“No, no, my dear,” the king’s voice was deeper, a little raspy. “It is I who should bow to you for what you did.” And he did.
She didn’t know what to say or do.
“Leya.” Aerén crossed to her, putting a palm on her back. “This is my sire, King Dandre of Empyrea.Pateri, my mate, Leyathi.”
She’d already curtsied, so she said, “Hello.”
A smile tugged the elyon’s pale lips. “Hello, my dear,” he responded. “I’m happy to see you are finally up, so I could personally offer my undying gratitude for what you did. Not many would take on a deranged sorcerer. I’m sorry you ended up mortally wounded in a fight that was never yours.”
His pewter-gray eyes darkened with remorse, and Leya hastily said, “No one could have foreseen that. But I am better than I ever was.” She cast her man a warm smile.
“So I have heard.”
“I’m just sorry I couldn’t find the queen,” she blurted. “But she only led me to you, I mean, her voice did. She was determined that I save you.”
Those gray eyes misted, then became granite. “We will find her, make no mistake.”
God, she hoped they did.
“The island situation?” he asked then, glancing at Aerén and Anedaén.
“We managed to save the island from sinking,” Anedaén told him.
Exhaling a deep breath of relief now that the meet and greet was over, Leya glanced at Aerén, but he was speaking to his father.
She left them to their talk and walked out of the room, needing to get out of her damp clothes, then she stalled out. Oh, darn. Should she have curtsied before she left the room or asked to be excused?
It’s all right,Aerén’s warm voice came through their bond as she shut the door behind her.
Phew!Okay. I’ll see you in a little while.
A half-hour later, changed into dry clothes, Leya left their room and smoothed her palms down her long, flowing skirt. A quick peek in her sister’s room revealed it empty.
Man, how to hunt her down in this enormous castle? She could ask Aerén, but she didn’t want to disturb him.
I’m never too busy for you, me’morae. My sire’s gone off with Zior. Let me get rid of Daén, and we can get naked.
She huffed a laugh.Tempting, but I need to find my sister.Damn, where was Hana?
Try the library…wait, she’s headed for the indoor garden.And their mind link shut off.
Happiness enfolding her, Leya ran down the grand staircase to ground level. But hard on its heels, a tinge of worry followed. How could she leave her father alone to run the garden center?
“Leya?” Hana appeared like an apparition, startling her. “What in god’s name happened? That damn Drav’n wouldn’t let me come after you when everything started quaking!” She scowled. “He got Severn to keep me indoors—” She blinked. “Your eyes…since when do you have white specks? Wait, did something happen out there when the ground trembled?”
Oh, boy. Where should she start?
“C’mon.” Leya hooked her arm through her sister’s. “There are things I must tell you…”
CHAPTER43
Leya watchedher sister pace the length of the spacious gazebo in the indoor garden by the waterfall, looking like she’d been clocked in the head.
Hana tunneled her fingers through her hair, then shook her head. “Man, if I weren’t in this world with you, I’d find what you just said hard to believe. A mystical white snake, bigger than this castle? Asnake?” She shuddered.
“There’s more.” This was the hard or easy part, depending on how her sister took it.
“More?” Hana gaped, stopping near the vines creeping up the timber trellis, reminding Leya of wisteria, with its drooping bunches of faded orange flowers.
