Crowned (Beholder #4)(41)

Chapter Nineteen




I don’t know how long I tumbled through the darkness. My fall ended with a jolt. It took me a moment to realize that I’d landed on my feet, in a jungle, and during daytime. Nan and Mrefu were nowhere to be seen. The Sword hilt stayed in my grip, though. After so much pain and loss to get this far, there was no way I was losing it now.

But where was I, exactly? Was this the same place where I’d left Jicho and the MAJE?

A voice cut through the dense jungle, answering that question for me. “Elea? Elea?”

My heart soared. That was Jicho.

I could have danced for joy. Kila Kitu had used his magick to drop me off in the jungle right where our metal vessel had been docked. The mage had even made sure I landed on my feet. As magick went, that was rather impressive. I had arrived without Nan or Mrefu, though, which sent pang of loneliness through my soul. It seemed I found friends only to lose them, time and again.

I cupped my hand by my mouth. “I’m here!”

“Don’t move,” cried Jicho. “I’ll get to you.” The joy in his voice was unmistakable. It also sounded as if he was speaking from somewhere above my head. I frowned. Had my little friend gone back to climbing trees?

I slipped the hilt into one of the deep pockets of my Necromancer robes. The jungle around me seemed deserted, but I knew enough to realize that was an illusion. Someone could pop out of the shadows at any moment.

Rubbing my neck, I scanned the high branches around me. All of them dripped with vines. There were about a million places a young boy could hide. I tapped my foot, anxious for Jicho to appear. The Casters knew that I’d escaped the cave. It wouldn’t take them long to find where I’d gone.

“We’re almost there.” This time, it wasn’t Jicho who was speaking. It was Nan. A weight of worry lifted from my bones. If Nan was with Jicho, then the boy couldn’t be in too much trouble.

“I’m ready when you are,” I called.

The crackle of magick filled the air. Red mist curled around my feet. My stomach sank. Someone was casting a spell with Caster magick. There was no question who was following me. Rowan. He always was quick with transport spells. And thanks to our mate bond, he could probably cast a tracker spell quickly, too.

A moment later, Rowan materialized before me. “Don’t bother trying to run again. You have the Sword hilt, so I’m not letting you out of my sight until I get it.” He loomed above me, every muscle in his body coiled with barely held-in fury. “Now, where is my brother?”

My mouth answered before I could stop it. “He’s on his way.”

“Have you hurt him?”

“Never.” I hated how my voice warbled with grief.

Rowan stepped closer. If I leaned forward, I could rest my cheek against his chest. “It’s bad enough that you’re going after the Sword of Theodora. Who knows what evil you’re really up to? But kidnapping my brother? That was a mistake you’ll regret.”

“I didn’t take Jicho. He insisted on helping me find the Sword. He said he had visions—”

“No, you’re lying. You must have cast a spell on him to make him follow you.”

“Me, a liar? What about you?”

Some of the tension left Rowan’s face. “I’m a king. Lies go with the territory.”

“So you can lie but not me? And not just any untruth, mind you. You gave me your word that I’d be safe. And yet, you sent your palace mages after me without at least giving me a chance to prove myself.” I raised my hand, palm forward. “Just try to share power with me.”

Rowan shook his head. “You’ve cast enough spells on me to last a lifetime. But they’ve all been played against you, witch. Thanks to your enchantment, I can find you anywhere. Your soul calls to mine.”

“That’s our mate bond. It’s why you can cast tracker spells so quickly.” I raised my hand higher. My throat tightened with desire and grief. “Please. Touch me skin to skin with the intent to share power. You’ll see.”

“I don’t know what to make of you sometimes.” Little by little, Rowan set his hand on my hip. It wasn’t enough to share power—there was still the fabric of my robes between us. Plus there was the intent needed as well. Still the touch was there. It was a start.

My hand trembled as I reached toward my mate, resting my palm against his cheek. Some deep part of my soul instantly felt at rest at the skin-to-skin contact. We still weren’t sharing power, but it felt wonderful to be this close again.

“You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you,” I said.

Rowan leaned into my touch. “This defies all logic.”

“Now you sound like a Necromancer. A wise man once told me that mate bonds aren’t something you can think through. You simply feel them and follow where they go.” I would never forget the moment Rowan gave me that advice: it was the night of our bonding ceremony, and I’d been so worried about what it meant that we were connecting and joining power. Rowan had been all things calm and confident.

Feel the mate bond and follow where it goes.

“Some wise man gave you that advice?” The barest gleam shone in Rowan’s green eyes. “And who was this brilliant philosopher?”

If I wanted to dance before, I could have jumped with joy now. Rowan was flirting with me. This was beyond wonderful. “It’s hard to remember,” I said as I wound my fingers behind his neck. “He may have been a king.”