King Zeller’s eyes were tracking over my features as mine were his, but he still answered evenly, “Honestly, I have no clue. That is usually kept private for the Mysticals’ safety.” He ran his hand up and down Isa’s back soothingly, the action appearing second nature.
My lips thinned as I realized he already loved her, which I knew I should be thrilled about, but in a way I was jealous. Jealous that she had another parent now who was going to get half of her attention, half of her love. It was selfish, I knew that, but the emotion — another damn emotion — was there nonetheless.
His eyebrow lifted as he watched me, silently questioning whatever he was seeing on my face, but he didn’t verbalize his questions, continuing with our current conversation. “It’s definitely a Mage, that much is obvious. And one more powerful than Elder Farrar.”
I tapped my fingers on my legs, pushing aside the unwanted emotions coursing through me that were trying to derail my focus. “The individual’s older then. They would have to be because Antonio’s crazy powerful.”
“Thank you,” Antonio chirped from across the room, tilting his head at me as he poured himself another drink.
I did roll my eyes at him before turning my attention back to King Zeller. “What Elders are still alive, Mage-wise, that have that kind of power?”
King Zeller’s jaw clenched and unclenched, his eyebrows furrowing. “There are plenty older than Elder Farrar, but there are only a few still living that have been known throughout history to do remarkable things. That doesn’t mean we should rule out the others. I could put a list together, starting with the Mages with the most recognizable powers, and we could work our way from there.”
I stared. I couldn’t help it. He was being very amenable, extremely helpful. Slowly, my eyes started to narrow, because I wasn’t the naive woman we had watched earlier on the screen. “And what would you want in return for this?” Nothing was ever free in life, especially someone’s knowledge.
Gradually, his lips lifted into that cruel smile I was used to. “No arguments from you when I spend time with Isa.”
Ah, point blank, he wanted me complacent to him being her father.
My jaw clenched because I sure as hell wasn’t complacent where my daughter was concerned. “Wouldn’t you help just to know who did this to us?” I eyed him hard. “Open the option to possibly getting your memories back?” Possibly by force, if needed.
He returned my regard. “Honestly…I’m currently undecided. I really don’t know if I want them back.” No flinching, only brutal honesty. “We did this to ourselves. We broke the Law. It was no one else’s fault but our own.” His chilling gaze touched each part of my face. “You were obviously a weakness to me, and I became reckless while I was with you.” Green eyes stopped roaming my features to meet my gaze straight on. “So no, I’m not positive I want to remember you, or our time together.”
Golden light erupted across the room, glass shattering.
My attention snapped in that direction, and I quickly held up a hand at what I saw. “Antonio, no!”
Antonio’s expression was no longer blank, all the bottles of liquor at my bar having exploded. He wore the wrath of impending death on his features, King Zeller’s death, his exposed skin glowing dimly as he scowled across the room.
“Don’t go all daddy protective on me now.” Keeping my gaze firmly on Antonio, I jabbed a finger at King Zeller. “I don’t disagree with him. I feel the same way.” I amended, “But I absolutely want the option to have my memories back if I eventually choose to have them.” I waved a finger at the mess he had made at my bar, going for distraction. “Now, clean that up, since I think it’s time for you four to leave.” All four stared at me, Antonio slowly gaining control of himself. “You four don’t need to be here for this conversation and you’re only a disruption right now.”
I could tell none of them wanted to leave, but after Antonio waved a glowing hand and everything at my bar was back to normal — enough full bottles of liquor to drown anyone’s worries — they began filing out of my tent.
Quickly, remembering I had something I needed to say which couldn’t wait, I said, “Antonio, can you wait outside for a few minutes? I’d like to talk with you once we’re done in here.”
He held my gaze, nodded once, then exited the tent, his eyes staying clear of King Zeller since his jaw was still clenched tight, his brows furrowed as he kept a tight rein on his emotions. I was pretty sure he was silently debating ways to torment the asshole King for his blunt comment.
When the flap closed, the last Elder gone, I stared at it, stating, “I’ll talk with him for a while after this, but you should probably call a few guards to walk you back to your tent tonight.” My frank gaze turned to King Zeller’s. “He could take you down in a heartbeat.”
One black eyebrow quirked. “Are you worried about me,” a slow drawl, “wife?”
I was pretty sure I didn’t move for a couple of seconds at the term — the true term — then I snorted and shook my head. “No, not at all.” My own eyebrows rose. “But if anyone is going to hurt you,” a slight shrug, “it’ll be me.”
King Zeller and I held each other’s gaze. Time ticked by sluggishly, neither one of us speaking, only quietly assessing one another and our situation. That I had gotten myself mixed up with this man, the King of Vampires, had to have been the poorest decision I had ever made, even if I couldn’t remember it. The consequences of our actions, and I knew without a doubt we were both too intelligent not to have known them, were just too grand to have tossed over our shoulders without a care in the world.
A slight shake of my head. “We were so foolish.”
A quiet grunt. “Yes, we were.” His nostrils flared, green eyes still meeting mine. “It’s truly remarkable two people such as us let this happen.”
My smile was icy. “It happened because we weren’t the same people as we are now.” I rested my head against the couch. “Before the mind rape. Before this war. Before our experiences made us who we are now.”
“That wasn’t quite what I meant, even if also correct.” He lifted his boots onto the table and began running his hand lightly up and down Isa’s back again. “My point was, I can tell we are both of like mind in intelligence and duplicity, and we were that way even before the mind rape.” He stared at his hand’s movements. “The videos showed that plainly enough.” He kissed Isa’s tiny, soft head. “It’s hard to imagine we were irrational enough to get caught.”
I watched his actions with her, practically feeling his love for her vibrating through the air, even if his features were still hard. I breathed softly, again feeling jealous and worried about his potential for wreaking havoc with my relationship with my daughter, but I found myself saying, “I’m pretty sure I put up a fight when the punishment occurred, and possibly you, too.”
Green eyes snapped to mine. He stayed silent. Waiting for me to continue.
I lifted a portion of the grey t-shirt I was wearing where the material was still darker than normal even after so many cleanings, the blood staining it. I pointed at it, fingering the soft cotton. “I was wearing this when I first woke after the mind rape. I had bled on it and it still held the barest scent of one man.” I dropped the material and peered back up to him.
