The Alpha King (Kingdom of Askara #1)(69)

Kit was bone tired. He sat in the corner with both babies as women and children came to peer at him. Kit smiled shyly at everyone and beckoned to a frail little girl who seemed too scared to come closer even though she obviously wanted to. Ari gurgled loudly then burped and the little girl giggled.

Kit leaned forward so Ari could be seen and smiled encouragingly at the little girl. “What’s your name?”

The little girl blinked and took another step forward. “Aislin,” she whispered hoarsely, the longing to come closer apparent on her face.

“Would you like to come and say hello?” Kit asked gently. “This is Ari, and I could do with help to hold him.” Taheesha silently took Adera so Kit’s hands were freer. He moved to the side to make room for her on one of the blankets Taheesha had brought in. “Would you like to hold him?” Kit asked. The little girl’s eyes got huge. She scampered quickly to the blankets and held up her arms.

Kit wanted to cry. She couldn’t raise her arms very far because of the red and inflamed scar tissue that tracked even above her elbows. Her left hand was so badly scarred all the fingers were curled inwards. She must have been in a tremendous amount of pain but her face shone with eagerness and her smile was wide as Kit lowered Ari and his blanket onto her lap when she had sat down. He simply kept hold so she would not have to take Ari’s weight.

This, then, was one of the children from the boiling pits. Tears pricked at his eyes and as he glanced at Taheesha, and saw she was as equally horrified. If there had ever been any question that their world needed Luca, all doubt had just disappeared.

Kit had forced a few mouthfuls down and excused himself with the babies and Taheesha. Taheesha had eaten but had refused to shift and Kit had felt guilty knowing she was exhausted, but he also knew the chances of her sleeping deeply were increased if she was tired, and Taheesha was, after all, a werewolf herself. He couldn’t risk her hearing him leave. When all the house was silent, Kit rose, kissed his sleeping babies good bye, and silently left the room. The cottages were small and Kit knew the family living there had all given up their room for him and the babies. Sascha and Gabriel had shifted some time ago and gone to see what they could find out. He let himself out of the house and took a step.

“I knew there was something.” Kit jumped as Asher stepped out of the shadows. “You were entirely too calm in there. I know you haven’t heard from him since because you would have said, but you weren’t surprised when they mentioned Kieran. You know something is wrong.”

Kit looked at Asher sadly. “I have to go, Asher. I am the only one who can get close. They will never allow another wolf near, and you look too damn dangerous.”

“I made a solemn promise to my King to keep you safe.”

“And this is the only way of doing that. If Luca dies, we are all dead. Don’t think for a minute Kieran will leave our territory alone. We can never go home. All our families would be slaughtered. He knows, Asher. He knows who we are and where we come from.” Kit stepped close and took Asher’s hands in his. “Think of Sam. I know you want to live in a world where you can be together.”

“Sam would be the first one to remind me of my duty. You know that.”

“And I need you to do that. The future of Askara is laid upstairs and wrapped in blankets. If the worst happens you are the only one I trust to get them, Taheesha, and Iris to safety. Luca would want that, and I need that. Please, Asher.” Asher stared, his green eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Elliot says the coronation will be on the steps of the palace tomorrow at noon. Get everyone there. Tell Christoph to have all the humans ready, and look for my signal.”

Asher stepped back and in one move brought his fist across his chest and bowed his head in a mirror image of the move Kit had seen him do to Luca countless times. Kit’s throat was so tight he couldn’t speak. He took a last look at his friend and turned to go. Within a minute he was hidden in the shadows and moving towards Neira...and Luca, because everything in him told Kit that he was still alive, and it was up to Kit to keep him that way.





Chapter Twenty





He was alive. The only way he knew this was because the pain in his chest was so excruciating he could barely breathe. Every inhale was a struggle and each one felt like it was going to be his last. His mind drifted aimlessly, barely aware of what was happening. Thought was an abstract concept and every time he swam near cohesive awareness and a sense of urgency, the pain beat him back until he forgot whatever had made him try to wake. It was simply easier to make no attempt to remember. He wasn’t even sure he cared to know.

Luca?

Luca moaned. Someone was calling him but it hurt too much to wake.

My darling? I can feel you. I’m coming. Hang on.

He wanted to reply, to acknowledge the tiny bit of comfort from the soft voice, but it was too hard. With a sigh, he slipped back gratefully into blackness.

****

Around dawn Kit had found the palace and he had huddled among the piles of trash in the alleyway that ran alongside. Neira was nothing like he had ever seen before. The palace was huge, a stone temple that the rose high above all the smaller buildings. Large gammas stood at intervals guarding the steps. Humans started arriving in small groups and vendors set up tables to cater to the expected crowd.

Kit was hungry and thirsty, but he didn’t move as he could not afford to be seen until he was ready. He had been right in his assumption, though. The gammas hadn’t seen him slip past in the dark, and whatever they may have smelled they had dismissed as inconsequential, and the trash he was hiding near masked his scent. He had kept his link open with Luca and an awareness of him prickled on his skin. All Kit knew was that he was alive.