * * * *

Varrik hurried across the villa and activated the security viewer. A cloaked woman stood on the front porch, her features lost in shadow. How had she gotten past the guards? He knew who it was. Gods, he hoped he knew. Holding his breath, he moved across the foyer and scanned open the door.

“Did you miss me?” Echo asked.

Heat curled through his abdomen and his pulse kicked up a notch. Echo was here. Somehow she was really here. Despite the physical pleasure, their shared dream had left him feeling empty and discontent. He needed to hold her as they slept and wake up to her smile. He took her hand and drew her into the villa.

“You shouldn’t be here. It’s dangerous.”

She lowered the hood and met his gaze, her expression inscrutable. “I’m not afraid of the danger. Are you?” Challenge flashed through her gaze before a smile softened her expression. “The trial is only four days away. We’ll stay away from the windows. I promise.”

“I was just—”

“Unless you don’t want me here.” Uncertainty drew her delicate brows together.

“I want nothing more.” Capturing both her hands, he pulled her into a loose embrace. “Half of this planet is pissed off at me. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

“Won’t I be easier to protect if I’m under your roof?”

He smiled and brushed her lips with his. “I think I can sell myself on that reasoning.”

“I brought you a present.”

Reaching down, he squeezed her bottom. “And I can’t wait to unwrap it.”

She reached into the pocket of her cloak and held out a crystal disk.

“What’s this?” He took the disk from her hand and turned it over, admiring the intricate pattern etched into both sides.

“Hold it up to the light and look through it.”

As light passed through the crystal the decoration gave way to an image. A young woman stared back at him, faint blue rings in her soft brown eyes. “Is this…” He couldn’t bring himself to complete the question. It was too much to hope that Sekall’s daughter was still alive.

“Her name is Shaelee. She doesn’t remember much about the mountain cottage, but she told my mother a kind man, with blue rings in his eyes, used to visit her when she was very young.”

He rubbed his thumb over the surface of the disk, joy clogging his throat. She is beautiful, Sekall. Your daughter is alive and beautiful.

She stroked his cheek with the backs of her fingers. “You still look so sad. I thought this would please you.”

Moved beyond words, he drew her fully into his arms and kissed her with all the tenderness in his heart. She melted into his embrace, returning his kiss with equal fervor.

“Does this mean I can stay?” she whispered against his kiss-dampened lips.

“Always and forever.” He parted her cloak and felt his mouth gape. She was naked beneath the garment.

“I left in a hurry.” She offered him a wicked grin that perfectly matched her outfit.

He swept her up in his arms and claimed her mouth with his. Oh, my love. Never stop surprising me. You are truly a wonder.

They kissed for a long moment, content to be in each other’s arms.

Does your father know where you are? Should I fear for my life?

Only if you don’t love me as much as I love you.

That will never be a problem.