Chosen One (Forever Evermore #6)(58)

I licked my lips, and nodded once, but stated, “Don’t do that too often. Emotions are there for a reason.” Like telling you when you’re in over your head. I set the trashcan aside. “I need to get used to this someway.”

His head cocked slightly, still sending his own subtle peace down the bond. “You want me to take it away?”

Um…no. “I’d rather puke in private.”

“Alright.” He stretched his legs out in front of him, and didn’t relent with his peace. “What other questions do you have that I’m able to answer in front of the others?”

“Your speed,” I stated factually. “Do I have that now that I’m the Chosen?”

His lips curved. “You’ve always been the Chosen. And, yes. You will. In time.”

I stared pointedly.

“You’re still young.”

Ah. Okay, so…”Will I get one of those,” I waved a pointed finger around my head, “in time, also?”

“A halo?”

“Leric.”

He chuckled, and nodded. “Yes. In time. Just a bit more feminine.”

I blinked, and then automatically raised a hand from the blanket toward my King, not even glancing in his direction.

He instantly high fived me.

That fucking rocked, no matter what else was going on. That crown was intimidation without anyone even knowing what the hell it actually meant. The big, bad all in a crown.

Leric chuckled, shaking his head. “And with it…”

A roll of my eyes. “…comes a lifetime of great duty.” I waved my hand before tucking it back under the blanket because, apparently, being the Chosen was correlated to the One, which was a forever duty, until death. “Whatever. I still get a…halo.”

“Yes, you do.” White arched brow lifted a bit. “And a duty that would not have been gifted to you if you couldn’t handle it.”

I swallowed hard, thanking the fact he was still gifting me with his peace. “When does that start? My duty for being the Chosen?”

“Now that we’re bound, you’ve feel the,” his nose crinkled, glancing at the others, “pull…whenever I do.”

Wonderful. “How often is that?”

“A few times a week. Sometimes less. Sometimes more.” His eyes narrowed a bit on the others now. “Depending on how the world turns.”

Ah. “Maybe it’s a good thing I’m going to be Queen.” Keep the damn peace as much as I could.

His head cocked, and he instantly stared off to the side.

Immediately following this…I felt a vibration…on the tether connecting us. “What is that?” I shivered at the odd sensation. Stalled. My eyes flew wide, and I damn near started hyperventilating. “It’s not happening now, is it?” My voice was piercing. “No, no, no, no. I haven’t even had time,” my hands were shooting out the blanket, fluttering about, “to process any of this! It cannot be happening-”

“Shh. Calm down,” Leric murmured in my mind. “It’s just my mom. She’s talking to me.”

“Oh.” I cleared my throat, my cheeks flushing a bit as most everyone in the room stared at my overtly faint-hearted reaction to something unseen, or felt, by them. “Right.” I nodded once. “Tell her I said hi. And the next time I’m at the Temple we have a date for French silk pie.”

Leric’s lips trembled a bit, even as he stared off at nothing, then he breathed a puff of air, stars twinkling, then instantly disappearing, his gaze coming back to me. “She’ll hold you to that.”

My stomach growled. “I hope so. That’s the best damn pie I ever had.”

King Collins appeared a bit wide-eyed, but he cleared his throat again.

I blinked…and couldn’t think of a damn thing to ask after that. “I think that’s all I’ve got for now, but the others,” a waved hand at the room, “may have questions, if you’re able to answer.”

As one…every single person started speaking over each other.

They shut up, all at once, glaring at one another silently.

Bless Leric, his lips didn’t even tremble, just continued sitting easily on the ground, watching me.

I cleared my throat pointedly. “How about we go in turns. King Collins?” My King took a deep breath in, expression banking on fascinated…and I interrupted, stating clearly, “One question at a time, then we’ll swing it to the next person.”

His eyes narrowed the barest bit. He paused in apparent thought, probably, coming up with his most desired question. Bounced his leg a bit, then blurted on a rush, “Does the Chosen mean she can choose to allow certain Mysticals of other factions into the Temple?”

My lips couldn’t help but tremble in amusement, even as Leric only answered solemnly in code, “That would be a bad assumption, King Collins.” His head cocked, eyes flicking to me, and I saw a bit of mischievousness in them before they turned to my King. “But…the One and the Chosen have the right of entry for any Lajak to the Temple in concerns of protection for themselves.”

Even I stared. “Really?”

His lips curved a bit cruelly. “Again, in regards to protection for themselves.” White brows lifted simply. “After all, our protection is monumental to all.”